Session-ability by James Atkinson

Summer Session-ability

The lead-up to summer is always a busy time for new release beers and 2018 has been no exception. James Atkinson explores beer styles that celebrate down time over the holiday period.

Refreshment and ‘session-ability’ are always at the fore for brewers at this time of year. Recently launched products demonstrate the current prevailing trends in the mainstream beer market, such as the popularity of mid-strength beers and the growth of contemporary lagers.

In the craft segment mea nwhile, vibrantly hoppy beers that are lower in ABV continue to shine.

Lion will call on its international brand portfolio this summer following the launch early in 2018 of Guinness Hop House 13 Lager.

Distinctively golden in colour, Hop House 13 is brewed with Guinness yeast and Irish barley and it showcases the Australian and American hop varieties Galaxy, Topaz and Mosaic.

It continues the Irish brewer’s exploration of new beer styles at its Open Gate Brewery – the home of innovation and experimentation at Guinness headquarters, St. James’s Gate in Dublin.

Also in the Lion stable, James Boag entered the fray in August with its first major new beer release in the past decade, James Boag’s Wild Rivers.

The team at the James Boag Brewery in Launceston was given the task of creating a beer that represents Tasmania’s pioneering spirit and wild waters.

The result was a product that is slightly more restrained in alcohol than Boag’s flagship lager.

“We’re proud of this beautifully balanced yet subtly complex lager. We feel it reflects all that is unique about Tasmania, with its fresh aroma reminiscent of our crisp air and beautiful bushlands,” says brewer Nathan Groves.

“It was important for us to respect the brand’s rich history and keep its integrity intact,

“If done well, mid-strength beers are a delight to drink, but you need to work hard to bring out a full taste when you have less dancefloor to work with” - brewer Scott Hargrave.

while creating something new that everyone could enjoy. It’s a modern take on an Australian premium lager with the spirit of James Boag at its heart.”

Another new beer taking its cues from the Australian outdoors is Iron Jack Full Strength, the second beer in the Iron Jack family.

Iron Jack Full Strength is 4.2 per cent ABV and features pale malts balanced with the aroma from a light dose of Saaz hops.

It continues the master brand’s philosophy of celebrating the Aussie tradition of sharing stories over a beer.

“Iron Jack is a brand inspired by Australia’s legendary outdoorsmen and the traditional values they portray like loyalty, strength and generosity. It’s about recognising that the role of the modern

Aussie male is evolving, but those old school traits are still as important now as they used to be,” said Lion’s contemporary portfolio manager, Amy Darvill.

Iron Jack was Lion’s answer to the Great Northern juggernaut, which continued its strong contribution to growth for rival Carlton & United Breweries during 2018.

CUB recently announced that growing national demand for both Great Northern Original and Super Crisp, the mid-strength version, has resulted in both beers being brewed at CUB’s Abbotsford brewery in addition to Queensland.

“Because demand for Great Northern down south is so strong, it makes sense to also brew Great Northern closer to these expanding markets,” said CUB’s regional sales manager for Queensland, Mick McKeown.

If CUB got the jump on Lion with Great Northern, the Kirin-owned brewer chalked up a win of its own with Furphy Refreshing Ale.

Furphy continued to soar in 2018 as Lion expanded production beyond the beer’s home of Little Creatures Geelong.

So it came as no surprise in September when CUB answered the call for a beer that has mainstream appeal, along with some of the branding and flavour attributes currently driving the craft segment.

The result was Frothy, “brewed to encourage lovers of classic beer to try something different and step into the world of craft”.

Coopers Brewery meanwhile has announced its latest foray into lagers with Coopers Dry, a refreshing, fine filtered brew that sits in the lowcarb category.

“Dry or low carb beers currently represent more than 15 per cent of the total Australian beer market, but there are relatively few brands from which consumers can choose,” said Cam Pearce, Coopers sales and marketing director.

“Coopers Dry will provide consumers with a refreshing alternative, offering low malt sweetness and modest bitterness that can be enjoyed with a wide range of foods all year round.”

In the craft segment, three letters look set to define the dominant trend for summer 2018-19: XPA.

This isn’t a recognised beer style in any technical guidelines, but broadly speaking it denotes a pale ale that is liberally hopped with aromatic hop varieties, with a lighter malt profile, lower in alcohol and bitterness than an IPA.

Balter Brewing has done more than any other brewer to popularise the emerging category, with its Balter XPA winning numerous accolades both for its quality and popularity, including top spot in the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2017.

Victorian stalwart craft brewer Hargreaves Hill Brewing Company has recently launched an eyecatching new brand, Beatnik Beer, with an XPA as its opening gambit.

“Beatnik is an ideology that projects our brewers into a space of no boundaries, where they can design recipes and brew with the only limit being their imagination,” says Hargreaves Hill.

The debut beer delivers on the XPA promise, maintaining excellent drinkability despite its liberal serving of American aroma hops.

Beers in this emerging genre have clearly caught the eye of the larger players, with Lion New Zealand subsidiary Panhead releasing its Quickchange XPA nationally in cans.

“XPA means Extra Pale, a product of Quickchange’s lighter malt base. That delicate colour is undercut by a glorious hit of alpha oils from Mosaic, Galaxy and Citra hops,” says Panhead.

Panhead stablemate Little Creatures has joined the party with an XPA the brewer says offers aroma “reminiscent of a delicious seasonal fruit salad”.

“Brewed with Galaxy, US Crystal, Nelson Sauvin and dry hopped with Galaxy, Mosaic and Citra, it sounds like a hop lover’s dream and this smooth drinking little number definitely delivers,” says Creatures.

Balter meanwhile is shoring up its status as one of Australia’s leading independent brewers with serious a tilt at the mid-strength segment.

The playfully named Captain Sensible is a sheep in wolf’s clothing, with full flavour and mouthfeel that belies its 3.5 per cent ABV.

“If done well, mid-strength beers are a delight to drink, but you need to work hard to bring out a full taste when you have less dance floor to work with,” says brewer Scott Hargrave.

“You want people to be satisfied with just a couple, but also create something you can continue to drink and still be interested in. After 18 months of testing and countless different brews to get there, we think we’ve finally cracked it.”