The AFF Beer Thread

[Josh L]

I'm so happy this thread has been started. Kudos to you Rob . Although I'm only 22, I have very quickly come to enjoy beer genuinely. I used to drink it just to drink, but once driving cam on the scene, I had to learn to drink responsibly, what better way than to lower the quantity of beer and at the same time up the quality.

I won't bother commenting on beers such as Corona, Heineken, Becks and the such, a touch to mainstream and not very consistent. Especially considering not many bottle shops happen to know whether they're coming or going when it comes to whether they have imported or locally brewed versions in stock. I certainly won't bother commenting on Aussie beer, as I believe Aussie beers are best enjoyed super cold after a super hard day.

I have found Celebrations to be pretty good in regards to stocking a good variety of imports.

So here's a couple I can remember off the top of my head.

Beer: Satan Gold
Country of Origin: Belgium
Price: $6.66 per bottle ($16.66 3pk)
Description: An 8% beer that seems more hell bent (no pun intended) on getting the consumer smashed than making a good flavoured beer. I bought a 3pk and one and a half. The bottle does need to be inverted once or twice to get it mixed nicely as the yeast remnants seem to settle in the bottom. A very potent flavour of alcohol, somewhat smooth, moderate fizz but not a strong beer taste. There are stronger versions of Satan beer, all the same price, but I'm not game to try.
Rating: 4/10

Beer: Leffe Brune (as Rob mentioned in the first post)
Country of Origin: Belgium
Price: $30 6pk (approx.)
Description: As per Rob, by far the best beer I have ever had. Although somewhat potent, especially for being 6.5%, the taste is sensational. Not extremely high on fizz. Not too yeasty, a little bit fruitful in taste. Doesn't taste watered down at all. It even can have a slightly buttery aftertaste.
Rating: 9//10

Beer: Schofferhofer Hefeweizen
Country of Origin: Germany
Price: $24 6pk (approx.)
Description: I was walking through Aldi one day and spotted this one. I though what the hell, why not. After cracking one, I found out why the hell not! Talk about drinking bread. Comes in 500ml bottles. Is pretty much a German beer on budget. Has a slight lemon tang to it, but is extremely yeasty. It is a cloudy beer... another one that needs the bottle to be inverted a few times to get it mixed thoroughly.
Rating: 5/10

So there we have it. I'm the sort of person that enjoys beer like a wine-o enjoys wine. I have tried to develope a recognitive pellet for wine, but they honestly don't taste much different to me. Just sweet/dry, white/red and the such. But when it comes to beer, I really can taste the difference, even between local and imported beers of the same name.

Happy beering all.

Josh.

[05_ENFORCER]

Originally Posted by Josh L

I'm so happy this thread has been started. Kudos to you Rob . Although I'm only 22, I have very quickly come to enjoy beer genuinely. I used to drink it just to drink, but once driving cam on the scene, I had to learn to drink responsibly, what better way than to lower the quantity of beer and at the same time up the quality.

I won't bother commenting on beers such as Corona, Heineken, Becks and the such, a touch to mainstream and not very consistent. Especially considering not many bottle shops happen to know whether they're coming or going when it comes to whether they have imported or locally brewed versions in stock. I certainly won't bother commenting on Aussie beer, as I believe Aussie beers are best enjoyed super cold after a super hard day.

I have found Celebrations to be pretty good in regards to stocking a good variety of imports.

So here's a couple I can remember off the top of my head.

Beer: Satan Gold
Country of Origin: Belgium
Price: $6.66 per bottle ($16.66 3pk)
Description: An 8% beer that seems more hell bent (no pun intended) on getting the consumer smashed than making a good flavoured beer. I bought a 3pk and one and a half. The bottle does need to be inverted once or twice to get it mixed nicely as the yeast remnants seem to settle in the bottom. A very potent flavour of alcohol, somewhat smooth, moderate fizz but not a strong beer taste. There are stronger versions of Satan beer, all the same price, but I'm not game to try.
Rating: 4/10

Beer: Leffe Brune (as Rob mentioned in the first post)
Country of Origin: Belgium
Price: $30 6pk (approx.)
Description: As per Rob, by far the best beer I have ever had. Although somewhat potent, especially for being 6.5%, the taste is sensational. Not extremely high on fizz. Not too yeasty, a little bit fruitful in taste. Doesn't taste watered down at all. It even can have a slightly buttery aftertaste.
Rating: 9//10

Beer: Schofferhofer Hefeweizen
Country of Origin: Germany
Price: $24 6pk (approx.)
Description: I was walking through Aldi one day and spotted this one. I though what the hell, why not. After cracking one, I found out why the hell not! Talk about drinking bread. Comes in 500ml bottles. Is pretty much a German beer on budget. Has a slight lemon tang to it, but is extremely yeasty. It is a cloudy beer... another one that needs the bottle to be inverted a few times to get it mixed thoroughly.
Rating: 5/10

So there we have it. I'm the sort of person that enjoys beer like a wine-o enjoys wine. I have tried to develope a recognitive pellet for wine, but they honestly don't taste much different to me. Just sweet/dry, white/red and the such. But when it comes to beer, I really can taste the difference, even between local and imported beers of the same name.

Happy beering all.

Josh.

Beer: Schofferhofer Hefeweizen
Country of Origin: Germany
Price: $24 6pk (approx.)
Description: I was walking through Aldi one day and spotted this one. I though what the hell, why not. After cracking one, I found out why the hell not! Talk about drinking bread. Comes in 500ml bottles. Is pretty much a German beer on budget. Has a slight lemon tang to it, but is extremely yeasty. It is a cloudy beer... another one that needs the bottle to be inverted a few times to get it mixed thoroughly.
Rating: 5/10


Extremely nice beer, wheat beer if my memory serves me correctly.



C

[rodderz]

It comes in a 500ml stubby too!

[mr smith]

Originally Posted by RobRoy

I like the darker stuff like Tooheys Old. Carlton Black is ok. And of course Guinness. The thing that bugs me is most beer is now foreign owned except Coopers etc.. but i always go back to Tooheys Old.

I'll go with this lot and add Tetleys, Kilkenny, Smithwicks etc. The smooth stuff.

[uranium_death]

We've already had a beer thread...

I was the most active on it towards the end...which perhaps says something about me...

Hoegaarden is nice, but it is too expensive now. It has become too cosmopolitan.
Grand Ridge do a good blonde (not poofter low carb Blond crap...I'm talking wheat beer). It's a dollar a bottle cheaper (which is considerable) and it's an Australian brewery whose ideals I agree with (spend less on advertising - good beer should sell itself, and spend more on good ingredients).

My favourite drop is La Trappe Dubbel. Beautiful flavour, great body and not too much carbonation. Finish is great.

You cannot get the full effect with most Aussie brews, although they are lagers, which I guess isn't apples for apples.

Falcon4L...Erdinger is BRILLIANT. When I want a big wheatie, I get that. Clouded, or nothing else for me. Kristal is to be avoided.

Corona is not beer. It's donkey wee.

Beeradvocate.com is a great place to research beers.

I recently tried Westmalle Trappiste, as well as Rochefort 6 and 8. I still have a 10 (on BA, #11 best beer in the world).

Good to see people appreciating quality beer more nowadays, rather than buying Australian brewed "imports" like Stella, Heineken or Becks, and saying how great it is.

[uranium_death]

Schofferhofer is the most cost-effective beer of its type on the market.
Where I am, it's 3.70 for 500mls. IMO, not as nice as Erdinger, but better value.

Schofferhofer is a reason why I won't touch Hoegaarden anymore. Hoegaarden isn't worth the money.

Looking back...I tried Leffe Brune, but I prefer La Trappe Dubbel. Cheaper, and I prefer the flavour. I love Leffe Radiuesse though.

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by mr smith

Kilkenny

I was wondering if someone was gonna mention that. Good stuff.

Now I'm not much of a beer drinker but I can tell you St Geoge tasted absolute rubbish. All the beer guys at work thought so too.
Usually drink TEDs. VB is actually ok on tap.

[Falcon4L]

schofferhoeffer is a damn good beer, I forgot all about it. Like you said UD it is not as good as erdinger.. Dont doubt Kristal though, it is a different type of beer and suits a different taste. The dark is also a very acquired taste, its very full and I wouldnt recommend having too many of them.

But if you can find paulaner anywhere then I would snap it up straight away and then let me know where you found it..

Weizen beers are wheat beers, so if it ever contains that word it is the easiest way to tell

[05_ENFORCER]

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Schofferhofer is the most cost-effective beer of its type on the market.
Where I am, it's 3.70 for 500mls. IMO, not as nice as Erdinger, but better value.

Schofferhofer is a reason why I won't touch Hoegaarden anymore. Hoegaarden isn't worth the money.

Looking back...I tried Leffe Brune, but I prefer La Trappe Dubbel. Cheaper, and I prefer the flavour. I love Leffe Radiuesse though.

Hoegaarden currently $100 for two cartons in Belmont W.A
Can't beat that!



C

[GT0132]

I'll try Stella, Becks, Corona and all those other overpriced beers occasionally if I want to try something different but I always go back to VB...just love the taste

[chris0]

Originally Posted by ozmale42

I'll try Stella, Becks, Corona and all those other overpriced beers occasionally if I want to try something different but I always go back to VB...just love the taste

I'm with you on this one mate. occasionally a beer will come on special around $40 a case (heineken, stella, becks, boags) and i will purchase, but everyday in-out beer has to be the likes of VB or XXXX
I get turned away by ridiculous price tags like $86 for a case of hoegaarden.
XXXX is not a bad beer either (lager) contrary to what the half wits who have probably never tasted it, will tell you, i think it's not all bad. low carb, low price. Nothing beats smashing cans of xxxx out fishing in the sun, for me (ever wondered why it always scores high on beer reviews? I did too, then i bought some. great success) hahn super dry is not a bad drop either...

[Spanrz]

Crown Lager and Tooheys Pils are my choice for the Fav Flavr.
Don't mind a Tooheys Old or the oldish type recepies.

Even home brew I don't mind (Coopers) Pity I make those in 8 or 9%, the old man hates it when I make a real heavy, less time to enjoy it. Bugger him.

[vztrt]

I like most beers (except Tooheys bar the extra dry) but only in summer as I drink Jack in winter. For me I'll try all the beers and as long as it doesn't have a terrible aftertaste I'll continue to drink it. Hoegarden is great drinking it but the aftertaste is terrible so I avoid it.

Mind you in Singapore, because of the humidity Tiger went down really well (apparently its brewed in a way to taste better in the humidity) but here it's quite ordinary.

[bingoTE50]

I like free beer ,the kind you get courtesy of suppliers wanting your custom ,particularly on a golf day with those special girl waiters.....

And if I am buying ,Crownies, Coronas,Boags,and when I can get it Coopers Pale Ale.. :

[old_mate]

Cintra, used to pay 20 bucks a case in Sydney, portugese pilsner. I loved it.

James Squire Golden Ale and Boags Premium are my favorite beers, however I will drink anything from XXXX to Guiness and everything in between. I will not drink tinnies, has to come out of glass! And foster's is terrible.

[RSgerry]

I recently obtained a list of 141 beers from a local pub in Perth and am working my way through them. So far the nicest has been St Arnou Blonde. One of the nicest beers i have ever tasted. 10/10. The worst is a toss up between Carlton Draught and MIllers Chill. The Carlton is just cr@p, the Millers has lime and salt in it. Tastes like lime to start with a nasty salt after taste (fnarr fnarr...).It shames me to say it, but i chucked them out after half a bottle.

[TadKa]

I love a good Pilsner. We have a local Micro brewery produced drop out of the Moorilla Winery called Moo Brew. Bloody fantastic drop.

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by chris0

I get turned away by ridiculous price tags like $86 for a case of hoegaarden.

It depends what sort of beer drinker you are.

Some people just don't care what they have, so they are prepared to spend less and get more.

Hoegaarden is a good beer. It is clean.
IMO, your average Aussie beers are nowhere near as nice. The ingredients are far inferior, and there is talk of the addition of chemicals to speed up brewing.
The finish on your average beers is what lets it down. Some lagers are okay, like Boags, but some are horrible at the same time.

I personally think most of the big breweries make beer that tastes awful.

When I have a beer, I normally have one, but it is full bodied, higher in alcoholic content, and normally has a beaut finish (although La Trappe Tripel's finish could be better! - the Dubbel kicks backside though).

It comes down to the individual and how you've developed your palate.

Beer is a lot like wine in some respects, in that each brewer will have their own type of brew, but it will differ to another brewery's.

Originally Posted by Mr Smith

I'll go with this lot and add Tetleys, Kilkenny, Smithwicks etc. The smooth stuff.

Although they aren't as strong, I reckon they're top notch on a hot day. Kilkenny is better value for money than Tetley's, and is available almost everywhere.
Boddington's also makes a similar brew, but it's more than both, and I think there is John Smith, but I definitely didn't think it was worth it for that.
Kilkenny is a great brew. I've never had Smithwicks. Not available, nor have I ever had Caffrey's. Used to be available around here...but not anymore.

Originally Posted by Somebody

Something about Cascade Pale Ale

Bit of a bummer really for me, because while the Pale Ale was alright, I loved Cascade's Amber Ale, but unfortunately, it is not made anymore. While not the best beer, I thought it was a great lower-end beer that had a nice flavour. The body wasn't the best, but the finish was what I loved about it.

[uranium_death]

Currently enjoying a Rochefort 10.

I've had both the 6 and 8 prior. 6 tasted like bin juice, the 8 was a little better.

The 10 is excellent. Very full at 11.3%, but has creamy, carbonation is decent, and while I can't exactly pinpoint the flavour, the alcohol content is very well hidden.. On the nose is a hint of vanilla. The head is magnificent. When poured, it was thick as hell and even after 15 minues, is 1-2mm thick and still there.

I am not a beer connissuer in that I can describe all flavours however. I only know what I like.
This is not a beer that I would drink often however...it's 10 bucks a bottle.
And I thought Chimay was pricey!

[ST]

I am a Carlton Draught addict. I absolutely love it, especially on tap. Call me unsophisticated but BLOODY HELL it is great.

Also enjoy Carlsberg, though sometimes it just tastes too watered down. Plenty of other good beers, just don't branch out enough which I really should do (don't have a whole lot of knowledge on good beers apart from the obvious). I just have that thing about Carlton Draught like most of us do with Coke.

[Rob]

Beer: Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale
Price per Carton: You wouldn't buy a carton
Drinkning situation: Under duress

Review: Horrible. Worst beer I've ever had. The only redeeming feature is the Monty Python content. Tastes like sand mixed with soy sauce.

Overall score: 1/10 - avoid.

[ogtrip]

West End Draught.

[sikford]

this thread sure is thirsty, might tell work im crook and go home to the 3 slabs of carlton draught in my kitchen fridge, maybe the bar fridge actually, it's closer to the front door,lol

[blueoval]

WTF? I cant beleive how many love VB.

I find it personally repulsive. No offence if you love it, but frankly i find it hard to even call it consumable.

Coopers FTW

Who here as tried Duff Beer when it allowed back in the 90's?

[vandrsxr6]

Originally Posted by Rob

Leffe Brune - a rather potent Belgian beer, very smooth and very nice. Probably my favourite beer, haven't been able to find it bottled. For you Melbournians, Belgian Beer Cafe, or European Bier Cafe have this on tap. Leffe Blonde is very nice too, but not quite as distinct as Leffe Brune.

I had that beer a few weeks back. Man was it a strong beer.

I'm all over KIRIN at the moment. Very good beer.

[irlewy86]

Beer: VB
Price: Fairly cheap avaialable as draught, stubbie, tallie, can
Drinking Situation Outside, when its very hot and you've sweated at least 3 times your body weight out in the last hour

Review: VB has the slickest ad campaign ever, all sorts of people enjoying VB in all sorts of situations. However this is definetly not the case. VB can only be served in the -1.5 to 1.5 degree range anything but icy cold and it sours faster than a woman with a maxed out credit card. Its light-medium body and strong bitter taste can yield great refreshment in the right circumstances, but then most beers do anyway.

Overall Score: 3/10

[FlipXW]

Beer: Cantina

Country: Product of El Salvador

Price per Carton: $40 - $50

Drinkning situation: Whenever I find myself wanting something different.

Review: Quite a nice mexican style beer. Has a fruitish tang to it. Much better than Corona, very similar to Sol.

Overall score: 7/10.

At home will drink VB, Super dry, Premium Dry.

If at the pub cant go past the Very Best (VB) on tap.

My pick of beers to stay away from;
Zipfer - rather drink vinigar
Cold - Headache in a bottle.

[Cobra]

Hoegaarden is over rated, not to mention way overpriced. The local Lobethal Brewery makes a wheet beer which tatses as good if not better than the Belgian Hoe. It's not cheap either though, but probably 30 bucks a box less than Hoe.

Corona is also very over rated, not to mention crap! And putting a lemon in it is just a means to detract from it's terrible taste. Cold, Tooheys new, XXXX, VB are all garbage too. But for me, the lowest of lows would have to be West End Draught. It is dead set FOUL! Crown Lagers are also overrated, and overpriced. They are toooo bad, but theres so much (cheaper) that I'd choose over them.

What I would happily drink but not buy unless there wasn't anything else that I like available? Becks, Heineken, Extra dry, James Squire (any kind), beez neez, bintang, Grolsch, Coopers Pale/Sparkling, Hanhn Premium, Redback (any), Boags Premium. Mostly local beers from WA, Tas and SA.

The stuff that I really enjoy in no particular order: Coopers Heritage Ale (No not vintage!), Bohemian Pilsner, little creatures pilsner, Cascade Premium, Pure Blonde (mainly because it's great value), and last but not least, probably my favourite, Amstel. At $64 odd bucks a Carton, they go down real well and are only slightly more pricey than most local premium Lagers.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by vandrsxr6

I had that beer a few weeks back. Man was it a strong beer.

I'm all over KIRIN at the moment. Very good beer.

Belgian Beer Cafe in Melbourne sells stuff called Bush Amber.. 12% beer. Killer stuff, tastes horrible, but good for shitzengiggles after a few drinks.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Cobra

Hoegaarden is over rated, not to mention way overpriced. The local Lobethal Brewery makes a wheet beer which tatses as good if not better than the Belgian Hoe. It's not cheap either though, but probably 30 bucks a box less than Hoe.

Corona is also very over rated, not to mention crap! And putting a lemon in it is just a means to detract from it's terrible taste. Cold, Tooheys new, XXXX, VB are all garbage too. But for me, the lowest of lows would have to be West End Draught. It is dead set FOUL! Crown Lagers are also overrated, and overpriced. They are toooo bad, but theres so much (cheaper) that I'd choose over them.

What I would happily drink but not buy unless there wasn't anything else that I like available? Becks, Heineken, Extra dry, James Squire (any kind), beez neez, bintang, Grolsch, Coopers Pale/Sparkling, Hanhn Premium, Redback (any), Boags Premium. Mostly local beers from WA, Tas and SA.

The stuff that I really enjoy in no particular order: Coopers Heritage Ale (No not vintage!), Bohemian Pilsner, little creatures pilsner, Cascade Premium, Pure Blonde (mainly because it's great value), and last but not least, probably my favourite, Amstel. At $64 odd bucks a Carton, they go down real well and are only slightly more pricey than most local premium Lagers.

Well said Eamon. I agree with the west end comment. They may as well call it A55 end coz it taste like it came from there.

For an everyday beer, its best to go the premium versions of the cheaper brands. Thats what I do.