The Sip #3 - Knappstein Reserve Lager
Long-time beer drinker Ross Lewis puts some of Australia's favourite drops to the test.
Meet the chameleon of the Australian beer market.
The label states this drink is a lager, one comparable to the Bavarian style. Yet you could be convinced in a blindfold test that it is, indeed, an ale. Some even suggest it has a hint of pils. And it is produced by a renowned wine maker in the middle of some of the country’s best vines.
Maybe it’s because the lager is the only beer produced by the Knappstein brewery it has decided to pack as many varieties into one bottle.
The Knappstein Reserve Lager is a very pale drop but it doesn’t retain a good head on the pour.
It could be the grapes from the nearby vineyard that produces shiraz and riesling that has an influence on the beer because this lager has a very fruity smell. However, it has a strong tropical aroma.
The citrus kicks in on the tongue and it has a refreshing crispness.
But, as this is where the comparison to an ale starts, it has a hop kick at the end with a strong bitter finish.
At 5.6 per cent this also is strong for a regular Australian lager and maybe that is why it is marketed as a four-pack.
It is a pleasant addition to the country’s lager family.
The Sip Snip
Knappstein Reserve Lager
Brewer: Knappstein Enterprise Winery and Brewery, Clare Valley, South Australia
Style: Bavarian Lager
Alcohol content: 5.6%
Standard drinks: 1.5
Bitterness: 38IBU
Bottles: 330ml
Hops: Sauvin
Estimated calories: 168
Total carbs g/100ml: 4.3
The Sip Tip (rating): Straight to the man cave.
Average prices: $57/carton. $17.50/four-pack.
