# Redoak



## shotduck (20/8/06)

I treated the missus to a weekend away for her birthday (even if it was only 40klms from home) and, like a good loving husband (married to a complete non-drinker) I recommended the Redoak for dinner as I had heard rave reviews about its food  

I have wanted to get my lazy arse down to the redoak for as long as it has existed, but this was the first opportunity I had to do so. I knew I wouldn't be able to indulge too much, so I had to choose my selection carefully. I ended up drinking a blackberry hefeweizen, an organic hefeweizen, a honey ale, a pilsner, an altbier, a brown porter, and the Redoak Reserve (just could not bring myself to leave without trying THAT little bugger).

During the meal the bar staff brought out a tray of 50mL IPA samples. This is a brew that has not yet been released, but we all got the chance to taste it before it hit the bar.

Toward the end of the meal I had the opportunity to speak with David Hollyoak, the owner/brewer of Redoak, and after hearing I was a fellow lover of the Belgian brew, he offered me a bottle of his St Nicholas.

All in all I have to say the evening was a tastebuds wet-dream. My personal favourites were the IPA, the St Nick and, of course, the Redoak Reserve. I will definately be going back there... probably for one of their monthly _"beergustation"_ menus.

Cheers,

The Shot Duck


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## joecast (20/8/06)

The Shot Duck said:


> I treated the missus to a weekend away for her birthday (even if it was only 40klms from home) and, like a good loving husband (married to a complete non-drinker) I recommended the Redoak for dinner as I had heard rave reviews about its food




nice one TSD. i've tried that trick too many times, now the wife is suspicious of any suggestion i make. h34r: 
good to hear it was an enjoyable evening, and most importantly, the beer was good.
joe


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## Coodgee (20/8/06)

just out of interest... what did the final drinks bill come to for that selection?


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## shotduck (20/8/06)

Coodgee said:


> just out of interest... what did the final drinks bill come to for that selection?



I'm buggered if I know. You'll have to ask the horse!

I handed over the card, scrawled my moniker and buggered off. Didn't even keep the receipt.


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## Boozy the clown (20/8/06)

Gee my financial controller is pretty liberal but no way would she approve that financial anarchy!

(I'm just assuming that list of drinks would ring up quite a sum, please prove me wrong and i'll be there too)


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## Sammus (21/8/06)

I too recently had a tasting at the redoak, lots of awesome beers! I never got to try the organic hefe tho, which I tried tonight for the first time from a bottle, damn I loved it! By the st nick do you mean the 'Christmas Cheer' brew they had going? or is there another one? the christmas cheer was certainly an interesting brew, lots of flavour there! not as much as the special reserve though, which I might add (again ) I was the first to try when it was released at the bar, the original triple fermented barrel conditioned version that is wahoo B)


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## warrenlw63 (21/8/06)

Yep.

I must confess I enjoyed the Organic Hefeweizen too... Very much on the light side of the style in terms of colour (almost looks like a Wit). Have to say it's a very refreshing beer though. Be great on a Summer afternoon with a BBQ.  

Must keep my eye out for their other offerings. 

Warren -


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## yardy (21/8/06)

this place sounds like the sh!t,

i don't suppose it's near Mackay is it ?

cheers

yard


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## mikem108 (21/8/06)

:angry: Couldn't get served there last week and left without trying anything but did notice that the Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!! 
..an IPA you say . Hallelujah


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## shotduck (21/8/06)

Boozy the clown said:


> (I'm just assuming that list of drinks would ring up quite a sum, please prove me wrong and i'll be there too)



I think I walked out short a green one.



yardy said:


> i don't suppose it's near Mackay is it ?



Only a few thousand klms south.



mikem108 said:


> :angry: Couldn't get served there last week and left without trying anything but did notice that the Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!!
> ..an IPA you say . Hallelujah



By the time I left it wasn't even 9pm, so I am not sure just how busy it gets. It must have been packed for you not to get served. I'd like to make you feel better, but... you missed out man!

You're spot on for the price of the reserve, but in my opinion it is worth every penny. In fact, next time I go I will spend $30 on a double serve, so I can take the full 30 minutes required to experience the complex flavour changes as she warms up... $1 per minute for a full half-hour of bliss.

As for the IPA, I would have to say it was probably one of the finest I had tried. An excellent example, at the very least. Plenty of hop character, and quite bitter, but not "in-your-face-yank-style" - nicely balanced.


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## shotduck (21/8/06)

Sammus said:


> By the st nick do you mean the 'Christmas Cheer' brew they had going?



No. The St Nick is a bottled version of a Belgian tripel, 12 months old. I didn't see it on the menu, nor did it have a commercial label on the bottle... just a small white plain label giving a brief rundown on what it was. Maybe it was another "yet-to-be released" brew.



My only annoyance about the entire night was that I didn't get the chance to hang around and chat for longer. If I had been able to hang around I may have learned more about it, but I had a two-year-old asleep in the pram and a wife with her eyes permanently fixed on her watch-face... and it was supposed to be her birthday dinner, after all. :blink:


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## mikem108 (21/8/06)

No it wasn't packed, I was the only one AT the bar (restuarant was packed though) and thats why after 10 minutes of waiting at the bar after being asked if I was being served I gave up! I'd already had a few at the Bavarian caf anyway but the service was well below par that night.


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## KoNG (21/8/06)

The Saint Nicholas isn't new (and also is not the christmas cheer), it was launched last year for their anniversary if i remember correctly (after 12 months in secondary). It's a very well brewed beer, but i havent had it from the bottle this year. That said i think i drank half of the offerings last year (it was on tap last year), having 3 glasses most friday lunch times, couldnt get enough of it.
As mentioned the 'special reserve' is just awesome, triple fermented in oak i think... it is definately worth the time (and $$) to try it.
I also got stuck into a few pints of IPA last friday and will agree its a great beer, I have to say i dont ever find any of David's beers hoppy, so this was a great change.. and i think i would drink it most of the time when there!


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## Samwise Gamgee (20/9/06)

So I tried the Grand Reserve on friday night.

There was a lot of hype surrounding it and I thought it would be a tastebud orgasm..................but IMO it was "meh" :mellow: 

I could appreciate the complexity of it but I could only taste a little oak type flavours, most of it was sherry cross with promite. All three of us said the same thing. 

I liked how it was complex and made me think hard about the different flavours especially as it changed temp but end the end of the day it seemed to be different sherry and promite flavours as it warmed up.


I don't regret trying it but won't be getting it again.


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## Edgecliff Brewer (20/9/06)

I was at the Redoak on Sat night. I was not overly impressed with the hefeweizen (Franziskaner wins me over always). However there are some really great beers there - try the stout. The Vienna is great also. I haven't tried all of them yet but the fact that this place exists shows a great step forward in the Aussie palate.

I could not believe it when a group left 3 barely touched Grand Reserves on the bar. What were they expecting? Tooheys New? It was also amusing to see a party of 10 Japanese tourists all drinking wine in a beer hall. Not a beer in sight.


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## Sammus (20/9/06)

Samwise Gamgee said:


> So I tried the Grand Reserve on friday night.
> 
> There was a lot of hype surrounding it and I thought it would be a tastebud orgasm..................but IMO it was "meh" :mellow:
> 
> I could appreciate the complexity of it but I could only taste a little oak type flavours, most of it was sherry cross with promite. All three of us said the same thing.



When I tried it on opening night I was told there was very little left of the original triple oak fermented batch, so maybe you go some newer one that wasn't the same gear? just the sam recipe....maybe 

on another note I got to try the oatmeal stout finally from there and was very impressed. Ditto with the IPA - v.nice!

Sam


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## Blackfish (20/9/06)

I too found myself at Redoak Last friday night. Managed to secure a leave pass from home for a buddy & I to go do some brew "research" (that doesn't happen often so when it does we make the most!)

Highlights were the IPA and definately the St Nick. After circulating the 50ml samples (does that happen every night?) Dave Hollyoak got up and did a spiel about something new called a Baltic Porter which was absolutely awesome!

It was pretty expensive but you really do have to pay the guy's passion for unique, handmade beer. I'm much happier shelling out more there knowing I'm doing it for the little guy.java script:emoticon(':beerbang:',%20'smid_8')


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## PostModern (20/9/06)

mikem108 said:


> :angry: Couldn't get served there last week and left without trying anything but did notice that the Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!!
> ..an IPA you say . Hallelujah



Jeez, makes the Baltic Porter look like a bargain at $15 a 330ml subby. People pay this for local beer? Stupid people.


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## PostModern (20/9/06)

fhgwgads said:


> Dave Hollyoak got up and did a spiel about something new called a Baltic Porter which was absolutely awesome!
> 
> It was pretty expensive but you really do have to pay the guy's passion for unique, handmade beer. I'm much happier shelling out more there knowing I'm doing it for the little guy.java script:emoticon(':beerbang:',%20'smid_8')



I don't know Dave, but I've had three Baltic Porters. In order of quality:
1. Ray Mill's Baltic Porter homebrew. Cost, maybe $3/litre??? Ray??
2. Utenos Porteris from Lithuania. About 3 Euro for a 500ml bottle
3, by a long shot, Red Oak Baltic Porter. At $15 for a 330ml stubby, I was expecting something extraordinary, but was severely disappointed. Pretty ordinary beer, given the potential and scope of the style.

Little guy? If people buy everything he brews at the prices he charges, even with the premium city rent, he won't be little for long............


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## Sammus (21/9/06)

fhgwgads said:


> Dave Hollyoak got up and did a spiel about something new called a Baltic Porter which was absolutely awesome!



Dunno why he did this only last week, I was up there a few months ago and it was nothing new, on the menu $14 for a 330ml bottle - good stuff....


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## Samwise Gamgee (21/9/06)

Sammus said:


> Samwise Gamgee said:
> 
> 
> > So I tried the Grand Reserve on friday night.
> ...



Hey Sammus,

I assumed it was from the original batch, as we were told the whole speil again of triple fermentation, oak aging etc etc. I wouldn't have thought they would've made too many batches though. Wasn't it suppose to have been in the oak for a year or two?

edit: just checked redoak website. It states that it is aged in various oak for over 2 years.


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## shotduck (27/9/06)

PostModern said:


> Little guy? If people buy everything he brews at the prices he charges, even with the premium city rent, he won't be little for long............


Good! More power to him. If he can make a squillion from brewing beer then what in gods name is wrong with that - so long as he maintains the level of quality and ingredients instead of selling out to bulk simple sugars as a certain other "boutique" brewery has in recent years.

Quack,
TSD


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## KoNG (27/9/06)

PostModern said:


> Jeez, makes the Baltic Porter look like a bargain at $15 a 330ml subby. People pay this for local beer? Stupid people.



Such negativity...! :blink: 
i think you are missing the point and maybe need to take a step back (be careful not to fall off your high horse though).
Redoak gives the consumer opportunity and choice... something most beer lovers have been begging for, for quite some time. Not everyone homebrews and can brew such heavenly delights as yourself (oureselves?). Why can LOCAL beer not be expensive... why does the IMPORTED beer instantly get a better wrap.. just because its imported. 
There are plenty of people in this big expensive city, to which $15 is nothing to enjoy the experience it may bring... if David and Redoak are giving people the "choice" and opportunity to do this, then great.
I hardly think calling people 'Stupid' for wanting to sample something handcrafted by a LOCAL brewer, while out with friends socialising & enjoying themselves in a nice atmosphere is fair...
Hell people pay a whole lot more for a glass of wine.


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## PostModern (27/9/06)

KoNG said:


> Such negativity...! :blink:
> i think you are missing the point and maybe need to take a step back (be careful not to fall off your high horse though).
> Redoak gives the consumer opportunity and choice... something most beer lovers have been begging for, for quite some time. Not everyone homebrews and can brew such heavenly delights as yourself (oureselves?). Why can LOCAL beer not be expensive... why does the IMPORTED beer instantly get a better wrap.. just because its imported.
> There are plenty of people in this big expensive city, to which $15 is nothing to enjoy the experience it may bring... if David and Redoak are giving people the "choice" and opportunity to do this, then great.
> ...




I admit I was a bit jaded at the time I made my last posts and apologise. My "stupid" comment was out of place, I agree.

I'm all for consumer choice, but when it comes to beer, I'm all for accessibilty. Pricing beer in the stratosphere doesn't do that. It turns good beer into something you only occassionally drink and something that the average bloke doesn't ever try. Good luck to Dave and to Redoak, he's taken the risk and made the investment, so his market is his market. All power to him.


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## KoNG (27/9/06)

fair enough we all have our bad days.
the only thing i will add to that is, even though somewhere like redoak is more expensive than you average waterhole... your standard beer in the city centre isnt too much cheaper.

Perspective: 

Pint of Govenor King @ JSB = $8
Pint of Pale Ale @ Redoak = $9.5 (Pint of special Strong ale = $11)
Schmiddie of Carlton draft @ Slip inn/CBD = ~$6
so if you take that schmidie of VB/Carlton Draft and make it a Pint = ~$9  

so as you said.... his market is his market.... which is "The City" and unfortunately thats the prices.!


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## DJR (27/9/06)

KoNG said:


> Schmiddie of Carlton draft @ Slip inn/CBD = ~$6



The guy who invented the schmiddy (probably a sydney bar owner!) should have all the money he is raking in taken back from him and donated to something worthwhile - like lobbying to have the excise tax removed for microbreweries just like the wine industry gets!

</rant>


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## PostModern (27/9/06)

KoNG said:


> Perspective:
> 
> Pint of Govenor King @ JSB = $8
> Pint of Pale Ale @ Redoak = $9.5 (Pint of special Strong ale = $11)
> ...



All absolute bargains compared to the price I went off about. I drink in town all the time (work here) so I know what to expect to pay for a pint. We don't go to the Redoak all that often.



mikem108 said:


> Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!!



That's the equivalent to $120 a schooner. I know, end of a limited edition. I know, great complex beer that took ages to make... I know, local craft brewer, I know, City prices...


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## Samwise Gamgee (27/9/06)

PostModern said:


> mikem108 said:
> 
> 
> > Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!!
> ...



The GR is definately not worth the $15 even with the city prices and brewed by a local h34r:


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## jimmy01 (27/9/06)

I've tried the Redoak beers via a sample pack I ordered. Hefe Weizen and Pilsener are very nice. Bock and Vienna Lager Ok. 

However, I have to agree that the prices are a bit over the top. Without freight the Hefe works out something like $4 a 330ml if you but a carton I can buy Maisels, Schneider or Weistephaner for less than $4 per 500ml.
Add the freight to get it to Brissie and its hard to see how the price is justified.


Cheers


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## KoNG (27/9/06)

PostModern said:


> That's the equivalent to $120 a schooner. I know, end of a limited edition. I know, great complex beer that took ages to make... I know, local craft brewer, I know, City prices...



 haha that is alot...! but again i'm glad the choice is there.  



Samwise Gamgee said:


> The GR is definately not worth the $15 even with the city prices and brewed by a local h34r:



again i disagree.... (well i kind of agree.. that yes its not "worth" $15... but what the hell is "worth" what you pay for it these days... a cab fare.? a big mac..? a surfboard.?)

you can go into a restuarant in sydney (and the rest of the world of course) and pay $100 for a glass of red and you may not enjoy it.... so its not worth it.!? but to someone else it is "magic" and worth every cent.

each to their own.... but my opinion is that places like Redoak are still doing great things for the thing "we" love.

i should note at this point i have nothing to do with Redoak or any other brewery etc.


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## Sammus (27/9/06)

keep in mind the GR is a barleywine, so think of it more like wine than beer, $15 50ml = $45 150ml, a standard wine glass, im sure there are thousands of wines that get sold for more than that on a regular basis, not many of which have won an international award titled anything like 'grand champion'


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## Blackfish (27/9/06)

as I sit here drinking the beer I made for 50c I cant help but think we are missing the point here. Of course, you and I can make whatever style we like, usually at equal or better quality that Joe Anyone will get at his local.

Maybe what is important about places like Redoak is that it educates the public on what beer can be. Incidentally, the two times I have been in there it has been packed, I mean we had a hard time finding a chair! and packed with people who will never brew their own.

So, again, full marks to a guy who is converting his passion for beer into $$. I'llbe back there, just as soon as I can save up!

FHG


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## /// (27/9/06)

fhgwgads said:


> as I sit here drinking the beer I made for 50c I cant help but think we are missing the point here. Of course, you and I can make whatever style we like, usually at equal or better quality that Joe Anyone will get at his local.



Is commercial brewing about reproducibility year after year or being like a homebrewer and having the public pay for your tinkering??

I think i am missing the same point to....


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## neonmeate (27/9/06)

paddy's for instance makes very nice beer brewed in nice sparkly brewtanks with lots of awards but only charges $3.30 or so per schooner.
but then you do have to drink it in what amounts to a truckstop.

i just wonder why redoak has to charge like easily twice as much as any other micro brewing similar stuff. and it's not like they're that amazing. sure they do a couple of special beers but the regular hefe, pils, pale ale etc don't cost much to make and aren't that staggeringly good (always tastes to me like the lagers could do with more lagering, especially for the price they charge).
could it be that they get more business with really high prices cause people treat it with more respect? are we that shallow?


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## Chatty (27/9/06)

After reading this entire thread with a couple of Guest Lurkers brews under my belt i can't remeber what actually started it. So, I don't feel so bad changing the subject slightly.  

Was Redoak one of the breweries that had a stand at the Good Food & Wine show in Sydney? I remember a delicious Xmas stout with a real black currant flavour to it. Also remember the dude on the stall on about the fact they brew 42 different beers?! :blink: 

As an aside, I haven't been to any of these micros in Sydney but ambience, unfortunately, makes a big difference to the beer drinking 'experience' which ultimately will be reflected in price. Whether price confers/implies quality is another argument...

Chatty


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## Malnourished (27/9/06)

neonmeate said:


> i just wonder why redoak has to charge like easily twice as much as any other micro brewing similar stuff.


I can't believe I'm going to defend Redoak, but... at my favourite Melbourne bottle shop it costs me more to buy a stubbie of Moo Brew, Bootleg, Red Hill or Bright's beers than it does Redoak's regular lines (Hefe/Pils/Vienna/etc.) Of course I'd rather drink the other beers too, but that's beside the point.  

So the cost of producing the beers can't be all that much higher than other breweries. 

Like neonmeate says, perhaps they're trying to be the Louis Vuitton of beer... it seems to be working.

Somewhat off-topic, for those who've had the Special Reserve, is it kegged or bottled? If you pay your $15 is there a chance you're getting beer from a bottle that's been open for days?


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## shotduck (28/9/06)

/// said:


> Is commercial brewing about reproducibility year after year or being like a homebrewer and having the public pay for your tinkering??


It depends on your perspective, and the perspective of your potential customer. I would much rather attend a micro where I know the beers are going to differ slightly from batch to batch - whether it is from intentional tinkering or from the inherent vagaries of "hand-crafting" _anything_ - than sit in a pub and drink the same old stuff, mass-produced by chemists. Each to their own, but I'm damn sure that most here would agree.

Cheers,
TSD


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## mikem108 (28/9/06)

When it comes to spending money on beer or related items budget is not a consideration if it brings me some happiness. 
One of the joys of a place like Redoak for me is to try beer styles that I have only ever read about in books and recipes, I'm not usually going there to "get on the piss" so a couple of glasses at $9 a shot is bearable-QUality not quantity is the motto!


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## JCG (3/10/06)

Today I got excited I saw Redoak beers being sold in the Domestic Airport in Sydney, pricy but not much more than Carlton Cold??? $8 vs $7. Is there any where in Brisbane where this drop can be purchased? 

Cheers JCG


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## jimmy01 (3/10/06)

Hi JCG

I have asked Redoak and apparently there are no Brissie Bottlos which stock it yet. Theree are a few bars that either have it on tap or sell stubbies across the bar.

See http://www.redoak.com.au/downloads/RedoakStockists.htm

This list is growing slowly


Cheers


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## T.D. (3/10/06)

The Shot Duck said:


> /// said:
> 
> 
> > Is commercial brewing about reproducibility year after year or being like a homebrewer and having the public pay for your tinkering??
> ...



TSD, I couldn't agree more with your comments here. I think, in a nutshell, this is precisely why the microbrewing industry in Australia is just farting along without any real enthusiasm (relative to North American for example). I think brewers in Australia are totally confused about what the consumer wants - they are being *told* that consumers wants consistency. I wonder how many people who drink wine also drink beer??? Quite a few I would say. Wine differs considerably from vintage to vintage - which is kind of the point, and is publicised as such. So why would consumers' minds all of a sudden do a 180 degree shift when they drink beer instead of wine? I have always said that if I ever went into a commercial venture in brewing that I would promote the fact there is variation from batch to batch. I would put a "batch number" on the label and let the consumers fight it out as to which one is best. It adds some character to the product and it really promotes the boutique-ness of the enterprise. Personally I think too many micros in Australia are torn between copying the big guys and expressing a bit of originality themselves. My preference is definitely for the latter.


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## Chatty (3/10/06)

T.D. said:


> I think brewers in Australia are totally confused about what the consumer wants - they are being *told* that consumers wants consistency.
> 
> Personally I think too many micros in Australia are torn between copying the big guys and expressing a bit of originality themselves. My preference is definitely for the latter.



Oooh, nice post. Solid argument

Chatty


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## homebrewworld.com (3/10/06)

QUOTE(/// @ Sep 27 2006, 09:12 PM) 

Is commercial brewing about reproducibility year after year or being like a homebrewer and having the public pay for your tinkering??

It depends on your perspective, and the perspective of your potential customer. I would much rather attend a micro where I know the beers are going to differ slightly from batch to batch - whether it is from intentional tinkering or from the inherent vagaries of "hand-crafting" anything - than sit in a pub and drink the same old stuff, mass-produced by chemists. Each to their own, but I'm damn sure that most here would agree.

Cheers,
TSD

Here Here T.D !!!!!!!!! :beerbang:


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## uneekwahn (5/10/06)

Hi guys,

Whilst I haven't had the chance to actually visit Red Oak (I'm in WA), I did try the honey ale at the Brewhouse in Brisbane in June, and recently (last week) received my 12 bottles of Honey Ale from Red Oak.

Unfortunately, it hasn't lasted too long (my fiance and I drank all 12 bottles in one sitting! eep!), but it was still as good as I remember it!

I'm hoping to get to Sydney towards the end of the year or sometime at the start of next year, so I'm hoping to check it out !

Regards,

Jason.


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## Spiesy (7/11/13)

Resurrecting a dead thread.

Finally dropped into Redoak last night, as I had been meaning to do so on my last few Sydney trips. I like it. The beers were okay, but I really liked the _vibe_ of the place. The bar staff were knowledgable but not arrogant, there was a good selection of beers on tap, nice surrounds and a decent crowd in attendance.
I was pretty envious of the bloke next to me tucking into a plate of bangers and mash, the gravy smelt amazing!

Tried, in order: Bitter, Organic Pale Ale, American Pale Ale and the IPA. 

Sadly I made a rookie's mistake and refreshed myself with mouthwash sometime before setting foot in Redoak, so I'm afraid I can't be too descriptive with my experience - although I have tried several of their beers before (mostly in bottle).

Will go back. Without pre-mouthwashing.


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## HalfWit (7/11/13)

Without doubt the best beer in Sydney.


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## MrTwalky (7/11/13)

As mentioned earlier in this (old) thread, the 'beergustation' is awesome. Took my dad there for his birthday this year, such great beers and amazing food. The course that you were eating had the beer that you were drinking included in the cooking process.

Chocolate stout tart with a chocolate stout = heaven

For $80 a head its pretty good value. Definitely going back.


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