Chris Shanahan: Beer review — Little Creatures & Matilda Bay

Little Creatures Rogers’ Beer 330ml — about $16 a six pack
This mid-strength brew (3.8 per cent alcohol) — named after its creators, Rogers Bailey and Bussell – leads and finishes with the distinctive and amazingly refreshing Little Creatures’ Oregon hops. Behind the hops, though, lies a silk smooth maltiness with a subtle roasted character.

Matilda Bay Alpha Pale Ale 330ml 6 pack $22
Brad Rogers brews this deep amber, small-batch, American style pale ale at Matilda Bay’s Garage Brewery, Dandenong. Its in-your-face hoppy aroma and astonishing bitterness counter the beer’s opulent, sweetish maltiness. This is a brewer’s brew, released on tap and in bottle in discrete batches after prolonged tank conditioning