Saint Patrick’s Day wrap up and Ian Thorpe – BotF told you so

I’m sure that there was plenty of stout action around the world in the last 48 hours. On the insular peninsula of Sydney, there were 4 new stouts tapped over the weekend – and BotF was able to get there within hours of each of them hitting taste buds for the first time. We covered off two of them on Friday night (4 Pines Chocoalte Orange and Russian Imperial Stouts), but yesterday – the actual St. Patrick’s Day – saw us try the remaining two. The first was the beautifully presented Tinker’s Curse Dry Irish Stout from Murray’s Craft Brewing . The labelling and naming of all Murray’s beers is always first rate. “It’s no sham – and it rocks” could be corny, but isn’t. The beer itself was pretty solid also. Another example of a fine Murray’s beer that doesn’t have to have a high ABV to be good. Paper dry, longly bittered and well toasted – this is a fine sessionable stout. We also tried the third of the new 4 Pines Stouts – the Oatmeal Stout. Nothing wrong with this drop either. A coarse, old fashioned bevvy that poured thick black with a medium brown head – this was a perfect winter beer. The wind was up on the 4 Pines balcony and the stout blanket did the trick. No dud stouts this weekend.

Occasionally, Back of the Ferry comments on contemporaneous issues. Back in February 2011, Ian Thorpe’s recently announced comeback was the topic of much discussion on the stern. There was quite a difference of opinion about the merits and the outcome of the discussion. In the end it was settled in the most Australian of ways – put your money where your mouth is. So pommy_ch will be handing a nice lobster (aka a $20 note) to bladdamasta in the next week as Ian Thorpe was unsuccessful in his attempt to make the Australian Olympic team. Fortunately, the existence of the bet was declared to the bloggerverse in the The Thorpey prediction.