Beers for Cheers and Tears

Regular readers of this blog – that’s people who read this carp regularly, not people with good, high fibre diets – will know what I mean about the occasion making the beer. Sometimes a beer is all the better for having it at a certain time, in certain company or for a certain reason. There is always an occasion. That’s for certain.

A phone message from Ale Star Czar, Shandy to announce the safe (if slightly overdue) arrival of the second baby boy for he and Tracey came on the back of the news that a mate had passed away after a short illness. Life goes on, Big Picture, Circle of Life – that kind of thing.

Stewie was a mate through my involvement with the Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club and, in particular, the Graveyard Banner Crew. A trip to the doctor for a bout of pneumonia led to the news that no one wants to hear, and we have been riding his illness with him and his wife Rose for just on a year. A top bloke, taken too soon. A couple of cans of Carlton Draught is not my usual bar order but, in the company of mates sharing a loss and speaking fondly of a mate lost just seemed to make those beers taste much better than I ever remembered it.

Wetting the baby’s head is just the same. I had been saving a six-pack of Bridge Road Brewers ‘The Harvest’ that Ben sent down from the brewery just before he sold off the last slab. One of my favourite beers of all time and the perfect beer to celebrate good news with. It was a very pleasant drop that passed my lips and made my mouth happy as I toasted the health of another mate’s newborn. I would have toasted him by name, but even as I write, a name is TBA. That’s To Be Advised for those non Gen –Yers and others who don’t speak fluent proper abbreviation.

Shandy, if it’s any help, I have looked to the beer fridge for inspiration. Hope these suggestions help. I am limited by what is in the fridge and the cellar as we speak. Timothy, as in the Landlord, Samuel, as in the Taddy Porter, Harve, as in The Harvest, Col, as in Coldstream Pilsner, Stephan, as in Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel or Fat Yak. You choose.

Cheers,
Prof. Pilsner

Some nice beer news

While I don’t want to make light of the dreaded GFC and the effects it has had on many people’s livelihood worldwide, I also haven’t got too sucked into the whole ‘imminent collapse of the whole wide world as we know it’ tin-bangers and their calls of doom. Same for Global Warming – “WHOOOOOOOO, We’re all going to DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!!!” Call me an optimist.

But today I saw some good news for those ho have been crusading for real causes that affect real people – beer drinkers. It seems that, as a result of the global financial downturn, more and more Australians are staying in instead of going out to dinner. Not great for the restaurant owners who can’t adjust, but there is some good news in it. People staying home to have dinner parties are serving better quality wines and also better beer.

The Herald Sun reports findings of some data or another about sales figures and such which show a big increase in “premium beer” and “bottled wine” sales as well as spirits and a small increase in overall beer sales. I worry a little that ‘Premium Beer’ is what the Big Brewers refer to as premium – mainstream pissy fizz but with silver and gold labels as well as ‘imports’ like Stella Artois (from the small Belgian enclave of Southbank) and Heineken that comes all the way from Camperdown.

Even better was the news that VB sales have dropped by one percent – maybe we are beginning to upgrade a little. I don’t think that this report signals a swing towards craft beer, or even that we are beginning to look for something ‘better’, but maybe it is a small step in the right direction. Premium beer sales are up by 20%, mid-strength by 10% and full strength beer is up by 7% which might just hint at a move towards exploring of the beer world by those who may not have known that anything other than VB and Crown and Toohey’s New existed before.

Today, the premium beer market – tomorrow the craft beer world!!

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner

Trivia - Odd One Out

Trivia Part Three answers

Hope you did well so far with the Prof's Ale Stars Trivia Challenge. Part One was True or False, Part Two was multiple choice and Part Three was the simplest of all! Four items, you decide which one is the Odd One Out. Simple. Here are the 'answers'.

11. Lazy Mutt, Spotted Cow and Tusker are named for a DOG, COW and ELEPHANT, Old Speckled Hen is named for an MG SPORTS CAR, making it the odd one out.

12. Phoenix Blue Marlin, Toohey's Blue and OB BLue are all LAGERS, Coor's Blue Moon is a Witbier.

13. Three of these were rhyming slang (made up and fairly crap rhyming slang, I admit!) for that lovely top that sits on a nicely poured beer. Home Sweet Home - FOAM, Breakfast in Bed - HEAD and David Lee Roth - FROTH. Tit For Tat was the Odd One Out.

14. Ready? This one caused the most (A) Discussion, (B) Groans and (C) Most things to be thrown at me and, frankly, I can't see why.

2Brothers
3Ravens
3Boys
3Degrees

2 Brothers is the only one that is a '2'. But that's not it.
3 Boys is the only one that is NOT Australian. But that's not it.
3 Degrees is the only one that is a brewpub, not a brewery. But that's not it.
3 Ravens is the Odd One Out because it is the only one that doesn't have something odd about it. Compared to the other three. See? Simple.

The last question related to our special guest, Dave Bonighton from Mountain Goat. They were

Hawthorn Football Club, 3 Surfboards, 2 Mountain Bikes and 1 EH Holden.
The Hawthorn Footy Club is Dave's AFL team and the other three things were listed as the only assets on the loan application that Dave and partner Cam could list for the bank when they were looking to start up the brewery. And the unnamed team (High Table, I'm looking at YOU!) who claimed that the mighty Hawks were the only thing on that list that was OVER RATED - you can start next month's trivia with a two point penalty.

And finally, for those who were there and have had to put up with hearing the questions all over again, here is one last Prof Pilsner Trivia Treat. A quick beer-realted 'What am I?'





????????

Cheers
Prof Pilsner

Beer Blokes London correspondent

Ale Star Gemma is off for a brief jaunt in The Old Dart which just happens to coincide with the GBBF – that’s The Great British Beer Festival for those who don’t speak fluent abbreviation – and has kindly offered to act as official (unpaid but greatly appreciated) Beer Bloke correspondent.

She told me that she could spare a couple of days to get to the event and convey all the ‘colour and oomph’ of what is said to be a great festival. An event of two distinct parts, the GBBF is part very good, varied, traditional, extreme and interesting beers and part freaky anorak wearing beardy-wierdies frightening small children and grown adults alike. So take care Gemma and steer clear of the Tickers.

Gemma promised to squeeze at least one day into her busy social schedule to get to the festival, so stay tuned for a ripping report – or two.

Cheers
Prof . Pilsner

Part Two Answers

6. The Duvel glass has a nice little Gothic font "D" etched into the bottom of the glass. Correct answer - D

7. The 2 brothers at 2 Brothers Brewery are Dave and Andrew. Cam & Dave are the Goat Guys, Brad and Ross are at Stone & Wood and Simon/Rob is Ale Star regular and top bloke, Simon, who Steve keeps calling Rob 12 months down the track. Answer B

8. In Elizabethan times, the Ale Conner (tester) would SIT ON THE BEER to test the quality. Too much sugar and the beer would stick to his leather britches. Answer D



9. The Munich Oktoberfest begins in September. A

10. In 1892 Sapporro brewed Japans first BLACK BEER. B

Trivia Questons - Part Three

The one you’ve heard about, the one you’ve been waiting for ... the part of the quiz that requires little or no knowledge at all. In fact, it may not help you at all to know much about beer, brewing or brewers. Remember, these questions were delivered after a least three strong Belgian blonds. There, that may rescue the credibility of some embarrassed Ale Stars.

11. Lazy Mutt – (Wisconsin) Golden Ale.
Spotted Cow – (Wisconsin) Cream Ale.
Old Speckled Hen – (UK) Brown Ale.
Tusker – (Kenya) Golden Lager.

12. Phoenix Blue Marlin – Mauritius
Coors Blue Moon – US
Toohey’s Blue – Australia
Oriental Brewery OB Blue – South Korea

13. Home Sweet Home
Breakfast in Bed
Tit for Tat
David Lee Roth

14. 3 Ravens – Australia – Brewery - 3
3 Boys - NZ – Brewery - 3
2 Brothers – Australia – Brewery - 2
3 Degrees – Australia - Brew Pub – 3

15. All relating to Dave Bonighton and Mountain Goat

Hawthorn Football Club
3 Surfboards
2 Mountain Bikes
1 EH Holden

Answers tomorrow.

Cheers,
Prof. Pilsner

Trivia, Tats and a little teasing

Part Two – Trivia & Sign Language

A quick shout out to Justin-Paul and Anton, two Ale Stars regulars who are also readers of this blog. And very god blokes they are too. Although Anton and his unwavering support for the North Melbourne Kangaroos is, at times a little questionable! See above. I also wanted to take the opportunity to thank them for helping to get a laugh on the night.

Justin-Paul ‘signs’ for Anton and, as I’ve said here before, when Shandy is hosting, J-P has to translate from Scottish into English and then into Auslan. On Tuesday they were not only seated behind me, making it more difficult to lip-read, but they also had to cope with me throwing in made-up words like ‘perfuncturolate’ – just to see J-P bruise his hands trying to finger-spell it, then watch as Anton asked him to spell it again, then Justin from the Taphouse explaining that it was a made-up word! Thanks for your understanding guys.

Here is part two of Professor Pilsner’s Ale Stars Trivia Quiz. Simple multiple choice. Pick one.

Part Two – Multiple Choice

6.The specially designed Duvel glass has which letter etched into the bottom to assist with carbonation;

A) B
B) C
C) A or
D) D

7. The 2 Brothers who operate the 2 Brothers brewery are;

A) Brad & Ross
B) Dave & Andrew
C) Cam & Dave or
D) Simon & Rob

8. In Elizabethan times the quality of commercial beer was tested by;

A) Sniffing it
B) Sipping it
C) Swilling it or
D) Sitting on it

9. The Munich Oktoberfest begins in which month;

A) September
B) October
C) December or
D) March

10. In 1892 Sapporro brewed Japan’s first;

A) Lager
B) Black Beer
C) Rice Wine Beer
D) Dry style beer

The answers to these questions - but not to why I chose them! - coming up tomorrow as well as Part Three, Odd One Out. Good Luck!

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner

Trivia Answers - Part One

If you haven’t already seen the first part of the Prof’s Ale Stars Trivia, look away now, here come the answers.

True or False answers.

1. The Pilgrims were landed at Plymouth Rock because the Mayflower was running out of beer.
TRUE

2. Queensland’s first telephone line ran from the Castlemaine Brewery to its city head office.
TRUE

3. During the Great Depression, Cascade Brewery handed out free malted barley extract to the unemployed.
FALSE – They handed out Beer

4. Well known brewer Ben Franklin wrote a scientific essay on avoiding flatulence by drinking perfume.
TRUE

5. Australia’s first legal pub was opened by a man transported for stealing brewing supplies.
FALSE – French born Londoner James Larra pinched a silver beer tankard

Part Two, Multiple Choice, coming up later this morning.

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner

Trivia, Tats and a little teasing

More notes on the Profs Ale Star experience
Part One – Tats & A Bit of Triv

When you are asked to fill in for someone who has taken a role and stamped it with his unique style and personality and thus made it his own you know that there are only two ways to handle the challenge. Do it different – or don’t do it all.

Shandy had graciously allowed your own Professor to take the reins of the unpredictable charging beast that is Ale Stars and, truth be told, for a while there, I was as toey as a Roman sandal until I realised that the key was to be my own Beer Bloke and not try to ‘out Shandy’ Shandy. But I felt that it was important to recognise his contribution to ‘the brand’. Pay homage, if you like. Or, more truthfully, take the piss.
Shandy, The Local Taphouse St Kilda Ale Stars Czar (try putting THAT on a business card) has a magnificent tattoo on the inside of his forearm. It’s not one of those ‘Bogan Stickers’ like you see displayed at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, nor is it a skilfully crafted work of art like fellow Ale Star Simon-Rob has, this is special and specific to him. It is his family name written in an ancient Celtic Code
Script. Now, to the unedu-macated it might look a bit like a Bar Code from a laser off the Enterprise, but it is actually a very nice piece of in and has great personal value to its owner. I decided that this was my chance to ‘raise a glass’ to my mate.

I couldn’t find a tattooist who knew any ancient Celtic Code Scripts so I had to go with the next best thing. Something very personal. Something very deep. Something very close to me;


It’s the Glen Waverley train line. Glen Waverley to Richmond, stopping all stations. Stand clear. Please. Stand clear.

I also wanted to dispel any rumours that the trivia I presented in Shandy’s place was designed so that NOBODY would win, thus preserving my stature as Ale Stars Trivia Whiz. This is not true. In fact, I was SO generous in my attempts to allow EVERYONE to win, that I gave the assembled crowd ALL THE ANSWERS! That’s right, multiple choice, True or False and Odd One Out! Every answer was read out – you just had to work out which of the four was the correct one. For those who couldn’t be there and for hose who care here is round One – True or False. Write your answers on a bit of paper – don’t write in the space provided cos it takes me ages to clean the laptop screen. Good Luck!

1. The Pilgrims were landed at Plymouth Rock because the Mayflower was running out of beer
________

2. Queensland’s first telephone line ran from the Castlemaine Brewery to its city head office.
_______

3. During the Great Depression, Cascade Brewery handed out free malted barley extract to the unemployed.
_______

4. Well known brewer Ben Franklin wrote a scientific essay on avoiding flatulence by drinking perfume.
_______

5. Australia’s first legal pub was opened by a man transported for stealing brewing supplies.
_______

Answers tomorrow as well as Part Two.

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner

Ale Stars Belgian Blond Ales

If your name is Shandy, here is the review of last nights Ale Stars.

It was OK.

Cheers.
Prof. Pilsner












If your name is NOT Shandy, keep reading down the page a bit.