Drone idea falls flat

A world away from Canberra's January heat, Minnesota craft brewer Lakemaid Beer Company tested drone deliveries to thirsty ice fishers on the state's frozen lakes.

A YouTube video shows a successful delivery from a store to a cabin on one of the lakes. The Federal Aviation Administration quickly grounded the operation, citing safety reasons and the need to integrate drone activities into national airspace.

In an un-bureaucratic response to America's ABC News, an aviation administration spokesman reportedly punned, this is ''barley news''. ''The media just hops on it. I hope things have finally come to a head.''

Lakemaid president Jack Supple hopes to have the service running eventually. He argued delivering beer with low-altitude flights across flat, frozen lakes, devoid of trees or power lines, presents a different risk to delivery in urban areas. (See video on lakemaidbeer.com or YouTube.)

Coopers Thomas Cooper's Selection Artisan Reserve

355ml, $18-$20

At last, Cooper's offers a lager as complex and satisfying as its benchmark ales. An unpasteurised beer made from two-row spring barley, Artisan Reserves delivers a pure, rich, malty flavour with a subtle fruity undertone. Bavarian hallertau hops and two unspecified varieties add to the flavour and provide well-balanced bitterness to the finish.

Innis and Gunn Irish Whiskey Stout Beer

330ml, $4.35

This is the second bottling of Innis and Gunn's strong stout (7.4 per cent alcohol), aged in oak barrels previously used to mature Irish whiskey. The palate suggests roasted coffee beans and molasses, seasoned with liquorice. The texture is smooth and the alcohol slips seamlessly in with the rich, malty flavours.