Spring is here, so let’s drink some darker beers! Yeah!!… wait… what?
Stone & Wood have long held a place in my heart as a brewery that constantly produces a limited range of beers really well. Everyone knows their magnificent, all conquering Pacific Ale and I personally have used Pacific to convert many a punter over to the world of craft beer. But the lesser known Jasper Ale certainly holds its own when it comes to a delicious, sessionable beer. Stone & Wood’s Vic Rep, Fiona Lane, describes Jasper Ale as something like an American Amber, British Brown and German Alt mix, which blends some sweet caramel and chocolate malt flavours in with some subtle hop characters.
I asked Fiona what she liked most about this beer, “Up in the hills of the Northern Rivers in NSW, there are only a few weeks of the year where it gets really cold. We originally started brewing our Jasper Ale for these rare times but since releasing it three years ago, it’s become something we in Melbourne especially enjoy all year round. It’s a beer that balances and contrasts our other Stone & Wood beers and that’s what we love about it.”
The growing popularity of Jasper Ale has seen Stone & Wood release this in the 330ml bottle for the first time, starting now! I think the new release is a little more hop forward and truly enjoyed the sweet toffee notes, followed by a finish that is only mildly bitter. Dare I say it, this is one for the ladies to try!
Available all over Melbourne in good bottle shops, I would suggest sampling this beer in a big open glass with some spring lamb shanks with caramelised onion and mash.
STONE & WOOD JASPER ALE
ABV: 4.7%
STYLE: Amber Ale
SERVING TEMP: 6-8 degrees
FOOD PAIRING: Spring lamb shanks
ORIGIN: The Northern Rivers, New South Wales
PRICE (RRP): 330ml $8, 24 x 330ml $69
BUY IT HERE: www.stoneandwood.com.au