sorry for the late notice guys, but i don't really know where I am until I'm there - lol..
Anyway had a fab night - the Royston has only recently reopened under new ownership & the nearest they get to selling megaswill is Coopers - all the beers there are from aussie micros. So drank schooners & bottles of many beers I'd never tasted before. Greg & Dave were working the bar & since I was virtually the only one there, we sat for the evening discussing beer - Greg has an interest in www.beerlovers.com which from memory is a mail order company that sends you out mixed cases of micro brews & he is also the Manager of "The lambs go barrrr" at fitzroy where I will be ending up later tonight after the State of Origin game - The bar specialises in bottled beer from around the world & has a fantastic range of belguims.
So just a quick guide to the beers drunk last night:
Goats head Hightale (draught) - Very fruity, crystal driven 5/10
Goats head Pale (draught) - nice hop bitterness, low aroma, well balanced 6/10
Holgate Pilsner (draught) - This beer was crap, the aroma & flavour of butterscotch was totally overpowering, never tasted diaceytal until now. I'm sure there was something wrong with this keg & Greg confirmed its not normally that bad. 2/10
Grand ridge Pilsner (draught) - Now we're talking, GREAT beer, lovely lacy head 8/10
Grand ridge Blonde (draught) - Even better, gorgeous full on yeasty wheat beer 9/10
Grand ridge blonde (bottle) - not a touch on the draught version - what a pity as was planning to pick up a case on thursday when I'll be staying at the Grand ridge. more subdued yeast flavour which was nice, but the bottle i had, had an acidic aroma & flavour which was quite unfortunate 6/10.
Bucklys Original (draught) - now here's a beer to give your taste buds a jolt - full on flavour driven beer, overly bitterred that IMO is a perfect example of a badly balanced beer, - just managed to finish my glass - 3/10.
Coopers Vintage (bottle) - WOW, perfect balance 9/10.
Holgate White (bottle) - what a nice surprise after there terrible draught - lovely wheat beer this one - 8/10
Little creatures rogers (bottle) - WOW again, I prefer this to lcpa, an amber ale in the american style, I'm guessing Amarillo & not as in your face as lcpa. could drink this all night, only 3.8% - FANTASTIC. 9/10
Holgate old pale ale (bottle) - another great beer (holgates best I reckon) - like an aussie version of lc rogers using noble hops & a lovely nutty flavour 8/10.
Grand Ridge Hatlifter stout (bottle) - this was a huge dissapointment, as Greg had given this one a good rap - it was sickly sweet, tasting of molasses, deep amber in colour & tasting nothing like a stout to me - couldn't finish the bottle - 3/10
Coopers extra stout (draught) - much better stout, easy drinking - 7/10
Jamesons rasberry ale (bottle) - finished the night on this one - huge fruit driven ale, a bit too much for my liking, but an absolute favourite of Gregs wife, who had now joined us, as the evening drew to a halt 7/10.
& best of all - no hangover this morning - you gotta love REAL beer....
Thanks again Greg & Dave for a great night.... :beer: