Friday Five: Beer Day Out

There were many brewers at Beer Day Out this year, and many beers to be drunk. the following are five of the ones I sampled.

5 Beers at Beer Day Out:

1. Threesome; Nomad Brewing Co./ Beavertown/ Birra Del Borgo - You would expect a collaboration beer between these three to produce something pretty special and you wouldn't be disappointed. UK malts (including Maris Otter) provide backbone for Aussie bush tucker - muntries (emu apples) and bush tomatoes - and it's rounded out by ageing for six months in grappa barrels. It tastes as intriguing as it sounds
2. Inappropriate Touching; Hawkers/ Edge/ Kaiju!/ Evil Twin/ Baird - Collaboration beer with smoked malt and some sweetness
3. Brett Porter; Bridge Road Brewers - It's sour and it's dark and it shouldn't work but it does - marvellous chocolate bitterness
4. The Vandal; Panhead Custom Ales - fresh, bitey, in-your-face Kiwi IPA
5. Blacktop Oat Stout; Panhead Custom Ales - dark and tasty with a roasty bitterness; a fine example

Friday Five: The Best of the Advent Beers

Now that advent has been and gone and we have drunk our 24 festive beers, I can state my favourites (in no particular order). Full details to follow.

5 Best Beers from the Blackhurst Advent Calendar:

1. 8 Wired Brewing co. 2012 Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Saison (7%) - I know I said 'in no particular order', but this is my beer of the year. 
2. Brouwerij Verhaeghe Duchesse de Bourgogne Flanders Red (6.2%) - Belgian beer at its best.
3. Birra del Borgo Seven Hops IPA (7%) - A fine Italian example of a British IPA. Who says Europe can't co-operate?
4. 8 Wired Brewing Co. 2011 Barrel-Aged Smoked Imperial Porter (11%) - Yep, 8 Wired, again. This Kiwi brewery is making some excellent beers.
5. Nomad Jet Lag IPA (6%) - the new kid on the (Sydney North Shore) block is delivering the goods. I loved this at the Beer Day Out, and I loved it again in the advent calendar. I'm nothing if not consistent. Don't say it.