BEING a bit partial to the Coopers range of beers, it was a pleasant surprise to find the South Australian brewer had yet another beer to try.

This time the drop is Coopers Vintage Ale, an annual release full of flavour and body.

I am a self-confessed fan of the Coopers Heritage beers and found a similarity with this drop.

It has a rich copper colour, a creamy head and a bouquet which is citrus/floral in nature, and something which you mightn’t expect

from such a rich-looking ale.

IF there is one thing to be said about the Australian beer market, it is innovative.There’s no stopping brewers coming up with newbeers or newangles to try to tap into a piece of the action.

The latest beer pioneering a new niche section is Burragumbilli Organic Lager.

Yes, I can hear you ask, "What’s an organic lager?" And that’s precisely why this beer will be sought-after.

In keeping with all things organic, Burragumbilli is brewed from natural ingredients, free of artificial additives and containing no sugars or preservatives.

THERE’S a growing number of boutique beers on the market which are designed to be put away for a special occasion.

The trouble with such brews is deciding when is an appropriate special occasion.

Recently, it was drawn to my attention that there is a drop out there – Crown Ambassador Reserve Lager – which is termed as a vintage luxury beer. At $69.99 per 750ml bottle it is definitely a luxury purchase.

THE Kiwis are coming and I’m not just talking about the rugby bro.

Mac’s Brewery is looking to tempt Aussie beer drinkers its range and latest one which I have sampled has been Mac’s Brewery is their Rock Hopper Pilsener.

For a pilsener, this is a very fragrant drop and that is a hint of the flavour in that distinctive Mac’s bottle.

It is a clean, clear beer and the hop inclusion is what gives this pilsener plenty of aromatic flavour, not unlike a pale ale and it comes across the plate very smoothly.

ONCE upon a time there was The Little Brewing Company who took on the 'big boys' and came away on top with a wonderful drop called Mad Abbot Abbey Ale.

This dark beer with the strange name might come in a small bottle but is big in flavour and big in alcohol content.

However it is deceptively easy to drink and regardless of the fact that it is potent ale (8 percent) you don't notice it.

The Little Brewing Company is based in Port Macquarie and its Mad Abbot Ale is advertised as a limited release.

YOU only truly get to appreciate the importance of Australia’s annual hop harvest when you are a lover of beer.

Being one of the most crucial of ingredients, it’s not really surprising that there are a number of breweries now producing beers to mark this important occasion, one of them being the Malt Shovel Brewery, makers of the famed and tasty James Squire range.

The James Squire Hop Thief is the third version of this limited release and in keeping with the previous releases features a strong aromatic quality which sets it apart from the run-of-the-mill beers.

LIMITED release beers are like a ‘lucky dip’ for your taste buds – you are never really sure about what you might get but from experience it’s usually pretty good.

Cascade have been bringing out a limited release drop called First Harvest for eight years now and after tasting this delightful ale, it’s easy to understand why it comes and goes very quickly.

As the name suggests, this ale uses the first hops and barley of the harvest season and the result is a wonderfully flavoursome beer which isn’t overpowering in its flavour.

BEING a responsible beer drinker can often leave you short of options and despite there being a host of mid strength or ‘gold’ beers on the market, finding a good one can be a challenge.

From across the Tasman comes Mac’s Gold Malt Lager in a very distinctive bottle to try and muscle in on the Aussie market.

This beer is slightly higher than regular mid strengths at 3.8 percent and was surprising in taste when it came to the name – malt lager.

WITH the beer market being ‘compromised’ by infused drops, Monteiths Summer Ale represents a refreshing change.

Forget the fact that summer has gone and winter is upon us, this beer is just ‘bloody easy to drink’ at any time of the year.

On the label Summer Ale says that it is ‘honey spiced’ and in the past I have found some honey beers to be a little to sweet for my liking.

Using Rata honey, Summer Ale has a sweet aroma but there is a more fruity flavour that comes through more than being sweet.

THERE must be a lot of people sitting around the Matilda Bay Brewery dreaming up outlandish names for new brews.

Their latest creation, Fat Yak, continues this crazy naming tradition, but more importantly it also continues the flavour tradition for which this brewery is famous.

My guess it the boys were sitting around chewing the fat, having a yak about their new creation, and in a moment of brilliance which comes after a beer or three, the name evolved.