Super Model pale ale uses all Australian ingredients: hops from Tasmania and Victoria, Voyager malts from the Riverina and yeast from Toowoomba… as well as Ipswich water, of course. This mid-strength addition to the 4 Hearts tap lineup (the version I tried was 4.2 percent ABV but it's been revised to 3.5 since) nestles comfortably between the Ipswich Challenger and Limestone Pale Ale. It’s a clean drinker with passionfruit and subtle orange notes, but with none of the hubris you might accumulate from strutting up and down the catwalk.
Keeping with the trend of self assurance, this next beer calls itself Das Meister Dunkel, and it’s a title well earned. When 4 Hearts sponsored the Ipswich Home Brew Competition, they set a first prize any homebrewer would love - the chance to brew a beer at 4 Hearts Brewery. Well, the person who won took out 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Lager category, so was certainly deserving of the brew day, not to mention the name attached to the winning dunkel.
Das Meister is a rich brown that lets the light shine through and is a fine example of the traditional Bavarian lager, with bready and sweet biscuit aromas promising a malty treasure without getting too heavy. The easygoing malts slide over your tongue smoothly, making this a dark beer that’s just right for the (rapid) transition from winter to spring.
Mick Wust
Published September 11, 2019 2019-09-11 00:00:00