By Craig Lush
When you think of craft beer in the west of Melbourne, one name readily comes to mind, and that is Hop Nation. Operating out of their iconic, character-filled Whitehall Street warehouse, this powerhouse brewery has spent the last decade setting the standard for the local scene.
The inner-west institution recently opened its doors for a monumental milestone: the 10th anniversary of Kalash, their flagship Imperial Stout. For local beer lovers, walking into the brick warehouse to see tasting paddles lined with ten distinct glasses of midnight-black stout—a liquid timeline stretching from 2016 to 2026—was a spectacular sight.
From gypsy roots to Footscray royalty
Kalash is the second-oldest beer in the brewery’s lineup, and hearing its origin story is like tracking the modern history of Melbourne craft beer itself.
Back in 2016, Hop Nation didn’t even have their own brewhouse finished. That first-ever batch of Kalash was ‘gypsy brewed’ over at Cavalier alongside other rising industry names like Kaiju, Bad Shepherd, and Dainton. It was aged in 500-litre Pinot Noir barrels that bulged so intensely under pressure the team had to manually bleed the gas before distilling into 500ml bottles which were waxed by hand.
By 2017, Kalash moved home to Footscray, and was aged in wine, bourbon, and sherry barrels which were blended to produce the final product. This beer was taken to the 2017 GABS beer festival where a homebrewer gave Sam some unsolicited feedback on how to improve his flagship brew. Over the years, it survived exploding barrels, a shift from bottles to 440ml cans, and an international logistical headache involving a local label designer who moved home to Colombia and who had to be paid through some ‘creative’ financial acrobatics.
The beer even adapted to world events. In 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine, the brewery dropped “Russian” from the style name and swapped the artwork’s stark AK-47 imagery for a colourful bouquet of flowers.
The tasting: A decade in a glass
Traced from oldest to freshest, the vertical tasting offered a masterclass in how a heavy beer matures:
The Early Years (2016–2018): The rare 2016 pour remains a velvety triumph rich with dark chocolate and raisins. The 2017 has succumbed slightly to time, showing some heavily fermented notes, while the 2018 sits lighter on the palate with a distinct coffee edge.
The Golden Era (2019–2023): This is where the cellaring sweet spot shines. The 2019 is remarkably smooth, creamy, and fresh. As you move through the years, you trace a path from the ‘burnt ends’ and coffee notes of 2020, to the rich, roasty sweetness of 2021, into the deeper, toffee-and-caramel decadence of 2022 and 2023.
The New Guard (2024–2025): The 2024 brings a chewy, more assertive bitterness, while the 2025 ushers in a beautifully smooth, deep bourbon and vanilla character.
Is the fresh 2026 vintage worth your hard-earned dollars?
According to head brewer Tim, who joined in 2019, the 2026 vintage is the absolute pinnacle of the beer’s evolution. This year, the team reduced the roasted barley from the grain bill—a deliberate move to strip away any harsh, astringent characters and allow the sweet, premium chocolate malts to take center stage.
Aged in a 50:50 blend of premium American oak barrels from Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace, the fresh 2026 flagship is astonishingly smooth. The open pores of the American oak have blessed the liquid with a massive, luscious wave of sweet vanilla and subtle bourbon warmth that rounds out the edges beautifully.
For those looking for a bigger kick, the 2026 Bakery Hill Whisky Variant is an absolute powerhouse. It punches through with a prominent, unyielding whisky character that demands your full attention.
A community masterpiece
The night concluded with a neat pour of actual Bakery Hill whisky that had been matured in old Kalash barrels, paired with a Kalash-infused Tiramisu. In a classic display of the brewery’s close-knit culture, the dessert wasn’t made by a high-profile pastry chef, but by a talented staff member who is normally designated to birthday-cake duty. It was, without doubt, the best Tiramisu I have ever eaten.
Kalash 2026 is a victory lap for Hop Nation. It is a beer born from teamwork, community collaborations, and a decade of fine-tuning. Head down to the Whitehall Street taproom to try it on tap, or visit your local independent bottle shop to grab a can for the winter ahead. Sip it fresh to enjoy the beautiful vanilla-oak sweetness, and buy a second to tuck away in the cupboard—after all, history proves it’s well worth the wait.
