 TheBeerLover (1013), DC Metro Area, USA
Jan 27, 2006
The Coopers Brewery is the sole remaining family owned brewery in Australia, and has been in the Cooper family since it was founded by English immigrant Thomas Cooper in 1862. The brewery does a number of beer styles, and have been doing bottled conditioned ales and stout since those early colony days. That is amazing in an Australian beer market, that has been washed away in bland lager for decades. The fact that Coopers has survived so long is a testament to what a great brewery it really is. The Sparkling Ale is a world class beer, that is bottle conditioned and brewed with the same ale yeast strain the brewery has been using for the past 85 years. "Cloudy but fine" is how they market this beer, and fine is very much an understatement.
Coopers Sparkling Ale pours to a very cloudy, opaque, pale blond color, with a dense white head, and a very vibrant and lively carbonation. Like with a good German hefeweizen, you want to roust the yeast and pour it in this beer. The nose on this beer is very inviting with zesty, lemony, sherbet like hops aromas, paired with fresh bready and yeasty aromas. The palate is firm with lots of crisp, tart, malt flavors, and flavors of fresh bread, that dance with some estery fruit on the tongue. Coopers Sparkling Ale finishes with more crisp and tart flavors up front, then ends with some nice grapefruit/lemony hop bitterness, that buzz on the tongue with a sting of carbonation.
This is such a refreshing and delicious beer. I love this beer, and this very unique Australia beer style. I use to drink a lot of this beer in the early 90’s and can not think for the life of me, why I have gone so long without one. One of the pitfalls of having so many choices these days, is the fact that we become jaded. Coopers Sparkling Ale is a beer that should not be over looked, and one that all serious beer lovers should try. This beer works exceptionally well with grilled sword fish with herbed lemon butter, or blackened Maco shark steaks. Coopers beers are widely available in a number of markets, and all their products are well worth seeking out. This is real Australian for beer.
jimmack34 (158), Ohio, USA
Nov 29, 2008 Tried this beer in 05. Was pretty sweet and a little tart. Soda-like carbonation. It was good at the time, but I would lioke to try again for better noting.
SeanMacGC (102), Dublin, Ireland
Nov 27, 2008 Bottle, 375 ml. Pours cloudy amber orange, with the distinctive presence of sediment for a top-fermented beer. Little-to-no head (perhaps too cold for it in the Northern Hemisphere!), and delicate lacing. Decent nose of mild hops, and some toffee. More toffee on the palate, with citrus too (mainly notes of apple), comforting mouthfeel. Decent beer.
kempicus (217), Wellington, New Zealand
Nov 27, 2008 Pours a cloudy dark gold, i can’t help but think this is an overbuilt up beer...just seems sweet and worty to me
terrybail (181), , Ontario, Canada
Oct 28, 2008 Bottle from the LCBO
A more detailed description will follow on a second tasting
I have misplaced my comments for this beer
machfive55 (89), Columbia, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 21, 2008 Just average overall, a good beer but nothing stood out as spectacular with this beer. Definately a good and worthy beer but if you are looking for uniqueness you will not find it here.
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