Melba hop is the hero of this year's limited edition 2015 Extra Strong Vintage Ale from South Australia's Coopers Brewery.
The 2015 Vintage, which is the 15th in the collectable series, was launched nationally this week.
Five hop varieties were combined to become the feature of this year’s Vintage Ale, according to Coopers’ managing director and chief brewer Dr Tim Cooper.
“Melba hop is the driving variety," he said. "It has been developed by the master hop breeder of Ellerslie Hop Estate in Victoria and provides stone fruit and citrus undertones,” he said.
According to Dr Cooper, Ella and Vic Secret bring out passionfruit, peach and spicy aromas, while Styrian Goldings and Cascade provide additional balance and depth of flavour while enhancing the spicy, floral and fruity undertones.
Cooper also said this year’s Vintage had a noticeable increase in bitterness, which fused and enriched the other hop flavours, and assists in the longevity of the brew.
The alcohol content remains at 7.5% alcohol by volume, retaining Vintage Ale’s title as the strongest beer brewed by Coopers and one of the stronger beers produced in the world. The Ale is designed to either be consumed immediately while flavours are fresh, or stored in cool conditions for tastings after six to 12 months of maturation.
Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale was first released in 1998, with further vintages in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, and every year since 2006.
The 2015 Vintage Ale is priced from around $85 per carton, or around $28 per six pack of 355 ml bottles.
