Quaffers: Murrays Punch and Judy Ale, Cavalier Courage Blonde Ale

Canberra brewer Richard Watkins says he and other craft brewers are between a rock and a hard place. Watkins says restrictive definitions mean many craft brews no longer match categories in Australia's biggest beer competition, the Australian International Beer Awards.

As brewer at Canberra's Wig and Pen Brewpub, Watkins won dozens of medals and trophies at the competition over almost two decades. But new, narrow class definitions, and judging based on the definitions, make it futile to enter beers from his new BentSpoke brewpub. He believes even an outstanding beer would be dismissed if it sat only partly outside the class style, or straddled two styles.

Watkins sees it as an industry-wide problem that threatens the reputation of the awards. He's hopeful the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, which runs the event, will listen to brewers and modify their stance.

Murrays Punch and Judy Ale
★★★½
330ml $4.25

How do brewers fill the flavour hole inherent in low and mid-strength beers? In Punch and Judy (3.9 per cent alcohol), Murray's achieves it with a combination of rich, sweet, toasty malt flavours and assertive bittering hops. These give the mid-amber coloured ale a rich, round mid palate and lingering bitter finish.

Cavalier Courage Blonde Ale
★★★
330ml $4.65

Cavalier's mid-golden ale offers an initial hit of sweet malt, which soon gives way to a wave of hops. The hops bitterness lingers and gradually builds, taking over a little too much from the malt in my view. Cavalier says it donates $1 from every bottle sold to research into motor neurone disease.