Cory’s Top 20 – #9 Dainton Brewery
Rank: #9
Location: Carrum Downs, VIC (Melbourne)
Favourite Beers: DIPA, The Raider Single Hop NEIPA, Shark Punch Tropical Aussie IPA
Previous Blog Appearances: DIPA, Pickle Dan Reuben Rye Ale
Number 9 on the list is surprisingly the first Victorian brewery as well. I may have overlooked a few down there, but we’re too deep into the list to turn back now! Cory’s Top 20 #9 – Dainton Brewery.
Dainton is one of those breweries I didn’t necessarily seek out. It was just one of those where different types of their beer kept turning up in my favourite bottle shop and they kept being consistently awesome. It started with their DIPA which is just a damn good hoppy blast. I drink a lot of double IPA’s and that remains one of my absolute favourites.
The consistent quality of Dainton beers even led me to follow them down the road of a few of their more out-there beer choices. I’m not going to lie, the weird ones were a bit of a mixed bag. But I do absolutely loved that they give them a crack. Some, like the Pickle Dan Reuben Rye Ale, were actually really good. Some, though, I wasn’t even game to try. I’m sorry Dainton, I love you, but the Shellraiser Oyster Kilpatrick Stout was a step too far for me to follow. Any other brewery I wouldn’t even consider trying some of the odd beer types I’ve happily drunk from Dainton.
Even though Dainton’s portfolio of really freaking weird beers is probably more extensive than most, their more traditional beers are still my favourites and still exceptional. In addition to the DIPA, The Raider Single Hop NEIPA, Shark Punch Tropical Aussie IPA, Apolcalypso Imperial NEIPA are all brilliant hoppy blasts. I grab a can of any of those whenever I see them in the bottle shop.
One last unique Dainton brew is the New Age IPA. It’s almost alcohol free (0.9%) but tastes like a fully legit hoppy IPA. Hands down the best low alcohol beer I’ve ever had. So whether it’s a smashing hoppy IPA, a super weird but somehow still excellent off-the-beaten-track type beer, or even something that’s almost alcohol free, Dainton just makes quality.