Mornington Russian Imperial Stout

Need something to wash the mouth out after that last crime against humanity - lucky we have the ever reliable Mornington to help out.

Nice pour, couple cm of solid fluffy head atop a pitch black body. Coffee notes extrude first up but once you get closer there's a fair bit of fruitiness there too.

It comes across very fresh first up on the palate, perhaps this is still a bit young. Alcohol and yeast are certainly apparent as the wave subsides there too, along with coffee and some relatively harsh hops. All in all could use at least a few months more to think about things, mesh and meld a little better to attain its full character.

It's sedate and the mouthfeel is good so I'm confident this will grow into a nice beer. I can only rate what's in front of me though and at this stage - just needs a bit more time. 5.5

Mornington Porter

This one pretty much rounds out the set from Mornington (I think?) who have performed really well across all disciplines. On results so far, if there was a decathlon of Aussie brewers, they would be right up there contesting for the podium.

Big nose here is better than expected, chocolate and oaty grainy smell, porridge. Nice.

It's interesting then that the taste immediately calls to mind ashen flavours, nearly to the point of tobacco style notes. That ashen note is a bit different to most but actually works well to make this both balanced, and compelling. Once you have a pull of this you end with a sort of sour  taste almost, but it makes you want more.

The smoky full development gives this a great complexity above and beyond the chocolate backdrop. There's all sorts going on here, not sure I get the liquorice as such but it's luscious and a pleasure to drink at an on-target 6.0% abv.

Much respect, very good work indeed. 8.0

Mornington ESB

ESB is a nice sort of beer for the winter time I find.

And these days (for Australian brewers at least) it seems to often turns up as a sort of hybrid pale ale, ensuring it's got those hop highlights to complement the essential comforting malts.

Nice pour here, generates a fluffy head that's quite enticing but the aroma is a little different to some. There's a strange but not unpleasant note of fruitiness here a bit juicier than the norm. Possibly grape .. or melon, I'm thinking? Regardless, it turns out a nice quaffable drop, again quite hoppy for the style strictly speaking but with sufficient malt backbone to back it all up.

It occurs to me that ESB purists and beer competition judges probably find these hoppy notes out of place within the confines of the listed class. In the case of ESBs though at least I am starting to appreciate this outlandish new world approach. I'd make a crack likening this development to us Aussies taking cricket from our imperial overlords and improving it, if there was any chance we'd pick up an Ashes anytime soon.

Sigh. 7.5

Mornington Imperial IPA

Sometimes you can just tell when a beer will be good.

Something about the way it opens. The pour, with its crisp yet smooth fidelity. And that lovely brooding colour in the glass.

And having initially got this far in the review from memory only to find I have lost my notes, it is with great pleasure I discover I have another one of these waiting serendipitously in the fridge.

Right then.

Slight sediment in the pour but settles nicely, mid visible aeration from the outside. Up front nose of juicy, fruity hops and a backing underscore of mild biscuit and caramel disguises the 8.5% payload. Palate is good, flavours of juicy citrus, pine, bit of sweetness and then rising, lingering bitterness. I've heard this beer called unbalanced but I like the way it leaves you smacking your lips with a big slippery kick of bitter hops at the end - this is an IIPA after all and they have a perfectly accomplished IPA for regular consumption if you like, so go hard or go home as far as I'm concerned.

'This, my friends, is a beer for the winter time', I want to proclaim, but in all honesty I think I'd be pretty pleased with this one all year round. Here's hoping it becomes a regular fixture in the Mornington rotation. 8.0

Mornington Witbier

Trying to complete the set from this pleasingly consistent brewery, we now have the witbier.

This pours foamy, soapy and clingy, nice enough colour and bouquet of primarily hefeweizen style banana and citrus. Taste wise.. slight coriander if you search, but pretty typical belgian white fair, slight spice.

It's all just a bit underwhelming unfortunately.. rather than there being any glaring flaws, it just feels like a poor version of Blanche de Namur. Fair effort but probably the weakest from this stable. 5.0

Mornington Pale Ale

Nearly pocketed all these monsters now, just the wheat to go if I'm not mistaken.

This one pours light, ultra light, with a thin head that nevertheless holds quite tenaciously. And to its credit it's not too watery in the mouth either. Instead you get pineapple flavours, mild malt, and light fruit salad in a pretty quenching summer mix.

Good stuff and highly sessionable if a bit sweet - but at least it tastes genuine. 7.0

Mornington Peninsula Brown Ale

Further provisions from the crew from Mornington peninsula.

This brown ale shares more in common with a porter than a more caramel based brown, and to my tastes at least that's a good thing. Dark brown and sedate in the glass, you get a nice mouthful of rounded roasty flavours tending toward coffee and a bit of light milk chocolate. All pretty pleasant before a toffee malt aftertaste.

For the price point this is pretty drinkable. It's your grunt brown ale to fill out the ranks when you can't afford all stars. 7.0

Mornington Peninsula IPA

Another IPA, this time from a hitherto unknown Victorian brewer.

Cutting straight to the chase, this is pretty darn good. Stonefruit hops dominate, it's a good ABV for the style, and nice refreshing mouthfeel too. I found a slight sour edge toward the end the only real downside for this one.

It's a step short of greatness (perhaps needs another hop style in there or something) but so far ahead of larger brewers (cough Squires cough). Good stuff guys, will drink this some more at the price point. 8.0