Beer Willie The Boatman People Be Triflin & Sugar Baby

The more I make friends with people who come from other countries, the more I discover what's peculiar about Australian culture and traditions. For example, my friends from overseas might find it odd that in Australia it's totally normal to have lunch as the biggest meal on Christmas Day, and only a small dinner. Or they might think it strange when Christmas festivities include a drunk koala, an emu asleep under the table, a kangaroo throwing handfuls of trifle, and a crazed echidna trampling the pavlova and sticking its adorable little feet into the fruit. But, to Australians, trifle and pavlova are perfectly normal desserts to have at Christmas time. It's these small differences that make me appreciate cultural diversity.

And now Willie The Boatman have released a couple of beers playing off Aussie desserts to help you ease your immigrant friends into our fruity Christmassy treats.

If berries are your thing, dig a spoon into the People Be Triflin Xmas Trifle Sour. Raspberry and strawberry purée bring a refreshing tartness, but theres no face puckering here – the jam is balanced out by the smooth whipped creaminess of vanilla, lactose and oats.

If you're more into sweet fruits, scoop a big splat of Sugar Baby Pavlova Hazy Pale onto your plate (is there any other way to serve pavlova?). A little tropical kick of kiwifruit and passionfruit plays off a whole lot of creamy mango and strawberry sweetness; don’t be surprised if you find yourself going back for seconds even though you literally just said you could never eat another thing.

Mick Wust