Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular

[carniebrew]

I went to the Friday arvo session, bloody brilliant, place was maybe 1/4 full? No lines at any bars, plenty of seating. Actually the only time I saw more than maybe 3 people at any of the bars was right at the start, a bunch of knuckleheads who'd decided to start at beer 1 and work their way up....so there was maybe a dozen people queuing at bar 1. You'd reckon some of them would think to start in the middle somewhere and wrap back around? Or start at the top and work back? Duh...

I ran into the boys from Craft Beer Crusaders, owned up to being the bloke who had a go at their fauxhawks on this forum after watching the preview. Had a good laugh.

Too hard to pick a favourite...Brooklyn's Grand Cru was a highlight, and Little Brewing Co's 11% Belgian Spiced Christmas Ale was right up there...it tasted nothing like fruit cake, but was bloody great.

White Rabbit's "Teddywidder" Berliner Weisse was the biggest letdown...dunno if I got a dud but it tasted like lemonade that you get from a post mix machine where it adds too much soda water.

8 Wired's "Merge Like a Zip" was the WOW beer of all the ones I tasted...truckloads of flavour.

I went to a Matilda Bay Craft Beer College session upstairs, they had the head brewers from Moondog, Hop Dog, Yeastie Boys and Dr's Orders talking shite up on stage, while handing us all a free tasting paddle with a selection of their beers on it. They spent 20 minutes talking about how they name their beers, yet didn't ask Josh from MoonDog how they came up with Lando Kardashian ffs! Still my favourite beer name of all time. My theory is they were having a movie night and couldn't decide between watching Star Wars or a sex tape.

 

[doon]

Pretty sure I saw a photo of one of the boys from crusaders wearing the exact same shirt he has worn all series!

 

[Spiesy]

IActually the only time I saw more than maybe 3 people at any of the bars was right at the start, a bunch of knuckleheads who'd decided to start at beer 1 and work their way up....so there was maybe a dozen people queuing at bar 1. You'd reckon some of them would think to start in the middle somewhere and wrap back around? Or start at the top and work back? Duh...

Sorry if we didn't start where we should have, mate.

 

[DU99]

:icon_offtopic: might have got shirts on a "bulk buy"

 

[citizensnips]

Had an awesome time there last night. Favourite beers in no specific order were

79 Sydney Brewery - Single Hop Oatmeal IPA
82 Thornbridge Brewery - UK/American Style Red Ale
71 Red Hill Brewery - Marzen (thank f$#k someone did a lager) was very tasty as well
74 Sierra Nevada - IPA brewed with Australian Ella and Galaxy hops
62 Moylans Brewing - American Rye Pale Ale
48 Little Brewing Co - Belgian Spiced Chrimtmas Ale (off its little titties)
50 Lord Nelson Brewery - Dark Rye Ale
34 Garage Project - Indochine Pale Ale
33 Gage Roads Brewing - Imperial English IPA with Belgian yeast.

And for just having the balls to brew something epicly different I must say The Mussel Inn with Bush Baby (New Zealand Bush Beer) was amazing, so many flavours I never thought could appear in beer.

 

[DU99]

have had few moylan's beer's and that was one of mine..

 

[Edak]

Great event! Had a great time and though I am thoroughly hopped and stouted out I appreciated every beer, of which I had about 30.
I also loved the Christmas ale, the pudding, the lemon myrtle to mention a few. Of course there were a few dodgy beers too.

 

[kieran]

79 - Sydney Brewery oatmeal IPA was good.
8 - White chocolate raspberry pilsner by Ross was very very good.
1 - 2 Brothers "Magic Pudding" was a very well brewed barley wine style beer/christmas ale. The balance between alcohol/malt and bitterness was perfect. A dangerously drinkable 9.5%ABV beer.

Stand out for faults:
92 - "2012 Australian Amateur Brewing Champion (brewed with Young Henry’s)" "Schwarz Ale/German Black Ale" had a big diacetyl hit. 'Gobfull of buttermentols' was a comment from a friend.
Taps - they were all too high for the bar tenders.. putting them 30cm lower wouldve made a big difference to the bar service.

The staff were fantastic, big cheers to the helpful volunteers!

 

[fcmcg]

.
Taps - they were all too high for the bar tenders.. putting them 30cm lower wouldve made a big difference to the bar service.

The staff were fantastic, big cheers to the helpful volunteers!

There was one particular volunteer who was extremely short statured and unable to pour beer properley...I only went to her once...every single taste was 3/4 foam..the bloke in front of me asked her to refill one of his choices....not sure 300mm would have made a difference for her lol..but your right...a bit lower would have been better...and yes , the staff were awsome !

 

[doon]

I loved bridge road brewers Hop to it Honey stand out beer! bloody cant remember the other ones i marked as good, the program got a little wet with beer and cleaners threw it out!

they really need to make the food a little cheaper. 12 bloody dollars for a pretty average hot dog is just stupid!

 

[doon]

remember a few -

acid freaks was surprisingly drinkable!

brooklyn brewery grand cru was great but ran out when i went to get a full glass which sucked

intravenous elixir was a ripper too

 

[kixbooty]

Krausenhaus and I went to the Saturday afternoon session and it was fantastic! We did end up running out of time but we managed to get a paddle each from every section!

The only thing i regret is not discovering "the melt shop" until 10 minutes before the end. Their philly cheese steak was the best thing I have ever eaten and I have eaten a lot of things!!!!!

 

[mikk]

Stand out for faults:
92 - "2012 Australian Amateur Brewing Champion (brewed with Young Henry’s)" "Schwarz Ale/German Black Ale" had a big diacetyl hit. 'Gobfull of buttermentols' was a comment from a friend.

Sorry you didn't like my beer! I heard from a few different people that there was some diacetyl in the GABS Schwarz Ale.

I can only put this down to the pretty rushed schedule to get the beer done in time. My beer had to fit into Young Henry's existing brewing schedule, & as such was only able to be given a 6 day primary fermentation prior to chilling & moving to the bright tank.

I think the 5 GABS kegs were filled from the bright tank a few days later, with the remainder staying in the bright tank for a bit longer. I'm not able to detect any diacetyl in the remaining kegs, so think it was only the GABS beer that was affected. The Alt yeast used responds well to lagering anyway, so suspect it cleaned itself up a bit.

I put a lot of time & effort into getting that recipe spot-on, & I'm happy with the end product that's now available at a number of Sydney bars/pubs, so if any Sydney people tried it at GABS and didn't love it, I think you should give it another go! At the moment, I think the brewery, the Union, & The Old Growler have it.

A big thanks to Young Henry's for agreeing to brew my beer too. A good day was had!

 

[tiprya]

I'll have to track down a pint mate. Can't remember if I had it at Gabs :unsure:

 

[Khellendros13]

A bit late, but here are my tasting notes. Yes, notes for every beer I tasted, which was most of them...
Copied from Coopers forum.

Bear in mind, after so many tastings, I may have scored something 1 point or so lower than if I had a clean palette. 1 beer I actually scored down when I tried it the second time though.

My limited, rushed notes for about 75 beers are below.
I find it hard to describe the flavours at times.
I will add the rest as I type them up.

Might not be of much interest to some, but I am typing them up anyway

5 = Have to consider my other options if this is the best thing on tap
6 = Drinkable, wouldn't say no.
7 = Would buy a bottle again
7.5-8 = Would buy a 6pack
9+ = Would love a carton and will try to brew something similar.

2 - 3 Raven's Brewery - Black 55 - 6/10
Burnt cherry, fruity.

3 - 4 Hearts Brewing Co. - Cluster **** - 4/10
CUB flavour, Craft Beer version of Carlton Draught.

4 - 4 Pines Brewing Co. - Dunkel Monkey - 7/10
Earthy, paddlepop, dry, light, sweet.

5 - 7 Cent Brewery - Wet Willie - 7.5/10
Smooth, bitter, spicy hop finish. Lingering toffee.

6 - 8 Wired Brewing - Merge Like A Zip - 7/10
Warming earthiness, rounded bitter finish.

7 - The Australian Brewery - Breakfast for the Kaiser - 6/10
Sharp, good body, rolling bitterness. Can't detect the chocolate or oats nor orange.
Nice enough but the description does not fit the beer.

8 - Bacchus Brewing Co. - White Chocolate Raspberry Pils - 6.5/10
Sour, vanilla shines through, berry on the back pallette, subtle white choc. Not spicy.

9 - Barid Brewing Co. - Daidai Pale Ale - 5/10
Dry, stonefruity aroma, savoury.

10 - Barossa Valley Brewing - Omega Centauri - 7/10
Earthy, piney, malty nut/coconut. Does not taste like 100IBU.

11 - Birbeck's Brewing Co. - The Merchant - 7/5/10
Subdued earthy hops. Just pretty nice.

13 - Black Heart Brewery - The Full English - 6.5/10
Not much in notes, just a similarity to my Dragonefire IPA, richer maltiness without the residual sweetness I got. Balanced a lot better.

14 - Blue Sky Brewery - Blue Sky Golden Ale - 6.5/10
Light, slight fruitiness, sessionable. Balanced nuttiness.

15 - Boatrocker Brewery - Hop Bomb IPA - 6/10
Mild IBU, hoppy...reminded me of Hop Bazooka.

16 - Bootleg Brewery - Tom's Oaked Amber Ale - 3/10
Strong, dominating Bourbon. +4 if you like Bourbone. I don't.

17 - Brewcult - Acid Freaks - 2/10
Balsamic vinegar does not work for me in this porter.

18 - Brooklyn Brewery - Grand Cru - 4/10
Coriander aroma, very little orange. Not balanced well.

19 - Bridge Road Brewers - Hop to it Honey - 7.5/10
Hoppy honey aroma, smooth hop bitterness, woody body. Moderate IBU.
Originally noted borderline cat piss, but I did later enjoy a pot of it...so probably pallette confusion.

20 - Bright Brewery - Supermucilaginisticexpialidocious - Smooth coconut flavours, fruity with spicy finish. STRONG! 10%.

21 - Burleigh Brewing Co - Hassle Hop - 6/10
Refreshing fruity, clean without much astringency.

24 - Colonial Brewing Co - Gary the White - 5/10
Super white head, can't see the bubbles! Subtle flavours, nothing stands out or defines this stout.

26 - Doctor's Orders Brewing - Intravenous Elixer - 7.5/10
Complex, roaster aftertaste. Sweet and sour mid pallete, good body.

27 - Duckstein Brewery - Duckstein Porter - 9/10
Bounty in a glass. Lots of coconut aroma and flavour, with choc malt opening up as it warms.
Too cold out of the tap. My favourite beer ever.

28 - Edge Brewing Project - NZ Wheat - 6.5/10
Tarty, light, sessionable.

29 - Endeavour (with Flat Rock Brew Cafe) - Shipwrecked - 7.5/10
Dancing acidity over the tongue, smooth, low bitterness.

31 - Feral Brewing Co. - Barrique O Karma - 7/10
Rich, sweet aroma, light earthiness and coffee notes. Rich body. Smooth. Can't find the vanilla though.

32 - Feral Brewing Co. - Pig Pen (collab with Wig & Pen Tavern) - 8/10
Sour, acidic, grainy, great body. Everything blends very well and comes through at the right moments.

33 - Gage Roads Brewing Co. - Double Giant - 6/10
Caramel and rum. Slight coconut (had this before the Duckstein. Or did I?) English hoppy mid pallette.

34 - Garage Project - Death From Above - 7/10
Hints of mango with a lingering heat. Strong, bitter, clovey with no mint detected.

35 - Golden Bear Brewing - I Peach A - 5.5
Funky peach, stoney, hairy.

36 - Grand Ridge Brewery - The Dark Side of Juniper - 7.5/10
Clean, fruity, smooth. One of few lagers I enjoyed.

39 - Harbour Brewing Co. - Spiced Imperial Chocolate Stout - 6/10
Boozey, spicy, rum motes. One to drink slowly.

40 - Hopdog Beerworks - An American Werewolf in Belgium - 7.5
Very well balanced, lingering bittersweet. Subdued fruitiness.

42 - The Indian Ocean Brewing Co. - Dark Lager - 5/10
Toffee aroma, yeasty, bitter. Reminds me of Crown Lager.

43 - Ironhouse Brewery - Holy Smoke - 6/10
Smoked bacon, thin body for a Black IPA, highly carbed.

44 James Squire - Cast of Thousands - 7.5/10
Banana, complex, fruity palette. Bubblegum aroma. Reduced wheaty tartness. Light body. Very drinkable. Pity I didn't get time for a full pot.

45 - Kooinda Brewery - Mosaic American Pale Ale - 7/10
Nice thick body, floral aroma, strong floral flavour. Smooth bitterness.

46 - Last Drop Brewery - Last Drop ESB - 5/10
Balanced, refined but not standout. Improved VB.

47 - Liberty Brewing - Citra Junior - 6/10
Easy to drink.

48 - The Little Brewing Co. - Mabbot Christmas Ale - 7/10
Sweet, spiced fruits. Rich maltiness. Thick, sweet body. Hints of English hops/cloves. More than a glass would be too sickly.

49 - Little Creatures Brewery - Shepherd's Warning - 5/10
No notes!

50 - Lord Nelson Brewery - Black Eyed Rye - 8/10
Roasty, tart, hints of grapefruit. Bery nice. Reminds me of ANZAC ale I brewed using recipe off Coopers website.

53 - Matilda Bay Brewing Co - Black Boris - 7/10
Rich body, tart fruit followed by smokiness. Choc licorice aroma, spicy and bittersweet.

55 - Mike's Organic Brewery - Mike's Udderlicious Milk Stout - 7.5/10
Dark, creamy body, hints of choc, coffee, burnt toast. Light, roasty aroma. Very well balanced bitterness/sweetness.

56 - Moas Brewing Co. - Moa Blackhops IPA - 4/10
Roasted coffee, bitter, hints of Motueka. I don't like coffee.

57 - Moon Dog Craft Brewery (with Nogne O Brewery(Finland))- 6/10
Dark chock, sour cherry. Vinegar/acidic flavours. Rich! A bit too much for me. Adjusted down from 7.5, a score given after a few drinks of other beers in a seminar. The cherry flavour goes deep though.

58 - Mornington Peninsula Brewery - Commonfolk Brown - 3.5/10
Sweet coffee, roasty, bitter, earthy English. I like their regular Brown Ale, but I don't like coffee.

59 - Morrison Brewery - IPA - 6/10
Earthy, floral, restrained. Lingering bitterness.

60 - Mountain Goat Beer - Andy's Reserve Amber Ale - 5/10
Rather bitter for an Amber Ale. I tried the Hightail Ale this is a modified version of, and much prefer Hightail Ale. Better balance with the malt shining more.

61 - The Monk Brewery And Kitchen + Eagle Bay Brewing Co. - Cacao Cabana - 5/10
Hint of banana, no choc, not a standout. The word going around was "paddlepop" but I didn't get that flavour. Still sessionable though.

64 - The Mussel Inn - Bush Baby - 5.5/10
Good body, but overpowering antiseptic flavour from the Rata honey/Manuka tips. Was looking forward to this

66 - Parrotdog - Bloody Dingo - 5/10
Malty, hoppy, sweet bitterness. Not much else though, rather bland.

67 - Pinchgut Brewing Co. - Bjorn's Red "01" -6/10
No notes again!

69 - Red Duck - Orange Mosaic - 6.5/10
Orangey, not too sour for the style, almost cidery though.

71 - Red Hill Brewery - Festbier - 6/10
Lager like finish in the mouth. Malt/yeast driven.

72 - Renaissance Brewing - Enlightenment - 7.5/10
Dark toffee flavour, hints of dark spirits, bigger body than the 4.8% ABV suggest. Complex and balanced. Oak really helps round it out.

76 - Southern Bay Brewing - Le Pe****Tronc Avec Peche - 5.5/10
Fruity, fingerpaint, yeast bomb. Light sourness.

77 - Stefano's Mildura Brewery - Winter Sun - 7.5
Subtle earthiness, rich, slight acid.

78 - Summer Wine brewery - Warthog - 8/10
Smooth, roasted fruit. Very drinkable. Tingly. Rounded bitter aftertaste.

79 - Sydney Brewery - Stormy Winter's Morning Rise - 6.5/10
Strong bitterness, roasty. Can't sense the oatmeal though.

81 - Thirsty Crow and William Bull Brewery - Charlie's Pitbull - 5/10
Coffee aroma, creamy coffee palette. No orange detected, more orange would balance it better.

82 - Thornbridge Brewery - Colorado Red - 6.5/10
Again, no notes.

83 - Thunder Road Brewing - Hop Star Extra Pale Ale - 7/10
Floral, rounded.

85 - True South Brewery - Killer Python kolsch - 7/10
Malty, fruity, yeasty, nice! Balanced. Possibly on the sweet side if you tried to session this.

86 - Two Birds Brewing - Taco - 7/10
Tarty, refreshing.

88 - Wayward Brewing Co. - 5.5/10
Not much hop flavour, sour/wheaty.

89 - White Rabbit brewery - Teddywidder - 6.5/10
Sour, oaty at the finish, slight milkiness.

90 - Yeastie Boys - Golden Age of Bloodshed - 5/10
Impressive red colour from the beets, but my tastebuds are ****ed. Sessionable, slight sweetness. I found it bland, and from the conversations around me, the only impressive point was the colour.

91 - Young Henry's brewing Co. - Divine Manchu - 2.5/10
Antiseptic, rubberglove. Sour, thick. Horrible beer. Ugh.

92 - Young Henry's Brewing Co. (Brewed by Aus Amatuer Brewing Champ) - Schwarz Ale - 6.5
Slight sourness, roasty, choc, hints of coffee.

 

[carniebrew]

Wow...75 tastings and only one you'd actually buy a slab of?

 

[Khellendros13]

Wow...75 tastings and only one you'd actually buy a slab of?

Yep, I'd rather brew 2 or 3 beers myself and get more experience than buy a slab. I may have a different view if I was earning more $$ than I currently am. I have not bought a slab of anything for years. I'd rather try individual beers as there is a crapload to still taste

 

[carniebrew]

Well yeah, not wanting to buy a slab of something I understand, I never do these days either....too many different beers to try. But that's different to not rating a beer worthy of a slab purchase.

Good work on the notes though, that's one hell of an effort.

 

[Yob]

That's some serious commitment… was that done over a few days? I wouldnt read my own writing after half of those...

 

[Khellendros13]

Well yeah, not wanting to buy a slab of something I understand, I never do these days either....too many different beers to try. But that's different to not rating a beer worthy of a slab purchase.

Good work on the notes though, that's one hell of an effort.

This is true. They did start to taste similar though, especially all the Black IPA's. So consider the ratings relative to each other. I really wanted to get some pots of the beers I liked a lot, but just no time with only 4hr sessions.

That's some serious commitment… was that done over a few days? I wouldnt read my own writing after half of those...

Yea over Fri night, both sessions Sat, and the single session Sunday.

I was worse for wear Sunday morning, but had to soldier on
A chilli burrito and pot of Duckstein Porter sorted me out pretty well!

I really enjoyed the 3 seminars I went to as well. The passion in some of the brewers is quite amazing, especially Brad from Stone and Wood.