Tag: Beer

The Great Aussie Beer Shed

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Most Australians love to escape with a beer or two. However Neil Thomas has taken this to a new level. He is the owner of the Great Aussie Beer Shed filled with over 20,000 cans from Australia and around the world he claims to have drunk over the last 45 years. It is a true Aladdin’s cave of wonder. Also in the mix are 4000 beer steins, beer bottles, beer holders, barrels, signs and other beer or alcohol related objects.

To get his guests in the mood, a drink is included with admission. I chose a Mexican beer and my husband a Stout. For anyone who didn’t drink alcohol there were soft drinks available. The Australian and world history we gained listening to Neil’s passion was memorable.

I hope you enjoy sharing our escape. If you every get the chance to travel to Echuca don’t miss this amazing museum.

The Yak used to advertise Yak Ales
The original Carlton Draught Clydesdales Carriage

This post was inspired by Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Escape.

Coffee Catch-Up #39

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If we were having coffee I would tell you how excited I was last Thursday to escape town for a few days. As I was finishing work on Wednesday afternoon I felt a little manic. My husband and I took a road trip to Tamworth, 3.5 hours northwest of Newcastle. It felt so weird when we crossed the imaginary line of our LGA (Newcastle Council) because during restrictions it was the limit we could travel to. We had planned to have lunch at an historic pub at Wingen many times and Thursday was the day.

To celebrate the first trip to a pub since lockdown ended I did what most Aussies did and ordered a beer on tap. I don’t often drink beer but thought why not. It was so cold, fresh and memorable. The food was also pretty good. I would have loved another beer but time did not permit. It was great to be out of the city connecting with the country again.

View from back verandah of The Durham Hotel

If we were having coffee I ask you if you picked the winner of last Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. In Australia it is known as the race that stops the nation and is Australia’s most famous house race. As it is over 3200 metres it is particularly hard to pick a winner for and this year proved no exception. The favourite, Incentivise was leading with 400m to go when suddenly Verry Elleegant swept in and won.

If we were having coffee how excited I was to find my missing house keys. These keys had been missing since before last Christmas and I had searched everywhere for them. I had given up hope. Then about a week ago I got to catch up with a girlfriend for breakfast. So I dressed up and matched my handbag to my outfit. Then just as we were leaving the café and I was searching for my mask I opened one of the many side pockets and to my surprise found my missing keys. I let out a shriek with excitement and made many heads turn.

If we were having coffee I would tell you about the hydofoil surfer I enjoyed watching this morning at the beach. He was difficult to photograph but mesmerising to watch. The beach was high tide and only the surfers were out because of the conditions.

If we were having coffee I would ask you what is happening in your world.

Thanks to Natalie The Explorer for hosting our weekendcoffeeshare.

Blogging From A-Z: A is Asahi Brewery

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Due to technical complications I am 3 days late to start this years A-Z challenge but I will start anyway and see how we go. Here’s hoping we can catch up by next week.

 

Beer is important in both Australian and Japanese cultures. So, it’s no surprise that when we went to Japan for my son and daughter-in-law’s wedding, our families bonded at the Asahi Beer Factory in Osaka.

The free tour was interesting and taught us how beer is made, bottled and packaged.  I loved the colourful display of old beer cans and bottles from around the world.

However, the real fun came when the brewery tour ended and the beer drinking started. We had 20 minutes to drink 3 freshly brewed beers of our choice if we dared. Challenge accepted. No problem.

X – XXXX Origins Beer

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I was 10 years old and we first traveled to Queensland and I first saw the XXXX beer label. Now over 40 years later the brand has grown into an Australian icon and I love that for its latest venture XXXX has gone back to its roots and named its beers after the working country areas of Queensland. I’m not a Queenslander but it still makes me proud.

The 36 towns featured are:

  • Atherton
  • Bellbowrie
  • Birdsville
  • Bluff
  • Cairns
  • Calen
  • Chinchilla
  • Cloncurry
  • Coolangatta
  • Curra
  • Deeragun,
  • Drillham
  • Emerald
  • Foxdale
  • Gatton
  • Gin Gin
  • Giru
  • Gladstone
  • Goondiwindi
  • Herberton
  • Inkerman
  • Jimboomba
  • Karara
  • Laura
  • Mackay
  • Maryborough
  • Mirani
  • Mount Isa
  • Nobby
  • Rockhampton
  • Roma
  • Stonehenge
  • Toowoomba
  • Townsville
  • Warwick
  • Windorah

If I ever see these beers in New South Wales I may even taste my first XXXX beer.

X – XXXX Island # A – Z Challenge

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XXXX Island—once known as Pumpkin Island—in 2012 was the 6th most expensive island in the world.  This was the time XXXX beer took out a lease to use the island for beer promotion. Described as the blokiest place in Australia—XXXX Island is open to men and women. You cannot buy a holiday here however, the only way to spend time on the island is to win a place. The key is to enter a competition and write in 25 words or less why you want to spend 4 days there. XXXX Island on Keppel Bay is natural, rustic and not luxurious but definitely full of fun. There appears to be something for everyone as long as you are happy to cook your own food and drink XXXX Gold.  The island accommodates 24 guests and 4 staff.  As there are  no power points on the island to recharge anything or to straighten or blow dry one’s hair you are guaranteed to slow down from the rat race. I’m good with either so bring it on—better start practising my writing skills and enter. You never know. Let me know what you think.

#A-Z Blogging Challenge

B – Beer Float

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Although Australian I choose to drink wine not beer. It wasn’t until our recent trip to Canada that I began to learn about beer. At lunchtime on New Years Eve in Montreal my husband and I had lunch at The 3 Brewers Microbrewery and decided to try a beer float.  Our beer float consisted of 6 beers all made on site:

  • White
  • Blonde
  • Amber
  • Brown
  • Christmas Beer—special beer of the month
  • Portobello

I was excited. This was a new experience for me, the beers were beautifully presented and looked appertising—something I would have never consider possible before. And now for the test—what were my thoughts. I tried all beers in order as they looked to get stronger as they went.

White – I enjoyed this unusual beer. It was light with a gingery feel and had a pleasant after taste. I could definitely trial a larger glass later.

Blonde – I had tried blonde beers before so the taste wasn’t unusual. It was wheaty and fruity and whilst pleasant it wasn’t my favourite.

Amber – Described by the microbrewery ” as a specialty found nowhere else” I did enjoy this beer. It had a light, caramel flavour that went particularly well with my lunch—Beef and Mushroom Poutine.

Brown – This was my least favourite beer. I found it a strong, malty flavour that I felt took over. It was interesting to try.

Christmas Cheer – Made only for the month of December this beer was very enjoyable. It had a fun, light, festive taste. The flavours did remind me of Christmas. It was one of my favourites.

Portobello – This beer was dark and strong. Surprisingly, I didn’t find it bitter like other strong beers so I did enjoy it although only in small quantities.

 It was a fun, practical learning experience and I am glad I took the risk. I will gaining more beer knowledge as the opportunity presents.

#AtoZChallenge

Beer Please?

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We arrived at the cafe in our hotel after an exhausting 22 hours in transit from Sydney, Australia to Zhenzhou, China. She was the first person we met and looked younger than her years. Her Chinese hospitality uniform stole any individuality she had. She was humble and worked hard trying to communicate with us despite her very broken English.

“Hello” she said. Handing us a menu.

“Hi” replied my husband, asking if she had any dark beer. She looked confused and began pointing at pictures understanding the word beer.

“This one?” she asked

“No” replied my husband.

“This one?”

“No.”

“I get help” she said and slowly walked to get her friend. She returned with her friend who appeared eager to help and looked at my husband.

“Do you have dark beer?” he asked.

“Yes, I think this one” she said as she pointed to a German dark beer written in Chinese.

“Yes” he said. Both girls looked at each other and smiled broadly, proud that  together they had met the needs of this Australian traveller.

“I get for you” replied our first waitress and she returned with the beer and a free bowl of beer nuts. My husband loved it.

This interaction began the nightly ritual of our stay in Zhenzhou.  During the day every time we walked passed the cafe our new friends would smile and wave if they were working and saw us.

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