Hop Nation? More like Lager Nation, with the Melbourne brewery certainly committing to bottom-fermented beer. If you made it to their GABS stand in their home city, you would have been treated to nothing but finely-tuned lager while their popular Rattenhund now comes in smaller, 355ml cans. Rice Lager is the latest step in thier journey towards crisp perfection and uses German Pilsner malt alongside more than 30 percent rice to create one incredibly clear and pale beer. The bright and sparklig brings with it some subtle biscuit notes with touches of citrus and a gentle floral edge too thanks to the Saaz and Motueka hops.
Having said that, it’s not all about lager lager lager, with Yūgen a rich and dark collaboration with Japan’s Nara Brewing with the beer name translating to dark or obscure. It’s one of many collaborations brewed as part of Benchwarmer's impressive showcase of Japan during Pint of Origin. It was a chance for Hop Nation to really show off their home city to Nara too, with the added coffee beans sourced from Melbourne's much-loved Seven Seeds and that coffee brings an intense wave of roasted hazelnut while the smooth and creamy stout also brings forth dark chocolate and sweet vanilla.
Will Ziebell
Also returning from Hop Nation is their trophy-winning hazy, Get The Gist and longstanding tribute to the Footscray market, Market Hazy IPA.
Published May 24, 2023 2023-05-24 00:00:00
