Spotted Cow Blog

Get Your Porter's In!!!

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:13:00 GMT

The winning beer will be professionally made and resold at the famous Octoberfest Celebrations for the Spotted Cow!

This year we are looking for a Porter - there are three different styles in the BJCP guidelines that can be submitted - please see below

Entry is only $5 - forms will be up soon - but now is a good time to get started , right?!

Thanks Phil Coorey

12A. Brown Porter
Aroma: Malt aroma with mild roastiness should be evident, and may have a chocolaty quality. May also show some non- roasted malt character in support (caramelly, grainy, bready, nutty, toffee-like and/or sweet). English hop aroma moderate to none. Fruity esters moderate to none. Diacetyl low to none. Appearance: Light brown to dark brown in color, often with ruby highlights when held up to light. Good clarity, although may approach being opaque. Moderate off-white to light tan head with good to fair retention.
Flavor: Malt flavor includes a mild to moderate roastiness (frequently with a chocolate character) and often a significant caramel, nutty, and/or toffee character. May have other sec- ondary flavors such as coffee, licorice, biscuits or toast in sup- port. Should not have a significant black malt character (acrid, burnt, or harsh roasted flavors), although small amounts may contribute a bitter chocolate complexity. English hop flavor moderate to none. Medium-low to medium hop bitterness will vary the balance from slightly malty to slightly bitter. Usually fairly well attenuated, although somewhat sweet versions exist. Diacetyl should be moderately low to none. Moderate to low fruity esters.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body. Moderately low to moderately high carbonation. Overall Impression: A fairly substantial English dark ale with restrained roasty characteristics.
History: Originating in England, porter evolved from a blend of beers or gyles known as “Entire.” A precursor to stout. Said to have been favored by porters and other physical laborers. Comments: Differs from a robust porter in that it usually has softer, sweeter and more caramelly flavors, lower gravities, and usually less alcohol. More substance and roast than a brown ale. Higher in gravity than a dark mild. Some versions are fermented with lager yeast. Balance tends toward malt more than hops. Usually has an “English” character. Historical versions with Brettanomyces, sourness, or smokiness should be entered in the Specialty Beer category (23).
Ingredients: English ingredients are most common. May con- tain several malts, including chocolate and/or other dark roasted malts and caramel-type malts. Historical versions would use a significant amount of brown malt. Usually does not contain large amounts of black patent malt or roasted bar- ley. English hops are most common, but are usually subdued. London or Dublin-type water (moderate carbonate hardness) is traditional. English or Irish ale yeast, or occasionally lager yeast, is used. May contain a moderate amount of adjuncts (sugars, maize, molasses, treacle, etc.).

Vital Statistics:
IBUs: 18 – 35 SRM: 20 – 30
OG: 1.040 – 1.052 FG: 1.008 – 1.014
ABV: 4 – 5.4%
Commercial Examples: Fuller's London Porter, Samuel Smith Taddy Porter, Burton Bridge Burton Porter, RCH Old Slug Porter, Nethergate Old Growler Porter, Hambleton Nightmare Porter, Harvey’s Tom Paine Original Old Porter, Salopian En- tire Butt English Porter, St. Peters Old-Style Porter, Shepherd Neame Original Porter, Flag Porter, Wasatch Polygamy Porter

12B. Robust Porter
Aroma: Roasty aroma (often with a lightly burnt, black malt character) should be noticeable and may be moderately strong. Optionally may also show some additional malt char- acter in support (grainy, bready, toffee-like, caramelly, choco- late, coffee, rich, and/or sweet). Hop aroma low to high (US or UK varieties). Some American versions may be dry-hopped. Fruity esters are moderate to none. Diacetyl low to none. Appearance: Medium brown to very dark brown, often with ruby- or garnet-like highlights. Can approach black in color. Clarity may be difficult to discern in such a dark beer, but when not opaque will be clear (particularly when held up to the light). Full, tan-colored head with moderately good head retention.
Flavor: Moderately strong malt flavor usually features a lightly burnt, black malt character (and sometimes chocolate and/or coffee flavors) with a bit of roasty dryness in the finish. Overall flavor may finish from dry to medium-sweet, depend- ing on grist composition, hop bittering level, and attenuation. May have a sharp character from dark roasted grains, al- though should not be overly acrid, burnt or harsh. Medium to high bitterness, which can be accentuated by the roasted malt. Hop flavor can vary from low to moderately high (US or UK varieties, typically), and balances the roasted malt flavors. Diacetyl low to none. Fruity esters moderate to none. Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body. Moderately low to moderately high carbonation. Stronger versions may have a slight alcohol warmth. May have a slight astringency from roasted grains, although this character should not be strong. Overall Impression: A substantial, malty dark ale with a complex and flavorful roasty character. History: Stronger, hoppier and/or roastier version of porter designed as either a historical throwback or an American in- terpretation of the style. Traditional versions will have a more subtle hop character (often English), while modern versions may be considerably more aggressive. Both types are equally valid. Comments: Although a rather broad style open to brewer in- terpretation, it may be distinguished from Stout as lacking a strong roasted barley character. It differs from a brown porter in that a black patent or roasted grain character is usually pre- sent, and it can be stronger in alcohol. Roast intensity and malt flavors can also vary significantly. May or may not have a strong hop character, and may or may not have significant fermentation by-products; thus may seem to have an “Ameri- can” or “English” character. Ingredients: May contain several malts, prominently dark roasted malts and grains, which often include black patent malt (chocolate malt and/or roasted barley may also be used in some versions). Hops are used for bittering, flavor and/or aroma, and are frequently UK or US varieties. Water with moderate to high carbonate hardness is typical. Ale yeast can either be clean US versions or characterful English varieties.

Vital Statistics: IBUs: 25 – 50 SRM: 22 – 35

Commercial Examples: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Por- ter, Meantime London Porter, Anchor Porter, Smuttynose Ro- bust Porter, Sierra Nevada Porter, Deschutes Black Butte Por- ter, Boulevard Bully! Porter, Rogue Mocha Porter, Avery New World Porter, Bell’s Porter, Great Divide Saint Bridget’s Porter

12C. Baltic Porter
Aroma: Rich malty sweetness often containing caramel, toffee, nutty to deep toast, and/or licorice notes. Complex alcohol and ester profile of moderate strength, and reminiscent of plums, prunes, raisins, cherries or currants, occasionally with a vinous Port-like quality. Some darker malt character that is deep chocolate, coffee or molasses but never burnt. No hops. No sourness. Very smooth.
Appearance: Dark reddish copper to opaque dark brown (not black). Thick, persistent tan-colored head. Clear, although darker versions can be opaque. Flavor: As with aroma, has a rich malty sweetness with a complex blend of deep malt, dried fruit esters, and alcohol. Has a prominent yet smooth schwarzbier-like roasted flavor that stops short of burnt. Mouth-filling and very smooth. Clean lager character; no diacetyl. Starts sweet but darker malt flavors quickly dominates and persists through finish. Just a touch dry with a hint of roast coffee or licorice in the finish. Malt can have a caramel, toffee, nutty, molasses and/or lico- rice complexity. Light hints of black currant and dark fruits. Medium-low to medium bitterness from malt and hops, just to provide balance. Hop flavor from slightly spicy hops (Lublin or Saaz types) ranges from none to medium-low.
Mouthfeel: Generally quite full-bodied and smooth, with a well-aged alcohol warmth (although the rarer lower gravity Carnegie-style versions will have a medium body and less warmth). Medium to medium-high carbonation, making it seem even more mouth-filling. Not heavy on the tongue due to carbonation level. Most versions are in the 7-8.5% ABV range.
Overall Impression: A Baltic Porter often has the malt flavors reminiscent of an English brown porter and the restrained roast of a schwarzbier, but with a higher OG and alcohol con- tent than either. Very complex, with multi-layered flavors. History: Traditional beer from countries bordering the Baltic Sea. Derived from English porters but influenced by Russian Imperial Stouts.
Comments: May also be described as an Imperial Porter, al- though heavily roasted or hopped versions should be entered as either Imperial Stouts (13F) or Specialty Beers (23). Ingredients: Generally lager yeast (cold fermented if using ale yeast). Debittered chocolate or black malt. Munich or Vienna base malt. Continental hops. May contain crystal malts and/or adjuncts. Brown or amber malt common in historical recipes.

Commercial Examples: Sinebrychoff Porter (Finland), Okocim Porter (Poland), Zywiec Porter (Poland), Baltika #6 Porter (Russia), Carnegie Stark Porter (Sweden), Aldaris Porteris (Latvia), Utenos Porter (Lithuania), Stepan Razin Porter (Rus- sia), Nøgne ø porter (Norway), Neuzeller Kloster-Bräu Neu- zeller Porter (Germany), Southampton Imperial Baltic Porter

Vital Statistics:
IBUs: 20 – 40 SRM: 17 – 30
OG: 1.060 – 1.090 FG: 1.016 – 1.024
ABV: 5.5 – 9.5%
BJCP Style Guidelines — 2008 Edition

First Milking the Cow Announement

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 06:34:00 GMT

Bigger and Better than 2011 ! Many beers on tap including some aged beers, hand pump beauties and a few more surprises

Friday Night Launch Party - get on the VIP invite only launch party by buying tickets for the Saturday and Sunday festivities. A chance to meet and gre...et all the beer experts that are making their way to the hotel for the weekend as we all let our hair down.

Saturday and Sunday

Activities include ...

* Masterclasses that help us match whiskey and beer, a hoppy celebration of all things imperially IPA, modern day advances in home brewing , a look at what it takes to be a 'TOP 100' beer at the moment and returning bigger and better than ever the Ladies Only Beer Masterclass

* Food and Beer Matching Menu all weekend

* Home Brew Competition - this year we are looking for a Porter as per Section 12 of the BJCP guidelines (see link below) The winning beer will be launched at Octoberfest to much fanfare

* Boy and Beer pre concert get together party beginning Sunday afternoon.

* Live music and DJ's all weekend as we celebrate beer in style at the Cow!

Take care - and remember - any questions at all - then contact Phil at phil@spottedcow.com.au

Murder By Death Tour Pushed Back Till May...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:12:00 GMT

MURDER BY DEATH

CHANGE OF DATES

TOUR DELAYED UNTIL MAY

Due to scheduling and time constraints Jung Hearts will be moving the intial Murder By Death tour dates to May. Jung Hearts believe that these new date changes and some venue changes will contribute to a greater overall experience for punters planning on attending shows for this tour. Several new dates have also been added to the tour, allowing the band to visit more locations in Australia.

Murder By Death and Jung Hearts are excited to deliver this inaugural first ever tour to Australia in its new and improved format.

Please find new dates and venues below. Those who have already purchased tickets can retain their tickets as being valid for these new dates, with the exception of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne where venues have changed. Those tickets purchased at venues that are no longer being used for the tour can get a refund at point of purchase and then re-purchase their tickets for the new shows.

Jung Hearts apologies for any inconvenience caused as a result of these changes. New ticketing information will be posted in the next few days, going on sale on Friday the 17th of Feb. Stay tuned.

Perth band ELEVENTH HE REACHES LONDON regretfully cannot perform on these new dates as main tour support, however all tour supports will be announced in the coming weeks with some great local talent scheduled to appear on stage with Murder By Death. We're very excited about the support band selection for these shows.

In the past two years, Murder By Death have released the critically lauded "Good Morning, Magpie" on the venerable Vagrant Records, added Scott Brackett from Okkervil River to their lineup and had a song featured in a trailer for Quentin Tarantino's 'Inglorious Basterds' and on the successful US drama television series 'Sons of Anarchy'.

Straddling the delicate border of Punk and Country without indulging in the cliches of either genre, their live reputation pegs them as both rabble-rousing and note-perfect, atmospheric as much as forceful and truly unmissable.

Murder By Death will begin their first tour to Australia this coming May.

'If you've never witnessed a show from MBD, this is one not to miss; the band paints a lush dark picture of the whiskey-soaked underbelly of American back roads. If Johnny Cash had spent some time collaborating with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, the result may have been something like this.'
- about.com

Thursday 17th May | The Evelyn, Melbourne

Friday 18th May | The National Hotel, Geelong

Saturday 19th May | The Wall, Sydney

Sunday 20th May | Chinos, Newcastle

Thursday 24th May | Surfers Paradise Beer Garden, Gold Coast

Friday 25th May | The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba

Saturday 26th May | The Jubilee Hotel, Brisbane

CIDERFEST IS HERE!

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:26:00 GMT

Cider consumption is rising at a rapid rate in Australia. That probably explains why the Spotted Cow decided to do something about it, and hold The Spotted Cow's inaugural Ciderfest. Featuring over 10 ciders on tap and cask as well as many more from the bottle , specifically matched to some meals that were destined to be eaten with Cider, it promises to be a day not to be missed!

Much like the famous Milking the Cow Beer Lovers Festival, there are people converging from all around Queensland to be in Toowoomba this Saturday. The Cow have even decided to launch the very first keg of Moscato that Toowoomba will see on Saturday as well. Hailing from the Yarra Valley, Innocent Bystander Moscato has only been on tap at a few venues in Queensland, but with Toowoomba's own Steve Flamsteed making the much loved drop, it was only a matter of time until it found its way to the Cow.

Ciders will be available from the following breweries...Matilda Bay , Bullmers, Little Creatures, Kelly Brothers and there will also be 10 limited edition cask ciders all the way from Wales as well!!

If like most of the country lately you have been thinking about converting to cider, then Saturday might be your chance to make that move.

Ciderfest begins at midday at the Spotted Cow till late.

Some last minute notes for the festival...

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:58:00 GMT

Well the time has come and we are ready to go, there will be over 50 beers to go through, an exciting festival only menu, brewers from all over Australia and some great live music to make this three days Toowoomba will remember for a long time!

As you might have seen on the Cow website, there are packages available for the festival, however let me stress that these are packages only and were put up as they offer great value and were put up to help us gauge interest for the festival.

You are under no obligation what so ever to buy these , you can turn up to the festival at any stage throughout the three days and just have a few beers. The live music is free entry as well.

If you do buy a package for the launch, $5 from each ticket will be going towards Japanese Tsunami relief as we have a Japanese punk rock band playing that night, there will be some Japanese style savouries available as well as part of the package price.

It really promises to be a great weekend and we hope to see you down there!

If you have any questions, then do not hesitate to contact me on phil@spottedcow.com.au

Thanks

Phil Coorey

LIMITED RELEASE VALE/COW FOR SPOTTED COW HOTEL

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 06:15:00 GMT

The Spotted Cow’s inaugural beer festival this June long weekend will feature a limited release VALE/COW brewed just for the Spotted Cow Hotel in Toowoomba, by McLaren Vale Beer Company head brewer Jeff Wright.

Spotted Cow owner Phil Coorey said “this is what craft brewing is all about”.

“I love telling customers that we have a beer being made for us only,” Phil said. “Craft beer is all about uniqueness and this takes that to a whole new level.

“Craft beer is hard to define for some. It’s growing at a rapid rate in Australia and is still a new idea to many.”

Phil said the project came about with the help of Ross Kenrick (creator of the fabulous Double Ninja beer that will also be at the festival) at Baccus Brewing in Brisbane. Jeff Wright was able to drop by on his May tour of Queensland with East Coast Marketing Manager Josh Stuart and make a supercharged India Pale Ale especially for the Spotted Cow.

To be known as VALE/COW it will only available in an extremely limited supply over the weekend.

“A chance like this doesn’t come along very often so we grabbed it,” Phil said.

So what does it taste like?

“We got excited and crammed plenty of hops in there and wanted to make a beer that would satisfy what the Cow was looking for, for their festival’s patrons,” Jeff Wright said.

“Phil assured me that they live on the edge, so we took our beer out there and think it will be a real highlight set amongst the 50 beers they are launching on tap the June long weekend.”

Article on Beer Festival

Mon, 30 May 2011 08:12:00 GMT

Forget Buckingham Palace, The Spotted Cow at Toowoomba is the place to be this Queens Birthday Long Weekend, with the inaugural Milking the Cow beer lover’s festival attracting almost as many visitors as the royal wedding of Wills and Kate.

Publican Phil Coorey is over the moon with the level of interest.

“I really did not expect the reaction to the festival that we are getting. People are buying tickets from all over Country Qld, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and northern NSW. I’ve decided to order extra beers and we look like having 60 different beers on tap beginning from around 8pm Friday night. This is not the first beer festival in Australia, but we hope to make it one you will remember.“

He has specifically tried to cover the burgeoning craft and home brew market, while making sure people don’t go hungry with a special menu designed to match some featured beers on “advice from the breweries in question”.

“With an equal mix of professional and home brewer involvement we think we can reach out to all fans of beer. Ultimately our goal is to educate home brewers with the knowledge from the world-class brewers and they will be teaching master home brew and specialty beer classes throughout the long weekend.”

"So to sum up this extravaganza, if we can, there will be too many beers on tap to count, a special weekend menu that has been matched to specific beers, countless live acts highlighted by Japans “Jet Boys” and a special Sunday afternoon appearance from ex “Dallas Crane” legend Dave Larkin. A home brew competition where the winning beer will be brewed in Brisbane and then sold at the Spotted Cow one day, a chance to mix with some of the most respected brewers in Australia as you ‘milk’ them for all the information you can.

Any final words from Phil? “If we could jam anything else into this weekend, we would have for sure!”

Festival kicks off Friday June 10 at 8 pm and runs until late Sunday night (June12) , there are no tickets available but the various packages available represent great value. Visit www.spottedcow.com.au or call Phil on 0409 349 889 for more details

The Delta Riggs!!

Mon, 23 May 2011 22:26:00 GMT

They say there's no rest for the wicked and this couldn't be truer for iniquitous rock 'n' roll throwbacks The Delta Riggs. Days after winding up the Four to the Floor tour with fellow blues-rockers, Black Devil Yard Boss, The 'Riggs headed into Sydney's 301 studios to lay down their new EP, Talupo House Sessions Vol. 1, joined by US producer dp13.

Talupo House Sessions Vol. 1 is the first of two EP's to be released in 2011, taking both title and inspiration from the rural NSW farmhouse The Delta Riggs used as a writing haven in 2010. "Vol. 1" is a frantic, dark and immediate collection, that draws on the isolation felt by some members during this period, whilst celebrating vestiges of rock's whiskey-fuelled glory days.

As a band with a burgeoning live reputation, The Delta Riggs have captured their frenetic energy with the majority of the EP being recorded in a single "live" session. Opener 'Penny Drops', typifies the brash vigour that The Delta Riggs are becoming known for, with guitarist Aaron Jackson's howling riffage and references to the appeal of habitual abuse and a search for deeper fulfilment. On the foot stomping 'All The Little People', front man Elliott Hammond mixes fable with social commentary of small-town prejudice, with a harrowing tale of a mountain community terrorised by a blood-thirsty beast.

Elsewhere, quiet moment 'Don't Cry' explores their soulful penchant for southern gospel harmonies, whilst the psych-prog epic 'Heavy Water' promises to become a crowd favourite, with a massive half-time chorus drop and furious intro / outro jams. Talupo House Sessions Vol. 1… 6 blistering new tracks by The Delta Riggs. Get set to rock your cotton-pickin' socks off!

Come and check them out at the Cow this Friday Night!!! Free Gig

Move over Christian Bale - here is the real Dark Knight...

Wed, 18 May 2011 06:52:00 GMT

Murray's Dark Knight is made in the traditional Porter style from six specialty malts. It is full bodied, rich and complex. The beer is a deep ruby colour, with a creamy, off-white head. Murray's Dark Knight has an aroma of caramel and bittersweet chocolate and finishes with a balanced bitterness.

It's ideal with rich red meat casseroles, or for the more adventurous, try with Chocolate Mud Cake.

Dark Knight (4.5% abv)

We are so excited about this beer that we ordered extra - it's a real hit in the stubbies and will go off as a typical winter Porter come June. It has also been matched to the special food/beer menu for the weekend with the Braised Beef Cheek Pie with Beer Battered Fries.

Don't Miss out!!

The Critics Choice - Stone and Wood Pacific Ale

Sat, 14 May 2011 06:15:00 GMT

You honestly thought we would have a craft beer and not invite the guys from Stone and Wood? What Am I? Stupid???

Inspired by our home on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and brewed using all Australian barley, wheat and Galaxy hops, Pacific Ale is cloudy and golden with a big fruity aroma and a refreshing finish.

After being dry hopped at the end of fermentation, our Pacific Ale is then drawn straight from the storage tank at the brewery into kegs and bottles.

Drawing it from the tank and straight into a keg or bottle without filtering or pastuerising it means that the beer can be enjoyed at the pub or at home in the same condition as it is when we try it from the tank at the brewery … simply fresh.

Why don’t we filter or pasteurise our Pacific Ale?

Filtering beer removes the remaining yeast which causes the beer to look cloudy; unfortunately a lot of the flavour is also removed by the filter.

Pasteurising beer usually involves a heating process which gives it some stability for shipping long distances or storing for a long time. Unfortunately this process can also knock some of the crisp freshness out of the beer.

What about the yeast in the bottom of the bottle?

We leave the yeast in Pacific Ale because we believe it adds something special to the flavour of the beer. The yeast drops to the bottom of the bottle over time so we recommend you give the bottle a gentle roll or tip it upside down before opening it to rouse the yeast and mix it up.

This wonderful beer will be on tap all three days as it has been specially matched to the beer festival weekend menu as well.

See you tomorrow for another tasting note and have a good Saturday!

Phil Coorey

Who is keen to taste to taste a winner in June?

Fri, 13 May 2011 07:58:00 GMT

McLaren Vale is home to an abundance of epicurean delights. It’s also home to one of Australia’s most remarkable new beers.
Vale Ale is a vivacious, fruity ale with a burnished gold aura and a fine haze. It opens with the glistening aroma of hops harmonised with a hint of passionfruit.These notes strike a chord with an air of nutty maltiness followed by a soft bitterness. Culminating in a surprising dry finish, Vale Ale is perfect for slaking a summer’s thirst.

Appearance: Cloudy from bottle conditioning with live yeast cells. Golden/copper colour.
Aroma: Boiled lollies.
Flavour: floral, fruity. Medium body and bitterness.

Malt:
Pale - sweet malty flavour
Wheat - Mouth feel and ‘palate fullness’
Crystal - Caramalised flavour and imparts golden colour.

Hops:
Super Alpha - soft bitterness
Amarillo - passionfruit grapefruit
Cascade - spicy, citrusy.

What can one say about this beer, that has not been said already. jeff Wright is meticulous in his preparation of this beer and it shows. Voted as the top drop in Australia by the drinkers at the mighty Local Taphouse establishments , it deserves every accolade it gets. We are excited to showcase this beer next month , but also we can't wait for you to meet the guys from MV Beer as well.

Next up - Stone and Wood Pacific Ale - the critics choice!!!

Take care,

Phil Coorey

Hi, I'm your new craft beer for the festival...

Thu, 12 May 2011 02:54:00 GMT

This is the first in a series of posts detailing some of the super rare and sought after beers we are showcasing at the festival

MONA Saison

Located on site at the Museum of Old and New Art…The Mona brewery is set to develop a range of entertaining and challenging beers. Seasonals and limited production runs will characterize how we present, and if a beer is received well enough (or more importantly, we like it) we’ll do it again. In keeping with making it hard to get, and making you pay more, the beers will only be available at Mona for the time being.

Historically, saison (French for season) was not a type or style of beer. It was a family of special beers that were brewed throughout the Wallonia region of southern Belgium, with a concentration in the Hinaut province bordering France. It is not known when the first modern saison was brewed and thus, the origin of the style is tied to local agriculture than a headline event. In the days before refrigeration, farmers around the region would gather at the village brewery or a communal brewery several times during the winter to brew saison in order to have a reserve for the following summer. Fermenting during the colder winter months improved the beer’s chances of making it through spring without becoming infected. During the summer harvest, farms hired casual labor known as “les saisonniers”, or seasonal workers. These workers were served saison to quench their thirst. Beer, because it was boiled during its production, was considered by some as possibly safer than the local water supply. Saison was brewed with nourishing botanicals, spices and hops to rejuvenate workers during the long, hot days of summer.

Following WWI, casual farm labor was slowly being replaced by progressive mechanized technologies and the need for small farmhouse breweries began fading away. Imported beer from England and Germany also began to influence the saison style. Consumer’s craved a “softer” saison and hop bitterness replaced the sourness found in the original saisons. The color went from the classic orange to amber and further onto the common pale colored beers of today. Improvements in brewery equipment and production techniques helped to reduce the risk of infection, allowing production all year round. The modern interpretation of the Saison beer style had emerged.

Saison can be described as earthy, rustic, fruity as well as spicy. These characteristics are generally driven by the yeast strain, but can also be accentuated by the addition of botanicals and spices. Saison yeast strains do not develop the typical clove like characteristics that other Belgian yeast strains are capable of, but develop spicy, peppery phenolics. Saisons are highly attenuated, providing a dry finish with little or no residual sweetness. They tend to be more highly hopped than other Belgian styles with an emphasis on hop flavor and aroma. The color tends to be pale (modern saison) or having an orange hue (classic saison). They are often said to have ‘vinous’ qualities as well, originating from the blending of yeast strains that was a common practice among the early farmhouse breweries (as well as the proximity to the wine country of northern France).

Brewed by the Moo Brew team in the Mona brewery, this Saison is a unique Tasmanian interpretation of the style. The intention is not to imitate or indulge in iconoclasm, but to pay homage and interpret the style with inspiration. Traditional floor malted Bohemian Pilsner malt from Germany, representing the oldest form of malted barley, provides the base malt of this beer. The use of raw spelt seeks to follow the farmhouse tradition of including raw grains in the grist. The origin of the yeast strain is reputed to be a small garage brewery in Blaugies, Belgium, focused on the revival of the saisons brewed previously in the region. Bushy Park north of Hobart provides us with a tangible link to the local seasonal agricultural roots of the classic Saison.

This 2011 interpretation of an iconic style is medium bodied and pale orange in appearance. With a complex flavor profile developed by the yeast creating esters balanced with spicy earthiness. It finishes slightly tart with a peppery dryness.

This is the only keg that has been sent to Queensland and the Spotted Cow are proud to have it - it will be showcased on Day 2 of the festival from midday.

Please email Phil at phil@spottedcow.com.au - if you require any more information

Best Bottleshop in QLD!

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 02:28:00 GMT

For the second time in three years the Spotted Cow bottle shop (on the corner of Bridge and Mary Sts) was announced as the best in Queensland by the QHA (Queensland Hotels Association)

The first time was very humbling - this is borderline insane now!

I'd like to take this moment to thank everyone who are great supporters of all things The Spotted Cow and would like to re-iterate that we would not win this award if it was not for our customers.

I can't just go and stock 400 beers and leave them sit on the shelf while I watch Red Sox games and episodes of Mad Men. I need people to buy them and support us to keep the place fresh and alive.

The support for the boutique wineries and spirit selection as well is the another key reason why we won this award.

If you would have told me a week ago that we would this award and that Greg Inglis would be playing for Souths - I would have told you , that you were nuts!

Anyway - thanks once again for your support and watch this space for some huge specials soon - leading into Christmas.

Take care

Phil Coorey

Christmas is Around the Corner

Mon, 02 May 2011 23:46:00 GMT

Sorry that I have not updated in a while - I just could not be bothered.

Seriously, it has been crazy busy at the Cow and moving on through the next few months we are preparing for a few key events that might interest you...

Darren Lehman and Damian Fleming Cricket Dinner

Over the past 20 years, plenty of arguments have been had in plenty of pubs about Australia's cricketers.

Best bowler: Warne or McGrath? Best batsmen: Waugh or Ponting? Best keeper: Healy or Gilchrist?

Best bloke, funniest player, the one you'd most like to have a beer with: Darren Lehmann or Damien Fleming?

And because we couldn't split them, we've decided to invite both of them -- and you -- to The Spotted Cow for an evening to remember.

Not only are Lehmann and Fleming two of Australia's most respected players, they are insightful and expert commentators, and even more expert story-tellers.

Kick off your Ashes summer here at the hotel on November 23,

two days before the Gabba test, with Boof and Flem.

Tickets are $125 each or $1200 for a table of ten and includes an

all inclusive package of alcohol and enough food to keep you

going for the night.

Proudly supported by Yalumba and Fosters - this promises not to

be a night you can afford to miss.

THE BOTTLE SHOP HAS GONE MAD!

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:43:00 GMT

Thanks to Cellarbrations being a tad more aggressive in the fine wine market we can finally offer amazing deals on wines that makes Dan Murphy's and First Choice sit up and take notice.

Here is a list of some of the amazing deals we have right now :

1. Evan's and Tate Margaret River Shiraz - Usually $22.99 now $13 per bottle (in a six pack buy!)

2. Bollinger NV Cuvee Brut - Usually $120 per bottle now you can buy 2 for $140 (or $79.99 each)

3. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc - Usually $40 per bottle now $50 for a 2 bottle buy (this is selling like hotcakes - most people are buying six bottles here minimum)

4. Orlando St Hugo - Usually $50 per bottle - now $28 per bottle in a six bottle buy - I saw this on special today at Dan's for $29.90. This is the best value Cabernet in the country right now - seriously insane.

5. Rounding out the top 5 is big Sammy Adams. The greatest beer from America's greatest city is usually over $100 per case but we have 14 cartons available at the amazing price of $60!! Why am I even doing this special? Boston are going to miss the playoffs anyway!!

Anyway - stay tuned for more great deals soon

Next will be the line up of amazing events coming up at the Cow. It's pretty impressive...