Australia’s growing affection for aroma and flavour in their beer has meant a lively explosion for the “summer ale” category. Perhaps it’s because this type of beer is not a huge leap from the macro lagers or that it has the word “summer” in it. Regardless, drinking to suit the occasion means right now it’s summer ale’s time to shine. Oh, and before I go any further, let me just tip my hat to Stone & Wood’s Pacific Ale which arguably laid the foundations for the summer ale to flourish.
Beechworth’s Bridge Road Brewers may be a long way from the ocean (293km to be exact), but it’s only 1km to the “Beech” at Lake Sambell, which is a perfect spot to enjoy this impressive beer. At only 4.4% ABV, the Beechy Summer Ale is incredibly well-balanced between the pale malts and Galaxy, the Vic Secret hops providing an enjoyable experience for those with advanced lupulin (the active ingredient in hops) thresholds, whilst not offending craft beer novices.
Created as a nod to the original Australian Ale first brewed in 2005 and a fond farewell to the Golden Ale, the response from the beer community has been very well received. My experience with this beer has been a cleaner, less carbonated finish on tap, while the bottle version means there’s more opportunities for the beer to change before you get your hands on it. Given the success of the brewery’s Little Bling IPA experiment in cans, I would love to see this beer go down the same path.
You can grab Bridge Road’s Beechy Summer Ale at all good beer venues and bottle shops around regional Victoria and Melbourne. Cheers!
ABV: 4.4%
Style: Session Summer Ale
Serving Temp: 4-6 degrees
Food match: Fish or chicken
Origin: Beechworth, VIC
Prie (RRP): 6 pack 330ml $22
bridgeroadbrewers.com.au