A nod to the bottlo

So my posts to date have all been about pubs, breweries and their beers but there is an important area of "all things beer related" - the bottle shop. 

Too often bottle shops won't really stock a range of craft beers as the market is still small, [and the fresher the beer the better for 'crafties'] but there are a few that standout as great places to buy beer for that footie game on the TV or the BBQ...

So my favourite has been +Beer Cartel but it's not really that convenient to get to for me, or anyone really (it's in an industrial estate in the back streets of Artamon) so if are planning a party or event, head there to pick up some unusual and beers from all over the world. How they manage to get such a wide range of beers from every country known to man is impressive! And with the US, NZ and UK craft beer scene so good, having a place that stocks a decent number of beers from there and elsewhere is great. 

I also have to give +little bottle shop of Glebe a little/big shout as well as it too has a few very hidden gems, and considering it is small makes it even better.

But I have to say my 'go to' bottle shop is  +Balmain Wine Shop.   

The dedicated craft beer sign... that's a 'good sign' it's a good place.

a fridge of international beers

A couple of fridges of craft beers with a focus on inner west breweries

What I really like about it is that it has a focus on inner west breweries, which there are many, and many of them are some of the best in Sydney. But they also have a wide array of other craft beers over their many fridges! They also do a really good selection of world beers, from the bigger breweries (opposed to the more boutique breweries that the beer cartel offer) and they also have another couple of fridges full of your normal lagers and the traditional chiller room you walk into on a stinking hot day to cool down for slabs of beer (I love that term - slab of beer; it really is a better way of saying a crate!). I really do believe that Balmain Wine Bar has the formula - normal beers, through to global lagers with a big mix of Australian and then inner west Sydney beers all in the mix. Shortnecks, longnecks and slabs are all on offer. 

The only thing that is missing is growlers (a big bottle of 1.89 ltrs traditionally which you use to refill your beer with. The upside of them is it is cheaper as there is no bottling costs for the brewery but the downside is that it has to be drunk on the day otherwise it will go flat). 

A christmas stocking gift for beer lovers!

So I have read two articles (one from the thousands newsletter and the other in this months Beer and Bewery magazine) recently regarding beer soap - yes soap using the used hops when making beer and it struck me that this would be a fun and slightly unusual gift to give a beer lover. 

If you are in WA, head here http://www.thebrewersdray.com.au/index_files/beer_soap.html

If you are in Sydney, Young Henrys have it in the brewery bar or I am sure if you cantact them through the website etc http://www.younghenrys.com/ they will be able to sort you out.

Etsy have a number on offer too!  https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/TheBeerSoapCompany

Failing that, the Beer Cartel will probably be able to sort you out with their many beer gifts online - http://www.beercartel.com.au/epages/BeerCartel.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BeerCartel/Categories/Gifts__Merchandise

For the international readers - 

If you are in the UK - Staustel Brewery can post it too you http://www.staustellbrewery.co.uk/article/brewery-launches-the-perfect-bar-of-beer-soap

If you are in the US - The beer Soap Co can help you out  http://www.thebeersoapcompany.com/ 


Merry Christmas, and remember to leave a craft beer out on Chistmas eve for Santa (and one for Rudolph too - he is sick of the carrots... ;)

'Santa' Neil

Bank hotel - Uncle Hops Craft Beer Bar

So I was in Newtown mid week and we meandered into the Bank Hotel for a cheeky mid week meal and a few beers. This place is huge! But there is a crafty surprise in the back of this place - the old back bar has become the hops bar - a craft beer cave where the taps rotate ever week.   

Like many other typical aussie pubs in the front bar...

Now anyone that knows the history of the Bank Hotel knows that it has certainly changed - it used to be a bit of a dive so the renovations have transformed the place.

Hop on to the back bar...

So it really feels like its a bar in a bar as it has its own name, doors and the bar staff wear different outfits. They also work in the Hops bar opposed to rotate between the Banks Bar and Uncle Hops.

Its a bar in a bar! 

You can really feel the different crowd that comes here, but there is a real limitation - it only serves beer - one of the group was drinking wine, so we had to set up a tab and she went to the front bar while we ordered our beers. You also have to order food at the front as well. This is the thing - while it is working hard to differentiate itself from being a "back bar" it limits itself to being just craft beer.  And that makes me ask the question - is this just a dressed up back bar to get more people through the door or is it something different - i.e. two stand alone bars, for different people, under one roof? I would like to see it really being more stand alone - to represent the different clientele and be another craft beer pub on the list and it doesn't feel it is quite there yet.   

Anyway, the food was tasty - I had the pulled pork burger and one of the others ordered a pizza and it didn't disappoint... 

Someone has stabbed my burger!!!

So for drinks, I ordered a Murrays Fred IPA, but it was a Wednesday, which meant that while they advertised the beers for the week, most of the beers won't arrive until Thursday so I think there was only 7 out of the 12 taps available (which still is a decent number!). They only offer middies and pints - awesome, pints should be the standard serve in my opinion! I do like how craft beer places are defaulting more and more to pints - I think the problem is that craft beer would be too expensive for a schooner, and that craft beers don't last as long so they need to get through the keg as quick as possible. 

I then asked the barman if he had Young Henrys Newtowner, and he didn't - only their Real Ale and Cider. Now, if I was mayor of Newtown, I would only offer a bar licence if they had the Newtowner on permanently on tap. Now I love rotating taps but the YH range should be locked in for Newtown pubs, but thats just my crazy thoughts! 
So I had the Australian Brewery Extra Hops Ale - as you can see below, small head, slightly dark body and full of hops! My mouth was tasting hops for days! It was a good solid beer to sit and have while chatting away. A bit like James Squires Copper Ale but with more punch.  

A pint or middy is the serving sizes... 

I finished the night with a Edge and Stillwater 'Angel of Zest'. I have never heard of Edge and Stillwater - it's a US brewery. It really was in the wrong order - this is a bit like a Saison and a bit like a Belgian wheat beer - big citrus flavours with the bitterness you want from a saison and a really light body. An interesting beer, and I have written about Saisons before here. I think this a good beer, but not my favourite Saison (but I think it was influenced by the Extra Hoppy Ales I had before!).

Overall, the staff knew their stuff, the refurb of the overall pub is good, and if you are in Newtown looking for a few craft beers after a visit to YH brewery, here is a half decent shout.