The world is full of beers. Only Beer & Brewer sorts the amber gold from the rusty water and tells you why. Here's the inside skinny on what's hot in neck nectar.

Wheat Beer

Erdinger Weissbier (mit hefe) (5.3%)

In skilled hands, the dekkera type yeast employed in Bavarian Weiss styles produces a beer of exotic flavours, balanced palate and high drinkability. In clumsy hands, the style can go "over the top" producing a honeyed, cloying beer which is dominated by cloves and other almost pungent spices.Happily Erdinger is the former; our panel loved it .

Pale cream/white in colour with voluminous, thick and creamy foam. Naturally cloudy from yeast bottled with the beer. The nose is fresh, floral with hints of spice, cloves and banana. The palate, exceptionally creamy, soft and low bittering with comforting hints of warm malt drink.

Moa Premium Wheat Beer (5.5%)

The Moa bird is now extinct in New Zealand. Tasting the beer, it's likely the brewery in Marlborough will be around for quite a while. This highly carbonated brew foams excessively in the glass producing copious quantities of foam and little beer on the first pour. With a little patience the drinker is rewarded with a pale golden, cloudy and full bodied beer with underlying grain flavours. The generous alcohol content also means generous fruity esters that accompany a mild spiciness on the palate adding to the intriguing weave of flavours. This beer would be ideal with some green lipped mussels cooked in this beer or fresh grilled snapper with asian greens.

Titje Bier Blanche (4.7%)

This is a Silly beer. Truly. Brasserie Silly is a small Belgian brewery making a range of beers including this Bier Blanche or Wit Bier. The Titje beer is typical of the Belgian Wheat beer style and is an ideal summer beer. The beer is light bodied with a spicy coriander note and a pronounced citrus presence in both aroma and taste. This pale golden cloudy beer is light , zesty and refreshing. There is an underlying malty or wheat flavour that provides a counterbalance for the spicy citrus aromatic lift. This beer would be great with flathead fillets with a squeeze of lemon enjoyed outdoors on a warm summers day.

Bright Brewery Razor Witbier (5%)

This refreshing Belgian-style Wheat beer displays all the attributes of the style, hints of citrus and coriander with a mild phenolic aroma, a slight tartness from the wheat malt makes the Razor Witbier ideal for the warmer months. Unfiltered and bottle conditioned gives some initial mouthfeel although the end of the palate finishes quite dry enticing another sip. This small craft brewery in regional Victoria is certainly putting out some quality beers and this Razor Witiber is the perfect summer brew of their range.

Tuatara Barvarian Hefe (5%)

A cloudy and lively little number. Higher levels of carbonation provide feast for the eyes while dried ripe bananas, cloves, nutmeg and phenols are abound in the aroma.

Fruity and yeasty in flavour with minimal bitterness. Light and frothy on the palate and medium bodied. Long lasting phenolic flavours.

Alb Weiss, Peak Brewery (5%)

Summer pears, vanilla and nutmeg aromas march their way through the deep tight foam.

Wheat, yeast and fruity flavours dominate while slow building bitterness is balanced with residual sweetness. High carbonation lifts the full yeasty body.

Spicy warming after flavours provide wonderful contrast to light lingering bitterness. Light and uplifting.

Mac's Great White (5%)

Visions of fields of wheat swaying in a summers breeze, citrus fruit and fresh herbs are had when a mouthful of Mac's Great White is savoured.

In the midst of the haze it's pale straw colour shines through.

Yeasty wheaty flavours abound while citrus and coriander spices dance across the palate.

Dry and light the sodalike body lifts the yeast adding to it's drinkability.

A slight sour finish brings you back for another experience.

Gisborne Gold Lager (4%)

The first feature to grab your attention to this lovely golden hued lager is its wonderful dense foam which softly blankets the beer beneath. Bright and crystal clear like the sky over Gisborne, this beer invites you with a suggestion of biscuity malt coupled with a hint of citrusy hop aroma. Initial maltiness is soon replaced by citrus and rindy flavours with lemon tones, just as the intensifying bitterness takes centre stage. Its smooth mouthfeel is complimented with crisp, long-lasting bitterness, making it perfect on a hot summers day.

Leather Jacket Lager- Fish Rock Brewing (4.5%)

There's a saying in the wine industry a lot of beer is drunk to make a bottle of wine, and this family-based winery based in the Southern Highlands have taken it a step further brewing their own beer. The Fish Rock brewery currently produces two 2 styles this nice little pilsner-styled lager and another beer known as Red Emperor Amber Ale. We can see this beer being enjoyed on the beach watching the surf roll in. Leather Jacket Lager has all the characteristics of a European Style Pilsner and is great to see the wine industry starting to embrace the Australian craft brewing market.

DAB Original (5%)

This is a classical German lager beer from Dortmunder Actien-Brauerie. It has a slight DMS - dimethyl sulphide - aroma which is typical of a German lager and, fortunately, this beer is fresh and therefore there are none of the aged, oxidised aromas and flavours often found with imported beers and it has also been kept away from direct light and therefore is not ‘light-struck' - which is an always present problem with beer packaged in green glass. This beer has a strong, clean bitterness and is a full-bodied, well-balanced beer which is extremely drinkable.

James Boags Premium Lager (5%)

Another Danish lager style from Boags, the San Miguel owned brewer based in Launceston, Tasmania. The beer pours bright with a dense white foam. The nose is fresh, malty and tightens up with heady spices. The palate is full but nicely balanced with firm bitterness and finishes with a slight astringency that makes it very moreish. Great session beer when you want a change from run of the mill domestic beers. Several panel members confessed to consuming more than their fair share over late evenings during the Rugby World Cup.

Monteith's Golden Lager (5%)

This kiwi beer packs a maltier punch that other regular lagers. A quite low initial hop bitterness allows the creamy malt flavours become more pronounced. With hints of roated nuts such as cashew and walnut gives a whole new dimension than standard lager beers. Aromas of nobel european hops present here makes it a great summer beer.

Green Man Lager (4.8%)

Notes of honey and pale malt with delicate floral aromas add to the mystical sensations of Green Man Lager. Brewed naturally to the Beer Purity Law, with organic ingredients this lager is sure to please vegans, vegetarians and organic food lovers. Summery honey and floral hop flavours are complimented by long clean bitterness. Light, dry and refreshing.

Tiger Lager (5.0%)

Danish style lager has been the beer of choice in this part of the world. Part owned by Heineken; it is easy to understand the origins of this style. Bright and golden in colour, the beer pours with a tight and dense foam.The nose is fresh, spicy and malty with hints of fruit ester (bubblegum). Palate shows subdued malt, is slightly grassy yet firm with a tight finishing bitterness.Thankfully, a character-filled commercial style that puts many of our domestic beers to shame. Great drinking at the BBQ, or anywhere else where more than a few might be imbibed.

Gage Roads Lager (4.7%)

This is very much a beer to savour with a group of friends at home or at a party - a clean well balanced beer - with good bitterness and is full bodied. After finishing a bottle, one is relishing the thought of another - like all good beers should do. This WA brewery is developing a good stable of brands which are becoming widely available throughout Australia and elsewhere.

Pilsners

Pilsner Urquell (4.4%)

It has a deep golden colour that is not just from the locally malted Moravian barley but importantly is enhanced by the brewing kettle design.The direct high intensity heat on the bottom surface of the kettle darkens the colour and influences the taste. The malty taste is smooth with hints of caramel or toffee . You will not get to dwell on the nuances of the malt derived flavours for very long however ,because the express train from the hopfields laden with Saaz hops arrives on the palate at high speed .The vibrant bitterness is a signature of this beer. It is balanced by the rich mellow malt characters and the afterbitterness is assertive rather than aggressive. It goes well with wild boar and forest mushrooms but equally.

Pig Dog Pilsner (4.5%)

Poured cloudy, pale in colour with a dense creamy head. We were not expecting cloudiness in a Pilsner, but this is craft brewing, so what the heck? Nose was malty with a little green spice and slightly marred by a faint wet cardboard character. Palate was creamy, malty and very well balanced with a slightly citric bitterness. Plenty of debate over this one; some liked the slightly burned match character on the nose. Others liked the full maltiness and exceptionally creamy palate. Others wanted to take issue that it was as divergent from traditional Pilsner as a Pinot is to Chardonnay, but what the heck. A very nice artisanal beer that would accompany white meat dishes and hold it's own in any serious session.

Wicked Elf Pilsner (5.0%)

A craft brewery beer with a very pronounced bitterness as befits a pilsner-style It is a generally clean tasting beer, with some hint of hop character which is a pleasure to find in a lager as most of the commercially available beers of this type are somewhat bland in this respect. It would certainly be an excellent beer to have with a barbecue or during a meal.

Bluetongue Pilsener (4.5%)

Another well-crafted beer which is clean, with a strong bitterness which is balanced & full bodied. It is very difficult to make lager beers distinctly different from the pack but the top beers manage to make one really concentrate on the aromas and flavours and to then request a refill. The successful development of craft brewing in Australia has shown that the public really do enjoy and appreciate different beers and it is a pleasure to be able to try so many wonderful experiences like this beer.

Ales

Jarrah Jacks Pale Ale (4.7%)

None of the local hops in this monster though, it is dominated by highly aromatic and spicy Cascade style hops. An apricot coloured cloudy style from yeast bottled with the beer, it virtually leaped at us from the bottle. To be honest though, this beer split the panel; some found it too "canned peas" and metallic; others loved the over the top spicy pine cone and fruit nose. The palate did not disappoint; very full, rich, malty and fruity, it finishes very bitter but stays in balance; a deft hand ensuring that malt sweetness balances the considerable bitterness. Not a beer for wimps; this is almost more an India Pale style. Serve with slow cooked meat dishes, casseroles and pies.

Silly Saison (5%)

Literally translated it means Silly Season. Uusually brewed in winter to be ready for the summer season, traditionally some of last seasons beer is blended with the new. Some of the wild microbes are often attracted to stay inside in the brewery in the winter and enjoy the hospitality. Thus these beers often exhibit a tartness and certain wild character. This is the case with Silly Saison. This beer in the Old Bruin or Brown style Ale. It's a deep brown colour, cloudy with yeast and sediment. It pours with a dense pillowy foam with a distinctly creamy colour. Despite the underlying malt sweetness there is a slight sourness and notes of ripe fruit. There are hints of wood and old cellar dampness in the aroma that add to the seasonal charm of this beer.

Matso's Ginger Beer (3.5%)

The beer pours cloudy white and the foam is only fleetingly seen. The glass is quickly left with a cloudy white liquid reminscent of a ginger soft drink. The aroma gives up the first clues to the ginger bite that follows. The ginger is immediately noticed on the palate as a fresh clean taste of moderate intensity and mild heat. There is also a slight tartness, almost citric in character that adds an interesting balance to the warming ginger. The finish has a gentle sweetness. I could well imagine sitting on the pub verandah watching the ocean soak up a firey Broome sunset as I drink this firey drop on ice. For a tropical delight I'd recommend this brew with some coconut crusted prawns with a chilli mango salsa.

Silly Abbaye de Forest (6.5%)

Abbey beers are produced for an abbey under contract usually by a local brewery. Brewery Silly produces this strong ale in the style of a Belgian Trippel which in the broadest sense means a strong top fermented blonde or golden Ale. This beer is highly carbonated and exhibits a fresh yeasty breadlike aroma. It has a fruity estery, almost dried fruit character, a mild bitterness and a slightly tart finish. The Belgian yeast and the higher alcohol have allowed robust flavours to develop and the resulting beer is both rich yet refreshing. This would be a good beer to enjoy with a diverse range of strong flavours as would be found on an antipasto platter.

Harvard Honey Ale (6%)

Like bees to honey, Harvard Honey ale will have you buzzing. Rich, creamy and jam packed full with honey and toasty malt flavours this ale is perfect to have with summer brunch. At 6%ABV spicyness and warming characters really come through. Honey on raisin toast is what I'm thinking. Forget the coffee, bring on the Harvard Honey Ale. Sweet, full-bodied, rich in flavour and well balanced Harvard honey ale is sure to please.

Don de Dieu (9%)

Another bottle-conditioned Canadian beer from the same brewery as Blanche de Chambly - this time in a 750ml bottle with a cork and wire stopper which adds to its visual appeal. The beer is much more like a typical French farmhouse beer with high carbonation, cloudy appearance and a slight clove-like character but, with the balance and very slight residual sweetness to give the beer much character and interest. In fact, it is so easy to drink, that one can forget its basic alcoholic strength. A very clean drinking example of this style which would certainly go well with a fish dish.

Island Pale Ale (4.5%)

Island Pale is a single malt ale made using all natural ingredients sourced from Kangaroo Island, including barley and honey from the islands renowned pure strain of Ligurian bees. Island Pale has a very unique flavour which is refreshing change seeing nearly everyone is brewing American Pale Ales or English Pale Ales. The use of native ingredients from Kangaroo Island and an interesting choice of bittering hops gives this beer a different take on the Pale Ale style. Initially this different flavour is a bit of a shock to the palate although after a couple of sips the palate adjusts making it an enjoyable beer. Currently brewed under licence there are plans of opening a micro-brewery in the near future on Kangaroo Island.

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