boingk
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Having the opportunity to go around the harbour with my brother and a few others, I thought I'd better recall my Sunday.
We got started with a foodcourt brekkie somewhere nondescript and then started off with a pint of Little Creatures Pale at the Watershed. Good stuff, we all said. Then it was a leisurely walk around to the James Squire joint on the opposite side of the bay. Had a good look around at everything and also had a bit of a talk with the fellow behind the bar. Refreshingly honest, he didn't know a heap about the beers and admitted being a VB drinker at heart. He did inform the guys that JS is owned by Tooheys though, and offered us an info pamphlet and a testing of some beers.
We chose Porter and Stout, both very nice drops but their Stout would've been my pick as it was nice and mellow, rich but not overpowering. Exactly the thing for a cold night by a hewn-oak fireplace with the embers glowing red. Tasting and chatting complete, we proceeded through their offerings as the afternoon warmed up. Golden Ale, Amber Ale...then their house specials. The Highwayman I would plug as a nice, rounded ale although it seemed to me to be the Golden Ale with a tad darker malt overlaid on the base Golden Ale grain bill. Pleasing nontheless, we tried their Sundown Lager next and all agreed that it was something different. Not complex, very mild I thought, a good afternoon lager. Time to head for the Dunkirk, up Piermont Bridge Road.
We had a LC Bright Ale to sate a mild thirst, then headed up towards the start of Bridge Road (not to be confused with the former) and went into a nice little place (Number 2 Bridge Road, forget its name) with a bistro and an airy, well-sorted bar. We ordered a Baron Lager and were instantly smitten - with a beautiful caramel taste, very smooth and refreshing, it went down almost too well. So we ordered another one and some lunch. Lets just say it might've been the best meal we've ever had. We complemented the chef and then had a talk with the management, as they had only been open for a few days and were interested in our feedback. The chap said he was surprised to hear us raving over the fish as it was "cheap, frozen crap" he'd picked up to help things get off the ground. It'd obviously been very well prepared, so their chef was on the money. He asked us what we'd like to see on the menu, and we had a bit of a banter before suggesting flake, yellowjacket or perhaps ling. We moved back to the Dunkirk well pleased with our find, and vowed to return.
Back at the Dunkirk I convinced the fellows to a round of (sic) Frankishaner Hefe-Weissens. Lovely, tall half-litre glasses appeared with a mouth-watering aroma and a good inch-and-a-half head. Needless to say the taste was a match for the presentation. I think I'll just have to make one one of these days, I can't get the taste out of my head. Lovely esters filling the pallate, but at the same time not cloying or overpowering. Very refreshing indeed, in my opinion. Something different, and good at that.
Returning to the Watershed, we had one last Amber before having a walk around the harbour. The central entertainment was great, and made an excellent finish to a grand day. I'd recommend you take a day to sample the delights the harbour has to offer, if you haven't done so already. I think that day is going to be a fond memory, and will have to be one the the best days I've had so far. I'll definitely have to do it again.
Cheers all - boingk
We got started with a foodcourt brekkie somewhere nondescript and then started off with a pint of Little Creatures Pale at the Watershed. Good stuff, we all said. Then it was a leisurely walk around to the James Squire joint on the opposite side of the bay. Had a good look around at everything and also had a bit of a talk with the fellow behind the bar. Refreshingly honest, he didn't know a heap about the beers and admitted being a VB drinker at heart. He did inform the guys that JS is owned by Tooheys though, and offered us an info pamphlet and a testing of some beers.
We chose Porter and Stout, both very nice drops but their Stout would've been my pick as it was nice and mellow, rich but not overpowering. Exactly the thing for a cold night by a hewn-oak fireplace with the embers glowing red. Tasting and chatting complete, we proceeded through their offerings as the afternoon warmed up. Golden Ale, Amber Ale...then their house specials. The Highwayman I would plug as a nice, rounded ale although it seemed to me to be the Golden Ale with a tad darker malt overlaid on the base Golden Ale grain bill. Pleasing nontheless, we tried their Sundown Lager next and all agreed that it was something different. Not complex, very mild I thought, a good afternoon lager. Time to head for the Dunkirk, up Piermont Bridge Road.
We had a LC Bright Ale to sate a mild thirst, then headed up towards the start of Bridge Road (not to be confused with the former) and went into a nice little place (Number 2 Bridge Road, forget its name) with a bistro and an airy, well-sorted bar. We ordered a Baron Lager and were instantly smitten - with a beautiful caramel taste, very smooth and refreshing, it went down almost too well. So we ordered another one and some lunch. Lets just say it might've been the best meal we've ever had. We complemented the chef and then had a talk with the management, as they had only been open for a few days and were interested in our feedback. The chap said he was surprised to hear us raving over the fish as it was "cheap, frozen crap" he'd picked up to help things get off the ground. It'd obviously been very well prepared, so their chef was on the money. He asked us what we'd like to see on the menu, and we had a bit of a banter before suggesting flake, yellowjacket or perhaps ling. We moved back to the Dunkirk well pleased with our find, and vowed to return.
Back at the Dunkirk I convinced the fellows to a round of (sic) Frankishaner Hefe-Weissens. Lovely, tall half-litre glasses appeared with a mouth-watering aroma and a good inch-and-a-half head. Needless to say the taste was a match for the presentation. I think I'll just have to make one one of these days, I can't get the taste out of my head. Lovely esters filling the pallate, but at the same time not cloying or overpowering. Very refreshing indeed, in my opinion. Something different, and good at that.
Returning to the Watershed, we had one last Amber before having a walk around the harbour. The central entertainment was great, and made an excellent finish to a grand day. I'd recommend you take a day to sample the delights the harbour has to offer, if you haven't done so already. I think that day is going to be a fond memory, and will have to be one the the best days I've had so far. I'll definitely have to do it again.
Cheers all - boingk
