URBAN ALLEY BREWERY SLAPSHOT
As men we're experts at keeping our cards close to our chest. But in the words of the late Kenny Rogers, 'you've got to know when to fold 'em'. Try sharing this frothy with a mate and help remove the stigma that is often associated with men talking openly.
Origin – Docklands, Victoria.
ABV – 4.5%
Size – 375mL can
Style – Pale Ale
Did you hear the story about my mate the helicopter pilot who was helping with the bush fire efforts last summer? Filling up the bucket off the NSW South Coast, he was racing back to the fire front only to look down and be horrified to see that he had scooped up a scuba diver! My kids fill with terror every time I tell that urban myth. Much like traditional folklore, the beauty of urban myths and legends is that they get better as they are embellished and altered every time they are retold. Let's face it, a night around the fire with the lads isn't complete without at least one flame lit urban tale of terror- like that time when my girlfriend returned to Sydney after a trek through the Amazon and a week later the small spider bite on her cheek grew to a boil before bursting open, with hundreds of tiny spiders exploding out it!
You can be sure that there’s been plenty of myths and legends shared over a beer or two within the walls of the Urban Alley Brewery since opening in the heart of Docklands in the second half of 2018. Located beneath the Melbourne Star, the working brewery more often than not contains an eclectic mix of folks all enjoying a local beer - with plenty of offices in the area and an increasing number calling Docklands home, you’re just as likely to find someone heading in for a knock-off drink or a sneaky beer on the way home. On weekends in particular it’s a popular spot for families, with parents keen to end a day’s shopping in the adjacent malls with a freshly tapped beer and modern pub fare.
While the tale of Urban Alley pre-dates the brewpub, with its origins found in two homebrewers, Ze'ev Meltzer and Dean Grant, the future looks bright for this unique brewery that’s creating sustainable craft beer on the doorstep of Melbourne’s CBD. And despite Ze'ev leaving the business in the back half of 2019, the brewery has continued to grow, getting beers such as this Slapshot into Melbourne's many bottle shops and bars, and more recently, into hands further afield too. The perfect sessional to share with a mate over the fence, it’s aptly named after the neighbours to the brewery, the Melbourne Ice Hockey Club. Displaying a mild haze, the inviting aroma of citrus, mango and passionfruit is followed by a dry and balanced mouthfeel, before finishing with a moderate bitterness.
It’s the sort of drop for enjoying with a few mates out in the paddock, before sneaking up on some sleeping cows and pushing them over for entertainment!
