Flight of 5

L to r
Budvar Czech Pilsner,
Holgate Mt Macedon Pale Ale,
Trumer Pils ( but was in fact, Five Islands Barbeerian Wit),
Mountain Goat Spicy Duck Nuts,
Bridge Road Imperial Porter.

The flight cost $13 at The Local on 3/10/09.
So overall nothing blew me away with these 5 beers-still worth trying tho!

James Squire Pilsener

Style:Pilsener
Alc %:5
Brewery:Malt Shovel Brewery
Country:Australia
Tap/Bottle?:Bottle, 345ml
Where/When:Home, 10/10/09
Cost:approx $20 a six pack
Rating:6.5

Nice fluffy white head, about 1 cm that disappears.
Nice golden body.
A bit grassy on the nose- fresh, lively.
Spicy up front, then the malt comes thru. Theirs a definite citrus hit in their too.
A slight bitterness to finish with.
Juicy and quite drinkable, it went down quite easily. Flavoursome certainly compared to the Budvar Pils.
If my local had this on tap I would drink it more regularly.
Tasty solid Pilsener.

Redback Wheat Beer

Style:Kristalweizen
Alc %:4.7
Brewery:Matilda Bay
Country:Australia
Tap/Bottle?:Bottle, 345ml
Where/When:Home, Sept 09
Cost:approx $18 a six pack
Rating:6.5/10

Lovely white head about 1cm thick and it sticks to the glass each sip.
The scent of yeast & banana appear on the tip of the tongue. Spice & clove hit after this without over powering the initial taste which carries nicely.
The carbonation is mild (others don't think so) which makes it quite drinkable.
This wheat beer has been around for years - it's solid and a good quality beer but nothing outstanding, tho admittedly my preference for wheat beers has waned.

Hargreaves Hill ESB

Style:ESB
Alc %:5
Brewery:Hargreaves Hill Brewing Co
Country:Australia
Tap/Bottle?:tap
Where/When:The Local, Darlinghurst, 20/9/09
Cost:$4.90 for 330ml
Rating:7.5

Nice fluffy white head that all but disappears. Fruity syrupy bitterness.
More like a US Pale Ale style in my mind but very nice & not that different from the ICON 2IPA to tell the truth.
Nice fruity twang/tart thing going on.
I would get this again without doubt and I'd like to try it from the bottle.

Murrays ICON 2IPA

Style:India Pale Ale
Alc %:7.5
Brewery:Murray's Craft Brewing Co.
Country:Australia
Tap/Bottle?:Tap
Where/When:20/9/09
Cost:$8.40 for 330ml
Rating:7.5/10

Nice fluffy white head that dissapates leaving a cloudy lace on the glass. The beer is an orange copper colour.
Smell: citrus, of course!
That summery floral flavour that I love is up front , sweet & a little malty- I can't help thinking of marmalade when I have this type of beer tho not as tart tasting.
A bitterness comes in the end, tho not overwheming. The abv creeps up on you-quite warming for sure. So not really a session beer.
I love the reminder of the citrus hops I got when I burped after having this beer!

Feral Hop Hog US IPA

Style:US IPA
Alc %:5.8
Brewery:Feral Brewing Co.
Country:Australia
Tap?:draught
Where/When:Darlo Taphouse
Cost:$9.70 for 575ml
Rating:9

Nice fluffy white head 1cm high.
Copper gold in colour.
Sweet citrus/tart, zingy and tangy that finishes quite bitter all over the tongue.
This is a very good full flavoured IPA, not over powering and very more-ish.
Very similar to The Red Oak 'American IPA' but that costs $14 from memory.

I haven't had this or seen it since but I do remember really liking it and thinking that it had 'the taste of summer' in a beer glass. So I'm dying to try this again to see if it meets my memory of it.

Duvel

Style:Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Alc %:8.5
Brewery:Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Country:Belgium
Tap?:Bottle
Where/When:@ home, 2009
Cost:$8 or $9, $21 for large bottle
Rating:9/10

This is one of the first quality beers (ales) that I was introduced to and fittingly it was in a cafe in Brussels in 1994 on my first trip to Europe. After this initial tasting I had a second go with Duvel but it was for a session and it didn't treat me kindly- hey it was a long time ago and they were free! Boy did I dribble alot of bullshit that nite! Which nicely leads me to my first review on this little blog:
I poured slowly and got a two fingered head.
A pale golden colour.
There is a light spiceyness at the tip of the tongue, it seems quite gassy (ah, high carbonation) too.
It's bitter and sweet.
I confess, I fell in love with this beer the first time I had it- I knew that I had experianced one of the best beers on the planet. It isn't a session ale but you can learn that the hard way.
An amazing beer that's been brewed since 1871.

OK, so that's my first review- plenty of room for improvement as I have plenty to learn but ya gotta start somewhere.

Emersons 1812 IPA

Style:English India Pale Ale
Alc %:4.7.
Brewery:Emersons Brewery
Country:New Zealand
Tap?:Bottle, 500ml
Where/When:Home, 2008
Cost:$6-9
Rating:8.5

Pours with an inch thick off white head and a slightly red golden colour body.
The nose is a bit hoppy with a hint of citrus. On tasting you get a malt first then the citrus fruit flavour.
I think this is a good example of an IPA - not too hoppy- the malt and hops make it sweet & bitter without either being overpowering.
A slight pine taste in the hops.

I have to have this again as it my current favourite style although this is more English than American from memory.

Emersons WeissBier

Style:Hefeweizen
Alc %:5
Brewery:Emersons Brewery
Country:New Zealand
Tap?:Bottle, 500ml
Where/When:Home, 2008
Cost:$6-9
Rating:9

This took ages to pour - it had been in the fridge lying down for a few weeks & I rolled the the bottle before pouring.

This is my favourite brewery - so I am biased.
It pours with a big head. The colour is a cloudy caramel gold - not transparent with millions of bubbles making their way north. The smell has a hint of clove. Their is a definite taste of banana but it's a little muted by the yeast. The sweetness is candy or bubblegum-ish.
It's a little champagne like in the mouth- but more syrupy.
Clean, light and effervescent.
I can't say I've had more tha one in a sitting - as one 500ml bottle makes me tiddly!
Wonderful drop!!

Lobethal US IPA

Style:US IPA
Alc %:5.8
Brewery:Lobethal Bierhaus
Country:Australia
Tap?:draught
Where/When:Darlo Taphouse
Cost:$9.10 for 575 ml
Rating:6
My short notes:Citrus up front w/malt finish. Mild compared 2 holgate ipa. Nice drop all tha same (i can't say with absolute certainty that i've had the Holgate IPA!)
I need to have this one again!

Bit disorganised with this one!!

Bridge Road Celtic Red Ale

Style: Irish Red
Alc %:5.3
Brewery:Bridge Road Brewers
Country:Australia
Tap?:draught
Where/When:June/July 2009
Cost:?
Rating:4

I recall not really liking this- I can't find any notes! Can't say I'm familiar with the style but this seemed really funky tasting and not in a good way.
Will have to take notes next time I have it.

Tuatara Bavarian Hefe

Style:Hefeweizen
Alc %:5.0
Brewery:Tuatara Brewery
Country:New Zealand
Tap?: Bottle
Where/When:Mums place, 2008?
Cost:??
Rating:6

Pours with a little head. a Pale yellow colour, it kinda had a green tinge to it. The label suggests banana, vanilla and a hint of cloves - the banana I can taste - and a sweet finish that could pass as vanilla.
Overall, not a bad drop at all.

Moo Brew Hefeweizen

Style:Hefeweizen
Alc %:5.1
Brewery:Moorilla Estate
Country:Australia
Tap?: Bottle
Where/When:Home
Cost:$15 for 4 approx
Rating:6

Pours a pure white fluffy head and a cloudy light bronze. The lace covers the glass after each sip.
Sharp at first then the banana flattens it out with a note of clove.
Quite easy to drink and not a bad effort all round.

James Squires Pepperberry Winter Ale

Style:Winter Warmer
Alc %:5.4
Brewery:Malt Shovel Brewery
Country:Australia
Tap?: Bottle
Where/When:Home/October 2008
Cost:$20 a 6 pack approx
Rating:6

I saved this for the coldest October Day in 30 years-it reached 15 degrees tops today, 22 October 2008.
So, the beer, a 1 cm head that dissapears. It pours a dark brown with a slight orange tinge when held up to the light.
Upon tasting I first notice a biting gassy spiceness-followed by sweet maltiness and finishing with a woody berryness.
Not a bad drop- i served it too cold for what is essentially a light porter