SLOWBEER'S XMAS TASTING + NEW ARRIVALS!

A friendly reminder that this Friday 18th December we will be having our JOLLY OLD CHRISTMAS BEER TASTING!

BEERS ON TASTING INCLUDE:
- Red Hill Christmas Ale
- Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve
- St Bernardus Kerst
- St Feuillien Cuvee de Noel
- Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus
- Baladin Noel
+ if we’re lucky we may have De Molen Rasputin Imperial Stout & Murray’s Anniversary Ale 4 on as well! (Yes we know they aren't xmas beers!)

RECENT ARRIVALS
USA
Left Hand (US) Imperial Stout 355ml $9.50
Saranac (US) Pale Ale 355ml $6.00
IPA 355ml $6.00
Black Forrest Porter 355ml $6.00

NETHERLANDS
De Molen Rasputin Imperial Stout 750ml $29.00
Bommen & Granaten Barley Wine 750ml $41.00
Porter 1914 750ml $23.00
Bokbier 330ml $7.50
La Trappe Tripel 750ml $14.00
Quadruple 750ml $17.00

GERMANY
Andechs Hefe wiesse 500ml $7.00
Doppelbock 500ml $7.50
Dunkel weisse 500ml $7.00

BELGIUM
Rochefort 6 330ml $7.50
8 330ml $8.50
10 330ml $9.50
St Bernardus Pater 6 330ml $5.50
Prior 8 330ml $7.00
Tripel 330ml $7.00
Tripel 750ml $16.00
Abt 12 330ml $8.50
Abt 12 750ml $18.00
De Ranke Guldennberg 330ml $7.50
XX Bitter 330ml $7.00
Kriek 750ml $20.00
Achel Extra 9.5 750ml $19.00
Liefmans Kriek 375ml $9.50
Duchesse de Bourgogne 250ml $6.00
De Dolle Oerbier 330ml $8.50
Guiness Special Extra 330ml $6.50 (yes, its brewed in belgium!)

*ALSO, KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR NEWS OF MORE EXCITING ARRIVALS LATER THIS MONTH & NEXT MONTH FROM BREWDOG & OTHERS. INCLUDING: TACTICAL NUCLEAR PENGUIN, TOKYO*, HARCORE IPA & 5AM SAINT

If you wish to order any of the above beers, hop online or alternatively email: sales@slowbeer.com.au. For the locals, swing by over the weekend to pick some up & have a chat.

SLOWBEER'S JOLLY OLD XMAS BEER TASTING!!

As you’re no doubt aware our grand opening tasting a few months back was a huge success. However bringing out the big guns did leave our cellar stocks somewhat depleted & obviously this is never a good thing! So over the past few months after being back at square one, we’ve been hiding some crakers away & now have some pretty special beers, ready to do it all again.

Next FRIDAY the 18th DECEMBER 5-7pm, Slowbeer will be hosting a seasonally appropriate tasting, with the theme being Christmas Beers!

BEERS ON TASTING INCLUDE:
Red Hill Christmas Ale
Certainly one of the first local craft breweries to go out on a limb & brew a limited release Belgian-style Christmas ale. A bold move then, that has certainly paid great dividends for them. This is hands down their most popular seasonal release often, selling out before its actual release! Even retailers such as ourselves are powerless as to how much we are allocated (which is never enough!), such is its following.

Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve
Another eagerly anticipated brew, however last year Australia wasn't quite lucky enough to see it arrive on our shores. This is essentially a supped-up version of the much loved St Rogue Dry Hopped Red Ale. With toasty caramel/toffee malt & a nice big citrus kick this would almost be better suited to a warm Southern Hemisphere Christmas than a cold Northern one!

St Bernardus Kerst
In essence this is a spiced version of the St Bernardus Abt 12. Interestingly, many don’t realize that St Bernardus is in fact quite similar to the highly coveted Westvelteren, having for some 30 years produced its commercial equivalent under license. Inside the walls of the trappist monastery Westvleteren would only be brewed as sustenance for the monks, while St Bernardus would use the original recipes & knowledge of the Westvleteren master brewer to produce a commercial version. In 1992 the agreement ceased, however strong parallels can still be made between their beers.

St Feuillien Cuvee de Noel
While this beer doesn’t have quite as interesting a story, its certainly does tick all the right boxes as far as style goes & is an excellent beer. An interesting array of herbs & spices are employed as well as different malts to give it a complex, multilayered palate. Rich caramel malt balanced by raisin esters & with possible additions being cinnamon & nutmeg. A really well rounded xmas ale!

Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus
Apparently the world’s strongest beer...maybe at some point but perhaps not anymore. Weighing in at 14%, this is billed as the cognac of beers. Though I will give some credit to the claim as many of the more modern, higher abv beers employ a wine yeast or simply freeze the beer to make it more concentrated. So it may well still be the worlds strongest beer, at least in the strictest sense. Semantics aside, this is a huge beer & one would definitely liken it to a cognac. Exceptionally rich & malty, borderline sweet palate with very little discernable hop bitterness. Interestingly this is a bock, meaning it is both bottom fermented with a lager yeast & filtered.

Baladin Noel
A slight change of pace from the other Baladin beers. Being considerably darker & richer, obviously with the purpose of being a Christmas beer. While certainly taking a lead from the many of the Belgian beers of the style, this is still quite different. Dried fruit notes are present but also masses of dark chocolate, coffee & licorice. An overall dry palate is actually a good point of difference, given that many Christmas beers can be quite sweet.

AND if we’re lucky we may have De Molen Rasputin Imperial Stout & Murray’s Anniversary Ale 4 on as well! (Yes we know they aren't xmas beers!)

While at first glance the list may not look all that impressive. “Sure” you say, “How hard can it be to round up a heap of Christmas beers when it is in fact Christmas?” Well bear in mind that many of the European Christmas beers don’t arrive on our shores until 6 months after the event & that’s if we are lucky enough to even get them in the first place! So you see, we did need some degree of forethought in order to get an impressive line-up such as this.

FEATURE BEERS
EPIC MAYHEM $12.50
500ml, 6.2% abv
Luke has produced this beer for a number of years as a small batch release, however this is the first time we’ve been able to get it across the Tasman. Having billed this as a strong pale ale, is certainly quite appropriate. With this one falling somewhere between a pale ale & ipa, it makes perfect sense. Though quite a change of pace from the Armageddon, the mayhem is very much in the US mould. A rather strong crystal malt-like backbone of caramel & toffee provides great support for the very robust citrus & pine notes of the hops. This beer is bursting with hop charcter & you can really tell its a super fresh batch!

EPIC ARMAGEDDON IPA $12.50
500ml, 6.66% abv
Great to see this back on our shelves, after it disappeared very quickly last time. I’d hazard a guess & say that this is probably Luke’s favorite brew, having seen how disappointed he was that we had no more left in stock when he dropped by to conduct our Epic tasting a month or so ago. Sure, he was pleased with how well it had sold but was keen for more, much like the rest of us!
As noted above the mayhem & Armageddon are more than just different styles, almost like coming from completely different brewers/breweries altogether. Which do I prefer? Its hard to say as I really love them both! I’d say the Armageddon IPA is more unique, in that it has a heap of tropical fruit bringing lycee & passionfruit as well as green grass from the hops with just a touch of malt for support. It really seems to epitomize hoppy Kiwi beers, which are a nice change of pace from the sometimes overdone US styles.

RECENT ARRIVALS

ROGUE (US) Wet Hop Ale 650ml $15.00
Mogul Madness 650ml $15.00
Santa’s Private Reserve 650ml & 355ml $15.00 & $7.50
Tracktown Triple Jump Pale Ale 650ml $15.00
Yellow Snow IPA 650ml $15.00
St Rogue Dry Hopped Red 355ml $7.50
Brutal Bitter 355ml $7.50
Chipotle 355ml $7.50
Shakespear Stout 650ml $15.00
Chocolate Stout 650ml $15.00
Smoke Ale 650ml $15.00
XS IPA 750ml $38.00
XS Old Crustacean Barleywine 750ml $38.00
FLYING DOG (US) Gonzo Imperial Porter 355ml $10.00
Snake Dog IPA 355ml $7.00
Doggie Style Pale Ale 355ml $6.50

*ALSO, KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR NEWS OF MORE EXCITING ARRIVALS LATER THIS MONTH & NEXT MONTH FROM BREWDOG & OTHERS. INCLUDING: TACTICAL NUCLEAR PENGUIN, TOKYO*, HARCORE IPA & 5AM SAINT

If you wish to order any of the above beers, hop online or alternatively email: sales@slowbeer.com.au. For the locals, swing by over the weekend to pick some up & have a chat.

SLOWBEER NEWS, ARRIVALS & FEATURES

As usual, plenty of great beers are coming through the door. However, this week we have been particularly excited as a number of lesser known but nonetheless, brilliant beers are now sitting on our shelves. Though we’re guessing not for long!

FEATURE BREWERY
BIRRIFICIO BALADIN
We all know that Italy is synonymous with food & wine. However craft beer is slowly being welcomed in amongst that illustrious duo & certainly with good reason! Much of this can be attributed to Teo Musso & a handful of other northern Italian craft brewers. Musso is the owner & brewer of Baladin & has been described as Italian craft beer’s Jim Morrison. To say that he is an interesting character would probably be an understatement! In somewhat of an unorthodox approach to brewing, Musso plays music to the fermenting beer. Choosing different genres depending on how he wants the yeast to react. Eccentricities aside, Teo’s beers are world-class & there is little doubt as to why he is leading the charge for a better appreciation of craft beer in what is the home of the now global Slowfood movement. (No points for guessing where the idea for our name came from!)

Baladin Isaac $25.00
750ml, 5% abv
Named after his first born son, this is a Belgian style witbier. Wheat malt is used to add a slight zesty sourness, while high carbonation cleanses the palate. Much like many Belgian style witbiers this is seasoned with orange zest & coriander to give the palate a lift & add interest. Overall this is a delicate & ultimately refreshing ale, which would pair well with seafood or light asian.

Baladin Nora $29.00
750ml, 6.8% abv
Named after his wife who is of Algerian heritage, this is a rather peculiar brew & a throwback to the brewing practices of ancient egypt. Using unmalted kamut (an egyptian grain) as well as ginger, myrrh & orange zest. The use of hops is kept to a minimum, as traditionally hops were only employed as a preservative. The bitterness on the palate comes from the myrr. Overall this is a very interesting beer & would obviously pair excellently with north african cuisine.

Baladin Elixir $37.00
750ml, 10% abv
In typical baladin style this is another left of centre brew. Its likened to a fine sparkling wine & has been termed a demi-sec. Teo uses a whisky distillers yeast to dry out the palate & achieve a higher than normal abv (10%). This beer has very subtle citrus & tropical fruit as well as bready, almond like yeast character. Being likened to a fine sparkling wine is certainly quite apt & as such would make a great aperitif.

Baladin Super $28.00
750ml, 8% abv
Styled as a Belgian tripel & quite perfumed. Possesses estery notes of banana, citrus & pear as well as marzipan-like yeast characters & peppery/spicy hops. Another ultimately refreshing beer with high carbonation & dry profile as the style requires. This would also suit seafood very well.

Baladin Noel $31.00
750ml, 9% abv
As you probably guessed from the name , this is a limited release Christmas beer. A slight change of pace from the other beers, in that it is considerably darker & richer. Dried fruit notes are present with dark chocolate, coffee & licorice most dominant. Obviously this would be perfect with a Christmas pudding or alternatively dark chocolate.

*Note that we also have matching baladin branded glasses. The shape is similar to a small brandy snifter & suits all of their styles. Would definitely make a great gift!

FEATURE BEERS
Brewdog Zephyr $135.00
750ml, 12.5% abv
Ok, so its not cheap right? But c'mon, its aged in 1965 whisky casks for 18 months. But wait, theres more! Those very casks are chock full of strawberries...& of course the beer, which starts life as a Double IPA. Though after 18 months maturation, i would have to say that the citrus/pine IPA characters would be somewhat overshadowed by whisky & berry. Crazy contrasts no doubt! With only 250 bottles available world-wide, we were pretty chuffed to get some despite its hefty price! (VERY LIMITED STOCK!)

Brewdog & Stone 'Bashah' Belgian Black IPA $9.00
330ml, 8.6% abv
Did you really expect anything remotely normal to come of this collaboration? So I presume a Belgian yeast strain is used & perhaps some candy sugar = BELGIAN. Dark roasted malt imparts colour for impact but also quite a bit of dry roast = BLACK. And lastly, i assume cirtus/pine from american hops = IPA. Once you break it down it really seems perfectly logical right? In terms of taste, I found the Belgian characters a little hard to pick up. There were heaps of citrus & pine hop notes on the nose & choc/coffee on the palate from the roasted malt. I suppose you have to wonder where all these uber-left of centre, hybrid-style collaboration brews are leading us. Regardless this is a really enjoyable beer.

Brewdog Storm Islay IPA $9.00
330ml, 8% abv
So I'd heard some really mixed reviews about this one and its certainly not for the feint of heart. It starts life as an IPA & is then aged in Islay whisky casks. The IPA characteristics have certainly faded with masses of smoke & peat absolutely dominating the palate. I’m a big fan of using islay casks for darker styles (ala their paradox range), however this is a completely different monster altogether. Where the islay characters would normally integrate quite well in amongst a roasty stout, here they smack you right in the face & i’m not too sure whether that is a good thing. From an islay cask aged point of view this is great, however the base beer doesn’t seem to be able to back it up. Don’t know if I’d recommend, but worth a try for something very, very different...you’ve been warned!

Oh & if you havent heard, apparently Brewdog have brewed the worlds strongest beer. Weighing in at a whopping 32% abv!!
For an explanation, watch the video: http://www.vimeo.com/7812379

RECENT ARRIVALS
EPIC (NZ) Armageddon IPA 500ml $12.50
Mayhem 500ml $12.50
SIERRA NEVADA (US) Pale Ale 355ml $6.00 ITS FINALLY BACK!
ROGUE (US) Dead Guy Ale 650ml $15.00
Double Dead Guy Ale 750ml $23.00
Yellow Snow IPA 650ml $15.00
Brutal Bitter 650ml $15.00
Captain Sigs Northwestern Ale 650ml $15.00
Hazelnut Brown Nectar 650ml $15.00
Juniper Pale Ale 650ml $15.00
Morimoto Soba Ale 650ml $15.00
Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale 650ml $15.00
MEANTIME (ENG) High Saison 500ml $9.50
Elderflower Maibock 500ml $9.50
IPA 750ml $22.00
Chocolate 330ml $8.00
Raspberry Wheat Grand Cru 330ml $8.00
EISENBAHN (BRA) Weizenbock 355ml $7.00
Rauchbier 355ml $7.00
BRASSERIE DE BRUNEHAUT (BEL) St Martin Blonde 750ml $16.00
St Martin Blonde 330ml $7.50
St Martin Brune 330ml $7.50
BREWDOG (SCO) Dogma 330ml $4.00
Trashy Blonde 330ml $4.00
Zeitgeist 330ml $4.00
STONE & WOOD (AUS) Stone Beer 500ml $8.00
LOBETHAL BIERHAUS (AUS) Choc Oat Stout 330ml $4.50
IPA 330ml $4.50
Pale Ale 330ml $4.50

If you wish to order any of the above beers, hop online or alternatively email: sales@slowbeer.com.au. For the locals, swing by over the weekend to pick some up & have a chat.

SLOWBEER NEWS + ARRIVALS

FEATURE BEERS
ORKNEY (SCO) Dark Island Reserve
10% abv 750ml $45.00
From arguably one of Scotland’s most famed breweries, the dark island reserve is brewed as a limited release of only 1,500 bottles. In terms of style, this beer is almost a hybrid of a porter & barley wine but perhaps more fittingly named a strong ale. Aged in old Dalmore whisky casks for 3 months enables this ale to develop excellent depth & complexity. Rich & viscous in body displaying smoke & peated malt characters as well as rich coffee & chocolate notes from the roasted malt. Raisin & prune like fruity esters add to the already multifaceted palate. Certainly one of the worlds best brews & has excellent cellaring potential! (Limited stocks!)

BRIDGE ROAD BREWERS (AUS) Imperial Oak Aged Porter
8% abv 750ml $30.00
Following our recent Bridge Rd tasting, we were lucky enough to get our hands on some more & possibly the last of this brew. Having sold out very quickly last time, we don’t expect it stick around for long! Brewed as a one off to celebrate this Beechworth brewery’s 4th Birthday, with only 1,000 bottles produced. Having been aged in Giaconda winery oak barrels adds intrigue to this, one of the country’s most unique beers. Being a porter, this beer is very rich possessing masses of dark roasted malt. However in somewhat of an interesting move, it is then dry hopped with NZ Nelson Sauvin hops renowned for attributing tropical & citrus fruit characters. Add to this the vanilla & toasty notes from the oak ageing & you have one multilayered brew! (Limited Stocks!)

RED HILL (AUS) Bohemian Pilsner
5.9% 330ml $5.50
This is Red Hill’s most recent addition to their seasonal line-up, last year being the first time they produced it. Based on the old world classic, from the town of Plzen in Bohemia, Czech Rep. This example is perhaps a more modern interpretation, being unfiltered & a touch higher in alcohol. Still, this brew is brimming with noble hops attributing spicy & floral notes. Bottom fermentation allows this beer a crisp & clean finish as required by the style. If your searching for an easy drinking, yet complex brew for summer there's no need to look any further!

RECENT ARRIVALS
RED HILL (AUS) Bohemian Pilsner 330ml $5.50
ORKNEY (SCO) Dark Island Reserve 750ml $45.00
Dark Island 500ml $9.00
Dragonhead Stout 500ml $9.00
Raven Ale 500ml $9.00
INNIS & GUNN (SCO) Original Oak Aged 330ml $7.00
Blonde Lightly Oaked 330ml $6.50
HEATHER ALES (SCO) Alba Scots Pine 330ml $6.50
Grozet Gooseberry & Wheat Ale 330ml $4.50
Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale 330ml $6.50
Fraoch 330ml $4.50
BALTIKA (RUS) #4 Dark Lager 500ml $5.00
#6 Porter 500ml $6.00
#9 Strong 500ml $6.50
MAISELS WEISSE (GER) Kristal 500ml $5.50
Dunkel 500ml $5.50
OKOCIM (POL) Porter 500ml $6.50
DAVENPORTS (ENG) IPA Export Bitter 500ml $8.00
Original Bitter 500ml $8.00
OHANLONS (ENG) Royal Oak Traditional Bitter 500ml $8.50
JENNINGS (ENG) Snecklifter Strong Ale 500ml $8.00
NETHERGATE (ENG) Old Growler Porter 500ml$8.50
DALESIDE (ENG) Old Leg Over 500ml $8.00
MERRIMENS (ENG) OLD FART 500ml $8.00
CAIGHORN (ENG) Sheepshagger Gold 500ml $8.50

PLUS HEAPS MORE NEXT WEEK!
...IF YOU MUST KNOW: EPIC ARMAGEDDON IPA & MAYHEM + FRESH STOCKS OF FULL RANGE OF ROGUE, MEANTIME & MUCH MORE

If you wish to order any of the above beers, hop online or alternatively email: sales@slowbeer.com.au. For the locals, swing by over the weekend to pick some up & have a chat.

RATE OUR STORE!
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Ratebeer: http://ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=14204
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DO YOU TWEET?
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SLOWBEER'S OLD WORLD TASTING + NEW RELEASES

OLD WORLD BEER TASTING TOMORROW 20/11 FROM 5-7PM
Since, opening about 2 months ago we have endeavored to host tastings featuring some of the lesser known brews & breweries with a greater focus on modern, new world styles & practices. This week will be a slight change of pace, in doing so we will be looking at some of the most iconic old world brews & breweries to serve as a reminder that the ‘classics’ are rightly so.

Beers on tasting include:
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
Weihenstephaner Original Bayrische Mild
Weihenstephaner Dunkelweizen
Timothy Talyor’s Landlord Ale
Well’s Bombardier Bitter
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout

With the warm weather upon us, what better way to spend it than drinking & chatting about great beer? Remember that Slowbeer tastings are very informal, so don’t be shy. Swing by between 5-7pm, you wont be disappointed.

NEW ARRIVALS & FRESH STOCKS EXPECTED FROM
EPIC (NZ)
Featuring more armageddon ipa & new mayhem strong ale
BREWDOG (SCO)
Featuring stone (us) collaboration ‘basha’ black ipa
ROGUE (US)
EISENBAHN (BRA)
MEANTIME (ENG)
Featuring new high saison
ORKNEY (SCO)
Featuring the highly sought after dark island reserve
RENAISSANCE (NZ)
BRUNEHAUT (BEL)
BALTIKA (RUS)
DAVENPORT (UK)
MAISEL (GER)
WATERLOO (BEL)

The above beers are expected to hit shelves in the next week or so, keep your eyes & ears peeled if your keen to get your hands on some of these brilliant brews!

RATE OUR STORE!
Are you a ratebeerian or beeradvocate? If so, show us your support by telling us what you think of our new store!

Ratebeer: http://ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=14204
Beeradvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/21131

DO YOU TWEET?
For those inclined, you can also follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/Slowbeer

With the warm weather upon us, what better way to spend it than drinking & chatting about great beer? Remember that Slowbeer tastings are very informal, so don’t be shy. Swing by between 5-7pm, you wont be disappointed.

SLOWBEER'S EPIC TASTING + OTHER NEWS

Keep things short & sweet. A friendly reminder of this weeks events.

EPIC TASTING TOMORROW 13/11 5-7PM
Those in the loop would be well aware that Luke Nicholas, founder & head brewer of New Zealand's world renowned Epic brewery is currently in Melbourne. In conjunction with Luke’s visit, Slowbeer will be hosting a tasting of the highly acclaimed Epic range tomorrow night from 5-7pm in which Luke will be present. Very exciting indeed If you consider yourself a beer lover, then this opportunity to pick the brain of one of the worlds best brewers should not be missed!

For those not familiar with Luke & his work, check this out: http://www.epicbeer.co.nz/ - Now you have no reason to miss!

ARCTIC FOX TASTING
In what will be a double header tasting weekend, Saturday 14/11 will see Slowbeer host the boys from Arctic Fox. The Dandenong based brewery is one of the States newest, producing a modern, aromatically hopped lager & traditional english style pale ale. Both beers will be on tasting with the possibility of their new american pale ale being ready in time as well!

RATE OUR STORE!
Are you a ratebeerian or beeradvocate? If so, show us your support by telling us what you think of our new store!

Ratebeer: http://ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=14204
Beeradvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/21131

DO YOU TWEET?
For those inclined, you can also follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/Slowbeer

With the warm weather upon us, what better way to spend it than drinking & chatting about great beer? Remember that Slowbeer tastings are very informal, so don’t be shy. Swing by between 5-7pm, you wont be disappointed.

SLOWBEER NEWS & TASTINGS

3 RAVENS TASTING
Tomorrow, Friday 6/11 we will be hosting a 3 Ravens tasting from 5-7pm. We will be accompanied by one of the brewers, either Marcus or Ben. The full range will be on tasting as well as the possibility of a sneak peek at their new release!

Beers on tasting include:
3 Ravens Blonde – german style altbier
3 Ravens Bronze – english style bitter
3 Ravens White – belgian style witbier
3 Ravens 55 – american style pale ale
3 Ravens Dark – german style rauchbier (smoke beer)
3 Ravens Black – oatmeal stout

EPIC TASTING
Our weekly tastings have become somewhat of a routine, however next week will be something a little special. Those in the loop would be well aware that Luke Nicholas, founder & head brewer of New Zealand's world renowned Epic brewery will be in Melbourne next week. In conjunction with Luke’s visit, Slowbeer will be hosting a tasting of the Epic range on Friday 13/11 in which Luke will be present. Very exciting indeed!

ARCTIC FOX TASTING
In what will be a double header tasting weekend, Saturday 14/11 will see Slowbeer host the boys from Arctic Fox. The Dandenong based brewery is one of the States newest, producing a modern, aromatically hopped lager & traditional english style pale ale. Both beers will be on tasting with the possibility of their new american pale ale being ready in time as well!

RATE OUR STORE!
Are you a ratebeerian or beeradvocate? If so, show us your support by telling us what you think of our new store!

Ratebeer: http://ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=14204
Beeradvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/21131

DO YOU TWEET?
For those inclined, you can also follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/Slowbeer

With the warm weather upon us, what better way to spend it than drinking & chatting about great beer? Remember that Slowbeer tastings are very informal, so don’t be shy. Swing by between 5-7pm, you wont be disappointed.

Unexpected Cellaring Surprise

Two 'old' beers caught me by complete surprise recently; Mountain Goat's 'Old Surefoot' Stout and Young's venerable Double Chocolate Stout. The MG was a 2003 vintage, released after 12 months bottle age in a 660ml bottle, whilst the Young's was simple out of date stock I picked off the shelf to make way for new stock.

Mountain Goat 'Old Surefoot' Stout
Vintage: 2003
Consumed: Oct 2009

Flat out impressive. This is now 6 years old and shows much more appeal when compared to release as a 1 year old. Soft structure and carbination gives the age away a little but a very well defined milk chocolate shines though very strong and gives heaps if immediate appeal. Must have exceeded all expectations, even those of the brewer.

Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Best Before: June 2008
Consumed: Oct 2009

Nothing lost on fresh bottles to my tastes. Plenty of roast and chocolate on the nose; remarkably fresh. More settled and dry in the palate as the mildly tannic roast takes hold. Good presence and length. Not particularly chocolately but the fresh bottles aren't either.

BRIDGE RD BREWERS TASTING @ SLOWBEER FRI 30/10

In typical fashion Slowbeer will be hosting a tasting this Friday evening from 5-7pm. Last weeks was a huge success & we think this week will be even bigger!

Unfortunately brewer Ben can't make the night, however John will be present to walk us through a number of beers in the range.

Bridge Rd Brewers beers on tasting include:

- Aussie Ale

- Beechworth Pale Ale

- Celtic Red Ale

- Bling IPA

- Chevalier Saison

- Limited Edition Anniversary Oak Aged Imperial Porter

As is the norm, Slowbeer tastings are rather informal so swing by for beer/s & a chat. You won't be disappointed!

New jamieson raspberry ale ad campaign too risque?

Came across this the other day:
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,,26213053-5006343,00.html

I've been a huge fan of their Beast IPA label for some time & was wondering when the rest of the range would come in line with some interesting new labeling, though perhaps this is a little to far?

With the ever increasing goverment restrictions on alcohol consumption/advertisng etc i can't see how they didnt predict a backlash. Poor taste or exceptionally clever marketing?

Regardless, i'm a big fan of what Jamieson have to offer & admit i did have a chuckle when I first heard/saw it. Finally aussie craft beer has some attitude!

SLOWBEER ARRIVALS - BELG/NED & US

Its been a huge few days at Slowbeer with the new arrivals coming through the door thick & fast!

Since opening a few weeks ago the response has been great & the beer is literally flying off the shelves. So much so that we have stocked up on some old favorites as well as a heap of new releases.

RECENT ARRIVALS

FROM USA
Great Divide Hercules DIPA $10.00 (355ml)
Great Divide Belgica Belgian IPA $7.00 (355ml)

FROM NETHERLANDS
De Molen Rasputin Imperial Stout $29.00 (750ml)
De Molen Bommen & Granaten Barley Wine $41.00 (750ml)
Christoffel Blond $7.00 (330ml)
Christoffel Nobel Belgian IPA $9.50 (330ml)

FROM BELGIUM
Cantillon St Lamvinus - Oak aged lambic fermented with merlot grapes $28.00 (750ml)
Catillon Lou Pepe Framboise $28.00 (750ml)
Rochefort 8 $8.50 (330ml)
Rochefort 10 $9.50 (330ml)
St Bernardus Abt12 $8.50 (330ml)
St Bernardus Kerst Christmas Ale 18.00 (750ml)
De Ranke XX Bitter $7.00 (330ml)
De Ranke Guldenberg $7.50 (330ml)
Boon Gueze Mariage Parfait $11.00 (375ml)
La Chouffe Nice $19.00 (750ml)
Floreffe Dubbel $6.00 (330ml)
Floreffe Tripel $7.50 (330ml)
Floreffe Prima Meilleure $7.50 (330ml)
De Proef Slaapmutske Tripel $7.50 (330ml)
Lindemans Kriek Cuve Rene $13.00 (750ml)
Lindemans Faro $7.00 (375ml)

All of the above beers are from world renowned breweries & we expect stock of the above beers to disappear rather quickly. To save disappointment pop in-store over the weekend or alternatively place an order online or with sales@slowbeer.com.au

HUGE SLOWBEER TASTING THIS FRI 2/10

A friendly reminder that this Friday 2/10 Slowbeer will be hosting a tasting of epic proportions!

The theme is barley wines, strong ales & anniversary ales with the lineup including:

*Mikkeller Festival Special Stella O
*Orkney Dark Island Reserve
*Fullers 2008 Vintage Ale
*Mikkeller & Three Floyds Hvedegoop
*Mikkeller & Three Floyds Oatgoop
*McAuslan St Ambroise Vintage Ale 2009
*Murray’s Anniversary Ale 3
*Crown Ambassador 2008 Vintage

All offerings are extremely limited brews, many of which no longer available!!

Tasting will run from about 5-8pm address: 63 Burwood Rd Hawthorn.

Fri 25/9 Slowbeer Imperial Stout Tasting Notes

Couldn't make it to our Imperial Stout tasting on Friday night? Well here are our thoughts:

Moo Brew Vintage 2008 Oak Aged Imperial Stout

Black pour with thin tan head that falls away rather quickly. Nose is very fragrant with quite a bit of dark fruit, also some vanilla and dark roast. Not as brooding as some but certainly ticks all the boxes. Palate is medium bodied with a decent amount of carb (too much?). Tangy roast dominates with raisins as well. Finish is quite restrained & balanced. No doubt this is a good beer (not just presentation but contents above all), however the price $30 for 330ml is pretty ridiculous.

Murray's Wild Thing Imperial Stout

I'd been sitting on the last few bottles of my stash of this for about 9 months now, so hoping to see some development in the bottle and i was not disappointed! Dont get me wrong, fresh this beer was great. If i had to nitpick, i'd say it was a touch astringent. Now the palate has become much fuller to round out the robust hops & dark bitter roasted malt. Certainly showed much more complexity than the previous beer despite its lack of oak ageing (and being 1/3 of the price!)

Nogne O Dark Horizon #2

Pretty pleased to have tried this & certainly don’t regret having it at such a young age. Pours black with not much of a head. Nose has a heap of coffee, dark liquered fruits & roasted malt with the high abv attributing a slight spirity character, also a touch of smoke. Palate is pretty thick and mouthcoating as you would expect from the 16%abv. Coffee is integrated with the dark malt really well & while dominating it certainly doesnt stick out of place. Finishes quite prickly and slightly numbing on the tip of the tongue, aside from that abv is handled really well. Suprised this isnt a whole lot sweeter, which is definately a pleasant surprise showing great balance. Highly recommend, despite hefty price!

SLOWBEER GRAND OPENING & TASTINGS

As promised this Friday 25th we will be having a little tasting to celebrate our opening. It will run from 5-8pm and all are welcome. Given that it will be Grand Final eve, what better reason to swing by for a celebratory beer & a chat!

Our shop is located at 63 Burwood Rd Hawthorn.

Imperial Stouts is the theme, beers on tasting include:
*Nogne O Dark Horizon #2
*Murays Wild Thing Imperial Stout
*Moo Brew 2008 Vintage Imperial Stout
+ some other surprises


The following Friday 3rd October, we will be having another tasting, this one much larger than the first!


Strong Ales, Barley Wines & Anniversary Ales is the theme, beers on tasting include:
*Mikkeller Festival Special Stella O
*Orkney Dark Island Reserve
*Fullers 2008 Vintage Ale
*Mikkeller & Three Floyds Hvedegoop
*Mikkeller & Three Floyds Oatgoop
*McAuslan St Ambroise Vintage Ale 2009
*Murray’s Anniversary Ale 3
*Crown Ambassador 2008 Vintage

For us, these tastings are a celebration of all our hard work so we’re bringing out some great beer & hope to see some familiar faces as well as make some new beer loving friends!


*Note that Slowbeer's operating hours are as follows:
Thursday 2pm-8pm
Friday 2pm-8pm
Saturday 12pm-8pm
Sunday 2pm-7pm

SLOWBEER OPENING + KIW-INVASION

Well, as always we’ve been flat out endeavoring to bring you the best craft beers around at the best prices. While we have a heap of new arrivals & fresh stocks the purpose of this email is to let everyone know that SLOWBEER IS FINALLY OPENING.

Yes, after a couple of months of hard work the store is now looking great & ready to go! We’ve decided to avoid fanfare and allow time to iron out any operational kinks by opening the doors for the first time on Sunday afternoon! All are welcome to pop by and see what we’ve been up to for the past 2 months!

Now, as promised next Friday 25th we will be having a little tasting to celebrate our opening. It will run from 5-8pm and all are welcome. Given that it will be Grand Final eve, what better reason to swing by for a celebratory beer & a chat!

Beers on tasting include:
Nogne O Dark Horizon #2
Murays Wild Thing Imperial Stout
Moo Brew 2008 Vintage Imperial Stout

While, you may be thinking that we’ve gone back on our promise of a grand opening & tasting, not so. The following Friday 3rd October, we will be having another tasting, this one much larger than the first!

Beers on tasting include:
Mikkeller Festival Special Stella O
Orkney Dark Island Reserve
Fullers 2008 Vintage Ale
Mikkeller & Three Floyds Hvedegoop
Mikkeller & Three Floyds Oatgoop
McAuslan St Ambroise Vintage Ale 2009
Murray’s Anniversary Ale 3

For us, these tastings are a celebration of all our hard work so we’re bringing out some great beer & hope to see some familiar faces as well as make some new beer loving friends!

However, for our many interstate customers I suppose its business as usual. While we’ve already had a scand-invasion, its time for a KIW-INVASION! The below breweries are being added to our ever growing range of world-class Kiwi craft breweries.

Renaissance (NZ) Perfection Pale Ale 500ml $9.50
Discovery American Pale Ale 500ml $9.50
Paradox Blonde Ale 500ml $9.50
Elemental Porter 500ml $9.50
Stonecutter Scotch Ale 500ml $10.50
3 Boys (NZ) IPA 500ml $9.50
Wheat 500ml $9.50
Pilsner 500ml $9.50
Golden Ale 500ml $9.50
Oyster Stout 500ml $9.50
Harringtons (NZ) Ngahere Gold 330ml $4.50
Rogue Hop Pilsner 330ml $4.50
Razorback 330ml $4.50
Clydesdale Stout 330ml $5.50
Tuatara (NZ) Bohemian Pilsner 330ml $5.50
Munich Helles 330ml $5.50
Bavarian Hefeweizen 330ml $5.50
English IPA 330ml $5.50
London Porter 330ml $5.50
Ardennes Strong Golden Ale 330ml $6.00

Additionally, we have some new releases (& fresh stocks – see web) from some of our most popular breweries.

Brewdog (SCO) Dogma 660ml $6.50
Trashy Blonde 330ml $4.00
Punk IPA case of 24 $65.00 (GREAT DEAL!)
Orkney (SCO) Dark Island 500ml $9.00
Red McGregor 500ml $9.00
Flying Dog (US) Wild Dog Series Dog Schwarz 750ml (TBA)
Horndog Barley Wine 207ml
Double Dog Double Pale Ale 207ml
Kerberos Tripel 207ml
Dogtoberfest Marzen 355ml
Rogue (US) Sesquicentennial Ale 650ml $15.00
Maierfest Lager 650ml $15.00
Smoke Ale 650ml $15.00
Eugene City Tracktown 200m IPA 650ml $15.00
Eugene City Tracktown Triple Jump Pale Ale 650ml $15.00

Please note that all Slowbeer matters will now be handled exclusively by Slowbeer. For all questions & queries please email sales@slowbeer.com.au or hop online to place your order.

One Week to Opening (promise!)

I know we keep saying '2 weeks' but this time I feel completely comfortable saying 'this weekend'!

As you can see from the photo we are nearly ready to roll and Chris has done a great job of getting some cracking beers on the shelf. Once we iron oout any operating 'kinks' we'll be focussed on a few celebratory opening nights for the Melbourne beer geek community. Stay tuned!

GET YOUR GEEK ON! ... (preferably in about 2 weeks or so)

Ok, so we've been a little quiet lately, gearing up for our Slowbeer store opening so no doubt all is forgiven. 

We are officially only a fortnight or less away from a Grand Opening/Unveiling, so its all pretty exciting! Rest assured, we will inform everyone of the time/date of our opening so as to ensure that nobody misses out. We have a heap of awesome beers on the shelves as well as some great specials (as if our prices weren't already the best!) & a smorgasbord of delightful (old & rare) beers on tasting!

So to whet your appetite, try this on for size! 

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast 500ml $16.00

As the name states this is a breakfast beer...of sorts. Oats & coffee in an imperial stout, it makes sense to me! Though I wouldn't be having this one at breakfast, for obvious reasons. 

Pours deep dark black with a hint of brown around the rim, huge fluffy tan coloured head. Nose has a heap of dark roasted malt, but not appearing astringent as some coffee beers do. The malt is perfectly rounded, some sweetness, some honeycomb, a touch of smoke & of course the coffee, oh the coffee! Palate has surprisingly lively carbonation, not over the top but a touch more than i expected. Much like the nose, the malt is so well rounded. Has a bit of everything with the coffee standing out, but not overpowering. Finishes with rich coffee notes, but in no way astringent. Lively carbonation dries it up a touch as well. Hops are there, but play second fiddle to the well controlled yet dominant coffee notes. Awesome beer! Clearly alot of thought has gone into the malt selection (pils, cara-munich, smoked, brown, pale chocolate & chocolate) and it has paid off. 

I cant wait to try the weasel, though i hear it tastes like poo...and by poo i do actually mean poo, albeit super expensive, super rare coffee laden poo...or is it poo laden coffee? Still, i cant say i'm going to shy away!  

SLOWBEER'S MIKKELLER ARRIVALS - 4 NEW BEERS + FRESH STOCKS

Well we didn’t lie when we said that stock is arriving thick & fast! This time we have fresh stocks of Mikkeller complete with 4 new beers, which we suspect you’ll go nuts for!!

NEW ARRIVALS

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel - 500ml $30.00 (approx)
One of the rarest beers in the world, reason being that it is made with one of the rarest coffees in the world. Vietnamese ca phe chon coffee, made from droppings (did I say poo?!) of the vietnamese palm civet.
Hold your repulsion! Read more here, its actually quite interesting: http://www.mikkeller.dk/index.php?id=41&blog_id=71&land=1

Mikkeller Festival Special Edition 2009 Stella O – 1.5L (magnum) $115.00 (approx)
Small batch American Barley Wine brewed for debut at the Copenhagen beer festival.
Only 1300 bottles available worldwide & can be cellared to 2019!!

Mikkeller / Brewdog Divine Rebel – 330ml $16.00 (approx)
A mouthwatering collaboration from two of Europe’s most progressive craft breweries.
A barley wine aged in Speyside whisky casks

Mikkeller Single Hop Nugget IPA – 330ml $10.00 (approx)
The next release in the series of single hop IPAs.

FRESH STOCKS

Mikkeller Stateside IPA 500ml $16.00

Mikkeller Jackie Brown 500ml $16.00

Mikkeller Fra Til 750ml $32.00

Mikkeller Black 375ml $23.00

Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA 330ml $10.00

Mikkeller / De Struise Elliot Brew 330ml $15.00

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast 500ml $16.00

Mikkeller Black Hole 375ml $20.00

Mikkeller Big Worse Barley Wine 375ml $19.00

Mikkeller Monk’s Elixir 750ml $34.00

Mikkeller USAlive! 750ml $32.00

Mikkeller / Three Floyds Oatgoop 650ml $42.00

As usual, stocks will be limited so to save disappointment email: chrism@cloudwine.com.au to place your pre-order or for any other inquiries.

SLOWBEER ARRIVALS - OLD & NEW WORLD

Given that our Slowbeer is store is set to be up & running in a few weeks, the stock is arriving thick and fast!

FEATURE BEER
Bridge Rd Anniversary Ale – Celebrating their 4th Anniversary in style, with a limited release Imperial Porter, dry hopped to the hilt and aged in Giaconda barrels! The smartly presented 750ml bottles are individually numbered, with only 1,000 being brewed.  

Stock is due to arrive later this week but is rather limited. Email: chrism@cloudwine.com.au to place a pre-order. If you currently have an order with us & wish to add this great beer, let us know!

NEW WORLD

ARRIVALS
Epic Armageddon IPA  $12.50
Epic Pale Ale  $9.50
Nogne O Tiger Tripel  $16.00
Nogne O Brun  $13.00
Brewdog Paradox Isle of Arran  $11.50
Brewdog Riptide Imperial Stout  $7.00
Brewdog Zeitgeist  $6.00
Brewdog 77 Lager  $4.00
Baladin Isaac  $29.00
Baladin Super  $30.00
Emersons JP Belgian Ale 2009  $9.00

FRESH STOCKS
Nogne O #100  $16.00
Nogne O Imperial Stout  $16.00
Nogne O IPA  $14.50
Nogne O Imperial Brown  $14.50
Nogne O Porter  $14.50
Nogne O Brown  $12.50
Nogne O Havre Stout  $12.50
Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter  $10.00
Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA  $7.00
Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale  $6.50
Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine  $38.00
Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout  $38.00
Rogue XS Imperial Porter  $38.00
Brewdog Punk IPA  $5.50
Eggenberg Urbock 23  $7.00
Eggenberg Macqueens Nessie  $5.00

OLD WORLD

ARRIVALS
Schneider & Brooklyn Hopfenweisse  $7.50
Eggenberg Samiclaus  $10.00
Eggenberg Birra Magalotti  $6.50
Fullers 1845 Strong Ale  $8.50
Dupont Bier de Beloiel  $14.00
St Peters Best Bitter  $7.00
Maredsous 6  $6.50
Maredsous 8  $8.50
Piraat $10.00

FRESH STOCKS
Dupont Saison   $11.00
Dupont Bons Vouex   $15.00
Lindemans Faro $7.50
Lindemans Gueze Cuve Rene $8.00
St Peters Cream Stout $8.00
Boucanier Dark $8.50
Boucanier Golden $8.50
Grimbergen Blonde $8.00
Grimbergen Dubbel $8.00
Sam Smith Imperial Stout $6.50
Sam Smith Nut Brown Ale $8.00
Sam Smith Taddy Porter $8.00
Sam Smith India Pale Ale $8.00
Sam Smith Old Brewery Pale Ale $8.00
Sam Smith Orgainc Best Bitter $8.00

If you haven't had a chance to try any of these brilliant brews, I suggest you give them a go.

If you wish to place orders for any of the above beers hop online: www.slowbeer.com.au, or alternatively email: chrism@cloudwine.com.au

We will keep you updated on how our Slowbeer store is progressing (not long now!).

Recent Tasting Notes

Schneider & Brooklyn Hopfen-weisse
Interesting collaboration for an interesting result. Pours hazy golden orange with a huge off white head, certainly darker than most hefes. Nose has masses of citrus with undertones of clove, banana & hop spice. Palate translates well, a hint of malt sweetness, not so much in the traditional hefe way, more US - derived from caramel or munich malts maybe. Citrus notes dominate palate. Finishes with medium floral hop bitterness and trademark hefe spicy phenolics. Wow! This is a cracking beer, something I’d love to see more of. Do yourself a favour and get some while its around.

Emersons JP Belgian Ale 2009
Great looking beer, not unlike other emersons beer. Quite dark for the style, almost porter/stout like. Dark, dark brown body with nice, creamy tan head. Nose has big yeast spice notes with alcohol evident but funnily enough disguised by the aniseed notes. Palate has dark malt, chocolate bordering on coffee notes. Some dark figgy fruit notes thrown in aswell. Finish has big spice notes, aniseed obviously most dominant. Overall a great beer,it’s near impossible to find non Belgians of this style with as much complexity. Star anise adds alot, without dominating too much. Emersons can do no wrong, seriously a world class brewery!

Eisenbahn Lust
I've been sitting on this bottle for a while & decided to open it with non-beer drinking friends. Pours hazy golden orange with a fizzy head that dissapears. Nose has confectionary fruit: citrus with a bit of strawberry. Palate is medium bodied with high carbonation. There is some sweetness but carbo dries it up quite well. Finishes with a good hit of alcohol and spice, whether yeast or hop driven I’m not sure. Overall a great beer. You can certainly see the base (belg tripel) coming through. Probably pulls it off better than Deus Brut de Flanders, the only other I’ve had of this style. Was a bit too sweet, whereas this was spot on. Would definately have again.

SLOWBEER STORE UPDATE + NEW RELEASES & FRESH STOCKS

Well, it's been two weeks since our last newsletter and much progress has been made with our bricks & mortar Slowbeer store. Walls have been knocked down, numerous coats of paint applied and the shelving has finally arrived, albeit in pieces! Its been a busy few weeks but things are finally starting to take shape! 

Despite all of this commotion we have still managed to bring you fresh stocks of Nogne O among others, complete with their 2 NEW releases! 

NEW RELEASES: 

Nogne O Tiger Tripel $16.00

Nogne O Brun $13.00 

Emersons JP Belgian Ale 2009 $9.00 (Belgian Dubbel made using Chimay yeast and star anise) 

Brewdog Paradox Isle of Arran $13.00 

Red Hill Weizenbock $5.50

FRESH STOCKS: 

Nogne O #100 $16.00 

Nogne O Imperial Stout $16.00 

Nogne O IPA $14.50 

Nogne O Imperial Brown $14.50 

Nogne O Porter $14.50 

Nogne O Brown $12.50 

Nogne O Havre Stout $12.50 

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA $7.00 

Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale $6.50 

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter $10.00 

Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine $38.00 

Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout $38.00 

Rogue XS Imperial Porter $38.00 

Brewdog Punk IPA $5.50 

Brewdog Physics Amber $5.00 

Brewdog 77 Lager $5.00

SOON TO COME! 

Epic Armegeddon IPA 

Epic Pale Ale 

Brewdog Dogma (Strong ale brewed with heather honey, kola nut, poppy seeds and guarana)

Brewdog Zephyr (extremely limited! Imperial IPA aged on Strawberries in a Whisky cask)

Brewdog Trashy Blonde

If you haven't had a chance to try any of these brilliant brews, I suggest you give them a go this time around. With winter upon us these rich & robust ales are just the tonic for the cold! 

If you wish to place orders for any of the above beers email: chrism@cloudwine.com.au 

We will keep you updated on how our Slowbeer store is progressing and if your lucky we may even post some photos!!

Slowbeer Comes Alive!

Now, Slowbeer is usually buzzing with fresh stock and new arrivals but while it may seem like we haven't been up to much, I can assure you we have been very busy! On Monday we are set to enter our new shop. Whats that you say? "Cloudwine recently closed their Camberwell store, so why are they opening a new one?"

Well, there is a twist. Stewart & myself are embarking on a new venture independant of Cloudwine. As you know Slowbeer has been functioning as the beer retail arm of Cloudwine for the past year. In that time we have seen interest & enthusiasm in craft/specialty beer grow exponentially. Hence the need for a dedicated retail destination, with which beer takes pride of place.

Slowbeer will continue the philosophy of stocking hand-crafted brews from home and abroad at the best prices in the country. Our website and blog will remain with Slowbeer and operate independant of Cloudwine. The benefit of this is that Slowbeer's range will expand drastically (more than 600 beers in store!), resulting in beers being more readily available & faster order turnaround. We will run regular tastings with brewers as well as delving into our own cellars for rare & unique brews.

The new shop is located in Hawthorn, with fitout commencing on Monday. We expect to be operational in about 3 weeks. So this should be good news for our former camberwell beer lovers and provide Melbourne with the best beer destination in the country!

Stay tuned for more Slowbeer store updates in the coming weeks. Until then, business as usual!

Old World Classics - Belgium

Rochefort 10

Bottle dated 2014, so pretty fresh. Pours murky dark brown with a nice beige colored head. Nose has great balance, raisin esters supported by choc/caramel malt with some spicy phenolics as well. Palate is full and creamy. Raisin, choc & caramel malt all have great synergy. Nothing sticks out of place to dominate. Finishes with significant belgian yeast spice. Brilliant balance and mouthfeel despite big abv! Hops and alcohol an afterthought. The yeast character actually reminded me a bit of the Unibroue beers, which is certainly a compliment to the Quebecoise! This sample was quite fresh and in top nick. Easy to see why this is a classic, but to be honest i think i prefer the 8. Regardless, awesome beer! Should probably get a stack of this batch for the cellar!

St Bernardus Abt 12

Bottle dated 2014 so pretty fresh. Upon opening this was a gusher! Had to leave for a good 10 mins before i was able to get a decent pour. No matter, i was more than happy to wait! Eventually poured a murky red/brown with mahogany highlights and a substantial tan coloured head. Aromas of rum & raisin seem most evident with figs, nuts and big yeast spice. Palate is brilliantly balanced as well as being smooth and creamy, despite drinking at room temp. The mid palate brought some sweetness with honey, caramel and dark fruits. The finish displays a heap of both abv & yeast spice. The rather high ABV never crossed my mind, impeccable balance! It is said that this brew is the closest to the prized Westvleteren 12. Having had both i can see the similarities.

Bush Noel

Special Christmas brew from this Belgian brewing stalwart. Pours red with a quickly dissipating beige head. Nose has detectable sweetness, most likely from candy sugar and perhaps some munich malt. Also has dark fruits and spice. Palate has a touch of sweetness with yeast spice & abv dominating, maybe a hint of oak detectable...(oak aged? i know some of their other beers are) Finishes long and slightly sweet with abv popping up again. Perhaps the abv (12%) is a little to high/evident, at about 10% i think the palate would really shine. I tried the St Feuillien Noel @10%abv just prior and was a little less robust and more subtle. Regardless, great beer!

Brouwerij 't IJ Tasting Notes

New arrivals from one of the Netherland's best craft brewers, 't IJ produce belgian style ales.

't IJ Columbus
Pours red/brown with a small fizzy white head. Very odd nose, not at all what i expected. Relatively tart & woody, reminds me of rodenbach and the like: tangy red fruits. Palate is alot more uniform for the style. Some caramel malt with quite a considerable amount of yeast spice. High carbonation serves to dry up the palate and compliment the yeast spice. Pretty interesting, if your a fan of orval the 't IJ range might be right up your alley!

't IJ Zatte
Pours hazy golden orange with a decent, fizzy off white head. Nose is typical of 't IJ beers. Mildly tart fruits: apple/pear in this case, with some belgian yeast spice present too. Palate is more in line with what one would expect from a tripel. Lively carbonation that dries up the palate along with significant yeast spice and some relatively mild citrus fruit notes. Another pleasant albeit peculiar 't IJ beer. Might have to do some research on the type of fermentation/yeast they use as house style is clearly evident on the nose moreso than anywhere else.

't IJ Stuis
Pours hazy, dark brown with a nice tan coloured head. Nose is multilayered, caramel/toffee malt, figs, raisins and yeast spice. Palate is a little more one dimensional with yeast spice and abv dominating the finish. Good beer, actually would have prefered a touch of the slight tartness that the rest of the range have ala orval. Still pretty impressive beer.

US Independance Day IPA Tasting!!

From what i gathered the Spectapular at The Local was a huge success. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it but decided to get stuck into Mikkeller's great range of US inspired IPAs.

Mikkeller Drikkeriget DIPA

Poured hazy orange with a huge off white head. Nose showed the simcoe and amarillo: masses of juicy citrus fruits. Palate has some definite sweetness, grapefruit, orange & even some apricot supported by some honey/caramel from the munich malt. Finishes long with high grassy/herbally hop bitterness. The high abv is nowhere to be seen. Overall great hop impact, in both aroma and palate. definitely my kind of 2IPA!

Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA

Pours red/amber with a nice off white head. Nose has masses of citrus: orange, tangerine & grapefruit. Palate is light/med in body but full of flavour and hop impact. Orange & grapefruit dominate with a hint of caramel malt giving a very slight marmalade like character. Finish has medium resin/pine hop bitterness. Overall a great beer, seems quite complete despite using a sole hop variety. Easy to see why simcoe is highly regarded in US ipas.

Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA

Pretty familiar with nelson sauvin, given exposure to kiwi beers. But certainly a unique hop variety, regardless of where your from. Pours orange/amber with a huge off white head. Lighter than both simcoe & warrior i’d had prior. Nose has masses of tropical fruit: mango, passionfruit & lychee dominate, with herbacious/grassy hop undertones. Palate follows suite, huge tropical fruit notes that border on sweet. Mouthfeel is a little light compared to the other single hop ipas. Finishes with grassy/herbacious & slightly spicy hop bitterness. Overall, great display of the variety, but probably not ideally suited to an IPA.

Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop IPA

Pours deeper than the simcoe i sampled prior, amber/copper with a big off white head. Nose has a lot of citrus & pine but more pith & rind than bright, vibrant juice of the simcoe. Palate is quite robust, bitter citrus pith dominates with some caramel malt supporting. Finishes with long med/high pine hop bitterness. Defintely higher alpha than simcoe. I love the idea behind single hops beers & this contrasts the simcoe really well.

Latest Crafty Locals

Red Hill Imperial Stout '09
Probably their most anticipated seasonal release & with good reason. Pours quite dark, more or less jet black and builds a nice tan coloured head. Nose is quite expressive, as you would expect from an Imprial Stout. Rich mocha, molasses and hints of raisins and vanilla. Palate translates well and has excellent balance, if anything is a little under powered for the style. Oddly enough, almost like a session Imperial Stout, if such a thing exists. I've hidden away a few of the 08 vintage, so am very interested to see how it develops!

Murray's Best Extra Porter '09
A welcomed release after many were really impressed with last years version. Pours a dark, muddy brown with a nicely packed tan head. Nose displays great complexity. Dusty dark chocolate mocha notes present with Madeira cake and some dark fruits in there as well. Palate translates well, displaying some nice brandied characters. Supported well by roast coffee, dusty chocolate and some mild hop notes. I'm becomming a big fan of Imperial Porters and this is a great example!

Red Duck Bengal IPA
Newest addition to their regular range. Pours murky amber with a small head. Nose has a lot of orange with some mild apricot/peach as well. Palate is surprisingly tame given the high abv and that it is an IPA. Caramel/toffee malt & over-ripe stone-fruit seem a little mashed together. Finish has mild hop bitterness and abv rears its head toward the end. Not bad, but expected it to be a little more robust in the hop department (cascade & centennial). Lacks a bit of impact for me.

American Independance Day Beerfest!

Now I'm certainly not an American patriot, so you might feel it irrellevant that we celebrate such an occasion. Relevant or not, all I know is that it gives us an excuse to enjoy some of the best brews the US have to offer!

Somehow, those cheeky lads at The Local Taphouse (Darlinghurst & St Kilda) have gotten their hands on KEGS (thats right, kegs) of some Rogue brews.

http://thelocaltaphouse.blogspot.com/2009/06/4th-july.html

To celebrate the occasion Cloudwine have just received a number of new Rogues, to add to our already impressive line-up of Yankie Brews:

Double Dead Guy Ale 650ml $23.00

Yellow Snow IPA 650ml $15.00

Captain Sigs Deadliest Ale $15.00

Red Fox (American Amber) 355ml $7.50

White Crane (Dead Guy) 355ml $7.50

St Rogue Dry Hopped Red 355ml $7.50

Brutal Bitter 355ml $7.50

So if your feeling patriotic hop online this week & complete an order for any Rogue or Flying Dog beers for your chance to WIN A GROWLER OF ROGUE AMERICAN AMBER ALE!!! (Competition closes 6/7/09)

Mikkeller Tasting Notes

Mikkeller Black Hole

Pours with an oily black body and no head to speak of. Nose has smoke, coffee roast, dark chocolate and vanilla with residual sweetness detectable. Palate has huge depth and power but maintains great balance. Rich choc makes way for honey sweetness before coffee roast comes into play. The sweetness masks the power of the dark malt quite well and stops it from being overly bitter/sweet or astringent, but still has plenty of power & presence. Finishes with a combination of dark choc fudge, coffee, vanilla and lingering honey sweetness. Absolutely awesome beer, great complexity & impeccable balance despite big abv and general robust profile.

De Struise / Mikeller (Elliot Brew)

Pours golden amber with a nice off white head that persists for the duration of the glass & leaves chunky lacing. Nose has masses of spicy(slightly piney?) hops with some sweetness and citrus/apricot esters. Not unlike a traditional belg tripel but ramped up considerably. Palate has honey-like malt & candy sugar sweetness before the significant hop bitterness takes charge delivering a long bitter finish. Great alternative to caramel malt laden US-style IPAs. Awesome balance despite robust nature.

Mikkeller Jackie Brown

More robust than the nogne o i’d sampled prior. Pours dark brown with a nice off white head. Nose has a good mix of roasted malt, choc.coffee as well as some us hops in there. Palate is more robust than i expected having not looked at the abv. Choc/coffee malt early supported by slightly citrussy hops, sounds odd but the citrus is rather mild but hop presence definately there. Finish is long with lingering hop bitterness and roasted malt. Overall a great, robust brown ale.

Exciting New Arrivals!

Australia:

Red Duck Bengal IPA 330ml: $4.00/$21.60(6pk)

Sweetwater Pale Ale 330ml: $3.50/19.00(6pk)

Sweetwater Bitter 330ml: $3.50/19.00(6pk)

Belgium:

Rochefort 10 330ml: $9.50

St Bernardus Abt 12 330ml: $8.50

Achel Extra 750ml: $19.00

Bush Noel 250ml: $7.50

Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor 330ml: $7.50

Liefmans Goudenband 375ml: $9.50

St Feuillen Blond 330ml: $7.00

St Feuillen Brune 330ml: $7.00

St Feuillen Tripel 330ml: $8.00

St Feuillen Noel 330ml: $8.00

Netherlands:
t'IJ Plzen 330ml: $6.50
t'IJ Natte 330ml: $6.50
t'IJ Zatte 330ml: $6.50
t'IJ Wit 330ml: $6.50
t'IJ Vlo Speciale 330ml: $6.50

t'IJ Struis 330ml: $7.00

t'IJ Columbus 330ml: $7.00

UK:

Brewdog Rip Tide 330ml: $7.00

Brewdog Zeitgeist 330ml: $6.00

Marston's Old Empire IPA 500ml: $7.00

Marston's Strong Pale Ale 500ml: $7.00

Winter Warmers fit for a Vi-King

Its getting cold out, so i figured i'd focus on some great imperials from our new Norwegian friends at Nogne O. Their whole range is nothing short of exceptional, with all beers beautifully presented. Something that can sometimes be an unfortunate rarity in craft beer. 

Nogne O/Norrebro Imperial Brown Ale

Interesting concept, that we dont see much of in Oz. Pours hazy brown with a huge tan coloured head that leaves chunky lacing. Nose has massess of roasted nuts with caramel toffee malt in support as well as a surprising degree of US piney/citrus hops. Palate translates well, some fudgy chocolate adds palate weight before the US hops and elevated abv kicks in, the later a little dominating. Great beer, but the pronounced abv on finish is a bit of a kick in the nuts. You've been warned! :)

Nogne O imperial Stout

Pours oil black with a choc-orange coloured head. Nose has masses of dark choc/coffee malt as well as some sweeter molasses notes. Palate has full blown dark, bittersweet roast. There are undertones of choc fudge and sweeter caramel/mollasses but the dark malt provails. Finish is long with lingering bittersweet malt notes, almost bringing a slight tang. There is some residual sweetness that lingers also. Carbonation is low and mouthfeel is quite full, but nothing too excessive. Would probably benefit from some time in the cellar. Regardless, a great imperial stout and can't wait to get into the Dark Horizon #2 in a year or so!

Nogne O/Yoho 2IPA

Pours murky copper/orange with a huge off white head that leaves chunky lacing. Nose is exceptionally well balanced much like the Nogne O regular IPA, except this seems much drier with more bitter grapefruit. Nose has toffee malt (not much sweet caramel for a change!) with layers of citrus fruit. Finishes with high piney hop bitterness. Carbonation is relatively lively which adds to the dry profile. Great alternative to the sometimes over caramelised US-style IPA’s. Brilliant balance and hop impact! 

PS. Believe it or not, Yoho is a Japanse craft brewer!

Mixed Shipment of Euro Goodies!

Hi folks, Well business as usual!

We are expecting delivery of a number of great European beers, mainly Dutch & Belgian but there are a few others in there to grab your attention also:

T'ij Brouwerij (Ned)
Plzn
Natte
Struise
Columbus
Zatte
Wit
Vlo Speciale

St Feuillien (Belg)
Blonde
Brune
Tripel
Noel

Brewdog (Scot)
Riptide
Zeitgeist

Some other classics:
Rochefort 10
St Bernardus 12
Achel Extra
Bush Noel
Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor
Liefmans Goudenband

We are expecting them to be pretty popular so if you wish to pre-order any email: chrism@cloudwine.com.au