As long time readers know, I have a weekender near Wollombi/Laguna in the Hunter Region. When I head up I’ll often pull into Ekim’s Brewing for a unique. Always a friendly vibe, and it was to pleasing to chat and hear that their new venue in Hornsby is coming along nicely.
I wanted to pick a can of very limited edition “Imperial Christmas Pudding Stout”, a concoction that started 9 months ago. When when I walked in, I noticed Mark “Spudd” Carroll sipping on a beer. I then went to order a middy and there on the tap head (hand-written) is “Spudd’s Lager”. “This for you?” I asked Mark. “Yeah, mate. Whaddyareckon?” I had a sip “Yeah – good mate. Smashable”. “That’s a good word, mate”. To be honest even if the beer was rancid I would have said it was good. I reckon the former Kangaroo, NSW, Manly and South’s hard man still looks pretty fit. Fortunately Ekim doesn’t do a bad beer and the compliment was well earned. Plus – “Spudd” is a lovely fellow. (Update – it looks like the beer will be called Spuddwiser)
A week later I am on the first floor of the New Brighton seeing whether they’d introduced another unique. The Balter dominated venue is going good for uniques lately with an oddity from Capital, Mountain Culture and even Sierra Nevada popping up. Yesterday there was a tap head decal with Largo Brewing Clean Lager on it. Bewdy – unique. I ordered a pint, and got an entry in a raffle. Some young bloke who was being extremely chatty to all the patrons said to me “Let me see that first sip”. “Gees – he’s a pretty loose sales rep”. It was cold, wet and alcoholic. Absolutely fine, but I did think I preferred Spudd’s. Went to my table to look up Largo Brewing – and all was revealed. Largo Brewing is a JV with Pinnacle Brewing and the Leimbach brothers that are Lime Cordiale. The loose sales rep was Oli Leimbach – a self professed long haired hippy that froths nature whilst frothing beers. They make a 4.2% and 3.2% ABV version. Plenty of selfies were being had. My daughter was amused.
So two celebrity beers in sevens days.
back of the ferry 