BREWER GETS CHEEKY WITH BIG CANS

Coffs Harbour has the Big Banana. The Big Ram rests in Goulburn. And event Kingston in South Australia has a Big Lobster.

Margaret River should have the Big Can in respect to the recent work Cheeky Monkey has done with its 500ml packaging line this year.

And the brewery continues the fine work with the release of the latest in their Southern Wailer series, the Hop Flinger India Pale Ale (6.5 per cent).

Yes, the team here at The Sip are aware of the Big Beer Can in Cobar, NSW but unfortunately it is adorned in a Toohey’s label. It would be good to recognise a craft beer hitting it big, too.

Cheeky Monkey have produced a steady line of quality brews under the Southern Wailer banner but the 2016 entries have been particularly impressive.

The Imperial India Pale Lager that came out in summer sold out quickly and the Silverback Stout was the perfect fit for what has been a miserable West Australian winter.

Add to the list the general all year release of the Travelling Monk Session Red Ale, also in 500ml cans, and Cheeky Monkey are having success with the big is better credo.

Hop Flinger was initially brewed as an experimental beer for the Cheeky Monkey venue in Margaret River. However, its popularity over the bar prompted head brewer Ross Terlick to bring it back in package form.

“It’s a West Coast IPA with Mosaic, Amarillo and Cascade hops which leap out the glass with every sip,” Terlick said.

“Passionfruit, melon, grapefruit and tropical fruits with a resinous middle palate is supported by malt backbone.”

Hop Flinger will be on sale in Perth from tomorrow week.

And the story behind the name. The monkey on the label gives a good hint but the Cheeky Monkey team describe it better.

“We decided to have a little bit of fun with the name, which is derived from, to put it simply, a monkey throwing poo! However, in this case, we have substituted poo for hops (thank god!) … and have created the Hop Flinger label.”