Comments for Australian Brews News

Comment on Tony Jones on craft beer by Mike

Mike — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:12:12 +0000

Hi Jonk,

you should have bought a carton. Having tried all of the JS and Mad Brewers limited releases I now ensure that I always purchase a carton, in anticipation of a great brew. The very nature of Hop Thief is that it is a different brew every time it is released to trial different hop varieties and to create exciting hoppy beers. It is always fun to sit back and await the next instalment, and as Tony said those that prove successful often become permanent family members (Golden Ale, Sundown Lager, 150 lashes pale ale). I also keep a bottle 2 to see how well they age. Anyway keep enjoying beers!!

Comment on I’m glad I said, “I’ll Hefe another one” by Ian

Ian — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:33:51 +0000

Pete,
I tried this beer at the Fox Hotel in Brisbane on Australia Day. I experienced a nearly identical flow of thoughts and confusion and eventually joy. Joy not just for a delicious and unusual beer, but Joy that the Malt Shovel gents had cracked a really interesting and pleasing release under the Mad Brewers label. In my opinion they have had a couple of misfires recently but this sees them back on track, where the first release of Noir left off.

*because I want to like beers like that to!

Cheers
Ian

Comment on A black pilsner? by Kevin Hawley

Kevin Hawley — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:23:04 +0000

Hmm, I’m always a bit uncomfortable with these mis-nomers. I think it’s bad enough having a lager called Victoria Bitter, another one called Cascade Pale Ale, and don’t get me started on all the bottled offerings called Draught.
Dark IPAs are another example, given what the “P” stands for. I’m definitely happy for brewers to experiment with different established styles, and great things often happen when they do. But then, give it a sensible (even, dare I suggest, original) name.

Comment on Brass in Plastic by Sam

Sam — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:03:10 +0000

Hi Andrew,

I remember the first time a fellow homebrewer offered me beer from a big PET bottle, I thought he was mad for not investing the time and money in glass. At the time it seemed it was only viable for short-term storage.

I’m not certain on what barrier coating Brass are using but I read an interesting (viz: boring-but-informative) article from Quark magazine about the advances in PET technology in the course of writing this; it seems it’s becoming more and more viable as an alternative.

My only real question is whether it can be properly used for longer term storage. I might check in in a few weeks and see how the Brass beers are tasting then.

Comment on Brass in Plastic by Andrew Bevan

Andrew Bevan — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:41:33 +0000

I tried the Pilsener at a Dan’s weekend tasting last month and was really surprised at how good it was. I was told that they have some special barrier coating inside the bottles to keep it fresh for months.

Comment on Brass in Plastic by Ben COnnery

Ben COnnery — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:27:08 +0000

Not sure why they are only launching this now, I tried these from Dan’s in early December. I admit I even bought them mostly because of the bottles as I knew I’d re-use them :)
I have no objections to PET, I use it all the time at home, but I’ve tried around half a dozen commercial beers from it and they’ve all been ordinary, at best. We are starting to see good beer in cans, maybe PET will be next…

Comment on Brass in Plastic by prof pilsner

prof pilsner — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:25:12 +0000

Good piece Sam. There once was a beer called ‘Tosser’ … they approached me at a trade show to see if I’d promote/sell their beer in PET bottles because it was ‘craft’. Not Had a battle with Lion over the trademark ‘Extra Dry’ but they seem to have dropped off the map.

Any readers recall Tosser or know if they are still flogging the stuff?

Comment on XXXX has a summer fling with ginger by Steve

Steve — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:34:31 +0000

As Ben commented, ‘neither here nor there’. A rather thin brew, rather like Miller Lite with a dash of ginger. The aroma of ginger comes through quite strongly, but is not backed up in the taste department. No malt whatsoever. My wife also commented that it would be far too dry for a ginger beer for her female friends. 5/10.

Comment on Brisbane’s grand tour of beer by Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:50:39 +0000

Once agin thanks to all of you for reading and taking an interest in what I have written. I’m sorry if people think what I wrote was a slight. The article is my impression of what I saw from my perspective and was presented as such. It’s great that other people have other opinions and it’s great we have discussion about it.

There is one matter I will defend and only one. When I visited I did so at a time that, as far as I could tell, the bar next door should have been open. I went to the door and was told they were closed. I went into the main Archive Bar and asked about beers from next door and was told it was closed. So I really did try and I really did want to check it out.

It is really cool that we all have differing opinions though and I appreciate you all reading my article and sharing your opinions on it. Every one is just as valid as mine. Look me up if you are ever going to be in my neck of the woods and we can have a couple and talk beer.

Comment on Brisbane’s grand tour of beer by Editor

Editor — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:57:19 +0000

Thanks for that Joe and you make some perfectly valid points, except that in making them you seem to accept that Aaron was being critical when he described the taps as being safer than his last visit. It was an observation, not a criticism. If you want see actual criticisms of the beers that are on tap at Archive, you need to go to the Beer Bureau website which was set up by a couple of the guys from Archive. Among the beers that were on tap at the time of Aaron's review were Stone & Wood Lager (it would be nice if they...cranked out a more challenging beer), Pacific Ale (I immediately washed my mouth out with the liquid handsoap in the bathroom of the pub, then bit into a urinal cake just to be sure my mouth was cleansed) and Bright Ale (Completely lack lustre...offered me about as much flavour as a mouthful of sand. I had to stop and couldn’t finish.). I think if their own staff are describing their "entry level beers" in this way, they should be seeing "safer" as a downright compliment. It was also a much kinder review that the few two paragraphs of this one which tore strips off their food and their patrons. All in all, I really can't see what the fuss was over in this very supportive article about the Brisbane beer scene.