ALE TO MOO-VE YOUR TASTEBUDS

Many of you will be aware that over the past week there has been an international celebration of all things beef in Rockhampton.

On the eating and drinking front, there were “nose-to-tail” dinners showing the dishes that can be made from all parts of a beast; celebrity chefs from around the world cooking beef; and beer and wine for all seasons. In the spirit of beef discovery, I searched for a beer to review that had some connection to cattle, which in a rather circuitous way has brought us to this week’s tipple – the Moo Brew Pilsner.

The Moo Brew brewery was established in Tasmania in 2005. They produce seasonal batches as well as a pilsner, a German-style Hefeweizen, a Belgian pale ale, an American pale ale and an American dark ale. Hugh the neighbour and I tried the pilsner before tucking into an ox-tail stew.

The canned beer poured dark golden in the glass with a healthy white head. From the outset, you get a nose full of hops which are far fruitier than you might normally associate with a pilsner. It was quite bitter in the after taste, however not enough to be as mouth-puckering as some of the American pale ales, and delivered a sparkling hit to the palate. It has a European taste to it, however Hugh and I agree it is not easily classified as being like a Heineken or a Stella Artois. A complex beer, it is worth a try.

The Facts: Moo Brew Pilsner (5 per cent ABV) is $23.50 per six pack; $75 per carton of 24.