Beer - #635 - Coopers - Best Extra Stout

A second Australian beer, to recap it was my big brothers birthday, he resides in Australia now, and so as a birthday tribute I brought some Aussie beer.  Cheap beer I'd add, I could have picked VB, Tooheys, Carlton or indeed I could have splashed out on one of the craft brewers, but instead I went for something full bodied, aged and rich, oh and stout. 4 out of 5 on the tributes there.

Now here’s a beer with punch.

This is a 750ml bottle of beer that is 6.5% ABV, 189 calories a serve size, and 3.7 standard drinks in the bottle.

It comes with best AFTER date!

Brewed by Coopers Brewery in the style that is  Foreign Stout and they do that in Regency Park, South Australia, Australia

Now here’s a beer with punch. Coopers Stout is a beacon for lovers of a hearty brew.

[caption id="attachment_11492" align="alignleft" width="300"] 'strayan beer time[/caption]

With its robust flavour comprising a blend of fruit, chocolate and hop bitter notes it’s everything a stout should be. Brewed naturally using a top fermentation method, Coopers Stout’s unique rich, dark texture comes from specially roasted black malt.

So what could possibly go wrong? I did some homework and this could be a bit of a winner.

An intriguing aroma, there is a whiff of chocolate malt goodness, like a stout should be, bit it's not overly strong. Early days. though.

The pour is magnificent with a deep dark richness, it pours 'thick' and has a brilliant firm persistent large head that is lighter brown. If it were a beauty pageant... the aroma though is peculiar, the chocolate/coffee aroma replaced with something that I might describe as the smell of wet wool, or ash.

The taste though, that is pretty nice, noticeably it's very dry at the finish, but I'm working backwards, so the initial sip is a lovely fanfare of richness, but it's very carbonated so a lot of that bubbles action that prickles.

There seems to be a nice amount of rich fruit type body in this that might be more prominent if it weren't from the carbonation.

I've got to say that for the price this is a cracker of a beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 of its things from the thing. This is the best of the brewers beers, by a long way, hands down. It's a fairly decent stout too, not perfect and could do with more body, and less carbonation, perhaps the latter would dix the former. A revelation and I'd thing about buying more if only MrsPdubyah would let me.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Yes, this is rather nice and the best from this brewer.
Would I have another? I would at this price mad not to.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would, there is nothing embarrassing about this that would put you in a spot. Party on!

Music for this,  ' Seeker Lover Keeper '  an Australian indie rock music supergroup formed by Sarah Blasko, Sally Seltmann and Holly Throsby. The album ' Seeker lover keeper ' and I'm of course listening on Spotify. This will give you an idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qeLI_6t6ds

FOREIGN STOUT

Foreign Stout began with the beer that would become Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. This was a stronger, extra-hopped version of the basic Guinness Extra Stout, brewed to survive long journeys overseas. The classic FES still exists in a few different forms, but many of the original destination countries (Jamaica, Sri Lanka, etc.) now have their own, locally-produced versions. Foreign stout occupies a position between basic stout and imperial stout. It is sweeter than a basic stout, but not as robust as an imperial. It is less fruity and less hoppy as well. Foreign stouts are sometimes made with local grains and adjuncts sugar is not uncommon. Alcohol ranges from 6-8%

Beer - #634 - Coopers - Original Pale Ale

It was my big brothers birthday recently, he resides in Australia now, and so as a birthday tribute I brought some 'strayan liquid-gold, the amber nectar. I could have picked his favourite VB,  or a Tooheys, a Carlton or indeed one of the craft brewers, but instead I went to the bottle-o  for something original, pale, with a common touch and authentic, just to drink whilst I toss another prawn on the barbie.

fruity character, and robust flavour

A fair dinkum  750ml bottle of a 4.5% ABV and 135 calories a serve size beer, making it 2.66 drink units in the bottle.

Brewed by Coopers Brewery in the style that is  Golden Ale/Blond Ale  and they do that at Regency Park, South Australia, Australia

[caption id="attachment_11486" align="alignright" width="300"] G;'day mate[/caption]

"With its fruity character, and robust flavour, Coopers Pale Ale is perfect for every occasion. Naturally fermented in the 'Burton-on-Trent' style, a secondary fermentation creates the trademark sediment that gives 'Pale' its fine cloudy appearance. This cloudy residue can be stirred through the beer by tipping or rolling the bottle before drinking."

So what could possibly go wrong? As far as I can tell this is just everyman beer, so it'll go ok, and pass without incident.

Bugger me, that smells exactly like a malt based beer. Strewth.

Pour really does explore and play on the pale aspect, this is so pale as to me almost see-thru and the nice looking head couldn't hack the pace and disappeared quite quickly.

The taste is almost that of a beer undrinkable. It's harsh, over carbonated, and really peaky in the flavour point it has, it's a really eye-opener and brought an instant frown to my otherwise calm visage.

A shocker, It really is exactly like home-brew of old, I just don't know where to begin with it.

I think what's worse is that I thought that this might at least be palatable, to my taste, as a beer, as other everyman beers, but this plumbed a new depth and really took me by surprise, one that really wasn't prepared for.

I don't think that I'll be doing this again, and it's not like I didn't anticipate what was going to happen, but it was a birthday and I'm a good brother.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 3 of its things from the thing. It's an avoid from me, but I know that his is a beer that is enjoyed by many drinkers of beer in Australia, mostly because they might not know better of course. I thought it was really worth missing, but it's not as bad that I'd pour it in the drain, and I don't really like the unfitted 'dross' that now floats and sits in the bottom of the glass it really is exactly like home-brew of old.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? No, I nearly spat it out in shock and horror.
Would I have another? I have sadly to finish the bottle, I'm loath to pour it out, it's not off, it's just awful.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? For comedy perhaps, to keep a friend not a chance.

Music for this, ' Veruca Salt'   an American alternative rock band founded in Chicago, Illinois, their album ' Ghost Notes' that I'm listening to on Spotify of course. This is 'the Gospel according to Saint me'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rmtxKjnZ7A

GOLDEN ALE/BLOND ALE

There are a few different types of blond ale. The first is the traditional “Canadian Ale”, an adjunct-laden, macrobrewed, top-fermented equivalent of the American Standard. The second is common in US brewpubs – a light starter ale, with marginally more hop and body than a macrobrew, fewer adjuncts, but still not a flavourful beer by any means. The British interpretation is easily the boldest, hoppiest blond ale rendition. Some of these can almost be considered American Pales they are so hopped up – very crisp, refreshing, with relatively low alcohol compared with their North American counterparts.

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Beer - #622 - Moon Dog - Mummy Have A Bite

Odd beers, odd music, odd numbers and the odd party or two. BeerJerkNZ  beer club - week 3. Get in!

' ... Biting into a toffee apple..... Barrel aged, toffee apple, imperial amber ale. '

Brewed by Moon Dog Craft Brewery this is in the style that is either an Amber Ale or American Strong Ale and they're in Abbotsford, Australia

The 330ml bottle of beer is of 8.2% ABV and 248 calories a serve, 32 IBU thingies, and overall this is 2.14 standard drink units in the bottle.

[caption id="attachment_11354" align="alignleft" width="300"] New haircut same old squint[/caption]

Belgian brewers have been using candi sugar forever to produce stronger beers with rich caramel notes. Calvados is a type of French brandy made with apples. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Mummy Have A Bite is that no other brewers had thought to combine these classic fairground flavours before.

The solid malt base makes this a well rounded beer which is one to savour rather than swig. It is heavy and sweet but not overly so. It is fun to sip and list flavours, as well as the obvious we noted oak, grapefruit citrus, vanilla & whisky.

So what could possibly go wrong with that? Well I don't know, but I do know that the label is incredibly hard to decipher, particularly with old man eyes, grumble grumble like an old man, none of which has any effect in the beer though, so harden up.

Aroma is like a cider apple, then a wash of toffee

Pour is lot darker than I thought I was going to get, it's the same orange toffee colour that you get on toffee-apples at the fair, and it pours with a small white head, In the glass it's a lot darker, physics of light probably or something.

I still get a predominant cider apple aroma.

What an interesting taste that is, it most certainly is like a Belgium beer with the candi-sugar, then it gives way to a alcohol heavy tartness that is really noticeable and somewhat overtakes everything else.

It's always going to be and to quieten down such a high alcohol, leaving it to warm more brings out the middle flavour and a softness, but it isn't quaffing beer, an easy sipper.

A confusing beer, but an audacious effort that for me is a bit imperfect.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 of its things from the thing. A 7 makes it 'good' in arbitrary terms, solid. I really liked the Belgium style candy-sugar hit that was the initial taste, I didn't really like the raw alcohol note, and when it warmed I really like the softer middle, but it still finishes with a alcohol twang that reminds you sip now swill.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I started really enthusiastic but it wore me out.
Would I have another? I don't think so, but it did remind me I like Belgium beers.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I might though, this is a good test of palate and preferences that explore your perceptions and remind you that it's never 'just' a beer.

Music for this, surprised myself with ' Black Rebel Motorcycle Club'  (often abbreviated as BRMC) is an American rock band from San Francisco, CA. and their album ' live in paris' Listen here on Spotify, or all the other places. This is a track  ' Sometimes the Light '

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S9N7iF2Wy4

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguely caramel beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate.

AMERICAN STRONG ALE

Not a style, per se, but the only logical category to incorporate the plethora of strong, stylistically vague beers coming from American micros these days. Some are related to English Strong Ales, but with more hop, while others are ultra-strong variants on the IPA theme. But no matter how varied their origins or characters might be, all are intense, potent, with generous quantities of hops and malt.

Beer - #427 - Speakeasy - Scarlett Red Rye

About to be drinking a Speakeasy beer - this one is the  Scarlett Red Rye

The is Brewed by Speakeasy Ales and Lagers and take you pick of a style that is : Specialty Grain or  Amber Ale and they are in San Francisco, California USA

Scarlett Red Rye Ale captivates with an act that ranges from sweet hop highs to spicy rye tones. Sacrlett hits the notes that will set your heart on fire.

330ml bottle that is 5.5% ABV and 38 IBU on the scale,  165 calories a serve, and this is 1.43 standard drink units in NZ.

With a creamy body and rich roasty flavors, Scarlett is the perfect complement to the cooler months of Fall & Winter. This rye ale pours a deep red with a sticky off-white layer of foam and medium levels of carbonation. Note the aromas of fresh rye bread, caramel malt and earthy hops. Sweet malts are accented by subtle flavors of caramel, toffee, and chocolate. Notes of toasted grain, leather, and a mild peppery spice lead to a medium-dry finish.

The Hops in this are  – Columbus, Cascade, Chinook

I'm not sure that "Amber Ale" is the best of beers though.

I'm always open though. To be honest it was the "Limited Release" that got my attention.

Stand by....

Beer - #361 - Moon Dog - Artisan Pouseuré

More by name than reputation I picked up this, a Moon Dog Artisan Pouseuré.

An annual celebration of northern hemisphere Halloween stuff. So, like, we added pumpkin to the mash. And some pumpkin pie spices. Pretty damn tasty too!

Brewed by Moon Dog Craft Brewery in the style that is a Spice/Herb/Vegetable and they are in Abbotsford, Australia, or as we say 'strayer.

This is listed as having 32 IBU things, so like an English bitter perhaps, or low end stout bitterness, has only 225 calories and has an ABV of 7.5%, and is all in a 330ml bottle

The words “Moon Dog” and “pumpkin”, when used in tandem, send a shudder down the Crafty spine. Before the brewery launched, we were given a sample bottle of a trial Pumpkin Ale as a taster of what was to come. It miraculously disappeared one AFL

[caption id="attachment_8005" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

Grand Final Day with nobody in attendance able to recall what could have happened to it. The mystery remains unsolved; our guilt unassuaged. Still, there have been subsequent chances to sample other Moon Dog pumpkin beers, including a previous Artisan Poseur that was a Pumpkin Porter. This new version (complete with different spelling – in fact, three different spellings that we’ve seen so far) ditches the porter and ramps up the spices. But not to an overt degree. Indeed for a 7.5 per cent spiced fruit beer from this mob, it’s all rather tastefully done, with plenty of roast pumpkin and crystal malts on the nose that are decorated rather than overwhelmed by the cinnamon and cloves. The taste is similarly fulsome without losing control. It pours a hazy burnt orange (like pumpkin pie) and, like the brewers’ near neighbours at the Duchess, might not be the best of lookers, but goes down a treat and leaves you with a smile on your face.

They do go on a bit.

And  the bottle runneth over, well carbonated, I can confirm the head is a really nicely spiced affair.  Aroma was nice too, sour sort of.

Had a comedy moment where you are trying to suck in the foam gushing from the bottle only to realise that your mouth is full, you can't swallow, it's mostly air,  and there is more foam appearing....

Pour is dark orange with, of course a head for africa.

On the tongue than fizzy, really!,  Then there is a front of spices, which could be cloves, and a lot of really nice caramel sweetness.

There's a touch of heat in this too, from the spices, I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7.5 a of its things from the thing. So despite the over excited opening, and the over carbonated beer, this has a lot going for it, nicely spiced, bit of heat, and lovely sweets to carry it. Could do with more depth but well chuffed.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? Yes
Would I have another? Yes
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? This would be a great beer for a chilly evening and a fire, ideal.
I was listening to Neil Young - A letter Home.  - This "Needle of Death"

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H47jI6xanA&w=420&h=315]

 

SPICE/HERB/VEGETABLE

Any ale or lager made with herbs, spices or vegetables. The additive should be distinctive in the aroma. See beer description for flavor. Body, color, hop character and strength vary depending on the type of spice, herb or vegetable used.

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Beer - #182 - Moon Dog - Dasher’s Envy

Moon Dog Dasher’s Envy, a Fancy Christmas Ale, I was always a bit slow on things. This is Brewed by Moon Dog Craft Brewery in the style of a  Belgian Strong Ale and it's from the West Island, specifically Abbotsford, Australia

330ml bottle of a 25IBU, 8.1% ABV beer, making it 2.1 standard drinks.

Here's a beer to celebrate the silly season. And haven't we've done it in style with a "fancy christmas ale". Mmmmmmmmm.... Just the big, sweet, hefty, ruby-brown Belgian ale to tuck into in a sweltering 40C southern hemisphere Christmas.

An it's now June, so a bit wintery down in the bottom part of the globe. So it works.

Theres not really anything by way of aroma on opening, Pours a dark rich red, and settles to a musty fruit aroma.

There's a frowning a-going on when I taste this. It's not, um, overly pleasant. There is a bunch of random spice, all based on a sweet layer, but it's a bit all over the show.

On top of it all this is a bit thin on taste, short on length and missing any warmth.

It might be styled like a Belgium Strong Ale, and the alcohol is very muted and well hidden, but  sadly this is a bit of  pig's ear with no defining moment.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this a 5 making it average on the scale of things. It made me frown in a bad way, and left me expecting something more. There should have been a burst of something and the uncharitable me looks at the list of things they put in this and wonders if they had a bunch of stuff coming up to use-by dates. Sorry chaps this isn't for me.

Related articles

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Beer - #166 - Mountain Goat - Fancy Pants Amber Ale

Mountain Goat - Rare Breed - in this case the Fancy Pants Amber Ale.m a beer from 'strayer. Brewed by Mountain Goat Beer in the unsurprising style of an Amber Ale and that's in Richmond, Victoria, Australia, (West Island of NZ)

Right, firstly this is an Aussie Beer. Apart from Fosters, XXXX, VB, Carlton and Swan this is the first time I had an Aussie Beer, when not in Australia.

We found some fresh hop flowers down the back of the couch the other day (in their little protective foil bags so they really were fresh), and we all said as one: “Fancy Pants.” Could we do it again? Easy said, only one way to find out. Long story short, its back: Fancy Pants Amber Ale. Stupid name, serious beer. We used Galaxy Flowers through our hop-back to give a full-on tropical fruit/spicey aroma. On top of alot of traditional ale malt we threw a liberal dose of crystal malt, a little wheat and fermented her warm with an American Ale yeast. It’s deep copper/amber with a full, rocky head. 5.2% alc/vol, 35 BU, served in the bar in our fanciest glass.

So 640ml bottle - in itself an odd size, 2.5 standard drink units at 5.3%ABV and with 35IBU this is a low bitter beer. This is part of their "Rare Breed" beers, the one-offs or the as the season takes their fancy.  It appealed because it's label which is far to detailed and in far to small a font to read :-), and because I'm a sucker for packaging.

The opening is promising of a hopiness that made me smile. Dark amber pour and well decent creamy fluffy head, the hopiness aroma in abundance. And it tastes ok. The low bitterness ins't too worried by the malt sweetness that you have.  There's a bunch of floral notes too, all very complimentary.

This is fair dinkum ok. If anything there is too much floral, but the hops and the malts are well balanced and that makes it ok by me.  It's a very good bar beer.

Is it a spectacular beer? Not really. But it rings my bell (at least tonight ) The pdubyah-o-meter says 8.5 but wants to be 9, making it a good evening in my house. I hate to say it but if you were drinking this out you'd be easily persuaded to have another and one for the road, or two. A decent and happy session beer.

You know that thing where if you like Amber Ale and try this and don't like it, I'd probably give you your money back, that. Of it's kind and of this beer it's pretty good.

It's annoying both of high quality, and drinkability. It's a shame that this is a limited edition, I'm sure there is a reason for that that I don't have the inclination to follow.

If I was, in some parallel universe, brewing commercial quantities of beer, that would be a great strategy, but you could only do it from a solid base. Like many commercial craft beers Goat seems to be based around a micro-brewery pub. I'm glad they do enough to get a wider audience. at least to NZ.

A fantastic Aussie beer.And there I was thinking something else. Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi! Oi! Oi!  'nuff said.