Tasting

What does a Queensland lager taste like? Pale gold in the glass, a thin white head, a light aroma of grain and fresh bread. On the palate it's lean and dry, finishing with a touch of bitterness. XXXX Bitter is the classic example.

Queensland has its own glassware vocabulary. The small 285-millilitre glass is called a Pot here, known elsewhere in Australia as a Middy. A Schooner holds 425 millilitres, and a Pint, a measure borrowed from England, holds 570. The small Pot is considered the answer to the heat, since a small glass doesn't have time to warm up.

Temperature accounts for half the flavour. Lager on tap in Queensland is usually served very cold, since warmth makes a mild lager taste flat and sweet. Anyone hunting for aromas should let the glass sit for a moment until it warms slightly.

To sample the craft side, head to the taps at Felons under the Story Bridge, Green Beacon, or Ballistic in Salisbury. There you'll find pale ales, lagers, and seasonal beers where aroma and bitterness come through more clearly.

When pouring, tilt the glass and let the beer run down the side. Toward the end, straighten the glass to build a firm, white head. For takeaway, there's the Stubby, a short bottle, and the Tinnie, a can. Both usually come straight from the fridge in Australia.