Beer - BrewBoys GT Lager

Due to my recent journey through some incredibly rich and bold beers, high in alcohol volume and explosive flavours, this weekend I was in the state-of-mind to refresh my memory and palate by returning to a classic Aussie draught beer taste. Hence, I picked up a GT Lager by South Australia's BrewBoys.

BrewBoys have made this beer in honour of the Ford XW Falcon GT, with a 5.8% abv for the car's 5.8L motor and 35.1 bitterness units for the 351 cubic inches of the V8 engine. (I'm not that interested in cars and motor sports, so whilst it is a clever marketing tactic, it is not something that would really attract me to the product on face value. However, as a beer-bottle collector, it's certainly a choice acquisition for one's collection.)

Pouring the GT Lager into a glass, it provided very little head but looked wonderfully crisp and crystal clear, with a quality amber/gold colour and great consistency in appearance.

The aroma of a classic pub lager was immediately evident, reminding me of a Carlton Draught but slightly smoother (and nicer). The Carlton Draught comparison continued into the taste. However, the GT Lager is certainly crisper, cleaner, light in the mouth and easier to drink. Although, it still ends up being something of a standard lager in the end. Yes, it is well made...but it does not offer much else than a neat malt lager. Nonetheless, it has a clean finish and is fairly refreshing.

Uninspiring in taste, the GT Lager is not a special beer, but it is a good drink and certainly compares well in terms of the often difficult and inconsistent lager style coming out of local microbreweries who dare attempt it. I suspect the most appealing part of this beer is its collectibility for Ford lovers.

I'd be happy to have a session with the GT Lager, in preference to drinking any other macro lager. Ultimately, I believe this beer would deservedly perform best as a tap beer to be drunk at sporting events or in a sports bar.

Beer - Weekend Catch-up

So...hi...I have realised that making regular posts here is far from easy. As much as I'd love to make this blog my top priority, it's actually about forth behind (1) home-life/entertainment, (2) work and (3) drinking good beer whilst staying healthy.

Therefore, I shall add some regular "weekend catch-up" posts to this blog so I can quickly mention those beers/bars/bands that I experience over the weekends, when I generally get out and try/visit/hear something new and/or different...which there has been plenty of lately! Hence, I feel like I am missing out on sharing much good...stuff!  Then...those worthy (good or bad) of a full blog post will get the proper attention when I have a moment to spare.

So...here we go...backtracking to this weekend's beer joy...


Friday night was Rapunzel night at the Mountain Goat Brewery's Goat Bar, as they showcased their rare Belgium Strong Pale Ale with three versions of the brew available on tap. Having already tired the regular "Blonde" a few weeks back, on this visit I had the:

• Oaked version (aged 9 months in French oak chardonnay barrel)
• Randy version (with mango and nutmeg in the Randy)

Nothing short of sensational. Full review of the Oaked to come soon!

There was also a 6 of Grand Ridge Gippsland Gold, thanks to a good price at Dan Murphys (and no other decent choices available). My love/hate relationship with this beer continues. The first is always excellent, but it doesn't seem to hold it’s consistency through the next couple. I know it's highly regarded, but it's rather sweet...and yeah...it's just not sessional for me, despite the Grand Ridge team describing it as "easy drinking, thirst quencing".

Popped into Slowbeer on Saturday evening, where I picked up and later drank...

• Steam Exchange Brewery India Pale Ale – very good clear copper colour, nice and hoppy but there was also a lot of malt, solid body, a little sticky and quick low in carbination but a strong clean finish. Nice
• BrewBoys Maiden Ale – very nice deep amber colour, light in the mouth, well balanced, tasty but not complex or anything really special. Very drinkable though.
• Hargreaves Hill Hefeweizen – had drunk too much by the time I got to this one to make any decent notes, but I liked it. Not the best Hefeweizen I’ve had though (…I think).

Also bought a Malt Shovel Brewery Mad Brewers Orchard Ale Saison (640ml bottle), mainly for the sake of adding it to my bottle collection and which I’ll probably crack next weekend (over Easter). Excited about visiting the Red Hill Brewery this coming Easter weekend as well!