The beer: Cloud Catcher pale ale.

Where did it come from?: Stone & Wood in the Northern Rivers. But this one came from Crown West Cellars. Or maybe it was Thirroul Cellars. I’m not sure, I’ve bought a few bottles of this since they re-released it.

What’s it like?: The aromas of tropical fruit and apricot hit me as soon as I opened the bottle. The flavour shows some apricot but also some passion fruit – which would be courtesy of those Galaxy and Ella hops. Towards the back I got some toffee notes before it all wraps up with some clean bitterness. For me, it resembles a sooped-up Pacific Ale.

Why do you like it?: I don’t like it, I love it. When it first came out I raved about it, claiming it was better than Stone & Wood’s their benchmark Pacific Ale. I even went and bought a case of it – and I never buy cases of beer (with the very notable exception of Two Birds Taco).

I still stand by that claim. Cloud Catcher is an amazing beer.

Okay, now you can tell the  story you think is funny/interesting?: I only managed to get a bottle of this from Crown West Cellars because I’m a regular customer. Seems the beer is so justifiably popular that people the staff had never seen before were coming in and trying to buy, not just one beer, but the shop’s entire three-case allotment.

So they kept the stash quiet initially, just letting their regulars know. For which I am very grateful indeed.