We set the table again for Brewers & Chewers

Our annual flagship event, Brewers & Chewers returns this year with an amazing lineup of guests from abroad and our own backyard. 

Hosted by the inimitable Professor Pilsner; the evening combines the elements of Meet the Brewer sessions, an intimate dinner party, and speed dating with musical chairs.  

This year we have invited 7 guest brewers to join 7 tables, and they rotate every 20 minutes. Lucky guests will be dining and chatting with brewing 'royalty', drinking delicious beers from said 'royalty', and enjoying a delicious 4 course menu around.

All beers on the night are included, and this is what we have:

Two Birds 'Taco'

Feral 'White Hog'

Nail 'Imperial Brown Ale'

Kooinda 'Mosaic Pale Ale'

Moon Dog 'Love Tap'

Bridge Road 'Umami Ale'

Nail 'Clout Stout'

Garage Project (Beer TBA)

DETAILS:

Thursday 24th October, 6:30pm

Tickets are still available, so book HERE and get in quick!

The SpecTAPular British & Irish Lions come to Darlo and show us a roaring good time!

Now that all the games are done, the bruises have their ice-packs and the sea of red are going home victorious it's time to reminisce...

This month, there was an event like no other. It united rival nations under the one roof. That's right. Britain against Australia, at the Local Taphouse's UK vs AUS SpecTAPular.

Featuring 10 amazing craft beers on tap from the UK, and 10 awesome Aussie beers on tap, as well as a handpump pulling an English-style Cask Conditioned Real Ale (brewed at The Australian Brewery), it was a beer event like no other.

Everyone here got involved in a big way, we were visited by The Queen herself as well as the Spice Girls, Lions and Braveheart. 

But the big question on everyone's lips was "Who won?"

It's hard to say, but I think we can all agree that Beer was the winner on the day.

 

  

The Critic’s Choice Top 100 Beers of 2012

Over the past week at The Local we have been tapping the daily countdown for The Critic’s Choice Top 100 Beers of 2012.  These are the top twelve beers in Australia according to The Beer Lovers Guide and that are on tap today.

4th July - Star Spangled SpecTAPular - Line Up Confirmed

OK, so lots of people have been asking me what the final line up is for the next installment of The Local's seasonal beer festival, the 'Star Spangled SpecTAPular' on 4th July.

So here goes....(drum roll please)....

From the famous and spectacular Rogue Ales, we have the following awesome beers for the first time on tap anywhere in Australia:

Dead Guy Ale (German Maibock)

Chocolate Stout (American Stout)

Saint Rogue Red (American Red Ale)

Hazelnut Brown Nectar (American Brown Ale)

XS: Imperial IPA (American / Double India Pale Ale)

XS: Imperial Stout (Imperial Stout)

For anyone who wants to know a little more about Rogue Ales, it's worth checking out their web site. The About Us page is a great little story too.

And, for the Aussie beers that we've managed to squeeze into this somewhat looseley defined theme.....(another drum roll please)....

2 Brothers Voodoo, VIC

(Baltic Porter - 1st time on tap in Oz!)

Arctic Fox Amber Lager, VIC

(American Amber Lager - 1st time on tap in NSW!)

Bootleg Brewery Epic 2IPA, WA

(American / Double India Pale Ale - 1st time on tap in VIC & NSW!)

Brewboys Brown Bomber, SA

(American Brown Ale - 1st time on tap in Oz!)

Bridge Rd Candied Quince Saison, VIC

(Fruit Beer - 1st time on tap in Oz!)

Colonial Brewing APA/IPA, WA

(American Pale Ale - 1st time on tap in NSW!)

Holgate Brewhouse Nut Brown Ale, VIC

(American Brown Ale - 1st time on tap in Oz!)

Hunter Beer Co. Cranky Pants IPA, NSW

(India Pale Ale - 1st time on tap in Oz!)

Moo Brew Pale Ale, TAS

(American Pale Ale - 1st time on tap in NSW & 2nd time in VIC!)

Mountain Goat Steam Ale, VIC

(Steam Ale / California Common - 1st time on tap in NSW!)

MT Brewery Yippy IPA, QLD

(India Pale Ale - 1st time on tap in VIC & NSW!)

Murray's Icon 2IPA, NSW

(American / Double India Pale Ale - back by popular demand!)

Red Duck Bengal IPA, VIC

(India Pale Ale - 1st time on tap in Oz!)

Two Meters Tall Cleansing Ale, TAS

(Real Ale / American Blonde Ale - 1st time on tap on the mainland!)

So there you have it peeps! I'm pretty excited about the line up packed full of sensational beers and plenty of exclusives. A couple are being brewed specifically in time for the event and don't officially have a name yet, so we're feeling pretty lucky. The line up is almost good enough to get Steve on a plane and back here to taste all the beers before they run out!

Looking forward to seeing you all at both Melbourne and Sydney for the next installment of the SpecTAPular series of beerfests....

Ale Stars 3rd Meeting - Report

There was another Ale Stars session last Tuesday - this time looking at German celebration lagers. There was another great turnout and it was great to see quite a few hanging around afterwards.

JJ will post a report shortly.

Next session is on Tuesday October 21st. It will feature Farmhouse Ales and special guest will be Ben Kraus, Head Brewer from Bridge Road Brewery and brewer of Chevalier Saison (and Bier de Garde). $25 for 4 x beer samples and food. Samples to include Ben's Saison, Du Pont Saison, Trois Monts Biere de Garde and another example. You must prebook (and prepay) at the top of this blog.

Hope to see you there!

Heaps of exciting beer events coming up

It's been a big day organising a bunch of events but here's some of what I can divulge!

First, I may have locked in a Victorian exclusive for our 100th different beer we've had on tap. In just a couple of weeks, we'll SMS out to our SMS database and invite our supporters to come and sample this new interstate beer for free (2 glasses each!).

ALE STARS SESSION (September)
Next Tuesday, this session focusses on German celebration lagers. Deadline for booking this Sunday (tomorrow). See here for more info.

OCTOBERFEST SPECTAPULAR (Sat 4th Oct)
A huge day of German revelry from noon with 10 German beer styles imported and 10 Australian brewed German styles. Oompa band, slap dancers, yodellers and cowbell ringers will join us as well! It's free to enter - we have limited capacity so get there early..

COOPERS CLUB EVENT
October - date and event TBC: Dr Tim Cooper (Coopers Head Brewer) in attendance.

ALE STARS SESSION (October)
Tuesday October 21st - Ale Stars session on Farmhouse Ales featuring Ben Kraus, Head Brewer from Bridge Road Brewery and brewer of Chevalier Saison (and Bier de Garde). $25 for 4 x beer samples and food. Samples to include Ben's Saison, Du Pont Saison, Trois Monts Biere de Garde and another example.

ROGUE ALES EXCLUSIVE(November)
THURSDAY November 6th - the very first chance in Australia for punters to sample newly arrived Rogue Ales (legendary American craft beers) featuring 10 x 60ml samples of 10 different Rogue Ales. Entry will be $25 - $30 (TBC) and includes gourmet pizzas. There may be special guest(s) as well - watch this space..

ALE STARS SESSION (December)
(Tues 16th TBC) - Wheat beers session with a cristal, a heffe, a dunkel and a weizenbock (or perhaps wit).

ALE STARS SESSION (Jan or Feb):
Pale lagers with obviously a classic pils, a modern NZ hop inspired pils, a Munich style helles and one other style.

SUMMER SPECTAPULAR BEERFEST:
Australia Day weekend (TBC) - Summer themed beers from all over Australia on tap @ The Local Taphouse.

BETTER BEER 101
Oh, and I forgot that we will soon introduce a monthly session for novice beer drinkers new to better beers to learn a little about the difference in beer styles the best way I know - sampling!

Any ideas for events welcome!

Rogues Samples from the US

I don't want to make you too jealous but I'm sitting here sampling one of 24 Rogue beers that have been sent to me. Tough life huh? We will be getting some Rogues to sell soon so watch this space.

On another front, we've just tapped Bridge Road's new Chestnut Lager..

Barking Duck Saison is "warehoused" by MB. Replaced by Bridge Rd Saison

Matilda Bay, in their wisdom, have warehoused their Barking Duck Saison and (if rumour is correct) their Vienna Lager, Rooftop Red although their new beers are on the way. We finished our last Duck keg the other day and will replace it ASAP with Bridge Road's excellent Chevalier Saison.