Christmas in Australia tends to confound our pals in the Northern Hemisphere and helping make life more confusing are these two beers from Bright Brewery. They might be radically different but both really feel like Christmas beers and in the case of Lemonade Shandy, particularly if the sun’s out and backyard cricket is the order of the day. Sure, the can might feature lawn bowls but it feels like its 3.5 percent ABV and lemonade stylings, which are akin to Pub Squash with extra zest, would be perfect as your take a few wickets post-feast. Hopefully, the lightness of the beer might even make up for a collective realisation that everyone's another year older and moving a little slower.
Then there is Big Jolly Boi, a Christmas ale where even the can damages Northern Hemisphere conceptions of Christmas (and how close Bright is to the beach). Here, Santa takes a dip in golden amber with a swirl of spices in the shape of cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, ginger, clove, black pepper and anise seed. Together, they make for a classic Christmas cake in beer form where added orange peel and a layer of richness make it a beer best enjoyed if you're skipping the cricket match and retiring to the couch.
Will Ziebell
Published November 22, 2022 2022-11-22 00:00:00
