Episode One of the Hawkesbury Gazette's Aussie craft beer series 'On Tap'

In the first week of every month we will road test a selection of craft beers in our online video series, 'On Tap'.

This month we filmed on location at Easy Lane Kitchen and Beer Garden [Windsor RSL]. 

Taylor Mattes and myself tasted and reviewed the following beers.

Moon Dog Old Mate Pale Ale

This drop was brewed at Abbotsford, Victoria and was number 55 on GAB's Hottest 100 Craft Beer list. 

It is a simple and straightforward pale ale in the best way. It wasn't incredibly bitter as a lot of popular pale ale's are.

It is rather smooth and doesn't pack a punch like a lot of similar beers. 

Old Mate is hop driven with a piney, earthy mix, while still having a fruity, citrus flavour of orange and peach. 

Despite being hop driven, it's dark caramel malts still come through.

Modus Operandi Former Tenant Red IPA

From the Mona Vale, NSW brewery, this brew came in at 33 on the 2018 hottest 100 list.

Former Tenant is a beer that you have to be prepared to have.

It is a heavy and intense drop that isn't as much for casual drinking and more for an occasion. 

It's dark in colour and is very well balanced with coffee hops mixed with burnt malts and a red caramel sweetness. 

It has incredibly strong aromatics and has a 7.8% abv. 

It is a great red IPA and probably the second best beer that we tried on the day.

It doesn't require any food, but would bring out the strong flavours of red meat, especially smoked tastes.

Burleigh Brewing Co's My Wife's Bitter English Ale 

This is a core beer from Burleigh Brewing Co. and was brewed at Burleigh Heads, Queensland.

It is another dark beer that has strong chocolate malts managing to be rather creamy and lingering. 

My Wife's Bitter is smooth yet comes with a chewy, wheat taste.

It is malt driven with a caramel and hazelnut flavour coming from the roasted malts. 

This is an Aussie take on an English style.

It would be another companion of red meat or English foods, like stew or beef and gravy pie.

Batch Brewing Co's Pash the Magic Dragon 

is from Marrickville, NSW and ranked at 92 on the hottest 100 in 2018.

This is available on tap at Easy Lane and is probably our favourite from the episode. 

It's name comes from its flavours which are dominated by passion fruit and dragon fruit. 

It has a fruit juice feel but being a sour fruited ale it is a mixture of sour and sweet. 

Despite having big tropical aromas, it is surprisingly light on the palate. 

It would be refreshing on a nice summers day and easy to knock back.

Pash would be a nice addition to a seafood meal like fish and chips.

Check out what myself and Taylor had to say about these beers in the video at the top.

Let us know which of these beers you like and what beers you’d want us to try in the future.