Get dressed for The Rocky Horror Picture Show in Sydney!

When's the last time you got dressed up? Embraced the freak in you? Joined the rest of the freaks? It's time!!

On Tuesday 18th December we're screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show as part of the final installment for Silent Cinema 2012 and not only do we want you there but we want you there and dressed to the 9's.

Tickets are only $10 - not only does this get you a seat to watch this great film, but wireless headphones, popcorn, a glass of Innocent Bystander wine or a Trumer Pils. We know what you're thinking, McHoly Jeebus that's a good deal, and you now what, you're right.

We're all going to make a massive effort for this one, but only you get the chance to win best dressed and that winner gets a bottle of Veuve Cliquot 

Tickets are limited and selling fast so, don't mess about, click here now and join in the fun!!

See you here!!

Less than a week until the Last AleStars in Darlinghurst for 2012

With less than a week to go, and with the last Ale Stars of 2012 really taking shape, you can see that our Cellar Manager David Osgood is not only model material, but he is also now in possession of the beers you want and need!

The line up for next Wednesday's Ale Stars is looking something like this...

Local Taphouse & Bridge Road Bar Series presents "13 Hours on a Bus"
Bear Republic's "Racer 5"
Doctors Orders "Zephyr"
Nogne O "#500"

As Christmas is lurking around the corner like one of Santa's drunken little elves we thought it would only be right if we had a few prezzies and surprises for you as well but you'll have to wait until Wednesday night to see what they are...Okay we'll give you a clue, could they be a special guest? Another beer perhaps? Some cool merchandise or Miranda Kerr filling up your glass on the night? You'll just have to wait. (Please note: Miranda Kerr odds are at 10:1)

We've also taken our theme and come up with a delicious dinner for everyone as well so don't fear. 

Trivia will be focused on this years events regarding The Local Taphouse, Beer news in Australia and a few other cheeky ones too. 

Tickets are a mere $40, doors open at 7pm and the good times will no doubt go till late. 

If you haven't booked yet, please click here. 

Hope to see you all here! 

Hottest 100 2009 results announced!

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!

I hope wherever you are around this great land, whether its at a barby, at the Big Day Out, or even at work, I hope it is a great day.

Now down to business. The votes have been cast and they have been counted (incidentally the counting part is not something I would wish on anyone).

Almost double the number of people than last year voted for their top 10 Australian Craft beers of 2009 and more than 450 beers received at least one vote. Voters were from all over Australia.

Congratulations to all of the brewers for their great beers...I hope yours is on this list.

Drumroll please.....

1 Little Creatures Pale Ale (WA)
2 Murrays Icon Double IPA (NSW)
3 Matilda Bay Fat Yak (VIC)
4 Mountain Goat Hightail Ale (VIC)
5 Hargreaves Hill ESB (VIC)
6 Matilda Bay Alpha Pale Ale (VIC)
7 Feral Hop Hog IPA (WA)
8 White Rabbit Dark Ale (VIC)
9 Knappstein Reserve Lager (SA)
10 Jamieson Beast IPA (VIC)
11 Little Creatures Bright Ale (WA)
12 Coopers Pale Ale (SA)
13 James Squire Golden Ale (NSW)
14 Stone & Wood Draught Ale (NSW)
15 Holgate Chocolate Temptress (VIC)
16 Murrays Nirvana Pale Ale (NSW)
17 Bridge Road Bling IPA (VIC)
18 Coopers Sparkling Ale (SA)
19 Feral White (WA)
20 James Squire Amber Ale (NSW)
21 Moo Brew Pale Ale (TAS)
22 Murrays Grand Cru (NSW)
23 Kooinda Pale Ale (VIC)
24 Hawthorn Pale Ale (VIC)
25 Coopers Vintage Ale (SA)
26 James Squire Mad Brewers 10 20 Commemorative Ale (NSW)
27 2 Brothers Growler (VIC)
28 Red Hill Imperial Stout (VIC)
29 Bridge Rd Chevalier Saison (VIC)
30 James Squire Hop Thief (NSW)
31 Brew boys Ace of Spades Stout (SA)
=32 Holgate ESB (VIC)
=32 Mountain Goat Steam Ale (VIC)
=34 Barons Black Wattle (NSW)
=34 Moo Brew Imperial Stout (TAS)
36 Red Hill Scotch Ale (VIC)
37 Temple Saison (VIC)
38 Mountain Goat Rapunzel (VIC)
39 Coopers Extra Stout (SA)
40 Wicked Elf Pale Ale (NSW)
41 Boatrocker Alpha Queen (VIC)
42 James Squire India Pale Ale (NSW)
43 3 Ravens 55 (VIC)
=44 Grand Ridge Moonshine (VIC)
=44 Mountain Goat IPA (VIC)
46 Moo Brew Dark Ale (TAS)
47 Coopers 62 Pilsner (SA)
48 Lobethal Pale Ale (SA)
=49 Bridge Road oak aged Imperial Porter (VIC)
=49 Grand Ridge Gippsland Gold (VIC)
=49 James Squires Sundown Lager (NSW)
=49 Murrays Anniversary Ale 4 (NSW)
53 Feral Boris Russian Imperial Stout (WA)
54 Brew Boys Maiden Ale (SA)
=55 William Bull Red Angus Pilsner (NSW)
=55 Red Hill Temptation (VIC)
57 Murray’s Pilsener (NSW)
58 Little Creatures Rogers (WA)
59 James Squire Porter (NSW)
60 Lord Nelson Three Sheets (NSW)
61 Feral Razorback Barleywine (WA)
=62 Murrays Wild Thing Imperial Stout (NSW)
=62 Nail Brewing Stout (WA)
64 Brewboys Seeing Double (SA)
65 James Squire Pilsner (NSW)
66 Holgate Brewery Hopinator (VIC)
=67 Bridge Rd Brewers Beechworth Australian Ale (VIC)
=67 Matilda Bay Dogbolter (VIC)
69 Sunshine Coast Munich Dunkel (QLD)
70 Colonial IPA (WA)
=71 Bridge Road brewers Chevalier Bier De Garde (VIC)
=71 Mountain Goat Surefoot Stout (VIC)
=71 Nail Ale (WA)
=74 Hargreaves Hill Pale Ale (VIC)
=74 Otway Estate Prickly Moses Red Ale (VIC)
76 Barons ESB (NSW)
77 Bright Brewery Staircase Porter (VIC)
=78 Gage Roads IPA (WA)
=78 Holgate Big Reg (VIC)
=78 Murrays Sassy Blonde (NSW)
=78 Stone and Wood Pale Lager (NSW)
=82 Barons Pale Ale (NSW)
=82 Bridge Rd Celtic Red (VIC)
=82 Flying Horse Dirty Angel Porter (VIC)
=85 Bridge Road The Harvest Pale Ale (VIC)
=85 Feral Fanta Pants Imperial Red Ale (WA)
=87 2 Brothers Voodoo (VIC)
=87 Matilda Bay Beez Neez (VIC)
=89 Burleigh Hefeweizen (QLD)
=89 Coopers Dark Ale (SA)
=89 Murrays Dark Knight (NSW)
=92 Holgate Double Trouble (VIC)
=92 Red Duck Bengal Tiger IPA (VIC)
=92 Wig and Pen Russian Imperial Stout (ACT)
=95 Colonial Kolsch (WA)
=95 Holgate Nut Brown Ale (VIC)
=95 Lord Nelson Old Admiral (NSW)
=95 Red Oak Organic Pale Ale (NSW)
=95 Wig and Pen Brewers IPA (ACT)
=100 Bridge Road Pale Ale (VIC)
=100 Red Oak Belgian Chocolate Stout (NSW)

We'll pick a random voter out of hat shortly and they will win a case of each of the Top 5 beers (subject to availability)!

Cheers,

The Local Crew.

New Years Eve in St Kilda... What a cracker!! (with pics)

We welcomed a new decade with a bang on Thursday night. A huge crowd rolled in for the festivities and the dancefloor was rocking.

Almost everyone got into the 1920s theme and the array of gangsters, flapper dresses and the 'onesy' swimming costume made us feel like we had all stepped back in time.

The beers flowed and the vibe was awesome.

A massive thanks to Sim and the Holiday Adventure for the entertainment and thanks to all of the local and not so local punters who made the night so special.

Thanks again to everyone for making our 2009 a great year. We look forward to making 2010 just as great.

For all the pics from the night click here.

Cheers and Beers,

Steve, Guy, Justin, James, Ben, Beccy and all the Local Crew.

Best beer bars of the world...

With Steve galavanting around the world as we speak its appropriate I came across a post on Beeraholix that lists one person's best beer bars of the world. Obviously he's yet to have a Taphouse experience.

Whilst Steve has probably been to all of them (and may indeed be sitting in one right now), I've been to none of them so this article is enough to make me want to pack my bags and escape Melbourne's winter. I like the sound of Burp Castle!

My only concern is in a list of best beer bars in the world there seems to be little representation of venues outside of the US.

Click here to view the list.

An amazing evening of Beer & Food with the Beer Diva

I'm really excited to announce that we've finally locked in this coming Wednesday 27th May for our first Beer & Food night with the Beer Diva at our Sydney venue!

The Beer Diva will be taking us through 8 brilliant beers and 5 delicious dishes in a fun, relaxed and informative session all for $60 per person.

This is what Bill Taylor, brewer and author of Beer & Food - A Celebration of Flavours, says about the Beer Diva:

"I have hosted and attended more than a few beer dinners over the years but never one like this. The Beer Diva has style and a fresh approach that will knock your hops off!"

There are still places left for this event so get in quick. Advanced bookings are essential via Payal on the right hand side of this blog.

The Beer Diva will be kicking things off at 7pm so get here a little early and enjoy a beer in our upstairs bar.

Melbournians don't despair! The Beer Diva will be coming to Melbourne as well soon.

Mardi Gras 2009!

Well we managed to survive the madness that was Mardi Gras!

With the parade coming right past our front door we braced ourselves for a huge one. It was all on deck for our staff - some of whom had only worked 2 or 3 shifts with us. There was also Jeff, Guy and myself looking after things and Clauds up from Melbourne to give us a hand. And then there were the 'ring ins' some of whom come to help us out at less than 24hrs notice.

We spent what was a quiet afternoon getting ready and watching people arrive to get a good spot parade side. And then at about 7 the crowds started flowing in. They kept flowing in and we were almost full for five or six hours, with queues up the street for a while. The cheesy tunes were pumping and the dancefloor went off. Some of the outfits were eye openers to those of us who hadn't experienced mardi gras before, as were the dance moves.

It was a great effort by everyone and a fun night had by all. Here's few pics and more will be on flickr soon. Cheers.

Thats pretty F@#$ing impressive!

Its great to see punters wander in to our new venue and get as excited as we are about it... We had a visit from Jason - a home brewer from Brisbane - last night who was in town on business and made a beeline for the Taphouse as soon as he could. He approached the bar, looked up at the beer list and, amazed, asked if all 20 listed beers were on tap. The answer was of course yes and he simply turned to the bar tender and said "thats pretty f#&%ing impressive".

Jason then went on to call mates from Brisbane to Melbourne (one of which wants a Local Taphouse in Brisbane right now) to read them the list of beers he had at his disposal and embarked on a tasting paddle of the biggest beers we had to offer including the Feral Razorback which went down a treat at 11.5%.

Guy and I gave him the royal tour and his other descriptions of the bar included F#%&ing phenomenal, bloody awesome, and you've got to be joking!

Nice one Jase - we look forward to seeing you again. Cheers, Justin & Guy

Funny Beer Commercial

I thought it would be fun to post some great TV ads about beer.  Here's the first and let me know if you come across any yourself!

Space Beer

Japanese beer-lovers can anticipate an out-of-this-world brew: suds made with barley descended from grains that traveled in outer space.

A JAPANESE brewery is planning to produce the world's first "space beer"
using barley once stored at the International Space Station.

Researchers said the project was part of efforts to prepare for a future in
which humans spend extended periods of time in space and might like a cold beer
after a space walk.

Japanese brewery Sapporo Holdings said it would make beer using the third
generation of barley grains that had spent five months on the International
Space Station in 2006.

"We want to finish the beer by November. It will be the first space beer,''
Sapporo executive Junichi
Ichikawa told reporters.

The company will have enough space grain to produce about 100 bottles of
beer but has no immediate plan to make it a commercial venture, Sapporo
officials said.

The company teamed up on the project with Okayama
University biologist Manabu Sugimoto, who has been part of a Russian space
project to explore ways to grow edible plants in space.
Barley can grow in
relatively tough environments, such as high and low temperatures, and is rich in
fibre and nutrients, making it ideal for space agriculture, the associate
professor said.

"In the future, we may reach a point where humans will spend an extended
period of time in space and must grow food to sustain ourselves,'' Sugimoto
said.

As of now, scientists have not detected any differences between Earth-grown
and space barley, said Sugimoto, who will present DNA analysis of his findings
before a conference in Canada in July.

"In the long run, we hope our space research will be not just about
producing food, but about enjoying food and relaxing,'' Sugimoto said.

It was the latest space experiment with food.

South Korea's first astronaut, Yi So-Yeon, brought kimchi into space last
month, while Japan has previously sent noodles into orbit.

University researchers developing cancer-fighting beer

Local imbiber Jurgen has graciously emailed me an article about a team of researchers at Rice University in Houston who are working to create a beer that could fight cancer and heart disease.

Taylor Stevenson, a member of the six-student research team and a junior at Rice, said the team is using genetic engineering to create a beer that includes resveratrol, the disease-fighting chemical that's been found in red wine.

Read the article here and keep the contributions coming!

Here's an interesting review of Fosters Lager found on You Tube

Thanks to Ale Star Steve, here's a link to a You Tube review of Fosters Lager. Dude, it's interesting to say the least...

Brewer accused of ripping-off iBeer idea

The magician and inventor whose creation is at the centre of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit over a download that transforms the iPhone into a virtual glass of beer says he was surprised and hurt to discover that his idea had been pilfered.

Read the article here.

A wise investment in beer!

An American friend emailed this funny story to me:

To put the Wall Street crash into perspective and in case you wondered about the 'best' option for your future retirement planning—

If you had purchased $1,000 of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00

With Enron stock, you would have $16.50.

With WorldCom, you would have less than $5.00 left.

If you had purchased $1,000 of Delta Air Lines stock, you have have $44.00 left.

If you had purchased United Airlines, you would have nothing left.

But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for a aluminium recycling refund, you would have $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle. This is called the 401-Keg Plan!!

1st Leffe Blonde 3 Litre

We just served our very first Leffe Blonde 3 litre - yep thats not a Magnum, its a Jereboam of one of Belgiums finest.

The Lucky customers were Dom and Sam and despite the $120 price tag, they said "this is the best life decision we've ever made"... and you get the feeling they've made some good ones!

Is this the world's best (fake) TV ad?

A friend emailed me this video clip tonight exclaiming it's the best beer ad ever. He's not far off the mark. It's very funny, very lewd but very fake. Diageo, owners of Guinness, have had You Tube take it off their site a number of times so I'm not sure how long this will be active.

Proof - at last - that beer goggles really work

A few stiff drinks really does make other people appear more attractive, according to researchers who say the alcohol makes us think about sex.

Read more here..

Britain's Oldest Beer

A sensational cache of bottled beers dating back over 130 years has been discovered in Burton upon Trent, the home of Great British brewing. Found recently in the Worthington's White Shield brewery vaults, many are still in fine condition with their corks and wax seals still in place.

Read more here.

Breakfast in a Beer Bottle?

The name "breakfast beer" comes about from beers that contain many breakfast ingredients, including coffee, oatmeal and milk sugar. Sounds too good to be true? Read more from this blog entry.

A pub built from beer crates

This would be probably have to be one of the most daft things I've ever seen!


Beer Crate Bar - More bloopers are a click away