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The Friday Night 6 Pack Session


TonyW

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Can't fit in a six pack tonight.

So:

Cascade First Harvest March 12 2014 - last one absolutely beautiful but I am a biased Taswegian, a lovely aroma, nice hop punch and a smooth lingering bitterness.

Jack Of Spades Porter - I still reckon SteveL's EB Porter (kits and bits) is better

Nine Tales Amber Ale - It is too sweet I'm afraid, can't see myself brewing an Amber unless it is spiked with Magnum early and lots of Cascade late.

 

Cheers

Scottie

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I had the Paulaner Oktoberfest last weekend. I bought a four pack of Oktoberfest beers from Aldi.

 

From memory it contained the Paulaner' date=' Hoffbrau, Spaten and Hacker Pschorr. I like a good Marzen.[/quote']

 

Nice, I wish Aldi sold liquor in Queensland. I've been doing a bit of a search for Oktoberfest beers lately. I've got my hands on two Erdinger Oktoberfests so far.

 

I finally tracked down a Timothy Taylor's Landlord last night after reading the feedback on this forum. Very tasty indeed, much better than the Skinners EPA I had a few weeks back. I'll have to try the TTL again but a bit warmer as per the label.

 

Cheers.

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Friday Night / Mini Oktoberfest Weekend

 

Coopers - Sparkling Ale

Coopers - Celebration Ale

Coopers - ESVA 2014

(I've had all these before but wanted to treat myself again)

Plus:

Robot Ninja - Sorachi Lager

 

Mini Oktoberfest:

4 Pines - Hefeweizen

Bridge Road - Hefeweizen

Erdinger - Oktoberfest

Weihenstephaner - Hefe Weissbier

 

+ Home made pretzels biggrin

 

Cheers + beers,

Mark

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  • 4 weeks later...

Following all the chatter around Pacific Ale as a potential "style", albeit a marketing style, I thought it was time that I gave the Stone & Wood Pacific Ale ago. So $22.50 later I have a six pack.

 

This is really smooth for an all Galaxy brew, and surely anyone tasting one of these couldn't deny the Passion Fruit tones given up by Galaxy. It isn't really bitter but it has a nice refreshing finish.

 

Cheers

Scottie

Valley Brew

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We just got hold of some "White Rabbit Belgian Pale Ale" at my bottleshop ...

To contrast, tonight I enjoyed a couple of Moo Brew Belgo pale ales (my delivery arrived in time). Of course you can't get much further from a traditional Belgian pale ale with the pretty solid American hop bill, but hey it uses Belgian yeast. And it's absolutely delicious! Lusty, before you give up on anything that starts with 'Belg' for good ... try this one if you can get hold of it.

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It's not Friday night, and it's not a 6 pack. Yesterday I got a carton of JS Stow Away IPA, and I have to admit it really is a nice beer for the style.

 

My only whinge is the lingering bittering really is lingering. It is still obvious on the tongue after more than 30 minutes after the beer has been finished. I like the hop flavour and bitterness in the beer, but not it hanging around for so long, and it's not a feature I'd want to replicate in my beers. Would anyone know if this is just a trait of a particular hop they used or combo of hops, or the method of making it?

 

Cheers Phil

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Hmmm not sure why you are getting a seriously lingering bitterness from the Stowaway Phil, I didn't experience that from the 6-pack I tried earlier in the year. I got a decent firm-ish bitterness while drinking but nothing that lingered too much.

 

I tell you what did give me bitterness all afternoon one day last week though. There is a new-ish brew pub in Canberra called Bent Spoke which I visited at lunch time. They have a device called the Modus Hoperandus, which is basically a cylinder full of hop cones through which they pump their already hoppy American IPA. It was full of Aussie Cascade and Galaxy on the day I went, and man I think I am all hopped-out for 2014 now. Which is unfortunate because I will be bottling a very hoppy brew (I may have gone a little nuts with the hops actually) this Tuesday night and brewing another on Wednesday!

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I bought 3 beers to enjoy this afternoon/evening.

 

Moa 99 not out - this bottle was a gusher. I opened it and it just kept foaming and foaming and foaming. I managed to have a mouthful and it tasted pretty ordinary.

 

The Duck's Australian Pale Ale - a new one from Matilda Bay using Galaxy and Summer hops. I drank this after mowing the lawn and it went down nicely. Like most of their range it is fairly subtle hop-wise. But I go through stages and I like subtlety at the moment.

 

John Boston The Point Pale Ale - managed to have a couple of sips before my daughter knocked it over (and on my ipad). It was drinkable but nothing special.

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Has anyone tried a BrewDog "Dead Pony Club" Pale Ale? it's only 3.8% alcohol but man is it tasty. Complete hop party - Simcoe, Citra and HBC (which I've never heard about about until now).

 

I've also been enjoying some 'New World Lagers' from the Edge Brewing Project - Cool Hops & Cryonic Hops. The latter being an Imperial version of the former. Next on the list to try is Moon Dog Love Tap double lager.

 

Cheers + beers,

Mark

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I'm stunned how much my eyes have been opened not only to all the different styles of beer since some of you reprobates opened me up to brewing at home, but also in more recent months about the availability of different commercial offerings. I also have to admit that some of these have been stunningly good, some have been very drinkable, and also how much I have to pay for some that would have been better if they'd been passed through the rear end of wart hog. But I digress...

 

Even though there's nearly a dozen Stow Away left in the fridge (and also since I don't have Chezza's courage to tip them down the sink), I decided to stop in at 1st Choice (??) from hospital visiting and get something else to drink tonight. I don't mind paying 4, 5 or 6 bucks for a single stubby of one variety to try something new, but $20 to $30 for a 4 or 6 pack is a bit ridiculous. And for something that I know I'll like I'm happy to pay $60-70 for a carton while I'm away.

 

After being bitten by the Stow Away, I asked one of the staff if I could try a cold JS Chancer to see if it was OK before I bought a carton. "Of course, I want to pay for the stubby too!", I said.

 

She stared at me as though I was from another planet (admittedly I do look like a Vogon from the Hitchhikers Guide) and she told me I couldn't possibly do that. That's a ridiculous question, she told me (paraphrasing). I thanked her and left, and drove a few k's to Dan Murphy.

 

Working up the courage for another round of mental abuse, I asked the guy there who was stacking the shelves the same question. Again, not the exact response I expected (keenly aware I was wearing a dirty T-shirt, shorts and thongs). "Absolutely not a problem", he said. "If you wouldn't mind, just take a seat at the tasting table there and I'll be right with you". In 60 seconds, he had returned with a cold stubby, produced two tasting glasses (he told me at the end he was finishing his shift in 15 minutes), and with me trying to stop laughing out loud, removed the plastic wrap from a small bowl of mixed nuts!

 

After he agreed it was a nice fruity beer with a good colour and well balanced (OK, I know he was agreeing with whatever I said), he asked if he could get me anything else. I told him, he poured me another half glass, and disappeared getting me my cartons of JS Chancer (about $54), LC Bright Ale pints (about $60-something) and the Coopers Sparkling longnecks ($53 or so).

 

What an amazing difference in approaches. I hope our Beerlust is paying attention. (I have very vague memories he did something similar with a bunch of blokes that came in to get a pale ale or a mild. After they had shown concern with his suggestion, he cracked a stubby of Coopers, and they each walked out with a carton. Though I can't recall if he put on nibblies as well biggrin )

 

I also saw some of Porschemad's beloved MooGoo but they wanted over a hundred for the carton, and Icedz's Brew Dog but I don't recall the carton price. I'd better not wear out my welcome too soon, but maybe another tasting in a few weeks wouldn't go amiss.

 

Hoping you are all asleep by now. Don't let the bed bugs bite.

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Sounds great Phil, I will have to try that next time I visit DMs. You are right my MooGoo (very creative name BTW) is pricey. But I have a confession to make - it is not just about the beer unsure (although it is delicious!). For some reason I like bottling at least a few 330ml stubbies each batch (must be a masochist or something!), and the bottles are nice and heavy, have a cool shape, and best of all the labels soak off super easily! I found this out after buying a Moo Brew mixed 6 pack down at the South Melbourne markets. After a couple of evenings spent in vain scrubbing and scrubbing at some Bridge Road bottles this is worth it's weight in gold to me lol

 

Having said that, I'm willing to fork out $100+ for some nice beer and decent empties once and once only, so I'm going to make the most of this carton! love Hopefully it can tide me through my brewing hiatus over the summer. One more batch to go before COB ... think I'll make it a hoppy NZ style wheat beer - use up my wheat malt, pilsener malt, chuck in a touch of crystal, a healthy dose of light DME and do a single hop Nelson Sauvin version. Hope it's yum! I think I really like Nelson Sauvin so I want to take this opportunity to make sure biggrin

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Not a big fan of the Byron Bay lager either Phil.

 

Tonight I thought I'd try a couple of newer James Squire beers I spotted, the Copper Constable and the Simcoe / Colombus Hop Thief.

 

I found the Copper Constable a strange beer, very crisp, clean and fruity but nothing like an English Ale. Has a nice Galaxy aroma but didn't really suit. So I guess I found it tasty but not as advertised.

 

I liked the Hop Thief. I was listening to a Basic Brewing Radio American hop comparison experiment podcast the other day and they loved Simcoe and Colombus so I thought I had to give this a try. I think it's got a lovely aroma and flavour - a crisp, clear inoffensive beer with enough bitterness to balance and a nice hit of hop flavour and aroma. Could use about twice as much flavour / aroma hopping but a gentle and tasty introduction to the American pale ale style.

 

Since I'm planning to brew a couple of Saisons instead of closing my home brewery over summer, I thought I'd better try one. After hunting in vain for a proper Belgian (or French) one, I found the Black Heart version. It's really, really tasty! Pale, cloudy, light with such a unique aroma and taste. I think I really like the Belgian style pale ale / farmhouse ale yeast character. I can see how these could be dangerous though, you would never know it's 6%+ ABV.

 

Man they're pricey though. The ingredients for 2 x 10 litre batches works out to $65 including shipping from Craftbrewer. That would only buy me 3.25 litres worth of Black Heart crying

 

Also will be trying the Wild Beer Epic Saison later for a different take on things ...

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Got some Byron Bay Pale Lager today. Quite disappointing' date=' I have to say. Poor carbonation. Too sweet. Thank goodness I also got some Coopers 62 as well.[/quote']

The Byron Bay Pale Lager would have to be one of the blandest beers I have ever tasted.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Rogue Dad's Little Helper Black IPA 650mL.

Not a sixer, and not Friday.

 

IBU 92

ABV 6.8%

 

Crack the lid and have a sniff. Pine, big hop aroma, some roastedness there.

Pour it into my favourite IPA glass. Black, deep colour, clear - looks like coke.

Smell is big, dank, hoppiness, lots of pine.

Taste, wow. Big beer. 92 IBU? dunno, I get lost after about 60. It's good, upfront bitter, then roasted, then a licorice like finish.

Drinking it with a pizza with habanero chilli on it. Kills that.

Hop burps.

 

Great beer.

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Hey everyone. I'm having a wee gathering tomorrow night for my 29th b'day and I've lined up a few beers for a bunch of us to enjoy/critique. They're all Aussie beers, none of which I've had before:

 

Bridge Road Chestnut Pilsner

Moo Brew Hefeweizen

Moon Dog Love Tap Double Lager

Killer Sprocket Amber Ale

Holgate Road Trip IPA

4 Pines Stout

 

I've got a six pack of each. As much as I tried I couldn't get my hands on any Queensland brews in time - the ones I could get I've already tried before.

 

Cheers + beers,

Mark

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Well given that my Saison is foaming away happily in the fermenter, I brought home a few Saisons to try in the meantime:

  • Saison Dupont
  • Bridge Road India Saison
  • Nomad Long Trip Saison

 

Also bought a 5litre mini-keg of Zierholz Hopmeister from my favourite local brewery. The best bit is they keep them chilled so you can crack it as soon as you get home. Delicious!

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Beechworth Brewery India Saison.

7.5% hoppy saison. Bottle conditioned. Poured cloudy, big fluffy white head. Lovely smell, hoppy, passionfruit.

Taste, dry, bitter and the hops again. Good stuff. Subdued yeast, background funk blending well with the hops.

I may have to make something like this.

Beechworth Brewery Fat Man, Red Suit, Big Sack.

7.5% red IPA. Small head, good lacing on the glass. Great fresh and fruity aroma. Some dankness. Bitter and hoppy caramel flavour. Lovely amber colour. feckin good stuff again.

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Beechworth Brewery India Saison.

7.5% hoppy saison. Bottle conditioned. Poured cloudy' date=' big fluffy white head. Lovely smell, hoppy, passionfruit.

Taste, dry, bitter and the hops again. Good stuff. Subdued yeast, background funk blending well with the hops.

I may have to make something like this.[/quote']

Thanks for the tip, another Saison variant for me to try biggrin Sounds very tasty! Probably the nicest one I've tried so far is from Black Heart.

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Beechworth Brewery India Saison.

7.5% hoppy saison. Bottle conditioned. Poured cloudy' date=' big fluffy white head. Lovely smell, hoppy, passionfruit.

Taste, dry, bitter and the hops again. Good stuff. Subdued yeast, background funk blending well with the hops.

I may have to make something like this.[/quote']

Thanks for the tip, another Saison variant for me to try biggrin Sounds very tasty! Probably the nicest one I've tried so far is from Black Heart.

 

Go to your fridge and grab this one out mate because you're talking about the same beer. Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth - India Saison biggrin

 

ByqSXOaCEAAY0QP.jpg

 

PS - Ben 10, Fat Man Red Suit Big Sack is probably in my top three beers for 2014, sooo good.

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