Halloween 2016

It’s about time to howl at the moon and tighten those neck bolts. Halloween in Australia is getting stronger every year, still not at the point where trick or treating is a proper thing yet but it’s a fun and scary time.

I don’t know about you but I like a good scare every now and again… not the ‘Boag’s is out of beer’ kind of scare but I think you get what I mean.

Halloween is a fun time of the year

This Halloween I want to get into the mood and spice up my beer drinking.

I’m limited being in Tasmania as Halloween themed beer is mostly in the US, I’m on the hunt though if any does exist here.

What I can do though is be a bit creative with the beer we already have.

Big orange pumpkins are things you see in movies where I come from but suddenly they are appearing in supermarkets and make excellent beer coolers once gutted and filled with ice.

I want to do this one year

After much searching I stumbled upon a new beer by rising to fame Tasmanian craft beer company Last Rites Brewing Co. Their new product is called Love Country, a Tasmanian IPA. It is a unique feeling of a pina colada with fruit and roasted coconut flavours along with the rich IPA bite. I enjoyed drinking this and even though it isn’t exactly a Halloween beer I went with it.

There are many kinds of Halloween themed beers out there, they just don't make it to Tasmania, follow this link to check them out: http://www.newschoolbeer.com/2015/10/thirteen-best-horror-fantasy-sci-fi-beers-for-halloween.html

He had a few too many...

Have a great Halloween everyone.

Cheers,

Dave

Veras 1866

Take two with French beer

I reviewed the French Beer Saint Mihal back in March and I’ve finally found a new French beer that is for sale in Australia and luckily it redeems my opinion of French beer (sort of).

Veras 1866 is advertised as a Premium European Lager, it definitely smells like a European beer, it even tastes like one. I had a couple of cold ones after a long day at the office and I was pretty satisfied.

At 4% it isn't a proper heavy beer but is easy to drink so you still get a good buzz from it.

The green bottle and classy label reminds me of Beck’s and Stella Artois, very good European beers.

But reading the label in between sips I saw something that I wasn’t really happy with… The ingredients list.

Maise, hop extracts and caramel aren’t things I like to have in a beer, I’m wondering if this is a common thing for French beer?

Regardless, this is a moderately priced beer (around $50 a carton) and passed the taste test.

Make sure you bring a bottle opener, pop tops

If you are looking for something different to try have a hunt around for this.

Thank you,

Dave 

I wonder if she drinks Veras?

Summer Beer XXXX Mango

Something new on the market

In the past week Tasmania has had all kinds of weather, from nice hot days, to windy times, at one stage it was even hailing. Apparently Summer is on the way as breweries are starting to come up with their Summer range of products.

XXXX have been quick off the line to release XXXX Summer Bright Lager with Mango, I give credit to breweries who like to experiment and since I liked Matso’s Mango Beer from Broome I wanted to see what this one was capable of.

The beer on first smell has the obvious hint of mango, on first taste you get the mango, you get the beer… but it doesn’t go down well…

Summer fruit

I didn’t give up at first but getting three quarters of the way down the stubby I started to feel sick.

The sink got the rest as I gave up… I wonder if they tested the product before they started selling it?

I was disappointed with the XXXX version, the two flavours didn’t complement each other very well.

Luckily Matso’s have a good quality mango beer that I highly recommend if you like to try different things.

Real Mango Beer, highly recommended!

I’m on the search for my summer beer for 2016/7, I’ll keep you posted on what I see out there.

Cheers,

Dave

How I want to spend my summer...

Oktoberfest 2016

What an awesome time of year!

Hopefully all of you beer drinkers know about Oktoberfest? Germany’s biggest annual beer drinking festival?

Does it surprise you that the real Oktoberfest doesn’t actually take place in October?

This was a bit of trivia I learned while drinking with a German a few years ago.

This year from September 17 in Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest has been well into its 16-18 day duration, the folk festival draws more than six million people every year. It does finish in October but it runs mostly through September.

Tasmania has an Oktoberfest in Hobart, scheduled for October 8 this year (while I’m at Bathurst…), I haven’t heard from anyone who has been there before but believe it is something to aim for next year.

I couldn’t think of anything better than drinking lots of German beer in warming up Tasmanian weather.

One year I will even try to get to Germany for the real event, who wants to come with me?

I’ll get back to my beer,

Prost (German for cheers)

Dave

Reasons to drink - Hanami

Not that we ever need a reason to drink beer, there are events around the world where it makes even more sense.

This time of the year (in Australia) Japanese cherry blossoms that are around blossom for a short time and remind us why Japan is such a beautiful place.

As a part of my aikido group I participate in a yearly hanami, or flower viewing in English. It’s a unique time of the year where people (in Japan) gather under the cherry blossoms, drink, eat and immerse themselves in nature now that spring has arrived.

I’m sure there are many places where sakura are planted in Australia are planted but I only know of Deloraine, Tasmania where many trees that were donated to the area by Japan were planted by the river.

I have toasted to the blossoms in fashion this year, with Japanese beer. As an added touch we make sushi to take with us and drink warm saké, Japanese rice wine.

The pictures in this post are from last year.  

Cheers,

Dave

NZ Pure

In all of my beer drinking experiences I had yet to come across anything from New Zealand.

Now I can say that not only do they have beer but I have tried one and can say it was pretty good.

In saying that, NZ Pure won the trophy at the 2012 New Zealand Beer awards for being the best New Zealand style lager.

The make-up of the beer is similar to other beers I have discussed, made using malt, hops, water and specially selected yeast it is pure in that it is beer made from the core ingredients (remember the old German beer purity laws?).

Pure, just like the beer

Upon tasting I had flash backs to James Boag’s Pure, a fantastic beer that is sadly no longer with us.

I have never been to New Zealand but I know some people from there, a nice country with a lot of culture and history to share. If their beer is this good, I’ll have to put them on my bucket list to visit one day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWOwe_n-2Gw

The locals enjoying the scenery

This one isn’t as easy to find given that it’s an import, but it is owned by Asahi (the Japanese are back!), who obviously export it as one of the better beers New Zealand has to offer.

I wonder if there are any other NZ beers in Tassie that I can find? I’ll keep you posted.

Cheers,

Dave

XXXX Gold

This Queensland staple has risen up to become one of Australia’s most popular beers.

It isn’t even full strength, at 3.5%.

XXXX, also simply just called Gold is a Queensland born beer, it has in recent years been passing the title of best Australian Beer back and forth with VB.

A mid strength lager and low carb beer, it has become a sponsor of many major events and in 2012 the company even bought a three-year lease for an island and named it XXXX Island.

The yellow logo with the four X’s can likely be found in every pub and bottleshop from Tasmania to far north Queensland. It was even being brewed here in Tasmania until recently.

Also available in 30 blocks

I personally know a lot of people who turn to this now because of its lower strength and the better after effects. It is promoted as a beer you can drink more of (than regular beer) and still enjoy it. I 

have been known to drink it on occasion if I want to sober up quickly afterwards.

The best place to have a XXXX

Some XXXX Gold advertising:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsAAnPuSyvw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thH3PmwlYLM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTRUoqy595M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E64CKQBsqGs

Another reason to like XXXX Gold, the XXXX Angels!

The Angels!

Cheers,

Dave