View attachment 38206 ????? :blink:
I'll be interested to see how Australian Bitter differs from an Aussie Pale. Are there any commercial examples? Apart from the SCB version?
Bribie, your wish is my command. You will have to do the comparison, though:
6.5 Australian Pale Ale
Appearance: Best examples will display good clarity, gold to amber colour, with a persistent snow white head
supported by brisk carbonation from bottle conditioning.
Aroma: Fruity yeast-derived aromas most prominent, with light, sweet pale malt underneath. Hop aroma low to
none. No diacetyl.
Flavour: Medium to high fruitiness, often pear-like. Supported by light, bready pale malt flavour. Caramel malt
flavours out of style. Banana ester from high fermentation temperature may be noticed, but should not dominate. A
mild but distinctive peppery, herbaceous flavour from Pride of Ringwood hops is desirable. Medium to high
bitterness - may be higher in historical versions, but not crude or harsh. Long dry finish from extremely high
attenuation, with a balanced fruity aftertaste.
Body & Mouthfeel: Light to medium-light body - any impression of palate fullness from residual dextrins should
be penalized.
Clean, crisp mouthfeel may be enhanced by spritzy carbonation.
Overall Impression: A lively, fruity Pale Ale with surprising lightness of body, solid bitterness, and a refreshing
dry finish well suited to a hot climate. Can be thought of as a light Burton IPA without the dry-hopping. Relies
on yeast character to compensate for diminished late hop expression - bland examples lacking fruitiness should be
considered out of style.
Comments: Historical style defined by Coopers ales as the last surviving examples: Coopers ales, all heavily
sedimented and very fruity, are Australian classics Michael Jackson.
Note: Colonial brewers strived for pale beer clarity to match imports - entries will be poured quietly without
rousing sediment.
History: Basic version of Burton pale ale produced throughout the early colonies, as British settlers established the
first Australian breweries in the mid-19th century. Developed to compete with expensive Burton imports Bass,
Allsopp, Ind Coope IPA, using Burton yeast strains of the day, with domestic barley and hops and available native
water. Inferior colonial malt often led to inclusion of sugar. Bottled for local sale, not dry-hopped and aged for
export, Australian pale ales were prevalent by late century, with 350 breweries operating by 1890. Commonly
relabeled Sparkling Ale (UK term coined for present-use domestic pale ale). Superceded by Bitter Ale after
introduction of crystal malt during early 20th century. Ale brewing grew obsolete as industry consolidation spawned
a lager-based duopoly - by 1985 only family owned Coopers brewery remained independent. Established 1862 in
Adelaide SA, successive generations preserved Coopers flagship Sparkling Ale using traditional brewing methods,
including open fermentation and maturation in oak casks. Removal to modern plant in 2001 improved clarity while
maintaining original formulation: all-malt, Burton yeast, Australian hops, absent late hopping, bottle conditioning.
First released on draught 1985, naturally conditioned in keg. A lighter version, brewed periodically since 1880s,
was re-launched in 1989. Also worlds largest homebrew supplier, Coopers pioneered kit-beer products soon after
legalization in 1973.
Indgredients: Lightly kilned Australian 2-row pale malt, lager varieties typical. Judicious use of crystal malt for
colour adjustment. Small proportion of wheat may assist head retention. No adjuncts, cane sugar for priming only.
Australian hops, esp. Pride of Ringwood (absent late hopping). Highly attenuative Burton style yeast, eg. Coopers,
Worthingtons. Multiple strains common historically (none available commercially, must be cultured from bottle
sediment) Variable water profile - low carbonate, moderate sulphate preferred.
Vital Statistics:
OG FG IBU ABV
1.035-1.050 1.004-1.006 25-40 4.26%
Commercial Examples: Coopers Sparkling Ale (5.8% ABV),
Coopers Original Pale Ale (4.5% ABV)
8.1. Australian Bitter Ale
Appearance: Amber to pale copper; bright clarity; moderate white head supported by very high carbonation.
Aroma: Light fruity esters with a background caramel note. Hop aroma low to none. No diacetyl.
Flavour: Moderately fruity, with a light caramel malt flavour. A distinctive peppery, herbaceous note from Pride of
Ringwood hops should be noticed. Malty sweetness should be low, tipping the balance firmly towards bitterness,
without being aggressively bitter. Medium-dry finish, with a predominantly fruity/bitter aftertaste. Trace
fusels/phenols from high sucrose fermentation may contribute a tangy flavour note, often considered
characteristic of Australian style beer. If present this character should not be perceived as sharp or solventy.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium-light body, with a noticeable carbonation prickle, particularly when served chilled.
Overall Impression: A crisp, light flavoured, thirst-quenching Bitter, ideally suited to a hot climate. Traditionally
served well chilled and highly carbonated, accentuating the characteristic tangy hop bitterness.
History: Definitive Australian style, evolved directly from colonial era Pale Ale/Sparkling Ale as crystal malt was
introduced during early 20th century. Originated independently of English Bitter, and remained a bottled style
exclusively. Developed as a narrow style, typified by a handful of State-based brands, using a high proportion of
cane sugar, high-alpha domestic hops, and standard Australian ale yeast (originally isolated 1888 at Victoria
Brewery in Melbourne). Dominant bottled style by mid-century, with major brands exported. Converted to lager
yeast during late 20th century, as megabrewers standardized production with draught lagers. Modern Bitter remains
by far Australias biggest selling packaged beer style, and following draught release in 1992, market leader Victoria
Bitter now accounts for one quarter of total Australian beer sales.
Comments: Style refers to the traditional ale version of Australian Bitter, commonly labelled Bitter Ale prior to
lager conversion during late 20th century. Note: 2005 heritage release VB Original Ale is an all-malt English style
Bitter and should not be considered prototypical of the Australian style.
Ingredients: Australian 2-row lager malt. Restrained use of crystal malt for colour and flavour. Substantial
proportion of cane sugar, typically around 30%, for light body and signature fermentation profile. Pride of
Ringwood hops, bittering addition only. CUB ale yeast or similar. Attenuative English or American strains most
suitable. Note: Whitelabs WLP009 Australian Ale yeast (Coopers strain) is unsuitable. Variable water profile, soft
Pilsen type preferred.
Vital Statistics:
OG FG IBUs ABV
1038-1048 1005-1008 25-35 4.2-5.2%
Commercial Examples: The major Bitter Ale brand names have survived but the modern versions are all lagers
and the term Ale has been dropped from labelling (eg. Victoria Bitter, Melbourne Bitter, Castlemaine XXXX
Bitter, Tooheys Red Bitter, West End Bitter, Emu Bitter, Cascade Bitter, Boags Strongarm Bitter).
