BEAR’S BEER BLOG: Goose Island IPA

That was because it was bought by AB-InBev, the international mega-brewer perhaps best known for Budweiser and Corona.

It virtually started a wave of smaller craft breweries being taken over by the big guys.

There was also the accompanying resentment from craft beer drinkers that the big guys were looking to buy into the industry and would totally wreck everything.

The jury is still out on that score – some fans resent anything owned by the big guys, while others see the chance that it might mean good beers can take advantage of their wider distribution chain.

The Goose Island IPA has arrived in Australia – but in an interesting twist, it’s not taking advantage of that distribution chain.

Instead, it’s being brewed in Australia by Carlton and United (which is also owned by Ab-InBev).

In terms of freshness, that’s a good thing because imported beers can take more than a month or two to reach our bottle shop shelves.

And for a style like an IPA, where freshness is so crucial, a two-month lag is not a good thing.

When it comes to the character of the beer, I was a little surprised that it didn’t give off much of an aroma. That’s unusual for an IPA.

But flavour-wise, it’s really very nice indeed. There are some tasty toffee characters combined with pine notes from the hops.

The flavours are well-balanced and the beer ends with a slightly sweet bitterness. 

The beer was launched in Australia in June but, as for where to get it in Wollongong, I’m not sure.

I haven't seen it in any bottle shops, though I’m told the beer should be stocked nationally.

Glen Humphries is an award-winning beer writer and author of The Slab.