Last year, Helios teamed up with the crew at Caboolture Sports Group to brew Eos, a hazy pale ale that was a rollicking success for brewery folk and sports club folk alike. As the calendar ticked over to 2022, no one needed much convincing to get together for another collab.
Heracles Australian Pale wins my heart right off the bat with label art that clearly depicts brewer Charlie Hodgson as Heracles. I like to think he got bare-chested, oiled up and rugged in faux fur to pose for the portrait. If someone could photoshop Charlie’s head into the illustration for me, I’d be much obliged.
The all Aussie ingredients bring an aroma of sweet grainy character braided together with plush nectarine and mango. But this isn’t a pale ale that pummels you with fruit all the way through – the flavours of Super Pride and Melba hops are quite restrained, showing understated spice and passionfruit and a whisper of bitterness.
Think less the bulging pectorals of Charl— I mean, Heracles, and more the pelt of the Nemean Lion draped around his shoulders: soft and shaggy, with a satisfying texture as you run your fingers through the mane and play with the tuft on the end of its tail.
This beer is a man in lion’s clothing… no, wait. It’s a lion in Heracles’ clothing… no that’s not right, the lion IS Heracles’ clothing…
Hang on. It’s a demigod in a big cat’s…
Look, I can’t make this metaphor work. It’s an easy-drinking hazy Aussie pale.
Mick Wust
Published January 29, 2022 2022-01-29 00:00:00
