Colonial Brewing Barrel Projects: Rubus

Style
Barrel-Aged Sour
ABV
6.0%

Colonial Brewing didn’t just spend much of 2021 expanding their stainless but have also been dedicating considerable time to their Barrel Projects series, which kicked off in March 2021 with Brown; before the year finishes, that's been joined by Rubus. Starting life as a golden ale, Rubus then met with a mix of bacteria and wild yeast and spent some 30 months ageing in chardonnay barrels before being finished for a further four months on 300 grams per litre of raspberries and blackberries. It means the resulting beer is no longer golden at all, instead pouring a vibrant red, while the chosen name pays tribute to those colourful berries via the scientific name for brambles.

It’s picked up plenty of those tart raspberry and blackberry flavours too, with a jammy or stewed berry quality alongside more fresh fruit flavours. Those are joined by a vinous barrel character, a farmhouse funk that continues to build over time but competes in that growing cavalcade with the beer's acidity and a gripping, tart stonefruit finish.

Will Ziebell

Published December 1, 2021

Name
CBCo Port Melbourne
Address

89 Bertie Street
Port Melbourne
VIC 3207

Phone
(03) 8644 4044
Open Hours

Thursday: midday to 7pm
Fri & Sat: midday to 11pm
Sunday: midday to 6pm

Regular events

Trivia: 7pm Thursdays. Free entry. $20 beer + burger.
Footy Nights: 3 hours unlimited beer & pizza on Fri & Sat nights during footy season. 6:30-9:30pm. $75.
Original Sundays: Live music from 3pm

Tours

Sat & Sun: One hour tour & tasting starting at 11.30am. Tickets cost $35 and include a $10 takeaway voucher for use on the day. Book via the brewery website.

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