# Matilda Bay Fat Yak



## MVZOOM (12/12/08)

I had 3 schooners of this last night at the Mean Fiddler in Rouse Hill. Really good beer - it's hoppiness is balanced, good malty taste, nice aroma - but a really nice smooth bitterness. I'd recommend it. Must be fermented with an American Ale yeast, tasted very similar to US05 - although surely they'd use WLP001 or thereabouts.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...5013512,00.html

Cheers - Mike


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## kevo (12/12/08)

Tried one today.

Quite good.

Aroma reminded me of the first time I tried LCPA - lotsa hops. Pretty fruity and sweet, but nice bitterness as well.

My dad bought a Hahn Prem Light, had a sip of his, then a sip of mine and commented that the Hahn seemed to have no flavour after the Yak.

I said maybe there was no flavour there to start with.

Fat yak - a good drop, I'd have another. The glass for it is cool too. I think those who aren't into hoppy beers could enjoy this, my dad and sister liked it and they're either non-beer drinkers or mega-swill consumers.

The Burleigh Big head was on tap next door, but they didn't open until after I left.

Kev


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## Doc (12/12/08)

According to the "Good Living" supplement in the SMH it was supposed to be on tap at The Australian in The Rocks. 
Swung past for lunch on Monday, but was disappointed.

Will have to keep trying to hunt it down. Mean Fiddler isn't going to happen for me this weekend 

Doc


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## ham2k (12/12/08)

Doc said:


> According to the "Good Living" supplement in the SMH it was supposed to be on tap at The Australian in The Rocks.
> Swung past for lunch on Monday, but was disappointed.
> 
> Will have to keep trying to hunt it down. Mean Fiddler isn't going to happen for me this weekend
> ...



it was on at Ryans Bar in Australia Square last week. I was a little stunned... it wasn't my first choice of venue at all


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## Thirsty Boy (13/12/08)

not bad beer at all, but a fair way to the bland side for confirmed hoppy beer lovers.

Its designed to be a gateway drug for mega beer drinkers and I think it fills that role quite well. I wont rush to order another one if there are other non-mega choices available, but if its Fat Yak or tooheys new etc.... FY will get my drinking dollar.


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## Curry (15/12/08)

Doc said:


> According to the "Good Living" supplement in the SMH it was supposed to be on tap at The Australian in The Rocks.
> Swung past for lunch on Monday, but was disappointed.
> 
> Will have to keep trying to hunt it down. Mean Fiddler isn't going to happen for me this weekend
> ...



Just had some last Thursday from the tap at Dick's Hotel Balmain.


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## HarryB (15/12/08)

Doc,

It's on tap at the Orient in The Rocks.


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## gerald (16/12/08)

i had some at transit in fed square and i thought it was pretty bloody good. had it on a sunday arvo, sun was out and it went down a treat.


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## the_falcon (20/2/09)

I had a couple at the Edinbourgh Castle on the corner Bathurst and Pitt St last last Friday (13/02/09). Very impressed.


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## WarmBeer (20/2/09)

I've got 4 stubbies left in the fridge from a week ago (very rare occurrance).

It's a nice enough beer, just a little 'meh?' in my opinion. I think I was expecting something to knock my socks off.

Guess I've been drinking tasty homebrew too long, not used to commercial beers anymore


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## Fourstar (20/2/09)

WarmBeer said:


> I've got 4 stubbies left in the fridge from a week ago (very rare occurrance).




Stockist warmbeer?


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## WarmBeer (20/2/09)

Actually got em from the little local guy in McKinnon near the station.

Trust me Fourstar, not worth the trip from Abbotsford...

Hey, when are you going to do a AG demo day for us apprentice brewers?  You're kind of, semi-, local


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## Fourstar (20/2/09)

WarmBeer said:


> Trust me Fourstar, not worth the trip from Abbotsford...
> Hey, when are you going to do a AG demo day for us apprentice brewers?  You're kind of, semi-, local




I hd a pint when it was on at lambsgobar off smith st. Tasted awesome to me... everything usually does after 5 pints thou :lol: 

Just wanted to confirm if it was my tastebuds or the 5 pints talking. I read the story on it in the Adelaide advertiser. app its got a fair whack of cascade and nelson sauvin.... hmmmmmm got me thinking for a nice beer for the ladies.

AG demo! Ha, with my brewing processes and no chill methodology h34r: i'd have to think about getting insurance before having anyone around for a little coaching. Dont want you going home with botulisim!



Jokes aside, if anyone wants to see how its done on the day, by all means im happy to show you how or assist with a AG brewday if im free. My setup isn't shiny, i have no march pumps and everything is done by gravity and or siphon (which I broke last brewday). The only valve i have on my kit is on the mash tun and beer tap. :beer: 

Speaking broken siphons, i think its time to visit g&g for antoher autosiphon tomorrow! I will eventually get around to putting a valve on my kettle but as a tool tard i doubt it will happen anytime soon.


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## WarmBeer (20/2/09)

Okay, I'm going to have another go at my previous opinion, having just finished a Fat Yak on a clean palate, rather than after several other beers and a curry.

The beer looks and smells fantastic. A really tight white head, large bubbles, and with a heavy scent of late or dry hopped Cascade (I think, I'm still working on developing my sense of hops).

But, and here's what left the disappointment last time, you take a taste, and it's just...kinda plain. It's not offensive, and it's smooth and clean, but I think from the aroma, I was expecting a beer that would grab me around the tongue and give my tastebuds a good shagging.

It's like going home from the pub with Claudia Schiffer, only to get to the bedroom to find the boobs are just those fake bra implants, her thighs are more than a little dimply, and she's complaining she's got a headache, so "maybe later in the week, if that's OK?"

I'm off to drink my own


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## Fourstar (24/2/09)

WarmBeer said:


> It's like going home from the pub with Claudia Schiffer, only to get to the bedroom to find the boobs are just those fake bra implants, her thighs are more than a little dimply, and she's complaining she's got a headache, so "maybe later in the week, if that's OK?"



bahaha thats great! Yeah it is quite mellow on the hop bitterness and flavour.

I'd say its got allot of late hopping with the big C hop (cascade) and a very low bittering addition of Nelson Sauvin. From memory the colour was rather straw like (in the poor ambient lights of lambsgobarr) much like a housebrewed Portland Pale at JS brewhouse on Russell St. Saying that... i'd put my finger on Fat Yak being an 'American Portland Pale Ale'. Quite thin and mellow in the body, not allot of malt presence, great hop aroma aromas and a decent session beer.

Exactly what it has been designed/marketed for. To be pretty up front, has all the bells and whistles but once experienced, can be a disappointment to some...... Claudia Schiffer :lol:


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## kram (24/2/09)

Apparently it is 'designed/marketed' towards those that are scared off by the Alpha, which is why it's 'dumbed down'.


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## brendanos (24/2/09)

WarmBeer said:


> But, and here's what left the disappointment last time, you take a taste, and it's just...kinda plain. It's not offensive, and it's smooth and clean, but I think from the aroma, I was expecting a beer that would grab me around the tongue and give my tastebuds a good shagging.



Perfectly put, though I think Fosters would prefer you use words like laconic, obtuse, compendious, languid, commodious, etc...


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## Fourstar (24/2/09)

Well i was down at 'Cookie' tonight. Turns out they have Fat Yak on tap. I'm sad to say its not what i remembered  It is however still a decent example of a locally brewed APA.

The biggest and only pitfall is the lack of malt presence. On the flipside it has great Floral/grassy/citrus aroma from the nelson sauvin and cascade hops. Has a melony/grapefruit hop flavour and mild yet sharp bitterness. I would definitely drink again if presented with it. 

Cheers!


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