Archive
Doctor’s Orders Brewing, Night Nurse and Zephyr all at Murray’s at Manly
“Stout White Stout”
So, after a quick swim at Manly I popped into Murray’s with one of the bambinos for a quick spot of lunch. Now, whilst I love a good Murray’s, I also like how Murray’s has a couple of guest taps on the go, and it is almost always interesting stuff – Australian Brewery, Pinchgut Brewing or in today’s case Doctor’s Orders Brewing. In fact, the Doctor had done well, because he had two of his offerings on the go – the Zephyr Double White Ale and Night Nurse Stout White Stout. (There’s nothing straightforward about a Doctor’s Orders Brewing beer).
The latest version of Zephyr
So I opt for a Zephyr to accompany my calamari, and whilst sipping away on what is a cracking beer I enter it into Untappd. My daughter’s eyes roll, but we settle into enjoying the view and the beer (or in her case a pink lemonade). Zephyr is an Australian take on a “White Ale morphing into a Belgian Witbier”. As well as coriander, it uses Australian botanicals like lemon myrtle in the mix. It is very, very refreshing and so well made you wouldn’t know that it was a 7.5%’er. I was debating whether to order the Night Nurse, when a guy at the next table starts grinning at me. “Happy chappy – I thought”. As I summon the waitress another bloke from the table comes over and says “Are you Back of the Ferry because I’m the Doctor”. Turns out that the Doctor aka @DrsOrdersBrewin was on a little brewers day out with a couple of lads from Australian Brewery and saw my check-in. My daughter tried to find somewhere to hide and the Doctor and I got chatting. Turns out that the Doctor is a old mate of Shawn Sherlock, who is the head brewer of Murray’s. The Doctor is a self confessed “cuckoo brewer”, brewing his concoctions at other people’s breweries. He is currently brewing out of Australian Brewery at Rouse Hill and Young Henrys at Newtown.
Doc and BotF
And so to my second beer – Night Nurse Stout White Stout, which is a collaboration that the Doctor has made with Young Henrys. One of the good things about a Doctor’s Orders Brewing beer is its name. This is a fellow whose seasonal beers have been called “Defibrillator”, “Synapse”, “Iron Lung” and Plasma” in the past, so of course the name is unusual. Another good thing about a Doctor’s Orders Brewing beer is that they challenge you. When you order a stout – you expect black. As the Doctor told me, stout in this instance means strong, when stout was an adjective and not a beer style. He said think “Imperial English Summer Ale”. It’s another cracker – definitely strong and complex, but again refreshing. Loved it. It isn’t often you get to try a beer with a brewer in another brewer’s pub. Thanks for saying gidday Doc, and I’m looking forward to your next prescription.
Half the Murray’s list
Leffe Vieille Cuvee and a Yeer in Beer
A bucolic setting
Even on the finest of winter days, the twilight is chilly, the rugs come out and a big strong beer is required. Terrigal’s Vintage Cellars had a variety of Leffe (Vieille Cuvee) that I hadn’t seen before – and if a brewer can be relied upon for a big strong beer – it is Leffe. According to Beer Advocate, there are 11 varieties of Leffe – and the most common in Australia, whether on tap or in bottles, are Leffe Blond and Brune. Neither of these are for the faint hearted – both over 6%. This is wimpy, however compared to Vieille Cuvee, which comes in at a heart warming 8.2%. Another BotF correspondent – Cyril Dickthorpe – is on assignment in Europe (@Untapping and tweeting furiously, but not posting) and he tried a 8.5% Leffe Tripel. I’d imagine that was so chunky you could carve it. Whilst the Leffe livery points to this being an Abbey beer, it has been a while since Leffe was brewed in an abbey and it is now brewed in Leuven – the headquarters of Anheuser-Busch Inbev, its owner. The monks still make a good earn from the licencing and according to their own website – the Abbey Fathers keep on eye on things. Whilst the Vieille Cuvee is more solid than your average beer – it did leave me a little underwhelmed. The initial taste is rich and fruity, but it does die away quite quickly. The warmth of the alcohol stays, but it just didn’t hold for as long as I expected.
A sunset drop
Now, a number of readers alerted me to the article in last week’s Sydney Morning Herald (and the Age I think), which you can read here Yeer in Beer. This article generated a little bit of a hub-bub on the beer blooger and twitterverse – (For example). Most of the comment centred around – “What? 366 beers in a year? Huh – piffle – easy”. On one hand, I’m inclined to agree. The authors found it hard to source beers in a five km radius of where they live and ran out of options within two months. The article doesn’t reveal their locale – but gees, even Sydney’s Hills District has a Dan Murphys within a 5km radius. Other duopoly owned bottlos like Vintage Cellars are starting to stock varieties from all over (Broome, US, Scotland etc).
I think what has added a degree of difficulty is the edict “One a Day” and no stocking up for a bender. If they live in a part of Sydney (Australia) where there is a dearth of pubs – that makes it hard. Let’s face – you can go to Murray’s at Manly for 18 days straight and have a different beer each time off the tap. Other side of the Corso and you end up at Four Pines and depending whether the Keller Door has been opened, you can drink for 10 days straight and have a different beer each time. By the end of that 28 days, there’s a fair chance Murray’s will have something different again.
Good luck to the Yeer in Beer crew. The hardest part of the challenge will be the discipline of writing each day. The challenge itself is easy, and I guess people were so surprised that such an easy challenge received such wide publicity.
Punk Monk and the tautologically wet Manly Food & Wine Festival
A beauty – nice beerglassphemy
The travel brochures advertising Manly and its delights will always show beautifully clear days with rolling surf, smiling happy people and a general vibe of perfection. Fair enough – quite often Manly is just like that. I haven’t seen any promotional materials for the Manly Food & Wine Festival or the Manly Jazz Festival – events that are held annually – but both would be misleading if they contained a hint of sunshine. We’ve previously commented on the shocking meteorological luck of the Manly Jazz Festival. A similar fate befell the Manly Food & Wine Festival on the weekend.
An annually familiar event
I thought I may have been a little harsh with my recollection, but infrequent contributor – l0der – confirmed my view that the Manly Food and Wine Festival is as unlucky as the Manly Jazz Festival. Perhaps the Manly Jazz Festival suffers more extreme weather – but it’s almost always overcast. Fortunately Manly is opening more and more places on the beachfront, so there’s plenty of options to get out of the rain. Murray’s at Manly is quite kid friendly during the day so after a soggy quick perusal of what the stalls had to offer it is a perfect place to seek shelter. The beauty of Murray’s is that you can watch the people parade along North Steyne and check out the surf.
Great tap head
My tipple of choice was a Murray’s offering that has been around for a while – Punk Monk. This is a beer not to be underestimated. Punk Monk weighs in a hefty 7.5%, but doesn’t taste as such. There’s plenty of powerful flavours and there’s the earthiness of his Libertine along with the yeastiness of a Belgian Ale. Nice and bubbly off the tap and maybe it was my pouring, but it produces a souffle-like head that lasts and lasts. Quite easy to polish off a couple of these – maybe that’s why Murray’s doesn’t serve stuff over 6%(?) in a pint glass.
Umbrella anyone?
By the way, there is a severe weather warning for Sydney for the next couple of days – mountainous seas and high winds. Unfortunately this correspondent will be in Melbourne, but if there’s a BotF salty seadog up for the journey – it’d be great to hear about it all.
Easter Ale, the late, great MP and Bells
Hot Cross Bun in a glass
About 24 years ago, I remember drinking a beer brewed specifically for Easter. It was, (I think – it was a long time ago), a chocolate beer made by Matilda Bay. It was in a 500ml swing top and it tasted not too different to an Easter egg. Fast forward a couple of decades and then some, and the closest I’ve come to an Easter beer is a chocolate stout or porter.
The description says it all
Now I wasn’t thinking, when I saw the label for Murray’s Easter offering which claimed his Easter Ale was “raisin’ the bar”. I was expected something very dark and chocolatey – and was completely surprised when I read the very helpful description. What’s been developed is a spiced beer enhanced with malt and raisins to create a version of a hot cross bun in a glass. Murray’s mum must have used plenty more powdered cinnamon and nutmeg in her Hot Croass Buns that I’m used to – but as with all Murray’s beers – there’s no shortage of action in the glass. I would have preferred less bitterness in the after taste – but I really enjoyed the unique experience. There was no shortage of other punters giving it a lash at Murray’s at Manly, which is great to see. Tourists and locals alike were giving it a whirl
Commemorating the end of Prohibition
Easter in Australia means two sporting events, the Bells Beach Surf Classic and the Stawell Gift (a handicap sprint race on a grass track. This year’s Bells is the first held since the premature death of Michael Peterson – the first winner of Bells as a professional tournemant. It was totally fitting that this year’s Bells was won by Mick Fanning who grew up not far from Kirra, which was Michael Peterson’s domain. Recently, BotF wrote a little about Kelly Slater and grudgingly acknowledged Slater as the greatest surfer ever. Well, for 3 years, Michael Peterson (or MP or the King of Kirra) dominated surfing like no other surfer ever – Slater included. His story, which is best told in the book, MP: The Life of Michael Peterson by Sean Doherty is quite hard to believe. After dominating so completely, mental illness took hold and he never won another tournemant after 1977. He spent time in jail and was fotunately diagnosed with his mental illness and he lived largely as a recluse after that. He started to make appearances after 2000, but as you can see from the photo – he wasn’t a threat on a board again.
Bells legend and today's Bells champion
Now that’s he’s dead, his legend will grow bigger. In the 3 years he dominated, he pulled off feats of surfing brilliance that are still talked about. His legend is helped by the fact there is very little footage of him, whether still or video. Apparently he would be so deep in the barrel of a wave, that it wouldn’t matter if you had a camera anyway.
Peterson on fire
Happy National Beer Day – April 7 is when prohibition ended in the United States.
A week of Stout, Sydney Harbour Bridge 80th and Bootleg Hefe
Happy 80th
One of the benefits of getting the ferry home from work, is that on each journey you get to admire one of Sydney’s icons. Whether you travel on it, under it or pass it, you can’t help but look in awe. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened 80 years ago on 19th March 1932. For many years, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was Sydney’s tallest structure. It’s the centre piece of Sydney Harbour – and in my opinion, is a more spectacular structure than the Opera House. Happy Birthday – Coathanger.
In the Coathanger
Stout was just about coming out of my ears by mid-week. 6 new stouts in 6 days. Hart’s Pub can always almost be guaranteed to have a new beer on its taps – and this week they had a couple I hadn’t see before including a hangover from their St.Paddy’s day festivities. I’m still to get out to Paddy’s Brewery at Homebush – but I’ve heard that they do great beers. I snaffled literally the last half pint of the extravagantly named Paddy’s Thunderhead American Stout. Wonderful appearance, but a confused taste – this was a stout with tang. It starts off “stouty” but then finishes spicy. Would like another to make sense of it all.
Killagh at Murray's
illiards and I popped into Murrays at Manly hoping to try one of the beers they’d brewed for a beer dinner they’d had the night before – but had to settle for yet another stout. St Peters Brewery is a “artisan brewer” who prides itself on being as environmentally friendly as possible. For example most of its deliveries are made by bike. That means you don’t often see St Peters beer beyond the glorious inner west of Sydney (though I brought some back a while ago on the BotF). Murray’s gives a couple of non-Murray’s beers a run and Killagh Stout is the second of the St.Peters line-up he’s had available. The Killagh was the least polished of all the stouts tried in the last few days. Good roasted malt flavours but the finish and mouthfeel was a little “home brewy”
Accurate description
Before this blog was started, I would pretty much try anything in a bottleshop fridge or from a tap rack, but if it was a choice between a hefeweizen and something else – I’d have gone the something else. That’s changed now, and on a hot day – I’d go for a hefeweizen more times than not. Whether it’s the effervescence, the cloudiness, the wild aromas or the wheaty flavour, I’m not sure – but I’m a convert. Sydney turned on a rare hot Friday and I was able to duck down to the beach for a quick dip. I took a bottle of Bootleg Brewery Hefe for the post dip libation. Bootleg Brewery is a self-proclaimed “Oasis of a beer in a desert of wine” in WA’s Margaret River region. They’ve been going since 1994 and have a solid line-up of beers including one called “Raging Bull” that is well named. Hefe is a good example of a hefeweizen. It is not as agressive as some, and the aromas aren’t as pronounced – but it is a great thirst quencher. All the more reason to get to the West soon.
Summer beer on an Autumn summer day
When cloudy is good
Happy St. Patrick’s Day @4Pinesbeer and @Untappd 600
"St Pats Day Series"
There are literally hundreds of saints Days, but none are celebrated with the gusto of Saint Patrick’s Day. Held on the 17th of March, which is the date of his death, St. Patricks actually becomes a long weekend of all things Irish when it is on a weekend. It is an opportunity to wear ridiculous items of green clothing without a tinge of embarrassment. In Sydney there’ll be a big parade tomorrow and there’s plenty of pubs (not even Irish pubs) putting on Irish themed functions. After gobbling a Guinness at PJ O’Briens in town, this correspondent met illiards on the Back of the Ferry, and we were eagerly anticipating the tapping of 4 new stouts at 4 Pines Brewery at Manly.
Green abounds
For their 2nd Keller Door Series, 4 Pines has developed 4 types of stout. A Dry Irish Stout, an Oatmeal Stout, a Russian Imperial Stout and a Chocolate Orange Stout make up the range. This time you don’t have to be in Manly to enjoy this release as 4 Pines have been able to get to bars in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA with some kegs. I was particularly keen to try the Chocolate Orange. My favourite confectionary item is the Jaffa – the uniquely Australian and New Zealand lolly. That said, I was hoping the stout wasn’t as sweet as that. I needn’t have worried. It’s beautiful looking – sleek and silky black. THere’s plenty of orange on the nose, but the orange flavour (not jaffa) is far less pronounced that the aroma would suggest. It’s subtle, distinctive and just really, really pleasant. illiards and I had a chat to Jaron the GM and he told us that during the planning for the Chocolate Orange the brewers sampled a few orange flavoured dark chocolates – and that’s what they aimed for. Mission accomplished. We also tried the Russian Imperial Stout, which was a real sipper. I might be taking my growler down this arvo to get a top-up. Very rich, quite alcoholic and really suited to an after dinner plate of cheese.
Not a Jaffa
Back of the Ferry is a big user of @Untappd . For the uninitiated it is like 4 Square for pissheads, but plenty of fun. As you check-in beers, badges are awarded. BotF was getting pretty excited recently when it was approaching the 500th unique bevvy and was hoping to mark the moment with something quite different. Unfortunately one the lads forgot and checked in something that didn’t match the occasion. Aah well, we didn’t get a badge for the 600th check-in – but a Chocolate Orange stout is a far better milestone beer. Off to Murray’s today to try his one-off Tinker’s Curse Dry Irish Stout.
600 uniques
Big Wednesday Pale Ale and Gerry Lopez @MurraysatManly
It tastes swell
One of this correspondent’s all time favourite films is the 1978 cult surf classic – “Big Wednesday”. I’ve seen it scores of times and it never fails to disappoint. It is one of those movies with many moments and quotes that groups of afficianados like to retell or repeat ad nauseum. “That ain’t no hobo, squid lips, that’s Matt Johnson”. A minor but pivotal role in the film is played by Gerry Lopez. He plays himself and is justifiably an idol to the film’s lead protagonists. Lopez has had one of the biggest impacts on surfing ever – tuberiding, pioneering Indonesian surfing and board design. His self designed lightning bolt logo is iconic. An interesting sideline for Lopez was appearing in movies directed by John Milius, who worshipped him. Many remember his more for his role in Conan the Barbarian.
Golden delight
Gerry is now an ambassador for outdoor clothing company, Patagonia, who’ve just opened a branch in Manly and last Wednesday night he appeared at Murray’s at Manly to talk about a new book and generally reflect on his life. It was a ticket only event, and it was only on a last minute whim that I decided to rock in with a mate, knowing that half the bar was still open to the public. I certainly wasn’t the only one with the idea, and there were plenty more than the 100 that had tickets ready to hear Gerry. Gerry didn’t disappoint and delighted the crowd with a wonderfully mellow rambling about what it is like to surf, how it contrasts to snowboarding (his passion now) and his modest recollection of his abilities. Any chance of bagging a decent photo of Gerry Lopez was dashed by a thronging crowd, but it was a privilege to hear him talk.
Gerry's next to the Lightning Bolt
I’m not sure when Murray first launched Big Wednesday Pale Ale . It wasn’t for the Gerry Lopez evening, as I’d had it at Murray’s at Manly before. If you are going to call a beer “Big Wednesday”, it had better be big and it is. At a hefty 6.1% ABV, it is hefty all over – big nose, plenty of citrus and a squinting amount of hops. The finish is crisp and sharp – and despite the 6.1%, I could stick on this all night. That said, with a few pints under your belt – you’d be capable of some Leroy the Masochist stunts.
Gerry Lopez and Jan-Michael Vincent
Murray’s at Manly re-opening and Rudeboy Pilsener
Alas, illiards couldn't make it
Nice water jug
The joint had been freshly minted. The paint fumes were overpowering in the “Rudeboys” mens. Murray made an appearance to rapturous applause, he shook BotF’s hand and then he perched himself at the bar. I was pleased to see a Murray’s that I hadn’t had before on the tap list and I ordered a Rudeboy Pilsner. I went to check it in on @Untappd and was surprised to see that I had to create it. Wow, this is really new – another first for BotF! I think what’s happened is that Murray’s have rebranded their Pilsner. Very Quadrapheniac label and not surprisingly it’s ended up on a T-Shirt, as many of Murray’s labels could do.
So we are all delighted to see Murray’s at Manly re-opened. A tourist attraction in its own right – pay it a visit – the view’s cool and the beer’s cold. Congrats, Murray, and see you again soon.
Formerly known as Pilsner?
A night out in Manly, Vesuvius and Happy 3rd birthday to 4 Pines
Not that large
Over a number of years, this correspondent has occasionally taken overseas business visitors on a night out in Manly. In the old days, the trip would consist of a trip on the Back of the Ferry – and a long-neck in a brown paper bag would be thrust in our guest/’s’ hand. Once at Manly, we’d commandeer a cab and do the run up to North Head, dodge bandicoots before going to the lookout, which gives one of the great panoramas of Sydney and the Harbour (even better at sun set). Depending on the personality of the client, we’d then head to either the Harbord Hilton for a very large seafood platter and schooners or Garfish for grilled fish and chardonnay. Every now and then, particularly if the client was a real pisshead – we’d end up at the Steyne and introduce them to punting in a pub.
One night sticks in the memory, when a couple of us entertained a hefty bloke that hadn’t been outside Iowa – bar a honeymoon to Hawaii. He looked like he was enjoying himself and we were ripping schooners into him at a frantic pace. He started to struggle with the seafood platter – restricting himself only to the battered stuff – but smiled bravely. We then got in a punting frenzy – schooners still flying everywhere – when he suddenly sat bolt upright and said “I need to go home”. We piled him into a cab, wondered for a second if he was ok, and returned to our punting frenzy. He turned up to the office the next morning – almost on time – but was as green as a shamrock and said very little.
I met him six months later in Iowa, and he confessed that he got back to the hotel and chundered his guts out. He hadn’t had a session like it for a decade and that it would be another 10 years before he did it again. He was very pleasant about it, but I entertained myself that evening in Des Moines.
Murray's at Manly
Whilst there is nothing wrong with the “Hilton” or “Garfish”, the itinerary I prefer now is a visit to Murray’s at Manly followed by a visit to the 4 Pines. Now, once Murray’s at Manly’s (@murraysbrewing)restaurant is up and running, we’ll alternate between dinner at each venue – but at the moment – once alighting the ferry (and possibly after a trip to the Heads) it is off the Murray’s for a few magnificent bevvies and then on the 4 Pines (@4PinesBeer)for a few more magnificent bevvies and din-dins.
Cam & Rory, our inductees had proven their mettle in Melbourne, and were prepared for anything we could throw at them. There would be no repeat of the Iowan incident. First stop was Murray’s at Manly, which has half the venue under renovation. No matter, the beer taps still work and the boys were blown away by what flowed from them. I was delighted to see a new brew available – and tried a Vesuvius Premium Lager. Prior to the arrival of Murray’s at Manly, we would have missed out on these releases – but no more. This is an awesome beer. “Premium Lager” makes me think board-room, Crown or James Boags – but this is far different. It’s big on the hops, and it is simply bigger than a traditional Australian lager. 7.1%, great aromas, lip-smacking taste. Thanks, Murray, for coming to Manly.
Vesuvius - launched 11 June
Next stop – dinner – and we headed to the 4 Pines. Now, I’m a member of the 4 Pines Club and probably received an E-Mail notifying me, but I’d totally forgotten that it was the 4 Pines’ 3rd birthday. Lucky us – that made me eligible to win double my weight in beer – but I lucked out. That was the only disappointment. The Melbourne lads are good on the tooth and ordered one of everything, which were rapidly demolished. The lads loved the Kolsch and Rory gave his celtic seal of approval to the Stout, which had been launched only 3 nights before. Happy birthday to 4 Pines, Andrew and all the crew.
Kolsch Kubed
I should point out that there is nothing wrong with either the Harbord Hilton (@harbordhilton) or Garfish (@garfishseafood) – and there’ll be visits there in the future – with or without overseas guests. But gees it’s good to have two beer restaurants in Manly.
Happy Birthday
Hemingway’s Manly – the latest addition to Manly’s burgeoning bar scene
48 North Steyne, Manly
The street along the waterfront at Manly is known as the Steyne. Addresses to the south of the Corso are ## South Steyne and addresses to the North of the Corso are ## North Steyne. I’ve had a look on the ‘net and struggled to find the original meaning of the word Steyne. After much searching it I think it means stone, with one theory being that it is one big stone with two protrubing ends – North Steyne and South Steyne. I reckon that if your address ends in Steyne you have an address that is unique in the world (other than your neighbours).
Cool furniture, badly photographed
Therefore BotF reckons that it would be really unique (yeah, I know, you are unique or not) to go to two bar openings in the same week where the bars are 48 and 49 North Steyne, respectively. We enjoyed a Monday night first bevvy at Murray’s at Manly – that’s 49 North Steyne. Tonight, Hemingway’s Manly -that’s 48 North Steyne – opened. BotF was there, but we were unfortunately beaten to the punch as first customers by a trendy couple.
The lads and old books
So bladdamasta, pommy_ch and lambo ended up being officially the 3rd, 4th and 5th customers at Hemingway’s Manly. Hemingway’s has taken over the site of Brazuca, which was a Brazilian all-you-can-eat-meat-on-skewer joint. BotF was quite partial to Brazuca as we had our first Chilean beer here. Hemingway’s opening night tap beer offering was not unfamiliar to BotF, but White Rabbit Dark and Little Creatures Pale will not disappoint any discerning beer bloke.
Two from two on Manly opening nights in May
Manly is diversifying in bar types. The Steyne, the Brighton (under reno), the (Ivan) ‘hoe and the Manly Wharf are the beer barns. The Sugar Lounge and the Shore Club attract a doof, doof crowd. 4 Pines and Murray’s add significant amounts of class and beer heaven. To adopt a term that BotF’s fellow blogger – Tipples - uses, we are now seeing an influx of hipster bars. Safety Wolf started the trend, but like James Dean, promptly closed after achieving fame, but with a brief but coruscant time. Miss Marley and the Pony Room have emerged and now Hemingway’s at Manly has hit the scene. 3 blokes, including a flatmate of a Pony Room associate, have “taken on some debt” to have a crack. The owners have adopted a Fleet Foxes look with beards aplenty. The furnishings and fit out is classy and bookish – and the johns are interesting. They do food, but we were in and out pretty quickly and we’ll need to be back for a detailed look.
Some Newtown in Manly.
BotF Bar Review Map
 |
BackoftheFerry Correspondents
Unknown Feed
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
