Cornella Brewery Midland Kölsch

There might be many examples of kölsch ales in Australia but few actually feature the style's name these days. Breweries have been reluctant to complicate the traditionally simple product, erring instead for simple descriptors, such as refreshing ale, rather than foreign style names. But at Cornella Brewery, they love to spruik this beer's traditional German roots and an even better selling point for them is the beer's mid-strength alcohol content.

Indeed, it's the lower ABV that necessitated this beer; before its release, Cornella Brewery begrudgingly stocked mainstream midstrength lagers to cater to those conscious of alcohol intake while visiting the regional brewery. At 3.5 percent ABV, this mid-strength ale means no visitor to Cornella should miss out on sampling what the brewery has to offer. But it's also far more full-bodied than the light-bodied lagers it replaced and pours with a clear and pale gold with a brilliant white head, while the use of Rakau hops gives the beer a slightly herbal flavour that ties nicely to its refreshing finish.

Daniel Ridd