Victoria's craft breweries
With more than 30 independently-owned, craft breweries producing up to 15,000 litres of beer each week, a world of untapped flavour can be found around Victoria. This ever expanding band of boutique brewers is hand-crafting beer with surprising results.
Beer falls into two categories – lager and ale. Craft brewers predominantly produce ales, ranging from red and brown to cloudy wheat styles, porters and stouts. The difference between commercially produced and artisan-style beer is the depth, complexity and variety of flavour that comes from finely weaving quality ingredients, and a general lack of preservatives and additives.
And yes, there is a craft to beer tasting. Taste lighter-coloured, lower bitterness and lower alcohol beers first.
- Allow the beer to warm to release its full flavour.
- To enjoy the bouquet, breathe through your nose with two quick sniffs, then with your mouth open, then through your mouth only.
- Observe the head of the beer – is it thick and creamy? Does it lace the glass after each sip? Sip the beer, allow it to wander and explore your entire palate.
- Aim to identify the flavours – from sweet to salty – the acid and bitterness.
