Fat Yak from the Matilda Bay Brewery

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.

Fat Yak, regardless of how the name came about, is a delicious and refreshing pale ale, full of flavour and aroma. In a market dominated by low-carb, low alcohol drops, purists will find this a welcome alternative.

It is modelled from the Alpha Pale Ale which has a reputation as a bit of a "head banger", strong in flavour and alcohol.

Fat Yak could be best described as a toned-down version of the Alpha, but I think it is a far more interesting and appealing beer, simply because it doesn’t bombard the senses with a hop overload.

This new pale ale has an intriguing citrus-fruity aroma, is a clean, golden colour and can excite the taste buds simply by just looking at it.

(OK, I might be going overboard, but it isn’t insipid in appearance).

It’s an ale which needs to be served in a tall or balloon glass, something which allows you to appreciate the bouquet which suggests what lies in store.

From the first mouthful, you come across a host of flavours which definitely hold your interest.

It is clean and surprisingly light across the palate but it does have a great aftertaste which lingers as you might expect from a good brew.

I found that if you should leave it sit for a little while (not too long mind you) the flavours and aromas become slightly more pronounced.

It’s this more-ish quality which makes Fat Yak a very sessionable beer. I found it hard to stop at just one.

It is well suited for year round consumption and I think it would suit some red meat dishes, especially chops or ribs, perhaps pastas with tomato bases or even some of the milder curries.

It is also well-suited to satisfying a thirst after a day’s work.

Fat Yak will appeal to those looking for full flavours and a drop which is full strength at 4.7 percent.

If you like the lighter-style beers, Fat Yak probably won’t suit you.

MY TIP

Make sure you have a plentiful supply in the fridge, because you’ll need to have a few Fat Yaks to feel content, such is its appeal. Best to serve this nice and cold but not chilled and preferably appreciate it out of a glass rather than the stubbie. The choice of dish to serve with this is wide and it’s a beer for all seasons. At around $19 a six pack of 345ml stubbies, it may be a little more expensive, but well-worth the Yak hunt!