Little Creatures' little brother White Rabbit opened in the Yarra Valley in 2009, promising to bring the expertise that created modern Aussie classics like Little Creatures Pale Ale from the West Coast to Victoria. The brewery’s launch beer – their Dark Ale – has since been refined so successfully it picked up a gold at the 2010 Australian International Beer Awards. A second beer was introduced in 2010: a honey-conditioned White Ale made in the traditional Belgian witbier style, created by head brewer Jeremy Halse, formerly of Matilda Bay.
Designed around two custom built 5,000l open fermentation tanks and decorated with imagery from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the White Rabbit approach to brewing is unique in Australia. Once a brew is completed, the wort is transferred to these open top fermenters where the yeast is added and allowed to go to work making beer unconstrained by the closed containers used in most other breweries. There’s no risk of infection as the tanks are kept in a controlled environment filled with filtered air while the benefits of this centuries old method are the creation of unique complexities in the beer and greater flexibility in the management of yeasts.
The brewery is found next to Giant Steps winery’s impressive cellar door, in Healesville, where you can sample both beers alongside other craft beers and delicious, fresh food produced onsite. The beers are also on tap alongside the Little Creatures range at the vast Little Creatures Dining Hall, in Fitzroy.
White Rabbit Beers
The Regulars
The Specials
There are no specials
Regulars
White Rabbit Dark Ale
A beer that has been tweaked and refined over its lifespan to become one of the best dark beers in Australia, as evidenced by its gold medal in the 2010 Australian International Beer Awards. A welcoming floral aroma derived from the hop flowers used in the brewery’s hop back and the addition of hops into the tank after fermentation draws you in to a smooth, rich, malt-driven beer full of dark chocolate and light roast characteristics with fruity esters from the open fermentation and a solid bitter finish.
Awards: Gold Medal - 2010 Australian International Beer Awards
Style: Dark Ale
Strength: 4.9%
White Rabbit White Ale
The second beer from the Healesville brewery is their take on the traditional Belgian witbier style. It’s a fairly restrained recreation, given a touch of both sweetness and dryness from the addition of honey in the kettle. These beers have a history stretching back centuries to the days monks played with spices and fruits in their beers. Here, you’ll find hints of coriander, juniper berry and bitter orange that lend themselves to a welcoming, fruity aroma, particularly when sampled in draft form.
Style: Witbier
Strength: 4.5%
