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| The Local Taphouse. St Kilda. |
On Saturday morning Feb 12th the train was my chosen form of transport to get to Carlilse St in East St Kilda, for a much anticipated and awaited event.
The Local Taphouse GABS(Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular) was on the 11th such event held at this Australian Craftbeer haven.
This was only the second time I had been to the Taphouse, coincidentally the only other time was for the Oktoberfest SpecTAPular, two visits, two SpecTAPulars, both great fun but totally different beasts.
Today’s celebration was for Australian beer, 22 brewers were invited to create a one off brew or to showcase their newest seasonal beer.
Also with an Aussie first, two collaboration brews were made, one from Sth Australia, one from Victoria, all states were represented with a beer except Tasmania ??? Not sure why they didn't get a guernsey.
All in all 20 beers were to be created, in the weeks and days leading up to the event the craft beer world waited anxiously for the final tap list to be announced, sadly along the way there were some scratching’s (Thunder Road, Moondog and Mash), this reduced the final tap list to 18 beers at each venue.
But, here in Melbourne we Victorians were fortunate to have 2 Brothers step up at very late notice and give us a 19th beer to sample on the day, lucky lucky us.
Prior to opening the queue to get in was about 60-70 people long, craft beer lovers waiting for the doors to fly open, and bang on midday the taps were officially pouring. The crowd poured in donating $$ at the door for the flood victims in QLD as they entered. People rushed to the bars for tasting paddles and/or pots and pints of beer and to find a spot to settle in for the long day ahead, tasting paddles, notebooks and cameras in hand they went about their business critiquing each beer as they tasted, discussing amongst their group or the people sitting next to them which beers they were enjoying at the time.
It was at this moment I noted I was not the only beer nerd in the place, as nearly everybody was doing exactly what I was about to do.
The booklet handed to you as you entered listed all the beers (bar the 2 Brothers late addition), in tap order and gave you a brief outline of the beer style and some tasting notes. It was recommended to follow the order of the list but listening to people at the bar, some had very different ideas on how they were going to taste them, obviously for their own personal tastes /preferences etc, this however put extra pressure on the ever so hard working bar staff who did not get one second respite from the thirsty crowd all day. They worked tirelessly and continued to smile and respond to all the requests put to them, no matter how bizarre they may have seemed.
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| The Booklet. |
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| Tasting Paddle #1 Beers:1-5, L-R. |
One by one I began the tasting experience, as the crowd grew thicker, the queues at the bar took longer to subside, the water jug was continually topped up and drained again, food was being ordered, dispensed, and craftbeer was being poured at a frenzied rate, each with a unique and exciting new beer in them. The big question now was which beer would be the first to have it’s bell rung and be struck off the list. Would the crowd be able to taste them all if so desired? Would there be many left for any late comers, who knew??
Slowly but surely I made my way through the 19 beers on tap, with each paddle offering up new tasting sensations, paddle number 1 had me licking my lips with the very first beer, Last Drop’s original Fass Bier, a Kellerbier, it initially attacked my taste buds with some woody bitterness, but the sweet malt took over with a smooth vanilla finish.
Next up was Mountain Goat Cucumber Sandwich, with a cucumber garnish, a zingy greenish colored summer ale with NZ hops abounding that was both fruity and slightly tart. Next were the fruity hefe and wit beers from Otway Estate and Kooinda, both had big fruity aroma’s, the Blueberry hefe, had your typical spiciness of a German style hefe with a long lingering tart dry finish. Kooinda’s Raspberry wit was a big raspberry bomb spiralling from the glass, huge fruity aroma, slight spiciness and a big thirst quencher. The water was getting a workout to cleanse the palate, and I still had the Burleigh Brewing Fanny Gertrude’s Anzac Bikkie beer to go. Well if this wasn’t a surprise packet, a tasty creamy ale, with lots of vanilla and coconut on the nose, I described it as “oaty” and it was, it was a liquid biscuit.
Next was selection 6-10. Wig & Pen from Canberra (one of my favourite brewpubs), KB Berliner Weisse, downstairs infused through the newly installed Funky Brewster full of morello cherries, or upstairs neat, both completely different prospects. I enjoyed them both, but it was interesting listening to people debating which was better, I preferred the infused downstairs version personally, it was visually appealing with it’s reddish/pink hue, and the cherries added another layer of sourness/tartness to this already excellent Berliner weisse beer.
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| KB Berliner Weisse. |
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| Funky Brewster. |
Stone and Wood Red Relief well what can I say, their Flood relief beer, raising funds for all the flood affected victims in QLD, a tasty malty ale, with some fruitiness and spicy hop bitterness to it, very different to its two permanent stable mates. Drink up Australia. If you see it, drink some and support the flood victims.
Cherry Bomb from True South, sweet smelling, tasting of chocolate, cherries and coconut, not bitter at all this one paired well with the Holgate Empress another collaboration perhaps ??? But that’s another story.
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| Tasting Paddle #2 Beers: 6-10, R-L. |
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| Downstairs crowd. |
Next was the first of the collaboration brews. From SA, Lobethal Bierhaus/Brewboys Quince Pale Ale, this one surprised me too, initially had fruit on the nose then the hops poked through, it had a good balance of malt and fruit that had me going back for more. Hoping to get to both these breweries in May.
Number ten, Doctor’s Orders Zephyr, a double white ale, this beer looked so great in the glass like cream almost, it was flavoursome, complex with spice and a lemony presence it was a great summer ale, and also the first beer I bought a pint of once I was finished with the tasting paddle.
Onto paddle 3: Beers 11-15, staying in NSW, Hunter Chocolate Chilli Porter was the first beer on the third paddle, this tasty chocolate ale tantilised and tickled your taste buds with a long lasting chilli bite at the end that I thoroughly enjoyed. Do love a chilli hit.
Collaboration number two was up next after a lengthy wait to get the tastebuds back in order. From Hargreaves Hill and Red Hill breweries came the 2 Hills Maibock. Yummo, a beautifully malty beer with a tasty bitterness that balanced out the beer to perfection. This one was a big yes for me.
4 Pines Wee Heavy hit the taste buds next, how much more could the "buds" take ?? Wow !! This malty nutty caramel monster threw off fruit, big alcohol and flavour galore, never tried any of their draught beers before, but this is one out of the box. Yes Please.
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| Tasting Paddle #3 Beers 11-15, R-L. Flanked by Big Red Rockets. |
Where to now?? Just when I thought the beer could not step up a cog on this paddle came two more rip snorters, firstly in the form of Karma Citra from Feral in WA’s Swan Valley and Jamieson’s Lemon Myrtle IPA.
Wow, wow, wow, indeed, I have been on a bit of hop kick the past six months and these two did not disapoint me. Karma Citra Black India Pale Ale, citrus hop aroma pounded out at me, a rich black beer, with a huge coffee presence thrusting out of the chocolate maltiness, the big bitter hop finish only reaffirmed my love of all things IPA /APA at the moment, the crowd certainly loved it, as this beer was the first to be officially rung out of the SpecTAPular on the day. Im glad I was able to saviour a pot of it before it was all gone.
Jamieson’s Lemon Myrtle IPA, a variation of the Beast IPA I believe, was a 7% Alc/Vol I.P.A. bursting with grassy/peppery/citrussy aromas, that followed through to the palate. A big beer with a nice balanced malt hop finish, bottle this one Jeff as it may be the only way I’ll ever get to try it again.
Paddle number 4 would be the last one, with only four beers left to try why not add an extra taster to finish the experience and round it out to 20 tasters but which one?? This paddle had the big alcohol brews on board.
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| Tasting Paddle #4 Beers 16, 17X2, 18 and 19. L-R. The Empress @ rear. |
Beer 16: Holgate’s The Empress a souped up version of their Temptress Chocolate Porter, this is an Imperial Mocha Porter, an instant hit with all admirer’s of Temptress, we had enjoyed a tasty pint of Temptress at the Royston Hotel the evening before GABS, and this beer took it to another level. Hooley Dooley, sweet chocolate and vanilla attack your taste buds but are soon put back in their place with bitter coffee and warming alcohol, this creamy black seductress is way too easy to drink and certainly got a workout amongst those that enjoyed her little sister the evening before. Note to self, must get one of these beauties when bottled in the future.
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| The Empress. |
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| Downstairs crowded tables. |
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| @justinRhys contemplating his next.. Empress?? Look up. |
Nearly getting there onto the second to last beer now. Imperious from Murray’s an 11% alc/vol Imperial Belgian Blonde, whoa back there Murray !!! Wowee, big fruity presence typical of NZ hops, a zippy ale, sweet, with a warming alcohol bite, but not too out there. This beer quickly became an instant hit, with it’s fruity hoppy palate and fruity/spicy esters balancing out a tasty malt profile.
That’s it folks if you happened to be in Sydney, but we in Melbourne were graced with a late addition to the line up, a beer that made it’s debut only the night before at the 2 Brothers brewery. Their latest ale a Barley wine called The Guvnor. Enjoyed warmed in the hands this 10.3 % ale smelt of rum and raisin ice cream it was lightly carbonated and a welcome addition to the tap list, a tasty finish to the paddle selection, and I believe has now been bottled for all of us to enjoy.
It was very hard to pick a standout beer or beers, and wouldn't be fair to all the hard working brewers, the small tasters were only a tiny sample and maybe not the best way to critique the beer but realistically who could possibly enjoy a pot or pint of all these beers on the day and still be standing. I did enjoy a few of these beers after the paddles, and for me the beers I went back for, in no particular order were Karma Citra, The Empress, Zephyr, Big Red Rocket, KB Berliner Weisse, 4 Pines Wee Heavy, 2 Hills Maibock, Fanny Gertrude Anzac Bikkie, Jamieson’s Lemon Myrtle IPA and Lobethal/Brewboys Quince Pale Ale.
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| The Upstairs crowd. |
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| Upstairs. |
Not a bad effort after about 10-11 hours of fun and frivolity, but somebody had to do it. These beers are now rolling out to all the good craftbeer bars, and on tap at the respective breweries, so if you missed the day you still have an opportunity to try some of these beers, most were on tap at the Local Taphouse’s until their supplies were exhausted.
All in all a brilliant day with a happy crowd enjoying great craftbeer with like minded people. The brewers themselves, out amongst the crowd and happy to chat to one and all about their beer and their breweries. I must also add it was great meeting and chatting to all the twitter and facebook bloggers/writers and the respective brewers, you know who you are, many thanks for sharing your time with me.
A special shout out must go to the staff who worked tirelessly, and kept the beer and food flowing all day with out ever losing their smiles, I trust they would have enjoyed their knock off drinks after the crowds had left.
Cheers.
P.S. Look out for the Feral tap takeover at The Local Taphouse coming in May.
