Ironbark Dark Lager

Brewed by Ironbark Brewery
Style: Dunkel
Caversham, Australia

Visited the brewery in the Swan Valley, did a few tastings, then left with a carton of their mixed offerings. Overall, a very worthwhile venture! A range of styles that are mostly quite well done, and at least worth a taste. This is a nice dark lager of dark red-brown colour. The tan coloured head flattened out fairly quickly, but stuck around until the end. No surprises on the nose or palate-- all roasted malt and toffee. Proper carbonation lends to the balance. Overall a nice beer.

Tasted on draught at the brewery a few times, conveniently within walking distance from my house, but reviewed at home from the bottle. Pours a deep auburn copper, quite clear, with a slowly forming short beige head , that lasted and laced a good web down the glass. Malty aroma, molasses, caramel and burnt sugars, with only a sprinkling of hop spice. Malty in the mouth, well rounded and balanced. Sweet honey upfront, chocolate ’truffles’ mid-palate with vanilla, roasted grains and a subtle bitter side, finishing with a medium length ’Ovaltine’ swallow. Not complex, but quite generous on the grain bill, light bodied and very sessionable. A nice drop!!!

Light cola tawny body with a head that lasted well and left lacing all the way down the glass. Smooth balanced malt body that wasn’t strong but an improvement on the beer that I had last. Caramel on the nose and a faint touch of very late hop bitterness right on the finish.