New Beers
Barely a day goes by without another seasonal or one-off special flying out of an Australian brewery (if not ten). Here and in our weekly newsletter, we'll bring you news and, if we've sampled them, our take on as many of them as possible. Happy hunting!
Holgate Double Trouble
Tapped October 18, 2010
Another of Holgate's beers to have undergone something of a tweak for 2010 (see the Mount Macedon and Hopinator for other examples), the new Double Trouble is causing trouble at the brewery - the brewers can't stop drinking it... A Belgian Abbey style Dubbel, it's all about richness of flavour: intense dark fruit, toffee and dark rum characteristics that make it a good match for sweet desserts or cheese platters. Paul Holgate says to look out for the October 2010 date on bottles if you're after this… Read more
Rich Brown
- Style
- Belgian Dubbel
- ABV
- 8.0%
- Bitterness
- 38 IBU
- Stockists
Mornington Peninsula Porter
Tapped October 16, 2010
When Crafty first visited the brewery, Mornington Peninsula's brewer AG - ever the optimistic Saints fan - said their first specialty release would be a porter called the Premiership Porter. Things didn't quite pan out for St Kilda but, he says, "thankfully it's not taken on any sour characteristics (unlike the brewer)". Instead, he says it possesses a "rich, smooth mouthfeel" that's "long in the palate" and has chocolate and coffee notes "from areshole to breakfast".… Read more
Dark Brown
- Style
- Porter
- ABV
- 6.0%
- Stockists
Mt Goat Bubble and Squeak
Tapped October 13, 2010
We've all been there. Got a hunger, open the cupboards and fridge and there's next to bugger all there. Although, with a bit of creativity, a large pot and some careful seasoning, something comes from nothing. And so it was - sort of - at the Goat recently. The brewers found they had heaps of odds and sods lying around so did a stock check, sat down and did some complicated algebra (maybe) and came up with a new, once only brew called Bubble and Squeak after the classic leftovers dish. Containing… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Hybrid!
- ABV
- 5.3%
- Bitterness
- 20 IBU
Mountain Goat Imperial Pilsner
Tapped October 9, 2010
It wasn't too long ago that the Mountain Goat brewery seemed to be a lager-free zone, with even it's lightest beer - the Steam Ale - being made with an ale yeast. Then along came Richard III, the full-blooded malty Doppelbock and now this, the brewery's first Imperial Pilsner. OK, so neither is a bog standard lager by any means, with this registering a sizable 7.5% alcohol and packing a solid punch of bitterness too. According to head brewer Jayne Lewis, it's "brewed with Pilsner and Light Munich… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Imperial Pilsner
- ABV
- 7.5%
- Bitterness
- 45 IBUs
Otway Estate Red Fred
Tapped October 8, 2010
Getting fruity in time for summer, Otway Estate appears to have combined its beer and cordial-making skills in this organic raspberry beer. A heap of crushed raspberries were added to a base beer with a soft enough flavour profile to allow the fruit to take effect, although it's in the aroma that they really shine through: it's like taking a whiff of a fresh punnet. The raspberries' effect on the palate is more subtle, definitely there but not in the manner of a Lindemans Framboise, for example,… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Raspberry beer
- ABV
- 4.8%
- Stockists
-
Available from the brewery
Or at the Young & Jackson's Otway Showcase
Red Duck Black Heart
Tapped October 4, 2010
Another extremely limited release, most of this has been committed to beer clubs and homebrewers. However, a small amount is available from the Red Duck Provedore in Camperdown and some Melbourne bottleshops. Crafty's not had the chance to sample with the Microbreweries Showcase getting in the way, so over to Slowbeer's Chris Menichelli for some guest tasting notes: 'Golden pour, darker than you come to expect from the style. Nose has a honeyed malt sweetness from the pilsner malt & a touch of… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Belgian Blond
Oktoberfest 2010
Tapped October 2, 2010
The Otway Estate team really push the boat out for their annual Oktoberfest, bring in German oompah bands, putting on traditional German fare and games, having souvenir steins produced and, of course, brewing a specialty Oktoberfestbier. Brewed in the traditional Vienna lager style with ingredients imported from Bavaria, the 2010 version pours a bright copper colour with a white foamy head, has a soft malt aroma with a hint of spice from the hops, a biscuity malt-dominated flavour and a long, dry… Read more
Golden Yellow
- Style
- Oktoberfest / Marzen
- ABV
- 5.2%
- Stockists
3 Ravens Rye
Tapped September 18, 2010
The latest in the 3 Ravens' 'Uber" series, in which the Thornbury brewers pick a style from their usual range and do something a bit special with it, the Rye is loosely based on their White (or witbier). It's a Roggenbier, a style originally heralding from Bavaria, in which the yeast strain used in wheat beers is combined with a hefty whack of rye malt - a type of malt rarely used in beers today, although becoming increasingly popular in the US craft scene and among Aussie homebrewers. The result… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Roggen bier (Rye beer)
- ABV
- 5.7%
Mountain Goat Double Hightail (bottled)
Tapped September 17, 2010
First brewed to celebrate the Goat's 10th birthday, the Double Hightail returned in draft form in August as the brewery prepared to become a teenager. If the Fancy Pants is what the Hightail would be if there were no financial constraints, this is what it becomes when there are no constraints full stop. Another batch has just been produced to become the brewery's third Rare Breed longneck release. And if you know the Hightail, you'll agree this is indeed a Double Hightail. The Galaxy hop and caramel… Read more
Rich Brown
- Style
- Imperial Amber Ale
- ABV
- 7.2%
- Stockists
-
Smith Street Cellars
McCoppin's
[Roys
More stockists...
Holgate Road Trip IPA
Tapped September 17, 2010
We're beginning to suspect there's something in the Woodend water at the minute. Holgate's original Mount Macedon Ale has discovered a punchier new hop character, the Hopinator's reacted in kind and their seasonals are flying out the door like there's no tomorrow. With this year's final batch of Brick Kiln Dark Wheat Beer still conditioning, it's time for Spring and the arrival of the Road Trip IPA. Inspired by Paul Holgate and family's holiday in Pacific Northwest USA last year, it's a hop lover's… Read more
Golden
- Style
- American IPA (India Pale Ale)
- ABV
- 5.5%
- Bitterness
- 60 IBU
- Stockists
-
Atticus Finch
Cookie
More stockists...
2 Brothers James Brown
Tapped September 17, 2010
The Moorabbin bros have got the funk. Having gone all voodoo on us with their last limited release, this time they're getting up like a sex machine with James Brown, a rather large Belgian strong ale tipping the scales at 8.8%. Crafty's not had the chance to have a tipple yet, but 1 Brother tells us it's "brewed with 50% extra funk. Estery nose, with chocolate and peach up front, followed by rum, raisin and vanilla back palate. Over a thousand bucks of Belgian candi sugar went into the mix."… Read more
Rich Brown
- Style
- Belgian Strong Ale
- ABV
- 8.8%
Mountain Goat IPA
Tapped September 13, 2010
The beer chosen to launch Mountain Goat's Rare Breed limited release longneck range is back. First time out it was a big yet beautifully balanced blend of powerful, aromatic hops and rich malts backed up by a firm bitterness. There are no bottles this time around (at least not yet) but it'll be hitting a handful of taps around Melbourne this week. No bad thing as, while it was a tasty drop out of the longnecks last time around, when Crafty sampled it in draught form at the brewery it was quite possibly… Read more
Golden
- Style
- American India Pale Ale
- ABV
- 5.7%
Holgate Ladyboy
Tapped September 3, 2010
Anyone who's met Paul Holgate and his team of brewers will know they're a swarthy lot: real men with testosterone literally teeming from their pores. However, they are known to like a ladyboy or two. "What?" you say. Well, for the past year or so, they've been offering them over the bar at their Woodend brewhouse, the Ladyboy being a Black & Tan style mix of their cocoa and vanilla bean Temptress (the lady) and roast macadamia-laden Nut Brown Ale (the boy). For a limited time only,… Read more
Dark Brown
- Style
- Black & Tan
- ABV
- approx 6.2%
- Stockists
-
Atticus Finch
More stockists...
Red Hill Weizenbock
Tapped September 1, 2010
Here's one that takes me back to childhood. Not that I drank 7.9% beers as a child, but because the nose stokes up memories of gorging on packs of mixed flavour Toffos - chewy toffee sweets that came in original, strawberry, chocolate and, in the case of the Weizenbock, banana varieties. The latter was always my favourite - I'd pray for the sorting machine to malfunction and produce a pack of banana only chews. Mind you, the Toffos never offered up a soft hop aroma, or came supported by a hefty second… Read more
Rich Brown
- Style
- Weizenbock (Strong wheat beer)
- ABV
- 7.9%
Burleigh Brewing Black Giraffe
Tapped August 28, 2010
The second of Burleigh's limited release longnecks (the first being the puntastic English style My Wife's Bitter), the Black Giraffe is the beer that, more than any other, got Aussie craft beer lovers talking about the brewery. An exquisite coffee lager that packs in more flavour than is decent for a 5% beer, it's won major awards overseas with judges impressed by the full coffee whack backed up by chocolate, toffee and mocha. It uses 100kg of Zarraffa rainforest alliance coffee and made Crafty's… Read more
Dark Brown
- Style
- Coffee Lager
- ABV
- 5.0%
Bridge Road B2 Bomber
Tapped August 27, 2010
The Bridge Road crew like to make a statement with their anniversary beers and the 2010 special is no exception. A true melding of styles, the B2 Bomber is a Black Belgian IPA, bringing together darker, roasted malt varieties, a swagful of hops and a Belgian yeast variety in a quite intriguing mix. The combination of aromas when the dark-as-night beer first poured from the black-labeled champagne bottle like a huge, foam-headed espresso had Crafty confused: "A bag of rubber bands?" Further… Read more
Black
- Style
- Black Belgian IPA
- ABV
- 8.5%
- Stockists
-
Slowbeer (growlers and bottles)
[Local Taphouse St Kilda](/beer/bar/local-taphouse-st-kil
More stockists...
Holgate Nut Brown Ale
Tapped August 26, 2010
When choosing a tenth anniversary beer in 2009, Paul Holgate eschewed the idea of creating something extreme in favour of a style he'd enjoyed making in his home brewing days. The resultant Nut Brown Ale, made with roasted macadamia nuts added to the boil was an instant winner. A blend of six different malts lent it multi-layered rich, dark roasted flavours with a touch of caramel sweetness, lifted by the nut addition and rounded off with a short hop finish. Originally a one-off, it's now scheduled… Read more
Dark Brown
- Style
- Northern English Brown Ale
- ABV
- 6.3%
- Bitterness
- 19 IBU
- Stockists
-
[Great Northern](/beer/bar/gr
More stockists...
Double Hightail
Tapped August 4, 2010
First brewed to celebrate the Goat's 10th birthday, the Double Hightail has returned as the brewery prepares to become a teenager. If the Fancy Pants is what the Hightail would be if there were no financial constraints, this is what it becomes when there are no constraints full stop. Crammed with chewy malt goodness and a fierce, driving bitterness, it also comes in around the 7% mark, making it bigger in every sense.… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Imperial Amber Ale
- ABV
- 7%
- Stockists
Bridge Road Megachile Pluto Braggot
Tapped July 28, 2010
The first brew devised by one of Ben's fellow brewers, Nardia McGrath, this is a recreation of an incredibly rare beer style dating from Medieval times. A full-bodied, red-blooded honey and ale combo, it mixes a fruity Belgian yeast with UK and European malts, a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg and a serious whack of Red Stringybark honey from Beechworth in a 10 percent ABV beast of a drink that's part sweet liqueur, part ale as hinted at by the hop bitterness that picks up when the spicy honey flavour… Read more
Rich Brown
- Style
- Braggot
- ABV
- 10%
Fancy Pants
Tapped July 26, 2010
The beer originally described by Goat founder Dave Bonighton as "what Hightail would be if there were no budget constraints". This is the third appearance of a beer that once tasted is never forgotten. Loads of fresh hop flowers are added post-boil in the hopback with a heap more thrown into the fermenter to create an overwhelming and enticing passionfruit aroma that begs you to dive in. A rich malt backbone ensures balance is maintained but, really, it's all about the hops. In The Crafty… Read more
Golden
- Style
- Amber Ale
- ABV
- 4.9%
- Stockists
-
Mountain Goat Brewery
Grumpy's Green
Cookie
Beer DeLuxe
Royston
Terminus, Clifton Hill
Courthouse Hotel
Local Taphouse St Kilda
More stockists...Lambsgo Bar
