Trent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 16/6/04
- Messages
- 1,258
- Reaction score
- 2
Gday guys
I am still overseas, but I have been as busy as a one legged man in an arse kicking competition, so I havent even been checking the internet, just been visiting friends and my fiancees relo's, and the odd brewery. Anyway, I will try and put up some pics another time, but just a quick post to let ya's knnow about beers I have tried. Just about all of the Phillips beers in Canada were really really good. I called him up when I was in Victoria, BC, and he let me come over to his brweery, gave me a pint of his espresso stout to drink while he showed me round. It was a fairly simple set-up, he is just in a commerical shed, with a few 20 hec fermenters (2000 L?), and he has 4 x 30 hec ones, and will be taking delivery of 2 more 30 hec in the next week or so. He's only a young fella, about 32 or so, and graciously gave me about half an hour of his time, and seeings as they are running at capacity, that was alot for him to give. I went to Vancouver Island brewery for an official tour, and got to taste all their beers, and most of them were pretty nice. I am not really into lagers, but their pilsner was delicious. I was the only guy on the tour that day, so when the assistant brewer walked past, I asked him how late in the boil they added their Czech hops to have such a good hop aroma/flavour. He told me they boiled them for 35 mins! I have a feeling he was not very assistant. Anyway, also went to the Canoe Club brewpub which has an almost faultless brown ale, and to spinnakers, which has a really good raspberry amber, scotch ale, and brown ale. Victoria (vancouver Island) has about 6 microbreweries and about as many again in brewpubs. Great place to visit. Now I am in LA, visiting mates, and I have been drunk since I got here! Straight into the SNPA again, then back into Arogant Bastard. I dont know if it is cause I have been brewing some fairly bitter beers, or my palate has matured, but it isnt as offensive or heavy as I remembered (as others on this site have said). Still a nice beer though. Went to the Library Alehouse for dinner last night, and tried a heap of different beers. they have hoegaarden and chimay on tap, as well as 27 other beers. Tried a hemp beer, a very tasty apricot wheat beer, some good browns, racer 5 IPA, and a few nice pales. There were a few that werent to my taste, but ya cant win em all. Right now I am staritng my stone appreciation night, cause my mate got me every special release for the lasst year. I am sipping on the Stone Imperial Russian Stout, the thickest pouring beer I have ever seen, you cant see through it ever holiding it to direct suun. It has some real roast/coffee/chocolate notes with some real kick at 10.8%. Very tasty. It gets better as it warms, and I am off to buy a few more bottles as a shop on the corner here still has a few bottles. About to get into the smoked Porter, then the Ruination IPA. Have the Double Bastard, Vertical Epic and Old Guardian Barleywine to go, but will save them till tomorrow when my palate is capable of tasting again. The Anniversary ale came out yesterday, so will be buying a few bottles of that when I find it. Actually on the Smoked Porter now (takes me a long time to typwe when I am under the influence) very nice porter, but not much smoke taste at all. Will be heading to the Stone Brewery for a tour on friday (I hope), and will be trying as many beers as I possible can between now and when I get home next week. Should also be visiting Pizza Port amd maybe Alesmith. The supermarket 2 blocks down has about 60 or 70 different beers, so I cant imagine I will be much use for the next few days, but if I get a chance I will learn how to put pictures onto the computer! And if anyone knows of any beers that shouldnt be missed while I am here, please let me know.
All the best, and I hope the weather is perferct for brewing
Trent
I am still overseas, but I have been as busy as a one legged man in an arse kicking competition, so I havent even been checking the internet, just been visiting friends and my fiancees relo's, and the odd brewery. Anyway, I will try and put up some pics another time, but just a quick post to let ya's knnow about beers I have tried. Just about all of the Phillips beers in Canada were really really good. I called him up when I was in Victoria, BC, and he let me come over to his brweery, gave me a pint of his espresso stout to drink while he showed me round. It was a fairly simple set-up, he is just in a commerical shed, with a few 20 hec fermenters (2000 L?), and he has 4 x 30 hec ones, and will be taking delivery of 2 more 30 hec in the next week or so. He's only a young fella, about 32 or so, and graciously gave me about half an hour of his time, and seeings as they are running at capacity, that was alot for him to give. I went to Vancouver Island brewery for an official tour, and got to taste all their beers, and most of them were pretty nice. I am not really into lagers, but their pilsner was delicious. I was the only guy on the tour that day, so when the assistant brewer walked past, I asked him how late in the boil they added their Czech hops to have such a good hop aroma/flavour. He told me they boiled them for 35 mins! I have a feeling he was not very assistant. Anyway, also went to the Canoe Club brewpub which has an almost faultless brown ale, and to spinnakers, which has a really good raspberry amber, scotch ale, and brown ale. Victoria (vancouver Island) has about 6 microbreweries and about as many again in brewpubs. Great place to visit. Now I am in LA, visiting mates, and I have been drunk since I got here! Straight into the SNPA again, then back into Arogant Bastard. I dont know if it is cause I have been brewing some fairly bitter beers, or my palate has matured, but it isnt as offensive or heavy as I remembered (as others on this site have said). Still a nice beer though. Went to the Library Alehouse for dinner last night, and tried a heap of different beers. they have hoegaarden and chimay on tap, as well as 27 other beers. Tried a hemp beer, a very tasty apricot wheat beer, some good browns, racer 5 IPA, and a few nice pales. There were a few that werent to my taste, but ya cant win em all. Right now I am staritng my stone appreciation night, cause my mate got me every special release for the lasst year. I am sipping on the Stone Imperial Russian Stout, the thickest pouring beer I have ever seen, you cant see through it ever holiding it to direct suun. It has some real roast/coffee/chocolate notes with some real kick at 10.8%. Very tasty. It gets better as it warms, and I am off to buy a few more bottles as a shop on the corner here still has a few bottles. About to get into the smoked Porter, then the Ruination IPA. Have the Double Bastard, Vertical Epic and Old Guardian Barleywine to go, but will save them till tomorrow when my palate is capable of tasting again. The Anniversary ale came out yesterday, so will be buying a few bottles of that when I find it. Actually on the Smoked Porter now (takes me a long time to typwe when I am under the influence) very nice porter, but not much smoke taste at all. Will be heading to the Stone Brewery for a tour on friday (I hope), and will be trying as many beers as I possible can between now and when I get home next week. Should also be visiting Pizza Port amd maybe Alesmith. The supermarket 2 blocks down has about 60 or 70 different beers, so I cant imagine I will be much use for the next few days, but if I get a chance I will learn how to put pictures onto the computer! And if anyone knows of any beers that shouldnt be missed while I am here, please let me know.
All the best, and I hope the weather is perferct for brewing
Trent