Alice Springs Brewing Co Stout

When you think of drinking beer in the desert, it's unlikely stout is going to pop into your head first. Yet this Stout has been around at the Red Centre's sole brewery since the start and you can pick it up in cans year round too. That said, this is no gnarly, roasty, bitter or big ABV stout, but an easy-drinker.

There's plenty of chocolate from start to finish yet still dry, plus a touch of coffee and some figgy dark fruits too. You could argue it's as much a dark ale as a stout, which explains why they're never quite sure which category to enter it into when awards come around.

James Smith