Mudgee Spring

Brewed by Mudgee Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Mudgee, NSW, Australia

The most disappointing of the four beers from the brewery on offer at the recent beer festival at the Australian Hotel, Sydney. This was described by the bloke at the Mudgee stall as "a sort of an APA". Certainly looked like an APA - a rich amber-orange with a decent head. But the aroma was sickly-sweet, like Ribena. All fruit concentrate and no malt but none of the citric zestiness you want in an APA. Soft carbonation. The aroma-impression was confirmed with quite a nasty calcide mineral taste. Dirty pipes? Thin fruit cordial flavours - quinces, perhaps - with an astringent finish. The only out and out disappointment from the brewer. (Draught at the Australian Hotel beerfest 2007)