# Where Do You Get Your Boutique/import Beer?



## Samwise Gamgee (4/3/05)

Just a bit of a follow up to people's favourite beers.

Now where do you get them?

I've done most of my beer shopping at Northmead Cellars. There website www.worldbeers.com.au if you want to check out their range.

The more you buy the cheaper they get (mixed dozen's etc bring individual price down)

im not affiliated with *any* bottleshop etc

They boast 300+ different beers.

How does there range/pricing compare to where you shop?


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## Gough (4/3/05)

Corker's at Kahibah
Corker's on Beaumont St. Hamilton
Tighes Hill Cellars 

No affiliation etc...

Shawn.


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## Gough (4/3/05)

Oh, and when I'm after some Stockade Lager (Australia's first single malt beer if you didn't know) I always buy on Ebay. Their deals can't be beat :lol: :lol: :wacko:


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## mikem108 (4/3/05)

liquor on parade, vintage cellars clovely, kemeny's bondi rd. dan murphy's hurstville (when I'm on the way home from ESB ) are my local faves, but I'm always on the lookout for new ones.


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## Samwise Gamgee (4/3/05)

> Oh, and when I'm after some Stockade Lager (Australia's first single malt beer if you didn't know) I always buy on Ebay. Their deals can't be beat



Hahahaha


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## Asher (4/3/05)

When in perth:

http://www.internationalbeershop.com.au/

4 display fridges just for Belgians.....

Asher for now


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## mikem108 (4/3/05)

......but no Stockade :lol:


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## Samwise Gamgee (4/3/05)

I'm sure the Stockade is under lock and key in the special refridgerated safe out back! As it is Australia's first Single Malt! :lol:


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## wee stu (4/3/05)

Adelaide has a new boutique beer bottle shop, only just opened, and still finding their feet : The Bar on Gouger St Bottle Shop.

Their aim is to have over 300 in stock at any one time, not there yet and certainly not up to the IBS in Perth yet- but i'll watch them develop with interest, and a welcome addition to the Adelaide take home scene. 

I popped in today and walked out with 4 beers from Unibroue, Quebec Canada - Maudite, Eau Benite, Trois Pistoles and Don De Dieu, as well as a Gouden Carolus Classic and a Maudite glass for good measure. They have yet to get the computerised pricing system worked out - so offered me $30 for the lot. I did not feel inclined to argue . 

Be interesting to see what the real prices are like. You can always try telling Amy that Stuart the scottish brewer sent you - not that that will do you any good  - she will probably only say "who?" h34r: 

They are a bit light on for English beers still, but for them there is always Cellarbrations on Greenhill Rd, Glenside.

FWIW I have no affiliation with either grog shop - I'm just another slut for beer.


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## johnno (4/3/05)

I can't be bothered spending my money on overpriced crap from overseas. Maybe if I want to try and clone something I will buy a stubby or 2. Last time i purchased anything was a Warsteiner. That was about 6 months ago.

johnno


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## Asher (4/3/05)

I believe the IBS has some 4 packs of Stockade in a North-facing-window "Ageing"..... :wacko:


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## wee stu (4/3/05)

johnno said:


> I can't be bothered spending my money on overpriced crap from overseas. [post="47771"][/post]​



Neither can I johnno, neither can I.
I suppose it all depends how you define "overpriced" and "crap". 
Horses for course I suppose, and I'm supposed to be some kind of Scotsman :lol: 
That said, I'm more than happy with my 5 beers at $6 a throw, and I have never yet tasted a crap brew from the Quebecois "Belgians" at Unibroue.

Warsteiner? Now, there's another story


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## johnno (4/3/05)

wee stu said:


> I suppose it all depends how you define "overpriced" and "crap".
> 
> 
> [post="47776"][/post]​


 wee stu what i probably mean is the crap overinflated prices. I'm sure a lot of the beers are fine.

cheers

johnno


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## RichLum (4/3/05)

Amatos in Leichardt has a huge range of beer in their cool room
www.amatos.com.au

I only discovered it cause a mate moved in up the road from it and most of what they have on their website looked to be in their coolroom

Spent about 20 minutes or more in there looking at them all before it got too cold 

Prices seem about the going rate.


Rich


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## sluggerdog (4/3/05)

The Liquor Superstore at Lutwyche (QLD)

Not a bad range, probably 200-300 different types of beer.


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## PostModern (4/3/05)

johnno said:


> wee stu what i probably mean is the crap overinflated prices. I'm sure a lot of the beers are fine.
> 
> cheers
> 
> ...



I agree. I have trouble justifying paying the equivalent of $90 a case for wine, let alone beer. Maybe I'm a Scottish Jew?

That said, I do have a soft spot for Gulden Draak and Chimay Bleu. Never by the case tho.

Down in the Illawarra we're starved for choice. Near me is only Theo's at Bulli and Vintage Cellars at Thirroul who carry anything other than CUB/Toohey/Haagen.


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## kook (4/3/05)

In Perth: 

http://www.internationalbeershop.com.au
Many agree it is the largest specialist beer store in Australia. Well over 300 to choose from when I left.

In London: 

http://www.pitfieldbeershop.co.uk
Nice selection, though very out of date website. Ignore the list on it.

http://www.utobeer.co.uk
Nice little market stall with a good selection. Once again, out of date website.

Outside London (mail-order UK):
http://www.beersofeurope.co.uk/
I havent ordered from here but know people who have, and were very happy with the service.

http://www.onlyfinebeer.co.uk/
Same as above.


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## wee stu (4/3/05)

With a combined Scottish, Latvian, Lithuanian heritage, I really have to wonder where my parsimonious gene went.

I am actively looking forward to the 750ml bottle of 3 Monts Bier de Garde I am saving up for. 

Maybe I have to, reluctantly, admit it - no longer just a beer slut, now a slutty beer snob


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## warrenlw63 (4/3/05)

wee stu said:


> I am actively looking forward to the 750ml bottle of 3 Monts Bier de Garde I am saving up for.
> [post="47794"][/post]​



Wee Stu. You are truly a slut with good taste. It's a goodie.  

Warren -


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## warrenlw63 (4/3/05)

Had to be dragged out of this store kicking and screaming and never got the Visa card again for the rest of the trip. :angry: Has to be seen to be believed 
http://www.beermania.be/

Bier Tempel is another goodie though I don't seem to be able to locate their website these days.

A little sycophantic to the tourist for my liking though. Also stock a small range of homebrew kits (mainly brewferm). Actually bought and lugged home a kit of their framboisen about 5 years ago. Turned out not a bad kit framboisen after all that.

Bier Tempel
56 rue March-aux-Herbes
Brussels 1000

Warren -


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## Backlane Brewery (3/4/05)

Fullers' beer are brought all the way from lovely downtown Hammersmith by some mob called Vinimpex, based in Osborne Park WA.

Ross, I prolly should've PM ed this to you re the Vintage Ale. Thread hijack... :beerbang:


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## kook (3/4/05)

Backlane Brewery said:


> Fullers' beer are brought all the way from lovely downtown Hammersmith by some mob called Vinimpex, based in Osborne Park WA.
> 
> Ross, I prolly should've PM ed this to you re the Vintage Ale. Thread hijack... :beerbang:
> [post="52363"][/post]​



Hammersmith?!

Fullers beers are brewed in Chiswick, which is west of Hammersmith. Very close to my place too (Ealing)!

BTW, Vintage Ale wasnt imported to AU when I left. They may have imported the 2004 Vintage, but I doubt it. Exports of Vintage Ale are generally only to the US. Porter was never exported either, which is a big shame. Its my favourite Fullers beer available. Its been on cask all this month too!


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## Ross (3/4/05)

kook said:


> BTW, Vintage Ale wasnt imported to AU when I left. They may have imported the 2004 Vintage, but I doubt it. Exports of Vintage Ale are generally only to the US. Porter was never exported either, which is a big shame. Its my favourite Fullers beer available. Its been on cask all this month too!
> [post="52372"][/post]​




kook,

not one I've tried before - look forward to one in the summer when i'm over for a month or two....


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## Scotty (17/4/05)

Dan Murphys, Hornsby. Great selection at great prices. No affiliation etc


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## Wortgames (17/4/05)

When I lived in Sydney I used to go to Camperdown Cellars quite a bit, they had a decent selection and usually something new to try.

Here in Melbourne Dan Murphy's (my local is at Alphington) has a good few international brews but nothing really exciting. Does anyone else know of a good spot locally?


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## neonmeate (17/4/05)

Wortgames said:


> When I lived in Sydney I used to go to Camperdown Cellars quite a bit, they had a decent selection and usually something new to try.
> 
> Here in Melbourne Dan Murphy's (my local is at Alphington) has a good few international brews but nothing really exciting. Does anyone else know of a good spot locally?
> [post="54880"][/post]​



camperdown cellars has the biggest range out of anywhere in sydney, although the prices can be pretty high. amatos in leichhardt and liquor on parade in maroubra have similar selections minus a few obscure belgian and english beers, at mostly lower prices. 

melbourne has more beers available than any place in sydney via purvis cellars in whitehorse rd, surrey hills. they get a few of the imports from the international beer shop in perth that nobody in sydney gets. i went down at christmas and got heaps of samuel smith and abbaye des rocs beers which are all HIGHLY ReCCOmendED!!!! abbaye des rocs make some of the most amazing belgian ales you will find and they've got about 6 or 7 of their beers there. also lots of local micros. and good prices. i just hope somebody in sydney gets em in sometime soon. they crap all over all that chimay, steenberge piraat, gulden draak, bornem, or huyghe stuff that clogs up the shelves at vintage cellars etc


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## Wortgames (17/4/05)

Thanks for the tip neon - I might have to make the journey this week

:chug:


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## warrenlw63 (17/4/05)

Wortgames.

Acland Street Cellars (Acland St. St. Kilda) also have a pretty good range of imports as well.

Warren -


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## Borret (17/4/05)

Yep can verify the camperdown cellars comments. Stumbled on it by chance on my way through last week and was very impressed with the selection. Price was not too bad when compared to others I normally shop at. Usually Kahibah corkers (newcastle) or Chittaway Tavern bottle shop (central coast) who have a good selection of german beers in particular. They also do an excellent oktoberfest gig too. ....No bla bla affiliation bla bla .

Borret

Borret


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## Wortgames (9/6/05)

OK, quick bottle-shop review:

1st Choice Liquor Superstore - first branch open in Glen Iris (Melbourne), but Coles are planning to open a swag of them soon. A decent range - nothing really boutique for obvious reasons, but a good selection of Aussie & Kiwi micro-brews: Bluetongue (lager); Matilda Bay (Redback, Rooftop & Alpha Pale Ale); Little Creatures (full range); Grand Ridge (full range); a few Squires; Mac's (Black/Blonde/Copperhop/Reserve) and a couple of Mountain Goats.

The international range was pretty good, the usual premiums plus:

Belgium - La Gauloise, Hoegaarden (normal & Grand Cru), Chimay (R,W,B ),Duvel, Kwak, Delerium Tremens, the full range of Leffe, Westmalle Trippel and Orval. Germany - a couple of Schofferhofers, Hofbrau, Warsteiner, Bitburger, Schneider Weisse, Paulaner Munchen. There were also a few English ales in cans & bottles (inc Greene King Abbot Ale), Trumer Pils from Austria, Sam Adams and a couple of Asians and Italians.

Everything is EXTREMELY brightly lit by fluorescents which is a bit of a worry, but not a bad selection for a neighbourhood bottleshop. Apparently the others should all have about the same range. Coming to a neighbourhood near you in the next few months!


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## mhan7073 (16/3/06)

Yeah, I usually buy from amatos or dan murphys (but their range of imported beer is much more limited). I went into amatos the other day and they only had a bout a third of the beers they normally have in the cool room. Bloke told me they were planning to re-organize or fix up the cool room. But their oktoberfest is apparently a thing not to be missed!

Mic


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## kook (18/3/06)

Belgium  :super: 

I actually normally pick mine up on the weekends at Utobeer, a market stall right near London Bridge. They have a good international range, and great service. Plus theres an awesome cheese shop right nearby so I can kill two birds with one stone


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## Stuster (18/3/06)

:angry: :angry: :angry: 

Any chance of banning Kook from this forum? :lol:


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## Linz (18/3/06)

kook said:


> Belgium  :super:
> 
> I actually normally pick mine up on the weekends at Utobeer, a market stall right near London Bridge. *They have a good international range*, and great service. Plus theres an awesome cheese shop right nearby so I can kill two birds with one stone
> [post="114974"][/post]​




So you're buying Tooheys, Fosters, VB, Wet End, XXXX, etc????


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## smashed jaffa (18/3/06)

Cloudwine Cellars in Clarendon St South Melbourne have a good selection of imported beers. Leffe, Chimay, Orval as well as some English stuff, Samuel Adams, German Warsteiner, Montheiths and all the usual suspects. Some microbrewerys from around Aus, Redoak, Mountain Goat, Red Duck, Beechworth etc.

Pretty dangerous when it's 3 doors down from my office! :chug: 

Also just picked up a Trappistes Rochefort 11.3%, have been waiting for the right moment to consume... tonight me thinks!!  

No affiliation.

Smasher.

edit: Rochefort.


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## Screwtop (18/3/06)

Theo's Bottlo at Maroochydore (Sands Tavern) near Sunshine Plaza. Has a big range of Imported beers and at times lots of Belgians Yum.


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## mhan7073 (28/3/06)

"I actually normally pick mine up on the weekends at Utobeer, a market stall right near London Bridge. They have a good international range, and great service. Plus theres an awesome cheese shop right nearby so I can kill two birds with one stone "

As someone once said to me (in an audience) " I want you to kill two birds with one stone... not get stoned with two birds."


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## hefevice (28/3/06)

http://www.megabeer.com

No affiliation etc, haven't tried them, but they seem to know about beer and I have heard good reports. A good option for those of us unfortunate enough to live in beer deserts like Brisbane.

Also, if you are in Brissy, another vote for Liquor Savers SuperStore (there's a few about), Dan Murphy's out at Middle Park has a reasonable range, and for fresh German beer, it is hard to go past the German Club over the road from the 'Gabba (not many places in Brisbane where you can drop in for a pint of Aventinus).


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## Beer bum (28/3/06)

Purvis Cellars
Corner Whitehorse Rd and Union Rd, Surrey Hills (or is it Balwyn?)


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## Dunkel_Boy (28/3/06)

(talking about Brisbane here) Yeah, Liquor Superstore at Lutwyche is excellent. I live in Indooroopilly, and have two very good ones nearby - both Grapes I believe, and both kind of on Moggill Road (in some way or another). They have an awesome range of Belgians, a decent amount of German and English as well, plus some Scots and Russians. Other than that, Dan Murphy's on Sinnamon Road, though it's a longer hike...


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## macr (29/3/06)

Gough said:


> Corker's at Kahibah
> Corker's on Beaumont St. Hamilton
> Tighes Hill Cellars
> 
> ...


Ditto on all accounts  :chug:


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## kook (29/3/06)

Linz said:


> So you're buying Tooheys, Fosters, VB, Wet End, XXXX, etc????



Beleive it or not, they stock Boags, Hahn Premium, Coopers (even the vintage ale!), Tooheys and a few others.

Coopers actually has quite a little following over here. The sparkling ale and extra stout are normally the token aussie beers at festivals with an international bar.


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## Gerard_M (29/3/06)

kook said:


> Linz said:
> 
> 
> > So you're buying Tooheys, Fosters, VB, Wet End, XXXX, etc????
> ...



There is an excellent little pub in Paris, not far from the Cricketers Arms that has/had Coopers Sparkling Stubbies in the fridge! Waitresses all had the coolest French accents, but you get that in Paris!
Further north, in Gothenburg, Sweden there was a great bar called the Dancing Dingo. Owned by a QLDer who made real Aussie pies! The beer was european Fosters but the Bundy Rum was the real deal.
Sorry for the detour.
Cheers
Gerard


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## smashed jaffa (3/4/06)

For those who like Leffe....

Vintage Cellars are offering a 4 pack of Leffe Blond and a Leffe Chalice for $19.99

I bought one just to get the glass. I'm a sucker for paraphenalia!

No affiliation.

Cheers,

Smashed Jaffa. :beer:


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## andrewl (3/4/06)

i went to northmead cellars on the weekend after sams praise for them... great selection of beer... the only downside i thought was that they didn't have the shelves completely stocked... But i did still find half a dozen brews to tide me over


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## kook (3/4/06)

Gerard_M said:


> Further north, in Gothenburg, Sweden there was a great bar called the Dancing Dingo. Owned by a QLDer who made real Aussie pies! The beer was european Fosters but the Bundy Rum was the real deal.
> Sorry for the detour.
> Cheers
> Gerard



I'd love to visit Sweden before I leave the EU. A new Delerium pub recently opened in Gothenburg (2000+ beers), and the Ratebeer Euro Gathering is there this year. Stockholm also has the legendary Akkurat bar, with Cantillon beers brewed expecially for them!


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## Gerard_M (3/4/06)

Kook - I was in Stockholm for a week about 16 years ago. It is one of the greatest places I have visited. The bars, nightlife & hospitality of the Swedish people by far exceeds anything you can imagine. The SW coast along from Malmo, Helsingborg is great. I was based there in 93 for the summer and it is only a short ferry ride to Denmark for a day or 2 at the Carlsberg brewery!

Now living in the suburbs is good too. I guess I should stay on track with this topic. I get my boutique beer from the coolroom @ the Malt Shovel Brewery!

Cheers
Gerard


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## T.D. (4/4/06)

Gerard_M said:


> I get my boutique beer from the coolroom @ the Malt Shovel Brewery!
> 
> Cheers
> Gerard
> [post="117944"][/post]​



Geez Gerard, do you have to keep bring that up!!! :angry: :lol: 


On the topic though, he best bottle shop for imported beers I have ever seen is the bottlo at Harrigans Pub in the Hunter Valley. Its got a great range of British and Continental European beers. Bit disappointed not many of bottle shops in Australia stock American microbrews, but hopefully they will pop up more and more in the future. I am up in the Hunter quite a bit (folks live up there) and I usually go and buy a selection of interesting beers for the weekend. Last weekend I got a selection of Mountain Goat beers some Bodingtons (which I didn't like much), and have previously sampled some of the well known English ales like Old Peculiar, Fullers and Old Speckled Hen etc.

If I am in Sydney I just go to Vintage Cellars to get something a bit different. But I usually have so much home brew in the fridge that there's rarely any need!


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## pharmaboy (4/4/06)

To the Novacastrians,

will add to the usual list of establishments, the Mary Ellen Corkers in merewether (of course). If you are desperate in the arvo, evening, you can get longnecks of CPA on ice for $4-00 (my yeast bank!), and in the fridge they have a fairly reasonable selection of leffe, duval etc - and i even managed to get an aventinus weizen double bock.

Not as wide a selection as hamilton/kahibah, but a winner since itsonly a 10 minute stroll down the road for me.


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## bugwan (18/5/06)

Sorry to dig up an older thread... I swing by Parkhill Cellars in North Melbourne most evenings to check out their reasonable range at reasonable prices (no affiliation btw).

There's the usual Weiss, Belgian, Samuel Adams as well as local brews like Grand Ridge and the ubiquitous MSB range.


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## Linz (18/5/06)

As recent travellers to the Southern state...Swords bottleshop to the N/E and the one at the QV markets for local(Vic) micros and the Cellarbrations in Newport...Wow


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## Busboy (22/9/06)

Last Tuesday I stumbled across a new (for me) bottle shop in Parramatta while looking for some lunch. In the old David Jones building near the river, I found a bottle shop in Harris Farm markets in the lower ground floor. The guy who runs it, Chris, has a good knowledge and a love for Belgian beers. After half an hour I left with my arms full and my wallet a lot lighter ($133 to be precise!). I bought a lot of beer I hadn't tried before and some I had never heard of. These were Rochefort 10, Gulden Draak, Maredsous Blonde, Maredsous Brune, Westmalle Dubbel. I also bought a couple of Erdinger Oktoberfest Weissbier and a four-pack of Moo Brew Pale Ale (from Tasmania). 

Tonight I tried the Moo Brew Pale Ale. It's in the APA model. Highly hopped with a lingering bitterness. The aroma and taste is a large dose of Cascade. Very grassy! Probably dry-hopped with Cascade. There is some initial aroma of pineapple but it is quickly overpowered by the citrus aromas. Not bad, but probably not worth the $19 for a four-pack.

Anyway, the bottle shop has a wide range of Belgians to whet the appetite. Not much in the way of German or British beers though.

No affiliation......blah, blah!


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