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Craft beer thread

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
Any chance of you heading to Vleteren and dropping in to the Saint Sixtus Trappist Abbey. They make a good beer there. It is about an hours drive from Bruges.
http://sintsixtus.be/
Unfortunately I won't be able to get there but it sounds intriguing:
(from their website)
The Westvleteren “Trappist” is sold exclusively at the abbey store, and only after having made a reservation by telephone (+32 (0)70/21.00.45).
How does one reserve beer?​
See our web page ‘beer sales’ for information regarding when reservations will be accepted for which beer and how much beer can be reserved at any one time.
At the time indicated, call us using the beer phone number (+32 (0)70/21.00.45).
Then you can make an appointment (date and time) with the beer phone operator, providing the license plate number of the car which will be used to pick up the order.
Address of our abbey and beer store is: Donkerstraat 12, B -8640 Westvleteren.​
Busy Signals and Limited Reservations​
Please take into account that you may often get a busy signal when you call to make a reservation, due to the fact that our beer lines are overburdened! You’re not the only one who is calling at that moment. Due to our small-scale production, the number of telephone calls is much greater than the number of available reservations. That means it’s a matter of having a lot of patience as well as a lot of luck.​
In order to allow as many customers as possible to make a reservation, there are several limitations built into the reservation process:​
Automobile:​
Attention! It takes at least 60 days before the same automobile can pick up a next order.​
f.ex. your last pick up the 15th of October – your next pick up possible from the 15th of December on.​
Telephones:​
– Attention! It takes at least 60 days before the same telephone number can reach the beer phone for a next reservation.​
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
I've lived a clean, wholesome life full of selfless community service (I am sure those who know me will attest to this - @Bellytwoblues?) and for this I have been rewarded with another opportunity to travel to Germany to concede to two of my weaknesses - bratwurst and Bock beers. I am now in Hamburg after a few days in Koblenz/Andernach and I've managed to scoff down 3 bratwurst (the king of sausages) in two days and today I am enjoying a Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock or three as we speak. Heaven - and given the sounds (thank you Apprentice) of an improved performance of the (soon to be proven) Greatest Team On Earth, the Mighty Two Blues, I am feeling pretty good right now.
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
Still in Hamburg and the bratwurst count is rising steadily. As is the count of Doppelbocks. Today I'm partaking of Hoss Doppel-Hirsch
Allgäuer Doppelbock which apparently won a Gold medal at the 2012 World Beer Cup. I don't particularly care for reputations, preferring to judge on actual performance and I can attest that this drop is a very nice drop indeed.
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
Having moved along to Dresden, I found myself with a choice of Saxony beers. I chose the Meissner Schwerter Urhell and I'm not disappointed. A lager style that would probably be popular in Australia. And only $AUD1.11 per half litre bottle :) That's going to make any boy from Sydney's Western Suburbs happy :)
 

Tangawizi

Peter Fenwicke (45)
On your way to Prague?

If you kick back west from there to Pilsen & Bamberg you won't be disappointed in the beer related tourist attractions.
 

Tangawizi

Peter Fenwicke (45)
I think a lot of the old man perception around dark beers in Oz is due in no small part to "Tooheys Old". Coopers & Moo Brew Stouts are good though.
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Dave Padden, former head brewer at Riverside Brewery, has just released the first brew from his new project, Akasha Brewing Company. It is called Freshwater Pale Ale and is available on tap from a number of pubs around Sydney Metro. I tasted the nectar at the Forest Lodge Hotel.
http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2015/04/first-akasha-beers-hit-the-market/
Freshwater Pale Ale.jpg


Not sure when or if it will be bottled or available outside Sydney, but if you see an Akasha Brew somewhere, get it. According to facebook, Brisbane and Newcastle pubs will receive some kegs of Freshwater Pale Ale next week.
https://www.facebook.com/akashabrew
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
After a few days in Budapest, I have moved on to Salzburg - yeah Mozart and all that jazz :) Something about this place triggered the "cheap beer advocate" in me and I found myself drinking a few Pittinger Premium Schankbier, purchased for the equivalent of about 65c a can from the local supermarket. It was just like being back in beautiful Parra - this assessment from beeradvocate.com make me smile:
"Drinkable, but just barely. This is a budget brew by Egger for the SPAR supermarket chain in Austria. A favorite among the destitute of Vienna. I felt just a bit conspicuous by purchasing this, but I took one for the team..."​
So it seems I have some probable drinking buddies in Vienna but unfortunately I won't be able to make it there :( Perhaps @bellytwoblues will import some for sale at Two Blues home games.
 

formerflanker

Ken Catchpole (46)
I may not be swanning around Europe like some, but I was able to have a delightful Hef at Catalina's in Southport QLD. A German wheat beer, it was smooth and cold. Labelled as a "locally crafted beer from Burleigh Brewing Company", the beer had good body and an opaque appearance. It really hit the spot on a hot day at a beautiful location on the Broadwater.
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11042969_904409619579161_3308263551111217596_n.jpg?oh=06ed5315e699f9a5526373b9cc5a03c2&oe=55E48DBC&__gda__=1436546954_df681628b548feefaa8ce62922b2785c

Email your boss, notify your friends and loved ones that you will be indisposed from October 17th – 25th. Put these dates in your diary.

10460525_904409016245888_6532502150533487397_n.jpg


More info here:
https://www.facebook.com/SydneyCraftBeerWeek
and here:
https://www.sydneycraftbeerweek.com/
 

Tangawizi

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Hope we're still undefeated in the World Cup at the end of Beer Week.

Or even still in the Cup at the start of it.
 

boyo

Mark Ella (57)
You might have seen a lot of attention one brewery has had of late, recently hitting Australian shores with a fresh batch of beers. This is Stone Brewing Co. Founded in 1998 and located in California the brewery has rapidly grown to become the 9th largest craft brewery in the US. Its focus: "Big Character" beers.

It has p
reviously been voted by readers of Beer Advocate as the #1 "All Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth". A big claim indeed.

http://www.beercartel.com.au/epages...418515045&mc_cid=db14f82900&mc_eid=523cf98a7f
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
Ran across a gift pack from Stone & Wood called Beers of the Earth during my travels to various bottleos recently. Six 500ml bottles, one each of London porter, Czech pilsner, German hefeweizen, American IPA, Belgian saison and an antipodean pale ale. Sorta covers most bases there in one box. Will report after sampling. ;)
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Damn fine pack it is @Linodmmer. Worked my way through it last week.

This is what I thought of the Stone and Wood Beers of the World.
Czech Pilsner - First one of the box. Damn fine pils, as good as one from the Czech Republic.

Antipodean Pale Ale - 2nd from the box. It is as described and expected and they need to make some more of this brew.

Belgian Saison - No 3 from the box. True to style with full flavours & aromas coming out when warmed slightly.

German Hefeweizen - No 4. Don"t drink straight out if the fridge. Glorious aromas and flavours to the for when warmed slightly.

American IPA - No 5. Probably the best yet. Nailed the USA IPA style. Citrus and forest aromas with great bitter finish. Make more of this please.

London Porter - No 6 of 6. Aromas and roasted malt flavours are there but just seems to be a little light on overall.
Stone-Wood-beers-of-the-earth-300x200.jpg



Another pack to work through is the 4 Pines Bastard Children of the Empire.
http://4pinesbeer.com.au/the-bastards/
4-Pines-Bastard-Children.png

More here from the Crafty Pint: http://craftypint.com/beer/3388/4-pines-bastard-children-of-the-british-empire
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
I'd call myself Linodmmer, too, HJ, after a coupla these delicious brews. o_O

Tried the London porter these evening. In the panorama of beer styles porter is supposed to be the little brother of stout, a lesser, or lighter, style. I'd call the S&B offering a lesser one definitely, it was very slight and light. It was OK, but I've had better porters from Oz brewers. Not that I'd give it away.....

On to the next one.
 
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