For every Yin there is a Yang. For every Bart Simpson there is a Sideshow Bob. Every Superman has their Lex Luther. And for every Harry Potter there is a Voldermort.
My Voldermort has quietly snuck up upon me this year, and has slowly taken down some of those around me. My Voldermort is….Febfast.
Yes, well alright. In the big scheme of things the idea of Febfast is a good one, and to be completely honest might even do me the world of good. But so would drinking wheat germ, and avoiding carbs, not eating the fat on bacon, or pork crackling for that matter. But as a typical, male Australian aged between 18 and 99, I enjoy the odd beer or four during the week.
So this week I thought I should look at a beer that would make anyone on Febfast waver, make them think twice about their decision….see if I could bring them over to the dark side. It’s a big, nay, huge beer. A beer that, at 9.6% alcohol, is one of Australia’s highest strength beers. The downside is that it’s also one of Australia’s most expensive too.
The beer in question is Crown Ambassador. Since 2008 Carlton United have let the team at Crown have their way and produce a unique beer, one that is only produced once a year, coinciding with the Victorian hop harvest.
What makes the Ambassador a little different to the other beers out there is its ability to age, and age well. There is only one other Australian Vintage beer on the market that I believe ages as well as the Ambassador does (it starts with C and finishes with oopers Vintage). A lot have claimed to have the ability, but then their beers haven’t backed it up over time.
I’ve often dismissed the Ambassador as being all about marketing. It comes in a fancy box that is velvet lined with a magnetised lid that folds over, has a booklet with it, and full tasting notes. And yes, at a bloody expensive price, you don’t walk away with much change from $100 for a 750ml bottle. All this means it’s more suited toward gifts, commercial purchases or as thankyou’s to someone, because, well I don’t know too many people who will spend $50 per stubby.
But having said that I have ferreted a few away over the last few years to see how they did age (please take note Mr Taxman, legitimate deductions!!).
A few months ago for a special event, we opened a few vintages to see how they had developed. I’m the first to say how pleased I was, and that I may need to revise my thoughts about it just all being marketing and spin. These have become fantastic beers with a few years of bottle age on them. True beer lovers, and I’m not talking about those that view beer as a weapon of mass consumption, but true lovers of beer, should definitely look at reliving their TAFE/Apprenticeship/Uni lifestyle and eat instant noodles for a week to be able to afford a few bottles and put them away in a cool, dark lonely spot for a few years.
About five years of age seemed to the perfect age for our tastes, so it’s a bit of a commitment.
Fortunately at this time of year, with the post Christmas sales finished, you can often find this discounted heavily in your local bottleshop.
The rather funny thing I notice about this beer is how the long monologue about “what sort of person would spend that much on a beer” becomes a “gee that’s pretty bloody good isn’t it” when they try it.
What’s it like?
Crown Ambassador 2013 – Brewer Tully Hadley has ramped up the hops in this vintage, which is evident from the get go. It pours as a cloudy, caramel-amber sort of colour in the glass that holds a good head. It’s fruity, floral from the hops with sweetness from the malts, touches of oak. On the tongue it’s got sweet malt that becomes citrus and fruity from the hops. Just the right amount of vanilla from the oak, and a long finish with some warmth from the alcohol which will ease with cellaring.