Two beers brewed with special occasions in mind.
The first is for when St Patrick’s Day comes around and you find yourself craving an Irish red ale. We Killed Kenny is a vibrant take on the style: while many Irish reds are a rusty brown, this is almost a glinting ruby, and while many examples are more dry and roasty, this one’s more sweet and malty.
As soon as you pour you’ll be mesmerised by the colour (that gorgeous red!), but once you can move forward you’ll find the aroma wafting from the generous head is that of sticky prunes; from the smell alone, you’d almost think you’re dealing with a dubbel or a barleywine. But right from the first sip this is a gentle cuddle of a beer, with soft notes of dried fruits and burnt caramel begging to be enjoyed in a corner seat of an Irish pub by a cozy fire.
The second beer is Falling Leaf Light Ale, brewed for the Falling Leaf Festival. Held on the last Saturday in April, the festival is a celebration of autumn in Tumut. There’s live music and comedy, market stalls by local producers, food trucks, and a beer from TRBC designed specially for the occasion.
This light ale is flowing with flavour: citrusy yeast esters and vibrant hops join forces to bring their bright flavours up front, before the beer settles into an earthy bitterness. I’m the kind of person you’d find sitting near the market stalls, sampling artisan bites and sipping this brew while describing it as a "new world table beer". But I suppose you "fun" people rocking out near the main stage can just enjoy this session beer in the crisp autumn sunshine.
Mick Wüst
Published March 14, 2022 2022-03-14 00:00:00