Chris Shanahan: Beer review — Weihenstephaner and Hook Norton

Weihenstephaner Pilsner 500ml $5.90
In a world where pilsner means a thousand different things, Bavaria’s Weihenstephaner, from a brewery founded in 1040, remains a glorious standout – my top beer of 2010. It’s a perfect example of complex but subtle lager, featuring lovely hops aroma and flavour, smooth, rich malt and a lingering, dry, perfectly balanced bitter finish. Perfection.

Hook Norton Brewery Old Hooky Ale 500ml $8.00
Old Hooky presents layers of aroma and flavour. It’s fruity, malty, hoppy, bittersweet, brisk and delicious. It’s built on malted barley, but it also contains wheat – presumably source of the pleasant tartness that adds life to the generous malt flavour. This is distinctive ale with lingering, refreshing bitterness.