Bellarine Brewing Company Queenscliff Ale

I was quite impressed with the last Bellarine beer that I drank so I was looking forward to this offering. Today was quite a warm day and indeed still quite hot now even at 7.15pm so I chose this one to quench my thirst.

Bellarine needs to be credited for their efforts in the production of this beer. Many Australian breweries would sit back and simply produce macro-swill for the masses. Judging by the number of un-tasted Bellarine beers I have in the fridge at the moment they are very happy to expand their reach and experiment with other styles.

The first thing that I noticed is the style classification on our site is wrong. This is definately not a Pale Ale in my opinion and I would call it a Witbier if I had to place it somewhere. I'm not sure of the brewer's intentions, but thats my belief.

Queenscliff Ale presents some weak citrus notes to the nose with a dash of overripe bananas in the tail of your "sniff". It is almost a little sickly sweet, with a light caramel presumably from the malt appearing just after the fruity notes. Not very strong, but certainly no bad aromas either.

Pouring the beer I was left wondering where the head was, the beer isn't flat as there is a lot of activity in terms of bubbles, although this didn't lead to a head (nor lacing). The colour is a very pale straw colour and there are no particles to be seen. An exceptionally light carbonation might account for the lack of head, but as a drinker one could be mistaken for thinking they'd been handed a flat beer.

Contrary to what I look for in either a Pale Ale, or a Witbier (depending on which classification you'd prefer), there was no real sparkle to the flavour.

There is a quaint citrus bitterness up-front as if to ask you the drinker to help decide what style this beer belongs in. This question is short lived and is soon replaced by the weakest of sourness and rounds out with a tinny metallic flavour, not unlike a "green" homebrewed beer.

The mouthfeel is quite oily and thin and although this beer fufills it's duty of quenching your thirst like the most loyal of soldiers on the whole it lacks any really punch to make you want to pick it up again over its competitors.

I'd drink it again if it was in front of me, but given the opportunity to drink something instead, I'd take the latter.