The first thing I’d say is that it reminds me of a Lambic beer – but without the fruit. Think of a kriek but without cherry. Yes, this beer is sweet. It’s grown on me since my first mouthful of it, but I’m still not entirely into it.

Although Innis and Gunn is from Scotland, they’ve made a Canada Day beer. Rather unusual for a clear bottle, it’s bottled conditioned – and 8%. On her first taste, Leah described it as “mmm buttery”. You can taste the rum cask (as with other Innis & Gunn that I’ve had) and this one is rather nice. It may be hard to get any more of this as, it, well, Canada Day in 2011 happens once.

A Ruby Red Ale from Suffolk from across the world: the United Kingdom. This bottle is marvellous. Looks like a medicine bottle and the beer in it is lovely – if medicine tasted like this, it’d be way easier to get people to take it.

A lovely red colour, a lovely spicy hop red ale aroma and it even tastes good. There’s a lovely malty undertone to it all that isn’t overpowering, just what you want from a red ale.

I kinda want to have more of it just to get more of these bottles…

One of the great things about Cascade First Harvest is that it’ll be different each year. Some years it has been great and others, not so much. This year is pretty good actually. I’d say give this year a go.

This is one of my favourites. Look at any list on BeerAdvocate.com and it scores rather highly. It’s dark and delicious. Yes, it’s Belgian and it’s 10% and it comes in large bottles if you like. If you’re really lucky you can find somewhere with a tap of this stuff – If anyone knows somewhere in Melbourne with one, I *MUST* know.

Ahhh Ginger. I had the Matso Ginger Beer the other day and quite raved about it (my search for a Ginger Beer with ginger in it is strewn with disappointments). This was a different kind of drink, while there was ginger in it, it was certainly a beer with ginger rather than *ginger* beer. Honestly, I prefer the Matso by a long way.

I had this about a week ago and being a fan of beer brewed with coffee, I thought I’d try this Limited Release   Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. It was fairly nice, although I have had coffee stouts I’ve liked better – although I do know people who have really liked this one too.

I wrote about the Harviestoun Old Engine Oil a little while ago, and I really quite liked it. I liked it enough that when next at Acland cellars I decided to get more of their beers. Tonight, being another cold night, I decided to see if the “Old Dubh” (also on the label is the wonderful words “Special 12 Reserve”) lived up to the Old Engine Oil.

It does. Wow.

The little book attached to the bottle says the beer is so named because it’s “gloopy and viscous”. Well, it’s lovely and black, and the aroma is just lovely. I’d use words such as chocolatey, malty and that hint of scotch that warms the soul on a cold evening.

The Old Dubh is matured in Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky casks, which is what gives it that extra bits of flavour. I honestly don’t know why this great trick isn’t done by more breweries, as this beer is just lovely. I have another Harviestoun in the fridge, and I kind of can’t wait to try it.