A beer expert’s favourite brews

GABS GABSGABS beer paddleIf you’re a Melburnian who loves beer, May is the best month of the year. Good Beer Week takes over the city and surrounds from May 12-21, with more than 300 tasty events on offer – including the Great Australasian Beer Spectacular (GABS) over three big days from May 19.

GABS takes over Melbourne’s iconic Royal Exhibition Buildings with more than 600 beers and ciders on offer, including about 180 brews created especially for the festival.

With so many brews in one place, GABS director Kieran Blood found it hard to choose his five favourites, so he decided to pick his five new beers. Make sure you give them a try.

  1. Pirate Life Pale Ale

    1. Pirate Life pale ale
    2. Brewery: 89 South Rd, Hindmarsh, South Australia, 08 8340 1447
    3. It’s the first time Pirate Life has joined us at GABF and we are looking forward to discovering their range. But I’ve tasted their Pale Ale, and it’s won me over. It has a very welcoming hoppy flavour but with a maltiness to it that make it very attractive to a more malt driven drinker.

  2. Rogue Wave Salt Lager

    1. Rogue Wave salt lager
    2. Brewery: 45 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet, 03 5289 6804
    3. Rogue Wave is a new local brewery based at the Aireys Inlet pub. It’s also their first time at GABF. I recently tried their Salt Lager at Nightjar Festival, and wanted another one straight away. It’s a clean, crisp and easy-drinking pale lager that goes down nicely on a warm evening.

  3. Fixation IPA

    1. Fixation IPA
    2. Brewery: 4 Boronia Pl, Byron Bay, 02 6685 9255
    3. This one was at GABF last year, but it is new to me as I don’t do much drinking on event day (sadly). I discovered Fixation’s IPA in a Christmas present last December – 25 beers to Christmas. It’s definitely hoppy but also a bit fruity, there was only one in the box, but I could have gone back for more.
  4. Odyssey Brewing Co Coffee Stout

    1. Brewery: 611 Surf Coast Hwy, Mount Duneed, 1300 272 389
    2. Odyssey Brewing Co have been at GABF every year, adding a new beer to their range each time. I love my dark beers and this is no exception. There’s a solid coffee and chocolate hit along with malt and subtle hops, making it a complex but easy drinking stout…I’ll be back for more.

  5. Balter Alt Brown

    1. Balter Alt Brown
    2. 14 Traders Way, Currumbin, Queensland, 07 5525 6916
    3. As a malt driven drinker, Brown Ales are among my favourite styles. The Balter Alt Brown is a well-balanced medium bodied beer that also delivers some great flavour while encouraging more than one. This brown ale is made for a session.


A beer expert’s favourite brews