Beer Cartel Xmas Advent Calendar 2019

It’s almost that time of year again and I want to share with you how I’ll be counting down to Christmas.

After a fun time, last year, I opted to go with Beer Cartel again this year, main reasons were the price – I got a discount for ordering early – and the fact that each year they change what’s in it.

It looks amazing!

This year’s carton/ calendar has undergone some changes.

It’s cans only.

It’s shorter – so it can fit in the fridge.

It’s 5x5 so it could fit x25 beers.

My carton arrived in pristine condition, I put it away so it was safe until needed.

A couple of days later I receive an email, a text message and see on Facebook that one of the beers has been recalled due to being canned too early… meaning its ABV could be a lot higher or that it could explode at any moment – it needs to be disposed of.

I'm sure it would have tasted amazing - if canned at the right time...

Not only do I not have a beer for Xmas Day now but I now know what it is…

Apparently 4,800 cartons were affected – too many to send a last-minute different beer so through a survey the company has given everyone one of four options about what they want to do.

I have opted to have the beers cost sent to the Rural Fire Service who are going through hell on the mainland.

So now I will be on the hunt for another beer for Xmas day.

But I still have a great way to countdown to one of the best times of the year.

I will be updating what surprises are hiding inside as we go through December.

Cheers,

Dave

Miners Gold Brewery West Street Ale

A new brewery has opened up in my back yard and it looks like they are doing some great things.

Working out of Beaconsfield, known for its mining history, Miners Gold Brewery is still a work in progress as they undergo renovations.

I have yet to visit the brewery but it will happen soon.

Their first beer I have tried is the West Street Ale, a 4.8% Pale Ale with chewy caramel malt and grapefruit bitterness undertones.

The new brewery opened in July this year, they aim to brew beers with ‘character and pair them with food that showcases the incredible fresh produce of the West Tamar region’.

Beers on launch night

It turns out that their head brewer – Stu Grant – is the owner of Ocho Beer, I have mentioned them before for their radical beers and yummy Christmas themed brews. 

Try the West Street Ale and see for yourself why some of the best beers these days are coming out of Tasmania. 

Cheers, 

Dave

Epic Hop Zombie

My spooky end to October was celebrated with a green can with a living dead vibe.

New Zealand Craft Brewer, Epic have brought this edition up from the ground, rotting flesh and all.

"Hops have taken over the world. Permeated the senses of the minions. Hop Zombies now roam the streets. Lupulin ichor oozing from ravaged legions. Gorging, gouging, masticating. Salivating over insane hop flavours and aromas. The time is nigh. No more festering away in hopless oblivion. Join the Hop Zombie revolution."

As the name suggests this beer was a delight on the senses, or should I say it put my senses into overdrive, like I had walked onto the set of the Walking Dead this beer could raise the dead.

I'm sure Darryl would smash a few of these!

A really good beer for this time of the year at 8.5% (2.2 drinks in a 330ml can) this can cost me just over $10 but it was worth it.

I’ve had a few of Epic’s brews before, this is another good one by them!

Cheers,

Dave

Coopers XPA

A brand known for good beer, Coopers have released an XPA and boy does this already encourage me to get more.

Their beers are easy to recognise by a distinct colour on the bottle, the green Pale Ale being my favourite Coopers… until now, the purple can like other Coopers beers is meant to be rolled to bring up the yeast sediment that has settled during the ‘natural conditioning’ stage at the end.

Coopers now have cans

Their aim is to create an American, India Pale Ale hybrid by using American Hops.

Coopers in one of the last few Australian owned breweries and they have produced another fine masterpiece.

“Coopers XPA is all about ‘extra’ hop flavour whilst being well balanced and easy to drink. With Simcoe and Lemondrop American hops added at different stages of the brewing process we have achieved an optimal bitterness level with bright citrus undertones. Like all of our Ales, XPA is naturally conditioned and free from any additives or preservatives.” From their website.

Available at all good bottle shops.

Cheers,

Dave

Two Suns Premium Dry

There has been an influx of new beers headed my way, I tried to figure out where to start until I came across Two Suns. 

This one stands out among the rest: 

Brewed with Australian Malt and Wheat! 

Brewed with Japanese brewing techniques! 

This collaborative brew between an Australian and a Japanese man is low in bitterness and low carb. 

On taste it was unlike anything I’ve tasted before, in a clear stubbie it is a nice rich colour and pours well. 

4.2% and in a smaller 330ml bottle the cartons are about $50 AUD. 

It is too early to tell whether it will take off, it has had a few mixed reviews so far. 

The concept behind it is to cater to the changing beer market in Australia, the brewers belief is that Australian drinkers are changing to ‘lighter’ options, a category that hasn’t had any premium options – until now. 

Two Suns Premium Dry, go and get one if you want to see the best Australian products with ninja precise Japanese brewing. 

Cheers, 

Dave

Byron Bay Premium Lager

A racy, summer-time brew is reaching out around Australia, with a good balance of hops and malt, Byron Bay Premium Lager is a brew you should put on your summer drinking list.

In a plain clear bottle, this easy drinking beer comes from a brewery that moved into the ‘old arts factory’.

Byron Bay, a coastal town in the South East of New South Wales is a popular holiday location because of its great beaches.

Now they have a good beer to their name as well.

I think this beer tastes a lot like Boag’s St George, another reason to like it.

Brewed with New Zealand citrus hops this is a fun newish brew.

Byron Bay has just been added to my bucket list as well!

Cheers,

Dave

Bluey Ultra Crisp Lager

 A newish beer has been launching that is named after a legend and has finally come my way. 

Bluey Ultra Crisp Lager, named after the ‘Aussie Legend Bluey’ a hard-working Blue Cattle Dog that became famous in Australian history is a light beer, or is it a mid strength beer? I’m not sure, the BWS, Dan Murphy’s Juggernaut that sells it under their brand Pinnacle describes it as both in the same description. 

At .9% and at 330mls, it is in between a light and a mid, and 45mls short of a standard beer. 

Its flavour profile is described as a light crisp style with a dry finish, the hallmarks of a Toohey’s Extra Dry. 

It is selling at around $40 - $45 a carton depending on where you look for it. 

If you want to try something different that isn’t too out there and easy to drink or if you are into dogs, then this beer will appeal to you. 

Cheers, 

Dave

Thunder Road Brewhouse Limited Edition Cans

A Victorian brewer I had never heard of until now is doing all kinds of crazy things with beer.

They have created a signature series, I was fortunate enough to sample a couple of them and can now share with you my thoughts. 

Dark & Creamy Boysenberry India Pale Ale 

This IPA is dark, creamy and it has boysenberries, on top of that it contains lactose. 

A 6% delight it was a gold medal winner in the Speciality Beer Category at the World Beer Awards in 2019.

Coconut Porter 

Described to be smooth and silky, this porter is brewed with cacao nibs, coconut and vanilla. Like it’s brother it also contains dairy. It is a little bit weaker at 5% but both come in big cans so there is more of it to enjoy in one go. 

The beers are labelled five and six respectively, I’ll be on the hunt for the first four if they are still in production. 

Cheers, 

Dave

Bridge Road Brewers Nitro Mountain Lager

 I must admit I was very curious when we picked this one in a mixed 6-pack.

This is not just an ordinary beer, it has been nitrogenated.

“This beer has been inspired by the maltier lagers of Europe with a new world twist of aromatic hop aroma and flavour. It has also been nitrogenated to provide an extra smooth and creamy texture.” It says on the label.

Their description is spot on, by following the instructions on the can you spin it x4 times, crack it and pour it quickly into a glass, the result is a thick creamy head, much like a Guinness but without the widget that gives it the creamy head.

This was such a pleasure to drink, its flavour profile was complemented with its creamy head.

Apparently, it goes great with ‘Neck deep powder’.

I’ve been skiing and snowboarding before and I think this would go perfect after dominating some mountains.

Nitrogenated beers seem to be popping up around the place, I’ll have to sample some more.

Cheers,

Dave

James Squire Jack of Spades Porter

Winter is almost over but I’m still in the need of something dark to warm me up.

On another recent Melbourne trip, I paid a visit to the Crafty Squire and they still have the 2019 release of the Wreck on tap, an Imperial Porter this year.

Their normal porter is good as well, using roasted barley and a longer maturation give it depth.

It was easy to drink and didn’t feel too rich.

Chocolate notes always go well in favour for me, it was also rich and creamy.

Porters originate from London and are related to stout which are stronger versions.

It’s 5% and 1.4 standard drinks.

The label design matches the brew, James Squire have a part of a story on each of their different bottles, you have to drink all of them to see all of it, the Porter has number four.

Another fine product by James Squire.

Cheers,

Dave

4 Pines Draught

I was pleased that another 4 Pines beer popped up on my to-drink list.


Knowing this was more than just a draught there would be more than meets the eye.






Let me introduce to you 4 Pines Draught or Kolsch Style Ale, a style of beer first brewed in Germany, the idea is that it’s warm fermented with ale yeast but conditioned at cold temperatures like a lager.

This hybrid has some nice fruity tones with lemon and lime in smell and taste.

The 4 Pines Yeti has been busy refining this into a fine product.

The different label design

Only 1.2 standard drinks at 4.6% this New South Wales brewed product just makes me love the brand even more.

During my research I noticed that there are x2 label designs for this beer, they both look the same except one has Kolsch on the front while the one I had was labelled draught, I will investigate whether there is a difference in the beer or if they just redesigned the label.

Cheers,

Dave

Kaiju Krush

 Kaiju to me is monster in Japanese, Godzilla being the most iconic in pop culture.

After drinking this it now also means bloody awesome beer.

I’ve known of the Kaiju brand for some time, it seems to be synonymous with craft beer in every stockist I visit.

I can’t believe it took me this long to get my hands on one.

Kaiju Krush is a Tropical Pale Ale, as the name suggests it has a prominent fruit profile.

A 4.7% masterpiece, this is ideal for summer which is fast approaching here.

The creators claim that “It comes in a can so you can ‘krush’ it afterwards”

I agree that this Kaiju is a ‘devastatingly good craft beer’.

Based in Victoria, the creators have designed a mad creature design on every beer.

Many of their other beers are award winning, I will need to try them next!

Cheers,

Dave

Me heading for my next Kaiju beer!

Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA

Scotland is a place I would love to visit one day, probably for scotch more than beer in this case.

But it turns out they do good beer too.

Enter Belhaven Brewery, one of their beers ended up in a mixed 6-pack I had with my slightly large beer stash.

On first glance it had a very nice fruity aroma to it, but on first taste it hit me, it was a surprisingly rich taste that mellowed as I got through it.

This American-style IPA uses loads of different hops hence the flavour profile.

Scotch... insert 'drool'

At 5.6% it is a bit strong but overall a nice beer.

Belhaven actually means ‘beautiful harbour’, this is their 300^th year at work, making it Scotland’s oldest brewery.

There is a lot of history in Scotland

I’ll be on the lookout for more of Belhaven’s beers on my travels.

Cheers,

Dave

Kozel Dark

I can’t pronounce the name of this brewery so I will simply call the beer Kozel Dark.

The first Czech Republic beer to appear on Dave’s Beers of the World it was a bit of a wildcard when I was going through a mixed 6-pack I was gifted.

Apparently, the foam pours dark from the dark malts used in the brewing process, I drank it straight from the stubby, so I didn’t get to see it.

It’s only 3.8% in strength but comes in a 500ml bottle. For a dark beer it drank really well, with caramel flavour and rich undertones.

In my opinion, beer of every region has a unique taste, whether it’s from Germany, Mexico or China, this one has a completely different flavour of its own, I’ll be curious to try a different Czech beer to test this theory.

It has won seven “Dark Beer of the Year” awards back home and has been in business since 1874.

I know at least one Czech person, I’ll have to ask him what he thinks of this beer next time I see him.

I like it anyway.

Cheers,

Dave

Erdinger Wheat Beer

I haven’t had a decent German beer for a while so when I found this among my stash out the back, I knew it was coming out and into the fridge.

Erdinger is a traditional brewery who have been doing it since 1886 so they must be doing something right.

I only studied a little bit of German a long time ago but I’m pretty sure the pronounciation including the funny B in the beers name is ‘wheat’ which is exactly what this beer is.

A half-litre brew that’s 5.3%, its pale-yellow colour is synonymous with wheat beers, it also has some citrus tones to the flavour.

Of course, this Bavarian beer is brewed under the German purity law, another reason to like it as it is a proper traditional beer.

I just need to find some lederhosen and some pretzels and I can have a German party!

Cheers,

Dave

Little Rivers VoVo Milkshake

Someone recently said to me that I drink a lot of weird beers, and that I should write about them?

… I thought I already did?

This one is definitely a weird one, Little Rivers had a small release of the VoVo Milkshake, I picked up a couple of 500ml cans to find 

out how good they were.

The Iced VoVo is an iconic Australian treat, a biscuit with coconut and raspberry jam. The beer is made pretty much the same but with Branxholm hops, lactose powder, vanilla, biscuit malt, coconut and raspberry jam – according to some research.

I first imagined that this would be a dark tasting beer, boy I was wrong, it was a smooth and sweet tasting brew that very much reminded me of the Arnott biscuit.

Apparently, this is a spin off of the Milkshake IPA that Little Rivers presented at this years Hop Harvest Festival, they get some praise for being experimental.

Another win for craft beer brewers willing to try new things and a win for me for keeping my ear to the ground.

Cheers,

Dave

Little Creatures XPA

Little Creatures XPA is hoppy and refreshing, the beers description says it all.

Using three different hop varieties it bursts with tropical fruit and citrus undertones.

The name XPA has generated some hot debate online over the years, some saying it is made up while others say it’s a different take on a traditional IPA with more hops added.

IPA’s came about with a higher hop content and stronger in alcohol back in the 19^th century when England tried sending beer to its troops in India, in order for the beer to survive the journey they had to brew it differently, India Pale Ales have stuck around and have become a popular model for craft beer brewers who like to use different hop varieties to make their product stand out among the rest.

Little Creatures are known for their good quality brews, this is one of their best and one of the best craft beers I’ve had for a while, don’t let the pale blue colour on the label fool you, this beer stands up for itself with 4.9% ABV.

Cheers,

Dave

Pirate Life Port Local Lager

Craft Beer Company Pirate Life have brewed a new beer that is meant to fit in well with Australia’s beer drinking culture.

Known for churning out different kinds of Pale Ales or IPA’s Pirate Life is based in South Australia. Created in 2014 the company has quickly swept over Australia with their hip beer cans.

South Australia is synonymous with wine with the Yarra Valley producing some of Australia’s best quality wines.

Something I like about their cans that makes them unique is the brewing process shown step by step around the top.

What makes Port Local Lager unique is that it’s brewed to traditional German techniques where it spends 42 days in tank so that the flavours and aromas have time to integrate.

The can is a little small at 355mls and the beer is only 4.5% but it is a very nice Lager and one you should add to your try list.

Cheers,

Dave