As the son of an Australian and a former Australian passport holder myself, I feel it is time to set the record straight regarding some oft-repeated stereotypes of our antipodean cousins.
No one drinks Fosters. Not all the men are named Bruce and not all the women are named Sheila (but it’s close).
While barbies are ubiquitous, “shrimp” simply don’t exist (it’s a bloody prawn, mate). Kangaroos aren’t roaming the street, looking for their next victim — in fact, most kangaroos you will encounter will be dead, on the side of the road. Crocodile Dundee was based on a real guy, who was shot by police while high on meth. Vegemite and Milo are the reasons Australia wins so many medals at the Olympics. And a boomerang is just a Frisbee for a kid with no friends.
Also, the national anthem isn’t “Waltzing Matilda” or that Men At Work song. It’s this:
Most importantly, the country is not some vast, arid, post-apocalyptic hellscape where the only signs of life are packs of wild dogs with a taste for baby. That’s only, like, 90 per cent of the country. The other 10 per cent is actually quite lovely.
And due to the lush climate in that 10 per cent, the produce that is grown and the livestock that is raised in Australia is among the tastiest anywhere on Earth. Also, the cheese is way better for some reason.
This propensity for deliciousness extends to the hops that are grown in Australia. Varieties like Galaxy and Vic Secret have been highly sought after by brewers all over the world for their bold, aromatic, tropical flavours.
After the success of last year’s Boomerang double IPA collab, Steel & Oak and Superflux are revisiting their ode to Australian hops with Boomerang 2, much in the same way that something that goes away and then comes back again would, whatever that thing might be.
Big, bold tropical fruit hits you the second you crack this can, like some large, bent, flying stick. It’s a veritable fruit salad with tropical notes of pineapple, passion fruit, papaya and mandarin orange. But while it starts fruity and sweet, out of nowhere there’s some resiny dankness on the back end, totally drying out the finish. It’s almost like it goes in one direction, then does a U-turn and comes right back again. If only there was a word for that.
Boomerang 2 by Steel & Oak Brewing (collab with Superflux Brewing)
8.0 per cent ABV • 473 mL tall cans
Appearance: Dense hazy straw yellow colour with a fluffy, white, meringue-like head.
Aroma: Tropical fruit salad, pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, touch of dankness.
Flavour: Pineapple, passion fruit, papaya, mandarin orange, citrus, pine. Shockingly smooth considering the ABV.
Body/finish: Medium bodied. Starts slightly sweet and juicy, finishes dry with noticeable hop bitterness.
Pairs with: Grilled lamb chops, Pavlova with fresh fruit, blue stubby shorts and third degree sunburns.
• You can find B.C.’s favourite craft beer guide at your local brewery, select private liquor stores, and on newsstands across the province.
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