Number four in the Critics’ Choice Top 100 is the Holgate Brewhouse Temptress Chocolate Porter.

Some of our Kiwi cousins were just yesterday noting the lack of dark beers in the upper reaches of the top 100 and then the ever-popular Temptress storms into the top five.

Many have been seduced by the chocolate allure of this Holgate classic, with many more about to discover what the fuss is all about. The Brewer’s notes highlight ‘a very tempting extreme twist on the classic robust porter, brewed with over 300 kg of malt and infused with a dash of rich Dutch cocoa and whole vanilla beans.’

Beer Diva, Kirrily Waldhorn, describes ‘this double chocolate (chocolate malt + Dutch cocoa) Porter as richly decadent with lashings of chocolate, coffee and vanilla characters, all superbly fine-tuned to create a beer that will knock any chocolate craving on the head.’

I can think of only a few other beers that have the same broad bringing-new-disciples-to-the-beery-church appeal as Temptress and it has certainly tempted many to come cross to the dark side.

Select venues around the country will be launching the Critics’ Choice by featuring the top 12 beers on March 30.

The Critics’ Choice: Australia’s Best Beers
RRP $14.95
Available April 2
from newsagents & bookstores

www.beerloversguide.com.au