Although I've been on a distinctly non-drinking kick lately (swearing it off entirely when Finland, and limiting it to free/very cheap drinks elsewhere) I decided to splurge $3.50 for a bottle of this (purchased at a Melbourne bottle shop last night). Boatrocker Brewing Company is based in Melbourne but contract-brews, explaining on the back of the label that they can't afford their own brewery yet.

They don't call the Alpha Queen an IPA, instead opting for the phrase "highly hopped ale". Using New Zealand hops, this is a very floral, very bright tasting beer that radiates sunshine. There's a sweetness to it that is balanced well with the hops, reminding me of the 'classic' American craft ales I grew up drinking in Pennsylvania. There isn't anything particularly intense or extreme about it, which makes me wonder if any of the other Aussie microbrewers have the experimental tendencies that I've come to actually expect from microbreweries. I could see myself drinking Alpha Queen quite a bit if I were a Victoria native, and thus I give it a solid thumbs up - it's nothing flashy, but strong and confident about what it is.
(Boatrocker Brewing Co.)