And now for something completely different.

It’s not often that I’ll write about beer but these two re-releases by the bots from the Barons Brewing Company are worth a special mention.

Both of these brews are flavoured with a small taste of native Australian fauna flora.

The Lemon Mrytle Witbier shows a lot more lemon-lime zinginess than you might expect had you tried Hoegaarden. There is the coriander note there too but more in a fresh cut stalks type of fashion as opposed to the dried spice in the German and Belgian acrhetypes. It all adds up to a very refreshing drop.

The Black Wattle Ale replaces zest with decadence. The roasted black wattle seeds add chocolaty hazelnut notes, milky coffee and maybe even a hint of roasted almonds. Perfect for the wintry weather that seems to have settled on Sydney.

The botanicals in these beers are really crying out for a bit of creativity in a cocktail, so here goes:

I still call Australia home.

30mls Inner Circle Green Dot OP Rum, 10mls Tambourine Mountain Choc Hazelnut liqueur, 330mls Barons Black Wattle Original Ale.

Build ingredients in a tankard. Garnish with a gumnut and a brooding criminal past.

True Blue.

40mls Tradewinds Gin, 20mls Blue Curacao, 10mls freshly squeezed lemon juice, 330mls Barons Lemon Myrtle Witbier.

Build ingredients in a glass tankard. Garnish with a lemon peel and a keen sense of irony.

Barons beers are available across Australia at high end bottle stores, and for those of you in Sydney, Chambers Cellars is a safe bet.

The Sugarmill

Tucked under Kit & Kaboodle sits what I’m guessing is seen by many as the future. A well designed beer bar with ample outdoor seating in Sydney’s best known burb.

The bar runs right along the back wall, its easy and fast to get a beer, even when the numbers are getting up. Grab a couple of Fat Yaks and head outside to sit in the warm glow of gas heating, watching the junkies, ladies and street life.

The pizzas look pretty good too.

33-37 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross 2011

02 9368 7333

Google Maps here.

Kiwi’s trounce the Aussies.

An Australian site has just rated the top 100 kiwi and aussie beers. Kiwi came out 1 & 2.

 

Rank  Name Score Rate Count Style   1 Yeastie Boys Pot Kettle Black  3.78 11 Porter     2 Australis Romanov Baltic Stout  3.77 12 Imperial Stout     3 Redoak Special Reserve  3.74 11 Barley Wine     4 Redoak Baltic Porter  3.73 34 Baltic Porter     5 Renaissance Elemental Porter  3.66 31 Porter     6 Emersons Pilsner  3.65 145 Pilsener     7 Pink Elephant Imperious Rushin Stowt  3.65 20 Imperial Stout     8 Little Creatures Pale Ale   3.64 303 American Pale Ale     9 Emersons APA  3.64 113 American Pale Ale     10 Murrays Icon 2IPA  3.64 26 Imperial/Double IPA     11 Southwark Old Stout  3.63 72 Foreign Stout     12 Wig & Pen Velvet Cream Stout  3.63 24 Dry Stout     13 Thorogoods Billy Bs Golden Malted Apple Beer  3.62 47 Fruit Beer     14 Epic Mayhem  3.57 19 American Strong Ale     15 Murrays Best Extra Porter  3.56 12 Imperial/Strong Porter     16 Epic Pale Ale  3.55 47 American Pale Ale     17 Emersons Bourbon Porter  3.55 26 Imperial/Strong Porter     18 Murrays Grand Cru  3.55 24 Abbey Tripel     19 Coopers Best Extra Stout  3.52 741 Foreign Stout     20 Murrays Anniversary Ale 1  3.51 17 Barley Wine     21 Coopers Special Old Stout  3.5 58 Foreign Stout     22 Cock and Bull Monks Habit  3.5 14 India Pale Ale (IPA)     23 Emersons Whisky Porter  3.49 23 Porter     24 The Twisted Hop Golding Bitter  3.49 18 Bitter     25 Renaissance Stonecutter Scotch Ale  3.48 25 Scotch Ale     26 Emersons Weissbier Dunkel  3.47 17 Dunkelweizen     27 Pink Elephant Rogers Reserve  3.47 12 English Pale Ale     28 James Squire Brewhouse Speculator  3.45 15 American Pale Ale     29 Emersons 1812 India Pale Ale  3.44 85 India Pale Ale (IPA)     30 Jamieson The Beast IPA  3.43 34 India Pale Ale (IPA)     31 Emersons Old 95  3.42 106 Old Ale     32 Wanaka Brewski  3.42 27 Bohemian Pilsener     33 Wig & Pen Pale Ale  3.42 14 American Pale Ale     34 Grand Ridge Moonshine  3.41 66 Scotch Ale     35 Redoak Christmas Cheer  3.41 35 Spice/Herb/Vegetable     36 Coopers Vintage Ale  3.4 461 English Strong Ale     37 Murrays Pilsner  3.39 16 Pilsener     38 Emersons Bookbinder Bitter  3.38 29 Bitter     39 Harringtons Big John Special Reserve  3.38 35 Scotch Ale     40 Pink Elephant Trumpet  3.38 13 Barley Wine     41 Pink Elephant Mammoth  3.37 35 Brown Ale     42 Redoak India Pale Ale  3.37 18 India Pale Ale (IPA)     43 The Twisted Hop Twisted Ankle  3.36 13 Old Ale     44 Thorogoods Billy Bs Dark Malted Apple Beer  3.36 30 Fruit Beer     45 Renaissance Perfection Pale Ale  3.36 21 English Pale Ale     46 Grand Ridge Supershine  3.35 50 Barley Wine     47 Wig & Pen Brewers IPA  3.35 15 India Pale Ale (IPA)     48 Enterprise Brewery Knappstein Reserve Lager  3.35 57 Premium Lager     49 Emersons Maris Gold  3.34 44 Golden Ale/Blond Ale     50 Limburg Hopsmacker   3.34 25 American Pale Ale     51 Moa Methode Moa  3.34 41 Premium Lager     52 Red Hill Imperial Stout  3.34 13 Imperial Stout     53 Emersons London Porter  3.33 83 Porter     54 James Squire Porter  3.32 168 Porter     55 Limburg Witbier  3.32 34 Belgian White (Witbier)     56 Nail Stout  3.32 19 Sweet Stout     57 Galbraith Resurrection  3.32 11 Abbey Tripel     58 The Twisted Hop Challenger  3.32 18 Premium Bitter/ESB     59 Limburg Czechmate Pilsner  3.32 12 Bohemian Pilsener     60 Emersons JP (2007)  3.32 16 Belgian Strong Ale     61 Invercargill Smokin Bishop  3.32 15 Smoked     62 Moa St Josephs Belgian Tripel  3.32 12 Abbey Tripel     63 Speights Porter  3.31 44 Porter     64 Murrays Nirvana Pale Ale  3.31 39 American Pale Ale     65 Chevalier Saison  3.31 13 Saison     66 Emersons JP (2008)  3.31 11 Fruit Beer     67 3 Ravens Black  3.3 19 Sweet Stout     68 Moo Brew Pale Ale  3.3 32 American Pale Ale     69 Red Hill Temptation  3.3 11 Belgian Strong Ale     70 Mussel Inn Captain Cooker Manuka Beer  3.29 18 Spice/Herb/Vegetable     71 Tuatara Pilsner   3.29 29 Bohemian Pilsener     72 Brew Moon (NZ) Dark Side Stout  3.29 22 Stout     73 Redoak St Nicholas  3.28 15 Abbey Tripel     74 Three Boys Oyster Stout  3.28 21 Stout     75 The Twisted Hop Enigma  3.28 14 Barley Wine     76 James Squire Australian Strong Ale   3.27 78 English Strong Ale     77 Jarrah Jacks Pale Ale  3.27 14 American Pale Ale     78 Macs Malt Mac  3.26 28 Scotch Ale     79 Galbraith Bob Hudsons Bitter  3.26 13 Bitter     80 Wig & Pen Kamberra Kolsch  3.26 21 Kölsch     81 Galbraith Bitter and Twisted  3.25 15 Premium Bitter/ESB     82 Matilda Bay Alpha Pale Ale  3.25 56 American Pale Ale     83 Beechworth Bling IPA  3.25 19 India Pale Ale (IPA)     84 Hahn Special Vintage 2000 Millennium Ale  3.24 46 English Strong Ale     85 Redoak Wee Heavy  3.24 34 Scotch Ale     86 James Squire Original Pilsener  3.23 123 Bohemian Pilsener     87 Matilda Bay Dogbolter  3.23 62 Dunkel     88 Grand Ridge Yarra Valley Gold  3.23 48 English Pale Ale     89 Galbraith Grafton Porter  3.23 12 Porter     90 Beechworth Dark Ale  3.22 20 Porter     91 Duncans Founders Fair Maiden Ale  3.22 12 American Pale Ale     92 Green Man Stout  3.22 18 Stout     93 Emersons Taieri George  3.21 45 Spice/Herb/Vegetable     94 Tuatara Hefe   3.2 23 German Hefeweizen     95 Feral Pale Ale  3.2 13 American Pale Ale     96 Red Hill Weizenbock  3.2 11 Weizen Bock     97 Mountain Goat Surefoot Stout  3.19 50 Stout     98 Invercargill Biman  3.19 15 Premium Lager     99 Brew Moon (NZ) Hophead IPA  3.19 28 India Pale Ale (IPA)     100 James Squire India Pale Ale  3.18 140 India Pale Ale (IPA)

The Watson’s Bay Hotel

Somewhere down toward the end of the headland that forms the southern headland of Sydney’s gorgeous harbour sits Watson’s Bay. 

This great spot affords a wonderful view back down the harbour, past the mansions along the edges of Valcluse, towards the city and bride. The sun is brilliant in the late afternoon and the beers are cheap, $11.50 for a jug.

Add to that great seafood available from the kiosk in the front, or doyles down on the wharf itself and you’ve got a great little weekend drinking destination.

Take the ferry, or the bus. While $140 might sound like a lot for a water taxi, an hour long wait later at night can make this a mighty attractive option.

1 Military Road
Watsons Bay, NSW 2030, Australia

(02) 9337 5444‎

Google Map.

The Local Tap House

They say the best thing out of Sydney is the road to Melbourne, and anyone who has enjoyed the fantastic drinking culture of Sydney’s southern sister would be inclined to agree.

Lucky for Sydneysiders, Melbourne’s best is filtering to the top and making the long journey north to our benefit.

One of the newest Melburnian exports is the Local Taphouse. This boutique beer hall serves a stack of truly fantastic Beers from the tap. $15 $13 gets you a six beer tasting platter and a bloody good time.

The taphouse also runs a blog, just to keep you up to date with all things cold, bubbly and amber coloured.

The food looks good, and if my glowing endorsement isn’t enough, get a load of what is currently on tap:

• Bridge Road ‘Chevalier’ Saison 
• Bridge Road Chevalier Biere de Guarde.
• Barons Lemon Myrtle Wit
• Potters Smoked Oyster Stout
• 3 Ravens Dark Smoke Beer
• Mountain Goat Hightail Ale
• Leffe Blonde
• Murray’s Sassy Blonde
• James Squire Czech Pilsener
• Trumer German Pilsner
• Hofbrau Munich Helles
• Kostritzer Schwarzbier
• Matilda Bay ‘Fat Yak’ U.S Pale Ale
• Wicked Elf U.S Pale Ale
• Little Creatures U.S Pale Ale
• James Squire Amber Ale
• Hoegaarden Wit
• Franziskaner Hefeweizen
• Coopers Sparkling Ale

Got a powerful thirst? Get along to 122 Flinders St to quench it.

Google Map

ANZAC special on Saturday, Microbrews from NZ and Aussie, really good, hard to find stuff. Come and play some two up! You might even find a Pink Elephant….

Elizabeth Bay Cellars

Tucked in a small row of shops on Elizabeth Bay Road lies the unimaginatively named Elizabeth Bay Cellars. Inside some quaint doors lies a veritable cornucopia of drinking pleasure, $10 cleanskins, a great selection of imported and local reds, and possibly the largest selection of chilled whites I’ve seen in this country.

The staff are a real pleasure, knowledgeable to a fault, happy to recommend, assist or simply talk about any facet of the alcoholic excess that clads their walls.

Proud stockists of 42BELOW vodka, Flor de Cana Rum & Van Winkle Reserve Bourbon. You’ll even find Lillet Blanc resting peacefully in the icebox, where every bartender knows it should be.

All that and they even sell (some of the range) online. right here.

Or if you prefer a less digital experience, you can find them using any of these methods:

76 Elizabeth Bay Rd
Elizabeth Bay, NSW 2011 

Phone: +612 9358 1688
Fax: +612 9358 2347 

Google Map.

Email: ebaycellars@bigpond.com.au