Carwyn Cellars Canvent 2022

|Hannah Baars
Carwyn Cellars Canvent 2022

Canvent 2022 is without a doubt the most advent-urous, boundary pushing and unapologetically fun box we have ever assembled. Find out why our annual Canvent box is such a favourite, with 24 beers created for and canned EXCLUSIVELY for Canvent from Australia’s best independent breweries (& one from NZ!)

Canvent™️ 2022 Box

Canvent 2022 is without a doubt the most advent-urous, boundary pushing and unapologetically fun box we have ever assembled. Expect the same Canvent setup you've come to know and love, meaning 24 beers created for and canned EXCLUSIVELY for Canvent from Australia’s best independent breweries (& one from NZ!) All split across two fridge friendly 12 packs, because we know how the "Fridge Tetris" struggle be.

We’ve really let the brewers run wild this year and that has resulted in the most variation of styles we have seen in the six years of Canvent! Still expect to see monster IPAs, heavily fruited sours, and big stouts, but this year we had more than a few surprises up our creepy elf sleeves.

Canvent 2022 Line-Up

#1 • MOUNTAIN CULTURE - NEIPA

🍺 Cryo Hopped New England IPA⁠ • 🥴 7.5% ABV⁠

This beer brings the citrus forward as expected! Notes of Orange rind but followed by a stonefruit backbone reminding us of tart but sweet yellow peaches. The malt character resembles crackers, and as it warms up, light herbal notes come from the hops. Finishes off dry with a lingering citrusy sweetness and bitterness.

#2 • WOLF OF THE WILLOWS - ACIDULUS

🍺 Sour DIPA with Waxflower⁠ • 🥴 8% ABV⁠

A big strike of Strawberry-like aroma (specifically strawberry jam) with notes of roses and light honey. In mouth these notes follow, adding sour cherries. Overall, a very floral and fruity treat, with a small resemblance to Turkish delight and a lingering herbal hop bitterness.

#3 • WHITE BAY - DOPPELBOCK

🍺 Double Bock⁠ • 🥴 8.3% ABV⁠

This has all the right notes for of this particular style: Toast and dark caramel, with light chocolate notes, dried fruit (think raisins, dates), and all well balanced with a lingering bitterness. A clean, sweet malty treat that showcases the quality of these brewers.⁠

#4 • RANGE x BANKS - DUCKS FLY TOGETHER

🍺 Double IPA • 🥴 8.8% ABV⁠

An intense tropical hop character, with notes of passionfruit, pineapple and canned peaches, but with a resinous and dank layer to its flavour, a pillowy mouthfeel with an off dry finish and lingering bitterness.⁠

#5 • MOLLY ROSE - FA LA LA LAH

🍺 Fruit & Spice Farmhouse Ale⁠ • 🥴 5.3% ABV⁠

At first glance we get notes of cherry and a somewhat jammy plum character with lovely spices and herbs coming through: light pepper, cinnamon, and rosemary. This flavour-packed Mixed-ferment brew delivers exactly what it’s supposed to, while still staying refreshing and light bodied.

#6 • MOFFAT BEACH - CLAMBAKE

🍺 Christmas Red Ale with real Mussels!⁠⁠ • 🥴 5.5% ABV⁠

Exactly what we want in a red ale, with an extra source of flavour. The malt character is toasty, with notes of toffee and caramel. There’s a subtle brine flavour in the back, but not distracting, in fact it blends well with the notes of dark fruit and dates that pop up when it warms up. It’s refreshing and light bodied, with a dry finish.

#7 • FOX FRIDAY - KEVIN

🍺 Triple IPA⁠⁠ • 🥴 10.5% ABV⁠

Huge stone fruit character (specifically white peach), with piney notes in the background. Full bodied, with a creamy mouthfeel. It’s delightfully fruity with notes of watermelon rind and honeydew melon, but with an assertive bitterness that dries the character and lingers in the aftertaste.

#8 • KING RIVER - AURORA EUROPA

🍺 Czech Pils⁠⁠ • 🥴 5.9% ABV⁠

The first thing you notice is the light bready malt, with a few notes of honey, but followed by a balancing hop bitterness with a slightly grassy flavour that lingers. It’s very clean and super refreshing, with a dry finish that makes you want to take another sip.

#9 • HOP NATION - NEVER ODD OR EVEN

🍺 Mulberry & Key Lime Imperial Sour⁠⁠⁠ • 🥴 8.7% ABV⁠

The jelly vibes (we couldn’t decide between strawberry and grape tbh) are followed by notes of sour cherry, starburst, Haribo cherry gummies, sour worms, and a dash of lime juice. Overall a surprisingly well hidden booze, with a balanced acidity. Super enjoyable, and reminiscent of the candies we used to love!

#10 • CO-CONSPIRATORS - THE SCROOGE

🍺 Double IPA⁠⁠⁠ • 🥴 8.5% ABV⁠

This brings some old school IPA vibes, with a sweeter malt character, followed by the fruity notes from the hops resembling grapefruit and blood orange, with notes of pine. All supported by a good dose of bitterness that lingers in the palate with a light resinous character.

See more about the brew day here: Canvent brew day at Co-Conspirators

#11 • GARAGE PROJECT - PUD

🍺 Xmas Stout • 🥴 7.5% ABV⁠

Roasty but with a few herbal notes. In mouth it gives us notes of roasted apple, followed by a light spicey character with notes of nutmeg. As it warms up flavours of walnuts and almonds pop up, with fruity notes resembling black currants and light vanilla. Rich, enjoyable and nostalgic

#12 • WAYWARD - CASH MONEY

🍺 Dry Hopped Saison⁠ • 🥴 6.0% ABV⁠

This is a very unique ester profile! Massive papaya character with notes of plantain and light tropical fruit. There’s a very subtle white pepper, the hop character is assertive and balanced making this beer super refreshing, with a few light citrus notes in the background.

#13 • PHILTER - CHRISTMAS VACATION

🍺 Weizenbock⁠⁠ • 🥴 7.2% ABV⁠

After the hefty and foamy pour we noticed exactly what we wanted to smell: BANANA The banana notes are followed by a hint of clove with a woody backbone and some pumpkin aromas. This beer is not light, as you would expect of any Bock, and it feels slightly warming. The caramel notes and toasty malt character give this beer a richer character, think of it as a bolder Dunkel Weissbier.

#14 • DANGEROUS ALES - FANG-TASTIC

🍺 Plum Sour⁠ • 🥴 7.2% ABV⁠

This fruit addition really translated well into the beer, as the main flavour descriptor for it is definitely “plum”. A nice tart character allows for a more refreshing character, with a few notes of cranberry, fruit salad and prunes, with a very mild fruit balsamic backbone. It’s quite light bodied and spritzy, exactly what you want for a great summery beer.

#15 • GWEILO - ROCKY ROAD CHEESECAKE SOUR

🍺 Pastry Sour • 🥴 5.5% ABV⁠

First notes of marzipan on the nose, followed by notes of cherry candy. Chocolate and Marshmallow flavours are evident, with an assertive acidity that manages to cut through and lighten the character of this pastry-driven beer. As it warms up we get notes of dark cherries and cherry cola, and somehow now I feel like a kid again.

#16 • LOST PALMS - TWISTED FICTION

🍺 Belgian Dark Strong Ale⁠ • 🥴 10.0% ABV⁠

The classic Belgian yeast character we love! The darker malts and yeast gives us banana bread character, notes of molasses and dark fruit, black forest cake with plenty of chocolate shavings, with a slightly sweet finish with notes of prune and raisin.

#17 • SIX STRING - CHERRY LIPS & CHOCOLATE CURLS

🍺 Black Forest Stout⁠⁠ • 🥴 8.8% ABV⁠

Big roast character to start with, followed by some sweeter malt notes like chocolate and toast. In mouth we can taste some candied cherry and sea salt dark chocolate, and as it warms up it gives a light character resembling port and some darker fruits.

#18 • BOATROCKER - FEEL GOOD

🍺 American Pale Ale • 🥴 5.4% ABV⁠

This beer starts grassy and resinous from its hop character, with a nice bread crust malt character with a hint of caramel. Really fresh and bright, with a lingering bitterness that dries the palate and makes you want another sip.

#19 • GOOD LAND - THE PUD

🍺 Barleywine⁠ • 🥴 10.0% ABV⁠

Notes of caramel and molasses, with those Maillard (or toasty) notes we adore. There’s some dried cherries, candied apple as it warms up; with flavours of toffee, raisins, pie crust, and others (has anyone ever tried a Tarte Tatin?).

#20 • SAILORS GRAVE - GLAZE

🍺 Charred Pineapple & Marmalade Ale⁠ • 🥴 5.8% ABV⁠

In nose has a nice grilled pineapple character, with mild notes of vegetable roast. When tasting it gives some sweeter and jammy notes resembling apricot marmalade. It has a light tartness, and finishes dry.

#21 • BLACK ARTS - BERRY XMAS

🍺 Sour Raspberry & Vanilla Farmhouse Ale⁠ • 🥴 5.8% ABV⁠

At first we notice some fresh picked raspberry (straight off the bush, with those earthier notes) and then suddenly the vanilla comes through. Very well balanced bitterness, acidity and sweetness for this “tasty Frankenstein”, highlighting the blending skills of these talented brewers. The hops do come through, with herbal notes, and a lingering resin character.

#22 • MISMATCH - CHERRY DUBBEL

🍺 Cherry Dubbel • 🥴 7.0% ABV⁠

Really rich aromas straight off the bat. Campfire toasted marshmallow followed by caramel notes. In mouth the character changes, giving us notes of cherry liqueur & dark chocolate.

#23 • WORKING TITLE - JINGLE JANGLE

🍺 Toasted Pine Double WCIPA • 🥴 10.0% ABV⁠

Big bursts of pine coming out of this beer! All supported by a light caramel character with dry orange skins. In mouth is quite resinous, with light woody notes. The malt character resembles golden syrup, but that sweetness is swiftly covered by the big bitterness that this DIPA carries.

#24 • SPOTTY DOG x LAST WORD - LAST DOG

🍺 Raspberry Imperial Stout⁠ • 🥴 12.4% ABV⁠

Big lashings of roast, chocolate and raspberry ice cream in nose! In mouth the flavour matches, adding an assertive and lingering bitterness. Nice and boozy, with notes of raspberry candy as it warms up and some Kirsch and herbal character popping up.

#25 (MAGNUM) • LA SIRENE (VIC) - PRALINE DU FRAMBOISE

🍺 Praline Chocolate Stout on Whole Raspberries⁠ 🥴 6% ABV⁠

When the opportunity came up though a conversation with La Sirène founder Costa to produce a large amount of custom magnums for Xmas, we simply couldn’t say no. Like a traditional advent calendar, Canvent finishes on Xmas eve, which always left a bit of an opportunity for Xmas Day. One thing was certain, we wanted this magnum to scream Xmas and we certainly think this has been achieved. Costa has taken his infamous Praline base (cacao, hazelnut and vanilla Belgian stout) and given it the full Xmas treatment with a large dosing of whole raspberries. This result is a more summery version, with the fruit acidity cutting through to make this an excellent choice to pair with Xmas lunch! ⁠

A beer that when it was tasted, it was shared with a lot of people, a bottle at a neighbourhood Christmas dinner and another one with a few of our incredible staff! Here are their notes:⁠⁠

Raspberry lollies on the nose with light notes of roast and some chocolate aromas (dark chocolate and milo cereal). Big biscuit and toast with a light nutty aroma, with hints of toasted coconut.⁠⁠

A light mouthfeel that makes this beer a lot easier drinking, with enough character for a dessert beer and just the perfect balancing acidity, with a mild lingering roasty and bitter finish to make this beer quite refreshing: designed for sharing on a hot Christmas day!⁠