Circle Of Ale

A trip to the Port Stephens Winery brought about a chance encounter with the produce of Murray’s Craft Brewing Co.

The winery, while being…well…a winery, also touts itself as the future new home of Murray’s Craft Brewing Co. going to great lengths to illustrate the fact by stocking a pretty decent range of the micro brew beers both on tap in bottle form. Being the well mannered guests that we are we thought it rude not to try out the fruit Murray’s hard yakka.

A look at the beer list brought about a little consternation…so much choice so little….and lo and behold there it was….a “Circle of Ale”! A selection of six ales served in a wooden circle…selection dilemma solved.

The selection:

Murray’s Icon 2IPA
Murray’s Grand Cru
Murray’s Sunrise Wheat Beer
Murray’s Nirvana Pale Ale
Murray’s Pilsner
Murray’s Best Extra Porter

Such beer certainly isn’t for those who prefer the more commercial low taste varieties. All in all it was a pretty tasty selection, although perhaps a little too sweet in some cases, the Wheat Beer having just a tad too much honey and the 2IPA leaning a little too much towards it’s sweeter American cousins to allow extended sampling over a couple of hours :). The stars of the show were definitely the Porter and Grand Cru, the Porter full with a slightly bitter finish and the Grand Cru again full, slightly spicy and with a nice slightly bitter finish.

Well worth a little detour if in the area!