Matilda Bay has launched Rejected Ales, a limited-edition collection of the 27 “near perfect brews” that were rejected on the way to crafting the award-winning Original Ale.

Obsessed with quality, Matilda Bay’s Master Brewer had no hesitation in rejecting beer that “by another brewery’s
standards might have been good enough”. Rather than keeping these beers a secret, the brewery has canned them and made them available to the public.

“We’ve crafted beer to perfection our own way since 1983,” said Phil Sexton. “If a batch doesn’t meet our impeccably high standards, we reject it. It might be a bit commercially reckless, but it’s just the way we do things around here. So, to demonstrate our dedication to crafting the perfect beer, we’re letting Aussies try our not quite perfect enough Rejected Ales. Which, after our Original Ale, are hopefully the second best beers you’ll taste.”

With names like ‘Yeah…nah’, ‘Keep dreaming’ and ‘Ballpark’, the beers tell a whimsical story of their rejection, and can be tasted for free when you purchase Matilda Bay Original Ale.

You can find the Rejected Ales Australia-wide. Buy a 6 pack of Original Ale to receive a free Rejected Ale at participating Liquor Barons and Ritchie’s stores. Buy a case of Original Ale to receive a free mixed 4 pack of Rejected Ales at
shop.matildaybay.com. Or find a selection at the Matilda Bay Brewery in the Yarra Valley.

Drinks Digest joins Craft Beer Marketing Awards judging panel