By Annette Shailer
Coopers Brewery has released the 2010 Extra Strong Vintage Ale, the 10th vintage in the series.
Coopers managing director and chief brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, said the 10 vintage milestone was a special achievement for Coopers and would be welcomed by loyal Vintage Ale consumers.
“Coopers has spent many years carefully selecting not only the finest raw materials from Australia, but also from the world’s best hop growing regions,” he said.
“We have used four different cultivars of hops for the 2010 Vintage Ale, to achieve a full-flavoured, aromatic beer with the robust and complex characters consumers have come to expect.
“The beer can certainly be enjoyed now, but with careful cellaring will mature gracefully with age and develop rounded, rich toffee characters.”
The alcohol content remains at 7.5 per cent alcohol by volume, retaining Vintage Ale’s title as the strongest beer brewed by Coopers and one of the stronger beers produced around the world.
Coopers marketing director and chairman, Glenn Cooper, said the release of the 2010 Vintage Ale was brought forward to coincide with the onset of winter.
“Winter is the perfect time to enjoy rich and creamy ales like Vintage Ale, either with a meal or on its own as a warming winter companion," he said.
“As in previous years, we expect that limited production and strong international demand will see stocks of 2010 Vintage Ale move quickly.”
Dr Tim Cooper said that the 2010 Vintage Ale is brewed from premium grade Australian malted barley and contains New Zealand hop variety Nelson Sauvin, combined with German bittering hops Magnum and Perle, and English aromatic hops Styrian Golding.
“The Nelson Sauvin hops give the beer a bold, upfront aroma with some crushed kiwifruit and citrus overtones,” he said.
“Typical of the German hop varieties used, there is a hint of spice and mint aromas, underpinned by a clean citrus note and smooth bitterness from the Magnum hops."
The 2010 Vintage Ale is priced from around $75 per carton, or around $20 per six-pack of 375 ml bottles and is well-matched to hearty meat dishes, desserts, strong cheeses, or as an after dinner cleansing ale.