BREWERY // After travelling the world investigating beer, working in breweries all over Australia and even a spell in the wine industry, Nic Sandery knew it was time to make his own beers using all the knowledge he had collected. He wrote down the values he wanted this new brewery to stand for - honesty, hospitality, humbleness, hard work and ingenuity - and realised these were all traits instilled in him by his grandmothers Molly and Rose. Cuisine, science and different international beer cultures all influence Nic's brews. A trip to Japan informed his dark lager, travelling the US helped him perfect his IPAs and most of all he takes inspiration from the wide and varied beers of Belgium which have influenced his wild ferment, sour and farmhouse ales. The Molly Rose taproom is a must visit next time you're in Collingwood, Melbourne.
BEER // If we've ever met, you'll probably know that I've got a thing for lagers. Rather than watery insipid green bottles of disappointment, lager actually encompasses a wide gamut of styles from soft smooth Helles to big bold Baltic Porters. What they all have in common is bottom fermenting lager yeast (rather than top fermenting ale yeast) and a period of cold conditioning, known as 'lagering'. This results in clean lighter bodied beers. Baroness brewed with Bavarian speciality malts to give it a rich amber appearance and earthy toffee biscuit flavours without being overly sweet. It's beautifully aromatic with some delicate perfume like notes. This lager is made with a single hop - Kohatu. This new-ish New Zealand hop is known for it's big tropical fruit character. It gives Baroness a bold bitterness and a fruit salad, pine needle aspect that is pretty delicious. It's super well balanced and real clean and crisp thanks to the lagering.
BREWERY // Molly Rose
BEER // Baroness
STYLE // Hoppy Red Lager
ORIGIN // Melbourne
ABV // 5.2%
TEMPERATURE // Straight from the fridge
FOOD MATCH // Ethiopian Sweet Potato & Lentil Wat. Rich Brie. A Good Burger. Firecracker Latke Poppers.
VESSEL // Tall Lager Glass