New Beers
Barely a day goes by without another seasonal or one-off special flying out of an Australian brewery (if not ten). Here and in our weekly newsletter, we'll bring you news and, if we've sampled them, our take on as many of them as possible. Happy hunting!
Balter Brewing Hazy/DC
Tapped Yesterday
The instant Balter’s Hazy poked its nose onto the scene earlier in 2019 to mass excitement, it became clear a trio of limited hazy IPAs released nation-wide in 2019 would have no problem gaining attention (though, if we’re being honest, it probably could have been predicted even before then). So, with the release of the third, Hazy/DC, Balter has again given the people what they want. Like Dazy before it, Hazy/DC made its debut at GABS 2019 before eventually coming out in 500ml tinnies. And,… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Hazy IPA
- ABV
- 6.0%
- Bitterness
- 26 IBU
Boston Brewing launch their barrel program with an "intriguing and elegant" Cherry Porter
Tapped Yesterday
Driven by Antarctic bellowing, the long rainy winters in the small town of Denmark on WA’s southern coast cast a sleepy cloak over comings and goings. Tourist numbers decline sharply as the average daylight hours dip to a meagre four and, although stunning natural beauty remains, this is time for reflection and plotting. A few minutes out of town, Boston’s head brewer Tyson Addy has quietly used this yearly ebb to create a sizeable barrel program, the first significant release of which seems… Read more
Black
- Style
- Barrel-Aged Cherry Porter
- ABV
- 8.4%
- Stockists
-
Available in limited release from the brewery and select WA retailers.
Bevy Brewing Co Hooper Pilsner
Tapped October 15th, 2019
“Keller everything, I reckon.” Said with enthusiasm, belief and an endearing Aussie twang, this aphorism encapsulates head brewer Andy Scade’s view of Bevy’s Kellerbier pilsner. Named after a German word for Swan, minus the "W" lest it be confused as a menu item, Hooper pours as close to a kellerbier as any brewery could ask for without being from the actual tank – with that sat only a few metres away, it’s surely payable. Right? Gladfield Pilsner malt provides a malt forward… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Kellerbier
- ABV
- 4.9%
Mountain Goat Rare Breed: Fox Chaser
Tapped October 14th, 2019
There was a time when it seemed almost every Rare Breed release from Mountain Goat was an IPA of some sort: big, citrusy, even bigger, citrusy of a different kind. You couldn't fault the logic: fans enjoyed them and they helped the brewers on their still-going run of picking up at least one Australian International Beer Awards trophy every year since 2015. But there's been a change of tack in recent months, with their spiced, old school Garage Project collab followed by another spiced, old school… Read more
Red
- Style
- Spiced Farmhouse Red Ale
- ABV
- 6.5%
- Bitterness
- 30 IBU
- Stockists
-
Chase one down with the Mountain Goat beer finder
Boatrocker Dank & Juicy IPA
Tapped October 14th, 2019
Boatrocker continue along the path of giving some of their beers names that are as much descriptors as mere titles, as Dank & Juicy IPA follows the likes of Dank & Bitter and Sterk & Donker into the fold. They've been on quite a tear with IPAs in 2019 and, if you've been following along at home, you might spot elements of Nexus here in a beer that delivers on its promise – particularly the "juicy". Densely hazy and awash with fresh citrus aromas and lovely tropical fruit flavours… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Hazy IPA
- ABV
- 6.2%
Dainton Brewing The Raider NIEPA
Tapped October 14th, 2019
When you're on a mission to release a new can every week of the year, it helps to have a few shortcuts, such as taking an Other Half-esque approach to IPAs and releasing a bunch featuring different hop varieties. Given hop growers all over the planet are in a similar arms race to brewers when it comes to creating something new, there's a broad palette to pick from too. For The Raider – complete with Indiana Jones-mimicking artwork – they plumped for one of the Kiwi varieties getting people excited… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Single Hop NEIPA
- ABV
- 6.0%
- Bitterness
- 45 IBU
Mr Banks In Bloom & Playground Insults
Tapped October 12th, 2019
If there's one thing they love at Mr Banks it's an abbreviation. Actually, make that two things: they love IPAs. Although, if you think about it, they really love hazy beers too. Then there's the... actually, this is getting all Monty Python, or maybe Steve Martin at the end of The Jerk, so we should probably move swiftly on... to two beers that feature abbreviations, IPAs and haze galore. Starting with In Bloom, a DDH Pacific North West IPA they say is something of a blend East and West Coast American… Read more
Pale Yellow
- Style
- DDH IPA /
- ABV
- 6.7% / 8.5%
Stone & Wood Counter Culture: So Long Darkness..?
Tapped October 11th, 2019
Well, thanks for putting Simon & Garfunkel in my head ever since I cracked a can, Stone & Wood. Ah well, nothing a burst of Bonnie "Prince" Billy can't remedy. Although... can I see a darkness? The fourth Counter Culture release from Stone & Wood is one that brings to mind both the wine world's Riedel blind tasting glassware and black IPAs, with So Long Darkness..? their attempt to create a mind-bender that isn't as it seems. It's a pale stout: a beer with a character at odds… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- White Stout
- ABV
- 5.9%
- Bitterness
- 35 IBU
- Stockists
-
Find your nearest So Long Darkness..? here
Moon Dog Magnificent Mullets: David Boysenbowie (330ml)
Tapped October 11th, 2019
He might have been one of the later mullets to make an appearance but it looks like David Boysenbowie has jumped straight to the top of the class. The boysenberried sour has been chosen for a wider release in 330ml cans throughout spring and summer 2019/20 by the Melbourne brewers. If you've not made his acquaintance before, here's what we had to say about his first appearance earlier in the year: Boysenbowie pours a lurid crimson, reminiscent of an outpouring of blood in an early Sam Raimi movie;… Read more
Red
- Style
- Fruit Sour
- ABV
- 4.5%
Hawkers Into The Forest, I Go
Tapped October 11th, 2019
Following their recent rebrand comes another departure from Hawkers in terms of look, as the artwork for Into The Forest I Go has to be as jaunty as anything the Reservoir brewery has put out in its four-plus years to date. It's all hot pink, bold purple and lively blue – and a decent indicator of the mood of the liquid inside. Reminiscent of their Wheaty / Liberty collab, it pours a lurid deep pink colour that bleeds into the head. The use of lactobacillus to sour the beer takes the aroma closest… Read more
Red
- Style
- Berry Sour
- ABV
- 4.6%
- Stockists
-
Available direct from Hawkers online store or nationwide week commencing Oct 14
Rover Gilbert Rd. Lager
Tapped October 11th, 2019
If you explained the concept of Rover to someone who'd not come across beers bearing that name from Hawkers' sub-brand, this is likely the sort of beer that would come to mind more than the Henty St Ale. The latter's hoppy punch sits above what you might expect from a brand designed to be approachable, sessionable and, most of all, affordable; its Gilbert Rd. sibling plays in much more guarded territory. It's a pretty old school lager with eyes on the mainstream. Floral, softly spicy aromas start… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Lager
- ABV
- 4.2%
Bright Brewery Alpine Lager
Tapped October 11th, 2019
As 2019 draws to a close, Bright Brewery have put two of their core range beers into cans, with their flagship Blowhard joined by this Alpine Lager. And, while the former takes a ballsy approach to the world of pale ales, this is a more restrained affair. You'll pick up some floral and somewhat earthy hop aromas from the pale golden beer in your glass (or can), while there's a little malt sweetness at play with a touch of tropical fruitiness on the palate, before the finish – one that's more gently… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Lager
- ABV
- 4.5%
Bright Brewery The Orchard NEIPA & Mango Sweetart
Tapped October 11th, 2019
The brewery team at Bright has clearly been feeling fruity this spring, with both these limited run beers very much defined by their fruitiness, albeit in rather different manners. The Orchard NEIPA is a NEIPA with a twist, one that takes the shape of Norwegian yeast kveik, the super-speedy fermentation wizard. Poured into your glass, it looks like the Snowballs you might enjoy at Christmas (if you lived in a different era or are my wife). Citrus aromas dominate, with a fair bit of grassiness in… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Kveik NEIPA / Mango Sour
- ABV
- 6.5% / 4..2%
Frenchies Festbier "Party Lager" 2019
Tapped October 11th, 2019
I don’t know about you, but when I think about the marriage of King Ludwig I to Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, which, if I’m honest, isn’t as often as it used to be, I think about Sydney’s premier French bistro and brewery. Frenchies have gone all out in their usual fashion for their 2019 Oktoberfeast event and brewed a pitch perfect German festbier that head brewer, Vincent De Soyres, has rather more aptly named, a Party Lager. There’s great news for the dozens of Reinheitsgebot fans… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Party Lager
- ABV
- 5.6%
- Stockists
-
Best enjoyed at Frenchies Oktoberfeast (but in cans too)
Six String Foxy Dragon XPA
Tapped October 11th, 2019
Things I Didn’t Know #3816: a foxy dragon is apparently a common anime-style hybrid mythological creature. But this beer isn’t so common. It’s a one-off made for BrewCon 2019 by a supplier (Hopco), a brewer (Six String), and a distributor (Hops & More), who all collaborated on this XPA to play around with a couple of experimental hops, SV Fox and SV Dragon. It brings together complex aromas - big sweet bursts of pawpaw, flowers, passionfruit, citrus zest, dried apricot - but there’s nothing… Read more
Pale Yellow
- Style
- XPA
- ABV
- 4.2%
Bevy Brewing Co Extra Pale Ale
Tapped October 11th, 2019
In the five years since beers bearing the name first appeared on these shores, the XPA style has quickly gained momentum among drinkers thanks to its offer of approachability and modernity (pretty much whichever way the brewer has interpreted XPA). Although still a broad style, there’s typically a nod to New World hops and responsible alcohol levels, as is the case with Bevy’s latest offering, although, like its siblings, there is a subtle twist here – toffee malt. The specialty malt's influences… Read more
Golden
- Style
- XPA
- ABV
- 5.0%
FogHorn Brewery Summer Ale
Tapped October 10th, 2019
One of FogHorn’s original beers, Summer Ale may have spent most of its history being enjoyed inside the Newcastle brewpub but, when it joined the canned lineup late in 2019, the beer was given the opportunity to branch out further. And what a natural beer it is to can too; one designed for a barbie by a Newcastle beach. Or any beach. Or any barbecue. Driven by Australian Enigma hops upfront and German pilsner malt, it's a beer that's light on the palate while still packing a hop basket's worth… Read more
Pale Yellow
- Style
- Summer Ale
- ABV
- 4.9%
- Bitterness
- 30 IBU
Moo Brew Belgian Pale Ale
Tapped October 10th, 2019
Back in Prehistoric times (well, 2012, anyway, which is pretty much another era in craft beer terms), Moo Brew added a fifth beer to their core lineup. Belgo was a Belgian inspired ale that combined complexity with an approachable 4.5 percent ABV. As is pretty much always the case when breweries add a traditional Belgian (or British for that matter) beer to their core lineup, it didn't last that long before being quietly ushered into the knackers yard, albeit to be occasionally wheeled out in limited… Read more
Rich Brown
- Style
- Belgian Pale Ale
- ABV
- 4.5%
Ballistic Beer Co Sleep When You're Dead Hazy IPA
Tapped October 10th, 2019
Ballistic’s New England IPA was probably the beer that made people pay attention to their Sleep When You’re Dead series more than any other, and this Hazy IPA is closer to the NEIPA than some of the other styles they’ve toyed with. Like the NEIPA, it was born after the brewers came back from a “work” trip to the USA all re-invigorated and inspired to make hazy beers as good as those from the East Coast. And like the NEIPA: keep it cold, drink it fresh, and it will reward you richly. This… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Hazy IPA
- ABV
- 6.0%
- Bitterness
- 33 IBU
Nowhereman The Citrus American IPA
Tapped October 10th, 2019
They're enjoying playing with fruity sours and IPAs at Nowhereman these days and, for this hop exploration, they've taken a trip Stateside. Although there’s no strict design brief for their regular IPA iterations, the West Leederville brewers do have a love for the Idaho #7 hop, so this October 2019 release comes centred around that with some Citra along for the welcome to what the decal’s iconic sign tells you is a fabulous citrus party. Understandably, there’s no mistaking the grapefruit… Read more
Golden
- Style
- American IPA
- ABV
- 6.8%
- Stockists
-
Nowhereman Brewery
Clancy’s Fremantle
Refuge Small Bar
Palace Arcade
The Standard
More stockists...
