One of the few ways ordinary Aussie beer lovers have been able to get up close – and we mean sticky-and-smelling-of-hops up close – with the lovely green flowers that do so much to make beer glorious has been via Red Hill Brewery's annual hop-picking days. This saison takes its name from the mini-hop farm on their Mornington Peninsula property – strings are put up every spring for the hop bines to cling to as they grow metres tall – and was originally brewed for members of the brewery's beer club. Thankfully for lovers of such beers, it proved popular enough to get a wider release.
It's a classically Red Hill beer too, one that not only takes inspiration from a European brewing traditions, but looks to remain faithful to such traditions. It's a lovely deep golden pour, a colour that feels appropriate for the orange blossom florals and honey biscuit malts that increase in potency the longer it’s in your glass. It's decorated with soft, sweet spices too, with little in the way of funk found in some saisons, finishing instead with a thirst-quenching, yeast-derived dryness that's like the gift bow on this old world treat.
James Smith
Published December 9, 2022 2022-12-09 00:00:00
