Mid Strength Tinny at The Footy

Australia 52 v France 6

Rugby League World Cup

Played at Canberra Stadium

Friday 3 November 2017

348 Australian Beer Ticks

Craft Beer - How Far Have We Come

Just to explain. This Blog is a Look At Me, Ego Project. I'm in the lucky position of being able to cart myself around to watch a lot of football & cricket (& other capers). On my travels, I try to hunt down local craft & microbrewed beer. Dipping my toes into Corporate Big Industrial Sugar Water Beer if the needs must. I'm a committed Anorak. I'm the Media Officer for the Carrier Bag Firm. The point I'm making is. I keep lists.

When I left CBF HQ, I had already drunk 334 different Australian Beers. I do have some simple rules for ticking a beer, where, when, how much, etc. But, I'm prepared to break them if it helps. None of my previous ticks were from Pirate Life Brewing, Adelaide, South Australia. Yet, as we sat down for a departure celebration at Sheffield Station. On the way to Heathrow. On the way to Canberra via Singapore. The Sheffield Tap have got Pirate Life tins in the fridge. A distance of over 10,000 miles between the Brewery & the Sheffield Tap. It's a What A Time To Be Alive moment for capers like this. Fuck it. I'm ticking that. It's a Pukka Australia Craft Beer. I'm on my way…..

Pirate Life Brewing, Throwback IPA from a tin at 3.5%

Right. Once you've invented a New Ticking Rule. The floodgates open. Next up. The World Is Flat bar in Singapore Airport. We're still around 3,900 miles from Smeaton Grange, New South Wales. 3,900 miles from the home of Stockade Brew Co. But, there's the tick in Singapore Airport.

Stockade Brew Co, The Sesh, Golden Ale from a bottle at 4.1%.

Canberra Beer Hunting

I am heartily recommending Capital Brewing Co. On a small industrial estate in Fyshwick, Australian Capital Territory. I didn't look too closely. But most of the neighbours seemed to be Car Auction gaffs. Someone seems to have chucked a load of moolah at Capital Brewing. A large, bright, shiny kit. Just yards from us Drinker Punters. Lots & lots of space. Faux street food caravan in the corner. Lots of knowledgeable, attentive staff.

I didn't quite go through the card. But, it has now got a big dent in it. All these on keg...

Capital Brewing, Session XPA at 3.5%
Capital Brewing, Rock Hopper IPA at 6.1%
Capital Brewing, Trail Pale Ale at 4.7%
Capital Brewing, Evil Eye IPA at 6%
Capital Brewing, Dyeus Pilsner at 5%
Capital Brewing, Springboard Summer Ale at 4.6%
Capital Brewing, Trop Hopper IPA at 6.1%
Capital Brewing, Broken Shoulder Brown at 3.5%

The available in lots of places, flagship beer appears to be,
Capital Brewing, Coast Ale. Which I had from a bottle at 4.3%.

In case you didn't know, there is lots of rebadging in AUS. The same beer brewed & sold with different names in different places. Partly, it's a Tickers heaven. New name, buy it, drink it, tick it. Partly it's a Rule Dilemma. Should I, shouldn't I. Anyway. In a bar called Young & Frisky, Gunghalin, I had,

Capital Brewing Co Frisky Brown Ale, clearly badged for the bar, on keg. Across the lot, that is ten Capital. Now hear this. Get the message out. Not a bad 'un in there. OK, the Mangoed up Trop Hopper missed my point a bit. Basically all about the fruit, you might miss that it's beer. OK, there wasn't a grab your throat, make you stand up Hop Bomber. But, nitpicking. All, all worth a big go.

I loved the Springboard Summer Ale. A sort of Krystal Weisse style. Clear in the glass. But, deffo wheat based from the taste. Spice, banana, custard. Weisse leaning Wit. Very good. Someone has worked at that.

The Dyeus Pilsner was also up there. Disappointingly Unfiltered. But, it still tasted nice & dirty. Barley sugar sweet, then dissolves. Both that Pilsner & Summer reminding me I'm in Summer again down here.

I had a lovely two nations divided by one language moment in Frankie's At Forde. I asked the fella where the house badged Frankie's Draught had been brewed.
“In Geelong, at a brewery we're not allowed to name”

I gave him the smiling lot.

“Are you allowed to name the price or is it free?”
“If you don't name the Brewery, who do I complain to if it's awful?”
“How do I know it's not just one of the other kegs connected up to make it look like you've got more beers than you have?”

Wouldn't budge. Inscrutable the fella. If he's adamant, then I'll tick it. Did.

The Rugby

Not a bad experience. Just over 12k felt a bit on the small side to me. The Kangaroos in the National Capital. In a World Cup. 12k? Really? But, there are plenty of mismatches in this tournament. Your Aussie, he no likee. Anyway. A lovely length of the field try by Mark Kheirallah for France's only Try. Mark was born in Darlinghurst, New South Wales. Of Egyptian heritage. He played just one Australian NRL game for the Sydney Roosters in 2011. He subsequently chucked his lot in with Toulouse Olympique. Despite playing back in AUS for teams below NRL level, he qualifies for France by residency. Great Try.

I watched that. Sat in my seat drinking Legendary Brewing Co, Iron Jack from a tin at 3.5%. Mid Strength as my Australian Cousins would dub it. If Mark Kheirallah can become French for the day, I'll go with the Australian Flow.

Mid Strength tinny at the footy. It's what we've come for.

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