I am very excited about about the rapidly growing craft beer industry in Australia, I find bottlos are stocking more different beers than ever before. Hopefully we are seeing the permanent decline of megaswill light lager made with isohop, and the rise of proper beer with proper flavour and proper hops.

I second that. Most commercial 'beer' is brewed with corn as a cheap sub for barley, which is why a lot of it is heavily hopped to disguise the lack of real malt flavour.

I am very excited about about the rapidly growing craft beer industry in Australia, I find bottlos are stocking more different beers than ever before. Hopefully we are seeing the permanent decline of megaswill light lager made with isohop, and the rise of proper beer with proper flavour and proper hops.

+1 yeah its great to see so many new brews around...

Isn't it dissapointing when you buy an "import" only to find it's brewed here under licence? Happened to me last weekend, brought home a sixpack of Carlsberg, cracked one and thought "hmmm this tastes familiar" and not really in a good way. Checked the label which said it was brewed here by *hurl* Fosters.

Put that one down to experience.

Isn't it dissapointing when you buy an "import" only to find it's brewed here under licence? Happened to me last weekend, brought home a sixpack of Carlsberg, cracked one and thought "hmmm this tastes familiar" and not really in a good way. Checked the label which said it was brewed here by *hurl* Fosters.

Put that one down to experience.

Many of your big name imports fall under that category. Still, there are enough incredibly good Aussie (and NZ) beers to keep us all busy for some time.

Beer--I gotta give it up seriously!

W(hic)

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00622/beer_goggles_622180a.swf

Coopers Sparkling is my brew of choice. Have never tried home brewing myself, but a former neighbour used to brew his own Coopers. He had it off to a tee, and I never declined an invitation to share a jug, or two, .... with him. It tasted fantastic, a lot like Sparkling Ale, but somehow much smoother and clean tasting. Bliss!

I am very excited about about the rapidly growing craft beer industry in Australia, I find bottlos are stocking more different beers than ever before. Hopefully we are seeing the permanent decline of megaswill light lager made with isohop, and the rise of proper beer with proper flavour and proper hops.

I agree wholeheartedly. It has actually become a pleasure to visit a bottle shop these days and see the variety of different beers on offer. Hmm, so many to try. (Lately I've developed a taste for Gage Road Brewery's India Pale Ale.) I sure hope this isn't just a passing fad.

Lots of great IPAs out there these days!! I need to get to the Wheatsheaf again soon, they have some incredible IPAs on tap, and more in the bottle.

Isn't it dissapointing when you buy an "import" only to find it's brewed here under licence? Happened to me last weekend, brought home a sixpack of Carlsberg, cracked one and thought "hmmm this tastes familiar" and not really in a good way. Checked the label which said it was brewed here by *hurl* Fosters.

Put that one down to experience.

Can I suggest you pass up on the option to try "genuine" Carlsberg as well? Bland pish, I've drunk a hell of a lot of it and I'd probably drink a tinny of Tennents simply on the grounds that it'd at least have the bite of the tin to give it flavour

Isn't it dissapointing when you buy an "import" only to find it's brewed here under licence? Happened to me last weekend, brought home a sixpack of Carlsberg, cracked one and thought "hmmm this tastes familiar" and not really in a good way. Checked the label which said it was brewed here by *hurl* Fosters.

Put that one down to experience.

...always ask if what you are buying is the real deal. you can generally tell by the packaging and carton..find a reputable outlet that only sells genuine imports..If you are in Sydney UPPER NORTH SIDE --Jims Cellars at Waitara stocks lots of Australian craft beers and imports. The imports are generally cheaper than the local stuff....Had a few nice ones at the Barvarian recently -- Hofbrau original, Paulaner premium, followed by the Dunkel..

Indeed, I'll try not to make that mistake again.

Tried a Squires 150 lashes Pale on tap this evening, damn good drop, much fruitier than Coopers. Squires is a very fine brewer.

Paulaner makes a rather nice hefeweizen too. Not the best I've had but still quite good.

One from "The Old Monastery", bought from Leura cellars after work on friday. $7 half stein.

Altenmunster; very smooth German lager. A bit conservative but really well balanced sweetness, ever so slightly smokey. Nice creamy head, didn't last long. Subtle and easy to drink.

Edited March 10, 201214 yr by rehabitat

A lot of my friends like 150 Lashes, I just can't get into it. Its got an aftertaste that just doesn't agree with me.

That Altenmunster looks delicious

The Squires Stowaway IPA is in another league to the 150 Lashes.

Visited Coal Creek Farmers Market today after visiting the plumber in Korumburra.

Tried the Grand Ridge beers. Ended up buying 24 bottles of their Supershine, an 11% beer.

Yum.

First I had heard of that brewery.

Grand Ridge? Surely you jest.

Their reputation well and truly precedes them, even in barbarian lands like NSW.

Grand Ridge? Surely you jest.

Their reputation well and truly precedes them, even in barbarian lands like NSW.

I am afraid I must admit to absence of jest.

I know whisky. And I know about latte. These two fluids I know reasonably well.

Not so erudite on all the breweries we now have.

You must better acquaint yourself then. I urge you to.

u giz crac-me-up

supershine? I loik the soond of thaat

back to my sparkling..*hic

The yeast that Coopers use in their ales is a closely guarded secret, so I have been re-culturing the yeast from the Coopers I buy and using that for home brew.

I have just discovered that Brew Adelaide claim they are selling the yeast Coopers actually use, its a Wyeast strain that's only available 2 months of the year, March and April.

I've bought a couple of vials to try out, going to brew a Sparkling Ale next. We shall see how it goes

The Squires Stowaway IPA is in another league to the 150 Lashes.

Very heavy on the hops that one, reminds me of Matilda Bay "Alpha Pale Ale", 1 or 2 is nice......

The yeast that Coopers use in their ales is a closely guarded secret, so I have been re-culturing the yeast from the Coopers I buy and using that for home brew.

I have just discovered that Brew Adelaide claim they are selling the yeast Coopers actually use, its a Wyeast strain that's only available 2 months of the year, March and April.

I've bought a couple of vials to try out, going to brew a Sparkling Ale next. We shall see how it goes

That's really cool. So how have your self-cultured-yeast brews turned out? I'd like to try that sometime. I have this fetish for hefeweizen that I cannot afford with any regularity...

I believe that home-brew should be considered as fruit from the vine...a rarified pleasure for the common man.

Maisels Weisse...Love it! I'd have to say one of my top 5 beers hand down, if not the top.

I love Maisels. Shame it's so hard to find. There was once a bottle shop in Pitt Town owned by a German fellow, but he's retired now; so no more boutique imports