4 Pines Pale Ale

Here is a fine example of what a love for beer and the environment can produce, based in NSW, 4 

Pines Brewing Company was born from a lack of good local beer.

A father and son after surfing one day got the idea to make their own beer.

The Pale Ale is the first of their beers that I have had the pleasure of sampling, an American style pale ale, it has hop-driven aromas of citrus, pine and grapefruit.

Made with a variety of ‘fruity’ hops, including simcoe, cascade, amarillo and citra it has a lot of flavour.

The four pine trees that are their logo are beside the water according to a picture on their site about the origin story, a picturesque view. They also have an interesting mascot who is creeping around their site, a furry yeti who also features on some of their merchandise.

Their aim is to look after the environment, the pine trees, so that they are around for future generations, they have a Save the Pines campaign to make their production as environmentally safe as possible – through recycling left over biproducts of the brewing process.

Get around this good-natured brewery, I’ll let you know about their other ones when I find them.

Cheers,

Dave

James Boag's Wild Rivers

It has been about eighteen months since we were graced with a new Boag’s Beer, Oscar’s Run, at the Esk Beerfest in 2017.

Oscar didn’t run very far though and wasn’t seen past one of my favourite events of the year.

Boag’s identified a gap in the market so spent seven months coming up with something new, they did have a few gaps fillers a few years ago but went with something completely new.

I present to you Wild Rivers, a new refreshing lager inspired by the wild rivers and waterfalls of Tasmania.

It pours well and has a nice colour

For now, only available at the Centre for Beer Lovers across the road from the brewery before it hits the bottleshops.

Before getting in to sample this I had heard people’s thoughts, is it a remake of Boag’s Pure?

Here’s what I’ve found out:

It does taste like Boag’s Pure but has more of a malt profile.

It has been made with aromatic hops, including cascade.

Only available in stubbies for now, popularity will determine whether it goes to kegs or not.

It will go Australia wide.

It has a very distinctive lager feel to it.

After being one of the first to try it I picked up a six-pack to take home.

Ready for sale

There was a launch yesterday to promote Wild Rivers, my invite must have been lost in the mail.

This is a nice, new, amazing product by Boag’s, I’ll be sure to support it and I hope you like it as I do.

Cheers,

Dave

Hound Dog Lager

A fun trend for venues is to have their own beer, this is something I’m very fond of.

Recently I visited Cataract on Paterson in Launceston because I wanted to sample their own beer and cooking my own steak on a hot stone.

I also wanted to have one of their mega desserts, but I didn’t get that far this time.

Hound Dog Lager is Cataract’s exclusive beer, available on tap and in a stubby.

Brewed by Little Rivers, a well-known Tasmanian Craft Brewer they have produced a fun new beer that is a compliment to the intriguing restaurant.

It has a “straw like colour and a light body that finishes with a delicate bitterness”

If you dine there and enjoy it you can even get takeaways.

I recommend you head to Cataract on Paterson and try some of their unique experiences yourself, including the beer.

Cook your own steak on a hot stone

Cheers,

Dave  

Four Loko

This blog post is a bit different, for a change it’s not something I’ve tried but something I’ve heard about and really want to try.

Is it a beer though?

From what I’ve learned, Four Loko is a malt alcohol flavoured energy drink (energy beer), basically a beer and a red bull? I don’t know if I should be excited or very scared.

Look at all the colours... drool

The name itself, Loko means crazy in Spanish, does that tell you all you need to know?

Around since 2005 it is from the US after some College guys started making it in their basement before making it for general sale.

Its reputation seems to proceed it, one reddit user once saying, “It’s disgusting, Gets you drunk on one can, Fucked up on two, And by three your rampaging the streets looking like a total joke blacked out.”

There is an Australian Facebook page that sells it, I’m going to try and get a hold of one or two or three. An issue with it being hard to get here being what has been in it, it used to contain Wormwood among other things - the stuff in absinthe that makes you hallucinate. Its potency has made it infamous in the US and beyond. 

It is infamous because of its strength 

 

See how to make it yourself here: https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/03/faux-loko-the-diy-drink-i-really-shouldnt-be-telling-you-about/

Cheers,

Dave

Old Speckled Hen

Another fine UK Beer has made its way to Australia, Old Speckled Hen is labelled as a ‘fine English ale’.

Made with a variety of quality ingredients its aroma and taste have been taken into great consideration to churn out a fine product.

Aroma: Malty, toffee, lightly roasted

Taste: Abundance of malts and distinctive toffee character

This beer came in 1979 about to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the MG Car Factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. An MG run-around car that the staff used that got covered in specks of paint over the years was the inspiration of the name behind the beer. According to my source though there could be another story behind the naming of it though.

The ownership of the beer has changed hands since, but it is still being brewed and distributed around the world.

Add caption

In January 1993, Old Speckled Hen was considered the beer of the month by Michael Jackson, an important name in beer drinking (not the moon walking Michael).

At 5% it has some strength along with good flavour, made with a variety of interesting malts (crystal and pale) and hops (Challenger, Pilgrim, First Gold and Goldings) the label recommends drinking it with English roasts, sausages and pies.

If you are looking for a traditional English brew then get your lips around this, I found it at Dan Murphy’s.

Cheers,

Dave

A real Speckled Hen

James Squire New Special Releases

I’m back from my Melbourne trip and have some beer news to share.

James Squire have their own bar, I’ve been there once before, and it wasn’t on purpose.

Coming from a bar after drowning my sorrows from my football team losing a couple of years ago I was heading to another place to meet up with some people.

I was really needing to get rid of some of the beer that was now in my bladder and walked (raced) into a hotel, in too much of a hurry to take much notice as I went in I went straight to the men’s room.

Once I was relieved I was level headed again and feeling bad for using the facilities I thought it would be rude not to have a drink there before moving on.

Going to one of the bars in the hotel I looked at the selection of tap beers and realise there are a lot of James Squire beers available.

Every JS beer on tap!

Usually bars have one or two on tap, but this was crazy, every beer there was James Squire.

Then I realise the name of the Hotel as I look at a menu.

The Crafty Squire.

After having one beer before moving on I made a pact that I would return.

They have a bottle shop too!

On this occasion I got a couple of trips in and was lucky to sample two beers that aren’t going to make it for regular sale around the country.

Pound of Pepper Imperial Pilsner:

Luckily this beer isn’t made with pepper, its how James Squire name their beers, to tell a story of its creator, a convict. James once stole a pound of pepper to make his signature beer. I believe this beer is made at the pub which is special and at 7.1% it had a nice non-peppery bite to it.

Lo Phi Pina Colada Sour:

I’m not sure about the James Squire story behind the name of this beer but it was made for the GABS Beer Festival – I’ll have to do a post on it one day – and some remained to sell at the Crafty Squire. Only at 4% this colourful and tropical beer is inspired by a Pina colada with added coconut and pineapple flavours. I think I’ve said it before but I’m starting to enjoy sour beers now, this is a good one.

I doubt these beers will be seen out of the Crafty Squire so if you are lucky enough to get to Melbourne in the near future go and check the place out and immerse yourself in the world of James Squire.

Cheers,

Dave

Brekeriet Alpha Beta

I haven’t been to Sweden before but luckily Sweden came to me. 

This craft beer is crazy, a Berliner Weisse (cloudy, sour usually weak beer made in Germany since the 16th century). 

Check out the colour!

Get this, the beer has passionfruit, beetroot, lime and vanilla.

Passionfruit and lime have always been good flavours for beer but beetroot and vanilla???

Beetroot is great in hamburgers and I will admit it makes for a good dip?

On the other hand, vanilla goes great with coke and icecream.

This beer was indeed sour, and it had a flavour unlike anything I’ve ever had before.

It wasn’t weak though, at 4.7% it is the strength of a regular beer.

If Swedish brewers can come up with this, I wonder what else they make over there?

I picked this up from Crown Cellars for about $10, it was worth a try!

Cheers,

Dave

Swedish things look good!

I will be on the search for more Swedish beer!