SLOWBEER'S NEWS, REVIEWS & ARRIVALS!

As you no doubt can imagine the past few weeks have been exceptionally hectic. Plenty of boxes in & plenty heading back out has been keeping us very busy & the store very messy! Luckily, we are just getting the last of the US orders out of the store & things are returning back to normal. It has been a massive effort both organizing & packing our US shipment, so thank-you for your support & patience!

NEW RELEASES & FRESH STOCKS
FROM AUSTRALIA
3 Ravens Uber Special Bitter 500ml $9.00
Red Duck Black Heart 330ml $8.00 – Spiced Belgian Blonde
FROM ITALY
32 Via Dei Birrai Curmi 750ml $25.00 – Spiced Belgian Witbier
32 Via Dei Birrai Oppale 750ml $25.00 – Hoppy Belgian Pale Ale
32 Via Dei Birrai Auduce 750ml $27.00 – Spiced Belgian Strong Golden Ale
FROM NETHERLANDS
De Molen Hel & Verdomenis 330ml $13.00
De Molen Rasputin 330ml $13.00
FROM NEW ZEALAND
Croucher Pale Ale 500ml $9.50
Croucher Pilsner 500ml $9.50
8 Wired Hop Wired IPA 500ml $11.50 – Brewed with 100% Kiwi hops
8 Wired Big Smoke 500ml $11.50 – Smoked Porter
8 Wired Rewired Brown Ale 500ml $11.50
FROM SCOTLAND
Brewdog Abstrakt AB:02 375ml $30.00 – Triple Hopped Imperial Red Ale
Brewdog & Mikkeller I Hardcore You 330ml $25.00 – Collaborative blend of Mikkeller I beat you & Brewdog Hardcore Imperial IPA
Brewdog Chaos Theory 330ml $5.00 – IPA back by popular demand!
Brewdog Tokyo* 330ml $15.00 – Brewed with jasmin & cranberry + aged on french oak

HUGE USA CRAFT BEER SHIPMENT – WHATS LEFT!
Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale 355ml $6.00
Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout 650ml $15.00
Deschutes Black Butte Porter 355ml $5.00
Deschutes Obsidian Stout 355ml $5.00
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA 355ml $6.00
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron 355ml $9.50
Green Flash Hop Head Red 650ml $13.00
Green Flash Le Freak 650ml $20.50
Lagunitas Maximus 355ml $6.00
Port Brewing Old Viscosity 650ml $20.00
Stone IPA 355ml $5.50
Stone Smoked Porter 650ml $11.00

FILLING ON GROWLERS
NOGNE O (NOR) IMPERIAL STOUT
Yep, oddly enough this amazing brew is still hanging around. No doubt the onset of some warmer weather the last few weeks has been a disincentive to take the plunge. Here’s hoping the average weekend’s weather forecast will change that - Filling as we speak & continuing until the keg is dry! $35 for the fill.

WHATS UP NEXT? BREWDOG (SCO) DOGMA
Its been a while since this unassuming brew disappeared off the shelves, however it did enjoy quite a nice little following & with good reason! A more modern take on the traditional Scottish heather ales, utilizing heather honey, poppy seeds, kola nuts & guarana. Surprising hey? While it reads like an energy drink, it is actually quite delicious, with rich malt sweetness & an earthy, herbaceous bitterness to balance. At 8%abv it is also dangerously drinkable! - Will be tapped as soon as above beer is done. $30 for the fill.

SLOWBEER'S NEWS, REVIEWS & ARRIVALS - THE BIG ONE!

Well, the time has come. The much anticipated arrival of the full Murray’s range is now upon us, with all of their brilliant beers in store & on the shelves! We will also be taking pre-orders for the impending arrival of our HUGE US shipment! Be sure to have a good hard look over the extensive & impressive list of offerings, many of which have we never had before & nobody in the country has either! Don’t deliberate too long though, as we suspect they will disappear very quickly!

FEATURE BREWERY
MURRAY’S BREWING CO (NSW)

Wild Thing Imperial Stout 330ml $15.00
Its been a long 2 years since the inaugural release of this cracking brew. While your probably thinking this could be the worst time to release such a big beer, there is little doubt storage & patience will reward those come the cooler months next year. Regardless of when you drink it, there is no denying its class!

Icon 2IPA 330ml $7.00
Quite possibly the country’s best IPA & the first time it has been available for retail sale in a number of years. American style Imperial IPA brewed with a truckload of high alpha hop varieties, imparting intense citrus, passion fruit & peppery characters through to a big bitter finish. In an attempt to add some form of balance, there is also plenty of caramel, toffee & sweet biscuity malt but as you’d expect this is all about the hops!

Grand Cru 330ml $7.00
Interesting one this, being a cross between a few different Belgian style ales, namely pale ale & tripel. Trademark fruity esters on the nose with plenty of banana & bubblegum too. Dry hopping with hallertau hops provide a very spicy bitterness on the finish. Winner of silver medals at AIBA on multiple occasions.

Punch & Judys Ale 330ml $3.90 & $14.00 4pk
Somewhat of an oddity given the propensity for most releases to be over the top, high abv beers. A comparatively small abv of 3.9%, however don’t be fooled, this brew has plenty of character. Lovely nutty, caramel malt character with plenty of hop aromatics & flavor from the use of NZ Riwaka & Motueka hops. Gives an totally new meaning to the term session beer!

Nirvana Pale Ale 330ml $3.90 & $14.00 4pk
Almost a combination of both English & US style pale ales. The aroma bursts of new world hops with citrussy/spicy notes, while the mid palate brings some biscuity/toffee UK malt characters. Finishes with nice degree of cleansing bitterness.

Whale Ale 330ml $3.90 & $14.00 4pk
Pretty easy to see why this brew is their most popular beer, selling truckloads direct at the brewery. The connection to their Port Stephens location is obvious, that aside this brew is just a great summer tipple. The profile is low in bitterness, while the wheat provides a delicate thirst-quenching acidity with a clean & crisp finish.

HUGE USA CRAFT BEER SHIPMENT - PREORDERS
Alesmith IPA 650ml $15.00
Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA 355ml $6.00
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye 355ml $6.50
Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale 355ml $6.00
Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout 650ml $15.00
Deschutes Black Butte Porter 355ml $5.00
Deschutes Obsidian Stout 355ml $5.00
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA 355ml $6.00
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA 355ml $7.50
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron 355ml $9.50
Green Flash Hop Head Red 650ml $13.00
Green Flash West Coast IPA 650ml $14.00
Green Flash Imperial IPA 650ml $16.00
Green Flash Le Freak 650ml $20.50
Lagunitas IPA 355ml $5.00
Lagunitas Maximus 355ml $6.00
Lagunitias Hop Stupid 650ml $13.00
Port Brewing Old Viscosity 650ml $20.00
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA 355ml $5.50
Stone IPA 355ml $5.50
Stone Ruination 355ml $7.50
Stone Smoked Porter 650ml $11.00
Stone Arrogant Bustard 650ml $12.00
IF YOU WISH TO SECURE ANY OF THESE BEERS, PLEASE EMAIL WITH YOUR ORDER ASAP!

FILLING ON GROWLERS
NOGNE O (NOR) IMPERIAL STOUT
Just when you thought having #100 on growlers couldn’t be topped, I managed to procure another brilliant keg from our Norwegian friends! This is without doubt one of the most brilliant Imperial Stouts around. It is an excellent display of both power & restraint. Clocking in at 9%abv its certainly no slouch, however much like all Nogne O beers the balance is impeccable. Plenty of malt brings a sweeter molasses element, while the the darker roasted malts impart a robust bitter sweet finish, supported by a touch of hop bitterness for good measure. Unbelievable!
We will start filling growlers of it on Saturday & continue until the keg is dry! $35 for the fill.

NIGHT OF FUNK – CANTILLON SHOWCASE – THIS SUNDAY!
After the success of our previous sessions, I thought it apt that we push the envelope & challenge beer lovers even more. With this in mind our next tasting will include the following:

Iris – Lambic brewed with 50% fresh hops, as well as being dry hopped ($19.50)
Gueze Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with 100% dried hops & wheat ($17)
Lou Pepe Gueze 2006 – Blend of 2 & 3yo lambic ($28)
Grand Cru Bruocsella – Unblended, specially selected 3yo lambic ($24)
Rose de Gambrinus – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with raspberries ($21)
Lou Pepe Framboise 2007 – Blend of 2 & 3yo framboise lambic ($28)
Kriek Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with cherries ($20)
Lou Pepe Kriek 2007 – Blend of 2 & 2yo kriek ($28)
Vigneronne – Lambic brewed with muscat wine grapes ($24)
St Lamvinus – Lambic brewed with cabernet franc & merlot wine grapes + aged in Bordeaux barrels ($28)

When: Sunday 17th October 7pm (FULL)
Cost: $25.00 to try ALL beers ($235 value!)
+ Attendees receive 10% DISCOUNT on any purchase that night
IF YOU HAVE BOOKED & CANNOT ATTEND, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP!

REMINDER - CANTILLON SHOWCASE TOMORROW FROM 7PM!

A friendly reminder for those who have booked for the tasting tomorrow evening :)

NIGHT OF FUNK – CANTILLON SHOWCASE – NEXT WEEK!
After the success of our previous sessions, I thought it apt that we push the envelope & challenge beer lovers even more. With this in mind our next tasting will include the following:

Iris – Lambic brewed with 50% fresh hops, as well as being dry hopped ($19.50)
Gueze Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with 100% dried hops & wheat ($17)
Lou Pepe Gueze 2006 – Blend of 2 & 3yo lambic ($28)
Grand Cru Bruocsella – Unblended, specially selected 3yo lambic ($24)
Rose de Gambrinus – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with raspberries ($21)
Lou Pepe Framboise 2007 – Blend of 2 & 3yo framboise lambic ($28)
Kriek Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with cherries ($20)
Lou Pepe Kriek 2007 – Blend of 2 & 2yo kriek ($28)
Vigneronne – Lambic brewed with muscat wine grapes ($24)
St Lamvinus – Lambic brewed with cabernet franc & merlot wine grapes + aged in Bordeaux barrels ($28)

When: Wednesday 13th October 7pm & Sunday 17th October 7pm (BOTH FULL)
Cost: $25.00 to try ALL beers ($235 value!)
+ Attendees receive 10% DISCOUNT on any purchase that night
IF YOU HAVE BOOKED & CAN'T ATTEND, PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP!

SLOWBEER'S NEWS, REVIEWS & ARRIVALS - JAPANESE EDITION!

There’s truly never a shortage of great beer coming through the doors. While we may have jumped the gun with regards to Murrays seasonals (definitely next week!), rest assured we have some crackers this week. Additionally, our super secret US craft container is arriving in the country today, so we should have our hands on it next week! Stay tuned for what's arriving as we will be taking pre-orders very soon.

FEATURE BEERS
HITACHINO NEST (JAP) Nipponia 550ml $17.50
Another very unique brew from these quirky characters. Produced using ancient Kaneko Golden barley & sorachi ace hops, both of which were developed in Japan. The base beer is actually quite light, which serves to showcase the character of both the malt & hops. The palate has a touch of bready, doughy sweetness, while the sorachi ace hops attribute a lemony zest character. Finish is dry & earthy with a cleansing bitterness. I’m yet to be disappointed by these guys!

BAIRD (JAP) Suruaga Bay Imperial IPA 355ml $9.50
In my opinion this is a severely underrated 2IPA. While everybody goes nuts over US ones, I’ll quite happily settle for this. Very much American in style with rich caramel & toffee malt, while the citrus & spicy hops produce a dry, & robustly bitter finish. So good!

BAIRD (JAP) ANGRY BOY BROWN ALE 355ml $8.50
The name is quite apt, as this isn't just a robust brown ale. It is an insanely hoppy one, which is certainly something you don’t find too often. Plenty of burnt caramel & chocolate malt but the citrussy, piney US hops dominate the finish. Certainly not one for the purists but great nonetheless.

GLASS GIVEAWAY!
To celebrate the arrival of these great Japanese beers en-masse, we will be giving away some cool Hitachino Nest glassware!
Simply buy a mix of any 12 beers in the Hitachino Nest or Baird range to receive one!

There are 3 different kinds to choose from, all with the Hitachino Owl logo. Alternatively, we will be selling them for $10 each, independently of the offer. Get in quick, only as stocks last!

NEW RELEASES & FRESH STOCKS
FROM DENMARK
Mikkeller Nelson Sauvingon 750ml $47.00
FROM GERMANY
Schneider & Brooklyn Hopfenweisse 500ml $9.00
FROM JAPAN
Baird Teikoku IPA 355ml $8.50
Baird Kurofone Porter 355ml $10.50
Baird Shimaguni Stout 355ml $8.50
Baird West Coast Wheatwine 650ml $20.00
Baird Dark Sky Imperial Stout 650ml $19.00
Baird Midnight Oil Export Stout 650ml $19.50
Hitachino Nest White Ale 330ml $6.50
Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale 330ml $8.50
Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale 330ml $8.50
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout 330ml $8.50
FROM NEW ZEALAND
Renaissance MPA Imperial IPA 500ml $13.00
Renaissance Craftsman Choc Oatmeal Stout 500ml $10.00
FROM NORWAY
Nogne O Imperial Dunkel Wit 500ml $17.00
Nogne O God Paske 500ml $14.50
FROM UK
Adnams Innovation 500ml $7.50
FROM USA
Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout 207ml $7.00

FILLING ON GROWLERS
HARVIESTOUN (SCO) Bitter & Twisted
Surely one of the most iconic UK beers & certainly follows the sessionable ale mantra of CAMRA. The use of traditional European hop varieties for both aroma & bittering enables this brew to have layers of complexity, without screaming at you. Up front there is a delicate floral hop aroma, while the palate has subtle citrus fruit with an earthy, spicy bitterness. This brew is quite complex but with a high degree of drinkability. Easy to see why this is a classic!
We will start filling growlers of it on Friday & continue until the keg is dry! $25 for the fill.
UP NEXT: NOGNE O IMPERIAL STOUT!

NIGHT OF FUNK – CANTILLON SHOWCASE – NEXT WEEK!
After the success of our previous sessions, I thought it apt that we push the envelope & challenge beer lovers even more. With this in mind our next tasting will include the following:

Iris – Lambic brewed with 50% fresh hops, as well as being dry hopped ($19.50)
Gueze Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with 100% dried hops & wheat ($17)
Lou Pepe Gueze 2006 – Blend of 2 & 3yo lambic ($28)
Grand Cru Bruocsella – Unblended, specially selected 3yo lambic ($24)
Rose de Gambrinus – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with raspberries ($21)
Lou Pepe Framboise 2007 – Blend of 2 & 3yo framboise lambic ($28)
Kriek Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with cherries ($20)
Lou Pepe Kriek 2007 – Blend of 2 & 2yo kriek ($28)
Vigneronne – Lambic brewed with muscat wine grapes ($24)
St Lamvinus – Lambic brewed with cabernet franc & merlot wine grapes + aged in Bordeaux barrels ($28)

When: Wednesday 13th October 7pm (FULL!) & Sunday 17th October 7pm
Cost: $25.00 to try ALL beers ($235 value!)
+ Attendees receive 10% DISCOUNT on any purchase that night
IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND PLEASE LET US KNOW WHICH SESSION, SO THAT WE CAN CONFIRM NUMBERS ASAP!

SLOWBEER'S NEWS, REVIEWS & ARRIVALS!

Uncharacteristically quiet on the new release front this week, however rest assured that there will be wave after wave of unbelievable beers arriving over the next few weeks. After a bit of a delay the brilliant Murray’s seasonals will hopefully be hitting the shelves next week, of which we are the exclusive stockists. We are also counting down the days until our mega US shipment arrives. I will continue to remain tightlipped about what is actually arriving, so expect a number of big surprises when they turn up!

GRAND FINAL DAY OPENING HOURS
This Saturday 2nd October we will be opening the store bright & early at 10am & closing at 2pm (in time for the game). It was pretty hectic before the game last week, so we thought we’d open up a touch earlier to give everybody a little more time to get organised.

WE NEED YOU...& YOUR GROWLER!
If you have been tracking the progress of our growlers the past 2 months, you would know that it has been a huge success. So much so that we are now (at least for the moment) completely out of actual growler bottles. When we originally placed the order with our US contact, we were unsure how popular they would be, clearly our estimate was far too conservative!

If anybody has more than one growler or is willing to part with theirs, it would be much appreciated if you brought it back to us, so that we can share the craft beer love around! Obviously, we will reimburse you the $15 growler cost. While this may be a huge sacrifice for some, rest assured your loved one will find both a safe & happy new home! We will be placing another (much bigger) order from the US very soon, so don’t expect these growler shortages to last too long. Thanks in advance!

FEATURE BEER
EPIC & THORNBRIDGE (NZ & UK) Barrel Aged Stout 500ml $16.00
Surely this is the next logical step right? After housing his brilliant Armageddon IPA in brand new American Oak barrels, Luke has since put his collaboration Stout in those very same barrels. So what can come of a Stout aged in barrels that previously had an IPA? God only knows! Having already had both the original stout & the ba armageddon, I’m tipping this to be something pretty special. The selection of lighter roasted malts (at least for your usual stout) combined with those typical vanilla & coconut American Oak notes can only be a winning combination!

SUPER FRESH STOCKS AT GREAT PRICES!
FROM BELGIUM
Rochefort 8 330ml $6.50
Rochefort 10 330ml $8.50
Achel Blonde 330ml $6.00
Achel Brune 330ml $6.00
Westmalle Dubbel 330ml $6.00

FILLING ON GROWLERS
HARVIESTOUN (SCO) Bitter & Twisted
Surely one of the most iconic UK beers & certainly follows the sessionable ale mantra of CAMRA. The use of traditional European hop varieties for both aroma & bittering enables this brew to have layers of complexity, without screaming at you. Up front there is a delicate floral hop aroma, while the palate has subtle citrus fruit with an earthy, spicy bitterness. This brew is quite complex but with a high degree of drinkability. Easy to see why this is a classic!
We will start filling growlers of it on Friday & continue until the keg is dry! $25 for the fill.

NIGHT OF FUNK – CANTILLON SHOWCASE
After the success of our previous sessions, I thought it apt that we push the envelope & challenge beer lovers even more. With this in mind our next tasting will include the following:

Iris – Lambic brewed with 50% fresh hops, as well as being dry hopped ($19.50)
Gueze Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with 100% dried hops & wheat ($17)
Lou Pepe Gueze 2006 – Blend of 2 & 3yo lambic ($28)
Grand Cru Bruocsella – Unblended, specially selected 3yo lambic ($24)
Rose de Gambrinus – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with raspberries ($21)
Lou Pepe Framboise 2007 – Blend of 2 & 3yo framboise lambic ($28)
Kriek Lambic Bio – Blend of 1, 2 & 3yo lambic brewed with cherries ($20)
Lou Pepe Kriek 2007 – Blend of 2 & 2yo kriek ($28)
Vigneronne – Lambic brewed with muscat wine grapes ($24)
St Lamvinus – Lambic brewed with cabernet franc & merlot wine grapes + aged in Bordeaux barrels ($28)

When: BOTH Wednesday 13th October 7pm & Sunday 17th October 7pm
Cost: $25.00 to try ALL beers ($235 value!)
+ Attendees receive 10% DISCOUNT on any purchase that night
IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND PLEASE LET US KNOW WHICH SESSION, SO THAT WE CAN CONFIRM NUMBERS ASAP!