The third coming – Pikes Oakbank Pilsener

Your correspondent was sans tin lids for a few minutes and as a small reward I went to my local purveyor of brewed and spirituous liquids and spent some time perusing the stock. Now the owner of the Brookvale Cellars must have a contact who haunts the docks of Hamburg in Germany and who sends the way of the lower northern beaches any northern European stock that may or may not have fallen out of a shipping container. There is some quality imported beers that must be at a price not more than a bees dick above cost. Anyway, I digress.

I spotted, all alone in a forgotten upper shelf, a six pack of Pikes Oakbank Pilsener. Now the fish on the label is more commonly seen on the wines from the Clare Valley-based winemaker of the same name. Apparently, now than then, the winemaker punches out a pilsener. It was first brewed in 1886 and this is third ‘revival’. Unsure to the nature of it’s sporadic production – when grape prices bottom out?

The beer itself was excellent. Totally unexpected as it was being unloaded at a Tasman Bitter price. It has a true steely pilsener taste. I was a bit worried by its initial fizz but this settled down. Extremely drinkable and an interesting talking point for a Sunday arvo in front of the footy.