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The Bludgeon Brewery
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- 12/6/03
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Im proud to say that I just spent a week at Margaret River and visited two breweries and no wineries. You can get beers from The Bootleg Brewery in bottles in Perth and I have tasted all their beers before, but had to drop in for a taste and some takeaways. I especially like their Raging Bull Ale.
The Colonial Brewery is new and I was seriously impressed with their set-up. They only opened a few months back. Its much closer to town and I reckon will really give Bootleg a shake. Have typed out their tasting notes as follows.
Dr Quick, English Strong Ale, 7.7% ABV. Heavily hopped for bitterness, it features a deep palate of rich malt with hints of orange in a long, complex finish.
Spruikers Challenge, German Kolsch Ale, 4.5% ABV. Delicate hop flower aromas precede a palate so light, crisp and balanced that its often mistaken for a pilsner.
Pistol Whip, Scottish Best Bitter, 4.6% ABV. A complex brew, showing fruit and toffee aromas, a broad, rich palate and ending with length and complexity.
18 Hands, N-E English Brown Ale, 4.9% ABV. A mouth-filling brown ale in the northern English style. It displays a balanced, full malt palate before a long finish.
They have four seasonal beers. Currently they are serving their Summer selection, Back Breaker, Belgian Blonde Ale, 5.1% ABV. Lightly hopped, this cloudy wheat beer uses coriander and dried curacao orange peel to lend bitterness.
Autumn: Freebooter, German Rauchbier, 5.8% ABV. Literally a smoked beer, its strong in character, from the nose, through a meaty palate to a long smokey finish.
Winter: Gully Washer, English Porter, 6.3% ABV. Deep ruby brown, this robust style is a big mouthful with hints of coffee and rich roasted malt to the bitter end.
Spring: Big Blow, Bavarian Heffe Weissbier, 5.3% ABV. Light wheat beer, fresh and yeasty with simple fruity nose and palate before a light refreshing farewell.
They sell a paddle, shaped like a mash paddle fitted with five glasses about 150ml holding a sample of each the five beers on tap. It goes for $10 and comes in just over two standard drinks so you can drive afterwards. I got one of them on my first visit and was seriously impressed with the quality of the beers. On my second visit I went for a pint each of the Kolsch and the English Strong Ale. I also really liked the English Brown but couldnt get pissed because of other commitments that day but I am very keen on another visit in autumn to sample the rauchbier.
The Kolsch is delicate and fragrant and goes down fast like breathing in. Could just drink this all day. The English strong ale is nice and bitter at 42 IBU but not really English as Im sure it is late-hopped with cascade flowers. That sounds odd but it works really well and this is a sensational beer hands down my favourite of them all. Very deceptive in strength with no strong alcohol flavour or aroma. You could drink this all afternoon but at 7.7% you might go night-night very early.
The menu is good, but priced as you would expect for Margaret River. When we sent some chips back because Miss 11 year old said they had chilli on them the chef sent back an explanation that it was paprika but gave us another serve without paprika for free. The playground is about the best in the whole world according to Miss 6 year old. There are vineyards to gaze over and horses in the neighbouring paddock for the kids to pat.
As usual I claim no affiliation with this mob but give this plug because they are making a genuine effort to create excellent beers. Nothing in bottles yet but give them a visit if you are in the area. Website www.colonialbrewingco.com.au
The Colonial Brewery is new and I was seriously impressed with their set-up. They only opened a few months back. Its much closer to town and I reckon will really give Bootleg a shake. Have typed out their tasting notes as follows.
Dr Quick, English Strong Ale, 7.7% ABV. Heavily hopped for bitterness, it features a deep palate of rich malt with hints of orange in a long, complex finish.
Spruikers Challenge, German Kolsch Ale, 4.5% ABV. Delicate hop flower aromas precede a palate so light, crisp and balanced that its often mistaken for a pilsner.
Pistol Whip, Scottish Best Bitter, 4.6% ABV. A complex brew, showing fruit and toffee aromas, a broad, rich palate and ending with length and complexity.
18 Hands, N-E English Brown Ale, 4.9% ABV. A mouth-filling brown ale in the northern English style. It displays a balanced, full malt palate before a long finish.
They have four seasonal beers. Currently they are serving their Summer selection, Back Breaker, Belgian Blonde Ale, 5.1% ABV. Lightly hopped, this cloudy wheat beer uses coriander and dried curacao orange peel to lend bitterness.
Autumn: Freebooter, German Rauchbier, 5.8% ABV. Literally a smoked beer, its strong in character, from the nose, through a meaty palate to a long smokey finish.
Winter: Gully Washer, English Porter, 6.3% ABV. Deep ruby brown, this robust style is a big mouthful with hints of coffee and rich roasted malt to the bitter end.
Spring: Big Blow, Bavarian Heffe Weissbier, 5.3% ABV. Light wheat beer, fresh and yeasty with simple fruity nose and palate before a light refreshing farewell.
They sell a paddle, shaped like a mash paddle fitted with five glasses about 150ml holding a sample of each the five beers on tap. It goes for $10 and comes in just over two standard drinks so you can drive afterwards. I got one of them on my first visit and was seriously impressed with the quality of the beers. On my second visit I went for a pint each of the Kolsch and the English Strong Ale. I also really liked the English Brown but couldnt get pissed because of other commitments that day but I am very keen on another visit in autumn to sample the rauchbier.
The Kolsch is delicate and fragrant and goes down fast like breathing in. Could just drink this all day. The English strong ale is nice and bitter at 42 IBU but not really English as Im sure it is late-hopped with cascade flowers. That sounds odd but it works really well and this is a sensational beer hands down my favourite of them all. Very deceptive in strength with no strong alcohol flavour or aroma. You could drink this all afternoon but at 7.7% you might go night-night very early.
The menu is good, but priced as you would expect for Margaret River. When we sent some chips back because Miss 11 year old said they had chilli on them the chef sent back an explanation that it was paprika but gave us another serve without paprika for free. The playground is about the best in the whole world according to Miss 6 year old. There are vineyards to gaze over and horses in the neighbouring paddock for the kids to pat.
As usual I claim no affiliation with this mob but give this plug because they are making a genuine effort to create excellent beers. Nothing in bottles yet but give them a visit if you are in the area. Website www.colonialbrewingco.com.au