I wanted to do a Kommenter Beer Barrel post on Australian beers, but most of the good Aussie beers are not exported to the US, and posting about them wouldn’t make much sense. The best of Aussie craft brew doesn’t measure up to the best of American craft brew anyway. Lastly, if I posted about Foster’s, immigration would boot me out of here before I could hit “publish”.
However, all is not lost. One of the very best Australian beers is widely available in the US. That beer is Coopers, which is brewed right here in Adelaide. Coopers products probably wouldn’t be considered craft beers, but more like very good everyday beers. In that sense I’d compare them (favorably) to Sam Adams. Coopers beers are bottle-conditioned, which means there is a bit of cloudy yeasty goodness suspended in the bottle. You have to roll them across the counter before you open them.
Coopers makes a full line of beers, but the three that are available in the US are the three biggest sellers: Best Extra Stout, Original Pale Ale, and Sparkling Ale.
Best Extra Stout is what I call stout for people that don’t like stout. It’s not as creamy or as heavy as a lot of stouts; if I were blind tasting it I’d probably think it was a porter. So if you’re looking for a stout that won’t put you on the couch for the rest of the night, this is your beer.
Original Pale Ale is just as advertised. It’s robust for a light-drinking summertime beer, and the bottle conditioning lends it a mild yeasty, sourdough flavor that a lot of similar beers don’t have. It’s got character.
Sparkling Ale is my favorite. It’s got a highly carbonated, almost champagne-y feel, and drinks crisp and clean. It’s a bit higher in alcohol than the others, coming in at 5.8% ABV, and it tastes like it. The malt and hops are balanced, and it has a hint of citrus (stay away, PK!)
I checked my old liquor store, the Van Nuys BevMo, and all three are on sale for $10.99 for a six-pack. I think they’re available at most stores that have a good selection of imported beers. Just as an aside, Coopers in the US is actually cheaper than in Australia even though it’s imported. I pay about $17 a sixer! Alcohol taxes are out of control here; beer and liquor cost almost twice as much as they do in the US. If that’s not reason enough to go try some Coopers, I don’t know what is!
My best friend is flying in this afternoon with these:
Pliny the Elder http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/7971/
Casey Jones Imperial IPA http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10583/36814/
Heroine IPA http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31027/90624/
High Gravity IPA http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31027/174882/
Line and Twine IPA http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34005/148389/
But before we get around to sampling those, we are heading to Green Flash, Ballast Point (for growler fills) and possibly Benchmark.
I predict to be one handsome fella tonight.
Jibe session IPA at Green Flash was a nice surprise. Their Beach House Ale wasn’t so great. Got a half growler of Imperial IPA to go. Picked up Grunion and Fathom at Ballast Point. Tasting at home. Pliny was better than expected. Casey Jones was smooth. The High Gravity and Line and Twine were good. Nothing to write home about though. The Heroine unfortunately did not travel well.
Germans would tell you to pour 2/3 of the cloudy beer (usually a Hefeweizen) into a glass, swirl the rest in the bottle to activate the yeast, and then pour it on top. Or you could just roll the bottle around on the bar, I guess. Australians are weird.
Do they have an awesome name for this practice, like “Digeriwoompaolaroo”?
They don’t have an awesome name for this practice, but those names are everywhere. My girlfriend is at a conference this week in a place called Wollongong. No shit. The locals call it “The Gong”. I asked if Chuck Barris was the mayor and got a blank stare.
Balls is still up……
http://33.media.tumblr.com/90a1da0b0fe8c8d4b192810daab89556/tumblr_nqujqxHTRj1qfr6udo1_500.gif
Missing children mystery.
http://40.media.tumblr.com/53d851e4ed6612555fc1a87e5be3175e/tumblr_nrpod72i4i1tl3068o1_1280.jpg
And that’s the story of how grandpa lost his virginity!
“OK Miss, you are going to feel a slight pressure.”
http://41.media.tumblr.com/851fe59962d5e8fbb96c3263914daa87/tumblr_mr75yuSVAA1s0zdtdo1_r1_500.jpg
The girl on the far right is a dead ringer for “Beautiful Girls” era Natalie Portman.
Thursday secret open thread in Debbie.
http://40.media.tumblr.com/7dc67575243d03f391e5569b888b2e6d/tumblr_nowityE8VE1rldhmro3_400.jpg
Debbie ‘n’ Meat Loaf.
http://41.media.tumblr.com/69a24bb3d663e4e31801568e8ccffbf0/tumblr_nrg6j24TZd1tr51nfo1_1280.jpg
Watch out for that spider, Debbie!
“One Toke Over The Line” – The Lawrence Welk Show
Stick around for the ending where Lawrence Welk himself calls the song “A modern day spiritual.” Amen brother.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?t=55&v=Ye3ecDYxOkg
I know, I know, but the thread has beer bottles in the title, so fuck it.
This beer, named in honor of the entrapment tactic is not my favorite Lagunitas, but it is pretty good, very strong and not for the faint of heart. At 9.3% it could be your favorite by the third one, I mean that is Bill Cosby strong:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/220/48385/
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/lagunitas-undercover-investigation-shut-down-ale/58708/
Poof; now I opened a bottle of this; very nice, hoppy, robust.
Well fuck apparently the 9.3 is really 9.3; what I meant was:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/220/1372/
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/lagunitas-maximus/7859/
Help is on the way:
http://www.thethirstymuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/maximus.jpg
http://33.media.tumblr.com/8a1305b04e7c0c5a90aa1b4a2ec62e45/tumblr_npg8hy4qgb1qac3wso1_500.gif
Tried this the other day; I do not like it as it is too sweet tasting for me. Clue; three women at the table liked it:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/923/127520/
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/ska-estival-cream-stout/219561/
I usually like this type too, just this one wasn’t for me.
I like the graphics though.
http://beerpulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ska-Estival-Cream-Stout.jpg
I may need to try this. I’ve got a sweet tooth…
It is a brewery in Durango, CO so you may not find it, but I’m saying it is bad, just not my glass of beer.
I’m looking forward to going to the Lagunitas brewery in a month and a half. And then attempting a fantasy football draft.
/puts clothes on
//heads to BevMo
///not kidding
What are these “clothes” you speak of?
I assume Balls meant he put a baseball cap on.
I was at an Outback a while ago (it was attached to the hotel I was staying in) and ordered a Cooper’s Sparkling Ale “rolled.”
Dude looked at me like I had ten heads.
I then explained the rolling thing to him.
I was a little surprised that Outback would bother carrying it without explaining the rolling thing, but there you go.
Tonight I had a pFriem Wit, and it was like having a pre-InBev Hoegaarden again–crisp and spicy. Other recent beers have been the Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin (clearly quite excellent) and the Sierra Nevada River Ryed (a solid SN IPA but with a distinct and spicy rye finish). Oh, and the Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti is fantastic.
Nice review. I haven’t had that in 10 years.
I am having this tonight:
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0227/0581/products/Evil_Twin_Molotov_Cocktail_Single_Simcoe_Hop_Edition_label_Liquorscan_1024x1024.jpeg?v=1419027064
Not bad, but a bit too … berry? Not too hoppy. West Coast IPAs > East Coast IPAs. That’s a fact, Jack.
Agreed. West Coast IPAs are great. I particularly like the Lagunitas IPA, the Green Flash IPA, and the Bear Republic Racer 5.
Stone Sell By IPA and Ballast Point Sculpin are on that list too, along with good old Pliny the Elder.
Those to me are top rate IPAs de-fucking-licious.
Also, this has a high ABV (edit: 13%? Shit.). I had a bomber last night and am feeling it today.
I’ve had it and enjoyed it; very strong. The ladies will be able to take advantage of you after a couple, so beware.