tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38215459955855105512024-02-19T17:56:35.329+11:00From Beer To EternityA spectre is haunting Australia. The spectre of microbrewed beer.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-46427625822167000412014-11-28T20:46:00.000+11:002014-11-28T20:46:39.702+11:00Boatrocker Brewery Show<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91Zc7CnqosW074xI_Riz8zh2Ee7VBWnBfsALIGNWXkqPHOiEdPLl4RdBadsCk4ZFsubhAgDOK8xapm30L-FlCRoxNMglImfPJhJba0u_PlSrp7O0sCgS_qIBKtIjnFxllcsmwmgHQ_1c/s1600/IMG_0757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91Zc7CnqosW074xI_Riz8zh2Ee7VBWnBfsALIGNWXkqPHOiEdPLl4RdBadsCk4ZFsubhAgDOK8xapm30L-FlCRoxNMglImfPJhJba0u_PlSrp7O0sCgS_qIBKtIjnFxllcsmwmgHQ_1c/s1600/IMG_0757.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a>About a fortnight ago (a month ago now, it took some time to publish this. Why don't you sue me!?) Luke and I did a
show with Matt Houghton at Boatrocker Brewery.</div>
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Not knowing much about where Braeside
is (which is much closer to my house than I ever realised...) we
jumped on trains with our bikes and peddled on out to the industrial
area to where we figured the brewery site was.
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The clue that we found was the boat
suspended over the roller door with the word 'boatrocker' painted on
it. Reasonably sure we'd found the place.
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The first sight as you pass through the
door at the brewery is one that makes ridiculous geeks such as Luke
and myself suddenly vague and distracted.
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Barrels. Just barrels as far as the eye
can see.
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Now, maybe there were 35 or 40 barrels
but my vision was so focussed that it was certainly as far as my eyes
could see.
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Matt gave us a little tour of the
brewery, which is smaller than I probably thought it would be, and
having noticed that we'd cycled out to the site he offered us some
glasses of water and some refreshing tank samples of berliner weiss
that will eventually go into chardonnay barrels and become their
Mitte.
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Even though we'd ridden the bikes
basically no distance and really slowly, that berliner weiss really
hit the spot as a thirst quenching, low ABV winner. We dicsussed the
possibility of this being packaged without any of it's brettanomyces
or barrel treatment as a straight berliner weiss option for the
masses. It's a possibility at this stage, but not scheduled. That
would become a mandatory fridge option for me so damn fast.
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My eyes strayed back to the wall of
barrels. Does that say “Flemish Red” on it? God damn, is that the
new batch of Ramjet sitting there, just soaking in the whiskey from
the New World Distillery barrels?</div>
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This was seriously poor etiquette,
given that I wasn't paying Matt the full attention he deserved on
account of being smitten by his barrel program so when he said “Do
you guys want to sample from the barrels?” I nearly got whiplash
from snapping my head back to look in his direction.
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Like little kids in a candy store we
giddily watch Matt scale the ladder and carefully extract some
samples from a barrel into a pitcher for us to stand around and drink
like the entitled nothings we are. Matt lovingly replaces the nail to
the barrel and sanitises the areas that were disturbed.
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Matt is undertaking an ambitious barrel
program, treating his already acclaimed Ramjet imperial stout and
Sterk and Donker Quad, as well as some new wild and Belgian style
ales. He's not doing anything by half. Most of the beers in barrels
have been in barrels for 12-18 months with some being held for up to
three years, so this is all relatively young beer that we're tasting.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jvwMLNCEmNRIYojSXHWDQMx7uDItNHwfoeurpmBLonGrx-CHAQ34lYo2u1EqL_W18efMu3ywSBVvIkajEzLp5wxVpPXBmKgx3E9dFWzQVS1guFIyh6FbK4xrpDd5TyYXAOpOWkLCmWo/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jvwMLNCEmNRIYojSXHWDQMx7uDItNHwfoeurpmBLonGrx-CHAQ34lYo2u1EqL_W18efMu3ywSBVvIkajEzLp5wxVpPXBmKgx3E9dFWzQVS1guFIyh6FbK4xrpDd5TyYXAOpOWkLCmWo/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first sample we try is a saison
that's been in barrels for 5 months and already has the aroma of a
world class saison, matched with a flavour that is going to be lots
of fun.
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Matt starts telling us about the newest
batch of Ramjet which is currently sitting in barrels and the reason
why it might not have exactly the same flavour profile as the
previously adored batch.
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Matt gets his whiskey barrels from
Starward Whiskey, who are now New World Distillers (I might have part
of this wrong, but it's really not pertinent to this part of the
story) and he gets them from New World because he has a couple of
good contacts there that have helped him establish that relationship
to access barrels for aging.
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These contacts 'sorted Matt out' on the
most recent lot of barrels and these ones came across with more
whiskey left in them than any of the previous lot, in fact when the
brewers properly drained the barrels they extracted about half a
litre of excess whiskey left behind.
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Huge result for Matt and his staff.
Also a huge impact on the beer that would go in to these barrels.
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Ramjet version 1 was a luxurious 10.2%
imperial stout. The same beer in these soaked barrels sit at around
15% ABV and is whiskifully massive. Those that know me are aware that
I have a huge dislike for most beers over 10 or 11 % because of the
omnipresent alcohol sweetness that is the backbone of most of these
kinds of beers.</div>
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Not so with this one though. The
alcohol is definitely noticeably high, but the character of the beer
is all in the malt bill. It's hugely enjoyable in it's 15% state.
Relax though, geeks. The next Ramjet won't be a 15% imperial stout.
Matt will be blending this version of the beer with an unbarreled
version to smooth out the packaged product which will be an
improvement across the board, no doubt.
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I'm not going to go through each
individual beer that we sampled on the day but there were clearly
some standouts that are worth mentioning.
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Firstly the barleywine is huge. On
paper that is. It's 14.2% (maybe not exactly that, but in that
vicinity) but it drinks way under that. English styled, malty as all
hell but drinking really smooth already. By the time this baby is
ready it's going to be extremely fun and a really great one to stash
away for rainy days of future years.
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The most exciting one thought was a
p-lambic. Pseudo lambic, as it's accurately labelled given that it's
not made in the correct region of Belgium. What are you supposed to
call it? I don't know. P-lambic works for me. Anyway, this is the
most exciting one of the day. It's still really young, only about a
year in the barrel, but already the aroma smells exactly like a
Belgian lambics that we've come to adore. It's the most promising
Australian sour beer that I've tasted. It already tastes very good,
but there's plenty more development to come so this one is probably
now my most anticipated Australian beer.
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Matt talked about some of the
intricacies of making wild beer and we realised yet again that we
were having some great conversation off mic.
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We got ourselves in order and recorded
what's probably the best show we've had in the year that we've been
podcasting. You can listen to that episode directly <a href="http://aleofatime.podbean.com/e/podcast-sode-25-matt-from-boatrocker-1414842871/" target="_blank">here</a>, or you can
subscribe from iTunes <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/ale-of-a-time/id764214563?mt=2" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Plugs, what a pro.
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Check out that episode to get some
finer detail on what's going on at Boatrocker Brewery, there are some
really exciting things on the horizon for them. </div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-61288448559781308512014-06-09T21:07:00.001+10:002014-06-09T21:14:32.146+10:00Where's The Townshend's At?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuo6aRpGsgNgDTkpk0UFy-5g7esVn8feij9_lFpMDqHkkQavdZfbWjnxCDKG41YSqgEk_29shkS74dON8Xwwy_5b6lyHW9XuOU5en72___7dnoE9fzeUZtVUBcd2uDj0la7WT8qXYVis/s1600/townshends+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuo6aRpGsgNgDTkpk0UFy-5g7esVn8feij9_lFpMDqHkkQavdZfbWjnxCDKG41YSqgEk_29shkS74dON8Xwwy_5b6lyHW9XuOU5en72___7dnoE9fzeUZtVUBcd2uDj0la7WT8qXYVis/s1600/townshends+logo.png" height="281" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Townshend's Brewery from Nelson, NZ is looking for a distributor into Australia.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Suh-weet!" is what you'll hear those in the know say. "Can't wait to get my hands on it when it gets over the ditch!" you might also hear.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But it's not quite as easy as that, so let me slightly amend that first statement.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Townshend's are still looking for a distributor into Australia.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Martin Townshend has been looking for a distributor for little while now and for those that have tried his beers, it's something of a cranium scratcher that he hasn't been snapped up with vigour.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's clear as day that in Australia we have a love affair with Kiwi beers, and it's with good reason. They're a strong group that do well at making beers that we want to drink.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We tend to gravitate toward brews from over the Tasman, and </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you tried Martin's beers before?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During Good Beer Week they were featured as part of the Kiwi pop up bar at The Catfish, or maybe you've been across to New Zealand and tried them locally. If you have done either of these you know what I'm talking about.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You might not have tried them at all, and there's a couple of reasons for that.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"There's no distribution here Dave, you zilch. Isn't that the whole point of this post?"</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus, give me a break here, I'm getting to it.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The times you might have seen Townshend's around (particularly us Melbourne folk) would have been at the GABS (Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular) festivals from 2012 - 2014.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Martin understands what GABS is all about, but that doesn't mean that he's going to conjure something outrageously out of style and ostentatious.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2012 he made the Janszoon Summer Ale which was a gentle English IPA that had mildly prominent late hops that made this pop.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2013 saw the Riwaka ale was a 3.7% Ordinary Bitter that was hopped with Riwaka hops.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year we saw Union Square, a 5.5% UK style ESB.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now you all know how GABS works. The directive is that each brewery must present a beer that has not been previously released on tap or in bottles.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we get killer python kolschs, rocky road ales, pepper steak porters and the like we tend to overlook the "regular" sounding beers in favour of the weird and wonderful sounding ales that make our tongues tingle and our brains struggle to even comprehend what we just tasted.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if you don't ignore beers like Martin's in this kind of environment, when you have tiny tasters in a paddle the delicately crafted stylistic ales get dwarfed by imperial IPAs, dry chiptole'd ales and creme caramel eisbocks.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How are you supposed to appreciate the subtle characteristics of a mild ale when you tongue is covered in a thick layer of pure lupulin?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each year now I've had a full glass of the Townshend's beer and this is really the best way to fully appreciate any beer.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This interest influenced me when I ventured over to Wellington in 2013. What I'd tasted at GABS led me to do a little research on what Townshend's have to offer. It was clear from this preliminary research that I had to seek out his Flemish Stout. The description of this beer was smack bang in my wheelhouse.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dave Wood at Hashigo Zake pulled out a bottle for me and I tasted one of the most extraordinary beers I'd ever had. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This moment, in conjunction with my GABS experiences, was enough for me to add Townshend's to my favourite breweries and those that I want to seek out wherever I can.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, this is a rambly way of explaining that even if you have had the opportunity to, you may have not properly tried anything from Townhend's.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Martin is a brewer's brewer. Ask the Kiwi brewers what they think and you'll get similar answers across the board. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I emailed Martin to get his thoughts on Australian distribution, and it seems that his align with mine pretty closely. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMDJkcc714OaxU7vRfBnxWavcG1NEAtLv8d0AEIjjp5kmpBYWQc9vsN6J8herRd06NpxyyXvUgtEU0QIeSqAc3XE8m6XAvTZ3fHobVOojVKIUrvTAruritVyzNlTgS88bKF6vVrvmCJE/s1600/slideshow-martin-townshend.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMDJkcc714OaxU7vRfBnxWavcG1NEAtLv8d0AEIjjp5kmpBYWQc9vsN6J8herRd06NpxyyXvUgtEU0QIeSqAc3XE8m6XAvTZ3fHobVOojVKIUrvTAruritVyzNlTgS88bKF6vVrvmCJE/s1600/slideshow-martin-townshend.png" height="165" width="400" /></span></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">with our new bottling plant from Italy we are now ready and wanting to find Australian distribution. With our new branding and website, we are in a better position than ever to export. Our beers were well received through Phoenix (one off deal) last month to coincide with GABS, but on approaching them we were informed they were down scaling their portfolio."</span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">You can understand the position of Phoenix here, because they already have an extensive portfolio of brands and they also want to maintain a high level of service to all stakeholders, so something's gotta give. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">There's plenty of others distributors however, so why do we have a brewery that is producing outstanding beer in New Zealand and want to expand into the west island struggling to find an avenue in to the country?</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">So why hasn't someone picked up this brand? This is a genuine question. Is there a reason why? It doesn't really make sense to me.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Excellent quality beer, a strong interest in exporting here, a growing market. Where am I going wrong here?</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white;">I'm happy to look ignorant, I do it frequently!</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Comment here or shoot me an email at dave@aleofatime.com if you've got some information that might shed some light on it for me. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Better still, if you're a distributor let's get you on to Martin and we'll work something out!</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<i><br /></i>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-4018272885254458182014-02-07T08:54:00.000+11:002014-02-07T08:54:42.802+11:00The Session #84: "Alternate" Reviews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h1 style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
What is The Session?<img alt="session_logo_all_text_300" height="200" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/8055045283_f19683a3f3_o.jpg" width="163" /></h1>
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<br />
The Session, a.k.a. Beer Blogging Friday, is an opportunity once a month
for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from
their own unique perspective on a single topic. Each month, a different
beer blogger hosts the Session, chooses a topic and creates a round-up
listing all of the participants, along with a short pithy critique of
each entry. Over time, it is the hope — of me, at least — that a record
will be created with much useful information about various topics on the
subject of beer. The idea for the Sessions began with fellow beer
writer <a href="http://appellationbeer.com/">Stan Hieronymus</a>, who
noticed similar group endeavors in other blogospheres and suggested
those of us in the beer world create our own project. Here is Stan’s <a href="http://appellationbeer.com/blog/time-for-a-beer-blogging-day/">original thought process</a> to start up the Session.<br />
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I have an intense dislike for beer reviews. 'Hate' is a
strong word for me. </div>
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I hate beer reviews. </div>
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Why? Because what's the point. I didn't misuse punctuation
there, that was not a question. It was an exasperated exhalation of words onto the
page.</div>
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Some bozo who you couldn't care less about is passing
comment on beers that you do. </div>
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I like reviews on beers from people whose opinions I value
and respect. These people do not do beer reviews.</div>
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It's just not for me. </div>
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What's that you say? Isn't part of your website dedicated to
beer reviews? Well you've come out swinging from the beginning, but you've
gotten ahead of yourself. Mine aren't reviews really, they're more of a
celebration of beers that I was enjoying at the time. There were no negative
pieces. If I didn't like a beer it sure as hell wasn't going to be worth
keyboard time from me. </div>
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It's so ball achingly boring, too. Everything is basically
the same. This colour, this aroma, this flavour. ABV. IBU. SRM. </div>
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It's a little bit like AFL press conferences (yes, my other
current pet hate).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the coach is sitting down to the microphone you pretty
much know exactly what he's going to say already. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWASuK-7jth8fmME1b5a0AEadyWvluHY8lpzy4oGxJ899ZUIRqTDqGsepJY3vEC1fh8kpLNwOgjHgshEysxgzispTU15CNO3z33FmNgna3GjbF3wAmSgiveTxk12J4mZzlPUy-pLV-utI/s1600/ross+lyon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWASuK-7jth8fmME1b5a0AEadyWvluHY8lpzy4oGxJ899ZUIRqTDqGsepJY3vEC1fh8kpLNwOgjHgshEysxgzispTU15CNO3z33FmNgna3GjbF3wAmSgiveTxk12J4mZzlPUy-pLV-utI/s1600/ross+lyon.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We're ticking all the boxes one week at a time."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, that's neither here nor there. Let's get back on
topic. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is probably the only format that could have roused any
interest in the reviewing of beer for me, and that's because reviewing is
banned. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I may, I'll reiterate the guidelines for this particular
Session;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<i>"So for my turn hosting The Session, I ask all of you to review a
beer. Any beer. Of your choosing even! There’s a catch though, just one
eentsy, tiny rule that you have to adhere to: <strong>you cannot review the beer. </strong></i><br />
<i>
</i><em>I know it sounds like the yeast finally got to my brain, but hear me
out: I mean that you can’t write about SRM color, or mouthfeel, or head
retention. Absolutely no discussion of malt backbones or hop profiles
allowed. Lacing and aroma descriptions <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrgLj9lOwk">are right out</a>. Don’t even think about rating the beer out of ten possible points.</em><br />
<i>
</i><i>But, to balance that, you can literally do anything else you want. I
mean it. Go beernuts. Uncap your muse and let the beer guide your
creativity."</i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been thinking about this very topic, since a good
friend of mine was enthusing about how perfume guru Luca Turin describes
various aromas and fragrances with these complicated, yet removed, vivid and
florid descriptions that were indirect but somehow imparted the characteristics
of the smell with precise accuracy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If Turin can do it with perfumes and colognes, why can't the
very same methodology be applied to beer?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the reason why I have dusted off ye olde keyboard
for The Session.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Without further ado, I will begin some ridiculous
wordification to attempt this challenge. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You're 5500m above sea level. To achieve your goal there is
a further 800m to scale. When you forecast conditions and planned for the many
challenges that climbing the Andes might present, you had no idea of the mental
demons that would be present, taunting you at every stage since you got to the
5000m mark. What line were you on? You'd set markers at regular intervals all
the way up to keep track but when you look down you don't see a thing.
Actually, when you look down it feels like you're moving away from the surface
of the mountain, so let's not do that too much. Not coping well, this can be
deadly. A short climb up and you'll find an ice ledge just big enough for a
brief rest. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like highway hypnosis, you have reached the ledge but have no
recollection of how you got there. Some nutrients are absolutely essential so
you hurriedly fossick through your backpack to find that you only possess two
more items. They are the two most valuable items that you have been carrying,
and now it is time for their utilisation. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the one free hand you pull out a Mornington Peninsula
Imperial Stout. You reach in again and extract a bulbous brandy balloon. The
backpack in now useless. You feel it will be therapeutic to watch something
you've lugged 5km up a mountain tumble down the side of the cliff face into
the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>abyss, but when you let go it
disappears instantly due to the near nonexistent visibility. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The hissing of the bottle opening gives you a reassuring
shiver down your spine, and even though you can see nothing else, your entire
focus is consumed by the glass that now holds more warmth than anything you'd
experienced since you'd begun scaling. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An emotion stirs from deep within you as you're transported
back to your grandmother's farming property they owned when you were a young
child, and when you smelled the chocolate brownies she made you always wanted
to take one fresh out of the oven. “Wait until they've cooled down!” she'd say,
but why? They were so moist and delicious that there was still melty chocolate
in the centre of them when they were hot out of the oven. She always told you
to wait, but she always gave you a piping hot sample, you know, just so you
could test them and make sure they weren't terrible. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reality check. No, you're not eating one too many brownies.
You're precariously perched on a ledge made of frozen water and you have no
supplies once that glass is empty. This is it. And my god it is cold. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The cold seems like it was so long ago though, because as
this beer caresses your tongue it is a loving, caring, parental hug of warmth
so reassuring that you reassess the task of climbing the remaining distance to
the top as a medial task, purely a means to an end with the overall goal
eclipsed by this revelation that reaching the summit means you can return to
your loved ones.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even after this much effort has been expended, this much
physical and mental trauma has been imparted on this body, the pure warming joy
of reacquainting with your loved ones at sea level is more than the required
stimulant and nutrition to get you through to the end. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sooo.... anyway. That's what it's like drinking an Imperial
Stout from the Mornington Peninsula Brewery.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh also, it will help if you read those words via the voice
of this man. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<img class="irc_mut" height="360" id="irc_mi" src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/KVN_x2YTJ6Q/hqdefault.jpg" style="margin-top: 132px;" width="480" /> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please be kind. I'm in a fragile place after writing that.*</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Side note. I had a little sleep and now I'm fine. You don't need to be kind. </div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-48952243000901044012014-02-04T08:22:00.000+11:002014-02-04T08:22:28.429+11:00Gettin' Fresh With Y'allJust quickly off the bat, if you're capitalising the first letter in each word of the title and you decide to use "y'all", do you capitalise the Y<i> and</i> the A? Or just the Y?<br />
<br />
Interesting analysis material no doubt, but I've made my decision and I'm not changing it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, this wasn't a digression because I hadn't actually started saying anything yet, so you can't have me on that, but I intend to start something right now.<br />
<br />
So let's go.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJRbH6MxMFv6WjQVUNNmHxItyHvPWjcNz8QlXqrYYDDB_o2NTSmm9kk2zFUTvIJ19jslxAk8Os9fUzLrlCcjWWWRgDDMLPPuOuOVhG0Y0NPRNdbgOd_FVFzCYVoBQ8ew0eE4fZC8bWFc/s1600/stone-enjoy-by-2-15-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJRbH6MxMFv6WjQVUNNmHxItyHvPWjcNz8QlXqrYYDDB_o2NTSmm9kk2zFUTvIJ19jslxAk8Os9fUzLrlCcjWWWRgDDMLPPuOuOVhG0Y0NPRNdbgOd_FVFzCYVoBQ8ew0eE4fZC8bWFc/s1600/stone-enjoy-by-2-15-640.jpg" height="252" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's no doubting the 'drink by' date on this fella.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I've been thinking about fresh beer. With the recent (and most likely ongoing...) heatwave oppressing us, I bet that's not an original thought in the slightest. But I mean fresh beer in a slightly different sense.<br />
<br />
Luke Robertson's <a href="http://aleofatime.com/2014/02/01/fomoob-fear-of-missing-out-on-beer/" target="_blank">recent blog post</a> about FOMOOB (an all too familiar phenomenon derived from Fear Of Missing Out, extended to Fear Of Missing Out On Beer) highlighted how common this is, and he embedded a great little <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD8yWtgdoeA%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">movie short</a> from the Russian River Brewing Company about the brewing and serving of their legend status hop bombs, Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXFb514twOR40O1acGTeKURPDUMkbj5lwjCGln3d9MG8L47nYnkD6a1pUBjNV2rxIKkRJ_lxBRa5ZZWs1cDolixEQuuFj8LuJQUA0IQ3pDLdjfMQkVxToFUFbD05DXXTgEkKZAoHnrg4/s1600/pliny-the-younger-tap-handle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXFb514twOR40O1acGTeKURPDUMkbj5lwjCGln3d9MG8L47nYnkD6a1pUBjNV2rxIKkRJ_lxBRa5ZZWs1cDolixEQuuFj8LuJQUA0IQ3pDLdjfMQkVxToFUFbD05DXXTgEkKZAoHnrg4/s1600/pliny-the-younger-tap-handle.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only reported acceptable use of comic sans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pliny the Elder is packaged year round and has a published recommended 'drink by' date on it for maximum freshness and enjoyment. Some American uber beer geeks say that outside 2 weeks from the bottling date the aromas and flavour diminish noticeably. Some uber beer geeks tip it out if it's more than two or three weeks old.<br />
<br />
Mental.<br />
<br />
Pliny the Younger however, is not packaged and is only available from the brewery bar when it is brewed once a year. And my goodness, do people lose their minds when this occurs. It's bigger than the sum of its parts. People travel from all over the country (some come from other parts of the world) to queue up at the bar door for five hours just for a glass of this immaculately fresh Triple IPA.<br />
<br />
Stone Brewing Company also release an IPA that is created for immediate consumption called Enjoy By, in which the date is splattered across the label so there is no mistaking when this one was intended to be consumed. This one is a packaged monster so slightly more people will get the chance to enjoy this one.<br />
<br />
In mid 2013 Feral Brewing Company brought out an Imperial IPA called Tusk that was brewed with a similar intention in mind and it was delivered to various venues around the country with the strict instruction to tap it as soon as it is received.<br />
<br />
I was FOMOOB panicked enough to ensure I was at the Local Taphouse when they put it on, and it sure was enjoyable. If I remember correctly it was obviously hoppy and aromatic, but it was also quite tart and zesty and an all around delight.<br />
<br />
When I was enjoying this and most likely pontificating on all the important aspects of life I remember having the thought: "This is the beginning of IPAs made for fresh consumption."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlB0P2hCqQAXp8S6rqA8X0_TcZLf61xt-IdrF6WHvHKu6MZF2KHPcN1_7N7dvuICJL1Uj_Xahqy93699s125rINnm-hJX56gMXh8fde-ChA_OqokhpHNYhXPC5tUp6DYS9JNGpNUcc7A/s1600/FERAL_TUSK_Logo_A4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlB0P2hCqQAXp8S6rqA8X0_TcZLf61xt-IdrF6WHvHKu6MZF2KHPcN1_7N7dvuICJL1Uj_Xahqy93699s125rINnm-hJX56gMXh8fde-ChA_OqokhpHNYhXPC5tUp6DYS9JNGpNUcc7A/s1600/FERAL_TUSK_Logo_A4.jpg" /></a>And how right was I?<br />
<br />
Not at all. Wrong. Nothing happened after that. Bupkis. Nada. Zilch.<br />
<br />
Actually, that's not completely true. Research has shown me that the Tusk got made again in September 2013 but only got sent to some WA venues and The Wheaty. Come on Feral, hook a Melbourne brother up with that tasty beverage. <br />
<br />
But where has it been? Some people say we're IPA mad in the market at the moment, so why haven't more breweries jumped on this kind of idea? Now I know you're saying, that all IPAs and hoppy beers are enjoyable fresh and you get the same experience when you have a beer tapped fresh from the source, but I say that's not quite what I'm talking about.<br />
<br />
I thought we'd see more breweries embracing the idea of brewing a beer that you can only have super fresh. It's on at the brewery, or a select bar as soon as it's received. There's no chance of a keg being tucked away into a corner, or bottles being kept by someone with the possibility of that beer being consumed when not fresh, or light struck etc. <br />
<br />
Now please don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily believe that fresh is always best when it comes to beer. There are many hoppy beers that balance out with a good, robust malt bill and these ones take a little time for everyone in the bottle or keg to get along optimally.<br />
<br />
Clearly though, it appears there is a place in the market for it and I am a little surprised that there haven't been a few more of these special releases around the grounds.<br />
<br />
Who do you think would be likely to make such a beer? Ben at Bridge Road? Tim at HopDog? I imagine we'll probably see Tusk again at some stage, so we'll mark Brendan down for one.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I've outstayed my welcome here and this post has run down to the ground, so this seems like an opportune time to leave the idea with you.<br />
<br />
Adios muchachos. <br />
<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-69646932805084445122013-06-08T00:44:00.001+10:002013-06-08T00:46:14.563+10:00The Session #76: Compulsion<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k2joKeBDMbAlyNSUoLJ7oOmTlcu0dljxXt7bQeseZgluSRAx8vbSINpRcokAqa-J41uM0dr0Cj8bcxWyzsAs-fJt0wYWJvk3QZlRY_Tn_dlB2hMNEmi_6-MwbqRi26STKYfSR65W22c/s1600/the+session.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k2joKeBDMbAlyNSUoLJ7oOmTlcu0dljxXt7bQeseZgluSRAx8vbSINpRcokAqa-J41uM0dr0Cj8bcxWyzsAs-fJt0wYWJvk3QZlRY_Tn_dlB2hMNEmi_6-MwbqRi26STKYfSR65W22c/s320/the+session.jpg" width="263" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: liberation-sans-1, liberation-sans-2, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><i style="font-style: italic;">The Session is a monthly event for the beer blogging community, started by Stan Hieronymus at <a href="http://www.appellationbeer.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Appellation Beer</span></a>. On the first Friday of each month, beer bloggers write about a predetermined topic. Each month a different blog is chosen to host The Session, choose the topic, and post a roundup of all the responses received. For more info on The Session and the upcoming topics, check out the <a href="http://brookstonbeerbulletin.com/the-sessions/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Brookston Beer Bulletin’s archive page</span></a>.</i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Compulsion.<br />
<br />
Absolutely cracking topic to delve into this Session with, because it's a derivative of a recent Session topic that generated a lot of conversation and seemed to be a common theme among plenty of beer bloggers, yet it's a subject that can be written about at length by itself.<br />
<br />
It's probably the single biggest factor that keeps us beer tragics swiping the credit card and finding new places to stash beer in our ever-expanding cellars/boxes/corners of rooms etc.<br />
<br />
The corners of the rooms aren't expanding, the space required is. If the corners of your rooms are in fact expanding I would recommend to stop reading this immediately and consult a builder.<br />
<br />
Actually, I'd also recommend you stop reading if you're bored already because it certainly isn't going to be getting any better.<br />
<br />
Ahem, anyway... back on topic.<br />
<br />
Compulsion is the very thing that makes me so continuously passionate about all things related to good beer, whether that be buying multiples of a particular beer so I can see how it develops over time, picturing an ideal food/beer match, dreaming up recipes for the next batch or simply going in to a shop and just picking up what I know will be tasty, rewarding beers.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml7poeTtkcBQgSQ9PtQNMKfhdH9St5u2hwoVVyxnZ6yLZyLn_Pfo6r90zrYcR-VtCovNSMYFLb0B4Fy1IKI6gTpnRNhAh3KRY9jnmAyUdgqkAPMO5pT77z_5IvyvWT43PLDml62tem-g/s1600/pirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml7poeTtkcBQgSQ9PtQNMKfhdH9St5u2hwoVVyxnZ6yLZyLn_Pfo6r90zrYcR-VtCovNSMYFLb0B4Fy1IKI6gTpnRNhAh3KRY9jnmAyUdgqkAPMO5pT77z_5IvyvWT43PLDml62tem-g/s320/pirates.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does he use this photo in every post now?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Beer is situational. Depending on the activity that you may be partaking in, you get an idea in your minds eye about the exact beer that you want to drink to accompany it. And hey, if you don't have that particular style, or even the exact beer in the fridge or cellar, off you go to the bottle shop to pick up a bottle. Is that a new beer? Better pick that up as well. You may as well grab some other corkers as well.<br />
<br />
This is a scenario that plays out constantly for me, resulting in an abundance of beer in my house.<br />
<br />
Doesn't sound like much of a problem to have, but it's a weird little quirk that I (and many others...) have with buying beer.<br />
<br />
New beers cause just as much anticipation, therefore a desire to buy, particularly when it's from a brewery that have a tendency to release unique beers. An example of this is Moon Dog. Whenever the Moon Dog lads release a beer I just have to get it. I struggle to guess what the taste profile is going to be, so I've got to get my hands on a bottle.<br />
<br />
The Red Duck seasonals (I say seasonals... the Red Duck weeklies) have the same effect on me. I want them all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Another element of compulsion is my homebrewing.<br />
<br />
Days and weeks can spent dreaming up recipes for that ideal next home brew, then another few weeks getting it fermented out and carbonated.<br />
<br />
Then after one taste of my first bottle of the new batch my head is full of ideas about how I'd change this beer the next time I brew it, or even ideas of new styles to try my hand at. All the while I still have 19L of this beer to get through.<br />
<br />
I'm still a hoarder of my homebrew so I can taste them at various stages of age, so this contributes to the stockpile of beer that needs to be worked through.<br />
<br />
I think compulsion and FOMO (fear of missing out) cross over in a major way. A new keg gets put on at Slowbeer. Alehouse Project have an unheard of tap takeover. Something ridiculous goes on the hand pump at Penny Blue.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W95oEXQ1E3FH-I5ocBM1tkLJkX7QdK-63bdsYRf1mVuq42kvhIFc0M9PY0-3H2htjnetmY9PZEl81J4iTXI62unbTZGCcPy78ojUWp3LJELrvRl0gIEVuYaXOoCs2rVVR7nU92cwlxs/s1600/Red+Hill+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9W95oEXQ1E3FH-I5ocBM1tkLJkX7QdK-63bdsYRf1mVuq42kvhIFc0M9PY0-3H2htjnetmY9PZEl81J4iTXI62unbTZGCcPy78ojUWp3LJELrvRl0gIEVuYaXOoCs2rVVR7nU92cwlxs/s640/Red+Hill+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Hill taps for some reason.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is an experience that may not be repeated. Sign me up. How long will this be on for?<br />
<br />
Soon after I have this thought I notice the Posse pack that's been delivered to my doorstep. For those who don't know, the Posse pack is a regularly delivered case of beer from Bridge Road Brewery that ensures that you get a good selection of Ben's beers to drink either four or six times a year.<br />
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With the amount of beer I buy I do not need to subscribe to this, and not only do I subscribe, I get the more frequent delivery.<br />
<br />
Why do I do this? I really don't have a good reason except for the very subject of this post. I want to try all Ben's beers. I want that supply of India Saison. I love the fact that Ben brews two beers a year specifically for Posse pack members. I don't need the case every two months but I like it.<br />
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I love that fact that this great beer culture we're a part of compels us so strongly to want to try new things. It's a strong power that it has over me and I'm sure everyone who bothers to read this.<br />
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I love the fact that because of the amount and variance of beer that I have at home I can satisfy any beer related whim that may crop up. Craving for a Baltic Porter? No problems. Hop fix required? Get your hit quickly there buddy.<br />
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Most of all I love the fact that this compulsion crosses the paths of like minded people who are seeking the same thing as me. It's been said to death; beer people are good people.<br />
<br />
Take GABS for example. There were dozens of excellent beers, but probably only a handful that were memorably outstanding for me. It didn't even matter though because the best part of GABS is the interaction with all the punters there that are drawn to good beer, whether it's your close group of friends, people just approaching the world of good beer or the vast array of beer geeks there, everyone is excited about the beer and that is what has brought them to the venue.<br />
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Compulsion is strong and it is good and I hope the day I lose it for good beer is a long, long way off.<br />
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-40776933163577340712013-05-26T14:47:00.002+10:002013-05-26T14:47:26.786+10:00Good Beer Week 2013: Hair Of The Dog Breakfast with BeerMenTV<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTZi07oIyAfOXnEbldE138QTGJ68SfyVSuM1ZFAmhiws2rrbxZeJDqywTvvY6NtM9yHld4YnPpG6YRx-oEvGongQlEy4QI1ta9wQvyms9kzqMov4MbmuFmEeGvSKt6WvHnTJlYtSwVcA/s1600/photo_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTZi07oIyAfOXnEbldE138QTGJ68SfyVSuM1ZFAmhiws2rrbxZeJDqywTvvY6NtM9yHld4YnPpG6YRx-oEvGongQlEy4QI1ta9wQvyms9kzqMov4MbmuFmEeGvSKt6WvHnTJlYtSwVcA/s400/photo_3.jpg" width="300" /></a>How did we get to Friday morning already? Good Beer Week only just started!<br />
<br />
In fact, I actually wrote this on Sunday so we're a good 48 hours closer to the bitter end of this great week.<br />
<br />
But going back to Friday, there is really only one way to properly kick off the day and that's with the Hair Of The Dog Breakfast hosted by BeerMenTV.<br />
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It was cold outside waiting for the doors to open. Some would say it was the low temperatures combined with the persistent gusts of wind, others would say it was the inevitable crumbling of one's immune system after six days of valiant battle.<br />
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Sitting down there was an immediate moment of realisation of what we were up against. The beer list for the breakfast was displayed in each set place on the table. This is what we were dealing with;<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>BrewCult - Hop Zone IPA</li>
<li>Boneyard Brewing - Grapefruit IPA</li>
<li>Murray's Brewing - Punch and Judy's Ale</li>
<li>Bridge Road Brewing - Chevalier Dunkel Weizen</li>
<li>Doctors Orders Brewing - Morning After Pill</li>
<li>Moon Dog Brewing - Love Tap</li>
<li>Feral Brewing - Raging Flem</li>
<li>Riverside Brewing - Ring of Friar</li>
<li>The Old Brewery - Memorial Ale</li>
<li>Yeastie Boys - His Majesty's 2012</li>
<li>Mountain Goat - IPA</li>
</ul>
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That's a pretty serious list of beers to contemplate at 10am on a Friday.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2hBLa2-R57t4ZqJe46hQw7ZudDbqq8h78Ts58UDwl-H7xobYUtlZUi1JOKD9QJ36BWPOR0h_wX8Cd29mn1USlE-Y1jmhP5pGGQZT5oIpJaLFeFMIIvvTP8MAwbdeYeJuXSR9lpGBRQk/s1600/photo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2hBLa2-R57t4ZqJe46hQw7ZudDbqq8h78Ts58UDwl-H7xobYUtlZUi1JOKD9QJ36BWPOR0h_wX8Cd29mn1USlE-Y1jmhP5pGGQZT5oIpJaLFeFMIIvvTP8MAwbdeYeJuXSR9lpGBRQk/s320/photo_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris Franklin, doing his thang. </td></tr>
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So what's a good way to assist with the mental process of working through these breakfast courses?<br />
<br />
I imagine that you have all answered the same way in unison. With a rendition of the hit single 'Bloke' from the year 2000 performed by the surprising entertainment juggernaut that is Chris Franklin.<br />
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You'll be pleased to know that he seamlessly substituted 'VB' for 'craft beer' in that timeless verse.<br />
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Anyway, that's more than enough characters assigned to that particular section of proceedings.<br />
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The food prepared by the chef's at Beer Deluxe was first rate and created some pretty interesting matches with that ridiculous list of beers provided.<br />
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I already mentioned Raging Flem, right? Man that's good.<br />
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Where was I? Lost my train of thought.<br />
<br />
You know how good that lineup of beer is, and you'll have to take my word on how good the food was, but what makes these events so enjoyable is the hosting duties of the gentlemen from BeerMenTV providing entertaining commentary to proceedings and fun games for the punters and brewers alike.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzymKuVjDO4Xuo3Y-UJp32pBhSCjdvo_HL0HXeFdPdoGyhTAU_ngQWPQ1zacj5Ad9oozNn_wIN_i1JVdKdN68PN1gGhjOOSVGRpzGu5b6cLBdsGh9WBg4PpLRK3idtBPMlF3h_ugGgz4/s1600/photo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzymKuVjDO4Xuo3Y-UJp32pBhSCjdvo_HL0HXeFdPdoGyhTAU_ngQWPQ1zacj5Ad9oozNn_wIN_i1JVdKdN68PN1gGhjOOSVGRpzGu5b6cLBdsGh9WBg4PpLRK3idtBPMlF3h_ugGgz4/s320/photo_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponytail-less Todd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first promise made to us was that the perpetually ponytailed Todd would shed the hair tie and unleash the beast for all to admire and enjoy.<br />
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To make him feel more comfortable, wigs were provided to some punters to wear as a sign of solidarity and support. Hendo was one who donned the wig, and I must say that it's quite a striking look for him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYmEiOrRaYhoQWNWwHDIl0XzZOFtGJtTjRMxR1TBVG4EyY7LFoxHduWeLgbn8ejZLlKjbtl_8ccDrtfA9yYJZ28OJcyRyaaAnCpOfFgkhYtsYKW4X6DBgWnIqeY6wphex04PYPmRfbi8/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYmEiOrRaYhoQWNWwHDIl0XzZOFtGJtTjRMxR1TBVG4EyY7LFoxHduWeLgbn8ejZLlKjbtl_8ccDrtfA9yYJZ28OJcyRyaaAnCpOfFgkhYtsYKW4X6DBgWnIqeY6wphex04PYPmRfbi8/s320/photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hendo rocking the follicles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The result was fairly terrible and all was well when the hair tie was returned to it's natural position.<br />
<br />
<br />
Food highlights were the cheese kransky wrapped in puff pastry served with house made chutney, which was outstanding with the Love Tap and the Raging Flem, but the clear winner of the day was the smoked trout with avocado mayonnaise, sumac, asparagus and garlic croutons.<br />
<br />
This dish was brought out heaped on a serving dish and it looked like an obscene amount of food, but it was so damned delicious that we made extremely light work of it.<br />
<br />
The next game on the agenda was for a group of punters to mix a clamato style beer cocktail for Todd to taste. The catch was that they were instructed to make them as vile and offensive as possible. The winner would be the one that concocted the most awful atrocity for Todd to sample.<br />
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One such punter was Matt Boustead from 7 Cent Brewery who seemed pretty happy with himself after he tasted his handy work, so surely his wouldn't be the worst of the lot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JUYupDkGPK-oy7thK3o2oVLfZGQVOGSLfeZZ6x7P7FYAHUCO9k-IuC470ITScUENq2c2JuBOUncBaX_HKtYIwMGcQRtvf3qVnWLLyBLLpJen9cY76qvClC35UOrFGRF-Z9GjzyMF5bk/s1600/photo_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JUYupDkGPK-oy7thK3o2oVLfZGQVOGSLfeZZ6x7P7FYAHUCO9k-IuC470ITScUENq2c2JuBOUncBaX_HKtYIwMGcQRtvf3qVnWLLyBLLpJen9cY76qvClC35UOrFGRF-Z9GjzyMF5bk/s320/photo_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese kranksy. Hello. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
His was the worst. By far, judging from Todd's grief stricken face as he begrudgingly took a swig of that grey poison.<br />
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There were laughs all around though, so I don't know if that's reward enough for the suffering.<br />
<br />
Special mention ought to go to Doc and and Riverside Brewing who created a beer specifically for this event. Doc produced an easy drinking spiced gruit style which went down magnificently well. <br />
<br />
The Riverside Ring of Friar was a chipotle brown ale that had a good whack of warming chilli, but the fact that these beers were created just for the breakfast was a wonderful gesture.<br />
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Again this is one of the highlight events of Good Beer Week and we hope to see the BeerMenTV boys return again for Good Beer Week 2014.<br />
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Cheers lads!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3vhjBbcrT4GMK2CRH1tOCzQJ6lMp92-ZU_Lf-kkIUwu-c0UX_F3p5q7IRc2_sffEK7XPpdS94xoPDGHM-FL8BXGI7GCX4egwIqDGdv7mgemJXH8XiGmyOGguBhKmx9LlOalVwz7CBkY/s1600/photo_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3vhjBbcrT4GMK2CRH1tOCzQJ6lMp92-ZU_Lf-kkIUwu-c0UX_F3p5q7IRc2_sffEK7XPpdS94xoPDGHM-FL8BXGI7GCX4egwIqDGdv7mgemJXH8XiGmyOGguBhKmx9LlOalVwz7CBkY/s640/photo_5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extra large photo of some delicious smoked trout. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-43425858267680233062013-05-21T17:41:00.002+10:002013-05-22T13:36:42.188+10:00Good Beer Week 2013 #1 - From Beechworth to Bombay - India vs IndiaThe use of Bombay wasn't offensive was it? I mean... Beechworth vs Mumbai doesn't quite... After all, I'm not looking to advocate any British imperial sentiment here... though now I think about it, without the British East India Company... we probably wouldn't have been gifted the India Pale Ale... so...<br />
<br />
ahem...<br />
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India vs India, the collaboration event between Bridge Rd Brewery and masters of Indian cuisine Horn Please, was the first event locked in for me upon my initial glance at the Good Beer Week program. Indian food matched with IPA's? Genius. And all this before I'd stepped foot in the restaurant. A subsequent reconnaissance mission, (albeit a boozy endeavor of a Sunday $20 All-You-Can-Eat) to Horn Please uncovered a gem of a restaurant with quality fare and a craft beer selection from both local and abroad that would leave most bars envious.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTx66ouTfvixpZnpoWsUr1RhU59CFnh4R1uLvOolweOoEtOrdeu2rhtpSEe63p6Ohuh9FpXmKQi8j3G5Y_3J7MKjuk8DZmNrltxV4mR2zW9Ol3vlPCukCsNCwjtDP6kqI8X-pSQYwcTw/s1600/IMG_0961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTx66ouTfvixpZnpoWsUr1RhU59CFnh4R1uLvOolweOoEtOrdeu2rhtpSEe63p6Ohuh9FpXmKQi8j3G5Y_3J7MKjuk8DZmNrltxV4mR2zW9Ol3vlPCukCsNCwjtDP6kqI8X-pSQYwcTw/s320/IMG_0961.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The evening began for Dave and I at the Tramway Hotel with a couple of pre-dinner beverages as part of the South Australian offering for Good Beer Week's Pint of Origin series. Then the Horn Please feast was upon us. Ben Kraus, the brains and brews behind Bridge Road Brewery, was on hand to introduce the beers that would accompany the culinary offerings from our hosts, explaining the ideas behind his Single Hop IPA series (in which we would be sampling the Summer, Stella and Galaxy versions) as well as the India Saison collaboration with Norwegian brewers, Nogne and the recently brewed Imperial IPA, Bling Bling. Bridge Road Beers are as solid as they come in this country. You always know what to expect, and generally, that's a bloody good beer, and this was evident in the beers sampled on the night.<br />
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I was keen to see how the dishes would match up with the beers and how they would interact, but each dish that appeared brought an explosion of flavours that I felt potentially out-muscled a lot of the hop characteristics, but as a result, each beer was a malty palate cleanser making way for further adventures in spice and herb. One thing I will say for Horn Please is that the food is spectacular, and their range of beers on offer makes for the perfect place for a night of great food and drink without spending a small fortune. Its kind of like the result of a drunken conversation... "wouldn't it be great if... you had... a curry shop, that.. also had a bar-worthy range... of good beer... and BLACK JACK!" ... okay... maybe without the black jack.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the food! The meal opened with an Indian spin on nachos. topped with chickpea and herb and yoghurt salsa, then samosas, one of the most succulent tandoori chicken's I've ever tasted and a trio of curries, Lamb Madras, Butter Chicken and Goat Curry with rice and naan. The pain of overindulgence kicked in somewhere between the Samosa and the tandoori chicken, but at Horn Please, that part of your brain that would usually kick in to say "you should probably stop eating now, you're going to rupture something" switches off, lays back and guzzles vindaloo sauce... it then becomes a compulsion. To devour everything that reaches the table. It's just that good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEa5Z98JeHsME4aSUfw3QX3b_6wOX4xyWWtYFr_TOfBcPAfdb41aFgC0OTSLfz8G-wCvq-AiilkEUgESqeHv67_BrwIIBR8UJR_8vp-euxssEZuF0Nhg0GIH4iEoswKk1gzkvC-DrA3QI/s1600/IMG_0957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEa5Z98JeHsME4aSUfw3QX3b_6wOX4xyWWtYFr_TOfBcPAfdb41aFgC0OTSLfz8G-wCvq-AiilkEUgESqeHv67_BrwIIBR8UJR_8vp-euxssEZuF0Nhg0GIH4iEoswKk1gzkvC-DrA3QI/s320/IMG_0957.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Indian style Nachos.</div>
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By the time desert arrived, a coconut homemade iced cream in stick format matched with the delightful Bling Bling DIPA, tears of both joy and pain were being wept at the table. There was no room left anywhere in my torso, yet both items managed to crawl their way in and nestle amongst the rest of what had been an amazing night of beer and culinary indulgence. If you haven't already been to Horn Please, I really can't recommend it enough, even just for the food alone. The two, well stocked beer fridges are just that delightful bonus and further evidence that beer and Indian food are the perfect duo for a great night of taste exploration. </div>
Rianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08797426223758337797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-78648121864359902882013-05-17T19:41:00.000+10:002013-05-17T19:41:33.086+10:00Good Beer Week 2013<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedoEm-ELb2ru4Kt11qTB86AZJiYGvSxseic82docp5uezbioTIwmXBvzNgSLkKGnI5Pa7K7cADZksM8cHc_RdhcGtNfqtpCb0_mN97rLeRMziqDEAijme42nCHp-Q8oLblvvBq5_z3cc/s1600/gbw3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedoEm-ELb2ru4Kt11qTB86AZJiYGvSxseic82docp5uezbioTIwmXBvzNgSLkKGnI5Pa7K7cADZksM8cHc_RdhcGtNfqtpCb0_mN97rLeRMziqDEAijme42nCHp-Q8oLblvvBq5_z3cc/s640/gbw3.png" width="640" /></a><i><br />"There comes a time in one's life when all harvests of existence align so all the fruits of labour can be picked and enjoyed. These are the times when the heart is full of joy and the mind rests easy. Be true to your instinct and desire and you will be rewarded with harmony and pleasure."</i><br />
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<br />
That is a famous quote by a man that I haven't made up yet because I only just finished making up that quote.<br />
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But it's applicable to Good Beer Week, isn't it?<br />
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Of course it is, I made it up with that very intention.<br />
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Good Beer Week 2013 is upon us. It's here. It's finally here!<br />
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The culmination of an incredible amount of time and effort, crammed into 9 joyous days for the enjoyment the local (and not so local) public.<br />
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Where do you even start when you're talking about something as sensational as Good Beer Week? Well I'll keep this short and sweet. Here's a few thoughts about the week ahead and what I'll be doing;<br />
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<b><u>What am I doing during the week?</u></b><br />
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<i>Saturday the 18th.</i><br />
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<b>Rhythm and Brews:</b> Swinging by Trunk for some Honey APA and a little bit of pig on the spit before Ubering my way to the launch party.<br />
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<b>Festival Hub Opening Party:</b> Kicking off with a bang. The Terminus Hotel are hosting the launch party, and how awesome does it sound?<br />
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<i>Sunday the 19th. </i><br />
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<b>Going Large:</b> Goat IPAs, fried chicken with all the sides. Need I say more? If you're not going to this I have a few questions for you.<br />
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<i>Monday the 20th. </i><br />
<br />
<b>India v India:</b> How good are Bridge Road's IPAs? How good is Horn Please? Put them together? An obvious choice for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAsKE9iT2d6cy7fDnMxJXS-s0LWUyCM_vhXcCp5vxVvk_U1dgTW9r66VkHnYux1S31meFzlRZfLAprijZgrLdaBrEJzq1sWgxkIk6XsBezA3w9GQVq2dJprHVp_STyPQC1QyjD2rgZ3U/s1600/gbw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAsKE9iT2d6cy7fDnMxJXS-s0LWUyCM_vhXcCp5vxVvk_U1dgTW9r66VkHnYux1S31meFzlRZfLAprijZgrLdaBrEJzq1sWgxkIk6XsBezA3w9GQVq2dJprHVp_STyPQC1QyjD2rgZ3U/s320/gbw2.jpg" width="320" /></a><i>Wednesday the 22nd.</i><br />
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<b>Sourfest:</b> After all these IPAs I'm attacking I'll need to cleanse the pallet with some sours. New and exclusive sours from Hendo's BrewCult and the 7 Cent lads. Hell yeah.<br />
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<b>Abbey Collaby:</b> Come on, one of the must-do events of the week. Matilda Bay and Moon Dog collaborate with the Goats for some good, old fashioned Abbotsford teamwork.<br />
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<i>Friday the 24th. </i><br />
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<b>Hair Of The Dog Breakfast:</b> BeerMenTV return to the mantle for the premiere breakfast event in town. Beer and breakfast? Heavenly match.<br />
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<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Hold on a second there, idiot. You've missed a couple of days!</u></b><br />
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Well spotted.<br />
<br />
I plan on filling the weekdays sauntering around to the Pint Of Origin (PoO...)venues tasting the best of what the various states have to offer.<br />
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The weekend will heavily feature GABS. I haven't planned any of that yet. Not like some of these mechanical beasts that have structured the week down to a tee. I tip my hat to you guys. I'm not organised enough to execute that.<br />
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I'll probably hit up that giant 30cm burger with Rian at some stage.<br />
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I'll head to a few free events too, it's going to be a wonderful week.<br />
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<b><u>What do I want from Good Beer Week this time around?</u></b><br />
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I just want pure enjoyment. Isn't that what everyone wants in life? Oooh, that marries up really tidily with that quote at the beginning of this post that I made up.<br />
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I also want to meet all the punters. Not all of them. I want to put faces to names of people that I've tweeted to, heard about etcetera and so forth.<br />
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That's why I've gone through this utterly pointless process of telling you what I'll be doing over the week. If you're doing any of the same events that I am, then come and say hello to me. I'll be nice. I promise.<br />
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I know what you're thinking. If I don't know my PoO or GABS schedule then how do I expect you to synchronise any of your schedules with me?<br />
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Valid.<br />
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Let me know when you're going and I'll see if any of it marries up with my schedule. I'll probably tweet my movements anyway. I don't even think you really care, to be honest.<br />
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Alright, well I'm bored now. I think it's time for a pre Good Beer Week beer anyway.<br />
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I'll see you suckers at the Terminus for the launch!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMW_kclRVffYvAcfm8varAR4hgR3-A6PagjdkyGh-IAl2Ogx8rErSYJREOjy-5kRkfwwtV1d-MFJiY-3NptjzVdMznVrdVg9P1B9je6mhRh-4O0UOGALFvUkZ31NHMjosKHEZAOkOVng/s1600/pirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMW_kclRVffYvAcfm8varAR4hgR3-A6PagjdkyGh-IAl2Ogx8rErSYJREOjy-5kRkfwwtV1d-MFJiY-3NptjzVdMznVrdVg9P1B9je6mhRh-4O0UOGALFvUkZ31NHMjosKHEZAOkOVng/s640/pirates.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic Good Beer Week moment featuring James Smith as landlubbin' pirate with two idiots. </td></tr>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-40192945698184968572013-04-08T19:52:00.000+10:002013-04-08T20:13:08.791+10:00Cool Story Brew #1 - The Great London Beer Flood of 1814It's been quite some time since I last put virtual ink to webpaper on this blog, not that I have been short of beer-spiration with the local craft beer scene continuing to flourish much in the same way that, say, Nickelback's credibility doesn't. However, I've felt the need to get back to what my original idea for my contribution to this page, the strange and bizarre of the beer world.<br />
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So with that, and the cobwebs that accompanied my laziness-induced hiatus now out of the way, I offer you the first in a series of strange and bizarre happenings from history, involving... well, beer obviously. (Terrible set up... this is what happens when you don't write for 15 months...) This is the bittersweet tale of a beer, free in both price and spirit, that finally got fed up with fermenting in a large vat and decided it wanted to see the world.... killing eight in the process, (though unofficial reports put the number anywhere upwards of 30.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaIS43cdyre7Bd573KNVAdq-d_7uHSrSNx6MAqOHRGpTV0VvxKUjH_xlZm7rKzyYsHd5IeumKHa1Fg5t_loHgEqIu-OIaCX-o6HQoiJqawhiHWqYlFlbVi31jFVRifRC1ZFWaARmWrHY/s1600/meuxbwy-1830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaIS43cdyre7Bd573KNVAdq-d_7uHSrSNx6MAqOHRGpTV0VvxKUjH_xlZm7rKzyYsHd5IeumKHa1Fg5t_loHgEqIu-OIaCX-o6HQoiJqawhiHWqYlFlbVi31jFVRifRC1ZFWaARmWrHY/s320/meuxbwy-1830.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Meux's Horse Shoe Brewery</div>
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Like many of the mass beer manufacturers of the recent era, Meux's Brewery Co Ltd, the beer-producing cash-cow (or possibly penny-oxen at the time?) of Sir Henry Meux, had made a small fortune buying out smaller breweries in the area and brewing ales on the grandest of scales. From its humble beginnings in 1764, it had risen to be one of London's main suppliers of porter, and had amassed a large collection of local breweries under its wing. One particular brewery under the control of the Meux empire was the Horse Shoe Brewery on Tottenham Court Rd. In 1785, construction began on the company's flagship brewing set-up, a series of massive barrels, the largest of which, designed to hold over 510,000 litres of their best selling porter, the Meux's Nut Brown Ale. So large was this tank, that it required 29 iron hoops to hold this monstrosity together (fabricated reports suggest this was much like what Mama Cass had in her later years),</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUinDH-1jPXOE_zm4FNqWiODND-VgiKoWxvbuuBIApV2fnSAfaphYFF01_CoJxkRFc8LqehFjcQPagcVodSgp-V0SVRZooAN5il-ifEWGPGT62ZVZk7jD_VpLWgMYDn7e_hMK5I1FwbI/s1600/Meux_Nut_Brown.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUinDH-1jPXOE_zm4FNqWiODND-VgiKoWxvbuuBIApV2fnSAfaphYFF01_CoJxkRFc8LqehFjcQPagcVodSgp-V0SVRZooAN5il-ifEWGPGT62ZVZk7jD_VpLWgMYDn7e_hMK5I1FwbI/s1600/Meux_Nut_Brown.png" /></a></div>
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The morning of 17th October 1814 began the same way most did in Georgian London, under a thick cloud of industrialisation. The people went about their business like the fodder of future Dickens novels that they were, or would be. The porter had been fermenting away for months in these giant vats at the old Horse Shoe brewery, which had started to show signs of distress and aging, and, as maintenance was expensive and money was good, had been generally unattended by repairing hands. At around 6pm, the iron hoops gave way with an ear-shattering eruption that was reportedly heard up to 5 miles away. The 510,000-odd litres of beer, glorious beer, crashed down to the brewery floor causing a domino effect in rupturing the other giant vats surrounding the largest. In all, nearly 1,470,000lt of beer (about... *sniff* 2,655,000 pints... *sniff*) smashed through the walls of the brewery and flooded out like a tsunami of porter into Tottenham Court Road and New Street, with waves as high as 15ft bearing down on anybody in it's path.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YW1J7usdMTds-wlQgBQ4oXUtxtV3dK5FwUtrTQ8gs9Ejo1SQ5sRlUJ1-_q4YSNDMggYOjqCg2zsapV-trjZ2Mf2IDNav7v6Reg_IO_cuCtQ9P7LXkccFKBFsccEUQWikmFjJ_NxXObE/s1600/flood_Debut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YW1J7usdMTds-wlQgBQ4oXUtxtV3dK5FwUtrTQ8gs9Ejo1SQ5sRlUJ1-_q4YSNDMggYOjqCg2zsapV-trjZ2Mf2IDNav7v6Reg_IO_cuCtQ9P7LXkccFKBFsccEUQWikmFjJ_NxXObE/s320/flood_Debut.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Somewhat creepy 19th century etching depicting the event. </div>
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The area surrounding the brewery was filled with slum housing primarily for Irish immigrants, many of whom dwelled in the basements of the streets, and as the time of the accident was before most of the working men had arrived home from a long day manually turning the wheels of industry, all eight of those who were officially reported to have died were women and children. Adding further insult to injury and a smattering of irony, the wave of beer also destroyed the local Tavistock Arms, killing 14 year old barmaid Eleanor Cooper. Although many rushed to the aide of the scores of people injured in the flood, many locals began gathering pots and pans, kettles and anything else that could house the beer and began transporting it back to their surviving dwellings. Reports in the local press at the time (after the page 3 girl revealing a bare ankle) told of the workers beginning to arrive home, then great jubilation erupting in the flooded streets as men began swilling the porter and generally 'ladding' about. In early 19th century London, a street full of free beer was something one wouldn't celebrate lightly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwF7vt41vwEvO0atVA7tT4zyLlh3i5hzGTKv3QZZCBZUVLSUjxezTXi9pGPgLgefQ50XB4R6EKFTh94PY4knNGJxVsQM_lTyRMkF56UJdmxw-9aLl5fZSk12vpjqnKSYw-iUjZnMFsDeM/s1600/300px-Beer_flood2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwF7vt41vwEvO0atVA7tT4zyLlh3i5hzGTKv3QZZCBZUVLSUjxezTXi9pGPgLgefQ50XB4R6EKFTh94PY4knNGJxVsQM_lTyRMkF56UJdmxw-9aLl5fZSk12vpjqnKSYw-iUjZnMFsDeM/s1600/300px-Beer_flood2.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Great Beer Flood of London Recreation Society</div>
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during one of their daily re-enactments.</div>
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Of course, the Meux Brewing Co Ltd was hauled before the courts, lawyers were involved, wigs were worn and those hammery things did hammery type duties. Eventually, the whole thing was deemed to be an "Act of God" which was odd, as he was not on the books of the brewery at the time, nor later tried for his actions. Although the whole ordeal did just about bankrupt the Meux company, who lost a modern day equivalent of close to 100 million dollars, but did succeed in becoming the first mass-producing beer manufacturer to flood the market with their product to the detriment of all who suffer it, a tradition that is lovingly carried on today.</div>
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Rianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08797426223758337797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-59914067705030993352013-03-11T22:59:00.002+11:002013-03-11T22:59:49.105+11:00High Country Hijinx – Bridge Road Brewery<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWXGfnWYwHy1IPyiAfnJAoka7kN0HdAgbf1pJ0n9soqySgmTUnGpmUC9urFf3AuQpcTzHaAeuKoXL92SDPP9nPvKnsPy3ZdsYCnT02ohAHYUI7Qqd63gKJpnhyphenhyphenmJqUB56AVgFTAtnRRU/s1600/photo_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWXGfnWYwHy1IPyiAfnJAoka7kN0HdAgbf1pJ0n9soqySgmTUnGpmUC9urFf3AuQpcTzHaAeuKoXL92SDPP9nPvKnsPy3ZdsYCnT02ohAHYUI7Qqd63gKJpnhyphenhyphenmJqUB56AVgFTAtnRRU/s400/photo_14.jpg" width="300" /></a>For a while now Bridge Road has been
one of my favourite Australian breweries, so the fact that I'd never
been up to visit the brewery was a criminal act of the most heinous
variety.
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An unassuming location from it's
facade, but inside it's humble entrance was an oasis.
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Once you're within 30 meters of the
entrance you can smell pizza. Wonderful, mouthwatering pizza. The
aroma only intensifies as you get further inside. It's one of the
best smelling places I've ever been to.
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Second only to the Russian delicatessen
on Koornang Road, but that's another blog altogether.
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It's a long weekend, so the place was
pretty much packed. Any seat would would do us. What's that over
there? An empty four seater? Score!</div>
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Grabbed the first round of beverages
and sat down, basking in the glory of enjoying some of the countries
best beer in their intended environment.
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We could stay here for hours.
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After a few minutes we got asked to leave as
we'd actually wandered into the seats that belonged to the cafe next
door, and they weren't licensed so they did not want to see us in
their seats at all.
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Again, on a seat finding mission we
were lucky enough to get a legitimate four seater almost straight
away.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpb8uzOA7w0u7XnIfCXxQME6nAd810tXapYro1_gei6uwBBxl2A8vKXPth-w4LRVpcq5SSv_57cqd5-LvXYkrM4YQo60sX2hSNctSxwg9ygBcRYFQzOvcw__3JOwM-SvS_MlJ0-HGzenE/s1600/photo_16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpb8uzOA7w0u7XnIfCXxQME6nAd810tXapYro1_gei6uwBBxl2A8vKXPth-w4LRVpcq5SSv_57cqd5-LvXYkrM4YQo60sX2hSNctSxwg9ygBcRYFQzOvcw__3JOwM-SvS_MlJ0-HGzenE/s320/photo_16.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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One of my favourite pale ales, the
Beechworth Pale was tasting spectacularly brewery fresh, while the
newest kid on the block, the WalDo saison was especially popular on
the hot day.
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On the table next to us was a group of
scumbags that I would have ignored had it not been for this upcoming
anecdote.
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It was a hot day, and on the drinks
menu was a cracking solution to hot day. A Robust Porter float with
vanilla bean ice cream. The scumbags at the next table also got the
porter floats when we got them.
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“What the hell is this shit? That's
terrible! What the hell man?!”</div>
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...were the comments coming from the
loudest scumbag from the scumbag table. This piqued my curiosity of
course as the tastes that I was getting was chocolate, coffee and ice
cream. It was gorgeous. One of the better floats that I've had.
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“It tastes like chocolate, coffee and
ice cream or some shit man. That is shit.”</div>
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Another pearl of wisdom from the loud
scumbag.
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He was right though, that's exactly
what it tasted like but it was awesome.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTClYXhOqxKyVbPGPtJrzyuuF3jLAHepl04xSj_0xplFkzQ7YNIWK1lH0qfitTNG1H2blgGWxPOexg1b9YgaQLmMGKWEWMrsLrVXQqC4uAZsrfhofKUdglBwN-mwuGmuw4IwAvmiVyCA/s1600/photo-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTClYXhOqxKyVbPGPtJrzyuuF3jLAHepl04xSj_0xplFkzQ7YNIWK1lH0qfitTNG1H2blgGWxPOexg1b9YgaQLmMGKWEWMrsLrVXQqC4uAZsrfhofKUdglBwN-mwuGmuw4IwAvmiVyCA/s320/photo-6.jpg" width="240" /></a>I was lucky enough to make eye contact
with the loud scumbag as he was delivering his expert analysis of the
beer and said “What's wrong with you?!”.
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It got a laugh from his
co-conspirators, but did not get me any closer to finding out what
was wrong with him.
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A home made pretzel was enjoyed (like,
a lot) and all was well.
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Beechworth is a gold rush town that's
absolutely picturesque and the brewery integrates seamlessly with the
historic appearance of the building and town.
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Bridge Road Brewery has now been ticked
off the list and all feels right with the world.</div>
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I will certainly be back. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_SpWEtm5gDZqTaiS35gxUhJ10fRYcNiyOIQRa9Udw6E7XEl4S9VIGLA2JHwngCgtBs3ws2WWwHoN1G-LPBqTfgvZrb_X2KXH14VDAvIeh6Z_lFF2C6a0n5qi3mdda7BrsdBDmSwM3uc/s1600/photo_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_SpWEtm5gDZqTaiS35gxUhJ10fRYcNiyOIQRa9Udw6E7XEl4S9VIGLA2JHwngCgtBs3ws2WWwHoN1G-LPBqTfgvZrb_X2KXH14VDAvIeh6Z_lFF2C6a0n5qi3mdda7BrsdBDmSwM3uc/s640/photo_15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's customary to take a photo of decals. It's actually enforced by law.</td></tr>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-70809961290348267182013-03-11T22:48:00.001+11:002013-03-11T22:48:37.367+11:00High Country Hijinx – Bright<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikX8Sr77LLOqX8ac732ioeb7S9R62gZlk7RM28j-1atzHnYNNB14pLtoeBtFQlbx1QcwhgVS3x4p7-fZn7zVI6pzwY1xjxEqcOjJu8cXjHG7I4kHOrTSivksv9XzCJOd-_ITRCxV5-Phw/s1600/photo_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikX8Sr77LLOqX8ac732ioeb7S9R62gZlk7RM28j-1atzHnYNNB14pLtoeBtFQlbx1QcwhgVS3x4p7-fZn7zVI6pzwY1xjxEqcOjJu8cXjHG7I4kHOrTSivksv9XzCJOd-_ITRCxV5-Phw/s400/photo_11.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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It takes delicate planning to ensure
that we can enjoy every element of this excursion, having to work out
timings and travel routes for optimal high country enjoyment.
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One situation that required such
planning was the activity flow of Saturday night. We would go to
Bright Brewery to enjoy some lovely ales in the mountains before we
would navigate to Tani Eat & Drink for dinner, before returning
to Bright Brewery for a nightcap. (Or a night-10 gallon hat,
amirite?)</div>
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<br /></div>
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So it turns out that none of this
planning was required because Tani Eat & Drink is about 100m down
the road from the Bright Brewery.
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Sorted.
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Let's have a beer!
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The new brewery/bar looks really good
and offers a spacious environment to enjoy what the brewery has to
offer, but for even more aesthetically pleasing environment, sitting
out the back is where it's at.</div>
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From your table you look out on the
mountain side, in all it's glory. Now that I think of it, I really
should have taken a photo of it because a picture tells a thousand
words and I'm sure as hell not going to write a thousand words
describing a majestic mountain environment. You can probably even
imagine what it would be like without the photo, so I won't go in to
it any further.
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Jeez.
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So, we were here to rekindle the love
for the sweetheart who charmed us all that time ago but then went
MIA. The very same MIA, that it's name is. Strange.
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Clearly there was going to be many a
glass filled with Bright's MIA IPA, but since I haven't had the range
in a really long time, I thought I'd paddle up and get this done.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOlWUtxlef2oTrIPlkGaGIxurKHpOyarTnUY4hHjxcOOrzy57AW8K1IT1tswtGI4slI5eSgbH-cB04tXDKnhifxUP7LEdQAS_IHRFZ236-onnPHZmlcXhCMqHQzphknVXfY0UxiJ28n8/s1600/photo_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOlWUtxlef2oTrIPlkGaGIxurKHpOyarTnUY4hHjxcOOrzy57AW8K1IT1tswtGI4slI5eSgbH-cB04tXDKnhifxUP7LEdQAS_IHRFZ236-onnPHZmlcXhCMqHQzphknVXfY0UxiJ28n8/s320/photo_12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The paddle was a great idea because
it's $12 for six generous samples of their range.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Value and fun.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I'm sure you're dying to know what I
think about everything, so I'll tell you. The Blowhard Pale was
tasting excellent, and far better then I ever remember it being so I
made a mental note to get a pint of that later on. The real star
however, was the Bright Lager. Who am I? When did I become a lager
swilling heathen? Well that's not a fair judgement, you should be
ashamed of yourself.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Bright Lager clean, dry, a little
fruity and it goes down an absolute treat on a warm day, which it
certainly is today.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
As much as I liked the Blowhard I was
alternating between MIA and the lager for the remainder of the
evening.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Not only is there good beer in gorgeous
surroundings, but they have got toys. So if you're sick of talking to
your boring friends there is the oft maligned escape of playing with
some toys.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h1Zlu_deXmA2Cv64uu4ZhMD707fzw0ox-JxsO-gEyoReWrWkmvTEfjL28ADi7VH6NXlbJUsdcVdHPym456BTpB13vrKkbS2MOP8nE9PUIsqxit5RoFxlokALNYguiO0N26_V7Y9a9MA/s1600/photo_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h1Zlu_deXmA2Cv64uu4ZhMD707fzw0ox-JxsO-gEyoReWrWkmvTEfjL28ADi7VH6NXlbJUsdcVdHPym456BTpB13vrKkbS2MOP8nE9PUIsqxit5RoFxlokALNYguiO0N26_V7Y9a9MA/s320/photo_13.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highly controversial Jenga tactics.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Or if you have kids this would be
handy. Yeah, it's probably intended for kids.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The result was a match of Jenga so
rule-bendingly devious that I never want to see Jenga ever again.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Oh, special mention, the Fainters
Dubbel was tasting really good too, but y'know, MIA.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Food time, and we began the arduous
trek to Tani Eat & Drink that we could see from the brewery.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Seconds later, we arrive at Tani.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Good setting, great food.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
$50 for the four course set menu. We
don't mind what we get served, just bring us food four times and be
done with it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I really should have taken photos of
the food. I suck at this.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Highlight course was the chicken with
almonds, cauliflower, warrigal greens with a soy milk sauce.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I hate myself for thinking about it
again because I want it again now. Even though it's 8:35am I would be
all over that chicken.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It should also be noted that Myrtleford
Butter is one of the best products to ever be conceived by humankind.
I'm not sure if it's already a wonder of the world, but it can only
be a matter of time.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhca46B8qNypUHV05LKQfvv9dY93hP9NxOlpElKsmuRmdlspJYcNhd3BdRoA14EYo3wA9t6_lwQHr8Q5-yu8WoAn7QK_f9BxYkr3u3ZinRVYMOMI275CXDUJp10_CfH2AhLPrvyDwAjZJI/s1600/photo-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhca46B8qNypUHV05LKQfvv9dY93hP9NxOlpElKsmuRmdlspJYcNhd3BdRoA14EYo3wA9t6_lwQHr8Q5-yu8WoAn7QK_f9BxYkr3u3ZinRVYMOMI275CXDUJp10_CfH2AhLPrvyDwAjZJI/s320/photo-16.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MIA money shot. I even used an effect on the photo. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Rather than return to the brewery we
were swept up in some kind of festival that included guitars and
classic rock.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I won't bore you with any more details.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
Dave out. </div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-89173112142709798912013-03-11T22:39:00.002+11:002013-03-11T22:39:59.651+11:00High Country Hijinx – ALL THE CHEESE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKouHndyA3RAPl-6-yivo6pKDbnsGiqPaAyn3n5ickB-KWgjVOFHfwgcsdm9p39zoPbeGeoBNvViypW4w4kcRscOVm_mB5ESeBt01E9zphrVsrXRnMREC0BGa4FnHaGpRWJ4PJTfsUUkE/s1600/photo_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKouHndyA3RAPl-6-yivo6pKDbnsGiqPaAyn3n5ickB-KWgjVOFHfwgcsdm9p39zoPbeGeoBNvViypW4w4kcRscOVm_mB5ESeBt01E9zphrVsrXRnMREC0BGa4FnHaGpRWJ4PJTfsUUkE/s640/photo_7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It's quite possible that along the way
the car lost control and we plummeted to our grim deaths, because we
found ourselves at the the Pearly Gates of heaven.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Locals call it the Milawa Cheese
Factory.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Cheese tasting? Don't mind if I do.
Don't mind if I do a lot.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I'm not going to bore you with my
uneducated thoughts on each cheese that we had but it's safe to say
that they were all divine.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNzAukhXfXl4NGCPBoInT6tzDN__D-tdFsu8Qf0BBbx28jgTGv-7rrectPsFG4WlMQm9Z7qk1C-59p5893BdtWEfahtXBkDcjmzs-R6j_agLtw1qZa9SAgZzYWMHq4AbnoHeAVjXfBrw/s1600/photo_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNzAukhXfXl4NGCPBoInT6tzDN__D-tdFsu8Qf0BBbx28jgTGv-7rrectPsFG4WlMQm9Z7qk1C-59p5893BdtWEfahtXBkDcjmzs-R6j_agLtw1qZa9SAgZzYWMHq4AbnoHeAVjXfBrw/s320/photo_6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Highlights for me were the Milawa Blue,
a very mild gorgonzola and the Markwood five year old mature cheddar.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Milawa Cheese Factory have some
local brewed beers and of course, locally made wine. Enjoyed on the
day was a large cheese platter and some local chardonnay.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Pro tip of the day is to pick up the
special deal of the $5 Milawa Camembert wheel, which was tasting
sensational.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Also available are a number of cured
meats and artisanal breads.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Definitely worth stopping in if you're
in the area.
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">There's no room in the post for more photos, so I figured I'd just tack on some more gratuitous cheese shots. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJC8-8lBaCO6AdgoaNplXx1JBG9ApRj3Z7N1ZrRuaOVIe6eaqwZOVrpfBIPQ6IKuVmxjcye3ROy_DunoozKGFuoiiX1cY6fTqHkVS1ThC1YxgG9hruV8lE2fiSZS1mWBq1P4rYbFhjOoE/s1600/photo_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJC8-8lBaCO6AdgoaNplXx1JBG9ApRj3Z7N1ZrRuaOVIe6eaqwZOVrpfBIPQ6IKuVmxjcye3ROy_DunoozKGFuoiiX1cY6fTqHkVS1ThC1YxgG9hruV8lE2fiSZS1mWBq1P4rYbFhjOoE/s400/photo_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauyM4OIlTpTQ5qD5SaNWIM_2xwVwQTaGTub1b1QSEo5DmuUZ-DwtPJzW-DneQGAKeHQWO3fCQxBkBFrnSRq2HsBwN0NRTl8l9C_ppRPeGHicSjGLn1ztnXoZMUnAifSuwkO1KGtllpqs/s1600/photo_9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauyM4OIlTpTQ5qD5SaNWIM_2xwVwQTaGTub1b1QSEo5DmuUZ-DwtPJzW-DneQGAKeHQWO3fCQxBkBFrnSRq2HsBwN0NRTl8l9C_ppRPeGHicSjGLn1ztnXoZMUnAifSuwkO1KGtllpqs/s400/photo_9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlrycqbCseIw1aXFxe6IelA1EHbDuGTBRAGCZIZUeprLToS_XbeUfkiSHF63rYymdTBqPpqgj6r_tGutMpyvBTZtYMgIQl6hPQLRJLv4nN2qX6mqSpg7zNi1H_WewBBtMoa9MzgwU90g/s1600/photo_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlrycqbCseIw1aXFxe6IelA1EHbDuGTBRAGCZIZUeprLToS_XbeUfkiSHF63rYymdTBqPpqgj6r_tGutMpyvBTZtYMgIQl6hPQLRJLv4nN2qX6mqSpg7zNi1H_WewBBtMoa9MzgwU90g/s400/photo_8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-19683317093778739342013-03-11T22:30:00.000+11:002013-03-11T22:30:03.125+11:00High Country Hijinx – Taminick Cellars<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEWQwzdilRh7Bf3itlz3apejRSq0holQuyIIYYGcG-p8EZ7fZqpqJYbO5SQ2f_XClhCFwY9VO2rDqMO3DlC2WQZggCoQqLCI7THEExLTcYhP0r111UVv0iek83LnF_iErzLY7F5gOZLk/s1600/photo_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEWQwzdilRh7Bf3itlz3apejRSq0holQuyIIYYGcG-p8EZ7fZqpqJYbO5SQ2f_XClhCFwY9VO2rDqMO3DlC2WQZggCoQqLCI7THEExLTcYhP0r111UVv0iek83LnF_iErzLY7F5gOZLk/s640/photo_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
First cab off the rank for our little
jaunt was Taminick Cellars, slightly off the beaten path from
Glenrowan and in a beautiful country surrounding. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It's a gorgeous little building among
the vines which is abuzz at the current stage due to it being the
middle of the vintage season for the winemakers who also happen to be
the beer makers.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw1gtGBLFvYxT0k0xQfUfjRLIwqExPJ5sZe9x0fqNsLpr69Z1eP8d7s18i-E1SrHK_ltpYGRJclYS26FAdBl0MPUcopAaSYRlJurTsWKckXSu3iVmrSM3NxZpt_7_MMjpAYBjC9DOCQk/s1600/photo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw1gtGBLFvYxT0k0xQfUfjRLIwqExPJ5sZe9x0fqNsLpr69Z1eP8d7s18i-E1SrHK_ltpYGRJclYS26FAdBl0MPUcopAaSYRlJurTsWKckXSu3iVmrSM3NxZpt_7_MMjpAYBjC9DOCQk/s320/photo_2.jpg" width="320" /></a>There was a wine paired lunch in
progress when we arrived, about 30 people enjoying what looked like
some delicious meals and I kind of wished I was staying for the meal.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
However, we were here for a purpose so
we organised some tasters of the range that was on offer at the
current stage.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Lazy Dog Ale was tasting really
refreshing with a good bitterness and the warm weather of the day
made this a very popular choice of the day.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Howling Pale was fantastic. Fresh
and hoppy, this is he best that I've tasted it and this is likely due
to being extremely fresh. A cracking pale ale that I'll be delighted
to see it get some larger distribution once head brewer James gets
his new 10HL brewery set up.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZaZA5WUA3Tjz88iYJIx1sLPh5P5gbOTEyOBInbBYp-fL4xWQkq8CQDAgi_SOT49GRFYsfc2Xf_BZZ2rBdpXJoXGkl99yLeApglZPHR5KKgF-5U4TgQXb4tpXj1eO59d5p2i_z-XM_0U/s1600/photo_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZaZA5WUA3Tjz88iYJIx1sLPh5P5gbOTEyOBInbBYp-fL4xWQkq8CQDAgi_SOT49GRFYsfc2Xf_BZZ2rBdpXJoXGkl99yLeApglZPHR5KKgF-5U4TgQXb4tpXj1eO59d5p2i_z-XM_0U/s200/photo_4.jpg" width="200" /></a>The star of the show was the Dead Dog
Stout that was being poured through the hand pump. Delightfully
smooth with the dominance of coffee roast asserting itself to created
a smooth as silk stout. Not at all weather appropriate for this one,
but this was not an issue for us because it was delicious.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Back to business, we're hittin' the
road.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd0VHqnv8bfmlmLm82ax1sfLqpLxUCmFQlSe9BUAODl9i4jBDaQe6l4z0jD86MUohUMzs2lH0EyiOgvj_-cffmOdrqFbsSFKR0j2-bjkaCPLxXeEAPsDDTkm1UBq_ytEokRmmY5auL74/s1600/photo_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd0VHqnv8bfmlmLm82ax1sfLqpLxUCmFQlSe9BUAODl9i4jBDaQe6l4z0jD86MUohUMzs2lH0EyiOgvj_-cffmOdrqFbsSFKR0j2-bjkaCPLxXeEAPsDDTkm1UBq_ytEokRmmY5auL74/s400/photo_5.jpg" width="400" /></a>I think it's cheese time. <br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-85982884562865241322013-03-11T22:20:00.003+11:002013-03-11T22:20:59.458+11:00High Country Hijinx – Prologue<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hiUBjj4DkVn33Re8JGeE7V1wpMpXQdIRCmt3GCJVF4PkGtju5tZKeAibsxv73VV6ls0goSbo0Y6ilCWLfVXQeK_E_uIwURJqDKuEhl7XQSp_aiW2NOSenvxGiEGHfjYQi3BrHB1MFlE/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hiUBjj4DkVn33Re8JGeE7V1wpMpXQdIRCmt3GCJVF4PkGtju5tZKeAibsxv73VV6ls0goSbo0Y6ilCWLfVXQeK_E_uIwURJqDKuEhl7XQSp_aiW2NOSenvxGiEGHfjYQi3BrHB1MFlE/s320/photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trusty chariot that delivered and returned us safely</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This is a story about adventure,
mystery, travel, corporate espionage, and self discovery.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A young girl's strange erotic journey
from Milan to Minsk.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Rochelle, Rochelle reference.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
That's a reference to a movie that
exists within a TV show. Pretty sharp.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Three young men*, three days, a lease
car that requires some kilometres to be traveled and a world in the
north country of Victoria that is rich with high quality food and
some of the countries finest breweries.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
*The three afremonetioned men aren't
even that young really. In fact, the term 'men' is being used
liberally to be honest. Three males. I'll refer to us as 'three
males' from now on to avoid any challenges to facts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHOHt7OejakMvdS7DswXKdLC1l2cdjY3KKlLryJD5dgDg1PwNg6ylk6yk5AX6meFC-IHkrPOXtwsURkzHsvhX_sSoKMUwOgybdFkvU0Nm9GH5zebNUN6L1VO-lTTrC3pRIBlat_IBgOI/s1600/photo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHOHt7OejakMvdS7DswXKdLC1l2cdjY3KKlLryJD5dgDg1PwNg6ylk6yk5AX6meFC-IHkrPOXtwsURkzHsvhX_sSoKMUwOgybdFkvU0Nm9GH5zebNUN6L1VO-lTTrC3pRIBlat_IBgOI/s320/photo_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, some mountains. This photo isn't as good as I first thought.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now that we've cleared that up, where
does one begin?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I don't know, we'll figure it out as we
go.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I'm writing this as we're driving, by
the way, I don't want to you thinking that the above statement was an
awfully fake flippancy, inserted in after I know the sequence of
events that occured to create some sort of carefree image.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Ugh, this is a dreadful post so far.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Anyway.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Accompanying us as we hit the open road
were Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, Jimmy
Page and a few others who proved very helpful in creating a road trip
environment of cranking magnitude.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
We're away. We're on the road. There
will be more when we hit our first activity of note.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Dave out. </div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-78985391384569848402013-03-01T08:48:00.000+11:002013-03-01T09:17:15.229+11:00The Session #73: Beer Audit<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kjRqgAnG3krWFm1agCcq1SrVih3KOdm3i1a4MiLGVa-UDsEJ34X67HqhW-j3ToXEWDe8hjSVyHHThdzJghmBhwkmVY_YbHRb7th7fjULmh6q358tifLg3matT2oNrX34qA1HjOe7fSA/s1600/the+session.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kjRqgAnG3krWFm1agCcq1SrVih3KOdm3i1a4MiLGVa-UDsEJ34X67HqhW-j3ToXEWDe8hjSVyHHThdzJghmBhwkmVY_YbHRb7th7fjULmh6q358tifLg3matT2oNrX34qA1HjOe7fSA/s320/the+session.jpg" width="263" /></a>A fitting way to begin my regular (hopefully, really hopefully) contribution to The Session.<br />
<br />
The beer cellar is a strange and beautiful beast and it's one that's particularly enjoyable, albeit impossible to tame.<br />
<br />
I'm a good collector of beer. I've got good willpower to not drink something special that will benefit from some time to gather it's thoughts, though to be honest my cellar has a closing door so very often it's 'out of sight, out of mind'. And there I was, telling you how good my willpower was.<br />
<br />
You saw through that, I know.<br />
<br />
But in truth I definitely buy more beer than I drink, and this has resulted in a fairly substantial collection of ales that is just sitting there. Waiting. Glorifying themselves.<br />
<br />
It's something that I've done deliberately. I thought the idea of squirrelling away some beers that were conducive to ageing would be something that I could do (given the aforementioned willpower that you didn't believe for a second...) and something that would be cool once I'd got something established.<br />
<br />
I mean, who among you wouldn't want to be able to go to your stash at any given time and pull out a big barleywine or Belgian quad that has 3 years behind it?<br />
<br />
I defy you to say you don't think that would be cool. Defy.<br />
<br />
So for a little while I was buying beer with the express intention of targeting beers that would cellar well, and obviously this meant I was buying beer that I knew I wouldn't be drinking and given that a lot of them were a high ABV, I was handing over a lot of coin too.<br />
<br />
I didn't mind this so much because I knew that my little project of padding out a cellar was getting some solid inclusions during this period.<br />
<br />
It was an investment.*<br />
<br />
Now here's where some of the questions arise.<br />
<br />
What event is worthy of selecting a cellared beer to enjoy? How the hell can I enjoy a cellared beer in the summer months when everything is over 8% ABV and RIS and barleywines? Who will enjoy these beers with me, as most of them are large bottles? Why the hell do I do this?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Fx93RcZOBWq44oukbYz7s44eRmRLEzQ9ZxixL4nckocmn4GnIgePLVlrpLkWUpvzZD8lt01YXRDrmddoFfWbc-BIO4s-QdhthW_amR7M2CyT55YAmoetx48vk5SKqu8U8pSh8ij0Mw/s1600/cellar+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Fx93RcZOBWq44oukbYz7s44eRmRLEzQ9ZxixL4nckocmn4GnIgePLVlrpLkWUpvzZD8lt01YXRDrmddoFfWbc-BIO4s-QdhthW_amR7M2CyT55YAmoetx48vk5SKqu8U8pSh8ij0Mw/s320/cellar+1.jpg" width="240" /></a>Well these are all questions that have plagued me.<br />
<br />
And then another phenomenon occurs. It occurs frequently actually.<br />
<br />
It's Friday night and I decide I'll have a beer. It's been a tough week, I need something to quench my thirst. I need a pale ale, or an IPA, or a pilsner.<br />
<br />
So I walk away from the 150+ beers that I have in my house and I go and buy more beer.<br />
<br />
I walk away and I buy 'beer for drinking'.<br />
<br />
The fact that I do this and use that term is a little bit mental. And I know that. I really do.<br />
<br />
But I'm not going to stop. I like it.<br />
<br />
There's also the issue of FOMO (fear of missing out).<br />
<br />
If a new beer comes out I want it. If it seems like it will age well I want three. If it's limited release WHERE'S MY CREDIT CARD?<br />
<br />
Even after all these negative elements go through my head rationally, I don't care.<br />
<br />
It is awesome to be able to grab something that hasn't been available for two years, or grab that RIS that is three or four years old and is now tasting mind blowing.<br />
<br />
A few times a year I'll go through them to see what I have, usually reshuffling because I've run out of room, but this is a pretty fun time to take stock of what I have. Sometimes I find beers that I forgot I picked up in the first place and this gives me some renewed enthusiasm for that beer, and I'm not ashamed to tell you that once I catalogued my cellar in an Excel spreadsheet.<br />
<br />
It was quickly forgotten about because aside from it constantly having items come in a go out, it was utterly pointless and not useful at all.<br />
<br />
If I could take back the thirty or so minutes it took me to compile that spreadsheet, I would.<br />
<br />
Ultimately it's totally worth it for the very reason that I started it in the first place. I have a collection of amazing beers that are getting better, and at any given moment I can go and drink something that's really quite exceptional.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Vive la bier!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*This is obviously rich with irony. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-34714605938431068822013-01-15T23:36:00.000+11:002013-01-15T23:38:55.382+11:00Hottest 100<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbRYjWwxi92pdHJtTfP6oldjwZZr76jDOuZgNG0saNw7KiyveK0kWAdczAHfBJI3184iiuOAtREluIerocJ0oveNl1RxhHy7ClvBLZTRPE6YTkap4zy58JAJjOdfliHSJ6Thd4WKyDbI/s1600/hottest100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbRYjWwxi92pdHJtTfP6oldjwZZr76jDOuZgNG0saNw7KiyveK0kWAdczAHfBJI3184iiuOAtREluIerocJ0oveNl1RxhHy7ClvBLZTRPE6YTkap4zy58JAJjOdfliHSJ6Thd4WKyDbI/s400/hottest100.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Christmas is gone.<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
New Years has passed. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Easter is a long way off (unless you're in a supermarket and want easter eggs...).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We're already a couple of weeks into January which seems scary, but there's no need for concern. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Local Taphouse Hottest 100 is nearly upon us again and this is going to be the most exciting countdown yet, as it's been an extraordinary year in Australian beer and there has been more great releases from more breweries than ever before. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I figured I would tap out a few words about some of the beers that have stood out to me this year. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll mention my top five as it seems to be mandatory for these Hottest 100 posts, but I'd much rather just have a bit of a discussion about a larger group of beers that deserve to be at the pointy end of the countdown. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Without further ado;</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>1. Red Duck - Hop Bach. </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Gorgeous, malty double IPA that tasted as luxurious as the description suggested. Big and bold, but with the balance of a Russian gymnast. (<-- the ones that actually represent Russia, not the cast off ones that represent all the other countries.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2. La Sirene - Wild Saison.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Come on, don't even need to say anything here. The class of the saison but with that funk that don't quit. I'd love to see an even wilder version someday.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>3. Moon Dog - Perverse Sexual Amalgam.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Black. Sour. Cherries. Funk. Layers. These five words have already made me want to go to the fridge and get another one. Just so good. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>4. Mornington Peninsula Brewery - Imperial IPA.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Every beer that comes out of this brewery is a belter and this is the king. It's what an imperial IPA should be and is already a perennial favourite among the beer geeks. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>5. Feral - Watermelon Warhead.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
How often would people scramble to participating venues to drain kegs of a beer that is 2.9%? That's a testament to how enjoyable this beer is. It was still a resounding favourite during GABS when it was well below 2% ABV. Just a great beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's my top 5 out of the way, so now I feel better and more relaxed. I'm sure most of you didn't really care what I thought my top 5 was, but I'm much more interested in talking about some of the beers that would be on the fringe or may not have been thought about. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It seems that a lot of the beer geeks out there have evolved in their selection criteria from including the "Wow!" beers they have tasted during the year and have gone with the reliable beers that they have enjoyed regularly all year. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some have applied rules such as only including one beer from any given brewery. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All pretty good formulas. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll share a couple of thoughts with you about how I think this years Hottest 100 may unfold.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRG8qa8a4qV4N2kqzByYs7tj41aTSyp06sANyhxC5F-Z9shMab1JQkLZ5ARRMARZiPdOvgInka8KxPNEPVkF4oq4Y_addcmppg-SzeO7iqlGQzJ_ptqAlivODDB_4bNlQ_YlVg67ierHs/s1600/taphouse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRG8qa8a4qV4N2kqzByYs7tj41aTSyp06sANyhxC5F-Z9shMab1JQkLZ5ARRMARZiPdOvgInka8KxPNEPVkF4oq4Y_addcmppg-SzeO7iqlGQzJ_ptqAlivODDB_4bNlQ_YlVg67ierHs/s400/taphouse2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Favourites for the top 10. </span></b></u></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Stone & Wood - Pacific Ale</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Pretty much a lock for top two. Becoming synonymous with Australian beer and the first one I think of when I want a summer beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Little Creatures - Pale Ale.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Despite the sell off I still think this will get a ton of votes as a solid pale ale that's available country wide. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Feral - Hop Hog.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Say no more. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Vale - IPA. </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The best beer to come out of this brewery, multiplied by their marketing focus equals votes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Kooinda - Black IPA.</b> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Gorgeous, roasty black IPA will surely breach the top 10. It did last year and more people will have tasted it after 12 more months. I don't know anyone who doesn't like this beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Temple - Midnight IPA. </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Another black IPA but another belter. So close to being in my top 5, this will surely get plenty of votes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think these will clog the top end of the list and deservedly so. I really think the Kooi BIPA and the Midnight will feature heavily in the votes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Even if you're a pure beer geek and you'd love the list to be filled with the awesome, avant garde beers that you've loved over the year, this is a popularity contest so it won't happen. I mean, face it, Ra #2 is not going to be on the list. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Next predictions. The beers I think that will shoot up the list from last year. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bolters. </span></u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Cavalier - Pale Ale. </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When the Cavalier Pale came in at number 72 last year I made the prediction then that this beer would feature a lot higher when this year's countdown and I stand by it. Brilliant pale ale that will sure get the love this year. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Bridge Road Brewers - Beechworth Pale. </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last year this came in at 65. What the hell!? How is that science? Surely this beer deserves to get in a lot higher than this. Even if the distribution is mainly in Victoria it's got to get in higher than 65. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mornington Peninsula - IPA.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was around last year and it was good last year. It came in at 91. 12 months on, god knows how many pints of this beer have been poured and the reputation has only grown. Let me make a sweeping prediction. Top 40 perhaps?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now which breweries do we think will feature the most? Breweries are releasing so many different beers these days, like Scott at Red Duck. 32 unique beers released or something? He's planning 50 for 2013? He didn't even feature in the 2012 list! Madness. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Alright, here are the breweries that I think may get several mentions. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hoarders. </span></b></u></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mornington Peninsula Brewery. </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A.G is missing something in his brewing arsenal. He doesn't know how to make a bad beer. Everything that comes out of that brewery is excellent and they could find themselves with several entries in the countdown.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Murray's Brewing Company.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A constant stream of quality from Bob's Farm. The series of stouts, Spartacus, Punk Monk, Icon. The list goes on. So much good beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Temple Brewing Company.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If there is any Victorian bias at all then surely we'll see a few Temple beers on the list this year. Midnight will be there. Scarlet Sour should. Saison and Pale have tough competition but really deserve to be there. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There's no real category for these next beers but they just deserve a special mention for being incredible beers in the year 2012. They probably all could have been in my top five but they all can't make it. Whittling down a list to 5 was nigh on impossible. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<div>
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Special mentions.</span></u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Doctor's Orders Brewing - Prescription 12.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So good. Time stopped from the first sip to the bottom of the pint. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>La Sirene - Saison.</b> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This would have been in the top 5 if it hadn't been for their Wild Saison. These guys clearly know the nuances of making farmhouse style beers. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mornington Peninsula Brewery - Russian Imperial Stout.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Chocolatey, roasty, bitter, balanced. Great beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Moon Dog/Yeastie Boys - 7 P's. </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So many elements that you wouldn't necessarily put together, but oh my does it work. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Red Hill - Hop Harvest.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe I'm biased, but I had this at the brewery on the handpump on a wonderful afternoon and it was glorious. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Mountain Goat/Mikkeller - Gypsy and the Goat.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Big black IPA, pepperberries ever present, this was a brilliant beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Red Hill - Saison.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
New offering from Red Hill this year was a beautiful version of this farmhouse style. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Alright, I won't bore you any further. I can't wait for the countdown to see which of my predictions succeed or fail miserably, and see which new beers crack the list. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
Let's enjoy the day and celebrate the best year we've had in Australian beer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Signing off, comrades.</div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-8668141894619666682012-11-20T22:10:00.001+11:002012-11-28T15:25:46.286+11:00Movembeer<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGF6NeJQOIVaXlDwNxuDiCXxMKGFksq0e_Cehp-f7Rpodxzk1xhan3wYmePJSTO3xGPs7Nn2pnsKsDSLmk-Q9uVe7u-VUDzqPNyU3_LURjoBABXF-gP48ZdOmQ36SAz_aY4YtaB-L1CU/s1600/7cent_black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGF6NeJQOIVaXlDwNxuDiCXxMKGFksq0e_Cehp-f7Rpodxzk1xhan3wYmePJSTO3xGPs7Nn2pnsKsDSLmk-Q9uVe7u-VUDzqPNyU3_LURjoBABXF-gP48ZdOmQ36SAz_aY4YtaB-L1CU/s320/7cent_black.jpg" width="303" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Movembeer. </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It definitely sounds like
one of the silly words that I would make up, but this time there is
something much more fun attached to it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Movember is becoming more and more
popular and is doing a good job raising awareness for men's health
issues. It's also allowing men like me to look ridiculous for a month
under the guise of charity.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adding to the charity this year we have
Penny Blue hosting a Movember party to close out the month, and there
will be a beer brewed especially for it.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 Cent brewery are an up and coming
brewery that we'll expect to see more in the near future, but for now
we'll be treated to a Belgian Dark Strong Ale to enjoy on the 30<sup>th</sup>
of November.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not just a 9.0% ABV manly beer to
celebrate the closure of this charitable month, but it will be poured
through the Penny Blue handpumps providing some sensual, smooth ale.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Details!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSL8-Kl29kPE1gnM5Ih5NXEIxJ3Dxya4mpxpNjRzWYwskHF1xVfX2mualM5CtaqWLlRXOyrZkiIDSkEUn4RyE-BlbkP6BgdXnOv4-kSMhsI0huGH631NBlcIg2_x4ArkqsybNRH2cWy0/s1600/Movembeer+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSL8-Kl29kPE1gnM5Ih5NXEIxJ3Dxya4mpxpNjRzWYwskHF1xVfX2mualM5CtaqWLlRXOyrZkiIDSkEUn4RyE-BlbkP6BgdXnOv4-kSMhsI0huGH631NBlcIg2_x4ArkqsybNRH2cWy0/s640/Movembeer+Poster.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'd love to see the hirsute brotherhood come out in force and celebrate the end of the month of
moustaches, and enjoy a lovely exclusive beer to mark the occasion.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'd love to see everyone there really
so bring your brothers, wives, mothers, children (overage children of
course....), friends, girlfriends. You get it. Everyone is welcome.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You never know, you might be crowned
the Man or the Miss of Movember and what does that mean??</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prizes! Prizes of a currently
undisclosed nature, which are the best kind.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See you there. </span></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-75568856591650454872012-10-25T20:26:00.003+11:002012-11-28T15:24:35.378+11:00Detoxtober<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">You can probably guess most of the
content of this post from the title. It's a bit whingey and whiney.
Oh, 'whingey' and 'whiney' are very similar words. Similar meanings
too.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But read on only if you're prepared to
wade through the complaints.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's October. The ending of the
bitterly cold days and the introduction of the warm, sunny ones.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Starting to get to those afternoons
that are perfect to crack a cold beer and enjoy.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But I've decided that I would not take
part in that just yet. I thought I'd take a month to detox myself. A
sabbatical from all things unhealthy. A decision to lead a more
healthy lifestyle in general, starting with 31 days of sacrifice and
effort to establish some ground work.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Removing beer from my schedule for a
month is not a daunting task for me. A stubborn nature and stoic
pride give me the idea that this won't be a challenge.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This made me want to add an element of
sacrifice to this little exercise, so I decided to make it during
October because I know that this tenth month holds some enjoyable
activities would would be a shame to miss.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Not much happening in August, too much
happening in December.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">October it is. Or...... Detoxtober.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I don't like the name “Octsober”.
It's usually used by the kinds of people that I wouldn't care to
associate with. Oooh, he's precious, I bet you're thinking. Well it's
just what I've observed thus far.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">“Octsober” also suggests that it's
purely giving up the drink for a month, but I've tried to make a much
more rounded and balanced effort to better health.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So, Detoxtober. It doesn't exactly roll
off the tongue. Don't worry about it. Not important.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpeP9pg_jK2si0kcu-Z72_ZJWyr1aml0_mT02sHINyGVtuDQ-U4RG2OsAL6dIW7drNrdyc-I96MRE_qb9SoXT2Zctlkp_n6evs1L-_yrfv7kFWGM6w8jeD0PIdYEorjia6dZwoi33cVw/s1600/detox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpeP9pg_jK2si0kcu-Z72_ZJWyr1aml0_mT02sHINyGVtuDQ-U4RG2OsAL6dIW7drNrdyc-I96MRE_qb9SoXT2Zctlkp_n6evs1L-_yrfv7kFWGM6w8jeD0PIdYEorjia6dZwoi33cVw/s320/detox.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Struggling to think of relevant pictures for this post...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I already eat quite well so there
hasn't been a great deal of diet change. Maybe a bit more fish and
raw vegetables added. A more active lifestyle is what's required.
Jogging is going from an irregular folly to a more habitual activity,
the punching bag is getting a bit of work put in to it.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Another related event that led to me to
this month of good health was triggered by a trip in to Bentleigh for
some breakfast and a coffee. It was a sunny Sunday morning and I had
a hankering for cafe Bent's homemade baked beans served with poached
eggs. Delish.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I got in the car and headed down the
back streets along the railway line toward Bentleigh. Nightmare.
Quiet backstreets in gridlock. I'd not realised that this particular
sunny Sunday was market day at Bentleigh. Mayhem.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sat in my car waiting for traffic to
pass in a short trip made me frustrated. I shouldn't have to drive
these short distances. Decision made. The bike was to get reinstated
as the method of transport for shorter distances.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jogging, biking and throwing punches at
a hanging bag. That's a good start at establishing some more
activity.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The next challenge was going to be
resisting the fun elements and events that October would bring.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The month got off to a flyer, too.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The first weekend of the month saw
Chapel Street Cellars host a bonanza clearance sale. This was a minor
challenge, because after some immediate panic at an opportunity
missed I realised there was nothing stopping me attending and picking
up some goodies to enjoy come November.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Crisis averted.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I did stock up on some lovely beers
including a swag of Moon Dog's Perverse Sexual Amalgam at a knockdown
price. A case of Thornbridge's Jaipur IPA was also snapped up, so
early on in my month I had an army of delicious IPAs greeting me
whenever I wandered past my beer shelves.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">That same weekend I found out that
Slowbeer still had some bottles of Red Duck's collaboration with
Anders Kissmeyer. My favourite beer of the year so far. So joining
the army of Jaipurs and collection of PSAs is three Hop Bachs. Quite
the gallery watching my performance.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The first weekend of the month also
brought about the time that an APA that I have brewed would be ready
to drink and it tasted excellent out of the fermenter as I was
bottling it, so my anticipation was already high and now there would
be 31 more days to wait.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8b9ObG0DNuU61T18h00Rv7tSdZ5EH84ArXxIH9dB3iYlL7mw4PnM-YpHxKypxloRl1BFtLBaJAluAowtz26y7uEs0de2uCc1nmb2ki3qk0HmAtTs19zCV3eLgWvWHzOCl62icSdTYqE/s1600/hightail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8b9ObG0DNuU61T18h00Rv7tSdZ5EH84ArXxIH9dB3iYlL7mw4PnM-YpHxKypxloRl1BFtLBaJAluAowtz26y7uEs0de2uCc1nmb2ki3qk0HmAtTs19zCV3eLgWvWHzOCl62icSdTYqE/s320/hightail.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh, this is kind of relevant!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Next up we have Mountain Goat's 15<sup>th</sup>
birthday. Now I love the Double Hightail so the idea of a Triple
Hightail was mouth watering! The birthday launch at the Great Britain
Hotel would have been wonderful to attend, but alas I was probably
doing something wonderful like washing dishes or mopping the floor.
Rock 'n roll, son.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Holgate launch of their new 500ml
seasonal range occurred at Slowbeer and they had The Empress on tap.
The Empress. I mean, this was probably the biggest tempter of the
month.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One little gem that was coined and
established by James and Jenn Davidson was a novel themed day.
October 21. Brown Ale Day. A day to celebrate the oft forgotten and
misunderstood style, the Brown Ale. I was active spruiking this idea
and would have liked to have participated. Watch this space. Brown
Ale Day 2013 will be a bigger day. A group of beer lovers gathered
together to enjoy some fine brown ales, some delicious food which
recipes include brown ale, a tasting of some home brewed brown ale
and so forth.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It will be fun, just you wait and see.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The biggest event that October brings
is the one I had in mind in the beginning of my sabbatical as my
biggest sacrifice. The Victorian Microbrewery Showcase at Fed Square.
Always a cracking event. A great chance to mingle with all the
personalities of our great little community and to sample the wide
and ever increasing gamut of beers being produced in this state.
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So 25 days in to the month and I'm
feeling great. Not really struggling with anything, and I haven't
felt as healthy in a long time. I'm really happy that I've made this
decision and adhered to it because I do honestly think it's a
launching pad to a more healthy lifestyle in general.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMLcR0lJQEvvK5r22tGJGPs7RszEEFp3ymcnSZBhSVLZL_ZQId77PILyMla_EfcZx7KQxnjjzAKmkaC27qNQVsavJ9W6KswT3pRvbCnTZkMyqidEyn9AtqOTr-LWjB5PhAi0I0Id5Oqs/s1600/pirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMLcR0lJQEvvK5r22tGJGPs7RszEEFp3ymcnSZBhSVLZL_ZQId77PILyMla_EfcZx7KQxnjjzAKmkaC27qNQVsavJ9W6KswT3pRvbCnTZkMyqidEyn9AtqOTr-LWjB5PhAi0I0Id5Oqs/s400/pirates.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This isn't relevant, but who doesn't want to see Crafty and two idiots dressed as pirates?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">November 1 is just a week away and I
won't pretend that I'm not looking forward to a lovely Hop Bach and a
Jaipur or two.
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Now I can't imagine that anyone is
still reading this post now so I'll finish on some nonsense that's
completely unrelated.
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Beethoven, Beethoven, chocolate
milkshake, Nova Scotia.
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you know the correct answer, send
your entries to Locked Bag 7002, Sydney, NSW, 2000.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Once it's sent in don't forget to put
you head in hands as part of the realisation that you have wasted your time.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Signing off. </span></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-51116795080407214492012-07-21T18:31:00.000+10:002012-11-28T15:20:35.794+11:0050 Shades Of Grey<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I feel like I really should preface this post by making it crystal clear that these will be my thoughts on grey importing. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0siEKpTIIDeWCGN3dvJAJpkkWdMI4LrUs21cwvSRqrYEsrq43D1LWxFB7ek-zHW6wIOjsSD_En99YrP6p8Fnw0UkEL7ab6eRpcJCsuw_ZwB9PmGWkV8PYV1LbKw1Ko1MIVFYel0O0s4/s1600/import.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0siEKpTIIDeWCGN3dvJAJpkkWdMI4LrUs21cwvSRqrYEsrq43D1LWxFB7ek-zHW6wIOjsSD_En99YrP6p8Fnw0UkEL7ab6eRpcJCsuw_ZwB9PmGWkV8PYV1LbKw1Ko1MIVFYel0O0s4/s320/import.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stock photo from "grey import" Google image search</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sorry to the menopausal women that have navigated here in error. Though, the name of the blog should have made you suspicious in the first place. No matter. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’ll give a brief outline of what “grey importing” is although now that I think of it anyone who has the inclination of reading this will most likely be well versed on what grey importing is, and what the implications are. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But maybe my mum will read it, or maybe the erotic fiction fans who haven’t worked out that this post isn’t for them have persevered.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Grey importing in the beer market is the same as grey importing in any other market, whereby legal goods are sold outside normal distribution channels by companies which may have no relationship with the producer of the goods. Thanks to Wikipedia for the tight definition...</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">There we go Mum! Hi! Yes, I’m eating well. We’ll discuss it another time. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So that all sounds pretty dodgy, right?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If the goods are not being obtained via regular distribution channels then how do we know that fair prices are being applied to these products? How do we know how much the retailers are tacking on as a mark up?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Specifically in the craft beer market it’s a touchy subject. The cogs in the craft beer machine are an honest bunch. And honesty is also what they demand.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A good example of this is the contract brewing debate that has, and continues to rage in the scene. What I have made of it is not that we don’t like contract brewing, we just don’t like people being dishonest about contract brewing and this kind of snowballed into a general distrust of contract brewing. Don’t even say the C word. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In reality, contract brewing is a sensible way for new and developing breweries to grow without having to mortgage houses and harvest organs to purchase their own expensive breweries. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What’s so bad about grey importing then?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">With such a miniscule percentage of the beer market share, craft brewers live and die by their product. Through their nominated distribution channels they can control how the beer is handled to ensure that it reaches the end customer in the desired condition. So if a distribution channel with no relationship to the brewer gets their beers, there is no way to see how it’s being treated along the way. You see where the conflict is here. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One of the vocal protesters of grey importing is Greg Koch from Stone Brewing Company in California. Australian Brews News spoke with Greg about the subject in 2010 and expressed his disapproval that his Stone beers were getting grey imported into Australia. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s an interesting interview, Greg makes some really valid points. I’d heartedly recommend giving it a listen/watch as it’s good to hear how passionate he is about his craft even though he is publicly denying his beers to us. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the case of Stone, they distribute their unpasteurized stock in refrigerated freight once it leaves their refrigerated storage rooms and is guaranteed fresh for their local customer base. This is a guarantee that simply cannot be made when it’s grey imported. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The upshot is that particularly with American beers, they are nearing their best before date as soon as they hit the shelves meaning we won’t taste exactly what we’re supposed to be tasting. Punters may taste this and think it’s typical and not be prepared to purchase local beers thinking that it’s all the same. Literally leaving a bad taste in a punters mouth can hurt the local brewing scene which needs as much help as it can get. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It also puts independent retailers that utilize legitimate distribution channels for stock, and take proper care of their beers at a disadvantage as they will not have the stock that can be obtained through grey importing to compete. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But you know what? While I think it’s really important for people to know the information about how their beer got from the brewery to their glass I always think the same thing:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If the people that are savvy enough to be aware of grey imported beers are craft beer nerds/ beer geeks/ informed beer drinkers then they already know these things. It’s not going to discourage them from drinking local beer or away from any particular brewery. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s curiosity.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Craft beer drinkers want their beer to be in the best possible condition, and they can tell when they are and are not. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You’ll often hear someone who has picked up something unique from Dan Murphy’s for example say “It wasn’t right, but Dan’s might not have taken the best care of their beer.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first thought of people is to troubleshoot why the beer might taste stale or not quite right. Not dismissing it as being a poor beer that they would not try again.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The choice is often made to buy a grey imported beer for the pure fact that it is something that you can’t get anywhere else. It’s understood that it might not taste perfect, but it’s a risk that people are prepared to take to try something new. It’s not always about finding something new either. Sometimes it might be that even though it might not be brewery fresh it’s still a cracking beer. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXq7jEz7yc3r1KQ9UOOs9VDZjHZE-tUglb817TnT4pXUt_PScUg8N314ovBseE4pA_hw68RdWQ-RjcD9sfM4vlaTGENbbrLwZcdaQhEaMCWXCfJqDx49AiEhnsA4pT6DlxJVK26SEeX4/s1600/ruination+grey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXq7jEz7yc3r1KQ9UOOs9VDZjHZE-tUglb817TnT4pXUt_PScUg8N314ovBseE4pA_hw68RdWQ-RjcD9sfM4vlaTGENbbrLwZcdaQhEaMCWXCfJqDx49AiEhnsA4pT6DlxJVK26SEeX4/s320/ruination+grey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In keeping with the already mentioned Stone Brewing Company, I have purchased grey import Ruination IPAs because of the great reputation it has in the States. Several people have independently told me that they have had grey imports here and fresh bottles in California and the fresh bottles are a cut above, and I believe them. That doesn’t mean that the Ruination on my shelf still doesn’t taste amazing. I know it will be better from the source. I still want to try it.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Alright, I feel like I’m starting to get ranty, I’ll wrap it up. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It needs to be understood that the quality of the goods inside the bottle can not be guaranteed on grey imported beers, but if these things are understood then what’s the harm in letting us make the decision. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">All we want in any situation is to be able to make an informed decision, why should this be any different?</span></div>
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-72735188080862277882012-05-15T01:42:00.001+10:002012-11-28T15:19:48.851+11:00Raconteur Reloaded: Hendo's Hopfest<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-JVWfKYza5DR3SGi_QGfYjKlUsFB52E-xgpZiW8pM_eCbMjcNjUGcEXxg8BXNsCTD-47jW7hyphenhyphenfYM6PMu0yalFlLzeeKXixG-GdSZJhMU8ata4l-rdiJZMOadqe8gGs6JKogKuO7HGvY/s1600/IMG_5873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-JVWfKYza5DR3SGi_QGfYjKlUsFB52E-xgpZiW8pM_eCbMjcNjUGcEXxg8BXNsCTD-47jW7hyphenhyphenfYM6PMu0yalFlLzeeKXixG-GdSZJhMU8ata4l-rdiJZMOadqe8gGs6JKogKuO7HGvY/s200/IMG_5873.JPG" title="Steve 'Hendo' Henderson" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve "Hendo" Henderson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If there's one thing that becomes immediately apparent in initially meeting Steve 'Hendo' Henderson, its that the man just loves beer. Good beer. And hops. He really loves hops.<br />
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The former Prickly Moses brewer (now plying his trade at Southern Bay Brewing) loves good beer and hops with an infectious passion that beams from every part of him as he waxes lyrical on the topic, it's the kind of enthusiasm that comfortably treads the tightrope between genius and madman. As with his passion, his talents as a brewer are equally unquestionable.<br />
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He has been responsible for some of the finer beers to come out of this country in the recent craft beer explosion, unleashing the Raconteur, the Tailpipe Big Ass Brown Ale and the Black Panther, just to name a few from the Prickly repertoire. It was the first of these that would be the focus of Raconteur IPA: Reloaded, a collection of 5 single-hopped versions of the original hop rocket.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Crowded Royal Standard Hotel</td></tr>
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The Royal Standard Hotel played host on a cold, rainy Monday night, (where Melbourne had seemingly decided that it had probably been a bit half-arsed at doing winter of late and that it was time to pull it's proverbial socks up) and the punters began shuffling in just after 6:30, a throng of beer nerds, industry folk and curious locals all keen to sample the five specially brewed ales.<br />
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On the wall, amongst the sporting memorabilia and the Good Beer Week promotions, a poster read "<i>Raconteur IPA: A Love Story About Hops</i>". Probably the most appropriate tagline for the event and the man himself, let alone the beer whose poster it rightfully adorns. The hops on offer were Galaxy, US hop Citra, Brambling X from the UK, Simcoe and the now-rare Riwaka flower, 5 hops with contrasting flavours and characters, some not often used in Australian beer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simcoe, Raconteur IPA and Galaxy</td></tr>
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As a showcase for diversity in ingredients, the difference from one beer to the next was evident even to the most novice of novice beer drinkers, from the aromatic floral sweetness of the Riwaka, to the deep bitterness of the Simcoe, the passionfruity lightness of the Galaxy, to the bittersweet finish of the Citra, there was much to be analysed, discussed and compared amongst those who had filled the bar.<br />
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There was no subtlety with the hops either. Hendo, (who had been seen not two days before, sporting a t-shirt with a picture of a man firing a 'hop bazooka' on it) explained the importance of making each beer a hop explosion, to showcase each hop's individual characteristics. The end result was a feast of six (the five single-hop varieties and the original Raconteur) hop-charged IPAs, each with clear and unique identity and individuality and each capable of being a quality stand alone beer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqxFNWujE3tGtUlcsgyctOGoefN-7Eszri4_q0Sb7JgW-MRorZGto9USDuoEke5gf8oH6iQKtQHxh9PiMSE19j6841dTZ7GasyNic-LxmCGsaVN8CdROrDRHRN37q9zHDqOH_zUY2zuc/s1600/IMG_5886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqxFNWujE3tGtUlcsgyctOGoefN-7Eszri4_q0Sb7JgW-MRorZGto9USDuoEke5gf8oH6iQKtQHxh9PiMSE19j6841dTZ7GasyNic-LxmCGsaVN8CdROrDRHRN37q9zHDqOH_zUY2zuc/s320/IMG_5886.JPG" width="320" /></a>The pick of the beers was the Riwaka Flowers version. With origins in New Zealand, there has been something of a shortage of this hop recently. The last available Riwaka flowers in the country for some time reportedly went into this particular brew.<br />
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A strong floral sweetness gives way to citrus and grapefruit that take a firm grip without being too overbearing. It's sad to know we won't be seeing the hop used locally for some time, but I thank Hendo for gifting us the opportunity to sample it.Rianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08797426223758337797noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-22880640460149628032012-05-14T09:00:00.003+10:002012-11-28T15:19:25.006+11:00Brooklyn Brewery Degustation Dinner<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s the first night of Good Beer Week and already one my most highly anticipated events has rolled around. The Brooklyn Brewery Degustation Dinner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Brooklyn is one of those breweries that just oozes cool, so having their beers matched to five courses prepared by the kitchen at Beer Deluxe is just too good to pass up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Just get to the beers, you say? Give me a chance, there are some other cool elements of the event. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Making the long trip across the water was Eric Ottaway, the General Manager of the brewery to be our host for the evening. Eric introduced each course and took the time to regale us with some anecdotes and give us some insight to the genesis of some of the beers. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Eric personalized his role as host and made it around to each table for a chat to the punters and proved himself to be a warm and genuine person to share some excellent beer and food pairings with. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now that I’ve mentioned the pairings, what better time to start having a look at what we were presented with. I know, slick journalism right?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Upon entry everybody was served a glass of Brooklyn Lager matched with some cajun spiced popcorn that was on the tables for everyone to share. Now, this already was a stroke of genius. I could write a whole post about this combination alone, but that would not be entertaining for anybody. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-hcELEPN_GsuCmEqm7qNfbMCYOpw6oWRt1bsIYFnbYu85AWhdsq7RU52cun6G_ZM3GgkaDFoNL45pUzbg2wMloryrGYEHcpiBY4Uvj3_4RHgNiPsHRfMimdCVKlDNAnQFTrpM8rwTec/s1600/IMG_5842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-hcELEPN_GsuCmEqm7qNfbMCYOpw6oWRt1bsIYFnbYu85AWhdsq7RU52cun6G_ZM3GgkaDFoNL45pUzbg2wMloryrGYEHcpiBY4Uvj3_4RHgNiPsHRfMimdCVKlDNAnQFTrpM8rwTec/s320/IMG_5842.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It was a combination that would suit almost any situation. Watching a football match with a Brooklyn Lager and this cajun popcorn would be omnisensory bliss. That’s my word by the way, I’m coining it right now. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Next up was pork belly with an apple mash with walnuts. Chosen to accompany this was the Brown Ale. In this course the beer played the support role as the big, bold flavours of the pork belly took over and made everyone in the room enjoy the moment. The sweetness of the sultanas in the apple mash made an excellent match to the Brown Ale. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIgUwMZkLA8rA2mkoAGhUJjrw7ogV8Ux0jqF9rWMPCFJK1b64xMmpj26p09ly9rrJ6kLXMbg1ZKuNms0VTNq3mVU-WfwtyTbZz3lJej-vDLTSL9ZtszFacTkhWagjD4b46SDwLBiCulM/s1600/IMG_5806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIgUwMZkLA8rA2mkoAGhUJjrw7ogV8Ux0jqF9rWMPCFJK1b64xMmpj26p09ly9rrJ6kLXMbg1ZKuNms0VTNq3mVU-WfwtyTbZz3lJej-vDLTSL9ZtszFacTkhWagjD4b46SDwLBiCulM/s320/IMG_5806.JPG" width="213" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The food was expertly prepared and tasted delicious on it’s own. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For those playing at home, I’ve just realised that “omnisensory” is already a word. How silly do I feel at the moment?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The next dish to be served was gravlax cured salmon on a shredded Thai salad matched with Brooklyn’s East India Pale Ale. This was another matching hit. The hop character of the IPA harmonised with the tang of the salad and combined for a truly tasty pairing. The salmon was cured beautifully and it rounded out a classy dish. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now following this was my favourite pairing of the night. Crispy lemon chicken with the Brewmasters Sorachi Ace Saison was classic flavour compliments executed professionally and I wanted to keep enjoying these all night but alas, there was more to come.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It was at this stage that the penny dropped that these pairings had been carefully considered and they were all just superbly complimentary.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">After this onslaught of flavour it seemed like our tongues could use a break, and this was achieved with the serving of a Cuvee de la Crochet Rouge Rose as a palate cleanser.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Palates cleansed, the next matchings were out to please the sweet tooth in us all. A vanilla bean custard tart with candied acidulated malt. A dual pairing here, with the Monster Barleywine and the Companion Ale served with this dish. The Monster is a treat by itself, but the Companion Ale was my favourite of the two as a match to the dish (as well as a beer nerds delight. The rarity!). </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">There was a second dessert offering, and I think most people were expecting it as we’d gotten to this stage of the dinner and hadn’t seen the Black Chocolate Stout yet. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Sure enough, accommodating a dark chocolate, blue cheese mousse was the Black Chocolate Stout and the rumoured Black Ops Imperial Stout (that may or may not exist...). Both of these beers matched the chocolate mousse beautifully and it was just excellent to get to try (or not try....) the Black Ops. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The dinner was one of the best degustations that I’ve been to in relation to the pairings. Each course was beautifully presented and more importantly really appropriately paired with the beers from Brooklyn. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and one that Beer Deluxe can be proud about holding.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">A big thank you is also due to Eric Ottaway for his hosting duties, he made the night that extra bit special with his interaction with all the punters.</span></div>
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Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-86566548375199924892012-04-26T20:32:00.002+10:002012-11-28T15:16:19.761+11:00Celebrity Brew Day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A cause for celebration.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The chance to brew a Raspberry Saison at True South Brewery with head brewer Sam F<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">ü</span></span>ss, local comedians Charlie Pickering and Danny McGinlay, Beer Diva Kirrily Waldhorn and beer scene writing stalwarts James and Jenn Davidson.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes, it does justify the aforementioned celebration, but you've jumped the gun. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoOfG9m4Dpf9Xrtw55XvmoSoMKSt7fsLwO6bcJDxds_HJW57gdROz5Zd-JHoKtMxWjvVkbqbQ3tVSnmMg4_QRxc_dYnqp_HgZvBsuGIMrBcvRrGIVSiIWT2P3f_iA0N_nyKIJ3YlgnR8/s1600/IMG_0390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoOfG9m4Dpf9Xrtw55XvmoSoMKSt7fsLwO6bcJDxds_HJW57gdROz5Zd-JHoKtMxWjvVkbqbQ3tVSnmMg4_QRxc_dYnqp_HgZvBsuGIMrBcvRrGIVSiIWT2P3f_iA0N_nyKIJ3YlgnR8/s200/IMG_0390.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The reason this celebrity brew day took place was to brew the ceremonial beer to be shared and to be given to guests of the wedding of Danny McGinlay and his lovely fiancee Lesya.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pickering and McGinlay are avid home brewers and Sam's blind tasting of their Celtic Red Ale at the recent Ballarat Beer Festival was the trigger to this idea to put the icing on top of the finishing touches of the wedding.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The two close friends operate their home brewing under the moniker "McGickering Brewing Industries" and clearly have a passion for the activity. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To give the day an extra special touch, Sam decided she would throw open the doors of the brewery and invite the public to come and watch, or even join in if they felt so inclined. This is how I managed to worm my way into proceedings. Very clever, I know. Besides, my innate ability to... reach things from high shelves.... was most likely a total blessing to all involved.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You're welcome.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MI78fycvDKjCiwjxG-DrENlnoA9Ff8u-46yBl7mBMKiAwmgr-GJEtza3OyDvTzLXn7Jh7xXhSbRtKxaUoggfzfSTD7Yatsn0F0_RiGEka83bCElUdUX9g5OOEwzowdSxAh28oup2lps/s1600/IMG_0393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MI78fycvDKjCiwjxG-DrENlnoA9Ff8u-46yBl7mBMKiAwmgr-GJEtza3OyDvTzLXn7Jh7xXhSbRtKxaUoggfzfSTD7Yatsn0F0_RiGEka83bCElUdUX9g5OOEwzowdSxAh28oup2lps/s320/IMG_0393.JPG" width="238" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Raspberry Saison was the choice to to commemorate the occasion and it piqued the interest of everyone involved as the Saison Du Victorien was such a nice example of the style with the local kick, and today's brew to was draw from the base of that offering.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Right from the get go it was clear that the day would be about brewing beer and cracking wise, with the two lads turning even the most mundane of tasks into chuckles, giggles and fun. The element of "kids in a candy store" was apparent for the entire day with the chapter of McGickering Brewing Industries stepping into the full production volume for the first time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So not really "kids in a candy store", they were adults. In a brewery. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That is the adult equivalent. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once we were mashed in and boiling in the kettle, it was time for a little bit of food, and of course a beverage. First honorable mention goes to the True South Pale Ale which is tasting better than it ever has, but the special siren that stole everyone's heart was the ever fading supply of Ninkasi's Angel that was being poured and tasting a treat.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, if you haven't been to True South for a meal then may I ask you why? In an excellent illustration of the magnificent food being prepared in the brewery kitchen we sampled the tapas menu and were continually delighted with the dishes being served up to us. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I could probably eat the salt and pepper calamari perpetually, but </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I couldn't attempt it on this occasion because lunch was over and there was work do. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Late hops go in and we get this baby transferred into a fermenter to let the yeast get busy and eat all those fermentable sugars, but our work isn't quite done yet. To the fermenter was added six containers of pureed fresh raspberries (Yes, this is the "raspberry" component of the title. Raspberry Saison.) to round out the tartness of this celebratory beer.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Adding the raspberries was both a necessary task and a spectacle with our Beer Diva Kirrily not afraid to get her hands dirty. There are pictures around that tell a thousand words. Two thousand.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Set to bubble away we set ourselves on cleaning the brewhouse, and funnily enough the celebrities had to go off and make some important appointments, that's weird timing huh?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Capping off what was a remarkably fun day in Black Rock we went our own separate ways. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We'd like to take this opportunity to wish Danny and Lesya all the best for the wedding day and what is to come in the future.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now although this Saison has been brewed specially for the big day, there will be some available at the brewery, and very limited supply going out to the venues that regularly pour True South beer. This will be the last single batch brew done by Sam as head brewer so if you see it around make sure you snap it up and enjoy!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-7931343786118330662012-01-20T15:17:00.000+11:002012-11-28T15:23:29.124+11:00Pepper Steak Porter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>A foreword: I just read this over, and it may be long and uninteresting. You’ve been warned. </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72itcKv7_XJVekiFilkGVKTEk4RDXAboy9UDdIZW-EVkpsHBHVDlbxAULmp_R3wl1yJpBMYPjTEku-Jo8-s38Iwt0AQAwDZIcHBAukPcrQVYph8r6HTd35XLMm7fgOpdTjdk06hEtTxQ/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72itcKv7_XJVekiFilkGVKTEk4RDXAboy9UDdIZW-EVkpsHBHVDlbxAULmp_R3wl1yJpBMYPjTEku-Jo8-s38Iwt0AQAwDZIcHBAukPcrQVYph8r6HTd35XLMm7fgOpdTjdk06hEtTxQ/s400/9.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A journey. A short journey. What’s the threshold of time/distance that constitutes a journey? I don’t know. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A journey nevertheless. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Rian and I have oft discussed getting our brains together over a lovely ale and brainstormed working out some really interesting ideas at styles of beer that we’d like to brew. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The only downfall to this picture of Utopian living is that neither of us are any good at brewing.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s a damn shame. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For example, the Cheeseymite Saison is trapped in our creative psyche, likely never to see the light of day. You might say that’s a good thing. Of course, one Ryan Tyack from Southern Bay Brewing might mount the executive head brewers throne on the bridge of his Death Star home brewery and electroshock some life into this Frankenstein of a beer yet.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Also, he might not. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Anyway, one such brainstorming session Rian floated his idea of a Guava IPA. Rian, that is. Not Ryan. Ugh, this is so confusing.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This was the extent of the planning for this beer, as we were under no illusions that if we tried to brew it up it would end in failure and tears possibly. Likely, actually. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So this was swept under the rug for a while. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Many moons later (it was probably only two moons, three tops. I’m not down with the celestial cycles) we decided we’d make the trip to the Otways and take part in the Prickly Moses Brewers Experience, a package deal allowing you to go up to the Prickly Moses brewery for a day and brew a batch of their beer with the brewers and a couple of other punters. They run a couple of these a year so we had some time to look forward to it. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You get a day of brewing, a gorgeous lunch, endless beer, and excellent fun along the way. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Was that a good plug for Prickly Moses? I’d imagine they’ll want to send me some free stuff after that. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Half a moon after we’d decided to participate in this experience, it was approaching another of our favourite parts of the beer calendar: The October installment of the Victorian Microbrewery Showcase. What fun!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2TJegowtHmnM1DokPwRd4-Urm47LoIVwQubWH9Tqoy8B6UIkC7HuNPfzBXzF7CCKHVLm52Eg2NtnZMa3tR02Zs0SZlwH-9wE2pa_LYOCRxi6Pn7YtLWfwWCr5t_WcZnf3NA-ySR6Lc8/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2TJegowtHmnM1DokPwRd4-Urm47LoIVwQubWH9Tqoy8B6UIkC7HuNPfzBXzF7CCKHVLm52Eg2NtnZMa3tR02Zs0SZlwH-9wE2pa_LYOCRxi6Pn7YtLWfwWCr5t_WcZnf3NA-ySR6Lc8/s200/3.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I won’t go into detail about the showcase, but we made our way to the Prickly Moses stall and met Hendo for the first time in person. We’d conversed on Twitter as I jealously asked him to stop documenting his wonderful beer romp through the United States to all us poor folk at home. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As we chatted, Hendo said “You guys should come up to the brewery some time and have a look around.” to which Rian replied “Well, we’re actually coming up to do the Brewers Experience in January.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Oh is that so?” said Hendo, with a wry grin appearing. “Well how about this? We normally brew what we have on our schedule, but for that session why don’t you guys come up with a beer that you want to brew?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At this stage I think I can speak for the both of us when I say we were being all cool and relaxed on the outside but yippee-ing and celebrating on the inside, and we both shared the telepathic message: Guava IPA. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We hadn’t thought of marrying it up to a hilarious hair style, but we’re not professional brewers, you see?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So excited by the thought of getting our Guava IPA into tanks Rian suggested “ Tweet the idea to Hendo NOW.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“No.” said I. “Let’s keep this card close to our chest and throw some red herrings out into the Twitterverse.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Opiate Infused Wheat Beer”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Pepper Steak Porter”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Resident beer geek James Davidson took this bait and demanded somebody created it for him. I apologized and explained I was just getting my creative juices flowing. Idea!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Creative Juice Infused Flanders Red Ale!!”. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mildly entertained with ourselves we sent a private message to Hendo suggesting we make the Guava IPA. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We didn’t get a response. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hendo pictured, looking like a crazy person.</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We waited for a response. After a week we had heard nothing of this Guava IPA. Had we offended Hendo at the very suggestion of a Guava IPA? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We were to get our response soon enough, but it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting. A simple tweet from Hendo about a week later set some things in motion. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Can’t stop thinking about Pepper Steak Porter. Maybe our entry for GABS?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Once Rian and I pick ourselves up off the floor, the excitement of one our stupid jokes becoming reality sets in.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was decided that we’d brew a pilot batch, and if it didn’t suck or kill anybody Hendo would tweak and hone the recipe for GABS. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As much as we were looking forward to the Brewers Experience anyway, now we’re going to be brewing Pepper Steak Porter. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now the speculation begun about how the hell we were going to make a beer taste like pepper steak. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A week before the brew day we get notified by Hendo that he has been smoking the malt with mesquite and hickory and he has smelled like meat ever since. This excited us. Hendo had it all figured out.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On the drive up we stopped in at Forrest Brewery for lunch and a couple of quiet ones. Good food and beer from Forrest, but we won’t go into detail here. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Brew day arrived and we awoke at the crack of dawn ringtone that I had set as my alarm on my phone that was set just prior to the crack of dawn, got into a cab and were on our way to the Prickly Moses Brewery. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We gathered with a couple of other Brewers Experience attendees and realized that a brewery has to start functioning the same way any workplace does.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFX3D_QzJFcPms3uFjP96Xpti3mqn2cH7WrXoQJDijwW8_uQi-goAHM9YelxIn0zHdNC8X3TqKAzqgs13Fy-5gBNXQyaMpQjttN5izcZ7rPoqG_1-sEKl9FlxVcACy8ZV-FLPVexY2bA/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFX3D_QzJFcPms3uFjP96Xpti3mqn2cH7WrXoQJDijwW8_uQi-goAHM9YelxIn0zHdNC8X3TqKAzqgs13Fy-5gBNXQyaMpQjttN5izcZ7rPoqG_1-sEKl9FlxVcACy8ZV-FLPVexY2bA/s320/8.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">With coffee. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">By the bottom of the cup, we were all feeling a little more normal and ready to get cracking on the brewing. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I quite enjoyed watching the other punters faces when Hendo instructed that we’d be brewing an experimental Pepper Steak beer today. The large brew we made was the Otway Ale. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Brewers Experience really offers what it says on the label, it takes you through every aspect of creating a commercial grade beer from start to finish, and Hendo is really in his element when conducting it. He’s got a pure passion for educating people on and encouraging the experience of craft beer. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Brewing the Otway Ale on the large gear was fun, as well as pretty educational for this novice home brewer but the real fun came when we turned our attention to the pilot brewery to get the Pepper Steak Porter rolling. The grain smelled great. It smelled like meat. I didn’t want to stop smelling it. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Once the boil started it became more aromatic and meatfully delicious.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At this point in time I’ll go off on a tangent. During the boil Hendo cracked open some bottles of the experimental “Saboteur”, big brother of the excellent Raconteur IPA, and wow! When Hendo gets a brewery at Southern Bay that can support that you can be sure he will turn out a mighty Double IPA if the Saboteur is anything to go by. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The boil was 60 minutes, what better time to go and have some lunch?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi94sYb8n991pdcsAaOu81j3ihMjSuGAzRmfUm_uI22W-do7sgBdsapVB69WmTyy0NXnCfAeSABhRvHDTKsbaJM-9kDEFcVLZlrPwPCij2aC2sOXtBnsMqBdkUOrI0urdiLN6gkNyS0eE/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi94sYb8n991pdcsAaOu81j3ihMjSuGAzRmfUm_uI22W-do7sgBdsapVB69WmTyy0NXnCfAeSABhRvHDTKsbaJM-9kDEFcVLZlrPwPCij2aC2sOXtBnsMqBdkUOrI0urdiLN6gkNyS0eE/s200/4.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What else would it possibly have been? We all sat down and tucked in to a mouth watering pepper steak that was cooked perfectly. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After some steak, some Raconteur and some good chin wagging it was back into the brewhouse to get the beer into the fermenter and let the yeast do it’s thing. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Pepper Steak Porter was in a fermenter and now it was just down to time and yeast. After some cleaning up (and a Raconteur or two...) our brew day was over. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now, the tale of the Pepper Steak Porter didn’t quite go as we thought it may have done, because for those playing at home, this was the time that Hendo accepted the job as Head Brewer of Southern Bay Brewing Company. This meant that the Pepper Steak Porter would need to be withdrawn from GABS, which is disappointing but there wasn’t really a feasible way of doing it with Hendo taking over the helm at Southern Bay. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The upside to this was that when it was ready and I received my three growlers, we’d created a really great beer. Big, smoky, meaty characters dominate this porter that finishes with the pepper flavour from dry hopped peppercorns. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The porter itself stood up as pure class and I would not be surprised of this is used as a basis for a Southern Bay Robust Porter when the time comes. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A joke come to fruition. That’s just how we roll. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If you’ve made it all the way to the end of this garbage and are excited by the idea of the Brewers Experience then I strongly recommend it and you can call Prickly Moses to make a booking on 03 5233 8400.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For added pleasure, I have posted some more photos. </span></div>
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<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-35059983850862465612011-12-11T22:03:00.000+11:002011-12-11T22:03:26.342+11:00New Years EveIt's getting to that time of year. Well Christmas is closer, but that's not what I'm talking about at the present time.<br />
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Hey maybe I should do a post about the various Christmas beers that are available currently?<br />
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Topical.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyAaO0flnVfXrSxZmZtn0o32-bBzYYVQAULSbfnbjuQCtjpMzgMtRrsmWvuhQH1JDwVBF-MPYX9cEt1_DrQU45fT6Gp_WA7NW580xY9XBHqYh2ejI3wLdzUPLtNJ8NA1ua7iiD3erV2Q/s1600/nye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyAaO0flnVfXrSxZmZtn0o32-bBzYYVQAULSbfnbjuQCtjpMzgMtRrsmWvuhQH1JDwVBF-MPYX9cEt1_DrQU45fT6Gp_WA7NW580xY9XBHqYh2ejI3wLdzUPLtNJ8NA1ua7iiD3erV2Q/s320/nye.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damn. I should have got a Melbourne photo. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anyway, New Years Eve is approaching and myself and Rian are planning on emulating last years event where we spent 3 hours (and silly money....) buying up what we thought were our favourite beers from the year from several bottle shops around Melbourne to see in the new year in style. Whew, that was a long sentence. I'll work on it, I promise.<br />
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The night was one of the great New Years Eve's of recent times and we knew immediately that it would be a tradition for the foreseeable future.<br />
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So we had it all planned 12 months in advance but with one key improvement. We'd ACCUMULATE the best picks over the whole year!<br />
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Excellent strategy! We wouldn't leave anything out, and we'd also be kinder to our credit cards in the festive season.<br />
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So the list compilation has been going on for 12 months now. It's gotten really long.<br />
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Wait, was that beer that we had in February really NYE worthy? I can't remember. And what about THIS beer?<br />
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Clearly, the only sensible option was to stage a Semi Final to qualify if some choices were worthy of the main event and to try some new beers that we thought might be special.<br />
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That Semi Final, my friends, occurred on Friday night. It was a splendid night indeed, but don't think it really helped our situation. For starters, we didn't revisit any selections to see if they held up. We had all new beers, and some were absolute belters.<br />
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The Ruination IPA from the Stone Brewing Company, Diamond Knot's Industrial IPA and the Yeastie Boys Red Rackham all made strong cases to be there for NYE.<br />
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So the list got longer.<br />
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Worst outcome for a Semi Final ever. Traditionally, a semi final would halve the field in order to ultimately decide one winner.<br />
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Having said that, with more first class beer to be had on the night the winners are clearly us.<br />
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Which beers are on the list? Now I'm not going to divulge all of them here. (I can totally get another post about the night and tell you then...)<br />
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However, you can imagine that Untappd will get a royal beating that night so you'll be able to see what we've got there.<br />
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On the night the tweets will be flowing like the beer, so if you don't want to be bombarded with things you probably aren't interested in then I'd suggest unfollowing us for a while.<br />
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No, wait. Don't unfollow us. Follow us. We'll be hashtagging (or "trending"? Is that the term the kids are using these days?) #FBTENYE. It'll be fun, I promise.<br />
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Happy Festivus, y'all.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821545995585510551.post-89315681065807084972011-08-27T23:34:00.000+10:002011-08-27T23:34:24.059+10:00Nostalegia<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Symbolism. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A misspelling in the title of this post? </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">No it's not actually. It's another poor attempt at a beer pun. Inserting "ale" into the word "nostalgia", if you are still having difficulty with it. Forget it.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The sense of smell is perhaps the most evocative trigger for the memory, and perhaps this is part of the reason why enjoying a beer can set off an unmistakable, lucid recollection of past events. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A reminder of relaxing on a beach in the midst of summer, the first time you had your mind blown by a huge hop hit or huddled up in front of a fireplace on a winters night are all potentially accessed in an instant once again by the taste or smell of a beer. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This happened to me very recently and the memory was so vivid I really felt like I was instantly transported 13,000 kms back to the western shores of Mexico. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Before my eyes were opened to microbrewed beer I had traveled to Mexico for 6 months as a reward for... all the hard... something to do with... well I went to Mexico for 6 months. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I hadn’t ventured into the world of beer that actually had taste and character and was only really exposed to bland Australian macro lagers and Euro lagers so this world of Mexican beers seemed pretty exciting. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was sophisticated enough to know that I wasn’t interested getting Coronas while I was there and it seemed that even Mexicans didn’t drink Coronas. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But what was this? Dos Equis? Modelo Especial? Negra Modelo? Yeah this was all pretty interesting stuff. I mean, they probably are more interesting than Carlton Draught and VB but by no means are the flavours that great among these beers. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzl5nzD54GzU2xyPt1HgV-iSTekPlgCr8QprsG9C91VxYgeVHbwVNxPHlJP0buyWh9h_Ug8SezL_eLBNutQB9FybDSemu6yzdLuYbTPyGi8-T2fDcNBT3OzRCf9eOBPseKDUf3zCTEKHQ/s1600/pacifico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzl5nzD54GzU2xyPt1HgV-iSTekPlgCr8QprsG9C91VxYgeVHbwVNxPHlJP0buyWh9h_Ug8SezL_eLBNutQB9FybDSemu6yzdLuYbTPyGi8-T2fDcNBT3OzRCf9eOBPseKDUf3zCTEKHQ/s320/pacifico.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">None of these were enjoyed more than the Pacifico Clara, which became my beer of choice when I was out and about. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The beers were always served with a plate of sliced lime and a dish of salt and the expectation was that you dipped the lime in the salt and then squeezed it in to the beer. I was never a fan of adding lime to beer, even when my palate was only grappling with Becks and Carlsberg I always queried: “If it needs lime added to it then how good can it be?” Fair question I thought, but this is the way everyone was doing it so “When in Rome”. Or Mazatlan as the case may be. Mexico City too. Look, you get what I mean.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sitting on the beach in the sun with a Pacifico was just about as good an afternoon as I could imagine. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Just for some clarification for you all. I mentioned I’ve had the Pacifico recently and my palate has evolved out of recognition since then. The Pacifico is just a bland, mass produced lager. At the time however, perfect. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">About a week ago I went to MexiCali restaurant on Swan St in Richmond. I had the faintest breath of a hope that there may be some Mountain Goat beer as just about all the places in Richmond have some Mountain Goat at the ready. Alas there was not, so I thought I would revisit my holiday favourite. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first sip was disappointing. Dull. Boring. Still probably one of the better beers on the list. I worked through the beer with effort but figuring that I’d probably get another one after as the other two options were Carlton Draught and Corona. The end of the beer is where it hit me. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the last mouthful of the beer I could have sworn I had a strong taste of lime and even a lime seed at the bottom of the bottle. Instantly I was back in a hammock on a hot day in a totally different hemisphere. My fluency in the Spanish language came back and I was immediately less punctual. Is that offensive? It might be, but that’s really beside the point. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The personal nostalgic value that this beer holds for me far outweighs the objective quality of the beer and takes me back to the best holiday of my life so far. This might be spoiled and ruined if I decided to have this beer more than once in a blue moon. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I don’t think that’s really going to be a problem. </span></div>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02783840544614057062noreply@blogger.com0