Thus Let Us Drink Beer - Sauce Brewing Co
Now, not sure if what originally start as a microbrewery in the inner-west of Sydney can still be classified as such, as it has evolved to one of the more prominent representatives of the local craft beer scene.
Starting out from a gypsy-style stovetop operation, Sauce is now a full production brewery that also doubles as a brewpub with an exquisite beer garden, where visitors are proffered tasting paddles and takeaways.
Claiming that Sauce Brewing is all about being “hop forward” would be an understatement par excellence, which is why specifically their IPAs have registered on my radar. Don’t get me wrong – Sauce has a strong core range ranging from pilseners via pale ales to mid-strength brews, but their India Pale Ale endeavours take things to the next level.
Let’s start off with their standard IPA, i.e. Extra-Hop Sauce, which is heavily informed by what are the merits of American West-coast IPAs: A lean-bodyness whose foundation comprised of three American hop varieties result in a fruity yet malty tropical flavour profile that has its resinous and bitter nuances, which add a bit of a bite.
Now, let’s step things up a bit, shall we?
I was having a nice dram of Laphroaig Quarter Cask when I first cracked a can of Sabarillo – Juicy IPA in a bid to find an appropriate equivalent for a boilermaker on a hot day. As the hybrid name suggest, this one is melange of Sabro and Amarillo hops, i.e. a double-dry-hopped juicy IPA. The coconut flavours and highlights that are reminiscent of pineapples make it difficult to not be reminded of a piña colada with an added dimension of stone fruits, however, the grainy malts that inform the foundation along with the ever present hops radiating their dank goodness, this is one of the nicer IPAs I have recently had the pleasure of acquainting myself with.
While the name Sauce – an Australian slang term for alcohol – along with the name and graphic design of their emissions not exactly indicating outrageous creativity when it comes to nomenclature, Sauce’s beers have yet to underwhelm and I urge anyone remotely into brews to check their range out themselves.
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photo from company website
