Beer & Brewer has rounded up the latest new releases to hit the shelves and taps in recent weeks. While pale ales of all varieties are hitting the market just in time for summer, other breweries have dared to be different with the likes of barrel-aged brews and full-flavoured stouts.
Two barrel-aged brews from Felons
Showcasing Felons Brewing Co’s continued exploration of oak as an ingredient, the brewery has unveiled its latest barrel-aged beer releases, Running Ashore and Wee Heavier.
Crafted at 8.3 per cent ABV, Running Ashore is an oak-fermented saison, conditioned in Koerner Slavonian ex-Chardonnay barrels for nine months. Tasting notes describe fresh pear, native flowers and honeysuckle, resulting in “a delightful balance awash with vanillin”.
Wee Heavy, the higher-ABV offering at 9.2 per cent, is an oak-matured heavy ale. Conditioned in Gospel Whiskey charred American oak barrels for four months, the beer has notes of rye whiskey, full-bodied spiced fruits, sweet malt and caramel.
Beerfarm debuts mid-range Hazy Pale
Joining the best-selling Royal Haze and Hazy Standard, Hazy Pale is the latest release from Beerfarm, and the brewery’s first mid-range hazy pale ale, bridging the gap between its existing high- and low-ABV counterparts.
Crafted using the same signature malt bill and house hazy yeast as Royal Haze and Hazy Standard, in addition to Clayton Riwaka hops, Hazy Pale targets growing demand for sessionable hazy styles.
Charlotte Freeston, Innovation and New Product Development Manager, says: “We’ve always had something big and something small, but what we really wanted to make was the Beerfarm Hazy Pale.
“Using the addition of NZ hops was a really exciting move and the Clayton Riwaka is so bright and bursting with passionfruit. This beer hits the juicy nail on the head with the bright NZ hop character really shining against the juicy US hops we know and love – El Dorado and Idaho 7 – both staples in the other hazy family members.”
Sitting at 4.6 per cent, Hazy Pale has a gentle malt sweetness and delivers notes of exotic citrus and stone fruit with a hint of passionfruit and a well-rounded mouthfeel.
The latest from Urban Alley Brewery
This month, Urban Alley Brewery announced the release of two new beers, the first being the brewery’s ode to Oktoberfest. Ein Stein is a signature Märzen Amber Lager crafted to celebrate the festive occasion and packed with Hallertau Mittlefreuh hops.
Ein Stein is described as having floral and banana bread aromas, punchy flavours of biscuit and sticky date and a medium-low bitterness, coming in at 5.2 per cent ABV.
Next up is Sirens Call, a hazy IPA with a blending of Sabro Incognito and Talus Cryo hops and a healthy dose of Citra.
Brewed at six per cent ABV, Sirens Call has notes of coconut and mango on the nose, with flavours of guava and grapefruit on the palate and a medium-low bitterness.
Gage Roads collaborates with Bali brewer
West Australian brewery Gage Roads Brew Co has teamed up with Bali brewer Kura Kura on a limited-release XPA, VayCay XPA, coming in at 4.6 per cent ABV and packed with fresh citrus and tropical flavours.
Gage Roads’ Head Brewer Ross Brown says: “We’ve put together a Balinese inspired medley of hops – Citra, Nelson Sauvin and our new favourite hop, Krush. VayCay XPA bursts with ripe guava, mango, passionfruit and lime with some complex Sauv Blanc aromatics. An extra pale malt bill accentuates the fresh citrus and tropical punch flavours finishing crisp, balanced and very refreshing.”
Putu Wiranatha, Founder of Kura Kura Beer, commented: “We’ve always taken pride in our collaborations, but this time we’re taking it to new heights – partnering with a fellow brewer who shares our passion for craft brewing. This collaboration marks a significant moment
for us as the world begins to appreciate what Kura Kura brings to the table.”
Rogue Ales & Spirits unveils new IPA sub-style
Launching the latest addition to its core lineup, Pacific Northwest IPA, American brewery Rogue Ales & Spirits has introduced a new sub-style of India Pale Ale.
Offering up a fresh take on the classic IPA style, the beer was crafted as a tribute to the evergreen forests of Oregon, brewed with a blend of Chinook, Simcoe, Strata and 2B Experimental hops.
Master Brewer Joel Shields says: “We’re always looking for ways to innovate, and the Pacific Northwest IPA is a prime example of that. By creating a distinct sub-style and incorporating 2B Hop Lines Experimental hops, we’re pushing the IPA category forward while staying true to the flavours that define the Pacific Northwest.”
Tasting notes describe a “dank, pine-laden aroma” designed to transport beer drinkers to the Pacific Northwest, with resinous hop character delivering a layered, complex flavour profile.
Heaps Normal launches new core-range beer, Third IPA
Last month, Heaps Normal’s latest release, Third IPA, hit the shelves of bottle shops around the country, marking the first addition to the brand’s core range in more than two years.
Third IPA was designed to bring a light-hearted take to modern wellness culture, humouring viral social media trends such as the 75 Hard challenge with a beer-themed ice bath challenge held at Bondi Beach for the launch of the new product.
“This really hits the spot if the higher bitterness and resinous style of the classic West Coast IPA is your thing. A real oral ice bath,” says Heaps Normal’s Co-founder and Head Brewer Ben Holdstock.
Joining Heaps Normal’s core range of award-winning non-alcoholic beers, Third IPA is a classic West Coast style with a refreshingly dry, crisp finish, wrapped up in classic IPA flavour.
Three Tails Brewery partners with local Mudgee producers on new stout
A Mudgee brewery has joined forces with fellow locals Spencer Cocoa and Acreage Coffee to create Mudgee Mochaccino, a stout beer that heroes the region’s speciality producers.
The beer is the latest in a series of collaboration brews for Three Tails Brewery, which has previously partnered with local wineries Logan and Robert Stein for beer/wine blends. This is the first time Three Tails has partnered with local food and coffee producers to create a beer.
The unique and full-flavoured brew begins with 10kg of Spencer Cocoa cacao nibs, 2kg of Acreage Coffee grounds and 125 double shots of coffee, milled and steeped with Three Tails grains. Then, oats, milk, sugar, and vanilla are added to round out the flavour, resulting in a creamy mocha stout.
Three Tails Brewery Head Brewer, Jono Beazley, said that the beer is a testament to the quality of Mudgee produce.
“Dessert stouts are actually very hard to make – the ingredients added to the hops must be high quality or they leave the beer worse off. We knew that only the absolute best, freshest ingredients would make this beer a showstopper – and we’re so lucky to have found them right in our own backyard.”
