Thomas Hardy’s Ale 1979

On Friday I opened my birthday present and shared it with Sarah. My bottle of Thomas Hardy’s Ale was brewed (or perhaps bottled) 2 months before I was born. This was by far the oldest beer I had ever drunk and in no way did it disappoint.

I popped the crown seal and a faint whisper of gas escaped. I poured it into a jug and left it for 10 minutes to breath. 30 years is along time to be constrained under glass. I was quite surprised at how dark the beer was, a very dark brown. Far darker than the 1999 vintage I had a couple of weeks ago and still darker than the O’Hanlon’s vintages.

The beer poured a very dark viscous brown with the faintest whisper of a white head that disappeared immediately. The aroma featured an incredibly complex cocktail of aged intense malt (Borvril, Milo), marmite, beef stock, citrus (orange flesh) a perfume note, Madeira wine, and a refined sensation of warmth. In the mouth the beer was luscious, smooth and viscous but in no way cloying, full in body yet brisk as a volcano you might say! Flavours of Madeira, a salty note, some liquorice, more orange fruit, and lovely vinous warmth all featured. I had high expectations but I had no idea this beer was going to be this good. Pure liquid engineering!

When I added this to ratebeer I was informed that this was my 100th rate (I don’t do it much obviously) and I was rewarded with a REALLY bad heavy metal music clip from You Tube, weird.

The South Star Brewery (part 1)

With Sarah and the kids having moved in it’s finally time to move the brewery out of the house. Soon there will be no more mashing and boiling in the kitchen, no more cooling in the bath, fermentation will probably continue in the bar for the foreseeable future. There is a way to go yet though. Right now the Malt Store has moved to it's new location and the gas bottles and burners are living in their own shed. Soon a big shed will be constructed in the carport in order to house a mashing and boiling room. Hopefully at some point I will be able to scale up to one large kettle which will allow me to produce 100 litre batches by mashing twice early in the morning and then fermenting in 5 cornys. If any one (Martin Townshend perhaps?) has any advice on how I can procure/construct a 100 litre kettle give me a yell.

Goodbye 20's Hello 30's!

Your Invited to my 30th Birthday & Sarah, Max and Molly’s House Warming

Join us on Saturday the 21st of November to celebrate my 30th Birthday and the moving in of Sarah and the kids. We will have ales from The Twisted Hop, O-Street and Townshend Breweries on draught and an Indian and Thai themed Barbeque.

When: Saturday 21st of November 2pm till 10pm.
Where: The Mason’s Arms 381 Ohiro Rd Brooklyn
Bring a koha for the beer and something spicy for the BBQ

Gifts not expected but if you want to give me something a bottle of Thomas Hardy’s Ale for the cellar would be lovely.

30 looming

I turn 30 early next month. Inspired by Alex’s gift to Greig and David Woods recent purchase I decided to (cheekily) arrange a 1979 bottle of Thomas Hardy’s Ale as a birthday gift from Sarah. I’m more than a little excited as Hardy’s Ale is one of my all time favourites and I have never had a bottle of Eldridge Pope brewed version let alone one that exceeds the much touted 25 year mark!

I’m currently organising a birthday party for mid November, it will consist of an Asian themed BBQ and Twisted HoHop bright beer on tap.

The 1979 Hardy’s is photographed on our brand new Indian made farmhouse style kitchen table, lovely.

Christening

The christening of the Mason’s Arms (my new bar) occurred this week. The first Thursday Night drinks in the new venue went very well. The rain was teaming outside , and the temperatures were definitely mid winter rather than late spring! Perfect beer drinking weather. A good crowd showed up and the room was filled to bursting at times, but everyone seemed to enjoy them selves, no doubt aided by the pints of Yeastie Boys Pot Kettle Black (Peoples Choice Remix) that were flowing. The beer was tasting fantastic but it did remind me why I like having at least one low strength beer on tap!, Stu reckons its 5.5% but I suspect it may be a touch stronger.

If you want to keep track of when the Masons is open sign up as a fan of the Mason’s Arms Brooklyn on facebook.

The bar is dead long live the bar!

And the new bar is all set up, its looking pretty sharp if I do say so myself.

Changing Rooms

There will be some changes coming up at the Mason’s Arms (aka my house bar). I used to get asked occasionally why I had a bar and three beer engine in my living room, my answer was always ‘why would you have a bar and 3 beer engines in your living room?’ However the time has come in my life where I will answer my own question. Sarah has sold her house and we are moving her and 2 of her kids into my house.

Its time for the bar to go...

Well move actually. Over the next month the bar will be moved from the central living area into one of the bedrooms that open off from it. This of course will give me a lounge bar and a public bar (or tap room as I’m tempted to call it even though I am well aware that tap rooms don’t usually have taps in them and this one will). Although Sarah will call the lounge bar the living room of course.

I will update with photos as the new bar takes form.