Adelaide Botanic Garden director Stephen Forbes said the project aimed to show city folks how plants are used in daily life. The navigator barley used in the exercise was bred by Adelaide University and malted by Joe White Maltings.

Cooper’s managing director Dr Tim Cooper said Cooper’s had sponsored the crop. But because it was “too small for us to process through our brewery”, asked the smaller Lobethal Bierhaus to participate.

Cooper expects to produce about 1200 litres of Botanic Ale. It will be available in bottle and on tap from October at the Lobethal Bierhaus and Botanic Gardens Restaurant. Sounds like another good reason to visit Adelaide.

Bridge Road Brewery Beechworth Pale Ale
★★★★½
330ml 6-pack $23
A visit to Ben Kraus’ brewery should be on every to-do list for Beechworth visitors. Beer always tastes best where it’s brewed. And it’s a bonus when top-notch craft brews are also available widely through retailers. Kraus’ pale ale delivers rich, smooth, malty flavour, seasoned from aroma to finish with mouth-watering hops.

Boatrocker Alpha Queen
★★★★
330ml $4
First impression: here we go with another uber-hoppy ale. But the plush, creamy head softened our scepticism; and the smooth, ultra-fresh, well-balanced palate won us over. This is a beer with the body and richness (and a unique dryness) to handle a great deal of hops bitterness and flavour.