Category Archives: what has gone before

Some of these posts may be horrendously out-of-date. Sorry!

waiter, there’s some coffee in my beer

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Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Breakfast.

I’d never had it, despite having had its newer sibling Beer Geek Brunch and a couple of its variants. How odd. So when I went to pick up a bottle of Beer Hop Breakfast (stay with me…) and saw that Beer Geek Breakfast was available, I grabbed a bottle.

Beer Geek Breakfast is supposed to be special because of the addition of ‘gourmet’ coffee. It’s too bad they don’t actually specify what coffee – don’t they know some people are sensitive about this sort of thing?! I mean, come on, we’re avid (or rabid?) coffee snobs here in Melbourne.

This imperial stout is rich, but smooth. Whatever the coffee may be, it is very prominent and complements the beer well. I was quite surprised that it’s actually got a fairly savoury finish – the coffee taste lingers on after you’ve swallowed. For some reason, I was expecting it to be sweeter. As you can see above, it’s very dark and completely opaque. The head is lighter than that of the Brunch. Unlike the Brunch, I think I would actually drink this with breakfast. The Beer Geek Brunch I would leave for the end of an evening.

As can be imagined, the newish Beer Hop Breakfast is very bitter. It’s a curious bitterness given that the stout and coffee compete in the flavour too. I find this a less savoury beer than the Beer Geek Breakfast and a little less coffeeish. I don’t think it’s limited to hopheads for enjoyment and full appreciation, but admittedly it is a challenging beer. Thinner mouthfeel than its vanilla sibling. My head is still twisted due to the fact that one doesn’t really expect coffee, hop bitterness and oatmeal stout to work. Am beginning to think that Mikkeller’s head brewer has signed some awesome pact with the devil…or perhaps with Bacchus. Truly – can the fellow do no wrong?

ambassadors for the (largely) amber ale

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Three men. Twenty (or so) breweries. One apparently large but generous Mexican.

Tom of Mountain Goat fame and Barney and Miro from Beer Deluxe planned a trip to the States, the sole purpose being to sample the best of what the US could throw at these men, from the very lively craft beer scene.

Last Ale Stars we were treated to a slideshow to see where the lads got about to.

By some fluke of nature, I’d got there early on the night and had the good luck to chat to Tom just before the crowd was let into the front bar. He’d said to me that before beer (was there ever a time before?! hehe), he didn’t really have much interest in visiting the States. I nodded in agreement.

Here’s Tom posing as a confident informant with big cans…oh alright then. Those are actually massive brew tanks in the background.

ale stars - beer ambassadors

Inspired by their journey, the beer was chosen to focus on breweries the trio had got to visit.

ale stars - beer ambassadors

(Miro telling the story of the very large Mexican fellow who could have killed him, but provided him with consummate hospitality…overnight)

The nibblies on the night were not going to enough for me, so based upon Mel’s recommendation, I shared the gnocchi on the bar menu with Tris. It did not survive long. RIP gnocchi, we never knew you.

ale stars - beer ambassadors

Tristan took gorgeous photos of the beers sampled on the night but I thought I might just include the photo of all the pretty bottles from which the beer came and include my notes.

Ale Stars Sep 2010 beer lineup

Lagunitas ‘A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin” Ale – the group seemed pretty passionately divided on this one: either it was love, or hate. I personally loved it – didn’t taste like it had 7.3% ABV. A little too chuggable! It uses a mixture of German, European and US hops and softened with wheat to add a ‘bready’ character. The Lagunitas brewery is apparently the size as that of Little Creatures. It also has an infamous car park. I’d say this is a nice entry to hoppy beer.

Avery India Pale Ale – an American IPA. I don’t seem to have many notes on this except ‘very, very bitter’. This is very much in keeping with the West Coast IPA aesthetic as they favour hop flavour over malt. Didn’t quite have as much depth as the first beer sampled though it is possible I just wasn’t used to the bitterness. Been a long time since I had a beer I felt was too bitter for me!

Avery ‘Salvation’ – a collaboration brew with Russian River after realising that both breweries had a beer that had the same name. Rather than have one brewery pull their beer, both blended their ‘Salvations’ and thus we have the result here. Beer is love, folks! This is quite an alcoholic drop at 9% ABV and it’s obvious in the taste, and a little warming. Quite fragrant too.

Left Hand Milk Stout – a bit of a softie as far as stouts are concerned, due to the addition of lactose powder, and not milk. These milk stouts are very, very smooth and silky on the palate. Very aromatic but as far as stouts go, a little thin for my liking. I need to stop drinking those extreme beers perhaps!

It was fantastic to live vicariously (and perhaps with healthier livers!) through our Beer Ambassadors, and wonderful of them to regale us with their tales of beery derring-do. You can read their chronicles on their blog. Naturally, you can read Prof Pilsner’s account (he always gets them up lightning-fast!) and also our beloved Local Taphouse’s too.

Feel free to sift through Tristan’s photos below.

Shandy has one final word for you – make your choice: Jesus or hell?

ale stars - beer ambassadors

the dish sure is big enough!

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When I first went to Big Dish in Thornbury, purely on the basis that it seemed to have semi-decent reviews on Urbanspoon and was tucked away out my way, Tristan was adamant it not be reviewed due to the possible flux of hipsters. I politely pointed out that a. he was a dirty, filthy, stinking hipster and b. I really, really, really liked it.
The second time we went, we’re in the car going back to mine.

“Gem, you tewtelly have to review Big Dish!”
“What the fuck? You said I couldn’t review it!”
“Do it before (redacted) do!”
“Oh…oh, okay then, I bloody well will!”

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Big Dish is always packed. It’s also a house, or rather, was. I overheard the cook telling a couple to grab seats in the kids’ room if nowhere else was available. On our first visit, we sat at the communal table, which really is just a dining table. The last time we went, we got a table outdoors. I couldn’t remember when it was last warm enough to sit outside! Yea spring.

The menus are adorable and are repurposed Little Golden Books. Remember those? The only one I have is for the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’, bought for me when we lived in England to help with a maths competition (I didn’t win. It’s okay, one year there I won a soft toy tiger that I originally named ‘Tigger’. He made the Britain-to-Australasia trip too). Tristan read the one below while I went back inside to order.

another Little Golden Book & OJ

The only real issue with the menu is a lot of it is egg-based. Don’t get me wrong, I love eggs for breakfast, but if you’re trying to avoid them then options are tricky. Having said that, I ordered the campfire breakfast – cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon, caramelised onions, scrambled eggs and spinach. It’s baked in a small cast-iron pan and served with a side of sourdough. Divine.

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Tristan had the claypot eggs which comes in three flavours: chorizo, spinach and fetta or basil and parmesan. He chose the spinach and fetta. The eggs are cooked in a tomato and sweet capsicum salsa. Sourdough is perfect with this for soaking up the leftover juices. Again, a deeply impressive dish.

spinach and fetta claypot eggs

Was it a fluke? We decided to revisit last weekend to see. All in the name of research, you understand. Nabbing a table on the outdoor verandah, I admired yet another retro salt and pepper duo! Can’t decide if I prefer this duo or the one at The Breakfast Club…

salt 'n' pepper

It’s no fluke. My chilli con carne burrito was freaking fantastic. Wine-marinated mince and everything! And the stringy cheese and beans! I ate everything, even the guacamole, Jalapenos and tomato relish. Damn good tortillas too. I haven’t had breakfast as I write this and could really go this again. Care to peek inside?

chilli con carne burrito

T was equally thrilled with his sweet corn hot cakes that comes with perfectly poached eggs, avocado, horseradish cream and your choice of a side of bacon or smoked salmon.

corn cakes with poached eggs and bacon

Their chai lattes aren’t the best I’ve had, but T tells me the coffee is really good. It turns out that they use Coffee Supreme beans.

café latté

I love the Mexican lilt to their menu and the warm, friendly service. Expect to pay about $15 or so for a breakfasty-brunchy treat. While you’re at it, have a browse through the art for sale displayed on the walls. Yea for supporting local artists.

Big Dish on Urbanspoon