52 craft beer 53

PICTURED (clockwise from above) Appreciation for craft beer is on the rise; a growing number of beer styles are being made; Stone & Wood is one recent success story.

(opposite, top to bottom) The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular was a hit at Melbourne’s Good Beer Week, with one-off beers brewed for the event; Hobart’s annual

// Alamy, courtesy GABS, Stone & Wood and Tasmanian Beer Fest and Tasmanian & Wood GABS, Stone courtesy Alamy, Photography // Tasmanian Beer Fest.

The upper echelon of Australian snapping up breweries. This year saw brewers is capable of producing beers Lion make the long-expected move to There can be little as good as any of the wealth of classy take 100 per cent control of Little World imports arriving on these shores, Beverages, owner of Little Creatures. As doubt this is a coming in ever-greater numbers as a counterpoint, the founders of Byron international brewers realise just how Bay’s Stone & Wood, whose Pacific Ale golden age for beer, thirsty we’ve become for better beer. has become Australia’s new craft beer Brendan Varis, from Western Australia’s darling, later bought back the 20 per possibly unrivalled Feral Brewing, and Richard Watkins, cent of their business that had been from Canberra’s Wig & Pen, were owned by Little World Beverages from in its millennia- popular and deserving winners of the Lion. Meanwhile, Coopers announced it long history. the year in beer Champion Australian Brewery titles would release regular seasonals under at this year’s Australian International the Thomas Cooper’s Selection banner. Beer Awards, although I suspect the Slowly but surely, restaurants began brew team of Shawn Sherlock and Ian treating their beer lists with similar Watson at Murray’s in Port Stephens, respect to their wine lists. Many new Building to sample 58 never-before- New South Wales, would run them close smaller venues make it a central part seen beers. Elsewhere, beer weeks if they actually entered their beers. of their appeal; the smarter operators in Western Australia, Newcastle and Beer consumption may be down, an you declare a year in which The buzz around craft beer reflects the at the top end of the food chain have Sydney expanded their offerings and beer consumption in Australia global picture. Having first taken hold woken up too. Queensland Beer Week was born. but our thirst for quality, different and dropped to its lowest level in in the US, brewers and drinkers across The beer festival calendar has As for the beers, 2012 saw many more than 60 years a great year the globe are exploring the possibilities become one that now requires careful brewers exploring new avenues, downright delicious beers is on the up. for beer? If you’re interested of beer, whether reinvigorating old negotiation. Long-running successes sometimes in collaboration with their in craft beer, the answer is a styles or creating their own. Hop and such as the Australian Hotel’s bash in peers. At different times, it seemed We wrap up the beer trends for the year resounding yes. Beyond a shadow malt suppliers are developing new The Rocks, Sydney, and the Tasmanian every new beer was a Belgian-inspired and bring you 50 of the very best brews Cof a doubt, 2012 has been a milestone varieties to satisfy this demand, with International Beer Fest have been joined farmhouse ale, a black IPA, an imperial year for the nation’s smaller brewers. newer Aussie varieties such as Galaxy by the likes of the Ballarat Beer Festival. stout or a red ale. At the extremes, that are guaranteed to surprise. While the major players has been and Stella appearing with regularity in These are all family-friendly affairs brewers experimented with barrel-aging, contemplating plummeting sales and beers across Europe and the US. Closer combining beer, food and music – and unusual ingredients and wild yeasts. takeovers, elsewhere it’s been a tale to home in New Zealand, the industry attracting thousands. Perhaps the best way to illustrate the Words james smith of almost universal growth. A wave of is in rude health too, with a depth that Good Beer Week grew into a huge colourful nature of today’s Australian new breweries have opened with only Australia is yet to match. affair in its second outing in Melbourne, beer industry is to look at the beers a tiny handful falling by the wayside, There can be little doubt this is a bringing brewers and beer lovers from themselves. With such rapid expansion www.winecompanion.com.au

beer-centric bars have sprung up in the golden age for beer, possibly unrivalled across Australia and overseas together and many appearing in tiny batches that unlikeliest of spots, brewers have been in its millennia-long history. Little at more than 100 events. At the start soon disappeared, there were many I experimenting like never before, and wonder that multi-national businesses of that week, the Great Australasian never sampled. But of those I did, I have the quality and consistency of beer from are taking note, whether looking to Beer Spectapular attracted almost compiled a list of 50 that follows that left

FEB / MAR 2013 microbreweries is on the rise. develop their own “craft” labels or 11,000 to the city’s Royal Exhibition a lasting impression on me. ➺ 54 craft beer

big, old dark james faithfuls beasts beers of smith’s This is not a top 50 the year as such – instead a collection of beers mine’s that dazzle, break hop new ground, are part a pint of emerging trends, summer bombs or simply classics. refreshers As a snapshot of Australian beer today, it makes for exciting reading. What’s more, I’d be happy with any of these in my glass any day of the week. They hopefully provide some new ideas to seek out Hargreaves Hill Russian Imperial while the sun is Stout shining. A souped-up variant of Nail Brewing Little Creatures Hargreaves’ excellent stout Clout Stout Pale Ale that deserves sipping and Can a beer be worth $70 a “I should stop trying other Bright Brewery savouring with friends (and bottle? In this case, without beers and just drink this all Murray’s MIA IPA cheese). / 11.8% alc. a doubt, especially when the time; I love it so much,” Punch & Judy One of a handful of beers that paired with a chunk of Stilton. says the wife. Many share her A superb take on English-style has shown Bright’s new(ish) 4 Pines Stout Murray’s Heart Incredible. / 10.79% alc. sentiments. / 5.2% alc. session ales with a hoppy Kiwi head brewer Jon Seltin as one of Darkness A beautifully balanced stout, twist. / 3.9% alc. to watch. / 6.9% alc. The prolific Novocastrians FERAL Hop Hog Knappstein with layers of chocolate and coffee to savour. / 5.1% alc. have a range of imperial Collects trophies like they’re Reserve Lager Cowaramup Pilsener Kooinda Black IPA stouts to suit all tastes. This going out of fashion. Huge The only beer from Clare’s You’ll have to travel to sample A fierce black IPA, but in a (and its short-lived oak-aged Mountain Goat

top flavours and aromas, yet with Knappstein makes great this trophy-winning Margaret good way. Heaps of Nelson version) is my pick every time. more balance than Philippe use of NZ’s tropical Nelson Hightail River Pilsener, but its brewer Sauvin hops are just about / 9.6% alc. Petit. / 5.8% alc. Sauvin hops. / 5.6% alc. A beer that when enjoyed Jeremy Good will make your held in check in a riotous fresh from the tap is standing trip worthwhile. / 5.0% alc. hoppy rampage. / 7.0% alc. Red Hill Temple Midnight IPA Matilda Bay the test of time 15 years after Imperial Stout its birth. / 5.1% alc. One of many black IPAs in Alpha Pale Ale Illawarra Koelsch Murray’s Icon 2IPA A Victorian craft beer classic this list and possibly the best. The powers-that-be push The new brew team at An elder statesman of the that was back on form in 2012 Massive hops. Black as night. stablemate Fat Yak, but those Hargreaves Hill Illawarra announced Australian double IPA scene with a complexity that was Smooth as hell. / 7.5% alc. in the know drink Matilda Extra Special Bitter themselves with a flurry of and still one of the country’s amiss last year. / 8.0% alc. Bay’s genuine US style pale This New World take on medals and now can’t brew best beers. / 7.5% alc. Mountain Goat / ale. / 5.2% alc. the English style is well enough Koelsch to satisfy Holgate Empress Mikkeller Gypsy established as a Victorian punters. / 5.1% alc. Burleigh Brewing craft beer classic / 5.4% alc. An even more luxuriant take & The Goat Coopers Best FIGJAM IPA on their already luscious A black pepperberry IPA Extra Stout Feral White Released one week, wins Temptation and now brewed with Danish superstar Simply an excellent stout with Moo Brew Dark Ale Feral’s original beer is hitting gold medal in the US the available relatively widely in ussie Mikkel Borg Bjergsø that was real depth that often appears Moo Brew specialises in tight, new heights since production next. Layer upon layer of hop 500ml bottles. / 10.0% alc. as brilliant as it was unique. Messiah-like to save me from balanced beers, with this was moved to its new brewery. flavours, solid bitterness and / 7.3% alc. despair in Australia’s beer subtly complex ale a great / 4.6% alc. clean as a whistle. / 7.0% alc. Bacchus Brewing deserts. / 6.3% alc. introduction to darker beers. Rum Barrel-Aged Stone & Wood / 5.0% alc. Kooinda Karaka Mornington Baltic Porter Pacific Ale James Squire Jack Belgian Witbier Peninsula Brewery This idiosyncratic QLD 50 A beers The whole country can’t be of Spades Porter Two Birds Sunset Ale Obscure hybrid fruit, the Imperial IPA brewery knocks out around wrong. The Byron Bay brewers Behind the rebranding, this Beer two from Two Birds karakaberry, adds a hint of A full-bore, niceties-be- 100 unique beers a year. This can’t buy tanks quick enough remains a fine, perfectly is a rounded red ale with berries to this tart refresher damned beast from a brewery whopper turned heads at for this wonderful, tropical balanced example of the style. prominent tropical aromas / from the former backyard that’s won a horde of fans in Melbourne’s Good Beer Week. quaffer. / 4.4% alc. / 5.0% alc. 4.6% alc. brewers. / 5.5% alc. its two years. / 8.5% alc. / 12.4% alc. 56 craft beer

Collaboration Crazy bring for da funk something belgian completely beauties different

Bridge Road Feral Watermelon Brewers / Mikkeller Warhead Dark Harvest Inspired by the kids’ Mikkeller’s second Aussie candy, this full-flavoured, collaboration and second citrusy, tart beer caught black IPA was a rich, smooth, the imagination of many hoppy choc-orange delight. Mountain Goat / at the Great Australasian / 6.6% alc. Seven Seeds Beer Spectapular and is now Seedy Goat Coffee IPA brewed regularly. / 2.9% alc. Temple Brewery Most brewers use coffee to & Brasserie / add roast character to a dark La Sirene Saison beer. This uses green beans’ Weihenstephan The first beer from two Unifikator perfume to complement the hop bitterness. / 6.2% alc. farmhouse style obsessives is A coup for Melbourne’s as good a saison as you’ll find Temple, this was only the in Australia. / 6.5% alc. second collaboration by Seven Sheds Bass Strait IPA Bridge Road Saison the world’s oldest brewery. Temple Saison They met the challenge with An IPA made with a hop The original Saison from de Miel a rich weizenbock (strong variety only grown at Seven saison-obsessed Ben Kraus wheat beer) of real depth and Sheds that spent weeks Aussie beer lovers rejoiced remains a cracking Aussie quality. / 7% alc. traversing the Bass Strait in at Temple’s return last take on the style. / 6.0% alc. whisky casks on the Spirit December, partly because it meant the return of their Bridge Road of Tasmania to recreate the Red Hill Temptation style’s original journey from much-loved Saison. This Brewers / NØgne Ø bigger, honeyed version was This annual release from British Empire days. Oaky, India Saison better still. / 8.0% alc. the Mornington Peninsula smoky, slightly tart and Initially a one-off Aussie / brewers is delicate and utterly unique. / 6.4% alc. Norwegian affair, this clash of packed with fruity, spicy Moon Dog Perverse styles is so good both brewers characters. Dangerously Sexual Amalgam continue to brew it on other Dr’s Orders drinkable. / 8.0% alc. sides of the world. / 7.5% alc. Plasma White IPA How to let the world know NSW-based Doc brews rarely, you’re different in one fell Mad Abbot Tripel and rare styles, with this swoop: make your first release Moon Dog / Yeastie a distinctly tart, barrel-aged Talking of dangerously strong white ale / IPA hybrid Boys Peter Piper’s ale with cherries. It set out drinkable... My favourite of being one of his best. Pickled Pepper Moon Dog’s ‘Love us or hate the Port Macquarie brewery’s / 7.6% alc. Purple Peated Pale us’ stance overnight. beers, it’s a fine Aussie take Ale AKA 7Ps / 6.9% alc. on the Tripel style. / 9.5% alc. Australia’s oddest joined Burleigh black Giraffe forces with NZ’s weirdest and Red Duck Gruiter Murray’s Punk Monk threw everything from chilli The return of Burleigh’s coffee Although not as weird as Punk by name, elegant by peppers to peated malt at a lager featured a new bean, predecessor Canute The nature. This irregular release beer that somehow worked. a richer body and even more Gruit, this Medieval-style is my favourite of Murray’s / 9% alc. rewards than 2010’s highly ale from Ballarat’s Mad many excellent Belgian-style rated predecessor. / 5.0% alc. Professor counted puckering beers. / 7.0% alc. Ninkasi’s Angel sourness among its many The first release from the Red Duck Ra #2 characteristics. / 6.8% alc. Lobethal Women of Beer, a group of A beer with no hops, a yeast www.winecompanion.com.au

Devil’s Choice female brewers and beer cultured from sourdough Big, bold and complex, this industry types, was a highly bread, and lots of fruits and

fruity, spicy strong golden ale spiced Belgian Tripel. Their spices inspired by beers from

is well worth hunting down second beer, a farmhouse centuries ago. Like a spiced, NOTE: Many of these are only when released annually. style bière de garde, is out tart breakfast juice, yet strong available through specialist bottle

FEB / MAR 2013 / 10% alc. now. / 7.8% alc. as a wine. / 12.6% alc. shops, online retailers or the breweries direct; some may be seasonal, draught- only or sold out realeases.