SUNDAY ROAD BREWING ITALIAN KELLER
Bob Hawke etched in history the 'Golden Microphone', and he hit the nail on the head – a beer in hand is the perfect instrument for conversation. So, grab this microphone, grab a mate and get talking.
Origin – Kirrawee, New South Wales
ABV – 5.3%
Size – 440mL can
Style – Pilsner
Why is the new always assumed to be better? Let's for a moment imagine that inventions occurred in reverse order. Imagine, after years of podcasting, someone invented this thing called AM radio. It's live, therefore right up to date, you can receive it on a device costing just a few dollars, and you can even interact with it, adding your voice to the debate, using a technique called 'talkback'. What progress. Or how about someone inventing the very latest in telephony: a fixed-line phone. Superior sound quality. No batteries. And is an excuse to sit down for a moment. Technical wizardry!
The same assumption seems to also apply to the beer world. As the 'craft beer revolution' has taken hold, the range and complexity of styles on offer are pretty extraordinary. From fruity Oat Cream IPAs to Barrel-Aged Saisons and intensely bitter WCIPAs. There has never been a time in beer's long history when creativity has been higher. 'It seems in a rush to produce the biggest, boldest expression of everything new, we've lost the joy of turning humble ingredients into liquid gold', shares Brad Walker, the Founder of Sunday Road Brewing. And though Brad and the team have been quick to embrace the new and exciting, their Figure 8 Hazy IIPA and Choc Raspberry Birthday Cake Porter fine examples, they've always kept their eye on the balanced and versatile.
Indeed, with a name like Sunday Road, everything from beers to the warehouse-style space with ambient lighting and vintage green décor is about creating that Sunday Feeling. It's no surprise then that Brad has been leading the charge in looking to the past to reinvent the future, first with the release of the limited-edition Czech Pilsner and now this Italian Keller Pils. First brewed in the Lombardia region in the early 90s, Italian Pils takes Pilsner malt from Germany and combines it with traditional Noble hops to produce a clean, unfiltered, hop-bitter lager. True to the style, this version is simple yet enjoyable, with mandarin zest, a slight hop spiciness and a malt body that develops in complexity as it warms up.
This sort of old-school X-factor is the perfect drop to enjoy over that revolution in gaming… dominoes!