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Craft beer thread

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
I was chatting to a brewer mate recently and he was saying it can actually be harder and more time consuming to brew a great low to no alcohol beer, than producing a full flavoured IPA for example. It’s part of the reason these beers sit at the same price point as regular craft beer.

I notice a carton of Heaps Normal is $60ish for 24 cans at most places. For me personally, if I’m laying off or reducing my alcohol intake and want something to drink, I’d rather grab something more affordable like a low sugar soft drink, or even a craft softy like Capi comes in well below that price point.

I have heard that makers of these beers are seeking tax concessions for producing non-alcohol products, which could see the price point lower significantly.
 

SteveWA

Charlie Fox (21)
Currently drinking a Heaps Normal, which fortunately was in stock at the local. Initial impression is good.

Re low alcohol, there's a range of zero alcohol / zero sugar cocktails and mixers called Naked Life. https://www.nakedlifespirits.com.au. These are great, and you can get them at Woolworths. I've tried most and I particularly like the G&T and Margarita varieties. And you can always add a nip of your own gin or tequila if you want to.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
Any forum members invest in the first or second round of Black Hops brewing crowd funding?

Both their offerings have been snapped up very quickly. They've definitely become one of the more well known brands in the craft market in QLD, to be fair they're in so many mainstream bottle shops these days, they're probably better off being called Independent rather than craft.
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
Good for them. I like the 'romance' of a home brewing nerd progressing up in volume and quality until their beers are on taps everywhere.

Offering equity isn't the most traditional way of doing it (as far as I know, which may be minimal!!!) but good on them for putting it out there. It's obviously been successful, and presumably shareholders would be anticipating a future buyout by one of the behemoths of the drinks industry.

In other beer news, GABS is rolling around in a couple months. Got myself a ticket to the main saturday night session in Melbourne and the annual top 3 hangover of the year.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
Offering equity isn't the most traditional way of doing it (as far as I know, which may be minimal!!!) but good on them for putting it out there. It's obviously been successful, and presumably shareholders would be anticipating a future buyout by one of the behemoths of the drinks industry.
Yep they were very transparent about investors being in it for the long long long run.

They seem pretty staunch about not selling to a big corporate in the near future (they all say that!) so I think for the time being its about having some fun and being part of the journey, rather than making any big money.
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
Awesome. There's a youtube channel called Whisky Tribe which crowd funded capital for their distillery in Texas. Their model is to delegate almost all decision making, right down to style and taste, to their online patrons. It's a very cool model, helped by the charisma of the guys in charge.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
Awesome. There's a youtube channel called Whisky Tribe which crowd funded capital for their distillery in Texas. Their model is to delegate almost all decision making, right down to style and taste, to their online patrons. It's a very cool model, helped by the charisma of the guys in charge.
I love those guys - I've been following them for years, back when it was just Rex and Daniel doing the reviews from the original whisky school.

It is a shame a lot of the products they enjoy are so hard to come by here in Australia, or if you do, they are so expensive.

I got my hands on a variety of Balcones stuff (one the Texan distilleries the Whisky Tribe guys work closely with) before Christmas from a local supplier in Brisbane, it was very enjoyable, but when I compared what they're paying ($50 a bottle roughly with conversions) to what I had to pay ($100+) it made me sad.
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
Yeah I've tried to find some of the Texan bottles from niche retailers in Melbourne and haven't been successful. There's such a wild premium attached to retailers though. I bought a bottle of cask strength Overeem recently. It was a full $40 cheaper direct from the distillery, posted to my door.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Some recent beers I've come across :

Broulee Brewhouse, on the beach. Food as well as beer. The Irish Red is their darkest ale and an excellent drop.

Tumut River Brewing Co, the Bounty Hunter is another dark ale that has strong chocolate and coconut flavours as in the Bounty chocolate bar.

Young Henry's Motorcycle Oil is a great drop.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
Tumut River Brewing Co has a delightful, rustic cellar door in a former garage. Very laid back with some comfortable old lounges to relax on. Their range is as good as any other craft brewery, but, they're in Tumut. It's a magnificent part of the world, if only it was closer (to me).
 
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Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Tumut River Brewing Co has a delightful, rustic cellar door in a former garage. Very laid back with some comfortable old lounges to relax on. Their range is as good as any other craft brewery, but, they're in Tumut. It's a magnificent of the world, if only it was closer (to me).

I love Tumut River Brewing Co. Have been there a couple of times as my Mother-in-Law lives in Batlow.

Aside from their excellent beers, their ginger beer is good too. The burgers etc. are pretty good at the brewery as well.

They do a You Am I beer who are my favourite ever band which just adds to how good they are.

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Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Must see if I can get to the brewery soon now that I've discovered their beer. Great lifestyle getting to these little, often off the beaten track breweries, better even than doing the rounds of vineyards even though that is also one of life's big pleasures.
 
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Tex

John Thornett (49)
Must see if I can get to the brewery soon now that I've discovered their beer. Great lifestyle getting to these little, often off the beaten track breweries, better even than doing the rounds of vineyards even though that is also one of life's big pleasures.
Yeah I love all these little operations popping up in small towns.
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
One for any Melbourne people in and around the northern suburbs.

Coburg RSL has probably the best beer fridge in Melbourne. Scores of small batch brews and microbreweries, with a bias towards local operators where possible. Prices are beyond decent and the venue itself is very much an old school RSL in that it has no gaming machines or polish. Very much a community hub on Friday evenings.
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
One for any Melbourne people in and around the northern suburbs.

Coburg RSL has probably the best beer fridge in Melbourne. Scores of small batch brews and microbreweries, with a bias towards local operators where possible. Prices are beyond decent and the venue itself is very much an old school RSL in that it has no gaming machines or polish. Very much a community hub on Friday evenings.
I'll mosey on down, cheers mate
 
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Tex

John Thornett (49)
Some of the beers I remember trying:

- Co-conspirators 'The Smuggler' Cerveza. Brewer just down the road in Brunswick in a tiny operation. Very refreshing - would go down a treat on a hot day.
- Hop Nation 'Karma' Chocolate Milk Stout. Probably the most chocolate-y dark beer I've tried. Acquired taste.
- King River 'Waiting for Godot' Belgian Trippel. Delicious.
- Burnley Brewing had sales reps there pouring free schooners, which included a lavender stout ('interesting'), smoked cheery sour ('interesting') and a classic hefferweizen.

Worth a visit.
 

PhilClinton

John Hipwell (52)
Very interesting, here in Brissy the bowls club scene is really becoming something of a craft beer hub.

Most smaller suburban clubs in my area have two greens, one for playing and one for kids/dogs to just go nuts. Combined with a rotating selection of taps, cans and food trucks, it’s very different to the bowls clubs of old.

In fact a couple have also scrapped the pokies and chucked in some indoor kids play equipment instead.
 
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