Macquarie Hotel Brewery

[petesbrew]

You're right. I went for a quiet one, but ended up having three. I'm now back at the office and am hungry for more of their stout.

After the red and the stout, I had trouble explaining manufacturer wiring stuffups to a senior engineer. Maybe a dark bier would've helped a bit.
Am putting off talking to the boss now, but will bring up the idea of the Gose brewery side project.

 

[PostModern]

After the red and the stout, I had trouble explaining manufacturer wiring stuffups to a senior engineer. Maybe a dark bier would've helped a bit.
Am putting off talking to the boss now, but will bring up the idea of the Gose brewery side project.

Go Pete! There has to be some use for the waste salt.

I've luckily got a mundane chore this arvo, so the Red, the Stout and the Schwartz are helping a lot

Pity you couldn't hang around Linz, they were brewing downstairs, so Doc, Merv and myself got chatting with Sam. Got to stick our heads into the kettle during lauter and everything!

 

[Doc]

Yep, was the Pale Ale, Red Lager and Schwarzbier for me.
The Pale Ale wasn't as hoppy as last time I was there, the Red Lager I thought was slightly astringent, and the Schwarzbier has never been the same since Gerard last brewed it :beerbang:
All in all a great liquid lunch. Great to see you guys.

Beers,
Doc

 

[amervin]

I started (as did Glenn and Mark) with the Red, on to the dark and then the stout! Really liked all three, I have to say, although I would have liked a little more body to the stout. Very smooth though.

Merv

 

[PostModern]

It was good to meet you, however briefly, Merv.
Welcome to AHB as well!

That stout is a nice drop, hey? The Red was a little thin for my liking, but it's probably fair for a "Bavarian Red".

 

[Tseay]

Have to say overall, I was a little disappointed. I enjoyed the Wheat and the Pale Ale was good. The dark lager was OK as well. The Red lager had an almost raspberry syrup tase to it and whilst there was nothing wrong with the stout, it certianly could have done with more body and perhaps a little more character.The less said about the Pilsener the better.

Undertsand they have to produce a commercial product with broad appeal and I am sure they find that frustrating. I would go back for the next Pale Ale batch, would be good to taste it very fresh.

PS:The above comments not withstanding, they have something very special maturing in Oak in the dungeon.- all power to them

 

[joshuahardie]

I think I will be dropping in for a quick taster lunch today....

Hope i get a good batch, as it seems like the quality goes up and down pretty quickly..

wish me luck

 

[PostModern]

The quality has moved up and down in the past, but since Sam's been brewing there, the beers are always drinkable, usually quite enjoyable, sometimes superb. It's the nature of small batch brewing. Unlike during the rough patch they went thru between Gerard leaving and Sam starting. Urgh there were some nasty offerings at times then. (apologies if the interim brewer/s is a member *Prepares to remove foot from mouth*)

 

[joshuahardie]

Well i got there.

had a quick fly by and tried the pils and the pale


i think my thoughts echo most other people here, the pils started out ok, but had that sickly sweet butterscotch aftertaste on the palate.

the pale, was perfectly fine. not bad, but not grand either. probably something that i would give to my megaswill buddies, in order to gently indroduce them to better beer.

still ill be back to try the others next week

 

[///]

had a quick fly by and tried the pils and the pale
i think my thoughts echo most other people here, the pils started out ok, but had that sickly sweet butterscotch aftertaste on the palate.

must be some of that VDK (diacetyl) that we Aussies dislike so much in our pils...

Scotty

 

[Mercs Own]

Strange thing to say but I am coming up to Sydney tonight to give evidence in a murder trial tomorrow. Me thinks I will go and have a good sample of Sam's beers tonight. Probably be there from 6.30 or so for an hour or two so if any one is around come and say hello.

 

[Steve Lacey]

Strange thing to say but I am coming up to Sydney tonight to give evidence in a murder trial tomorrow.

So you were. Hope the evidence was useful and that you found some AHB company with which to enjoy a beer.

 

[Mercs Own]

Cant really comment on the evidence other than to say I hope who ever commited the crime is found guilty and gets what they deserve.

I can comment on the beers though....

Got to the airport in Melbourne and thought I would have a Blue Tongue in the Qantas club before getting on the plane. Bad mistake - it was crap - drank less than half of it and left the lounge early to get a bottle of water. On the flight to Sydney I still felt like a beer but the choices arent great - VB, Tooheys or Hahn light. That is what is so disappointing about the Blue Tongue finally a craft beer in a mainstream venue, great profile, great opportunity for craft beer and such a disappointing example full of old cardboard!! Anyway on the plane I took the plunge and had a VB and god damn it I enjoyed it - not a great beer but fullfilled me in the moment and washed away the disappointment of the BT.

Got to the hotel and hightailed it down to the Macquarie. As I walked in Sam was walking out, we bumped into each other and she very kindly stayed for a beer or two, took me through the brewery and we chatted all things beer. Doc did you see the bottling set up they have there now? A lot of work has been done since I was last there AND the beers are much better!

So - the Pils - Sam told me it is still a work in progress that she is not 100% happy with so stay tuned and watch it develop. I loved the Red - thought it was excellent and well balanced a damn fine drink. The Pale was good but out of balance for me, too much fresh cascade hop plugs and not enogh body to carry it. The Dark I enjoyed but unfortunately cant quite bring it to mind as I type. I guess there were other beers I felt more strongly about - liked and disliked and so the Dark which I enjoyed but somehow got lost in the mix. The wheat has a lot going on with it which I appreciated but I thought it finished a little short. I liked it but it didnt have that lovely lingering softness and quality of the Red. The Stout which some people here have said they thought was too thin I really liked and in fact it was the beer I drank the most of - possibly why I cant recall the dark as well. All in all I reckon Sam is a quality brewer and doing a great job. She has a couple of secrets in the cellar which I have no doubt people here will love or at the very least an opinion - its all about the craft!

The last time I was at the Macquarie it was more than ordinary ( possibly boardering on pretty bad) now I have to say it is exciting and I think could well prove to be cutting edge in time! Go Sam.

BTW I put Sam on to this forum and I know she has read this thread and enjoyed the feedback and comments. I also know she is more than happy to say gidday and talk beer so make yourself known.

Lastly thanks to all those AHB's that came down to say hi - none of you! I had a good night but :chug:

Edit: had a Hahn Premium at the airport in Sydney before flying back to Melbourne and quite enjoyed it. Seemed to have some fruity malt character and hop presence - I always thought Blue Tongue was a clone but it left BT behind, that said it was the first beer I had after sitting in front of a convicted murder giving evidence in his second murder trial....

 

[Linz]

Lastly thanks to all those AHB's that came down to say hi - none of you! I had a good night :chug:

Funny....I have the same experience, with AHBers when Im in Melbourne

BTW are you coming back up for the Beer festival at the Australian in the rocks???

Any time you're staying at the Rydges in Campbelltown NSW, drop us a PM :huh: <_<

Just got an absolute bollocking from the SWMBO..just told her about it..She saw SB at the movies "14" times!!! reckons she would have dragged me down there by the hair!! for a beer of course

 

[goatherder]

Got to the airport in Melbourne and thought I would have a Blue Tongue in the Qantas club before getting on the plane. Bad mistake - it was crap - drank less than half of it and left the lounge early to get a bottle of water. On the flight to Sydney I still felt like a beer but the choices arent great - VB, Tooheys or Hahn light. That is what is so disappointing about the Blue Tongue finally a craft beer in a mainstream venue, great profile, great opportunity for craft beer and such a disappointing example full of old cardboard!! Anyway on the plane I took the plunge and had a VB and god damn it I enjoyed it - not a great beer but fullfilled me in the moment and washed away the disappointment of the BT.

I share your disappointment with Bluetongue. I see them more as megaswill wannabees than craft brewers. What shits me most is that their strength in the brand and marketing means they could sell a decent beer if they wanted to brew one. They could become a Little Creatures. Instead they just seem to want to clone the big boys. I want to like them, the brewery is 30 mins from my house...

 

[Mercs Own]

Funny....I have the same experience, with AHBers when Im in Melbourne

BTW are you coming back up for the Beer festival at the Australian in the rocks???

Any time you're staying at the Rydges in Campbelltown NSW, drop us a PM :huh: <_<

Just got an absolute bollocking from the SWMBO..just told her about it..She saw SB at the movies "14" times!!! reckons she would have dragged me down there by the hair!! for a beer of course

I am hoping to get up for that one - fingers crossed.

Next time your in Melb let me know and I will try not to let the team down.

 

[///]

Perhaps it is interesting to note how beer can change over time and we sometimes miss it. Sometimes we dont though....

Scotty :unsure:

 

[PostModern]

Lastly thanks to all those AHB's that came down to say hi - none of you! I had a good night but :chug:

Hey Paul,

I'd have been there, but I live a long way from Sydney, so getting the 5:12 or 5:42 train home is precious to me. I seriously considered popping in, but I thought about hanging about in the bar and you not being there or getting there late and thinking to myself "I'm waiting in a pub to have a beer with Paul Mercurio instead of spending an hour with the kids", and in the end, I'm sorry, but the early train beckoned and I went home instead. Would have been great to meet you, but in the end, it was a school night. Sorry you had to drink alone, or with Sam, or a bit of both, by the sounds.

fwiw, the stout was my favourite, too.

Catch you next time you're in town for the trial of about the murder of your neighbour, tho.

PoMo.

 

[Doc]

Hey Paul, sounds like the visit wasn't wasted. Would have been there myself, but I spent Mon/Tues layed up in bed trying to knock out a bug. Panedine Forte is a great thing.
I also missed the monthly Hills Brewers Guild meeting :angry:
Feeling pretty good now, and have a Whiskey tasting at work tomorrow night so all good :beerbang:

Doc

 

[PostModern]

trying to knock out a bug.

Wasn't tonsillitis was it Doc? I'd feel like crap if I coughed in the wrong direction at the Macca!