When a cheap, mass-produced beer such as Monteith’s Tight Lines Pale Ale shows up on a list like the New World Beer & Cider Awards Top 30, the first instinct is often to look askance at the judging or question the quality of the colossally more expensive craft beers it’s competing with. But really, an affordable six-pack offering from a big brewer swiping a prize like this is cause for optimism (especially for the consumer), because it means more people are getting better beer; and better beer this certainly is.
Proving that Mosaic hops aren’t just for hazy craft darlings, Tight Lines harnesses the citrus and stone fruit character perfectly, supported by a clean but assertive malt base. The balance struck between complex flavours and supreme drinkability really is world class, and with the price for a six-pack being barely more than what you’d pay for a couple of 330ml cans of craft, the value proposition is compelling to say the least.
