Food, Drink & Dining Out Favourite Beer II

[Silent Alarm]

This was a pretty decent summer beer I reckon. Only had one but definetely something that's quite light yet still has enough flavour to keep you interested. Kind of reminded me of the Kaiju Krush which is another favourite of mine.

This was a really great beer and everything you expect from looking at the can. Think they make a Gueva(?) version as well that I'd like to check out.

I had the watermelon smash and really liked it. I don’t give a shit about how most beers that aren’t dark beers look, but this even looked good. It cut through your mouth and had a nice bitter and sour balance. So many sours have nothing else. This had that, yeah, cutting through feeling you just drink a beer for but with a nice flavour.

The guava isn’t as good, picked it up the other week. It’s not bad but the flavour just isn’t as nice. I mean who’s going to grab a guava anything over watermelon?

Annoying they’re only 1.2 as well. I’m happy paying $25 for crafties but it’s hard to suck it up when they’re low in alcohol.

Speaking of which, the Holgate sour pale is becoming really trendy - I’ve seen it in major bottle o’s - but grabbed some from an independent on Sunday and was so disappointed. It just felt like a token effort. Pale ale has become a redundant term and this tasted like it, whereas the sour was barely noticeable. It just sucked. Tbh I don’t rate Holgate at all. They charge a leg and an arm and love to look so small and boutique but at the end of the day the beers just aren’t that good. I’d rather drink a Coopers any day of the week. So why charge me ten bucks more for six?

 

[craigos]

I had the watermelon smash and really liked it. I don’t give a shit about how most beers that aren’t dark beers look, but this even looked good. It cut through your mouth and had a nice bitter and sour balance. So many sours have nothing else. This had that, yeah, cutting through feeling you just drink a beer for but with a nice flavour.

The guava isn’t as good, picked it up the other week. It’s not bad but the flavour just isn’t as nice. I mean who’s going to grab a guava anything over watermelon?

Annoying they’re only 1.2 as well. I’m happy paying $25 for crafties but it’s hard to suck it up when they’re low in alcohol.

Speaking of which, the Holgate sour pale is becoming really trendy - I’ve seen it in major bottle o’s - but grabbed some from an independent on Sunday and was so disappointed. It just felt like a token effort. Pale ale has become a redundant term and this tasted like it, whereas the sour was barely noticeable. It just sucked. Tbh I don’t rate Holgate at all. They charge a leg and an arm and love to look so small and boutique but at the end of the day the beers just aren’t that good. I’d rather drink a Coopers any day of the week. So why charge me ten bucks more for six?

One of my biggest peeves is with beers that don't live up to their name. If you make a sour beer, then don't try and make it a very very mild sour. If you make a chilli stout, I want to taste the chilli. Same goes for all those types of beers that use ingredients not usually seen in beer. If it contains orange then you should be able to taste it.

I think it's the Holgate Road Trip that I don't mind and their ESB is solid. I had this XPA from Hargreaves Hill, was a decent beer in a style that seems to be really popular at the moment.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

One of my biggest peeves is with beers that don't live up to their name. If you make a sour beer, then don't try and make it a very very mild sour. If you make a chilli stout, I want to taste the chilli. Same goes for all those types of beers that use ingredients not usually seen in beer. If it contains orange then you should be able to taste it.

I think it's the Holgate Road Trip that I don't mind and their ESB is solid. I had this XPA from Hargreaves Hill, was a decent beer in a style that seems to be really popular at the moment.

The best XPA I've had in a long while.

 

[craigos]

Had a couple of beers I've bought lately that have had that homebrew, off, kind of taste. Feral Hop Hog was one and I forget the other. Any one else ever had this issue?

This isn't a bad place to get some crafty stuff as well in the Essendon/Brunswick West area. Majority of beers in singles so you make your own (think it's 10% off for 6). http://www.princewinestore.com.au/

 

[Silent Alarm]

Had a couple of beers I've bought lately that have had that homebrew, off, kind of taste. Feral Hop Hog was one and I forget the other. Any one else ever had this issue?

This isn't a bad place to get some crafty stuff as well in the Essendon/Brunswick West area. Majority of beers in singles so you make your own (think it's 10% off for 6). http://www.princewinestore.com.au/

Where'd you get them from?

I like independents because they're willing to buy these beers and sell them for cheap.

I got a carton of Quiet Deeds IPAs for about half price. People were bringing them back because the cans were pretty funky – if you poured them, they were just overly hazy and had a heap of sediment. I didn't give a shit, new beer, half price, tasted exactly as it should, and if you have it from the can it's making no visual impact. Funnily enough I also got a carton of Quiet Deeds' white IPA they were doing for really cheap a couple of years ago; they'd printed the carton design inside out.

 

[craigos]

Where'd you get them from?

I like independents because they're willing to buy these beers and sell them for cheap.

I got a carton of Quiet Deeds IPAs for about half price. People were bringing them back because the cans were pretty funky – if you poured them, they were just overly hazy and had a heap of sediment. I didn't give a shit, new beer, half price, tasted exactly as it should, and if you have it from the can it's making no visual impact. Funnily enough I also got a carton of Quiet Deeds' white IPA they were doing for really cheap a couple of years ago; they'd printed the carton design inside out.

1st Choice Liquor. They actually have a far better range of craft beers than Dan Murphys, was quite surprised.

 

[Silent Alarm]

1st Choice Liquor. They actually have a far better range of craft beers than Dan Murphys, was quite surprised.

They're across the road from me and I hate them. Their pricing isn't very good and all their interesting beers are warm. They also love flogging their own home brands which no one likes, no one buys so they take up all this shelf space. Being in bed with 3-4 main 'craft' beers means second-rate detour beers are also taking up someone else's spot.

 

[Spirit Level]

Colonial Sour and Stone and Wood pacific ale for me at the moment.

Li Sirene citray and Boston aftergose also good

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Great can and ripping beer.

 

[BEaston]

I tried that watermelon sour you were all talking about.... yeah, not for me.

I guess I'm a bit boring with beer choices compared to some of you aficionados in here.

I did try the Stone and Wood Cloud Catcher Australian PA... thought it pretty decent.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Stone & Wood is having this second resurgence at the moment. Heaps of cartons in cool rooms, people getting back into it. To me it tastes alright but it's pretty thin. The absolute kicker is it's basically a mid-strength and 25 bucks a sixer. I just don't see the appeal when there's genuinely interesting and great beers available for a few bucks cheaper.

 

[HARKER]

All into mouth-feel right now.
Don't even care for the taste but for how the fluid sits in my mouth.
An odd beer phase maybe?

 

[ThePezDispenser]

All into mouth-feel right now.
Don't even care for the taste but for how the fluid sits in my mouth.
An odd beer phase maybe?

We talking like speedway stout motor oil feel or freezing cold carbonated to its ears lager?

 

[Hard Ball Get]

All into mouth-feel right now.
Don't even care for the taste but for how the fluid sits in my mouth.
An odd beer phase maybe?

I'd say so. Taste is everything for me. Same as food. Don't care about presentation, texture is over rated. All about the taste.

 

[BEaston]

Stone & Wood is having this second resurgence at the moment. Heaps of cartons in cool rooms, people getting back into it. To me it tastes alright but it's pretty thin. The absolute kicker is it's basically a mid-strength and 25 bucks a sixer. I just don't see the appeal when there's genuinely interesting and great beers available for a few bucks cheaper.

U talking Pacific Ale? It's never really dropped off in Melb that I can tell. hugely popular.

I agree with you on the taste too. I like it as a first up beer cos it's very refreshing and has a decent taste but after a couple of pints... yep, thin is the correct term.

I did try the "FROTHY" the other week. First of all, what a f*cking shite name. Is it true that Billy Brownless was involved in some way for this beer? Secondly, very average taste.

 

[revival_mode]

been quite liking the Colonial pale ale lately, pretty tasty.
need to finish off some Endeavor citrus pale ales in the fridge, do not rate, tastes like cordial/softdrink

 

[Silent Alarm]

U talking Pacific Ale? It's never really dropped off in Melb that I can tell. hugely popular.

I agree with you on the taste too. I like it as a first up beer cos it's very refreshing and has a decent taste but after a couple of pints... yep, thin is the correct term.

I did try the "FROTHY" the other week. First of all, what a f*cking shite name. Is it true that Billy Brownless was involved in some way for this beer? Secondly, very average taste.

Yeah yeah, what's the other one they have? Green label? Probably a lager. Craft lagers are the most redundant thing ever but I couldn't imagine how bland and overpriced theirs would be. I guess they just have good marketing, a nice label, but that is really it.

Frothy is appalling. Saw some horseshit marketing presser where it basically all revolved around 'nah nah we aren't copying Furphy! Nah we've been trying to do this for ages aye.' Yeah right, major competitor to Lion Nathan. It's just an attempt at that vague market, quasi-craft sort of quasi-tasty beer. The Furphy label is pretty low key, cool whereas the Frothy one is so bad you'd rather be seen with a Tun or Hammer n Tongs. Complete crock. It also tastes marginally worse and marginally blander with a weirder main taste than Furphy (which says something). Joke. Had it on tap at the Evelyn for 12 bucks a jug and then a cheapy six pack and the cans were just nasty tasting, while the draught version was like those cheap 'house beer' kegs big brewers sell for nothing.

been quite liking the Colonial pale ale lately, pretty tasty.
need to finish off some Endeavor citrus pale ales in the fridge, do not rate, tastes like cordial/softdrink

I really don't rate Endeavour. Firstly, they always used to look like some Woolies-produced muck with that classic half-arsed 'craft' label. But the beers are disappointingly low alcohol and you can really taste it. They're just so thin. I understand not every beer has to be full of flavour and less is definitely more (prefer one or two really notable elements – taste, aftertaste, mouth feel, nose) but some of the beers getting around these days are so generic. You wonder how these people are full-time brewers yet make something so banal. In most cases, I'd genuinely rather a Buttweiper or Coors.

The big one for me is Balter. It's ohhhhhkay but very very overrated in just about every way. Just so middling and a 2.3/5 in every factor.

Reminds me of XPA. What a stupid label. Wtf is it? Some breweries treat it like an xtra pale ale while others water down an IPA. In my experience they're all backwash. That'll be $12.80 for a 4.0%er...

 

[BEaston]

Yeah yeah, what's the other one they have? Green label? Probably a lager. Craft lagers are the most redundant thing ever but I couldn't imagine how bland and overpriced theirs would be. I guess they just have good marketing, a nice label, but that is really it.

Frothy is appalling. Saw some horseshit marketing presser where it basically all revolved around 'nah nah we aren't copying Furphy! Nah we've been trying to do this for ages aye.' Yeah right, major competitor to Lion Nathan. It's just an attempt at that vague market, quasi-craft sort of quasi-tasty beer. The Furphy label is pretty low key, cool whereas the Frothy one is so bad you'd rather be seen with a Tun or Hammer n Tongs. Complete crock. It also tastes marginally worse and marginally blander with a weirder main taste than Furphy (which says something). Joke. Had it on tap at the Evelyn for 12 bucks a jug and then a cheapy six pack and the cans were just nasty tasting, while the draught version was like those cheap 'house beer' kegs big brewers sell for nothing.

There's another one with a green label which is a Garden Ale (?) which I'm not massive on but actually your post piqued my curiousity and had a look on their site. There actually is a lager with a green label also, I'd never heard of it so I'd be keen to try that if I see it around. Yep, likely overpriced but I'd still give it a go. I don't think there's actually many quality lagers around (I'm probably uninformed or just haven't tried enough) so there could be a bit of a gap there. Hahah, will refrain from commenting on blandness until trying.

Their Australian Pale Ale ("Cloud Catcher" orange label) I thought was pretty decent. Was switching up between those and the Pacific Ale on Sunday... was a good combo.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Has anyone ever ordered beers online before? I've considered it when there's decent deals, but it's always seemed like a potential ball ache where you give up two days for some dickheads to completely miss you door or something. Still, keen on trying something brand new or an old import and happy to grab 2-3 cartons because I'll be heading away for the Chrissy and New Year's periods. What's the best one?

 

[ThePezDispenser]

Has anyone ever ordered beers online before? I've considered it when there's decent deals, but it's always seemed like a potential ball ache where you give up two days for some dickheads to completely miss you door or something. Still, keen on trying something brand new or an old import and happy to grab 2-3 cartons because I'll be heading away for the Chrissy and New Year's periods. What's the best one?

Boozebud is by no means the best one, but have had some great specials of late.

Carwyn always have some decent slabs to take away at good prices.

 

[headache1]

Has anyone ever ordered beers online before? I've considered it when there's decent deals, but it's always seemed like a potential ball ache where you give up two days for some dickheads to completely miss you door or something. Still, keen on trying something brand new or an old import and happy to grab 2-3 cartons because I'll be heading away for the Chrissy and New Year's periods. What's the best one?

Carwyn Cellars, Beer Cartel, Bucket Boys are all good. If you're actually in Melbourne, I'd just head to Carwyn and have a look.

I just had day 4 of the Carwyn Cellars Canvent Calendar actually. A Brouhaha Cherry Sour. Quite good! The calendar has been great so far.

Now on a Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout. It basically tastes like a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup in liquid form.

Edit - On Boozebud, if you need it quickly, I wouldn't order from them right now. I grabbed one of their Beer Advent Calendars last Monday (as in last week Monday) as they were getting rid of them for 30% off and they haven't shipped it yet. Sent me a message saying they're behind due to high volume of orders.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Carwyn Cellars, Beer Cartel, Bucket Boys are all good. If you're actually in Melbourne, I'd just head to Carwyn and have a look.

I just had day 4 of the Carwyn Cellars Canvent Calendar actually. A Brouhaha Cherry Sour. Quite good! The calendar has been great so far.

Now on a Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout. It basically tastes like a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup in liquid form.

Edit - On Boozebud, if you need it quickly, I wouldn't order from them right now. I grabbed one of their Beer Advent Calendars last Monday (as in last week Monday) as they were getting rid of them for 30% off and they haven't shipped it yet. Sent me a message saying they're behind due to high volume of orders.

Carwyn

 

[revival_mode]

Has anyone ever ordered beers online before? I've considered it when there's decent deals, but it's always seemed like a potential ball ache where you give up two days for some dickheads to completely miss you door or something. Still, keen on trying something brand new or an old import and happy to grab 2-3 cartons because I'll be heading away for the Chrissy and New Year's periods. What's the best one?

i have used Beer Cartel & Booze Bud, no problems with either. i just had it delivered to work though. orders generally come really quick, don't know about this time of year as businesses & post get hectic. look to see what they have on special though or else you will be paying a fair bit. if you get a couple of cartons they will cover shipping cost.

 

[headache1]

Silent Alarm if you're after something that won't decimate your wallet which actually tastes good, look no further...

Brewed by Hawkers, so it's done right. Probably the best value (drinkable) beer in Australia. I generally find it in Adelaide for between $50-$55 a carton. My go to beer. Coopers Session Ale cans are another good option, but the pricing can fluctuate.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Thanks for the all the help, sounds like it really isn't worth the drama.

I generally give a new beer a go as much as possible, even if it's something old but in a new vessel, I was more thinking about importing something you never see here but it seems redundant. I had a ****in pang for Amstel. Used to drink that constantly at uni. Nostalgic. I haven't seen it for years. Just wanted some nice, crisp, cheap Asian-y lagers I could flog on Christmas day that isn't the usual Singha fare.