Chris Shanahan: Beer review – Wychwood and Yeastie Boys

Wychwood Brewery Pile Driver Classic English Ale 500ml $5.82
Wychwood’s easy-to-love, deep-amber-coloured ale suits cooler weather with its warm, malty, molasses-like aroma. The rich, smooth palate reflects the aroma. And spicy, herbal hops cut through the malt adding flavour and a long, persistent bitter finish. The malt–hops combination delivers plenty of flavour in a beer of a modest 4.3 per cent alcohol.

Yeastie Boys “Hud-a-wa” Strong Amber Ale 330ml 7.32
The Yeastie Boys’ shirt-frontiing amber ale cannot be ignored as it lands on the palate. A high 6.8 per cent alcohol and rich malt sweetness combine to give it a wine-like mouthfeel. Despite the inititial impression of alcoholic-malty sweetness, intense, bitter hops successfully balances a potentially confronting beer.