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Craft beer thread

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
For the foreigners, there is no better preparation for a visit to the Insular Peninsular to watch a game of footy against the MMM than to take a ferry from Circular Quay, and head to the 4 Pines Beer Cafe after completing immigration procedures on the Manly Wharf.

After a responsibly consumed couple of the finest offerings from 4 Pines, it is a short stroll up to Manly Oval to watch the footy. On a sunny day, you've hit the jackpot: a gentle harbour cruise, awesome fresh craft beer, great rugby, no Military Road traffic jam, good pies and a good tribally supportive crowd.

Many of the best brews from 4 Pines, that are almost impossible to get at your local bottlo or Craft Beer pub, are available at the brewery from the friendly and knowledgeable staff.
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Very impressive figures coming out of USA showing that the Small and Independent Breweries have a lot of momentum behind them. What happens in USA happens here, and based on the figures in the article below, those predicting the Craft Beer bubble to burst soon are probably so far off the mark that they should consider renewing their membership to the Flat Earth Society.

http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/03...-s-beer-market-reaches-double-digits-in-2014/

Volume share for Craft Breweries:
2010 - 5%
2011 - 5.7%
2012 - 6.5%
2013 - 7.8%
2014 - 11.4%

The total US Beer Market only grew 0.5% in 2014, while US Craft Brewers produced 18% more volume than 2013.

In 2014 there were 615 new breweries open in the US and only 46 shut their doors.

PS. Happy St Patrick's Day to all those with Irish heritage. I've had a quiet Guinness to celebrate.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
The Great Australia Beer SpecTAPular is on again this year, Saturday, 30 May at the Exhibition Hall, Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh, a short walk from Redfern Station. I chanced upon the GABS when I was in Melbourne last year to watch the Tahs go around; taking a gentle stroll back to my digs in the city after my annual lunch at Jimmy Watson's Wine Bar when I noticed this gathering at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton. In I went, to find two shipping containers with 30 taps along both of their respective two sides. 120 beers on tap! I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

There's every chance I'll be at the Sydney one this year. The Tahs play the Lions in Jo'burg that evening. Check the link, I'm in there somewhere: http://www.gabsfestival.com.au/2015/
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
I have a confession, of sorts, a guilty pleasure. I am in Singapore at the moment watching a torrential downpour in a moderately good thunderstorm. But that is not my confession, although i take some pleasure in watching good thunderstorms. My guilty pleasure is that I enjoy cheap beers. Today I am drinking a Chinese beer "Pearl River" and while it enjoys almost universal scorn on Beer Advocate, I am enjoying it. This style of light asian beer actually tastes OK in the topical heat and humidity. Well, that's my story, and I am sticking to it.
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Good on you @2bluesfan. Some beers are designed (and priced) to be consumed when it is stinking hot and humid and you just need to have a refreshing chug or 15. As long as they don't pretend to be something that they are not, then that is absolutely fine. I reckon, drink stuff you like.

Many Beer Advocate gurus will wax on lyrically about the qualities of a Gueuze Lambic, a Barleywine or a Belgian Quadrupel or whatever. That doesn't necessarily mean that everyone will, or should, like them, nor that they are suitable for all occasions. Plenty of Beer Snobs I know will not spend their own money buying a Lambic, even though they will appreciate the skill of the brewer in brewing that beer, even though they don't like the taste of it.

Having lived in Singapore, and toured extensively throughout South East Asia, many moons ago, I can't really imagine a time up there when I really hung out for an Imperial Russian Stout. The beaches of South East Asia are the right place for brews that many of the Beer Advocaters would consider mass produced tasteless swill.
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
And to show I'm nothing if not consistently inconsistent - I am sampling a Chimay (or more accurately several Chimays) in Bruges today. Outrageously priced at 7 euros for six 0.33l bottles :)

To my taste, this is a very nice beer, perfectly suited to the cooler weather currently being experienced in this late-appearing European spring. At 7% alcohol, this Trappist monk beer has attracted this wry comment on beeradvocate:
"But it is simply unrefined and just.......... Monastic in the worst way."
But that comment could just as well apply to me!
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
Still in Bruges, a town well worth a visit if you're coming to Europe. Today I thought I would sample a few different beers. Right now I am sampling a Westmalle Trappist Tripel (9.5%). Tasty. I could easily have a few of these in this very cold weather. This is more to my taste than yesterday's Chimay. I will also sample a Duvel, another Chimay (this time the Blue) and an 11% Kasteel Donker to complete a quartet of Belgians.
 
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