A short beer review

Feeling like a small treat I took myself into Plonk this afternoon (2 July?) and acquired a few Pommie beers.  Purely from an educational point of view here are some thoughts on the outcome.  (This will be updated as the other samples get tested to destruction.)
  • Marstons Oyster Stout:  at 4.5% ABV this is not a particularly robust stout but it definitely rates as pleasant plus.  A little bitter but good complexity in aftertaste. Not as choclatety as some some samples, but I can certainly see it going down nicely with a dozen of Coffin Bay's finest.  (In passing Iwill note the strange message about cookies on the linked site.  That seems to pop up on many UK websites recently: presumably it is a Laura Norder requirement.)
  • SEcond cab off the rank is Box Steam Brewery,from Holt in Wiltshire UK offering up Derail Ale.  An IPA with considrable merit, albeit relatively little ABV (5.2%).  Very hoppy - I can still summon the aftertaste some 90 minutes after finishing the bottle.  It drank very well despite travelling several kilometres today!
  • The final item here is back to Marstons for their Strong Pale Ale. At 6.2% ABV it certainly gets the strong bit undercontrol and it did have the characters of a good Pale Ale.  Unfortunately the test was hardly fair as the bottle had got a trifle shaken in transit.  Possibly also stirred as it erupted when opened.  Worth another try under better circumstances.
In September I acquired some other beers through Woolworths and have now tested them.
  • Dalgety Blonde Ale: Mid-strength at 4.0% but very refreshing.  It had a fair bit of complexity to the taste buds.  Considerably cheaper than the Pommie offerings from Plnk so rates highly.  (What a nice life - live in Dalgety, outside Cooma, and brew beer.)
  • Murrays Whale Ale: Nothing to do with the River this Wheat Beer comes from Port Stephens and is named after the cetaceans which migrate past that town. Initially I thought it was OK but not exciting: that was because I'd had a Dalgety first.  A second test - one has to check these things - and I found it to be very inteesting and refreshing.  Well done that Humpback!
Both the above enterprises offer other brews which will require examination.

I was then struck with thirst outside the Liquor-license enhanced IGA in Yarrawonga (Vic) in late September.  They provided:

  • Cascade Stout: a very nutty offering at 5.8%.   Very tasty but approach with care!
  • Abbotsford Invalid Stout.  Quite OK but not as tasty as the Cascade (as might be expected from a CUB product).  At 5.2% not as headache inducing either!

Comments

Ian Fraser said…
I shall be following this ongoing (I was going to say chronic but that has negative implications!) review with considerable interest!
4 July 2014 at 15:39:00 GMT+10
Ian Fraser said…
"certainly gets the strong bit under control". Certainly seems so, based on the evidence of your closing word! :-)
5 July 2014 at 21:27:00 GMT+10
Flabmeister said…
ha! try typing in a camper with a dog on your lap!
6 July 2014 at 18:29:00 GMT+10
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