# 81 - Schofferhofer Hefeweizen

Beer 81 - Schofferhofer Hefeweizen.

Pours pale and cloudy with a colour verging on orange. It has a rediculously fluffy white head (in a good way) that last as long as the beer itself. This is unquestionably the fruitiest wheat beer I've stumbled across so far. The aroma is of fresh apples and pears. While it is a standard full strength 5%, it is surprisingly light and fresh on the palate. It does still produce a mild bitter hop finish - subtle though evident.

Perhaps most interesting, the ex-pat German I spoke of yesterday described his favourite beer as what I felt I was experiencing in drinking this one......tried this brew Jurgen??

My rating.......5

Thought for the day........Sometimes we take out our frustrations on the wrong people! Note to self - "Think....think....think....re-assess....speak.....maybe think again first?"

Ahhhh - the joys of being human!!!

# 80 - Weihenstephaner Dunkel

Beer 80 - Weihenstephaner Traditional Bayrisch Dunkel.
Had the pleasure of drinking this one in the company of an ex-pat German. He gave me the translation off the label on the back of the stubby. So you could say it doubled as a history lesson too! From the north of Germany, and conveniently a University town, the Weihenstephan Abbey lays claims to being the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world. Be hard to argue, with its license officially granted back in 1040 AD.
A dark Bavarian beer as expected. It was very easy drinking, with the roast malts obvious - but not overbearing. Typical of its style, the bitterness is understated but balanced nicely. Perhaps this is one of the better Dunkel's I've tried......or maybe I really like this style?
My rating......5

Thought for the Day....Got to hand it to the Germans - they love structure, control and perfection. Perhaps one of their best outcomes has been the Beer Purity Laws that have set the benchmark globally for breweries.....for hundreds of years now!!

# 79 - YOUNGS Special London Ale

Beer 79 - Youngs Special London Ale.
A real fruity/floral aroma. Pours a deep copper hue. Minimal head although it has nice retention and lacing. Offers a full malt flavour with a very mild hop finish. Poured this one from a 500ml bottle at 6.4%.  I wouldn't have picked it but am starting to feel it as I near the end of the glass. Love it. 
My rating.......5

# 78 - Stone & Wood Pacific Ale

Beer 78 - Stone & Wood Pacific Ale.

This brew is from Byron Bay. Pours slightly cloudy and very pale, almost straw perhaps. Nice layer of sediment in the bottom of stubby. Lot of carbonation going on with a 3 finger head. Bold fruity aroma and flavour. My research tells me it has a mix of barley and wheat malts and galaxy hops. Crisp and refreshing with a mild bitter finish.
My rating......4

# 77 - Timmerans Lambic Kriek

Beer 77 - Timmerans Lambic Kriek.

My first lambic. Fascinating really. Immediately dominated by an aroma, and followed closely by the flavour of cherry. Great head retention and lacing. It's got to artificially sweetened. Easy enough to drink if you've got a sweet tooth. But as beers go it doesn't quite hit the spot.

My rating......3

# 76 - Gage Roads Sleeping Giant IPA

Beer 76 - Gage Roads Sleeping Giant IPA.

Pours a deep copper colour. This one is mildly carbonated but with nice head retention. It does have some of the fruity aspects of a pale ale, combined with a lightly roasted taste of crystal malt. I'd probably like a bit more bitterness, to be up with my favourite IPA's. I do think it's the best of the Gage Roads range I've tried just the same.

My rating......4

# 75 - BREW DOG There Is No Santa

Beer 75 - BREW DOG There Is No Santa
But there is a GOD!! Just what I needed to follow up that CLEANSKIN!! A bold spicey aroma that falls somewhere between Christmas Pudding and a Gingerbread House. It pours a very dark ale, although the flavour is more spicey than  that of roast malts. It has a mild hop finish with the bitterness somewhat subdued.
Unfortunately only a festive season promo - but again worth buying for the witty Brew Dog label!! Would be a worthy addition to any Christmas gathering....anywhere in the World!
My rating......4

Thought for the Day......Why not a 5?? I couldn't do it - with my little boy still working on his list for Santa!! It was certainly close! I will be picking up another couple of stubbys for the big day.

# 74 - Premium Cleanskin Beer

Beer 74 - Premium CLEANSKIN Beer

This one is a Korean beer. It has simplistic labelling, and pours a fizzy white head that lasts less time than a coke. I would liken this to some of my 8 year old home brews - in both aroma and flavour! I must admit - I've been know at times to drink them simply for the effect of their alcohol (because they're free!).

I remember this being pretty cheap when I picked it up....$2.20. Not so cheap after all because I poured the remainder in the second picture down the sink!! I think they must have sunk their money into the glass - because the stubby is probably the heaviest I've come across.
My rating.....-1

Thought for the Day........There must be some kind of legal criteria to label a beer "PREMIUM". If so, can we get the International Police to take the required action!!

Maybe it's time to put on an Intern - I always hated seeing alcohol of any kind go to waste. Perhaps they could clean up the dregs that are sink bound!!

# 73 - The Orkney Brewery SKULL SPLITTER.

Beer 73 - The Orkney Brewery SKULL SPLITTER.
Hand crafted in small batches and is labelled a 'strong ale' - I wonder why at only 8.5%?!? Pours a rich copper, with a moderate head - that has great retention and equally good lacing. The aroma is quite sweet, as the label states, of dates and figs. It definitely has a molassas sweetness to the taste, with some toffee malt notes. Also surprisingly easy drinking, with the alcohol content not at all overbearing. I'm thinking it's the best of any high content beers I've yet sampled. Although is probably aptly named as I'd imaging the head may feel that way the morning after a full session on the SKULL SPLITTER!!
My rating.......5

# 72 - Blue Sky FNQ Lager

Beer 72....Blue Sky FNQ Lager
Interesting - I actually reviewed this beer twice - about 6 months apart. Without referring back to my notes here are the 2 actual reviews!

Blue Sky FNQ Lager. Disappointing. Like a sub-standard homebrew. Bland and forgettable. Easy to enjoy at 30c a stubby. But $3. i don't think so!
My rating.....2

FNQ Lager. Like one of my best home-brews. Very crisp with strong carbonation. Similar to a Euro or maybe even Pilsener. Really good balance of malt and hops. Love it !!!
My rating......5

Thought for the Day.......Needless to say, based on the above 2 reviews - I picked up another stubby today to settle my internal dispute!

# 71 - Gosser

Beer 71 - Gosser.

The first beer I've tried from Austria. It probably falls somewhere between a Euro lager and a Pilsener. Very pale straw and crisp. Malt flavour dominates with a light bitter finish.

My rating......4

# 70 - Hahn White

Beer 70 - Hahn White.
A Belgian style white beer, so the label says? I must admit I got my hopes up when the immediate aroma was absolutely unique. I couldn't quite place it - but it was dominantly of spicy/herb notes - maybe raisins. Really nothing like anything from Belgium I've come across. Little head with no retention, and quite Radler like in its properties. There seems to be no malt presence in the body or mouthfeel. The hop finish is decidedly non existent.
Can I describe a beer as ugly, in this modern era of political correctness? The more I drink the less I like.....sorry Hahn! The only good thing about this experience was enjoying pizza with the family!!
My rating.......0

# 69 - Monteith's Original Ale

Beer 69....Monteith's Original Ale

I love the simplicity of this beer. Probably getting back to the roots of the early beers. Back in the 1700's the standard beer was much darker than we've come to expect today. Everything seems understated - and I love that. It does have a sweet fruity aroma I couldn't quite place. Thanks to their website I'm happy to inform it displays a hint of blackberries. Can't disagree!

My rating......5

Thought For the Day.......Poor Kiwis - 6/60 before lunch in Hobart! Credit where it's due - they are making some AWSOME beers!! Monteith's is fast becoming one of my favourite labels.

# 68 - Burleigh Brewing Duke All Malt Helles

Burleigh Brewing Duke All Malt Helles.

Probably a little too lightly carbonated with poor head retention and large bubbles. Pale in colour and light bodied. It is a mid strength and it shows in the taste. Although easy drinking with the emphasis on malt rather than hops.

I do expect this one is better consumed straight from the stubby.

My rating......3

# 67 - Endeavor 2010 Reserve Pale Ale

Endeavor 2010 reserve Pale Ale.

Nice drop. Bottle conditioned with a nice layer of sediment in the stubby. Pours cloudy with a very fruity aroma and flavour. It certainly has a solid bitter hops finish.

My rating.....5

# 66 - Burleigh Brewing Co. HEF

Beer 66 - Burleigh Brewing Co. HEF

German style wheat beer. Pale in colour and pours slightly cloudy. The aroma is dominantly of banana. Very mellow flavour with even milder bitterness. It is very refreshing just the same and equally drinkable.

My rating.......4

# 65 - LITTLE CREATURES ROGERS

Beer 65 - Little Creatures Rogers.

I had been looking for this one for a while - found it in Dan Murphy's Toowoomba, on the way to my cousin's little girl's christening. Thanks for the invite Leon!! And good call Scotty - I did drink this one back at Easter time!

Similar flavour to what I recall of the Little Creatures Bright Ale. Although pours a very deep amber. Quite fruity with only a slight hint of a darker malt. It is little more than a mid-strength at 3.8%. But thankfully still full flavoured.

My rating.....4

Thought for the Day......I think the line between DRINK DRIVING and DRUNK DRIVING are becoming more severely blurred by the day. You can't help but feel for families impacted by fatal car accidents - but don't shoot the messanger. Common sense and paying full attention to other traffic really only dissapears when DRUNK, and is not caused from 'drinking'!!

# 64 - Shepherd Neame BISHOPS FINGER Kentish Strong Ale

Beer 64 - Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger Kentish Strong Ale.

Britain's oldest brewer so the stubby says! Pours a deep copper with a beautiful creamy head that lasts. Really good aroma and flavour of roast malt. The hop presence is obvious but not overpowering. 500ml at 5.4%. Beautiful!
The label probably jumped out at me a couple of months back, too - at a time when I was dealing with a most frustration and trivial dispute with my beloved Beaudesert Golf Club. It struck a chord, as I felt like giving their management committee the finger.....but of course I didn't! I actually haven't played a comp for 8 weeks, but will be making a comeback next Sunday - defending the coveted "SUPER SHOOTOUT" that I was lucky enough to win last year!!

My rating.....5

Thought for the Day.....here's a notice I was going to post at the Golf Clubhouse. Never did for fear of more serious consequences. So what the heck, I'll post it here instead.

BREAKING NEWS.......

In what is believed to be a serious coup at the Beaudesert Golf Club - the FUN POLICE have busted an illicit action in which an irritating little prankster was at risk of putting a smile on the faces of Ordinary Members!

Fortunately an intercept was made and security footage assured this outbreak would be confined to the instigator.

The FUN POLICE are proud to announce that through a swift and decisive undercover operation, the spread of this cancer has been halted!

They would particularly like to thank the Committee of 2006/2007 who had the vision to implement in house Security Cameras. "We are now reaping the rewards of their foresight - and able to correctly identify and convict repeat offenders, making this great club the dour golfing experience it was always intended to be".

Be warned - the FUN POLICE will not hesitate to create new laws when required, with new super powers, bestowed upon them by their superiors. Rest assured, they will remain vigilant in their ongoing war against humour. "We will jump on anyone who in future attempts to enjoy life too much - as they represent one of the greatest threats known to mankind today".

May a good sense of humour R.I.P.

# 63 - EFES Pilsener

Beer 63 - Efes Pilsener

Spent a great day in a West End park on the Brisbane River, catching up with the rellies - celebrating my cousins' engagement....Congrats Lisa & Lance!!

This beer was a good choice, as it instantly engaged some of my more travelled cousins in speculating on its origin. Greece and Turkey were the immediate suggestions. Nice work....it's from Istanbul, Turkey.

Really smooth Pilsener style beer. Big malt flavour, pale gold hue. Poured a tremendous 3 finger head, with good retention and lacing. It does have a nice mild hops finish. Had never seen this one before, but would be more than happy to drink it again!

My rating......4

Thought for the day......As you get a little older and hopefully wiser, you appreciate close family get-togethers. Busy lives prevent them from happening often enough!

# 62 - SOUTH SEAS BREWING - BEACH

Beer 62 - South Seas Brewing BEACH.....new local

I'd never seen this one before - nice way to start our week down at Coolangatta! This one is a low carb lager but still full strength and flavour. One of the best of its style. Pale gold, crisp and clear. It has a really likable bitter hops finish.

My rating.....4

Thought for the Day.....With so much catching up to do, I won't often be posting thoughts. My 'save the world' mentality probably brought me unstuck, as I found it quite draining to come up with an original thought on a daily basis!