Summer Dry Lager

TREND setting isn't something that springs to mind when it come to beers but when you consider what has happened in recent years, you'd be surprised.

From the `blonde' explosion to the flavoured beers - Like the Dry Fusion and Miller Chill styles to the low carbs, there seems to be a new market fab each year. Now we have the summer beers which are a lighter style lager which aren't really big on taste but are easy to drink and ideal party brews.

The new kid on the block (and not the last) is Summer Dry Lager. Kiwi brewer Monteith makes `seasonal' beer and labels it accordingly and their Summer Ale is a big winner. But here in Oz, putting summer on the label comes across as a marketing ploy more than anything.

Dry Summer lager, by AML (brewed in NSW), is a easy to drink thirst quencher which has a bit more of a bite than the XXXX offering.

It's clean and crisp across the palate, with just enough bitterness to draw you back. It doesn't sit heavily in the gut and at 4.2% is classed as a full strength beer. It has good sessionability and is well-suited to being a barbeque/party beer.

This isn't going to be a world beater and for thsoe who aren't `hard core' beer drinkers or appreciate craft beers, this is fine.

However, I think it's biggest appeal is the price.When new beers like this come onto the market, they are almost too good a value to go past and if you are just after a quaffing beer, taste isn't your main consideration (is it?).

MY TIP

Get it nice and cold, don't try to analyse it or expect great things and just drink it. At around $10 per 330ml six pack, I'm sure even the most hardened judges might find a few ending up in their fridges.