Grolsch Premium Lager is currently brewed and bottled by the Grolsch Brewery (Grolsche Bierbrouwerij), located in the city of Enschede, Netherlands. This brewery is a state of the art facility which has the capacity to produce 4 million hectolitres of beer.  This equates to more than 12,000 330ml bottles!

Most people will know Grolsch for its unique swing top lid pictured above.  I know many people who have happily bought Grolsch just to get their hands on the unique bottle which can be used for many things, from a water bottle to a candle holder.  Unfortunately, the mainstream Grolsch bottles such as the one shown at the top, no longer come with the unique swing top but instead have the standard pop top.  It is my understanding that you can still get the swing top on the 450ml variation of this brew but locating that size may be a mission in itself.  There also was a 1.5L limited edition variation of this brew that had the swing top but unfortunately I haven’t seen that bottle for a while now.  This fully imported lager pours with a full white, bubbly head that disappears quickly to leave specs of lacing on the glass.  The colour is a light gold, that is clear with plenty of carbonated bubbles sticking to the inside of the glass.  It’s smell is noticeable and inoffensive.  There’s a sweet grainy aroma to it.  The taste appears slightly bitter up front followed by a surge of sweetness.  It’s a pleasant brew that has a good balance between malt and hops, though I’m not sure how long I could drink it for, so be careful if you’re planning to use it as a session beer.

Grolsch is a decent lager and one that is still brewed from its original origin, in this case Holland aka, The Netherlands.  I recommend giving it a try for yourself but just bear in mind that it’s not a session beer and if you see the swing top bottles, snap those babies up quickly cause they’re hard to come by.

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Thankfully though, the taste is not the same as old engine oil, not that I have any idea of what that tastes like and nor do I want to.  Old Engine Oil Porter is brewed and bottled by the Harviestoun Brewery in Alva, Scotland.   The Harviestoun Brewery has been producing fine beverages since 1984 and has gone from strength to strength.  It now has a range of bottled brews from Ales to Porters and luckily enough for us most of them have made it to our shores.  Old Engine Oil Porter was given the silver medal in its class in the 2007 Australian Beer Awards and has won many other awards the world over.

This Porter pours with a creamy tan head that quickly disappears leaving the top portion of your glass coated with an even amount of lacing.   It is extremely dark in appearance and lets through hardly any light at all, which again is similar to that of old engine oil.  There is a dark chocolate aroma to this brew along with some roasted malt and an underlying sweetness.   The taste is impressive but overwhelming.  It has strong coffee and chocolate elements that go hand in hand with the hoppy bitterness of this brew.  Each mouthful is filling and has a sweet, sugary ending to it.  I can understand why this Porter would be greatly appreciated in colder countries like Scotland and England and with that said, I am unsure whether the Australian market will come to enjoy its uniqueness.

Oil Engine Oil Porter has the sure makings of a great beer, for example, there’s an excellent malt to hop balance to it but for me personally, this wasn’t a sure favourite.  The taste is overpowering and I can honestly see a lot of drinkers being put off by it.  You can find this beer at selected 1^st Choice stores, so get a bottle and try it for yourself, just remember though, this is a beer that should be savoured and not quaffed.

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Before I continue I would like to make it clear that this review is based on the imported Sapporo Draft beer and not the brewed under license alternative that comes from Canada.  Sapporo is said to be ‘Japan’s oldest brand’ with its beginnings being traced back to 1876 when the Kaitakushi Brewery was founded and Sapporo was the first Bavarian-style brewing company in Japan  The company now has five breweries located in Japan along with the Sleeman brewery in Ontario, Canada.  Unfortunately, the majority of Australia’s Sapporo now comes from the Sleeman brewery in Canada and still all this while it is being dubbed as ‘Japan’s premium beer’.  This rice lager is made with the use of two-row barley that was specifically developed by the company itself.  Two-row barley has a lower protein content to that of traditional barley and therefore has a higher fermentable sugar content making it more suited to this brew.   Sapporo Draft pours a decent white fluffy head that is short lasting and it also leaves a small amount of lacing on the glass.  It’s appearance is a clear Straw yellow colour and it has plenty of carbonation with bubbles collecting around the head of the glass.  The aroma is dull and subdued but there is a slight sweet malt smell to it that can be discovered  with further inspection.  Sapporo Draft is easy to drink with a smooth, crisp and refreshing taste but there’s not a lot more to it, taste wise.  It would make for a good thirst quencher, possibly after a hard day of cleaning the home or the like.  Delicate citrus flavours are evident but unfortunately the high carbonation conceals a lot of the taste.

Sapporo may well be Japan’s oldest brand, but unfortunately, time has not made this brew an exceptional  lager.  While it may be appealing to some, others will be left expecting something more from these Japanese Brewers.

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The Kronenbourg 1664 we buy here in Australia is brewed under license in Victoria by the Foster’s Group and it is this version that I am reviewing here.  Originally Kronenbourg 1664 came to Australia from the Kronenbourg Brewery in France and the name Kronenbourg comes from the French village of Cronenbourg.  The other part of this beers iconic name came from the year in which the brewery was founded, 1664.  It was originally founded in Strasbourg as the Hatt Brewery but was relocated & renamed in 1850 and is now owned by the Carlsberg Group.  Kronenbourg is the fifth oldest beer brand in the world that is still being used to this day.  You can get your hands on the real imported Kronenbourg 1664 in Australia but don’t count on 1^st Choice or Dan Murphy’s stocking it as I unfortunately made this mistake.  Kronenbourg 1664 is premium lager with an alcohol content of 5% per 330ml volume.  It has a crisp, clean and refreshing taste that presents with an initial bitterness.  It would make for a good season beer.  Neither of the two bottles I consumed poured with any noticeable head but they did leave an even amount of lacing on my glass.  There’s a clear golden hue to this beer and it comes well carbonated, which it quite noticeable with its mouth-feel.  The aroma smells of sweet malts and is generally pleasant all round.  A commendable point about this brand is it’s cap covered labelling and green 1664 embossed bottling.  Both add to the pedigree of this beer making it stand out from the crowd.

Although Kronenbourg 1664 may not be the most amazing lager on the market it does come with high regard in certain circles and its name has every reason to.  If you haven’t tried Kronenbourg 1664 for yourself I suggest you do, and where possible, read the label first and see if it’s the fully imported version.

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It is brewed by the Posthoorn Brewery which is located in the Dutch city of Breada, Holland.  Post Horn is the English translation of the word Posthoorn and hence is the name of this brew.   Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of information as to the history of this lager but I will give you what information I do know.  Royal Dutch Post Horn comes in a six-pack of green 330ml bottles, each having an alcohol content of 4.7% per volume.  The standard green bottles have ordinary labelling, with white, green, gold and red blended together to try and catch your eye.   You can expect to pay $16 for a six-pack as I did at my local independent bottle store.  It is imported into Australia by ALM Imports in NSW and I have yet to see this beer being sold at 1^st Choice or Dan Murphy’s, so be sure to find your local independent bottle store if you’d like to try it.

This imported lager pours a fluffy white head that leaves small amounts of lacing on the glass.  It has a clear golden yellow hue with plenty of carbonation, some may think it has too much.  There’s a sweet malty aroma but is quite faint.  The mouth feel is creamy while also being a tad watery.  As for the taste  ̶̶̶  it is clean, crisp and dry and on a summer’s day I can see it being rather refreshing.  I found the taste diminished substantially after I had consumed three bottles for some reason and this made me call it quits for the night.

Overall, Royal Dutch Post Horn is not an outstanding  lager by any means, but it is certainly not the worst.  Personally I think this beer is better suited to the hotter, summer months so if you want to give it a try do so then.

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Kwak was created by Pauwel Kawk back in the days of Napoleon.  Pauwel was a brewer that lived in Dendermonde Belgium and owner of the ‘De Hoorne’ inn.  The inn was regularly frequented by mail coaches and used as a base of refreshment for them.   At the time, coachmen were not allowed to physically leave their coach or horses,  probably due to theft.  With this mind the ingenious Mr Kwak created the distinctive beer glass you see pictured above.  It enabled the coachmen to carry their Kwak by hanging the glass on the coach while quenching their thirst.  This glass is without a doubt the most unique drinking  vessel I have ever used.  At first glance it reminded me of something I used back in my high school science class but this time round I was actually enjoying using it.  The glass is 25cm in height and has a round bulbous bottom to it.  It sits snugly inside a timber holder and can only be removed by  lifting it upwards and to the left making it a rather sturdy drinking device.  The genuine Kwak glass also has a noticeable glugging noise to it when it’s in use.  I was lucky enough to have a loan of the glass from a fellow beer lover, but if you’d like to purchase one for yourself you may have to do some intense searching around – Ebay might be a good starting point.

Now enough about the glass, let’s get to the beer itself.   The smell has a malty sweetness to it along with fruity undertones and overall is pleasant.  Kwak ale has a cloudy, honey-like appearance with a good amount of carbonation.  It pours a fantastic off-white head that quickly disperses but it doesn’t seem to leave any lacing on the glass.  There’s definite Belgian stylings when it comes to the taste and I noticed some apple flavours in the brew.  Unfortunately there’s one significant downside (or upside in some peoples opinion) to this Belgian ale and that is it doesn’t do particularly well to hide the considerable 8.4% alcohol content and therefore I recommend it to be consumed slowly and in small quantities.  The first bottle I had really knocked me around, in a good way mind you.

Kwak ale makes for an interesting taste experience but unfortunately its inability to hide the alcohol content may be a big turn off for some.   I highly recommend giving this brew a go for yourself and if possible get yourself the unique Kwak glass and I promise it will make for a great talking point at your next drinking event.

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This no-carb alternative is brewed & bottled by the Burleigh Brewing Company in Burleigh Heads, Queensland.  We certainly are a fan of their unique creations and have already reviewed their Duke European-Style Premium Lager and their limited release My Wife’s Bitter.  So why did we not like this novel brew?  You’ll just have to read on to find out.

Is this truly a no-carb beer?  Well according to the nutritional information section on the bottles label, it has zero grams of carbs per 330ml serving.  The company has also gone as far as to have this brew independently tested and it complies with the Australian & New Zealand Food Standards to have no carbohydrates.  It’s a known fact that mainstream low-carb beers generally lack any real flavour and unfortunately this brew conforms to the notion.  It pours a light shade of gold with no noticeable head nor does it leave any lacing on the glass.  There’s no noticeable aroma to this beer either.   It’s alcohol volume is 4.2% which is lower to other low-carb offerings, such as Bondi Blonde’s 4.5% and Platinum Blonde’s 4.6%.  The taste is uninspiring and almost seems flat but, I can see some carbonation happening inside the glass so this isn’t the case.  The taste is watery and doesn’t make you want to drink more, regardless of the fact it has no-carbs.  Negatives aside I’d like to say a few positive things about this brew.  Obviously the best part is that it has no-carbs, which is great for the waist line.  The labelling and branding of Bighead is fantastic and it caught my eye when browsing at my local bottle shop.  Another positive to this lager is that it’s 100% natural and has no additives or preservatives.

Ultimately the best thing to do with this brew is to try it for yourself and make your own mind up as to whether or not Australia’s first no-carb alternative is for you.

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This mid-strength ale comes from the Little Creatures Brewery which is  located in Fremantle, Western Australia.  The Little Creatures Brewery was commissioned in 2008 and is open to the public all year round with the exception of Christmas Day, when the staff are drinking at home, which sounds fair enough to me.  Rogers’ is stocked at most big national bottle shops such as Dan Murphy’s and 1^st Choice and a six-pack will set you back about $17.  You may think this is a bit steep for a mid-strength but it’s certainly worth the extra few dollars over its competitors.  It has an alcohol content of 3.8% per volume, which when compared to other mid-strengths is toward the top end of the scale, with the exception being something like Hammer ‘n’ Tongs at 4.0%.

Rogers’ is made using whole hop flowers rather than pellets, which lets the beer make use of all the resins and oils contained within them.  The hops used in this brew come all the way from the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, United States and have been specifically selected for their bitter & aromatic qualities.  This brew pours a quick disappearing head that is tidy when first poured.  It leaves no lacing on your glass whatsoever.  There is a pleasant floral hops smell.  Its appearance is dark copper in colour and has good carbonation.  The taste is well balanced with slight caramel flavours and it ends with a subtle bitter finish.

Rogers’ is probably the best mid strength beer I’ve tasted to date.  If I had the option to pick this over other mid-strength beers on the market like XXXX Gold, VB Gold, Peroni Leggera, Carlton Mid and Tasman Gold, it would be my first choice hands down.

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Orval is a unique beer which comes from the Orval Monastery located near Florenville, Belgium.  The monastery was founded in the 1100’s and is run by the Trappist Cistercian monks.  There are many things that make this beer unique, one is the bottle.  It has a shape similar to a bowling pin and was designed by architect Henry Vaes along with the distinctive chalice pictured above.  Another interesting and unique fact about Orval is that it comes from a Trappist brewery which only produces the one beer, which is unlike many of the other Trappist breweries such as Koningshoeven (La Trappe) and Scourmont Abbey (Chimay).  Orval is a bottle-conditioned beer similar to Young’s Special London Ale, which means it is an unpasteurised living beer that is allowed to mature in the bottle giving it a fuller taste.

Orval has an absolutely beautiful sweet wafting floral aroma, that is extremely noticeable when the bottle is first opened.  It has a cloudy caramel colour to it and is well carbonated.  There is also a lot of sediment floating around in this brew.   It pours a closely knit head that quickly disappears and leaves minimal lacing on your drinking glass.  The taste is super dry, citrusy & sour, similar to that of grapefruit.  It is enormously refreshing and leaves your mouth wanting more.   This brew goes extremely well when served with blue veined cheeses.  It is also well suited to the colder months.  Orval is not an easy beer to get your hands on but selected 1^st Choice stores and online retailers do sell it.  A 330ml bottle will set you back $9.

This truly is a beautiful beer in more ways than one.  It’s not the easiest to find nor the cheapest, but if you manage to attain a bottle, I promise you won’t regret it.

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The St Peter’s Brewery was opened in 1996 after the brand acquired a derelict agricultural site.  It produces 15,000 barrels per annum which equates to 83,000 pints per week!  The brewery also serves as a visitor attraction and offers brewery tours for £4.50(pounds) per adult.  St Peter’s brewery produces a range of beers including Ales, Fruit Beers, Gluten-Free Beers, Porters and Stouts.

Suffolk Gold has no noticeable head when poured, nor does it leave any lacing on the glass.   It’s appearance is a murky deep orange colour.  There is a pleasant floral aroma to this beer which is most likely attributed to the Suffolk-grown First Gold hops used during brewing.   At first the taste is fruity and sweet but it is quickly followed by a lingering bitter aftertaste which is actually quite refreshing.  This is definitely a bitter beer with a strong hops taste, so bear that in mind if you are planning on trying it.

This beer was kindly purchased for me by my brother on his trip to Melbourne earlier in the year along with Gulden Draak from Acland Cellars in St Kilda.  They have an online store known as The Beer Store if you’re interested in trying this brew for yourself.  I enjoyed drinking this bitter ale and was surprised to find it as refreshing as I did.  With that said though I’m not particularly a huge fan of bitter beers, at least not at this point in my life, after all tastebuds do change over time.

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