Ales - Amber, Brown, Dark, Red, Wild

4 Pines Indian Summer Ale 4.2%

Ale

The can says Tropical crisp honeydew and that’s about right. Some mandarine and malt touches too

Tasted Sep-Oct 2022

Bad Shepherd Hazelnut Brown 5.9% 29 IBU (tap)

Brown Ale

Toasted hazelnut, dark chocolate and malt, nice bitterness - a good stout

Tasted Sep 18-Mar 19

Bent Spoke Braddon Bitter Best Bitter 5% (tap/hand pump)

English Bitter Ale

Dark brown colour, malt, mid-roast coffee, caramel, mocha(?), walnut, creamy, no fizz so easy to throw down (dangerous). Different but good

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Bodriggy Blinker Dark Ale 5.2%

Dark Ale

Smooth, malt, chocolate, biscuit, honey, warming, well-made dark ale

Tasted Jan-Feb 2022

Bonehead Brewing Revered Red Ale 4.7% (tap and hand-pumped)

Red Ale

Tap version - Malt, toffee, sarsaparilla, orange, crisp, dark nut, liquorice, complex - good red

Hand-pumped version - Flatter English ale style, honey, malt, mid bitterness, ok but not more than that (maybe I don't appreciate the English style?)

Tasted Tap: Jan-Mar 202, Hand-pumped: Nov-Dec 2022

Breheny Bros Maltx Non-Alcoholic 0.5%

Ale

Similar taste to others of this genre, healthy malt level, mild tar, honey, walnut, chocolate, cantaloupe. Struggled to find the fruit, but this doesn’t mean it is not an unpleasant brew

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Breheny Bros Sparkling Bitter Ale 5%

Bitter Ale

Brewed by Burnley Brewing this beer follows the original Breheny family recipe apparently. At the front it’s similar to a Heineken but there’s a floral, orange lift that persists at the back. Mid bitterness. Clean. Quite a pleasant difference

Tasted Mar-Jun 2022

Brick Lane Red Hoppy Ale 5.3%

Red Ale

Caramel malt, eponymous ale characteristics, apricot and orange marmalade, pleasant round mouthfeel

Tasted Jan-Jun 2021

Bridge Road Eggster Triple Chocolate Ale 6.0%

(Choc) Ale

Coffee nose, rich dark (Swiss?) creamy chocolate, lovely round mouthfeel

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Bridge Road Life In The Peloton 4.4%

Ale (Belgian Blonde)

Hops, malt, spelt all sourced in Oz, Belgian yeast cultured in Melbourne gives a Witbier/Asahi lager character (crisp, fresh). Collaboration with recently retired Aussie cyclist Mitch Docker (the Belgian yeast part) apparently

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Bright Brewery Hellfire Amber Ale 5% (tap)

German Altbier

Not sure about the relevance of the name, fairly undistinguished Amber Ale, no faults per se, just not quite enough happening (should have trusted the shoulder shrug of the Royston bar guy when asking for his recommendation)

Tasted Mar-Jun 2022

Cricketers Session Ale 3.5%

Ale

Closer to a lager than an Ale, perfumed initial taste, touch of pepper, low bitterness. Just ok, but a style that some will go for

Tasted Jan-Feb 2022

Devilbend Farm Ned’s Dark Ale 4.6%

Dark Ale

Rich, dark, smooth malt ale, sweet, round mouthfeel in the middle with mid-bitter, refreshing finish

Tasted Nov 23-Apr 24

East 9th Brewing Co. Doss Blockos/Merry Jane Strain #1 Mango Kush Fruity Hemp Ale 4.2%

Hemp Ale

Wins the longest beer name prize. A hemp backbone overlaid by tropical notes result in a fruity, acid-balanced session ale

Tasted Nov 19-Jun 20

Forrest Brewing Irish Red 3.5%

Red Ale

The name refers more to the colour than anything else. A mid-strength beer with a little more flavour and more bitterness than the norm for this style. As such, it’s ok

Tasted Nov 19-Jun 20

Gage Roads Single Fin Summer Ale 4.5%

Ale

Similar to a Pils or Lager style, clean, fresh and crisp, with tropical flavours, low malt and low-mid bitterness. The can notes Galaxy and Enigma hops

Tasted Nov 23-Apr 24

Hawkers Rover Henty St. Ale 4.3%

Ale

White peach, nectarine, some acid (not sour), black tea, mid-bitterness that lingers subtly at the back, summer day throwdown at this alc. level

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Hop Nation The Buzz Red Ale 6% (tap)

Red Ale

Vegemite off the bat, roasted caramel, dark honey, malt, coffee, fills the sides of the mouth but less on the back, meatyish. Needs a serious commitment to stay with it if that’s your style

Tasted Mar-Jun 2022

Kaiju Betelgeuse Double Red Ale 10%

Red Ale

Bitter beast, caramelized toffee apple, orange rind and marmalade. Dark brick red colour and warmth attest to the high alcohol

Tasted Jan-Jun 2021

Kaiju Main Squeeze Passion Guava Session Ale 3.2%

Ale (Session)

Tasty mid-strength with lemon citrus (oddly missing overt passionfruit and guava flavours), fresh, clean and crisp. Throw it down on a warm summer day

Tasted Jan-Jun 2021

Kilkenny Irish Red Ale 4.3% IBU 29 (tap)

Red Ale

Consumed at an Irish Bar in North Queensland, it’s about time I passed comment on Guinness’ main competitor. Gorgeous creamy white head, red/brown colour, full, smooth, malty, mid-bitter mouthfeel. Satisfying finish with coffee and raisin sweetness and bitterness in perfect harmony. Preferred by many Irish to the well-known stout alternative

Tasted Jun-Oct 2023

La Sirène Beer with Mac Wild Ale 5.5%

Wild Ale

Mac Forbes collaboration with Gerwürztraminaer grapes. Floral, plum, apricot, stone fruits generally, acid well restrained

Tasted Nov 23-Apr 24

La Sirène Farmhouse Sour Red Ale with Hibiscus and Rose Petal 5.5% (tap)

Sour Red Ale

Sour cherry, plum, sparkling Shiraz character, funk, see also notes under the La Sirène Farmhouse Sour

Tasted Nov 23-Apr 24

La Sirène L’Apricot Wild Ale 5.0% (tap)

Wild Ale

Orig. tasting: Lemon and funk lifted nose, passionfruit, apricot (of course), spritz, sour, very intense, something of an acquired taste

Re-tasting: So complex, yes - apricot, yoghurt (the barrel age?), bread/biscuit finish that stays forever. Something special

Tasted Apr-May 2023, Re-tasted Nov 23-Apr 24

La Sirène Passiflore Passion & Lime Hazy Wild Ale 3.0% (tap)

Wild Ale

Acetone gasoline nose, lime, bubblegum, lean. Misses the mark

Tasted Apr-May 2023

La Sirène Truth & Wisdom Spontaneous Wild Ale 6.5% (tap)

Wild Ale

Lavender nose, blood orange, lemon rind, tropical, sessionable quality, so a surprise ABV

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Little Creatures Rogers Smooth Amber Ale 3.8% (tap)

Amber Ale

Dark ale with malt backbone, crisp, clean, sessionable

Tasted Jun-Oct 2023

Mill Brewery BA Belgian Barleywine 13.9% (tap)

BA Barleywine/Ale

Cloudy Yarra River appearance, molasses, warming burnt honey/toffee, mocha and chai coffee, liquorice with a somewhat tarry finish. Sip by an open fire and take in the cool warmth

Tasted Jul-Aug 2022

Modus Operandi Brewing Hazy Pacific Ale 4.5%

Pacific Ale

Hazy, passionfruit, lemon/lime zest, grapefruit, astringent turn after the front-forward fruit

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Molly Rose Hug Replacement Hoppy Dark Ale 5.6%

Dark Ale

Citrus, hoppy, dark chocolate, malt. Good dark alernative

Tasted Jul-Sep 2021

Moo Brew Dark Ale 5%

Dark Ale

Coffee, malt, dark toffee, clean and crisp. Wintertime idler

Tasted Jan-Jun 2021

Mornington Peninsula Brown Ale 5%

Brown Ale

Malt, coffee, chocolate and toffee. Modest bitterness adds an element of sessionability to this clean brown

Tasted Jan-Jun 2021

Mountain Goat Steam Ale (Organic) 4.5% (tap)

Steam Ale

Been drinking this off and on for years but forgotten to review. Easy drinking ale, crisp, clean, hoppy, low malt, caramel, orange. Served a bit cold to allow full expression. A lager/ale crossover that stands the test of time

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Mr Banks Glen CoCo Coconut Cream Brown Ale 6.1%

Brown Ale

Low bitterness, coffee, mocha, hint of coconut, toasty winter warmer. Tried at my usual 'cold' beer temp - reckon the flavours would do even better a bit warmer

Tasted Apr-Oct 2019

Pirate Life Point Nine Ale 0.9%

Ale

OVery low alcohol, low-mid bitterness, lemon, un-ripe peach, but, overall, not quite satisfying. Taste is very similar to Athletic Brewing’s Run Wild 0.5% IPA. Prefer Heineken 0.0 or Carlton Zero, although different styles, to these.

Additional review: A low alcohol beverage that just misses the mark. Dry, wheaty, not much body, hot ginger, bitterness out of balance. Reviewed previously and am a bit more sympathetic to it this time

Tasted Oct-Dec 2021; Re-Tasted Jul-Aug 2022

Prentice & Sons HB 5%

Hofbräu Beer

Honey malt, acetone, banana, lacquer - home brew

Tasted Oct-Dec 2021

Prickly Moses Chainsaw Ale 4.8% (tap)

Ale

Passionfruit, violets, wheat malt, grapefruit rind, citrus, mango. Lovely bitterness balance

Tasted Jan-Mar 2023

Prickly Moses Red Ale 5%

Red Ale

A good Red with malt and burnt toffee forward and sweet citrus at the back, good summer/autumn drop

Tasted Sep 18-Mar 19

Red Hill Brewery Scotch Wee Heavy Brown Ale 5.9% 19 IBU

Brown Ale

Caramel, toffee, sweet dark raisin, long, round mouthfeel. Drink all winter long

Tasted Apr-Oct 2019

Robe Town Brewery Lord’s Dangerous Red Ale 7.5%

Red Ale

Deep reddish brown, orange, honey, malt, warming port-like finish at the back palate that finishes long given the alcohol content

Tasted Jan-Mar 2023

Robe Town Brewery White Light Witbier 6.7%

Witbier/Wheat Beer

Bottle label states it’s the brewers take on the Belgian wheat beer style with hints of coriander and orange. 15 months in the bottle when tasted and this may have taken the edge off freshness, but didn’t seem to affect flavour, perhaps with the healthy alc. level. Not over the top in the witbier style as many others and well made with wood fire smokiness

Tasted Jan-Mar 2023

Salt Brewing Harvest Ale 6.2% (dark ale) (tap)

Dark Ale

Coffee, burnt toffee, chocolate, licorice, crisp, savoury - good dark ale

Tasted Jan-Mar 2023

Small and Freeman Brewing Amber Ale 5%

Amber Ale

Commercial beer quality for a homebrew

Tasted Oct-Dec 2021

Small and Freeman Brewing Hefeweizen 4.6% IBU 13

Witbier/Wheat Beer

Wheat beer with rich ale colour, orange, lemon and peach, low bitterness and nice acid finish (homebrew).

Additional notes: yeast, banana, honey, rounded flavours with 12+ months ageing (homebrew)

Tasted Jan-Jun 2021; Additional notes: Oct-Dec 2021

Stone & Wood Pacific Ale 4.4% (tap)

Ale

Popular for a reason, easy drinking Ale, citrus (orange/lemon), passionfruit, low bitterness, low malt, fresh and clean

Tasted Apr-May 2023

Tallboy and Moose Straight to the Poolroom Australian Ale with Pepper berry 7%

Ale

Eucalyptus, cinnamon, dark honey, crisp, pencil shaving, guava, black pepper

Tasted Jul-Sep 2021

Thunder Road Brunswick Bitter Ale 4.6% 24 IBU (tap sample)

Ale

Malt, crisp, rounded hoppy bitterness, burnt honey/toffee. A proper bitter style to slake an afternoon thirst

Tasted Jan-Mar 2023

Thunder Road Tropical Splash Pacific Ale 4.2%

Ale

Tropical, citrus, orange peel, white pepper, chewy, pleasant malt and acid finish. Begs for more consumption on the right day

Tasted Jan-Mar 2023

Two Birds Sunset (Red) Ale 4.6%

Red Ale

Malty (9 different malts apparently), pine, grapefruit, lemon rind. The malt dominates the back palate but finishes clean and crisp. Not a warming dark background entirely, but enjoyable for the fresh lift there

Tasted Jun-Oct 2023

Two Metre Tall Cleansing Ale 4.9%

Ale

Blend of 2019/20 brews, bottled 07/20, drunk 02/21. Complex sour with v. good acid, farmyard flavours, lemon and orange rind. Mellow for a sour, expect more development with further bottle age, excellent now

Tasted Jan-Jun 2021