Anyone Been To The Castle Glen Winery & Brewery

[winkle]

Has anyone checked this place out yet? Here
Hope the beers are better than some of the commercial descriptions.

 

[WSC]

It looks pretty kooky.

Not sure about the beer? No pics of the brewery either.

 

[Screwtop]

Has anyone checked this place out yet? Here
Hope the beers are better than some of the commercial descriptions.

Perry,

Eldest son bought me a bottle of the Chardonnay Beer a couple of years back when he was on a bike ride through the Granite Belt, thought it was great, so gave the guy a call. From the conversation I didn't think he had much of a clue as a brewer. Asked how he made it, did he mix must with wort? Said he just makes some beer (extract) and mixes it 50/50 with his Chardonnay wine. He said that he mixed some together once and all of his friends and neighbours liked it, so that is how he decided to bottle it for commercial production :huh:

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...st&p=220692

Friends of ours live near Stanthorpe and he is a winemaker, thought we might visit sometime and while there visit Castle Glen to speak with him, and to taste his beers.

Screwy

 

[Muggus]

The 1998 Semillon has spent 10 years in American Oak

Hmmm something about that doesn't seem right....

 

[Screwtop]

Thought I might email them again re a visit and ask about the brewery.................

Hello,

Thank you for your enquiry.

Yes our Brewery (Cellar Door) is open to the public.
We are open 7 days per week 9.00am - 5.00pm.

We are not a micro-brewery. We do not boil up the Malt, hops etc. We use a method of fermentation and Then a secondary fermentation in the bottle. All of The beers are bottle matured. It is not unlike a Home brew method - just on a much larger scale.

Our beers are all natural with no chemicals or aging Solutions.

You are welcome to visit us at Castle Glen - we look Forward to seeing you and your friends.

Thank you for your enquiry and we extend to you and Your family a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year.

Friendly, but I don't expect much.

Screwy

 

[goomboogo]

"We make our beer with raw natural ingredients like malt, sugar, hops, barley and rye"

"At the beginning of this year Castle Glen applied for a Producer/Wholesaler Licence to be able to make and sell greater quantities of beer."

Screwtop, I share your expectations. The e-mail you received doesn't seem to match some of the claims on the website. I can only assume they are fermenting hopped-extract hence the claim about it being like the 'homebrew method'. I tried a couple of their liqueurs a few years ago and they tasted just like others I had tasted using neutral spirit flavoured with an essence such as those sold in home-brew shops.

On a side note there was intentions for a micro-brewery in Stanthorpe at the Felsberg winery. They had purchased equipment from the Oxford 152 in Bulimba. I think the winery has since changed hands so the brewery is probably not a goer now.

 

[lonte]

I called in here yesterday for a tasting ... the only ones available were their Dark Ale and the Ginger Beer. The Dark Ale was terrible - with a woody, tannic and sour finish that smothered anything else I could detect. The Ginger Beer was particularly spicy, coupled with the 9.5% ABV probably the spiciest Ginger Beer I have tasted but since that's right up my alley I liked it. None of that sugary sweetness of other Ginger Beers I've tasted so I expect not for everyone.

I purchased a bottle of the Ginger Beer and also one of the English Ale that I'm yet to taste. I questioned them at length on their process and it sure does sound like they don't boil at all, yet they still do use hops. I was told these will improve with age and that 6 months was a good starting point. I think I'll drink the English pretty quickly and I'll grab another bottle or two next trip (planned soon) to age.

On the up side I did try some of their liquers and although I'm not overly into these things they tasted quite nice. They also do fudge, wines, jams and sauces so it's the kind of place you can take the family and get away with a bit of time tasting and chatting.

Oh, and all their signs on the beer have quotes around 'beer' - not sure if that's to warn off the XXXX drinkers or the craft beer drinkers :unsure:

 

[vonromanz]

Please be warned! DO NOT tip that English Ale on your lawn as it might burn a patch on your turf. Nasty stuff. Giving craft beers a really bad name

 

[lonte]

Please be warned! DO NOT tip that English Ale on your lawn as it might burn a patch on your turf. Nasty stuff. Giving craft beers a really bad name

Yup - had it on Sunday night, pretty bad. Reminded me of a really badly brewed K&K. Had a real acidic burning note to it. Shame really.

 

[Cosh]

I'm a regular visitor to Stanthorpe and when I heard that Castle Glen was brewing beer a few months back I had to check it out.

Unfortunately the beer was quite possibly the shittest I have ever tasted, think of vb without the flavour. If I were you I'd steer well clear of their beers, they do make good liquers though.

I have heard that a proper brewery is opening in Stanthorpe soon, will keep an eye out the next time I'm town.

 

[Parks]

My father-in-law bought some of these to share after visiting them in Stanthorpe. Said the guy was a little mad...

Anyway, the beers were nothing short of terrible.

 

[winkle]

I had one with Gravity Guru awhile back, horrid = drainpour.
Probably do a better job than Draino. :huh:

 

[GalBrew]

Hmmm something about that doesn't seem right....

Agreed. Sem and American oak, what the????

 

[GuyQLD]

The guy is beyond a little mad. I played dumb and asked him about his brewing practices. Let's just say that most of them are horrific, including mashing well into the 90's (The stout) - fermenting at Stanthorpe ambient temps in summer and bulk ageing everything for at least 12 months.

The other brewery out at Stanthorpe is a nice little spot though. Didn't try the food but the beers were quite good, the bar overlooks the brewery so there's plenty of bling to stare at while working your way through the tasting paddle.

 

[lczaban]

I had one with Gravity Guru awhile back, horrid = drainpour.
Probably do a better job than Draino. :huh:

Don't remind me of this experience Perry. Having done the "cellar" door tasting, as well as the attempt to knock over their offering at your fine establishment, I fell as though I have ddone my part in educating the masses against the vile and evil work that this naff excuse for an alcohol producer is capable of. It's amazing what a bunch of oxygen thieves get up do when left to their own devices... :unsure: