Malt Shovel Brewery
Sydney, Australia
Imported by High Falls Brewing Co.
Rochester, NY
Available: CA
Around 1795, James Squire, convicted highway robbed and publican, became Australia’s first commercial brewer. His tavern, The Malt Shovel, was located west of Sydney. The modern Malt Shovel Brewery, named to honor Squire, has won awards at the Australian International Beer Awards, but is only recently available outside Australia.
Alcohol (wt.): 3.98
Alcohol (vol.): 5.0
Color: 35 ebc
Bitterness: 18-20
Gravity: n/a
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Crisp sound from a very talkative head with exciting aromatics and a good, hop nose. At 5% ABV, this is a fine session beer with a healthy and deep amber, almost copper, color. The distinctive palate is well worth investigating, as it makes each sip another invitation with hints of caramel and toffee. This is clearly a beer one could easily repeat over a long evening, enjoying new taste sensations with each sip.
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This beer has a deep copper color and raises a sturdy tan head. The aroma is sherryish, with a candy-jar fruit quality that I associate with the ubiquitous British Ringwood yeast. The palate is well-structured, with caramel and biscuity malts balanced against moderate hopping. The finish is clean and dry. Just the thing with that tasty Australian grass-fed beef.
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In the United States, amber ales are widely available. In Australia, where this one is brewed, they are less common. This brew has a full, amber-red, color. It also has a full flavor, though it is restrained and soft in body. There is an attractive, cinnamon-like, hop character in both the initial aroma and the balancing dryness of finish, but in the middle the emphasis is more toward a malty creaminess and a melon-y, marmalade-y, fruitiness. Very refreshing.
