TASTY: Cool Hops was a revelation for a craft beer.
TASTY: Cool Hops was a revelation for a craft beer.
Your regular columnist asked me to pen a few reviews while he detoxifies and reduces a shirt size. The timing was impeccable as I was strolling the streets of Melbourne soaking up "Good Beer Week". As it happened, I was off to a brewer's party that evening at the incongruousKustom Kommune, a communal motorcycle workshop/Texan barbecue joint.
We caught a cab (having not yet mastered Melbourne's brilliant public transport system) and arrived at what appeared to be some homage to a post-apocalyptic biker bar. American style offset barbecues, masquerading as braziers, warmed the chilly night as we negotiated the barbed wire and graffiti. A huge tattooed and severely pierced skinhead, Reg, stood guard, presumably ensuring we weren't from some rival gang.
As it turned out, Reginald was extremely friendly. He explained the concept of the Kommune (with a K) as a community for motorcycle enthusiasts to learn how to tinker with their cycles and it had grown into a club (with a c) complete with food and drink. He invited us to stay for smoky barbecue and wash it down with any number of the exquisite craft beers they had on tap and in the bottle.
I settled on Cool Hops Lager from the Edge Brewing Project. It was a very pleasant lager, complete with great top nose character from New World hops - fruity and floral, with enough malt weight to be satisfying. I still find it a revelation when I stumble across a session beer that is actually delicious.
Sadly, Cool Hops isn't yet available in New Zealand.
