Barons Black Wattle Superior Wattle Seed Ale
Why it's weird:
It's made with friggin' wattle seeds.
What's up with this beer:
The six-pack (which had a cool design) came with a little note about the superior Australian wattle seed story. Here it is: "Wattle is a native Australian tree found in abundance around Australia. For over 4,000 years, Australian Aborigines across the country milled wattle seeds from over 100 of the 1,000 odd species of Acacia and used the coarse flour in various forms of Bush Tucker. Today, wattle seed is used as an innovative flavouring by Chefs in Australia and around the world. Barons Brewing is the first to use roasted wattle seed in a multi award winning beer. The unique hazelnut, chocolate and coffee flavours are infused with the rich caramel and roasted notes of the malt to deliver a smooth, complex and ultimately rewarding ale."
This wattle seed ale reminded of another ale that I had last year which was made with hemp seeds (Millennium Buzz). The use of the seeds in the brewing process seem to give the ale a nice creamy head (well initially, this quickly vanishes as seen in the photo), a robust body, and a delightful nutty flavor. Overall, I enjoyed drinking Baron's Wattle Seed Ale and it was like a red ale. It was more on the sweet side and a little syrupy, and the flavors described on the six-pack were weaker than expected. It is worth a try if you're in the mood for this style of ale. It was a good beer to have during these colder months.
Here's what others are saying on Beer Advocate.
Details:
Barons Black Wattle Superior Wattle Seed Ale
Barons Brewing Company
Australia
5.80 % ABV
My Rating:
The glass is half full.