barefoot
Wheat Beers
When I first started Beer Judging the beers that scared me the most were wheat beers, particularly the homebrewed ones. Often they were too sweet and had an uncooked bread dough-like taste. It often wasn’t limited to just the homebrew category either; even up to a few years ago some of the craft beer offerings were decidedly less than average. But things have changed for the better. With the craft...
Crown Golden Ale
The Glow of a Golden Crown… sounds like a bad movie title really… I dislike writing about drinks that aren’t great. For a start no-one wants to read about what’s bad, they want to read about what’s good in the booze world. Which drinks should be at the top of your list when you’re wandering through the aisle of your local, which vintages to look for on a certain wine? But every now and...
Little Creatures IPA
A little while ago Little Creatures was bought out by Lion Nathan. At the time I was concerned that it would mean the slow death of Little Creatures, that the takeover by the corporate giant would change the brewery’s focus. Lion didn’t, at the time, have a great track record for pushing their craft beers. But Lion, to their credit, have let Little Creatures run their own race, and have not played...
Burleigh Brewing BIGHEAD
I have a pretty thick skin when it comes to people pointing out my flaws. Perhaps it’s because I’m already aware of so many of my own shortcomings that I’ve just gone on to accepting them and become immune. Frankly I’ve never really understood why people – men and women alike – can’t go through life loving who they are and not obsessing over the way they look, trying to fit a mould that has been s...
VB – Raise a Glass
It was ANZAC day last week, and I want to give VB their annual wrap for supporting the Raise a Glass appeal. VB and CUB have received a bit of bad press for this initiative, which I don’t understand, I’m more than happy to see them throw a million dollars of their own money per year supporting the RSL and Legacy. I realise that other breweries raise and donate to charities, but on a personal front...
Sail and Anchor – The Bloke
The Sail and Anchor range have expanded to include a new red ale, made in collaboration with Karl Strauss Brewing Company hailing from San Diego in California, whose Red Trolley, Pintail and Tower 10 beers are all available at your local Dan Murphy’s, the only place I have seen them. I was a bit concerned about this beer as I don’t particularly like the Karl Strauss Red Trolley Red Ale, and...
Beers for St. Patrick’s Days
It’s Saint Patricks Day on Monday. A time of the year where most of us wear green, say “to be to be sure” way too much and suddenly believe in the wee folk. But most of all we often take in a few of Ireland’s most famous exports, The Pogues, Bing Crosby, U2 and Saint Paddy himself, and Guinness. The idea of having a few quiet ones on Saint Patricks Day comes from an old legend. The story goes that...
Australia Day 2014, Music and beer
The beer industry is in a funny sort of spot lately. The average consumption of beer is decreasing, but yet the growth in craft beer has never been more active than it is now. There has been more craft breweries pop up over the course of the last few years than there are pimples on a teenage school boy. One of my mates recently said it was kind of like the music scene during the late 70’s and earl...
Sail and Anchor Devil Dodger
I generally try not to write up drinks that I don’t enjoy, or can’t rate that highly. Simply because people want to read about good drinks, and what new drinks out there that are worth laying down your hard earned cash on. Often when I find a drink I don’t like I make sure I have as many people try it with me because I know I can be a bit of a tosser when it comes to this stuff. I realise that I l...
Coopers 62 -revisited
Over the Christmas holidays we caught up with family at a restaurant called Kobe inside the Townsville Casino. This place looks the goods, an interesting entry, flashy table ware and napery. But despite all the promises and the way the place looked, it ended up being a pretty pedestrian meal. I know that I have much better steak meals elsewhere; this probably wouldn’t even hit my top ten list. It’...
All I want for Xmas 2011
There have been so many good drops out there this year it’s hard to put my thumb on what was the best. But if you’re looking for out of the ordinary Christmas presents for staff, clients or loved ones then have a quick crack at some of these: A Subscription to the Beer Cartel. This is a great idea for a gift that will keep giving. The idea is that you choose how long you want your subscription to ...