Argilla's brew kit

After an hour and a half drive from Rehoboth Beach, we made a stop at Argilla Brewing Co. at Pietro’s Pizza in Newark, Delaware. We weren’t sure what to expect from the 1.5 bbl system that had only been serving for a month, but we were up for anything. Plus, we were hungry.

Pietro’s looked like any other pizza joint inside and the 80′s music playing throughout was especially inviting. We took seats at the bar and ordered a taster set. They had four beers: pale ale, IPA, amber, and a Cream Ale. These days, this line-up seems a bit ho-hum, but you know, there is absolutely nothing wrong with serving the basics. As I sampled the beers, I started to really appreciate the simple pleasure of drinking well-brewed beer. No super strong ABV. No over the top hops. And no barrels involved.

Lunch at Argilla Brewing

All of the Argilla beers were solid, an impressive feat for such a young nanobrewery. It’s no surprise that Chris opted for a pint of the IPA to have with his salad. I paired my whole grain veggie flatbread pizza with the amber. Before we left, we had the opportunity to say thanks to not only the brewer Steve, but also our friend Carlo’s brother, Mike who works in the kitchen and had prepared our lunch. All around, an honest place with good beer and good food made by good people.

We were now ready to move on to our next stop: Dock Street Brewing Company. Opened in 1985, Dock Street was Philadelphia’s first microbrewery. We had heard great things about them and were anxious to try the beer for ourselves. What we didn’t know was that it would be another hour before we got the chance to do that.

After getting off the highway, we drove for another 45 minutes through the lesser well-kept neighborhoods of West Philly. Hitting what felt like every red light possible was a frustrating experience and it was a relief to finally arrive at the brewery.

Merideth at Dock Street Brewing

Housed in beautiful red brick building, Dock Street is situated on one corner of a neighborhood square. Caddy corner to the brewery stands an impressive stone church and brownstones line the street on the other side of the grassy park in the middle. We quickly found parking around the corner.

If Pietro’s Pizza was a normal everyday pizza joint, Dock Street was a gritty one. With black tables and chairs and a floor with red and cream-colored paint wearing off to expose the gray cement, Dock Street reminded me of something you’d find in San Francisco. Sitting at the bar waiting for our taster set, we looked through the window into the brewery. No fancy super-polished cooper kettles here. These showed the age and character of being one of the first microbreweries in the country.

Sample flight at Dock Street

Our six-beer sample set ranged from the easy drinking Summer Session (5% ABV) to the Super Saison (10.3%). In between, we tasted the sweet and strong Caliente Golden Ale (9.5%) made with blue agave nectar and ancho chilies and the Satellite Espresso Stout (5%) brewed with locally roasted organic fair trade espresso beans. I especially enjoyed that last one. It was like drinking iced coffee and it gave me the boost I needed to get over my mid-afternoon slump.

After a quick stop at the hotel, it was on to Victory to meet up with Andie and her husband Greg, our chauffeur for the night. Before we hit the road on our evening’s beer adventure, we had a few CBC beers that had been tapped since our visit the previous night. Chris went with the Bavarian Polaris IPA while I enjoyed the Bavarian Mandarin Pale Ale.

Boxcar Brewing in West Chester, PA

Our first stop of the night was Boxcar Brewing Company in West Chester. A two-man operation, this small brewery is located in an industrial park warehouse. They describe themselves as a “community oriented brewery that relies heavily on the support of the community, family, and friends.” This heart-felt sentiment embodies the true labor of love that is Boxcar Brewing and from what we tasted, they do a fine job of giving their friends, family, and community a good reward for their support.

Our visit was short and sweet. They had just blown a keg of their Original Ale, so the only beers available for sampling were the Brown and the IPA. Andie is a big fan of the Boxcar Brown and I became one, too. Thanks to Andie’s connection, we also managed to get a brief tour of the brewery in the adjacent space, including a taste of a mango ginger ale right out of the tank. The carbonation obviously wasn’t there yet, but the flavor was nice and refreshing. Then we were off to Stoudts Brewing Company, 50 minutes away in Adamstown.

Merideth at Stoudts

Andie’s husband Greg warned us that Stoudts was an unusual place. From the outside it didn’t seem so unusual. I thought it was a large complex, but still didn’t fully understand what Greg was talking about. Until we stepped inside Stoudts Black Angus Restaurant & Pub.

The decor at Stoudts

The Black Angus Steakhouse has been in operation for 50 years and it definitely has an old school feel, complete with a specialty martini menu. The large restaurant is divided into rooms, almost like you’re in someone’s house. We sat in a room with red walls and loads of beer memorabilia. It was cool and kinda creepy at the same time. I chose the Kölsch to have with my pulled pork sandwich that came on a wonderful herb bun. Chris chose the Pils to have with his schnitzel.

In addition to the brewery and restaurant, there is also a creamery, bakery, and large antique mall. This mixture of businesses is what Greg thinks is so oddly fascinating. It was nice of Greg to drive us so far out and I was happy to have been able to visit one of the pioneering breweries in American craft beer.

Lancaster Brewing in Lancaster, PA

Andie and Greg had one last place to take us–Lancaster Brewing Company in, you guessed it, Lancaster. It was dark by now and the lamps on the outside of the red brick building set it off beautifully. Between the mood lighting, ivy covered exterior and the name painted on the wall, it was clear we were walking into a historic building. In fact, it was an old tobacco processing facility.

The beers at Lancaster

The bar was packed with hipster college students, most of whom were male. Chris said it was very “bro-mantic.” We made the best of it, though, and I drank the Gold Star Pilsner while Chris and Andie went with the Hop Hog, a 7.9% IPA. I was the first to express that my beer had a strong metallic flavor. Chris thought the Hop Hog did, as well. Apparently this was unusual and Andie was a bit surprised because the beers are usually quite tasty.

The building, on the other hand, was every bit as amazing as I expected. The wooden decor of the bar fit well with the antique equipment left over from the building’s tobacco days. We sat near what looked like an old scale, while a few yards away there was an antique lift that is still operational. It would be nice to make a second visit to Lancaster Brewing. That way we could explore the historic building and give the beer a second go. On this visit we left our pints unfinished.

Greg was nice enough to not leave us in Lancaster and drove us back to our hotel. We really appreciated his and Andie’s willingness to help us add a few more breweries to The List. Friends helping friends. I’ll drink to that!

View all the images from the trip

Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, DE

Under gray drizzly skies, we drove two hours to Milton, DE — home to Dogfish Head’s production brewery. The location took us a bit by surprise. The building, including the treehouse out front, seemed oddly placed at the edge of a new subdivision called Cannery Village. Living nearby would be a beer lover’s dream, a non-beer lover not so much. However, I’m sure that Sam and company are conscientious neighbors.

The large tasting room was stocked full of merchandise, but not overly commercial. For being one of the big guys in the craft beer industry, it felt remarkably casual and the people were friendly. The best part was that they allowed us to taste beer without going on the tour.

The tasting room had four beers available: Urkontinent 8%, Black & Blue 10%, 90 Minute 9%, and Palo Santo Marron 12%. Not exactly starting our day off easy, but we knew what we were getting into.

The day's beer choices...

No doubt you are familiar with the last three, so no use re-hashing those (though Chris would like to add that the brewery-fresh 90 Minute was the best he ever tasted). Instead, the Urkontinent, which had been released the day before, was just what you’d expect from DFH; a boldly-flavored beer with too many unusual ingredients to remember. This dark-colored Belgian-style Dubbel had a caramel sweetness that was balanced nicely with a roasty flavor. Perhaps these characteristics came, in part, from the only two ingredients I remember, California honey and Wattleseed from Australia. Whatever the other ingredients, I did manage to finish my generous sample of the complex brew and we even bought a bottle to bring home. My only disappointment was that we didn’t see Sam.

Our next stop, 16 Mile Brewing, was only 20 minutes away in Georgetown. The nearly three year-old brewery derives its name from the town’s location as being 16 miles from anywhere in Sussex County.

16 Mile was easy to find...

The tasting room had a large, dramatic sign out front, making it easy to locate. Opened just three months ago, the tasting room was somewhat stark inside, but a small fireplace on the far wall made it a bit cozier. We joined another couple at the bar to enjoy our sampler set.

They had a nice range of beers, from the crisp Blues’ Golden Ale to the Harvest Ale, a robust Southern English Brown. They also had a special Delaware Oyster Stout with a smoked roast flavor. The beers were all solid and much more manageable than our first stop. The Responders Ale, an American (Blonde) Session Ale comes in at 4% and their highest ABV ales (Amber Sun, Old Court dark pale ale, and Inlet IPA) top out at 6.1%.

Chris' lunch at 16 Mile Brewing...

The tap room doesn’t serve food, but a sandwich shop down road offers convenient delivery service. Chris had a pulled pork sandwich with his IPA, while I enjoyed a grilled ham and cheese on marbled rye with my Golden Ale. A very comfortable and tasty stop, 16 Mile Brewing hit the spot before moving on to our next brewery.

Evolution Craft Brewery... now in Maryland

We were now off to our third brewery and third state of the day–Maryland–to Evolution Craft Brewing in Salisbury. The brewery had moved into the old ice factory just one week before our visit and all I can say is that it appeared massive! The tasting room, located on the right side of the building, was long and narrow and once inside the place didn’t feel so big.

Merideth at EVO

The bar seats about a half-dozen and it was full when we arrived in the late afternoon. We took a seat at a bistro table near the window, which was fine because the bar was a little dark. Our five-beer sampler set included Primal Pale Ale, Exile ESB, Lucky 7 Porter, Lot No. 3 IPA, and the Spring Seasonal called Sprung. As usual, Chris favored the very West Coast tasting IPA, while I preferred the Pale Ale. Probably our least favorite was Sprung, a Golden Ale with honey, hibiscus, and chamomile.

The best part of the visit, however, was that we got to chat with Joe, the assistant brewer. He was a nice and generous guy who sent us away with a bottle of their 2011 Bourbon Barrel Dark Ale.

Burley Oak Brewing in Berlin, MD

Since we had crossed into Maryland, Chris remembered that our friend Andie had mentioned another nearby brewery, Burley Oak in Berlin. As we headed off for Burley Oak Chris joked that he couldn’t take me to Germany, but he could still get me to Berlin. Of course nothing can top Germany in my book, but Burley Oak definitely didn’t disappoint.

The flight at Burley

We tried 11(!) beers at Burley. Seeing them all lined up in a row was like looking at a beer rainbow. From the Just The Tip Kölsch to the Black Cow milk stout on cask, I think every color on the spectrum was represented. But they weren’t just pretty to look at, they tasted great, too. Oddly enough, my top two were the ones mentioned above–complete opposites. Chris’ favorites included Gee Willy IPA and Pale Ryeder, a rye Pale Ale.

The view from the Burley bar

The atmosphere of the tasting room reminded me of a garage turned rec room, and I mean that in a good way. The brewery is visible through a large window behind the bar. It looked like a big barn in there with an exposed wooden ceiling and rafters. There was a dart board in the corner and locals talking at the other end of the bar. Our beertender, Zack was friendly, knowledgeable, and a complete beer geek, which made the visit memorable. We were so glad we stopped by!

We eventually made our way to Rehoboth Beach and upon Zack’s recommendation, started our evening with dinner at the Henlopen City Oyster House. He said they had the best seafood in Rehoboth and a great beer list. He was right on both counts.

Oysters and beer

I, of course, had to go east coast style and order Old Bay shrimp steamers. They were a bit messy, but oh, so good. The spiciness paired nicely with my Yard’s Saison. Chris was thrilled about his assortment of oysters, which he accompanied with a Victory Headwaters Pale Ale. That wasn’t all, however, and I went on to have the hazelnut encrusted golden tile and Chris the fried oyster dinner. Henlopen City Oyster House was a bit off the beaten path and we would have never gone there without Zack’s help. Thanks, Zack!

Merideth on the beach at Rehoboth

After a romantic walk “on the boards” (the boardwalk) we made our last stop of the night. We had started our day at Dogfish Head and planned to end it their original brewery: Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats.

When we arrived around 9pm the place was full but not too crowded. The one disappointment was that there was no room at the bar, so we sat at a table. The beer menu was of course, amazing and the beers big. We opted for the custom sampler, trying beers we hadn’t had before.

The flight at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats

I was most excited about the Punjabi Export, a 6.5% export stout with Indian spices. The color was dark and rich and it had a strong chai aroma. In the end, it was a super bold beer that was too big for me. We finished the sample size but I’m not sure I could handle a pint of it. Chris was most overjoyed by Notorious H.O.P., a brewpub beer that reminded him a lot of Pliny the Elder.

As we drank our beers, Chris and I joked about Sam coming in, but in reality, I had already resigned myself to that fact that chances of seeing him were slim. (Actually, I’m a dork and was thinking that CBC was last week and not this week, so I figured he was already in San Diego.) But just when I had forgotten about it, he walked in. I’m actually not sure what he came to do. It seemed like he just walked from one end of the pub and back out again. Perhaps he popped in to do something quick. But how could Sam possibly show up and make it quick?

Some patrons were oblivious or at least locals who’d seen him a million times before. Others pointed and whispered. But there are always the bold beer geeks in the crowd and, as we have seen several times before with him, Sam couldn’t make a move without someone calling his name. He graciously shook hands, took pictures, and chatted with people who called him over.

We walked right by Sam as we left. He was in the midst of politely listening to a young woman talk to him about one thing or another, otherwise I would have said hello. We were still out on the sidewalk when he made his escape. He was definitely making a break for it and I didn’t dare stop him. After all, I’m a beer geek and a fan girl, not a stalker…

View all the Delaware and Maryland images…

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in downtown Philadelphia

A series of on-time flights and a quick airport exit had us in downtown Philadelphia before 10am on Wednesday. With some time to kill before our first beer stop, we joined the hordes of school children and throngs of normal tourists in Independence Mall. The line was too long for the Liberty Bell, but we were satisfied just peering through the window to see the famous crack.

The world-renowned Monk's Café

On our previous visit, we covered  the downtown Philly beer scene thoroughly, so we focused on the wider world this time around. But we couldn’t travel across the country without making another pilgrimage to the world-renowned Monk’s Café.

Monk’s was just how I remembered it: dimly lit with a lot of patina-ed wood. One of the first customers of the day, Merideth and I grabbed the corner spot at the bar in the front room. [Monk's Café tip: the front door isn't locked. It's just heavy.]

A vegetarian Philly Cheese Steak and the house Flemish Sour Ale for lunch

Meeting us for lunch was Cara from the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, the host of our 2008 visit. It was enjoyable catching up with her, as a lot has happened in all our lives in the last four years.

I started with the Mikkeller Single Hop IPA, while Merideth’s first beer was her East Coast staple, Allagash White. With my delicious Seitan Cheese Steak, I drank the Monk’s Café Flemish Sour. Merideth’s lunch-beer pairing was the uber-garlicky Caesar Salad with grilled shrimp accompanied by Ommegang Hennipen.

Our short visit to Monk’s concluded with a quick chat with Tom Peters. Then, we were off to explore.

Yards Brewing

Located in an industrial building down by the Delaware River, Yards Brewing was our first brewery stop of the day. We drank a few of their beers on our previous visit– the Extra Special Ale at the Philly Beer Week opening celebration and the ‘Ales of the Revolution’ series at City Tavern. Since this facility was not yet open last time, Yards counted as a new brewery on the List.

There were a few other customers at the bar when we arrived a bit past 1pm. Merideth and I took our normal positions at the bar and ordered both the signature and revolutionary flights of beer.

Merideth at Yards Brewing

The Ales of the Revolution beers were just like I remembered them: interesting. One has to really appreciate molasses in beer to get into these brews. Love Stout was the fourth brew in the flight. We didn’t have it at City Tavern, so I’m not sure of its colonial American heritage. A roasty 5.5% ABV oyster Stout, it was my favorite of these four.

From the signature series, the Philadelphia Pale was the standout for me. Light-bodied and hoppy, it reminded me of one of my favorite brews, Drake’s 1500. Merideth tapped the seasonal Saison as her star. With a mixed six-pack of these two beers in hand, it was time for Merideth and I to leave Philadelphia and head west.

Victory Brewing in Downingtown, PA

Merideth and I only got lost twice in the confusing maze of merging and splitting highways on the drive to Downingtown. One outcome of our 2008 trip was that we met our friend Andie and lucky for us, she happens to work at Victory Brewing. Over the years, we promised we would come visit her. Well, here we were.

Victory Brewing's Beer Hall

Thankfully, Andie picked us up at our nearby hotel and brought us to the brewery. Arriving around 5pm, the beer hall was already packed with the after work crowd.

With its wonderful feel and ambiance. I did almost feel like I was at a beer hall in Bavaria. The most striking feature was the decorative copper kettle tops that sat above a few of the tables.

A good time at Victory Brewing...

It was a festive atmosphere at Victory, made even more festive for me when Bayern Munich eliminated Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final.

Time blurred as the hours went by. Andie introduced us to some of her fellow employees and numerous regulars. The wonderful Victory brews were plentiful. Hop Devil, Headwaters, Donnybrook, Braumeister Pils, Prima Pils, Alla Spina Novello were a few of beers we enjoyed. HUGE thanks and hugs go out to Andie and her co-workers for their generous hospitality.

We finished our night at The Station Taproom in Downingtown. The quiet and cozy beer bar was just what the doctor ordered as the jet lag was really setting in for Merideth and me. Dinner and a few more beers and then we were ready for some well-earned sleep. Our first trip to Delaware awaited us the following day.

View images from the trip…

A beer and a warm fire for a foggy Big Sur day...

Opened in November 2011, Big Sur Taphouse is located near the post office in the Big Sur Center. Its bright interior, done up in mission-style decor with wood and wrought iron accents, provided us with a welcoming reprieve from the dreary fog outside.The seating in the cozy place is mostly communal with long tables and benches. However, for a more romantic visit, intimate seating set off from the main room is available. The first customers of the day, we settled in front of the fireplace to recover from the chilly walk on nearby Pfeiffer Beach.

The taps at Big Sur Taphouse

The copper-clad bar was home to ten draft beers, supplemented by a small bottle selection. It could have been coincidence but California pride was in full force as all the beers were Golden State creations including a house Brown Ale brewed by Firestone Walker. I started with a Green Flash Hop Head Red while Merideth began with one of her favorite Pilsners, North Coast Scrimshaw. From there we moved on to Firestone Walker DBA and the house Brown Ale.

Always a good pairing with beer...

While enjoying our beers, we snacked on a few of the food items from their menu. Like their beer selection, Big Sur Taphouse chooses substance over quantity with each offering on the limited menu sounding as good or better than the last. The Charcuterie platter came with mounds of yummy cured meats and the bruschetta with flavored olive oil was an especially delicious accompaniment. We followed that up with the BBQ Pork Sliders. The pork was very tender but a bit dry for my tastes. I like my bbq pork like my beer… wet.

Merideth and I had a very pleasant time at Big Sur Taphouse. The pub’s atmosphere reflected Big Sur’s laid back nature and the beer and food selection upheld the area’s reputation for good, wholesome offerings. It’s always nice to have choices and Big Sur Taphouse is a top choice indeed.

View all the images from Big Sur Taphouse…

One more look at the Indian Ocean

“Oz Beer Adventure, Part III” is the latest episode of One Pint at a Time.

In the last part of our two week Australian beer adventure, we explore the beer scenes around Perth, Fremantle and the Swan Valley. Along the way, we visit a sprawling gnome village, embark on an Urban Beer Hike in Fremantle, seek out koalas and both reach the 700 brewery milestone.

So enjoy the final installment of our latest beer adventures in Australia…

For all the episodes of One Pint at a Time go to beergeekTV.

Cask beer ruled the day at Triple Rock

Joined by Kevin Clark, the brewer at our local Peter B’s Brewpub, his wife Corrie and our friend and thebeergeek.com contributor, Renee Brincks, we arrived at Triple Rock just after the festival opened. Admittedly, I was a bit worried that the cozy brewpub would be wall to wall people. It did get crowded at times, but was never unmanageable. In the end, it was an enjoyable afternoon of hanging out with Bay Area friends and drinking good beer.

There were 25 gravity firkins on hand, including Kevin’s 40 Acre Pale Ale. Over the course of a long afternoon, Merideth and I managed to try almost all of the brews.

A good day in Berkeley...

My star was the GABF Gold Medal winning Three Flowers IPA from Marin Brewing, which brewer Arne Johnson admitted was five flowers in this incarnation. Merideth singled out Erin Go Bragh, an Irish-style Stout from Oakland Brewing Company, as her favorite. At 3.9%, it also gave her an opportunity to support Lew Bryson’s Session Beer Day.

Other notable brews included…

• Drake’s Gold, Drake’s Brewery
• Hopsickle, Moylan’s Brewery
• Magnum P.A., Iron Spring Brewery
• 40 Acre Pale Ale, Peter B’s Brewpub
• O.T.I.S., Firehouse Brewery
• East Bay IPA, Ales Industries
• NZ Hop Riot, High Water Brewing
• Twist of Fate, Moonlight Brewing

View all the images from our day at Firkin Fest…

A bonus of beer travel...

“Oz Beer Adventure, Part II” is the latest episode of One Pint at a Time.

In the second part of our two week Australian beer adventure, we visit the world-famous Margaret River wine region in Western Australia to explore its vibrant beer scene. In our short time there, we found more to love than just great beer.

So enjoy the second installment of our latest beer adventures in Australia…

For all the episodes of One Pint at a Time go to beergeekTV.

There's more than good beer in Australia

“Oz Beer Adventure, Part I” is the latest episode of One Pint at a Time.

In the first of three episodes from our two week Australian beer adventure, we quickly explore the area around Victoria’s capital. Beginning in Melbourne, we completed a loop in four days around Port Phillip Bay, finishing up back in Melbourne for an Urban Beer Hike.

So enjoy our latest beer adventures in Australia…

For all the episodes of One Pint at a Time go to beergeekTV.

Don Barkley of Napa Smith kicks off SF Beer Week

When San Francisco Beer Week debuted in 2009, I’d just moved to the city. The first event I attended that first year, along with Beer Geeks Chris and Merideth, was at City Beer Store. Following a Pliny the Younger tapping, we sampled New Albion Ale that Don Barkley had brewed according to its original recipe. The former New Albion employee and current Napa Smith brewer was one of the first people I spotted when I arrived at this year’s beer week opener. He also was one of many in attendance who expressed pride in how this annual festival has grown.

Ready for the opening pours

The opening celebration, one of more than 300 events on the 2012 SF Beer Week schedule, had an impressive beer menu and smart organization. In the Concourse Exhibition Center, the event felt less crowded than in past years – even with big attendance numbers. Plus, with breweries grouped by region, it was easy to find whatever one wanted.

Taste-testing Sierra Nevada's new canned beers

I especially enjoyed Drake’s Black Label Hopocalypse, Hops on Rye from Firehouse, Bear Republic’s Ryevalry and Moonlight’s Misspent Youth. I also sampled some Pliny the Younger (thankfully, I got in before that line snaked past the adjacent three tables), and I aced a Sierra Nevada blind tasting by correctly identifying bottled and canned versions of its pale ale.

Sunday, it was off to City Beer for back-to-back tastings by some out-of-town breweries that I always enjoy. Midnight Sun headlined the afternoon – the kölsch was a nice way to ease into things after lunch – and the Cascade taps turned on at 6 p.m. I was happy to see Figaro on the menu, and also tried the fruity Winter Gose. Even with City Beer’s expanded space, there was a solid crowd by early evening.

Drake's pairings at Mission Cheese

Because SF Beer Week includes so many free events, my budget and I avoided most ticketed happenings – except for one. Drake’s is one of my favorites around here, and I reserved a spot at their Monday night Mission Cheese pairing weeks in advance. The event sold out, not surprisingly, and a lively group packed the place soon after the doors opened. Five beers made the menu: Drake’s Amber, the 1500 pale ale, Hopocalypse, Moscow’s Burning Smoked Imperial Stout and this year’s Dire Straits Barleywine.

It’s tough to pick one pairing that I enjoyed the most, because each was terrific and totally different. But, two that really stood out were the 1500 paired with Pawlet, a washed-rind cow’s milk from Vermont, and Hopocalypse with an organic cow’s milk blend from Weirauch Creamery in nearby Petaluma. Cheers to the Drake’s team for being excellent hosts, as well. One brewery employee looked amused after an enthusiastic guest asked, “Can I visit your factory?” “Well, it’s called a brewery,” he told her. “You can visit our brewery…I think factories make toys or something.”

Tuesday was Valentine’s Day, which is a holiday I’ve never enjoyed. In fact, I told my sweetheart that I’d ditch him if he brought me flowers and candy. Happily, he took that to heart, and we headed to Public House for burgers, bitters and sours. Magnolia’s Billy Sunday Bitter, my go-to during Giants games, was on the list, as were the tart Cuvee de Bubba and a super sour Berliner Weisse from Bear Republic. After dinner, we hit up the Lagunitas night at McTeagues, where founder Tony Magee was on stage with his guitar.

On Wednesday night, it was back to City Beer for a Stillwater Artisanal Ales session. I first met brewer Brian Strumke at a local beer event a few years back, and it’s always fun to catch up. He had just returned from meeting with brewers in Europe, and he was preparing to celebrate his second anniversary in the business. Stillwater’s bourbon barrel-aged Folklore, which is flavorful without being too boozy, and its red wine barrel-aged counterpart topped my list of bests. That whole City Beer evening was a highlight for me, in fact, thanks to good beer and great friends at one of my favorite places in San Francisco. As a bonus, Nosh This was selling sweets in the back. Bacon salted caramels and beer for dinner? Yep.

Due to weekend plans, my beer week wrapped up on Friday with pre-happy hour pints at Toronado. Yes, I had another glass of Pliny the Younger – I’m pretty sure everyone in the bar that day had at least one, actually – and I followed that up with Russian River Temptation and a De La Seven from Upright. People were three-deep at the bar by the time the workday ended, and that’s when we took off.

All told, it was another great San Francisco Beer Week. The celebration gets better every year, partly because of all those creative events that breweries put together, and partly because of this region’s continued interest in craft brewing. At every event, I ran into friends I’ve made at other festivals and local beer bars – it’s an impressive community of engaged and enthusiastic individuals. Happily, SF Beer Week gives everyone a chance to step out from behind the brew kettle, bottling line, Twitter account and Untappd app to enjoy a pint together.

Thanks to the SF Beer Week organizers for
providing my media pass to the opening event.

Guilford's colonial gaol

For our final leg of our two week journey, we based ourselves in the market town of Guilford, east of Perth. Only a few miles from Perth Airport, Guilford was also our gateway to another one of Australia’s well-known wine regions, the Swan Valley.

Elmar's in the Valley

From Guilford, it was a short ten minute drive to Henley Brook. As we are apt to do, Merideth and I indulged ourselves in our tendency to be Germanophiles at our first stop of the day. Elmar’s in the Valley, not only offered us German-style beer, but also a menu of imported German food delights to match.

The brew kettle at Elmar's in the Valley

While we tried the brews on our sample paddle, we checked out the brewing kit. After visiting over 700 breweries, it’s somewhat hard to fathom that Merideth and I had a “first” at Elmar’s — a glass brew kettle, the likes of which we had never seen before. The largest of the kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the glass “enhance(s) the flavours and purity of the beers.” Maybe the most beautiful piece of brewing equipment we have ever seen, unfortunately, we didn’t get to watch it in action.

Lunch is served

There were four beers on the paddle including another first of the trip, an excellent Bock beer. However, Merideth and I kept the form we had all trip. Merideth really liked the Ein Stein Pilsener, while my star of the paddle was Kick Back Weizen.

The imported German sausages were very tasty, too. Merideth went with the regular Bratwurst while I had the smoked version. It seems silly to travel all the way to Australia to eat German food. But I guess that’s what it means to be a Germanophile.

Mash Brewing

Only a short way up the road was our second stop of the day, Mash Brewing. It was another scorching hot and humid day and Mash was not air conditioned. Plus, they were brewing! If we were going to sample beers in a sauna, we might as well be comfortable, so Merideth and I chose to sit in some comfy chairs near the bar.

Trying to keep the beer cool...

Mash didn’t have a sample paddle, rather they had a “tiny” size pour to go along with the half pint and pint. We ordered six of these beers. Starting with Freo Doctor, a Pale Lager, Merideth and I worked through their lineup of brews. Rye the Hop Not and Cascadian Brown Ale both were wonderful hopped brews but hard to appreciate given the conditions. Our consensus favorite beer was West Coast Wheat, another deliciously refreshing traditional Hefeweizen.

We really liked Mash and it would have been a nice place to spend the “arvo” (Aussie for “afternoon”) playing Scrabble. However, it was just too darn hot in there.

The creepy chef band at Duckstein

German for lunch, German for dinner. After a short break recovering from the sauna at Mash, we finished up our day at the Swan Valley location of Duckstein, the poshest brewery we had visited in Margaret River. The original Duckstein location was much more, for lack of a better word, normal. There as no reflecting pool with heroic horse or massive deck overlooking a lake. There was just a quaint beer garden and the same great beer. However, the moving puppet chef band, especially the one on the right who looked like an infamous terrorist, was really creepy.

The haxe at Duckstein

Merideth and I grabbed a seat out in their beer garden under the misters and out of sight of the chef band. While we enjoyed our Duckstein beers, Hefeweizen for myself, Pilsner for Merideth, we tried to play our last Scrabble game of the trip. But we were just too distracted as we had started to fall into full “about to go home” mode. When the game became a blowout, we quickly lost interest and packed the game away.

Instead, Merideth and I split a huge Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle), Merideth’s favorite German dish. As we devoured the succulent pork and drank our beers, we looked back on what a great two weeks we’d had in Australia. More important, however, we started talking about our next trip Down Under…

View all the Swan Valley images…

On the prowl at Yanchep National Park

We started the day with a visit to the Yanchep National Park. Since it was my day, Chris indulged me with an excursion to see if we could spot the elusive Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. As luck would have it, we were told that there was also a koala habitat in the park. (Koalas are not native to Western Australia.)

We arrived to the nerve-rattling stranger danger call of hundreds of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos (the more common cousin of the Red-tailed kind). Chris and I own two Conures and like I imagine it is between human moms and infants, we have learned the meaning of different squawks. So for me, it was alarming to hear the wild Cockatoos in such a frenzy. But their cacophony of ear-piercing screeches soon became background noise as we headed towards the koala area.

Typical day for a Koala

I don’t know what I was expecting, but within two minutes of entering the koala habitat, we spotted one. I guess I wanted it to take more time. Because if it took more effort, it meant something had really been accomplished. Nonetheless, as an American tourist in Australia it thrilled me to no end to see the gray, furry, quintessentially Australian animals lounging in the trees. And I do mean lounging. About the only movement we saw out of them was when one stretched his legs as he straddled a branch (which, by the way, was super cute!). Others curled up in little balls in the crooks of the trees. The only sign of life was the up and down movement of their round tummies as they breathed. If only life could be so simple…

Lurking in the bushes

As we wandered the “civilized” part of the park, we spotted gray-faced kangaroos laying in the shade and some birds, including the pre-historic looking Purple Swamphen, by the large lagoon. After a short time, we were ready to seek out what we had really come to see, the rare Red-tailed Black Cockatoos.

Not a Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

A sign pointed us to the 17.5 km Cockatoo Trail, so that’s where we headed. Obviously we weren’t going to walk the entire trail, especially because the temperature was in the high 30′s Celsius (near 100º F), but we thought we’d give part of it a go. A ways down the “uncivilized” dusty dirt road, however, we turned around. The wildlife, including the unseen snakes and the very much seen enormous spider, started to freak me out and it was hard to concentrate on the bird watching. I wasn’t too upset about our failed excursion, though, because I knew it was a long shot that we’d actually catch a glimpse of the elusive birds. I was ready for a beer anyway. We left the Cockatoo Trail without hearing even the slightest peep of a bird.

700!

Aussie Karen (our GPS) lead the way to my milestone brewery, Indian Ocean Brewing Co. in Mindarie. We found the brewery amidst nice newly built townhouses overlooking a small dock area. On a Tuesday at noon, the brewpub was nearly empty, but that didn’t bother us one bit.

I sat at a table and anxiously waited while Chris ordered the taster paddle at the bar. I needed to drink the beer before it could officially count as my 700th brewery. I barely let Chris put the taster set down before I grabbed a sip of my first beer.

Merideth and her sample paddle

There were 4 beers to try: a White, Pils, Pale Ale, and Belgian Blonde. I admit that the White and Blonde, both with the same distinct flavor (most likely from the yeast), were not our favorites and the Pale Ale was unusually malty. However, the Pils was solid and we both chose a pint of it to eat with our lunch. The kitchen was closed for renovations, but the pizza oven was fired up and all the pizzas on the menu were only $10. It was the least expensive meal of the trip.

As an added bonus, Rusty Creighton (who had alerted us to the magic of Gnomesville) surprised us with a visit. It was great meeting him in person and it made my 700th brewery visit that much more exciting and memorable.

Last dip in the Indian Ocean

After lunch, we bid good-bye to Rusty and made our way to a nearby beach. This was our last chance to wade in the Indian Ocean. The water at this beach was a bit more turbulent than we’d seen previously, but it did a good job of cooling us off. The water whirled around my legs and I felt the sand giving way under my feet. I have always loved the ocean, but somehow I felt more connected to this one than I had ever felt before. It was probably because I was, in fact, closer to it. Due to the warm temperature of the water, I could actually stand in it without my toes going numb.

Afterwards, we made a repeat visit to Feral Brewing Company in the Swan Valley town of Baskerville. We had had an amazing time a few nights before when we celebrated our friend Todd’s birthday and wanted to make a second visit before leaving the area. A description of our experience that night will help illustrate why we felt absolutely compelled to make a return visit.

Lovin' the Feral White

Feral’s Chef Mitch had put together an amazing 5-course beer-infused dinner for Todd. It kicked off with a selection of beer-cured meats served with spent grain bread and hop butter and finished with Feral’s tiramisu made with their Imperial Stout, Boris. In between, we dined on a green papaya salad with prawns poached in Golden Ace, a Belgian Pale Ale, roast rack of pork with roast wort potatoes, and cheese served with hop honey and “beerguette.” Plus, each course was paired with one of the brewery’s tasty beers. Absolutely phenomenal!

We may not have dined on another mouth-watering meal during our second visit, but we did get another chance to sip on the Feral White, a refreshingly citrusy Witbier.

Our evening concluded with a Tweet-up, attended by Feral’s Chef Mitch, Swan brewer Justin (mentioned in Chris’ blog post about his 700th brewery visit), and several Aussie beer bloggers at Five Bar in Mt. Lawley. It was a very hip place with something for everyone — couches, high bistro tables, bar, and tiered deck-like area with pillows to lounge on. Most people in our group enjoyed Feral’s Hop Hog from the cask, but I broke ranks and drank a few beers from Victoria, including the Golden Ale from Two Birds and Kooinda Boutique Brewery’s Valhalla Golden Ale. It was our first opportunity to meet some of Western Australia’s beer community, as well as our last chance to hang out with Todd. Such a wonderful way to end an amazing day!

My 700th came out of left field. While at Little Creatures during our Urban Beer Hike, our friend Todd came up with the idea that we needed to tour Swan Brewery, or the “mothership” as he called it. Knowing one of the brewers there, Justin, Todd immediately got on his douchephone and arranged a visit for Merideth and me. Thus, my 700th brewery was ordained.

The old Swan Brewery

Known for beers such as Emu Bitter and Export Lager, Swan Brewery was founded in 1837. From 1879, Swan was housed in a beautiful brick building on the outskirts of Perth along the Swan River. Today, the building houses offices and posh restaurants including a brewpub, the Old Brewery.

Swan Brewery in Canning Vale

In the late 1970s, a fully automated brewery was built in nearby Canning Vale. Located in the industrial part of town, our visit began at the guard gate where Merideth and I were issued visitor passes and orange vests. On to the reception area, we met Justin for the first time.

Justin, formerly a brewer at the Monk in Fremantle, showed us around the sprawling complex from the grain silos to the packaging line. Modern when it was built, walking around the Swan Brewery, we almost felt like we were in a museum.

All milestones should be celebrated wearing an orange vest

We finished up in the brewery bar where Justin cracked open a couple of bottles of Swan Draught, a light-bodied Pale Lager. Taking a big swig, 700 was officially in the books.  Merideth and I also tried Emu Bitter, another Pale Lager. Both brews had a similar flavor profile, but I preferred the Emu Bitter as it had a bit more of a hop bite.

My 700th might have not been the epic brewery that I envisioned for such a milestone, but it was a special experience nonetheless. We got a personal tour of Australian beer history and on top of that, Merideth and I increased our circle of Australian beer friends. Thanks to Justin taking time to show us around and to Todd for insisting we visit the mothership.

Colonial Fremantle

We had planned on four stops on our Urban Beer Hike but the weather, temperatures approaching 100°F and humid, forced us to be cautious and eliminate the one outlying brewpub. The remaining three stops were all located in historic, central Fremantle. In the end, it was a stretch to call it a “hike,” though we did walk a mile each way from our accommodations.

Sail and Anchor

Fittingly, our first stop was arguably the birthplace of the Australian craft beer movement, Sail & Anchor. Established in 1984, the brewpub’s corporate parents unfortunately decided to cease brewing in 2010. The house beers are now contract-brewed and Sail & Anchor has morphed into a beer bar.

Merideth at Sail & Anchor

We grabbed a high table by one of the big open windows. It afforded us not only a view of the bustling street action but we also got to enjoy what little breeze there was in the stifling air. While we waited for the arrival of Todd from beermen.tv, Merideth and I each enjoyed a pint of beer.

Merideth went with the refreshing Feral White, while I enjoyed my first draft Bridge Road/Nøgne Ø India Saison, one of my favorite beers of the trip. Once Todd arrived, we downed a few pints of Feral Hop Hog, another “Beer of the Trip” candidate, before moving on.

The Monk Brewery & Kitchen

Our second stop was The Monk Brewery & Kitchen. The four-year old brewpub has won a number of Australian International Beer Awards and it is also well known for its USA Craft Beer Week. We didn’t have far to walk as the Monk was literally across the street from Sail & Anchor. Merideth, Todd and I survived the short crossing and grabbed a table near the bar.

Sample paddle at the Monk Brewery & Kitchen

At Monk, there was the familiar Wheat, Kölsch, Pale Ale, Porter lineup that we had seen throughout our Australian travels. But to this they added the Rauch, a smoked beer. I have to say that I really wasn’t in the mood for a smoked beer, but it was well-crafted. The runaway star for me was The Chief, a 75 IBU American-style IPA brewed with Cascade and Citra. It tasted like home!

We were having a grand time at Monk until Todd mistakenly asked our Canadian waitress whether she was an American. It was clearly time to move on.

Little Creatueres

The longest leg of the day was a five minute walk to our final stop: Little Creatures. Walking across the Esplanade, we could hear a din of noise coming from the former cannery buildings that house the brewery and restaurant. Little Creatures was clearly the place to be.

Enjoying an afternoon at Little Creatures

Todd, Merideth and I waded through the thick crowd inside and made our way out to the back patio along the Inner Harbour. Somewhat to our surprise, the three of us easily found seats to enjoy a few pints in the sunshine.

One of the joys of beer travel is drinking beers only available at the source. So when Little Creatures didn’t have any beers available besides their regular lineup, I was admittedly disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, Little Creatures regular beers are excellent. My beer of choice (all during our stay as we would go to Little Creatures every day during our time in Freo) was the Pilsner while Merideth favored the Bright Ale, an all Australian hopped brew.

Come for the beer, stay for the little pink cupcakes

One of the more charming aspects of the Australian beer scene was its family friendliness. This usually manifested itself with a small playground where the wee-ones could entertain themselves while mom and dad had a few beers.

While Todd, Merideth and I were enjoying our Little Creatures pints, we noticed a large number of rug rats scurrying about. Turns out, one of the wee-ones was having her birthday party. I’m not sure the birthday girl chose Little Creatures for her celebration but I got a little pink cupcake out of it, so it was fine with me.

Salt on the Beach lived up to its name

The following day, despite it being warmer, we embarked on a six mile round trip walk to visit the one outlying brewery we chose to skip on the previous day’s Urban Beer Hike. Our walk took Merideth and I through Fremantle to the less than scenic docks of its port. But just beyond the docks, we found our oasis, Salt on the Beach, home of Blacksalt Brewery.

Blacksalt Weisse

After the three mile walk in the searing heat we were quite parched. The house-brewed beer was a very welcome sight. There were two beers on, their Weisse and Vienna Lager. I drank the German-style Wheat and would have thought it quite good except for a odd tinge on the finish. Despite this, the beer was greatly appreciated.

Cooling off in the Indian Ocean

We had completed the task that we began the day before, but I couldn’t help thinking that we had somewhat missed out on a really fun Urban Beer Hike. Before heading back to Fremantle, we took a quick wade in the water to cool off before the scorching walk back.  Maybe next trip, we’ll have weather more suited for a beer hike.

View all the Fremantle images…

Moody Cow in the Ferguson Valley

An hour and a half after leaving Margaret River, we passed through the small town of Dardanup and out to the Ferguson Valley. We were out in the country now — complete with herds of livestock lounging in pastures of tall brown grass. It was the perfect location for a place called the Moody Cow Brewery.

Sample paddle at Moody Cow

We arrived at opening time and made our way out to a table on the top level of the terraced deck. Moody Cow offered a taster paddle with five beers, including their award winning Grunta’s Original Ale and Zest, a low alcohol (3.2%) lemon and lime lager. The beers were all quite refreshing and more remarkably, sessionable (The Black Dog Pils was the highest ABV at 4.9%). The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, just like you’d expect from a country brewery.

A view a Gnomesville

We chatted with the owner/brewer,Grant McClintock, who offered us a local’s perspective of our next stop: Gnomesville. We had first been told about Gnomesville by Rusty Creighton, a beer lover living in Perth who provided us with valuable information throughout our time in Western Australia. Rusty told us that if we were going to Moody Cow, we had to make a stop at Gnomesville, which was not far away. We weren’t exactly sure what Gnomesville was, but Grant gave us the scoop. So here it is:

Angry about a roundabout

Further down Ferguson Valley Road a roundabout had been built. This was exceedingly absurd to the locals, as traffic on this country road hardly necessitated it. As a protest, someone placed a garden gnome on the grassy area in the center. Well, gnomes apparently multiply like rabbits and soon there were loads of them. So many, in fact, that they outgrew the roundabout center and had to be moved to the side of the road.

We laughed at this, but still had no idea of the magnitude and draw of this Ferguson Valley attraction. Grant’s wife and children had placed their own family of gnomes in Gnomesville, which were unfortunately washed away in a flood. Of course they had to replace them. His wife is apparently very into Gnomesville, as are many other locals and visitors alike.

Gnomesville Detention Center

Now our interest was truly piqued and passing on a visit to Gnomesville was no longer an option. We just had to see what had everyone so captivated. We bid Grant good-bye and headed down the road to find this magical place.

As we approached the roundabout, I excitedly looked around, worried that we might miss it. When I saw it, I started laughing because there was no way we could have missed it! All I can say is “Wow!” It was the most insanely hysterical sight I have ever seen. It was also a tad frightening, but I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Words to live by...

Chris and I saw a prime entrepreneurial opportunity in setting up a gnome gift shop, as surprisingly, there was none nearby. Not even someone selling them from the back of a pick-up truck. Otherwise we would have definitely paid an outrageous price for the privilege of placing our own gnome in the crowd. Chris did come up with the brilliant idea of establishing the Gnomesville Taphouse, the town’s first craft beer bar. Next time we visit, we’ll be better prepared. A big thanks goes out to Rusty for alerting us to this must-see attraction.

I seriously had difficulty tearing myself away from Gnomesville. I, too, had become enamored with the mystique that is Gnomesville. But the huge biting green flies were getting to be too much, so we decided to move on to our second brewery of the day: Old Coast Rd.

Old Coast Rd Brewery in Myalup

Driving down the deserted road off the highway, we missed the turn to the brewery. Chris and I realized our mistake (as we were getting further out into the bush) and eventually came upon the entrance. A spectacularly long driveway lined with olive trees led up to the large blue building sitting atop the hill. It had the standard open floor plan with a large deck, but we chose a table down on the lawn that spread out in front.

In addition to a cider, Old Coast Rd had three beers to try: a Wheat, Bitter, and Porter. Unfortunately they were out of their best selling beer, the Pils. They even had chilled beer towers, 4 or 2 ½ liters, so the beers could keep flowing at your table.

Enjoying a beer at Old Coast Rd

There was just the two of us, though, so we decided to pass. Of the three beers, the Wheat was our favorite. It had a wonderful banana nose and a nice cloudy golden color, a refreshing accompaniment to our snack of calamari and garlic bread.

Gnomesville was a hard act to follow but Old Coast Rd held its own. It was just what we needed before facing the big city: Perth.

 View all the Gnomesville images…

During our first day in the Margaret River area, Merideth and I fell in love with its scenery, beer and food. We regretted having only one more day to experience the charm of the area. But, that is the life of the beer traveler. Western Australia had other regions to explore with more breweries to visit.

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse at the end of the continent

We were on the road relatively early, heading south from Margaret River towards Augusta. Our first stop day of the day was Cape Leeuwin at the southwest corner of the Australian continent. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet, Cape Leeuwin was often the first landfall for many European ships in the days of sail. Given its importance to seafaring, the main attraction of the cape was it’s lighthouse built in 1896.

But before our lighthouse tour, we decided to check out the two oceans a couple of hundred yards apart. Walking down to the Southern Ocean along a rock strewn trail, I must have stepped on a small snake. Merideth had to wait a minute or so for the writhing reptile to slither under a rock. Relating the story to our lighthouse tour guide later, he remarked that the snake was highly venomous. Oops!

The Indian and Southern oceans clash

As we climbed the 176 steps to the top, we learned the history and workings of the lighthouse, plus some of the local lore. At the top, we were treated to an amazing panoramic view of both oceans and the surrounding countryside. Several hundred yards offshore, we could even see where the two oceans met, a surge of whitewater marking waves from each ocean colliding. At least on this day, it looked like the Indian Ocean was winning.

Heading into the depths of Mammoth Cave

One of the hidden geographical features of the Margaret River region is several caves. Driving north back on the aptly named Caves Rd., we passed both Jewel and Lake Caves on the way to Mammoth Cave. We chose Mammoth as its self-guided tour fit better into our hectic schedule.

Discovered around 1850 but not mapped until 1895, Mammoth lived up to its name. Walking the 500 meter length, we passed through a number of massive chambers, all adorned with rock formations hanging from the ceiling or projecting from the cave floor. The most impressive of these was the Mammoth Shawl, with it’s red/orange ribbons.

Moo!

With our outdoor and underground activities done for the day, it was time our first beer stop of the day, Colonial Brewing back in Margaret River.

Colonial was another modern, open brewpub with a beery touch, including chandeliers made out of growlers. We set up shop outside in a shady spot with a gorgeous view of the surrounding countryside to sample the Colonial brews.

Sample paddle at Colonial

Colonial had five beers in their paddle. Merideth picked up the first beer and asked, “Which beer is this…?” Colonial’s big contribution to the beer world is that they have solved the age-old ‘which beer is this’ problem in a sample flight of beers. Each tasting glass was labeled with the beer style, plus there were short tasting notes on the back.

Lunch and beers with a view

Colonial’s lineup was solid from front, a Kölsch to back, a Porter. True to form, Merideth picked the delightful, clean Kölsch as her beer of the paddle. It was another hot and humid day in southwestern Australia and the brew lived up to its description as a refreshing summer beer.

Equally predictable as Merideth, I chose the India Pale Ale as my favorite. Hopped aggressively like I prefer, the IPA still had a lightish body that paired almost as well as the Kölsch with the weather. And the tasting notes also had my new favorite phrase, “forest floor of hops.” I’m going to start using it as soon as I figure out what it means.

Bootleg Brewery in Wilyabrup

After a short stop at Millers Ice Cream to sample some “Cow to Cone” goodness, we were headed back to Wilyabrup for our next brewery. Set on 74 acres next to a lake, Bootleg Brewery opened its doors in 1994. As one of the original craft breweries in Western Australia, Bootleg has won many awards for its brews.

The seven beer paddle at Bootleg

There were seven beers on Bootleg’s paddle and three were in contention for my ‘best of’ award. The Hefe was a wonderful banana bomb, quenching on the hot day. Settler’s Pale Ale was brewed in the American style with lots of citrusy hops. But in the end, the runaway winner was Wild Ginger Wheat. Kind of how I like my IPAs, the brew was aggressively ‘gingered.’ As the brewery says, “If you’re not a HOPHEAD… You’re a GINGER NUT!”

The incredible Duckstein Brewery

We had one more brewery to complete the Margaret River portion of our journey. Duckstein Brewery in Wilyabrup was the poshest of the posh breweries we visited on the whole trip. We have been to over 700 breweries now and Duckstein was the first with a reflecting pool complete with a heroic-looking horse statue. The only thing that deterred from the amazing setting was the low water level of the water feature.

Relaxing at Duckstein

Merideth and I had a great sense of satisfaction as we relaxed on the deck sampling Duckstein’s German-style beers. We had had a busy two-day schedule and were now at the last stop. Everything on our agenda had been completed.

Continuing the trend of excellent German-style beers on the trip, the Pils and Hefeweiss were both excellent. The nutty, roasty Dunkel, a first for us in Australia, was my favorite of this sample paddle. However, the highlight beer was an American-style IPA that we got to preview. Not released until the following day, Shannon, the brewer, was gracious enough to pour us a sample. What a wonderous hop bomb!

Leaving Duckstein, we were done with Margaret River. The next day, Merideth and I would head back north to Perth and new Western Australia beer adventures. We hope to get back to Margaret River sooner, rather than later.

View all the Margaret River images…

The four days in Victoria were only a warmup for the main event of the trip, our first visit to Western Australia. We focused our visit to Australia’s largest state on the area around Perth, but our first destination was Margaret River in the southwest corner of the continent. Long known as one of Australia’s most famous wine regions, Margaret River is also home to a large concentration of breweries.

Cowaramup Brewing in Cowaramup

The three hour drive from Perth airport to the Margaret River region was pretty much a straight shot. As someone joked to us, “It’s a left, then a right…” All the breweries in the area close in the early evening so our late afternoon arrival only afforded us time for one stop, Cowaramup Brewing. [Get ready because names with 'up' are going to come fast and furious. It means 'place of']

The view from Cowaramup

Cowaramup Brewing was a good introduction to what would be a defining feature of most of the region’s breweries. The impressive and modern brewpub  was open (literally) to an expansive outdoor seating area with an incredible vista of the surrounding Western Australian countryside. Not even the giant biting flies with the huge green eyes could ruin the moment, though. Despite the painful bite, the flies are one of the few creatures in Australia that can’t kill you.

Sample paddle at Cowaramup Brewing

Merideth and I grabbed a seat to enjoy the view and warm summer weather. After a long drive, the sample paddle was a very welcome sight indeed. There were five beers to try, ranging from a Pilsner and Hefeweizen on the lighter side to a Porter on the dark end of the spectrum.

The Special Pale Ale, an English-style Extra Special Bitter with English hops, could have been the beer of the paddle. However, the almost 90 degree temperatures screamed for the excellent award winning Pilsner (Champion Lager at the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards) or the wonderful Hefeweizen. Cowaramup was a great introduction to the Margaret River beer scene.

Merideth at the Grove Vineyard

With only two days to visit the seven remaining breweries, plus do other tourist stuff, we needed to get busy on Wednesday morning. Luckily, the Grove Vineyard in Wilyabrup, with it’s 9am opening time, was a perfect starting point for the busy beer traveler. A winery and distillery, the Grove Vineyard recently added beer to their repertoire.

Drinking the House Ale

Not a surprise, we were the first customers of the day when we arrived a little after 9am. There was only one beer available, the House Ale, an American-style Pale Ale. Hopped with Citra and Nelson Sauvin, the brew was well-balanced with a big malt backbone. The Grove Vineyard only had one beer, but Merideth and I both enjoyed it.

A shack in the bush

Bush Shack Brewery in Yallingup was the odd ball of the Margaret River breweries. Truth in its name, Bush Shack was, compared to the other area breweries, a shack in the bush, complete with warning signs about snakes. I don’t mean this in a bad way. Bush Shack’s laid back surroundings and atmosphere were much more what we are used and drawn to, except for the snake part.

Prior to our visit, Merideth had picked up one of their rack cards at our hotel that listed their beers. Frankly, we were a bit worried. A chili beer, a lemon lager, a strawberry beer; these all raised red flags in our minds. But we couldn’t have been more wrong.

The sample paddle at Bush Shack

Starting with the Strawberry Blonde, Merideth and I were quite impressed by the selection of brews. My previous experience with strawberry beers leaned towards sweet, heavy-handed brews that might have well been strawberry soda. Bush Shack’s version had a dry, subtle strawberry flavor that beautifully complimented the base Pale Ale. And it was a slam dunk with the hot and humid weather. Same could be said for the Twisted Lemon Lager. All eight beers were solid and flavorful, well, except maybe the Chili Beer. But, admittedly, that’s just my crusade against my least favorite flavoring in beer.

Thanks go out to the friendly crew at Bush Shack for making us feel so welcome!

The beautiful view at Eagle Bay Brewing

A short drive up the road was Eagle Bay Brewing in Eagle Bay. Of the Margaret River breweries, Eagle Bay had the most stunning setting. Set on a gentle rise, the brewpub overlooked rolling hills and cows roaming through tree-studded fields. From our vantage point at our table, we could even see Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse in the distance.

The sample paddle at Eagle Bay

Brewer Nick d’Espeissis, whose family land we were now standing upon, brewed one of the best lineup of beers of the trip. The first three, a Kölsch, Pilsner and Vienna Lager were the most impressive. Merideth really appreciated the light and refreshing Kölsch while my thirst was quenched by the crisp Pilsner. The Pale Ale was also excellent, showcasing Nick’s experience brewing in the Pacific Northwest.

Lunch at Eagle Bay

Lunch was equally delicious. We got the sense that in order to keep up with the posh wineries, pouring good beer just wasn’t enough. The brewpubs had to have a food menu to match, which of course delighted us to no end. Merideth and I both ordered pizza. I’m big sucker for pizza with fresh greens on top and the peppery rocket, what we call arugula, was a perfect accompaniment for the spicy sausage.

Thanks to Margarita and Nick for taking time to chat with us and for their excellent hospitality!

Look mom! No wet suit!

We finished our incredible first full day in Margaret River by soaking in the Indian Ocean for the very first time. The shimmering, turquoise blue waters made Merideth gasp on first sight. Used to the cold Pacific Ocean on California’s coast, we thoroughly enjoyed standing in the Indian Ocean’s warm waters. After such a fantastic first day in Margaret River, we went to bed dreaming of what the next day might bring…

View all the Margaret River images…

Ned Kelly's death mask

After arriving in Melbourne in the morning, we wasted no time in getting our day started with a bit of culture: a visit to the Old Melbourne Gaol, where we ducked in and out of numerous small cells once inhabited by some of Australia’s first residents. Prominently displayed throughout the jail were the macabre death masks of those executed, including the infamous Ned Kelly.

Although our entry also entitled us to “enjoy” the Police House Experience, we opted out of it. We weren’t quite up to re-enacting the process of being booked into jail. Instead, we headed to the first stop on our Melbourne Urban Beer Hike – The Court House Hotel.

The Court House in North Melbourne

Not a brewery but a craft beer café, the corner establishment felt like a 1920s supper club. I love the movie The Cotton Club and the music playing could have been straight out of that soundtrack. We chose a high table in the small bar area near the entrance. The first customers of the day, the bartenders had time to chat with us about Australian craft beer and the high taxes on alcohol that result in beer costing between $9-$14 a pint.

Lunch at the Court House

I enjoyed the Golden Ale from Mountain Goat, a brewery we had visited on our last trip to Melbourne in 2010. Of course Chris went for the McLaren Vale IPA as we snacked on a charcuterie plate and marinated feta. This was our first of five planned stops, so we took it easy and moved on to our second stop (or at least tried to).

We followed along the busy main streets of Melbourne dodging city dwellers as they went about their work week. We found Biero Bar without problem, but they were closed. As in, we’re closed indefinitely. We later learned that the owners are re-branding the place and it may or may not be a craft beer café any longer.

We continued on and ended up in the small lanes of Chinatown. The dirty and somewhat seedy back alleys were lined with yummy smelling dim sum restaurants but Penny Blue, the third planned stop on the UBH, was no where to be found.** Chris finally gave up and started looking for our fourth planned stop – Cookie.

We couldn’t find Cookie, either. So far we were one for four on this UBH, a disappointing (and frustrating) prospect to say the least. However, we popped into a convenience store with a 24-hour internet café in the back, looked up the address, and much to our surprise learned that Cookie was literally right next door to where we were.

The bar at Cookie

Up a dark staircase on the first floor, we found Cookie. The most striking feature of this place was the long white marble bar. We took seats at the bar and were served by an attentive young bartender.

Home to a large beer selection, we were a little disappointed in the lack of local beers on draft. Our well-meaning server even steered me to (what I found out later was) a pseudo-craft beer. However, they did have some good beers on, like the Temple Midnight IPA, a new brewpub in Melbourne that we wouldn’t have time to visit. Midnight IPA was a dark brew with a nice hop flavor and roasty character. They also had WiFi, so Chris and I barely spoke during our stop at Cookie.

The hip and modern Beer Deluxe

We finished up our UBH at Beer Deluxe, a slick and modern establishment in Federation Square. The first thing I noticed about Beer Deluxe was that California beers (and the Bay Area in particular) were well represented, including Bear Republic, North Coast, Moylan’s, and Sierra Nevada to name a few. Of course we weren’t there to drink our local beers, though. We wanted local Australian beers and they had a nice selection of those, too.

Enjoying a beer at Beer Deluxe

Chris started with Feral’s Hop Hog, while I drank the Pale Ale from Stone and Wood. Beer Deluxe had great nibblies, as well, and the Turkish bread & dips and red lentil cakes paired well with our beer. The atmosphere was nice and it wasn’t too crowded, which was perfect for meeting up with James, an emerging beer writer (beerbarband.blogspot.com), to talk beer.

James took us to a James Squire pub nearby to taste their limited release Mad Brewer’s Hoppy Hefe. Just as the name indicates, the beer was a hoppy hefeweizen a la HopfenWeisse. While it was short in the Hefe department, the beer had a pleasant hop bite. A nice ending to a challenging Urban Beer Hike.

**During our hike, we eventually found Penny Blue, but it was closed for re-modeling.

View all the images from our day in Melbourne

Disembarking from the ferry at Sorrento,  we headed up the Peninsula along a coastal road. Despite the sporadic showers, the beaches were crowded with weekenders insisting on a day playing in the sand.

Merideth at Hix Beer

Hickinbotham of Dromana was our second winery/brewery combo stop of the day. Pulling into their parking field, Merideth and I were taken aback by the number of cars. We joked about drinking the Hix beers, as they’re called, amongst hordes of heathen wine snobs.

Hix beer

Unlike other winery/brewery locations we have been to, Hix had a rustic feel to it. Grabbing the only two available seats at their tiny bar, we were relieved to see others around us drinking beer. Merideth and I ordered one of their five beer sample paddles.

It didn’t take us long to notice that we had placed ourselves between two hen parties. The one in the barrel room to our left all wore crazy wigs. The other, outside on the patio, wasn’t dressed as crazy but they certainly seemed more tipsy. We couldn’t figure out whether the guy in the lederhosen was a male stripper or just out for a Saturday afternoon at a winery. We decided this could be the most interesting stop of the day.

The lineup of Hix beer

Hix burst on the Aussie beer scene last year by winning a gold medal for their Pale Ale the first time they entered the Australian International Beer Awards. There were four standard brews in the Hix lineup, Pilsner, Pale Ale, Brown Ale and Stout. Augmenting these four was a light-bodied Summer Ale. The two standouts for me were the Pilsner and award-winning Pale Ale.

Thankfully, the dude in the lederhosen never took off his clothes.

In the 'industrial' part of town...

After checking into our hotel in the town of Mornington, we walked to our final stop of the day, Mornington Peninsula Brewery. After two straight winery/brewery stops, Mornington was much more familiar setting to us — an industrial space.

The tasting room seen from the loft

We walked into the beer garden already filled with locals out on a Saturday night. Inside large roll up doors, there was a spacious tasting room and bar. Above the brew kit was a loft with a few tables and some comfy sofas. Since a birthday party dominated the few inside tables, Merideth and I set up shop in the beer garden. (Until it started raining, then we moved to the loft)

The randall at Mornington Peninsula Brewery

There were four beers on the sample paddle: a Belgian-style Wit, Aussie Ale, a brew made with all Australian ingredients, Pale Ale and Brown. The Brown Ale, with a delightful roast and nuttiness, might have been the best beer of the sample paddle.

While we played a game of Scrabble, Merideth enjoyed the Wit poured through their randall filled with oranges. I went with the Double IPA, a beer not served with the paddle. I haven’t had too many Australia DIPAs but Mornington’s was the best so far.

The lighthouse at Cape Schanck

One of the draws to coming back to the Mornington Peninsula was to seek out its natural beauty. Sunday morning, we drove to the end of the Peninsula, exploring Mornington Peninsula National Park. Beginning at Cape Schanck, we walked the rocky beaches around its lighthouse. As we climbed over rocks and gazed into tide pools, we listened intently for the bark of the Fairy Penguins. No barking sounds, all we could hear was the crash of the waves and the howling of the wind. The scenery was nothing sort of spectacular.

I feel like I am being watched...

After the beach, we moved inland searching for the elusive Koala. Instead, we found a kangaroo viewing track. Reaching the end of the trail, we could see the mob about 100 yards away in a clearing of the low brush. As we looked at this group, we started noticing heads popping up in the brush much closer to us. The kangaroos didn’t look especially happy about our presence, but we never felt threatened. We slowly withdrew from the area, wondering about what the defensive maneuver was for a kangaroo attack.

View all the Mornington National Park images

One of our favorite stops in Australia

There is something special about Red Hill Brewery, the only repeat stop from our first trip to Australia. It’s rural setting, relaxing patio dining, great beer and food drew us back for a second visit. Arriving early afternoon, it was a perfect stop for lunch after a morning of hiking.

Stoemp Cakes and Pork Scratchings

Being familiar with their brews, Merideth and I stuck with with their Golden Ale and Wheat Beer, probably my favorite example of a Bavarian-style Hefeweizen Down Under. The beer is fantastic, but we also knew that the food was top notch.

Local Mussels in a Beer Broth

We started with the Stoemp Cakes (deep-fried mashed potato balls) and Pork Scratchings. The chicarrones were excellent. They had the crispiness of corn chips rather than the melt-in-your-mouth type that we have had before. While Merideth went with the Pork Belly for her main course, I chose the local Mussels in a Beer Broth. The mussels were wonderfully briny, but I think the best part of my meal was dipping the peasant grain bread in the broth. We finished the incredible meal by sharing some Panna Cotta.

It was a great second visit to Red Hill Brewery, capping off a wonderful day on the Mornington Peninsula. Thanks to Karen for taking time to chat with us… and thanks for the beers!

View all the Mornington Peninsula images…

Hargreaves Hill Restaurant in Yarra Glen

Hargreaves Hill Brewery, located in the quaint town of Yarra Glen, wasn’t  a typical first stop of a big trip. It didn’t count on The List, failing the brewed on premise requirement. Despite this, I wanted to visit Hargreaves Hill Brewery because I had heard good things about their food and beer.

Somewhat jet-lagged and tired, Merideth and I managed to sit down at an outside table and get a sample paddle, as they are called Down Under, ordered. It was nice to finally relax and soak in some of the summer sun after a long journey.

Pork belly and beer at Hargreaves Hill Brewery

There were six beers in Hargreaves Hill’s lineup, ranging from a Pilsner to a Stout. Given that it is summer in Australia, both Merideth and I gravitated towards the light end of the spectrum. The Hefeweizen was wonderfully refreshing with a delicate amount of banana and clove. The Pilsner was clean and crisp, with a pronounced hop bite.

Normally, I try to order a different menu item than Merideth. But neither of us were going to pass on the succulent Pork Belly on a bed of parsnip and apple mash. It was absolute heaven on a plate. Despite not counting on the List, Hargreaves Hill was a incredible beginning to our second Australian adventure.

Beautiful Victoria

Backtracking west, we drove through the rolling hills of the Victoria’s countryside. As I kept my eye on the road, Merideth intently scanned the fields for kangaroos and the trees for cockatoos and other birds. Occasionally, she would point things out to me, an activity that kept us both alert and awake. In a little over an  hour, we arrived at our final destination of our first day, Woodend.

Merideth in Woodend

Woodend was a typical Australian small town with one main street that was home to all the shops and businesses. Holgate Brewhouse, a brewpub and hotel, was located right in the middle of the main drag. It seemed like an eternity since we had left our house, so it was nice to finally not be on the move.

Holgate Brewhouse

Dating from early last century, the pub, with it’s warm and cozy feel, just exuded charm. Merideth and I settled in at the bar, joining a group of locals having an afternoon pint.

There were eight beers in the sample, including a Saison from Bridge Road in Beechworth. Merideth really liked the White Ale, a Belgian-style Wit and Temptress, a chocolate Porter. For being only 6% ABV, Temptress had a boozy nose, though, thankfully, not taste. It was really smooth and chocolatey.

The beers at Holgate

My two standouts were Road Trip, their interpretation of an American-style IPA, and the ESB, which they had on cask. Road Trip, made with Chinook, Centennial and Cascade hops, was more well-balanced, not from the hop assault school. I was just disappointed that they weren’t pushing it through their Randall.

After dinner, a few more pints and a game of Scrabble, Merideth and I decided we had stayed up long enough. We retired to our room upstairs for a well-deserved night of sleep.

View all the images from Yarra Glen and Woodend

What is a prickly moses?

We were up early on Saturday morning as we had a three hour drive to our first stop of the day. Heading south from Woodend in sporadic rain showers, we reached Geelong in a few hours then headed west. Despite the early departure and long drive, we arrived at Otway Estate Winery and Brewery in Barongarook somewhat bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

We were the first customers of the day, the only other activity was the setting up of a wedding in their function room. I think the staff person was a bit surprised by the fact that Merideth and I drove three hours to taste beer before 11am. But kudos to her for scrounging us up some breakfast.

Breakfast of champions

Raconteur IPA

We sampled eight beers, all of which were well-crafted, in two sets of four. The Pilsner and Wheat Beer, a Wit, were both delicious. The Blueberry Hefeweizen was deftly flavored, with a dry fruit character. The Summer Ale, Merideth’s favorite, was a really pleasant, light-bodied Golden Ale that made us wish it was more like summer outside. (The skies had cleared but the temp was still only in the 60s).

The beer I was there to try was Raconteur IPA, a creation of Hendo’s, one of the Otway brewers whom we know {Hendo has since moved on from Otway]. Raconteur, also made with Chinook, Centennial and Cascade hops, was much more an aggressive beer than the Road Trip of the previous day. Much more my type of IPA, Ranconteur could stand up next to any of the hop bombs I drink at home.

Things don't look so good for a ferry crossing...

From Otway, we drove back east towards Port Phillip Bay and the ferry crossing at Queenscliff. As we arrived at the ferry terminal, the wind began howling and the skies opened up with a deluge of rain. I immediately started thinking about our last ferry crossing in rough weather.

A pleasant ferry crossing

In the spring of 2009, Merideth and I took the ferry from Wales to Ireland and things didn’t go so well for me. As we sat in the car waiting to drive on, Merideth tried to calm my nerves, assuring me that it was only a short trip. Luckily, the storm quickly passed over and the ferry ride to Sorrento was quite pleasant. Thus began the Mornington Peninsula portion of our Port Phillip Bay Beer Loop.

View all the Otway, Queenscliff and Ferry Ride images

Our day in the East Bay coincided with this year’s release of Drake’s Hopocalypse Double IPA. The release party at their San Leandro brewery was the first stop of the day.

Hopocalypse Day at Drake's Brewery

Arriving late morning, Drake’s Barrel House was already quite busy. Even the outside seating was full, despite a bit of chill in the air. Several long lines formed at the bar and business at the bottle sales table was brisk. The large and enthusiastic crowd affirmed my belief that Drake’s brews some of the best beer in the land.

Besides a regular draft version, Hopocalypse was also served from a cask stuffed full of Citra hops. As an added bonus, Drake’s debuted a Triple IPA version, Hopocalypse Black Label. Our chosen line moved fairly quickly and soon enough Merideth and I were proud owners of a glass of each special brew. (Merideth, being the rebel she is, also brought a Dunkel Wilson to the table.)

Hopocalypse Double IPA on cask

Expecting an explosion of hop flavors, the cask version was delightfully mellow for a brew at 9.3% ABV and 100+ IBUs. It was well-balanced with subtle, yet assertive hop notes on both the nose and taste.

Black Label Triple IPA, with an ABV bumped up to 12.5%, was similarly well-balanced. The hops were even more muted than it’s Double cousin with only a slight alcohol taste. Both beers were dangerously drinkable considering their respective alcohol contents.

As we were finishing our beers, we noticed that the crowd at Drake’s had thinned out considerably. Then we realized everyone had the same plan as ours.

The beer was flowing at Beer Revolution

All the people who beat us out of Drake’s were now at Beer Revolution to celebrate their second anniversary. Negotiating the crowd inside to get to the bar, I marveled that this was the most crowded I had ever seen Beer Revolution.

Worried that I only had one shot at getting beers, I ordered a smorgasbord of brews: Firehouse/Highwater collaboration St. Eve’s Belgesque Goldish Strong Revolutionary Ale, Almanac Winter Wit, Marin Saison de Revolution and Cantillion Kriek.

A bevy of celebratory beers...

We joined a large crowd on Beer Revolution’s outdoor deck, all enjoying the glorious February weather. Despite being at one of the best beers bars around, the day really wasn’t about the beer. Our afternoon was was spent chatting with good friends and celebrating Fraggle and Rebecca’s achievement. Congrats to them on another year of delivering fine beer to a thirsty community!

View all the images from our day in the East Bay…