181. White Rabbit White Ale

White Rabbit White Ale

Company info:
Little Creatures Brewing Pty Ltd
at White Rabbit Brewery
Healesville, V.I.C

[No website listed]

Bottle size sampled: 330 mL

Alcohol: 4.5%
Standard drinks: 1.2

Cap type: Non-twist

Cost: I picked this up for AU$3.99

Label info: ‘N/A’

What the label really means: N/A

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: Take a trip way back to my number 54 review of White Rabbit’s Dark Ale and you’ll note the labels are very similar. Back then, this is what I had to say: ‘I really like this label. It’s a paper label with a matte finish and this has sold me immediately. Combine that with the fact the label depicts a beautifully tranquil forest scene, and we have a real winner. There are grand old trees standing beside a bubbling brook, with inviting leafy surrounds on either side. Amidst all this greenery and serenity, you can just spot a tiny white rabbit, leading us to believe this beer is a real treasure to be found amidst a sea of beers currently on the market. Ahh the serenity’.
The major difference here, with the White Ale is that there is now a purple glow on the scenery, indicating night, and the tiny rabbit has moved. It evokes a real ‘Alice in Wonderland’ feel to it, not deterred in the least by the yellow the dominates the label. Love it.

I give it a label rating of 8 out of 10.

AROMA: Wheaty with a tinge of what I suspect is nutmeg, and other spices. Smells great.

Taste: GLASS – This is one very, very delicious drop. It’s flowing with hoppy sweetness and wheaty characteristics. It’s like a more refined, modern take on Hoegaarden. This reincarnation is more subtle, more wholesome, more loving.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 8.5 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - Not as good by any means. It has now become a little watery, less flavoursome, and a bit more bloaty. Don’t spoil this fine drop by drinking from the bottle, stick to the glass.

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 6.5 out of 10.

Accompanying food: I’m thinking some sort of tomato-based dish would sit well with this.

Best season to appreciate: A great outdoor, Summer by the sea kind of brew.

All-nighter beer? For sure! Buy this stuff by the caseload if you see it for a good price.

NEXT WEEK: TBC (any suggestions?)

180. Biere De Garde

Bier De Garde

Company info:
Bridge Road Brewers
Beechworth, V.I.C.

[www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au]

Bottle size sampled: 750ml

Alcohol: 7.5%
Standard drinks: 4.4

Cap type: Non-Twist

Cost: I picked this up for $TBC AU

Label info: N/A

What the label really means: N/A

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: Bier De Garde (or ‘beer for keeping’) has a matte white label with splotches and stains all over it. It’s almost like old style writing paper in texture and I really appreciate the rough, artistic feel to it. The inking of the letters looks rough too and looks like it has run on the porous paper. It’s quite a clever label in that it has remained simple and uncluttered but portrays a high level of sophistication. Very classy.

I give it a label rating of 8 out of 10.

AROMA:  Sweet toffee caramel flavours. I am reminded just how delicious Bridge Road Brewers can make their beers smell.

Taste: GLASS – Lightly carbonated with malty, toffee flavours dominating. The consistency of this brew is very thick, almost cough-medicine like which at first is a little off putting. But, sip this beer slowly and you’ll be not only reminded of port-wine in taste but also culturally. It’s definitely a sit back and savour beer. I appreciate the expertise that has clearly gone into making this beer of what I consider to be of an extremely high calibre, but for me it’s just not that enjoyable an experience. As I sip a small glass I am desperately searching my house for a bottle stop to save this as I really don’t think  I can drink the whole bottle in one sitting. 

I give it a beer from glass rating of 6 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - Do NOT drink Biere De Garde from the glass as it becomes a real force to be reckoned with. If you found it intense from the glass, it’s now turned up to eleven. It hits with such flavour intensity, and the thickness is enhanced to really knock you sideways. Proceed with caution.

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 4 out of 10.

Song of choice: Try this alongside Fun’s ‘We are Young’

Accompanying food: Just like port, I suggest you sip this with blue cheese and crackers.

Best season to appreciate: Definitely a Winter, by the fireplace kind of beer.

All-nighter beer? No thanks, not for me. It’s just a little too intense, a little too thick, a little too sticky. 

NEXT WEEK: TBC

179. Monteith’s Golden Lager

Monteith’s Golden Lager

Brewery info:
Monteith’s Brewing Co
Auckland, Timaru & Greymouth, NEW ZEALAND

[www.monteiths.co.nz]

Bottle size sampled: 330ml

Alcohol: 5%
Standard drinks: 1.3

Cap type: Non-twist

Cost: I picked this up for $3.65 AU

Label info: ’Monteith’s Golden.
A golden malty lager with mellow hop characters and a cashew nut smoothness. Refresh and relax with this classic-style beer‘.

What the label really means: I like the sound of cashews. After all, who doesn’t like cashews? Could this brew have the taste of cashew nuts (not particularly known for their smooth taste). Or are they just saying the beer is as smooth as a cashew nut? If so, surely a better analogy for smoothness could have been sought.
‘…a baby’s bottom smoothness…’?
‘…a recently sandpapered piece of timber smoothness…’?
‘…the skin of a banana smoothness…’?

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: This is what I’ve said in the past for Monteith’s labels:
‘I’ve been a fan of Monteith’s labels for a while now and this is another fine label. Each of their beers has slight differences in colour and font’.
I think their colour variation labels are still working for them. Here we get a warm orange glow singing of Summer, crispness, and bbqs. It works.

I give it a label rating of 7.5 out of 10.

AROMA:  Citrussy, zesty, fresh. No real surprises here.

Taste: GLASS – Refrshingly zesty, citrus infused, and mildly carbonated, this is a very easy to drink brew. It’s good that it’s easy to drink, and certainly inoffensive, but put this beside twenty other golden-lager style beers and you’ll be hard pressed picking this out from the bunch. I just get the impression these guys just aren’t trying any more…bit of a let down.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 6.5 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - Much the same from the bottle the predominant flavours are the zesty, citrus notes with a swirl of wheaty goodness. Again, this is one very easy to drink beer, that is super refreshing. But perhaps it’s leaning a little too far over the generic fence.

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 5 out of 10.

Accompanying food: Rissoles and mashed potato would work well here I believe.

Best season to appreciate: This is a genuine Summer weather brew guaranteed to quench that unquenchable thirst.

All-nighter beer? I could quite easily drink this beer all night long.

NEXT WEEK: TBC

178. The Convict

The Convict

Company info:
Gage Roads Brewing Co.
Palmyra, W.A.

[www.gageroads.com.au]

Bottle size sampled: 640 mL

Alcohol: 7.2%
Standard drinks: 3.6

Cap type: Non-twist

Cost: I picked this up for $8.99AU

Label info: ’Australian beer drinkers, you’ve been locked up by bland, watered-down lagers for too long. Never fear, the Fussy Bastards at Gage Roads are here to set you free! You won’t find a boring, run-of-the mill lager here. This is a BIG Australian ale. A boatload of Aussie ingredients: 6 specialty ale malts, 4 of our finest hops. The Convict is rich in flavour, soaked in tropical aroma. Dry hopped with an insane amount of Summer, Stella, and Galaxy hops, this is an ale that could bend even the strongest bars at Freo prison! Break off the shackles with Gage Roads The Convict: Australian Strong Ale’

What the label really means: I always appreciate the level of detail that Gage Roads go into on their labels and this is no exception. The label rings of pride and beauty and I can’t wait to taste what has gone into this bottle.

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: On first glance at this label, I love it. I love the bold colours, the cartoony style, the punch in the jaw. The image depicts Neptune (the Gage Road’s God of choice) holding a beer bottle out in front of him. His beard flows wildly in the breeze and the handcuff shackles break free and fly behind him. His teeth are gritted in a smile, or perhaps anger, while a prison number is imprinted on his shirt. His merman tails flaps off to the side of his beige, veiny body. Look closely around the top banner and you’ll notice little tallys like those seen in prison sells, reinforcing the convict theme. All well and good, but what is difficult for me to ignore is the genuine death-metal freakishness the label depicts. Am I buying a beer or a ticket to a German metal scream-fest? Ok so it’s meant to evoke feelings of rebelliousness, strength, freedom, intensity – I get it. But it’s a tad scary, and a bit too metal.

I give it a label rating of 6.5 out of 10.

AROMA:  Malty, chocolatey aromas.

Taste: GLASS - First sip and I’m hit with rich, malty, caramelised flavours. It’s dry, very dry, but it’s so smooth that you are left more with an impression of smoothness than dryness. This is one meaty, hearty brew that is brimming with flavour.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 8 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - While I’m not really a drink from a long-neck kind of guy, drink this from the bottle and you’ll discover that The Convict becomes a bit less dry, and a tad better. Now highlighted are the malty tones, with caramel subtleties raised to new highs. Also stronger is the bitter after taste – but this works well.

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 8 out of 10.

Accompanying food: Lamb and couscous would suit this to a tee.

Best season to appreciate: A definite Winter-warmer

All-nighter beer? No, not for me. I think this would pack a powerful punch in the morning, so I will decline from considering this as an all-nighter.

NEXT WEEK: Monteith’s Golden Lager

177. Stone & Wood – Jasper Ale

Stone & Wood – Jasper Ale

Company info:
Stone & Wood Brewing Company
Byron Bay, N.S.W

[www.stoneandwood.com.au]

Bottle size sampled: 500 mL

Alcohol: 4.7%
Standard drinks: 1.1

Cap type: Non-twist

Cost: I picked this up for AU$6.99

Label info: ‘Here at Stone & Wood we take a fresh approach to brewing handcrafted beer in Byron Bay, one of the greatest places on earth. Reflecting the red volcanic soil of our hinterland and brewed from a blend of pale and crystal malts, Jasper Ale is deep red, has a rich malt character and is well balanced with a firm spicy hop bitterness’

What the label really means: Always drawing from the environment around them for inspiration, if all brewers lived by the Stone & Wood philosophy, the world would be a better place.

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: I’ve always been a fan of the Stone & Wood labels. I love the raised lettering, and the cartoon-like font. The red on this is a dirty dusky red and it works amazing well – especially beside their other brews. It’s simple, uncomplicated, uncrowded. Nice work once again, S&W.

On my last review of a S&W brew, I said the following that remains true today: ‘Every time I see the label I am reminded of the early 90s Aussie band ‘Things of Stone and Wood’ and their single ‘Happy Birthday Helen’. I mention it here for sheer nostalgic reasons’.

I give it a label rating of 8 out of 10.

AROMA: Rich, caramel tones. Very different to anything you’ve ever smelt from Stone and Wood.

Taste: GLASS – Soft caramel tones herald a dry, bitter finish and present this brew as a genuine comfort ale. It’s helped by being very smooth and warming and is the kind of beer that gets more and more enjoyable the more you drink of it.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 8 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - Surprisingly, this is just as good from the bottle and doesn’t appear to lose much at all. I am very much enjoying those brown sugar, malty, caramelised flavours that flow through this entire beer.

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 8 out of 10.

Accompanying food: Cheese, preferably a vintage blue. Or chocolate cake. Decisions, decisions.

Best season to appreciate: A Winter-warmer.

All-nighter beer? Look, this does get quite dry and it gets more and more so with every sip. If you think you can last a night with a very dry finished brew, then go for it. I’d ordinarily say I wouldn’t last….but….there’s just something so damned appealing about Jasper Ale that I just don’t want to put it down.

NEXT WEEK: The Convict Australian Strong Ale

176. Blue Sky Pilsner

Blue Sky Pilsner

Company info:
Blue Sky Brewery
Cairns, Q.L.D

[www.blueskybrewery.com.au]

Bottle size sampled: 330 mL

Alcohol: 4.5%
Standard drinks: 1.2

Cap type: Twist

Cost: I picked this up for $2.99 AU

Label info: ’A traditional Czech style beer made with premium Saaz hops. This filtered pilsner has a dry hoppy flavour with floral aromas. We utilise pristine waters & the finest quality ingredients sourced from Australia & around the world’

What the label really means: Sounds good – bring it on.

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: While I admit this label caught my attention from the next aisle, I fear it was for all the wrong reasons. A huge over-use of the colour yellow has completely destroyed any hope this label had of being worthwhile. Set amongst the sea of urine-coloured yellow, sit five bottles on a podium of blue. The bottles have what appears to be lemon slices sticking out the necks, and already my defences are up. From behind the bottles, red rays of light shoot out and a couple of swirls of white smoke drift around with as much subtlety as a 60 year old at a disco. The yellow, the red, the blue, none of it really works.

I give it a label rating of 3 out of 10.

AROMA: Zesty citrus aromas. Smells like a very standard pilsner.

Taste: GLASS – Zesty citrus flavours are the predominant flavours shining through this mediocre dry pilsner. This is not a beer to write home about and is nothing special in the slightest. I urge you to go out of your way to avoid sampling this.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 5.5 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - The citrus tones are a little more highlighted now, as I drink from the bottle. And this is a good thing as it gives the brew a little more depth of flavour. Still, this is not a strong beer.

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 6 out of 10.

Accompanying food: It’s a real meat pie with tomato sauce kind of beer.

Best season to appreciate: Definitely more of a Summer brew.

All-nighter beer? Sure, why not? It’s so inoffensive that after three you’ll honestly believe you’re throwing back the waters.

NEXT WEEK: Jasper Ale

175. Coopers 62

Coopers 62

Company info:
Coopers Brewery Limited
 Regency Park, S.A

[www.coopers.com.au]

Bottle size sampled: 355ml

Alcohol: 5.0%
Standard drinks: 1.4

Cap type: Twist

Cost: I picked this up for $3.50 AU

Label info: ‘Since 1862 the Cooper family have pursued excellence in brewing. It’s with this passion we’ve created a pilsner using the very finest ingredients‘

What the label really means: Ahh finally the mystery of ’62′ is revealed.

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: The most label-less of all the Coopers brews, this bottle simply has a neck label, and a raised 62 in the glass body. It’s sleek, it’s elegant, it’s sophisticated. Since there isn’t a label for me to rate, I must rate the bottle. And to rate the bottle I have to confront my disinterest in clear green bottles, emphasised in this instance by the lack of label. It just looks a little plain, and a little silly.

I give it a label rating of 5.5 out of 10.

AROMA:  Zesty, citrus-fresh aromas.

Taste: GLASS - Light flavoured and full of punchy citrus infused swirls. It’s clean, it’s refreshing, it’s very drinkable, and it’s certainly better than other pilsners that have flooded our market. Unfortunately, it’s also nothing amazing. It’s a little too middle of the road for me. A little too generic. I’ve seen it all before.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 7 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - Again the zesty, clean, refreshing flavours are highlighted as stand-outs for this beer. It’s very easy to drink due to its inoffensive nature. But then, I didn’t taste this beer for something inoffensive. 

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 7 out of 10.

Accompanying food: Roast pork with apple sauce please.

Best season to appreciate: Definitely a Summer thirst-quencher. 

All-nighter beer? Yes I think this is a really worthy session brew.

NEXT WEEK: TBC