Beer Prickly Moses Mango Guava Sour

Once he'd become settled in at the Queenscliff Brewhouse – part of the Otway Drinks Group that also owns Prickly Moses – brewer Mattias Isaksson started to introduce drinkers at the brewpub on the Bellarine Peninsula to something a little different to the play-it-safe beers associated with the brand to that point. He did so most impressively with Swede & Sour: a heavily fruited mid-strength Berliner Weisse that went on to claim gold at the Australian International Beer Awards. And, as summer turned to autumn in 2023, this limited release from the current Prickly Moses brewing feels like a return to the well of inspiration that served Mattias so well.

Here, the impact of the mango and guava additions is clear (or should that be cloudy?) well before you tuck in, with the souring lactobacillus culture ensuring that, aromatically, it lives up to the "Sour" of its name rather than smothering you in sweet, fleshy fruitiness. Mango leads the way, before the guava sprays its perfume across the palate as the hefty fruit addition works in combination with oats to ensure the body sits on the fuller side for a 3.5 percent ABV beer. There's a quenching acidity that doesn’t hold back either, leaving you with an experience as lively as the artwork on the cans.

James Smith