Cascade’s First Harvest fresh hop limited edition

Cascade’s limited-edition First Harvest release, a beer brewed less than a day after the hops' harvest date, has returned for 2024 and will form part of the brand’s 200th birthday celebrations. 

2024 will be the fourth consecutive year that the First Harvest beer will be brewed, which was first trialed 20 years prior. 

As the name suggests, the Cascade First Harvest is brewed using hops freshly picked off the vine, which differs from most beers that are brewed using the dried hop pellets that are necessary to ensure a year-round brewing window. 

“This year’s Cascade First Harvest is a well-balanced fresh hop Pale Ale, with a tropical passionfruit and melon aroma and red fruit undertones, complemented by biscuity malt character and a crisp finish,” said Brendan Flanagan, Cascade’s Head Brewer.

“Fresh hop beers have a distinctive, earthy flavour, which beer drinkers have grown to love as they experiment with new tastes and smells.”

Cascade will also be distributing this year’s First Harvest outside of Tasmania for the first time in over 10 years, with Victoria receiving a portion of the stock.

CUB recommends seeking out the brew sooner rather than later, with all past editions of First Harvest selling out fast. 400 kegs have been brewed this year, more than double that of previous years’ run.

A full range of stockists can be viewed here.

Jack Daniel’s McLaren F1 limited-edition bottle

Jack Daniel’s is celebrating the second year of its partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 racing team through the release of a limited-edition bottle design exclusive to the Australian market. 

“We’re proud to celebrate the continued partnership between McLaren and Jack Daniel’s, two brands known around the world for representing a spirit of boldness and authenticity,” said Emily Nget, Brand Manager at Jack Daniel’s Australia.

“Together, we’ve created unmatched fan experiences around F1 races and are looking to build upon that success and accelerate in the new race season here in Australia and around the world.”

The McLaren Racing 2024 Limited Edition combines McLaren’s distinctive orange racing stripes with Jack Daniel’s classic Old No. 7 logo and branding. Each bottle contains Jack Daniel’s classic Tennessee Whiskey grain bill of 80% corn, 8% rye, and 12% malted barley, bottled at 40% abv. 

The limited edition bottle was launched Sunday 21 April across ​​Dan Murphy’s online, First Choice Liquor, Boozebud, The Whiskey List and various other independent retailers. Each bottle comes with a matching gift box and retails at $70.

Ciel Wines: the result of a chef turned winemaker

A new Australian wine brand, Ciel Wines, has been launched this month by hatted-chef-turned-winemaker Joshua Mason of Quoi Dining. The inaugural Ciel Wines release has landed shortly ahead of the opening of his next venue by the same name, Ciel Restaurant & Bar.

Reflecting on his new wine label, Mason believes that many parallels exist between viticultural and culinary expertise.

"I've always believed that a great meal is incomplete without a great wine to accompany it,” said Mason.

“With Ciel, I wanted to create wines that not only enhance my culinary creations but also stand independently on their own as expressions of craftsmanship and passion." 

Currently, the Ciel range consists of:

  • Beurre Blanc Chardonnay ($60)
  • Stratus Syrah Eden Valley ($145)
  • Cumulus Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley ($135)
  • Cirrus Greenock Shiraz ($135) 

“Ciel Wines are made at my own winery in South Australia's Barossa region," said Mason.

In addition to its inclusion at Mason's own ventures, Ciel has entered into on-premise agreements with venues owned by leading restaurant groups Etymon Projects and Sydney Restaurant Group. 

"It's been years of hard work, and now I am witnessing the tangible fruits of my dedication, boasting the largest wine list in Sydney's Hills District,” said Mason.

The launch of Ciel, which means sky in French, has also coincided with the outroll of a new Sip & Chat Series at Quoi Dining, which invites guests to a shared feast and bottomless wine tasting across a range of varietals and vintages. Tickets to the Sip & Chat series cost $100 and bookings are limited to 30 guests.

For more information or to purchase wines, visit the Ciel Wines website. 

James Boag St George 3.5 off-premise launch 

Following a successful on-premise rollout of Boag’s St George 3.5 in kegs, the James Boag brewery has announced a bottled version of its new mid-strength offering. 

Upon its initial release last year, the St George 3.5 - a mid-strength version of the lager by the same name - became the first new Boag's product released to market since 2018.

Currently, Boag's St George 3.5 is only available in Tasmania. 

“We are so pleased to see the release of St George 3.5 resonate with so many Tasmanians,” said John Burchill, Lion’s Tasmanian State Sales Manager. 

“Over 90 venues across Tasmania now have St George 3.5 on tap. We are delighted to roll out St George 3.5 in bottle shops, so that our drinkers can now enjoy this mid strength classic at home.

“Lion is proud to have been the custodian of Boag's for many years, and as this new release shows we are continuing to invest and innovate to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our customers and consumers here in Tasmania."

Lion has indicated that a canned version of St George 3.5 will be announced in coming months.

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