Australian International Beer Awards

[Wasabi]

Guys,

Beer Awards

At last some brewing stuff! I put my name down to be a Volanteer Steward this year and have been given two days work!

Our job? Open the beer, pour the beer, serve the beer and clean up afterwards. 850 beers, we is going to be busy.

Mind you I got my Stewards Handbook last week, and I quite like this clause

"Stewards are permitted to sample as many beers as they like, but must ensure they do not become enebriated"

<RUBS HANDS GLEEFULLY>

It's going to be a very merry Easter!

 

[big d]

some how i think you will have a fat old time wasabi.

 

[Batz]

Last clause blew it , sounded like fun till then :lol: :lol:

 

[kook]

Sounds like the same way volunteering for the GBBF works over in the UK.

Enjoy it Wasabi!

Hope everything is going well at Ballarat too!

 

[Doc]

Sounds awesome Wasabi.
Take along the camera and post the pics.

Enjoy,
Doc

 

[BarneyG]

I'm very jealous wasabi :lol:

Will you be attending the beer awards at the Exhibition Centre (Jeff's Shed)? I certainly will be

 

[Trev]

Wasabi

Good News - SWMBO and I are coming down to Melb that weekend so we've booked into the Friday 4:00Pm - 7:30PM session

Depending on how good it is, we may even show up on the Saturday for the 11:00am session as well

Which ones are you stewarding in?

Trev

 

[Wasabi]

I'm stewarding the ones held at the Uni. The ones in Melbourne are the all the "on Tap" beers. They only seem to picj people who have done it before.

However with a few of you going a long, I might think about joining up with you in Melbourne

 

[Trev]

Is there a chance that we should all meet up on Saturday afternoon - say at the St Arnou bar on Little Collins St (their Pale Ale is really superb)?

Any of the Melb regulars interested - alternatively what about the Sunday afternoon?

Trev

 

[Kai]

Last clause blew it , sounded like fun till then :lol: :lol:

So long as you can still sand up, walk and pull/pour beers then you should be able to get away with it.

 

[Wasabi]

Well day one of the beer awards has gone fairly well, though off to an unimpressive start. Us stewards were divided into two groups. One of the groups was serving a variety of Pale Ales and IPAs from around the globe, the other a selection of Australian Light Beers. Guess which one I got!

Got better after lunch though as we went onto US fruit beers and then the other beers group. Thats when things started to get interesting.

Beers that really stood out

Samuel Adams Tripple Bock
Cock and Bull Abbey Ale (despite being in a PET bottle)
Redoak Oatmeal Stout with Belgian Chocolate and Cherries

Most memorable though was the tray of drinks I was carrying that the Chief Steward accidently swung his arm at and broke all five glasses and covered me in beer. Not any old beer though, no if Im going to get soaked in beer its going to be Samuel Adams Utopia
. Know it? Well at $US100 a bottle, I got soaked in style! Though its more like a sherry or a port than a beer.

We also all got a mixed 6 pack to take home to say thanks. Mine doesnt look to bad. They are all Samuel Adams beers and include (Cheery Wheat, Oktoberfest, Boston Lager, Summer Ale) Hopefully we will get another 6-pack tomorrow.

SYDNEY GUYS
Dean from MSB was there and I managed to corner him about what was happening at Kings Wharf. Its kind of complicated, but in brief..

Unlike the brewhouse in Melbourne which is owned by Lion Nathan, the Kings Wharf one if a partnership with a publican. Well the reason they cant brew on premises yet is that they have not been given a licence. What they though was going to be a mere formality has become ugly. The guy who runs the Cargo Bar has lodged an objection to the brewhouse being given a licence on the grounds that the licensee is unfit. Well you see MSB elected two directors of Lion Nathan to be the licensees which the guy at Cargo Bar didnt know. He is still sticking to his guns, byt MSB are pretty sure they can settle it in court. Their argument is that if the directors of one of the biggest brewing companies in Australia arent fit to hold a brewing licence, who is?

He says it should be sorted out within a few months, but I think they are pretty pissed off about the whole thing.

More news tomorrow..

PS: Ive taken some empties home so Ill give you a list of some of the beers I got to try later.

 

[Doc]

Sounds like you have having an awesome time, except getting soaked in premium beer. Hopefully there was a drop or two left in the bottom of the glass for you to savour.
Bring on day two, you lucky bastard.

Slaving hard at work,
Doc

 

[Wasabi]

Well Tuesday was a much better day.

Dark Ales
Wheat Beers
Pale Ales
"Speciality Beers"

Started pretty much at 9am on the dot. My apprehension at drinking beer at 9am from Monday was well and truly gone.

My group did wheats first, and I'm afraid to said they were for the most part pretty average. Did get to try Redback Light (which I've never had). I'm not really a big Redback fan, but the light seemed pretty close to the real thing.

The other group were pouring Pale Ales and Darks. Mostly american entries, but a few Aussies ones about. I think .Rogue Brewery entered most of there beers. Nice bottles and the beer was quite good. I'm not a big fan of American Amber, but the yanks certainly know what they are doing when it comes to Pale Ale and IPA. I still think little creatures will do well this year.

One did stand out, and I think it must have been made by a relative of GMK. It's called Old Crustacean and its a Barley Wine. VERY VERY VERY Bitter, but a nice drop. Think glass of bile with a spoonful of sugar. Loaded to the hilt with Centennial and Chinook. The judges thought it was too bitter for the sty;le, which although true (and thats what they judge on) it was very nice.

Tried a Chilli Beer which was pretty good and a Rogue Chocolate Stout which was fantastic.

Managed to get my self a bottle (empty) of the Samuel Adams Tripple Bock. $65 a bottle (and we're talking 125ml). Nice bottle though, blue and the label is printed directly into the bottle in gold leaf.

The six pack of payment from Tuesday had a few Bridgeport brews in it so I'm looking forward to trying them.

Collected a load of empties so I'll produce a list of them. Wish I was stewarding fro the kegging in Melbourne, maybe next year. But it certainly was a good opportunity to mix with a variety of people in the industry.

A fantastic two days though, will definately do it again next year!

 

[AndrewQLD]

Great report Wasabi, wish I was in your shoes. And thanks for giving us the details.

 

[Doc]

Definitely sounds like you had a couple of great days.
Did you take any decent pictures ?

Doc