Riders Brewery - XPA Strong Pale Ale

Hazy  gold, dense head. Smells perfumey and tropical to start. Medium malty body to carry the densely bitter finish (good balance). Almost savoury as the bitterness kicks in. As it warms, the aroma becomes baked quince-like. Yummy.

Castlemaine Gold - Sparkling Ale

Smells like carob and caramel, with some stewed veg and lemon undertones. Moderate to high fizz, thin head which falls away fast. Malty sweet up front, which moves to phenolic and frothy. Dry and medium bitter finish.

Feels very similar to the now defunct Bridge Road Brewers Australian Ale, which makes me wonder if they use the same yeast; it's not a good thing, with those phenolic/clovey flavours. Could of course be poor sanitation, in the form of a wild yeast contamination -although the beer wasn't overcarbonated, which would be a sure sign.

A bit of a shame, but small regional brewers are always a crapshoot!