Redoak

[shotduck]

I treated the missus to a weekend away for her birthday (even if it was only 40klms from home) and, like a good loving husband (married to a complete non-drinker) I recommended the Redoak for dinner as I had heard rave reviews about its food

I have wanted to get my lazy arse down to the redoak for as long as it has existed, but this was the first opportunity I had to do so. I knew I wouldn't be able to indulge too much, so I had to choose my selection carefully. I ended up drinking a blackberry hefeweizen, an organic hefeweizen, a honey ale, a pilsner, an altbier, a brown porter, and the Redoak Reserve (just could not bring myself to leave without trying THAT little bugger).

During the meal the bar staff brought out a tray of 50mL IPA samples. This is a brew that has not yet been released, but we all got the chance to taste it before it hit the bar.

Toward the end of the meal I had the opportunity to speak with David Hollyoak, the owner/brewer of Redoak, and after hearing I was a fellow lover of the Belgian brew, he offered me a bottle of his St Nicholas.

All in all I have to say the evening was a tastebuds wet-dream. My personal favourites were the IPA, the St Nick and, of course, the Redoak Reserve. I will definately be going back there... probably for one of their monthly "beergustation" menus.

Cheers,

The Shot Duck

 

[joecast]

I treated the missus to a weekend away for her birthday (even if it was only 40klms from home) and, like a good loving husband (married to a complete non-drinker) I recommended the Redoak for dinner as I had heard rave reviews about its food

nice one TSD. i've tried that trick too many times, now the wife is suspicious of any suggestion i make. h34r:
good to hear it was an enjoyable evening, and most importantly, the beer was good.
joe

 

[Coodgee]

just out of interest... what did the final drinks bill come to for that selection?

 

[shotduck]

just out of interest... what did the final drinks bill come to for that selection?

I'm buggered if I know. You'll have to ask the horse!

I handed over the card, scrawled my moniker and buggered off. Didn't even keep the receipt.

 

[Boozy the clown]

Gee my financial controller is pretty liberal but no way would she approve that financial anarchy!

(I'm just assuming that list of drinks would ring up quite a sum, please prove me wrong and i'll be there too)

 

[Sammus]

I too recently had a tasting at the redoak, lots of awesome beers! I never got to try the organic hefe tho, which I tried tonight for the first time from a bottle, damn I loved it! By the st nick do you mean the 'Christmas Cheer' brew they had going? or is there another one? the christmas cheer was certainly an interesting brew, lots of flavour there! not as much as the special reserve though, which I might add (again ) I was the first to try when it was released at the bar, the original triple fermented barrel conditioned version that is wahoo B)

 

[warrenlw63]

Yep.

I must confess I enjoyed the Organic Hefeweizen too... Very much on the light side of the style in terms of colour (almost looks like a Wit). Have to say it's a very refreshing beer though. Be great on a Summer afternoon with a BBQ.

Must keep my eye out for their other offerings.

Warren -

 

[yardy]

this place sounds like the sh!t,

i don't suppose it's near Mackay is it ?

cheers

yard

 

[mikem108]

:angry: Couldn't get served there last week and left without trying anything but did notice that the Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!!
..an IPA you say . Hallelujah

 

[shotduck]

(I'm just assuming that list of drinks would ring up quite a sum, please prove me wrong and i'll be there too)

I think I walked out short a green one.

i don't suppose it's near Mackay is it ?

Only a few thousand klms south.

:angry: Couldn't get served there last week and left without trying anything but did notice that the Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!!
..an IPA you say . Hallelujah

By the time I left it wasn't even 9pm, so I am not sure just how busy it gets. It must have been packed for you not to get served. I'd like to make you feel better, but... you missed out man!

You're spot on for the price of the reserve, but in my opinion it is worth every penny. In fact, next time I go I will spend $30 on a double serve, so I can take the full 30 minutes required to experience the complex flavour changes as she warms up... $1 per minute for a full half-hour of bliss.

As for the IPA, I would have to say it was probably one of the finest I had tried. An excellent example, at the very least. Plenty of hop character, and quite bitter, but not "in-your-face-yank-style" - nicely balanced.

 

[shotduck]

By the st nick do you mean the 'Christmas Cheer' brew they had going?

No. The St Nick is a bottled version of a Belgian tripel, 12 months old. I didn't see it on the menu, nor did it have a commercial label on the bottle... just a small white plain label giving a brief rundown on what it was. Maybe it was another "yet-to-be released" brew.



My only annoyance about the entire night was that I didn't get the chance to hang around and chat for longer. If I had been able to hang around I may have learned more about it, but I had a two-year-old asleep in the pram and a wife with her eyes permanently fixed on her watch-face... and it was supposed to be her birthday dinner, after all. :blink:

 

[mikem108]

No it wasn't packed, I was the only one AT the bar (restuarant was packed though) and thats why after 10 minutes of waiting at the bar after being asked if I was being served I gave up! I'd already had a few at the Bavarian caf anyway but the service was well below par that night.

 

[KoNG]

The Saint Nicholas isn't new (and also is not the christmas cheer), it was launched last year for their anniversary if i remember correctly (after 12 months in secondary). It's a very well brewed beer, but i havent had it from the bottle this year. That said i think i drank half of the offerings last year (it was on tap last year), having 3 glasses most friday lunch times, couldnt get enough of it.
As mentioned the 'special reserve' is just awesome, triple fermented in oak i think... it is definately worth the time (and $$) to try it.
I also got stuck into a few pints of IPA last friday and will agree its a great beer, I have to say i dont ever find any of David's beers hoppy, so this was a great change.. and i think i would drink it most of the time when there!

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

So I tried the Grand Reserve on friday night.

There was a lot of hype surrounding it and I thought it would be a tastebud orgasm..................but IMO it was "meh" :mellow:

I could appreciate the complexity of it but I could only taste a little oak type flavours, most of it was sherry cross with promite. All three of us said the same thing.

I liked how it was complex and made me think hard about the different flavours especially as it changed temp but end the end of the day it seemed to be different sherry and promite flavours as it warmed up.


I don't regret trying it but won't be getting it again.

 

[Edgecliff Brewer]

I was at the Redoak on Sat night. I was not overly impressed with the hefeweizen (Franziskaner wins me over always). However there are some really great beers there - try the stout. The Vienna is great also. I haven't tried all of them yet but the fact that this place exists shows a great step forward in the Aussie palate.

I could not believe it when a group left 3 barely touched Grand Reserves on the bar. What were they expecting? Tooheys New? It was also amusing to see a party of 10 Japanese tourists all drinking wine in a beer hall. Not a beer in sight.

 

[Sammus]

So I tried the Grand Reserve on friday night.

There was a lot of hype surrounding it and I thought it would be a tastebud orgasm..................but IMO it was "meh" :mellow:

I could appreciate the complexity of it but I could only taste a little oak type flavours, most of it was sherry cross with promite. All three of us said the same thing.

When I tried it on opening night I was told there was very little left of the original triple oak fermented batch, so maybe you go some newer one that wasn't the same gear? just the sam recipe....maybe

on another note I got to try the oatmeal stout finally from there and was very impressed. Ditto with the IPA - v.nice!

Sam

 

[Blackfish]

I too found myself at Redoak Last friday night. Managed to secure a leave pass from home for a buddy & I to go do some brew "research" (that doesn't happen often so when it does we make the most!)

Highlights were the IPA and definately the St Nick. After circulating the 50ml samples (does that happen every night?) Dave Hollyoak got up and did a spiel about something new called a Baltic Porter which was absolutely awesome!

It was pretty expensive but you really do have to pay the guy's passion for unique, handmade beer. I'm much happier shelling out more there knowing I'm doing it for the little guy.java script:emoticon(':beerbang:',%20'smid_8')

 

[PostModern]

:angry: Couldn't get served there last week and left without trying anything but did notice that the Redoak reserve was $15 for a 50ml serve !!!!
..an IPA you say . Hallelujah

Jeez, makes the Baltic Porter look like a bargain at $15 a 330ml subby. People pay this for local beer? Stupid people.

 

[PostModern]

Dave Hollyoak got up and did a spiel about something new called a Baltic Porter which was absolutely awesome!

It was pretty expensive but you really do have to pay the guy's passion for unique, handmade beer. I'm much happier shelling out more there knowing I'm doing it for the little guy.java script:emoticon(':beerbang:',%20'smid_8')

I don't know Dave, but I've had three Baltic Porters. In order of quality:
1. Ray Mill's Baltic Porter homebrew. Cost, maybe $3/litre??? Ray??
2. Utenos Porteris from Lithuania. About 3 Euro for a 500ml bottle
3, by a long shot, Red Oak Baltic Porter. At $15 for a 330ml stubby, I was expecting something extraordinary, but was severely disappointed. Pretty ordinary beer, given the potential and scope of the style.

Little guy? If people buy everything he brews at the prices he charges, even with the premium city rent, he won't be little for long............

 

[Sammus]

Dave Hollyoak got up and did a spiel about something new called a Baltic Porter which was absolutely awesome!

Dunno why he did this only last week, I was up there a few months ago and it was nothing new, on the menu $14 for a 330ml bottle - good stuff....