There were critics of last year’s Critics Choice guide who said that you couldn’t do the book every year because it would be too much the same. The first entry this year suggests that they could be wrong.

The first beer in The Critics’ Choice top dozen is the Bridge Road Brewers and Nøgne Ø collaboration brew India Saison. Collaborations have become something of a trend over the last 12 months ensuring plenty of new and attention grabbing beers to vie for attention and it will be interesting to see how many make it into the top 12 and how many ‘standards’ can hold their ground.

This limited brew was created with Kjetil Jikiun from Nøgne Ø. The Bridge Road Brewer’s notes describe it as ‘A beer that has loads of typical Saison yeast influence combined with a tropical punch explosion from the Stella and Galaxy hop combination’ while Beer Diva Kirrily Waldhorn describes how ‘the distinctive passionfruit and tropical fruit aromas sing out loud and strong.’

Bridge Road Brewers is one of Australia’s leading craft breweries. Conceived by Ben Kraus in 2005, the brewery is based in Beechworth and has countless awards under it’s belt.

The Critics’ Choice: Australia’s Best Beers
RRP $14.95
Available April 2
from newsagents & bookstores

www.beerloversguide.com.au