# Blue Tongue - Hunter Valley



## RichLum (20/3/05)

Just got back from the Hunter after spending the weekend up there with some friends.

I'm not big on wine and woldn't have a clue what the difference is between different types, but had a few wines for the heck of it - I'm there right... may as well drink some... 
I can tell if I drink something if I like it or not and that is about as complex as it gets.

Anyway, me and one of my mates had teh brilliant idea of goig ahead to the Blue Tongue brewery and the others would meet us there once all the wineries shut at 5 (good things we had 2 cars!)

First up was the ginger beer
Really nice! Was surprised at how easy this is to drink. It has a nice crisp clean flavour and would be great on a really hot day to quench your thirst or at a BBQ or after dinner (we had one later on in the night as an after dinner drink to finish off the night).

Next up was the Lager
Nice lager. Nice colour (similar to beck in colour but cleaner tasting).
Nothing too special about it though. But not a bad beer

The Hunter Bitter was next
Not that exciting. Would appeal to most people though as it was the closest to a VB or similar

Last beer they had was a Framboise
Wow!!!!
Yummy Yummy Yummy!!!
Nice deep pale ale type colour
Nice head that left lovely looking rings down the side of the glass
Smooth creamy texture
Lovely rasberry flavour with just the right amount of acidity.

We stayed on these the rest of the night

Unfortunately they don't bottle the Framboise and you can only get it on tap in the Hunter or some place in Newcastle (can't remember as we had had quite a few by the time we got to talk to one of the staff in any detail).
My mate bought a case of the ginger beer.

Also when we asked about a tour of the brewery they said "that's it" and pointed through the glass to the gear thay had in a room behind the bar that you could see through the glass wall.
Only 1 fermenter.
They said they only do seasonal beers there and weren't doing one at the moment but due to start their next one in a couple of weeks.
Al the other beer is brewed in Camden (I think that's what he said) near Newcastle

Anyway, if you are in teh Hunter make sure you get a glass or 2 of the Framboise. It is something special.

Also we stopped at the Potters Brewery out here too but it was dissapointing.
They looked really big from the road but when you actually walk around it doesn't look like much goes on.
Tried their lager and it was not that good. Looked quite dark for a lager and nothing like the blue tongue lager.
Rest of the other non standard beers they had on tap were St Arnou.

Rich


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## macr (20/3/05)

RichLum said:


> Unfortunately they don't bottle the Framboise and you can only get it on tap in the Hunter or some place in Newcastle (can't remember as we had had quite a few by the time we got to talk to one of the staff in any detail).


 Would it happen to be the Queens wharf brewery in Newcastle?
When I went there, they only had the 2 main beers and no seasonal beers . They said they just ran out of a winter wheat beer 
Being only new to the home brew game I am only learning about all these different types of beers. Could you tell me what a Framboise is and where it sits?


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## Sean (20/3/05)

Framboise is a belgian beer with raspberries in it. "Authentic" examples are usually based on a sour beer style like Ould Bruin or Lambic.


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## Weizguy (23/3/05)

As usual, my 2cents worth.

Richlum, with all respect fella, U sound like U work for this Bluetongue mob. I haven't found their beer to be too special, so it surprises me to hear someone rave about it.

Anyone else from Newy wanna back me up?



> Last beer they had was a Framboise
> Wow!!!!
> Yummy Yummy Yummy!!!



I'll be kind and concede that they must have made a few batches of the "Framboise" beer. U must have had a better batch. The one I had, had no balance and was dominated by a sickly overpowering raspberry flavour, with a lager background. No wheat and no sourness. I saw one of my friends leave it behind, on a day that we had been to Paddy's and the Redoak before returning to Newcastle for a beer at the Brewery on our way home. I am unlikely to taste another before next year's batch, and it may be my last one.

BTW the brewery is @ Cameron Park (sounds a bit like Camden) and they have been known to do tours.



> They said they just ran out of a winter wheat beer



Macr, U didn't miss much. It was not a good example of the style (see my opinion above). In fact, Aussies are not cultured enough to appreciate a real Framboise to make it financially viable, IMHO. Although I wish it was otherwise.

Tune in with the lhbs to see what they think. If they don't know, go to the other lhbs.

BTW Macr, the other "house beers" at the QWB (Queens Wharf Brewery) come from Bluetongue, and are much better value at happy hour prices. The Brewery's licence holder is a partner in Bluetongue. The house Bitter is OK value at those prices, and the other seasonals have also been nice, but not superb. Chances are good that their Autumn beer comes out soon and will prob be the same as last year, a pretty fair Cream Ale, tasting a little like James Squire Amber to my tastebuds ( which are tainted by too much wheat beer). keep an eye out for it. :super: 

In closing, the "Framboise" tasted like a raspberry jam American wheat beer fermented with a cheap dry yeast. I apologise if U think I'm being harsh, but I expect good things from my local Brewery and would be proud to drink it and spruike for their beers if they were as good as I'd like to see them.

Maybe they need to get rid of the commercial brewer they have, and find a microbrewer who is likely to produce microbrews, not megaswill masquerading as "boutique" beer. ...and I hate the term "Boutique" as well..

Seth (eagerly anticipating the flame war, or nothing)


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## /// (24/3/05)

Sounds like;

a. Numskull was nowhere-near Blue tongue or he would recive knuckle-sandwhich from head brewer Bruce

b. Potters does the fruit beer

c. Potters is nothing like Bluetongue Pils .... were you on the wacky tabaky?

d. Numskull was currupted by wacky tabaky - pass GO and go back next year you goose....

////


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## RichLum (24/3/05)

No I don't work for them Seth 
I just thought the beer was nice

The framboise we had on the weekend had quite a bit of sourness to my taste and was definitely noticeable/a feature.

It could have maybe had a bit more without being overpowering, but I didn't think to myself "this isn't sour enough"

Maybe they have got the recipe better since you had it.
Or maybe just our tastes are different.

Rich


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## Backlane Brewery (24/3/05)

/// said:


> Sounds like;
> 
> a. Numskull was nowhere-near Blue tongue or he would recive knuckle-sandwhich from head brewer Bruce
> 
> ...




WTF is this meant to be? :blink:


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## Samwise Gamgee (24/3/05)

> WTF is this meant to be?



Someone on wacky tabacky? :lol:


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