First published in 2013 by WBM magazine.
Beer Radar
The little Clare Valley and the big beers.
By John Krüger
Hold on to your steins, we’re about to see a wave of new beers form the Clare Valley. It’s been a well known wine region ripe for the beer pickings for years, and there have been some great attempts and successes so far in Clare. I know they weren’t brewed on site, but I could never resist stopping at Neagles Rock for a beer to drink there and a few of their wheat beers to take home. They disappeared a few years ago, but Knappstein’s, smack bang in the middle of Clare have held on firmly with their benchmark lager. Probably the first beer to truly engage the general Aussie drinker with the New Zealand origin Nelsen Sauvin hop. The unique fruity aroma is a great finishing hop for new world beers from lagers to American style pale ales. The Kiwi’s told everyone that their new hops smelled like grapes, or to be more specific, their locally grown and soon to be vastly popular, Sauvignon Blanc. They’ve since dropped the references to that specific variety of grape, which makes sense to me. The hops certainly don’t smell like green capsicum and rubber gloves. Knappstein’s Reserve Lager still remains a great example of a new-age aromatic Aussie lager. Word is, Knappstein’s are keen to introduce some new beers into their range and I’m hoping it’ll be soon. Will they be modern interpretations of classic styles? Hop driven malty masterpieces? Fingers crossed.
Pikes beers have a history which goes back for ages and at times is a bit hard to follow. If you’ve ever driven around Oakbank looking for a brewery with some cold beers, you’ll realise, like me, that you’re about 42 years too late. Thankfully the beers have made a resurgence after Neil and Andrew Pike relaunched the beer in 1996. Their stout was certainly a welcome sight at the most recent chilly Clare Gourmet Weekend. Pikes have recently added a Stout and Sparkling Ale to their original Pilsener and there’s word of changing seasonal beers as well. Adelaide based Black Squid design have rejigged their labels to reflect on the history of the original brewery in Oakbank which started in 1886. I absolutely love them and told Peter Bentley from Pikes that if they don’t bring out some beer t-shirts they’d be mad. Peter replied “We’re definitely looking at t-shirts. I think they’d look great.”
Pikes beers are being brewed by well known Victorian brewers Hargreaves Hill which explains why the stout in particular is so good. Keep an eye out for the new beers around May/June and meanwhile you can check out the original Pilsener on tap at the Sevenhill pub.
The Clare Valley Brewing Company has also appeared recently and there’s certainly some stainless steel being installed somewhere, but it’s all still a bit hush hush. No beers have been seen by me yet, but I hear there’s a lot of activity going on in the background. Business partners Craig Harnett and Ben Jeanneret have also been planting some hops in the Clare Valley and plan to use locally grown barley for a truly regional beer. They were enjoying a few cleansing ales when I spoke to them at the Clare Wine Awards and they’re keen as mustard.
It’s looking like the next visit to the Clare Valley might involve a sleep over. The Riesling is so good it deserves at least a taste and a few bottles to take home, but with so much new fresh beer about to pop up, a stay at one of the pubs will be unavoidable.
