Over the course of their 25th anniversary limited release series, Holgate have dusted down recipes from their vault, collaborated with former brewers, and created beers both classic and contemporary in style. For beer 22, inspiration is very much taken from the classics.
As the name Sparkling Ale suggests to any Aussie beer drinkers, there's a bit of a nod to the Coopers family and their unique 162-year story (only another 137 years to go, Paul and Tash), although the beer itself is more aligned with the English pale ale-like beers that would have been tagged sparkling ales than the funkier, more saison-esque, Coopers red-labelled beer.
Pouring clear and copper, it conjures images in your mind's eye of the kind of beers Paul Holgate's forebears would have enjoyed in English pubs before the family headed down under. The hop aromas and bitterness are of the floral, woody sort, with fruity esters from the ale yeast swirling through biscuity, toffee-laced malts. It's a beer to enjoy by the pint when conversations might start with: "When I were a lad..."
James Smith
If you're reading this in time, we've got cases of the beer to give away to members of our beer club, The Crafty Cabal. Details here.
Published Yesterday 2024-10-31 00:00:00
