Lamington Dark Ale
Bacchus Brewing Co.

In case you’re not Australian/Kiwi or aware, a Lamington is: A sponge cake square that is dipped in a chocolate sauce and coated in desiccated coconut. The best ones come with cream in the middle. Invented right here in sunny old Brisvegas (I didn’t even know that!). Anyway Lamingtons are a very Aussie dessert, and years ago when I first tried this beer it was an exemplary liquid version of a Lamington... I remember afterwards wishing I had taken notes, but now that Bacchus have released bottled versions of Ross Kenrick’s magical fluids I have an opportunity to right past wrongs, bless you Ross!

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Chocolate brown body with a reasonably dense beige head that quickly reduces to a lace ring. Alright, it’s not very heady, but it’s almost the exact same colour of the chocolate sauce you would find on a Lamington, so it’s got that going for it. 7/10.

S: Coconut flesh upfront on the nose, dark chocolate and cocoa mingle in there as well. Exactly as it says on the packet - can’t get more Lamington than this aroma (unless you actually, you know, were eating a Lamington at this very instant). 8/10.

T: Flavour is pretty much as expected: Coconut, dark chocolate and cocoa, with a hint that the coconut is going a little funky (it’s been sitting in the cupboard too long Mum!). There is a touch of brandy hiding in there as well. As far as the ‘dessert beer’ moniker applies this brew isn’t overly sweet, more dry. Finish is light bitterness in the vein of dark chocolate. Not as bold as I recall it, and not quite the quintessential liquid Lamington either... oh yeah and it’s thinner bodied too [see next]. 7/10.

M: Yes, mouthfeel is quite thin... last time I had it was on tap and it had a bit more heft to it, carbonation is a little on the gassy side too. 6/10.

D: This is not how I remembered it. Not to say it isn’t good, but I remember at the time thinking “Pwoar! This is Bacchus’ best brew!”. Today however - it most certainly is not their best (I would say Snickers Chocolate Ale has it beat - though I’ve yet to try their Sex, Drugs & Rocky Road and I am a sucker for rocky road - watch this space). That said I will definitely buy the Imperial version of this if I ever see it (appropriately pun-named “Lamingtonne”: it’s 10% ABV, get it?). Keep up the dessert themed beers Bacchus! 7/10.

Food match: Need we dance around the obvious? No, right: Lamingtons of course. Also not being a hugely sweet beer means mains would work too - try stew.

 

 

Tried on-tap at the Quarrymans Hotel in Pyrmont.

Pours a dark tone with reddish depths to it when held to the light. Head is extremely flat, only forming a few coarse bubbles around the rim. Body is very light. It looks rather underwhelming, truth be told.

It's up from here though. Nose is coconut all over, with a dry chocolate and cocoa overtone. There's something slightly meaty about it when it's all put together, but the lamington character is spot on. Pretty nice.

Taste is excellent, and nails the flavours. Coconut, chocolate soaked spongecake, along with a slight cherry note towards the back—this actually gives it the suggestion of booziness, despite being sub-5% ABV. Sweetness is fairly light, but the flavours are all there.

Feel is very light, but in some way this accentuates the desiccated coconut flavour and hence the lamington.

Overall, this is remarkably drinkable given it's so lamingtonesque. The lightness really helps it here, and despite all of the flavour it actually ends up feeling pretty damn sessionable.