In the past, I had always found beer ‘heavy’ and very filling and would feel bloated post drink. But now with the huge range of interesting craft beers made with the different styles of hops, barley and infusions of fruit, I have been enjoying many a glass.

What is craft beer?

So what is craft beer? I have read on a US Craft Beer site that an American craft brewery is defined as small with annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less. Also it has to be independent. “Apparently less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer.” But there are larger breweries who are making craft beer who are no longer independent and with the popularity of craft beer no doubt production could increase.

 

In any case, I feel for me that a craft beer is made with passion, with flavours and aromas that I enjoy and can detect. Craft beers are made by brewers who are innovative and looking to push boundaries and make some exciting new styles of beers as well as make great quality Session Ales, IPAs and NEIPAS. Today some craft beers are infused with fruits like grapefruit and orange which are so zesty and seem to dance on the palate. There are the fruit Lambic beers (Lindemans was set up in Belgium in 1822) that are sweet yet balanced. Click here to find out more about Lambic beers . Small and large breweries are making refreshing and tasty beers with a passion to keep being innovative and trialling new recipes.

I also like the fact that many craft beers are in cans. Not only are they light to carry (great for camping), they don’t shatter like glass, can be recycled and keep the beer cool. Plus with the can closure, it means no sunlight can get in and avoids ruining the beer. And the graphics is not limited to a label but to the full space on the can.

Last month I was in Perth and was able to try a range of tasty and interesting craft beers.

Lambic beers

• Lindemans Framboise Lambic Beer & Lindemans Kriek Lambic Beer: I have a sweet tooth and I just love the Lindemans……Raspberry and Cherry Lambic Beers. They don’t come cheap at $9 a bottle but they are made to sip and savour. My friend says it would go well as a dessert beer and I agree but I also enjoy it at the start of a meal or as an afternoon beer, especially as it’s just 3.5%.
  On the label it writes “Authentic Lambic Brewery For Six Generations’

Colonial Brewing Co

• Colonial Small Ale: The beer is so light and refreshing. I think it has to do with the 360 degree lid. This was an Australian first launched in March 2015. The lid can be pulled open so the can turns into a drinking vessel and you can savour the aromas of the beer at the same time…without rubbing your nose against the opener and there’s no need for another glass! According to Colonial Brewing Co, this 360 lid was first used by the Sly Fox Brewing Company (Pennsylvania, USA) for some of their brews two years prior in 2013 but it’s really been Colonial that have made their mark on it.

BrewDog

• BrewDog Clockwork Tangerine: I still enjoy the BrewDog Elvis Juice which is a grapefruit infused IPA but this Clockwork Tangerine is a close second. Notes of grapefruit and tangerine well balanced with the hops make this such an enjoyable beverage! BrewDog was much more articulate in its description of the beer when it introduced it on its Facebook page last March;
  “Say hello to Clockwork Tangerine.
  This beer packs a citrus punch on a par with Elvis Juice, but clocking in at just 4.5%, this session strength IPA dials down the ABV and ratchets up the pithy bitterness. Explosive aromas of tangerine and mandarin meld seamlessly with notes of grapefruit and lime, courtesy of USA hop-heavyweights Simcoe and Citra!” The team at this Scottish brewery are making innovative beers. I wonder what they will launch next!

Boatrocker

• Boatrocker Miss Pinky Raspberry Berliner Weisse: Beer Advocate define a Berliner Weisse as “Low in alcohol, refreshingly tart, and often served with a flavored syrup like Woodruff or raspberry, the Berliner-style Weisse presents a harmony between yeast and lactic acid.” This Australian beer (from Victoria) was definitely refreshingly tart and with loads of tasty raspberries, all well balance and a wonderful drink. According to the Boatrocker website, 250kg of fresh Australian raspberries is used in every 4000L brew. Tasty stuff!

There is plenty more great craft beer out there. I love the passion of the brewers. Nothing beats meeting them and understanding what they are looking to make in each of their beers.

At the time of posting, these beers were available to buy at Swanbourne Cellars, in Perth WA.