. The bottle shop at Circular Quay has good and bad things going for it. On the positive side of the ledger, it is close to the ferry, has staff that understand the importance of quick service at 5.55pm and …
Category: Beers
Cumberland Ale – Ancestral Ale
This BotFer’s ancestors (one eighth of them anyway) came out from England in 1841 from a little town the lakes district of England called Cockermouth. I was surprised then to find a beer in the local bottlo that is brewed …
The Cheeky Czech – Pilsner Urquell
There was a time when your correspondent favoured this beer above all others. After all, it is the original pilsner from Plzen in the Czech Republic. It has a strong flavour, lightly carbonated and more bite than other supposed pilsners. …
Lost riverboats + Dry Beer
Two foundation members caught the ferry home today, and noticed the surfeit of riverboats on the harbour. Now a surfeit, when it comes to faux Mississipi riverboats on Sydney Harbour it is a number greater than zero (as per the …
Big Helga – big taste
Matilda Bay produced a beer for Oktoberfest last year out of its garage brewery in Dandenong. BotF spotted a single stubbie in a bottlo in Balgowlah, and quickly snaffled it. Apparently named for a German barmaid that the Matilda Bay …
If you can’t get to Byron at least drink it
Stone & Wood is the next best thing to going to Byron. Byron Bay is simply one of the greatest places in the world. Even with the wealth that has entered the joint there is still a vibe that permeates …
Dodging the yachts & Ginger Beer
The wind was up and the yachts were out in force on the harbour last night, which always makes for a interesting voyage home. The ferry master gets to blow his horn repeatedly and oft as the yachties give their …
Can’t love Lovells
Back in November, BotF tried a schooner of Lovell’s Lager at the Annandale Hotel. BotF was underwhelmed at the time, but was prepared to give this drop another chance. Lovell’s Lager was started by a music producer called Matt Lovell, …
Coopers Pale Ale
Botf subscribers will recall that in a recent review I referred to Coopers Sparkling as the ugly sister to this fine young specimen. Whilst Sparkling was commented upon to have great depth of flavour behind her relatively plain and foreplay …
James Squire Porter – Prince of Darkness
This BotF correspondent is a big fan of dark beers. First beer ever ordered was Tooheys Old, only because everyone else was ordering Tooheys New. Dark beers are uncommon, but fortunately there continues to be a steady trickle of dark …