Quaffers: Zierholz makes brew for King O'Malley's in Canberra

Popular Civic watering hole King O'Malley's recently joined forces with Fyshwick brewer, Christoph Zierholz, to create The King's Pale Ale for sale exclusively through O'Malley's.

O'Malley's owner, Peter Barclay, and three staff, Mark Piesley, Dan Kelly and Jacka Hicks worked with Zierholz on the recipe and brewing.

With typical understatement, Zierholz says, "I'm quite pleased with it – tasty enough but really sessionable".

He modelled the beer broadly on the full-bodied, assertively bitter American pale ale style – but with the throttle pulled back just enough to provide easy drinking without losing complexity.

Five different malts (BB pale, maris otter, and Weyerman carapils, carafe and Munich) give King's Pale Ale its opulent malt and caramel flavours. And three hops varieties (southern cross, amarillo and mosaic), added at different times, provide complex aromatics, flavours and lingering, but not overwhelming bitterness.

King O'Malley's King's Pale Ale (Zierholz)
★★★★½
pint glass $8

Zierholz-brewed King O'Malley's Pale Ale looks luxurious even as is pours deep gold-amber and richly headed from the tap. The sturdy, persistent foam tops a deeply flavoured, rounded beer, with a satisfying, chewy, malty depth. Hops gives an attractive lift to the aroma, liveliness to the palate and a convincing, lingering bitterness.

O'Brien Gluten Free Pale Ale
★★★
330ml $3.50

Beer-loving coeliac John O'Brien launched his first gluten-free beer in 2005 – made for him at Bintara Brewery, Rutherglen. Two years later, O'Brien and fellow coeliac, Andrew Lavery, established their own brewery at Ballarat. The pair's pale ale provides fresh, easy, crisp drinking with a lingering, bitter, hops finish.