What are you drinking ?

[jt]

Ok, so What Are You Brewing was a hotty, as topics go.

Now I'm 15 pints into a keg I only filled on Tuesday and wondering if anyone else has a favourite at the moment ?

It's my second brown with US-Oh05 and it's better than the forst, maybe Ikept the temps down a bit during the scorcher we had in januray

[Liam Callaghan]

I'll second the pilsner too, just had a bottle of that while i soaked in the bath reading Yeast.  One of the nicest pilsners I've had in a long time.

[Michael]

KPA - My Kohatu Pale Ale -

Normally I brew beers that are much higher in IBUs, but I have been trying to make beers to introduce non-homebrewers to the craftbrew world. I think I hit it with this one. The recipe is in the recipe advice thread...

It only comes in at 35 - 36 IBU, and as such is not overpowering in its bitterness. The Kohatu hops have an oddly different aroma that is entertaining. However, the alcohol is deceptive as the 5.5 abv creeps up as it goers down so easy. Although it is not one of my hop head beers, I am actually enjoying this. Atleast I am enjoying it more than a Sassy Red or other big brewer beer. (Not as much as great beers like Yeasty Boys, Hopwired, and Tuatara's APA.)

If one of you in Welly want to have some, let me know.

[Dave W]

Tonight was a degustaion menu matched to beer at Hashigo Zake.

Som Tam

Green Papaya salad matched to Nøgne Saison

Hiyayakko

Cold fresh tofu with fresh grated Ginger and some spring onion doused in hot sesame oil matched to La Chouffe blond

Ayam Sate

Chicken Sate chilli peanut sauce matched to Baird "Angry boy brown ale"

Jae-Yook Bo-Kum

Pork belly stir fried with Kimchi matched with Green Flash West Coast IPA

Kao Ya

Chinese roasted duck breast matched to 8wired Big smoke

Desert

rich Christmas cake with 5spice and star anise chocolate sauce matched to Shiggys homebrew imperial Russian stout.

Best match for me was the Duck and big smoke (Tofu and Chouffe a VERY close 2nd)

Best beer was big smoke runner up was Nøgne Saison

Best dish was the Pork belly, runner up was Duck

Pics uploaded to my other website here..... http://forums.freeriden.co.nz/viewtopic.php?p=148272#148272

[denimglen]

8 Wired Haywired - this beer is fucking badass!

For one, 1968?  Wow, this does not taste like 1968, it's crisp, dry, clean, brilliant, a yeast I'm kinda bored with you've got a very different and outstanding character out of.

Hop character - pleasantly hoppy without being in your face, some nice sauvin lurking down the back there I'm guessing?  A little white pepper as it warms.  Some just-juice as it rolls of the tongue.  This hop character is amazing, it's kinda subtle but soooo complex.

Staunch bitterness that adds real nice to that crisp finish.

Malt character is there, somewhere, behind the hops, that Gladfield pale is really good, going to have to get some of that to have a play with.

Ahhh so well balanced.  Wish it was a hot Saturday arvo so I could drink a dozen of these in the sun.

I demand the recipe if you're reading this Soren!

[Michael]

Water & Bunderberg's Ginger Beer

I managed to get some nasty food poisoning and was out of commission yesterday, so I think beer is out of the equation tonight.

[jt]

That's no good mate, but look on the bright side, at least the Kohatu Pale will last a bit longer!

Got the latest brownie with the 1099 on tap, warm but not so dirty, nice & clear from the first.
This one got away on me in the ferment, a bit over 20 c and I've got more malt and esters than hops. Possibly not a bad beer, but not quite what I wanted or expected, better brew a replacement...

[Chris P]

Adnams Innovation. This is a beer I could have a few of. Quite a treat with the blend of Boadicea, Styrian and Columbus coming together very nicely. Not one I would have usually tried but glad I did.

[Glynn Foster]

A little craft beer medley from Australia - Lord Nelson Trafalgar Pale Ale, Wicked Elf Pale Ale, Pepperjack Ale, and Pigs Fly Pale Ale. Nothing too stellar. Makes me very happy I live in NZ!

[Stu McKinlay]

Spent a few days in Aus last week... a bit of yeastie stuff and a couple of days off.

If you ever head to Brisbane, you MUST head to The Scratch in Milton. Take the tour of the XXXX brewery across the road and then pop in there and drink some of the most amazing beers you'll ever get a chance to try. Great cheeses too!

My highlights were two Moondog beers, especially "Henry Ford's Girthsome Fjord". One of the loveliest beers I've tried in a while.  It was also pretty cool being made to share some Batch 18, even though I kept telling them I'd drunk it heaps and they should savour every last drop themselves (and I was feeling guilty because they'd paid about $40 Aus for a bottle).  Very nice people on both sides of the bar.

Spent a lot of time to with Ross from Craftbrewer (and Bacchus Brewing). His "Cock" was tasting pretty good (that's a beer name, by the way).

Sydney...

Beer Cartel - a really great bottle shop in Artarmon, if you are north of the bridge.

Harts Pub - up on the hill of The Rocks, backing on to the bridge. 5 or 6 of their own beer and about the same of guest beers. Everything I tried was really cold but really good. Great crowd in there too, not at all beer geeky. 

The weekend in Sydney really hammered home my love of the place. It's a great city.

[Glynn Foster]

Awesome night in Melbourne tonight at @Josie_Bones, 98 Smith Street, Collingwood. Totally recommend anyone heading to Melbourne to go visit these guys, hang out, drink a few beers, and try some dishes from their awesome meat inspired menu. I loved it - perfect combination for a beer geek and meat lover (though helped being on a corporate expense budget...). Great atmosphere, and easily my favorite craft beer place in Melbourne out of the ones I've visited now.

Beers for the night were Bridge Road/Nogne0 India Saison, Meantime Stout, Holgate Nut Brown Ale, and Mikeller It's Alive! Spotted beers from Epic, 8 Wired, Yeastie Boys, Croucher, Tuatara and Emersons on the *extensive* list (look at the image below to see the thickness of the menu) - unfortunately their Rex marshmallow was off the menu :(

[JackoNZ]

Tried the RIS by the North Welly Unit last night, this was Chris' S-05 version that he gave me. Nice work guys, really enjoyed this. Rich and smooth, big flavour and plenty of coffee on the nose and taste. A good beer before bed over Winter I reckon. Did you ever post the recipe? Wondering where all that coffee came from!

[jt]

I'm sure the recipe will be back there somewhere, though it did go through a change or two and and upsize.
Reckon the coffee will be the chocolates, there was a lot, with a hint from the roast barley

Cheers, jt