G-LO has been working the interwebz rather vigorously lately and the samples have been pouring in to the boozemail box. This has created a #FirstWorldProblem of sorts: We just have too much to drink and not enough time to drink it! I know, “Poor you!”. Anyway…

A couple of weeks ago, G-LO once again invited me to a night at The Murder Table where we cracked open a trio of beers courtesy of the Australian Brewery. This is a new to the US brewer that has been ringing up gold and silver medals at international beer events for almost a decade. This brewery is the brainchild of six brothers from Sydney who operate under a simple motto: “Fresh, Pure, Australian”. G-LO’s contact sent us three beers: the New World Pilsner, the Australian Pale Ale and the Saison D’Hérétique. Having arrived with my thirst and looking for a means to quench it, I jumped at the chance for a tasting.

First up, was the New World Pilsner…

Here’s what The Australian Brewery has to say about their New World Pilsner…

Inspired by the classic crisp and bitter Pilsners of Germany, The Australian Brewery Pilsner takes the palest Australian malts and interweaves the bite and aroma of new world hops. Enjoy a classic German style Pilsner with a twist; the spicy NZ and citrus American hops generate an enticing aroma and a crisp peppery bitterness that balances a rounded malt profile.

And here are our impressions of this beer…

Appearance : Hazy, golden color with off-white foam that peaks at about 1/4 inch and then dissipates rapidly.

: Hazy, golden color with off-white foam that peaks at about 1/4 inch and then dissipates rapidly. ABV : 4.8%

: 4.8% Aroma Limpd : A bit of malt and a nice blast of hops. The hops seem almost out of place for a Pilsner. G-LO : Sweet biscuity malts, a hint of lemon zest, and that’s about it.

Taste : Limpd : Medium mouthfeel and a little creamy. Refreshing with mild flavors and just a hint of bitterness in the finish. G-LO : Soft and fizzy carbonation. Mildly bitter with a slight metallic taste at the start. Some sweetness and a hint of lemon in the middle. Nice finish, i.e. quite crisp with some lingering sweetness.

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The Verdict

Limpd: I have found most Pilsners to be a bit lacking in flavor (with the exception of German style Pilsners like Prima Pils from Victory Brewing Company or Pivo Pils from Firestone Walker Brewing Co. which both have a higher ABV), so I mostly consider them to be lawnmower beers. This New World Pilsner is surprisingly flavorful and actually quite enjoyable, so I found it to be a step up above your average Pilsner.

G-LO: I didn’t care for the New World Pislner at first thanks to the metallic taste that I picked up, but it actually improved after that second or third sip, so I’m going to blame my initial dislike on something that I ate. Overall, this wasn’t a great Pilsner, but it was far from a bad one. I’d say it’s slightly better than average, but not quite a Prima or Pivo Pils.

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Next up, the Australian Pale Ale…

Here’s what The Australian Brewery has to say about their Australian Pale Ale…

Inspired by the Australian Pacific Pale Ale style, this cloudy pale beer is to be admired before immersing yourself in the rich aromas of citrus and passion fruit that only galaxy hops can give. This characteristically cloudy Australian ale is crisp and refreshing, full of truly distinctive aromas that make for a perfect mix of flavour and drinkability.

And here are our impressions of this beer…

Appearance : Cloudy, pale orange color with a 1/4 inch of lingering froth on top.

: Cloudy, pale orange color with a 1/4 inch of lingering froth on top. ABV : 4.8%

: 4.8% Aroma Limpd : Malty with some spices, citrus zest and hops. As it warms up, there is more of a Saison-esque spice palate coming through. G-LO : Very citrusy with some mandarin orange, sweet honey, and a smattering of funk.

Taste : Limpd : A bit of a letdown after the aroma. I found this to be a little watery after the big flavors on the nose. G-LO : Smooth and creamy mouthfeel with soft carbonation. Citrusy at the start with minimal bitterness. Mild hoppiness from start to finish. Quite the crisp finish with mild, lingering bitterness and some more citrus.

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The Verdict

Limpd: If this was at a higher ABV it might be bring up the flavors to match the aroma. I found the New World Pilsner to be more to my liking.

G-LO: I really enjoyed this beer, and given it’s light hoppiness and modest ABV, I’m surprised that the word “session” isn’t anywhere to be found on the label. Definitely tasty and quite session worthy. Easily my favorite of the three. Two words: Me likey!

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Lastly, the Saison D’Hérétique…

Here’s what The Australian Brewery has to say about their Saison D’Hérétique…

This is a saintly saison, lovingly crafted with both French & Belgian yeasts generating a delicate and light beer that packs a hefty punch of white pepper, clove and citrus on the palate with liquorice, clove, citrus and pepper on the aroma.

And here are our impressions of this beer…

Appearance : Golden color. A little hazy and frothy with a quickly dissipating meringue-like foam.

: Golden color. A little hazy and frothy with a quickly dissipating meringue-like foam. ABV : 6.2%

: 6.2% Aroma Limpd : Wet bread and a lot of baking spices. Some vegetable notes (cucumber/celery) and a slight citrus zest. G-LO : Smells like a Saison to me, albeit a very mild one. Getting orange zest, coriander, hints of clove, and perhaps even a hint of mint.

Taste : Limpd : Thick, crisp and flavorful with mild spices and some sweetness upfront, followed by some grapefruit tang ending with a mild bitterness in the finish. G-LO : Light carbonation with a touch of fizziness. Quite dry with clove and coriander upfront. Lemon zest shows up in the middle. The finish is a balance of dry and crisp with a light pithyness in the aftertaste.

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The Verdict

Limpd: Normally, I find the Saison style to be a little too salad dressing-y for my taste. This was not the case with the D’Hérétique. I found it to be a nice change of pace. Crisp? Check. Flavorful? Check. Refreshing? Check). I think I’ve found new meaning in “Australian for beer… Mate“!

G-LO: Not quite at the level of a Goose Island Sofie or a Boulevad Tank 7, and nowhere near the gold standard, i.e. Saison Dupont. This is more like an amped up Belgian Wit with not enough Saison funk to put it on par with the Sofie, Tank 7, or Saison Dupont. Overall, it was just ok.

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Many thanks to Genevieve Taylor of Men at Work Communications for sending us these very generous samples!