They end up being a gateway beer for a lot of people – something that serves as a stepping stone from mainstream beer to those with a bit more flavour.

For newcomers to craft beer, it can be a case of baby steps – and that’s not meant in a disparaging way.

If a first-timer picks up a strong craft beer, they might find it too much and choose to go back to drinking mainstream beer.

The Squire range is quite approachable – there’s a bit of flavour but not too much.

This of course means that Squire beers tend to get overlooked by beer geeks because, compared to the stronger options, they can seem a bit pedestrian.

Which is why their new session IPA called Cabin Fever is such a surprise.

It’s a really good beer. And not in a “good for a gateway beer” way. Simply in a “this is a good beer” way.

It comes in at 4.5 per cent and there is the slightest bit of thinness in the palate – which is to be expected as the alcohol content drops.

But if you didn’t know the alcohol count, you wouldn’t notice it.

There’s an impressive degree of bitterness along with citrussy flavours.

Despite the dark colour, it’s not as malt-driven as I expected with only a gentle biscuity note present.

The media info that accompanied the samples I was sent, says Cabin Fever will be in First Choice, Liquorland and Vintage Cellars from the middle of this month.

I’ll need to keep and eye out for them, because I’ll be buying a sixer or two of this.

Glen Humphries is an award-winning beer writer and author of The Slab.