Coopers Celebration Ale
Company info:
Coopers Brewery Limited
Regency Park, S.A
Bottle size sampled: 355ml
Alcohol: 5.2%
Standard drinks: 1.5
Cap type: Twist
Cost: I picked this up for $3.75 AU
Label info: ‘Thomas Cooper brewed his first batch of beer on the 13th May of 1862. Subsequent generations of Coopers have applied themselves to the pursuit of brewing excellence or the endorsement of our great beers to an appreciative public. This ale has been crafted to celebrate this passion for beer & brewing‘
AND
‘Brewed with all malt, and the finest hops for crisp bitterness and fragrant aroma, this ale is a celebration of flavour enhanced by the distinctive esters of our remarkable Coopers yeast’
What the label really means: Happy birthday Coopers. A great tribute to a fine brewery. Let’s hope the beer stacks up to it.
The Hell-Cat review starts here
Label: This label is very similar to the previously reviewed Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale so I’ll repost a couple of previously made comments such as ‘I challenge anyone not to find a beer label displaying a man with an over-sized beard inviting’ – Thomas Cooper would surely be proud of his fine mug plastered on this brew. I also previously commented that ‘The only visual aspect I don’t like about this label is that there is too much descriptive text…it begins to detract from the beardo’ – I don’t feel this is really the case here, it actually works, as does the gold which I find very surprising.
I give it a label rating of 7.5 out of 10.
AROMA: A nutty malted scent.
Taste: GLASS – A delicious soft touch of caramelised malt swirls through what is a very light, smooth ale. It has a definite dry, bitter finish that is upbeat, enticing enough to carry the brew high on its shoulders. A very complex enjoyable beer.
I give it a beer from glass rating of 8 out of 10.
Taste: BOTTLE – Not as great from the bottle, Celebration Ale drops a lot of its complex caramel flavours and almost slips back to being a very plain brew. There is only the slightest nod of respect to its glassed brother.
I give it a taste from bottle rating of 7 out of 10.
Accompanying food: This is a definite lamb and rosemary accompaniment.
Best season to appreciate: A bit of a Winter warmer.
All-nighter beer? Yes, I believe I could easily drink this all night long. Let the celebrations commence.
NEXT WEEK: I’ll be back in a week and a half with something very special!
Hell-Cat's beer blog 
For those with an interest in growing their own fooze, Coopers have put the Celebration Ale recipe up on their website, and here it is.
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“back in a week and a half… with something very special…”
oh you tease, monsieur hell chat. now i’ll be spending the next 10 days in an constant state of mysterious anticipation.
“…very special…”
what could it mean? what will it be? argh! it’s killing me already…
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I predict ‘Kazoo’s ‘something very special’ will be Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale. It’s not cheap. In anticipation, I’ve been steeling torches, and stuffing them with overripe bananas, and selling them as Fleshlights to raise the necessary lettuce.
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Outstanding review, ‘Kazoo. You beerblurt with all the aplomb of a young Ferdinand Wang. He was also a fine beerblurter, although largely unknown outside of The Lazy Chopstick Chinese Restaurant.
Stop me if I’ve told this story before, but throughout my long and distinguished – and on 2005 Guy Fawkes Night, extinguished – foozling career I’ve never been a fan of Coopers. Mild Ale, Pale Ale, Sparkling Ale, Dark Ale, Extra Strong Vintage Ale, Dr. Tim’s Premium Ale, Premium Lager, Premium Light, Birell Ultra Light, Clear, Extra Stout, 62 Pilsner, I’ve test guzzed them all, but they gave me no gob satisfaction, and left me feeling upright and coherent. All that changed in June, when I got on the outside of my first Celebration Ales, and woke up fully clothed, with a bit of shirt hanging out my fly. I thought I was seeing a ghost. So, in conclusion, this stuff is a genuine nine out of tenner.
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