Here’s something you didn’t ask for.

The new Coopers Botanic Ale is a delightful floral twist on an old favourite from Australia’s largest independent family-owned brewery.

Hitting the market in March as a limited release, the new brew has quickly become popular among craft beer drinkers keen for a taste before stock runs out.

Coopers Botanic Ale takes its pedigree from Coopers Sparkling Ale with the addition of juniper to also tempt lovers of gin.

The naturally conditioned ale has become a standout on shelves and taps with its retro ‘60s design, taking inspiration from the juniper tree with the use of purple and green in the artwork.

With a cloudy and golden appearance, this great tasting beer has tropical fruit and floral hop aromas enhanced by the infusion of juniper, complemented by a full-bodied palate and crisp finishing bitterness.

Coopers Botanic Ale contains no additives or preservatives and has an ABV of 5.8%, placing it alongside Coopers Sparkling Ale.

The niche market for higher ABV beer in Australia has doubled in size in the past five years, with Coopers Sparkling Ale the most popular beer nationally that sits above 5.5% ABV.

Gin has also been a key driver of recent growth in the spirits market, while a strong crossover exists among gin and craft beer drinkers with 30 percent of shoppers buying across these two categories.

“Our brewers went for something different with this limited release,” Coopers Brewery General Manager Michael Shearer said.

“Coopers Botanic Ale draws on our 19th century Sparkling Ale recipe while combining novel elements such as juniper sourced from the UK, and Nectaron hops which is a trending variety from New Zealand.

“The result is a tasty and unique addition to Australia’s craft beer category that we know will appeal to existing and new drinkers of Coopers. This is a very limited release so you’ll need to get in early before stock runs out.”

Coopers Botanic Ale is available in 375mL cans and 50L kegs for a short time only.