Pot Luck: Lick Pier Ginger Beer from East 9th Brewing Company

The Pot Luck column is supposed to be dedicated to Australian craft brews, but we’re nothing if not flexible when it comes to tippling at Milk Bar, so we’re extending the reach this week to ginger beer.

Unlike our NZ cousins, Australians have never been huge drinkers of alcoholic ginger beer, preferring to enjoy the flavour in soft drinks and Ginger Nut snaps. But ginger is a flexible root, and lends itself well to a boozy beverage.

Lick Pier Ginger Beer is the latest from the Prahran-based East 9th Brewing Company, who like to build a narrative around their releases. Doss Blockos, the beer in the brown paper bag, was inspired by the underground brewing scene in NYC in the 90’s. Their recent Fog City Cider references foraging for fruit in an alien city, and Lick Pier brings us back to the US with Venice Beach and summer.

Lick Pier is crammed full of ginger flavour and aromas, with a crisp dry finish. At 4% it’s designed as a session drink, but if you didn’t look at the label you’d be hard pressed to know it’s alcoholic. This is a good or a bad thing depending on your point of view. It comes in good sized 660ml bottles and goes nicely with a wedge of lime.

For something different, give it a shot.

Lick Pier is available at Thousand Pound Bend, Workshop, Gingerboy, Stitch Bar and Chin Chins. You can also take it home from McCoppins, Acland Cellars and Blackhearts and Sparrows.
For more info see e9thbrewing.com