Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) has launched the 2014 limited edition Cascade First Harvest Ale, the result of the first day's brew at its Tasmanian brewery.
This is the thirteenth release of the annual First Harvest Ale, and according to the brewer, Cascade First Harvest Ale was the first beer of its kind in Australia to use wet green hops for a limited time.
Cascade's First Harvest has been brewed each March since 2002 and is created from three different hop varieties that have never been used before in commercial brewing.
The First Harvest Ale hops are picked during Tasmania’s annual hop harvest, and added fresh to the brewing kettle within hours, unlike most others, which use dried or pelleted hop varieties.
Mike Unsworth, Cascade’s head brewer said First Harvest allows Cascade to showcase the different flavour, aroma and bitterness qualities of three selected locally-grown hops. It also helps the brewer determine their suitability for future brewing, he said.
“There’s a lot of noise around about craft beer versus the big breweries but something like the First Harvest is one of the finest examples of a craft beer,” he said.
“For me craft is about quality ingredients and actually getting a quality product out the other end, and that’s small scale and not too automated, and that is Cascade."
The company makes the equivalent of 5,000 cases of its Cascade First Harvest Ale and the 2014 edition is now being sold at Dan Murphy’s nationally at a recommended retail price of $19.95 per 375ml four-pack.
It is also being sold on tap in a handful of selected venues in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
