Sunday, September 5, 2021

5Km Beer Challenge

So we are in lockdown here in Sydney at COVID central and not allowed out of our Local Government area or 5km from our house. Sounds a bit like Germany 1942 but worse. So what's one to do when your only allowed out for exercise and essential supplies and I have a brand new bike that needs some riding, but can't go more than 5 kms, hmmmmmm. What to do, what to do?

Well then seeing as liquor stores are deemed as essential services and I essentially need some essential service myself I've devised a devious plan. 

So here is my challenge.

I have to ride my bike to every liquor store within 5kms from my home and within my LGA(shopping centres excluded) and buy one can of craft beer at each store, then drink, review once home and tell you about the new bike. 

I also bought beers I haven't tried before except 2. Shouldn't be too hard, how many can there be anyways 4 or 5? Well let me consult the map. Below the blue line is out of LGA and out of red line is out of 5kms. Purple line is LGA.



Yikes! Well if there's one thing this lockdown has taught me is the fact I'll never go thirsty for a beer with this many bottle shops around, and this doesn't include pubs either because most of them are closed due to the plague otherwise there would be twice as many.

So off we go to the shops for "essential" supplies on the new Africa Twin. This should give me a good feel for how the bike will go around town in traffic(or lack thereof)...........


Arndell Park Bottlo

BWS Prospect

Harry's Liquor Blacktown

Prospect Village Cellars

Toongabbie Liquor Barn

I notice that at low speed maneuvering the AT is pretty top heavy and awkward especially on any sort of slope but once on the move it handles quite well and has plenty of low down punch. Very comfortable too.

C&L Liquor Lalor Park

Oscars Liquor Seven Hills

Dan Murphys Blacktown


Adams Tavern

Now the last bottle shop was Blacktown Tavern. They actually had the second largest bottlo of all of these but not one single can of any type of craft beer, and they only had coopers pale ale in bottles, no other types of craft beer. If you want garden variety bottom of the barrel VB and New this is the place for you. This place has never changed in 20 years. No wonder I only ever visited this place once. So I picked up a second can of beer at one of the previously visited shops to cover this dumps lack of quality beer.

So now it's time to check out my haul of essential supplies to tide me over during this lockdown. Who am I kidding, I'm going to drink them this afternoon.........



Presented In no Particular order
Note: Ratings are just my opinion and you know what opinions are like, yeah just like ass*****.

BentSpoke Crankshaft IPA: 
Rating:          9.5/10
ABV:             5.8%
Taste:            Strong malty, hoppy flavour with citrus/pine after taste. Great beer, will be buying more of this one. I've also had this on tap and it's top notch.

Young Henrys Newtowner Pale Ale:
Rating:          8.5/10
ABV:             4.9%
Taste:            Fruity, Hoppy, smooth. Very Nice, another one I'd buy more of this.

Hawke's Patio Pale:
Rating:          8/10
ABV:             4.5%
Taste:            Fruity, Hoppy citrus aftertaste. First time trying this, was surprised how good it was with the gimmicky ex Prime Minister Logo. Very Nice. I'd buy this again too.

Fox Hat Phat Mongrel Oatmeal Stout:
Rating:           3.5/10
ABV:              6.5%  
Taste:           Dark beer, Very strong malty chocolatey taste is a bit overpowering, very heavy. Not my cup of tea. I wouldn't buy this one again. I'm not a huge stout fan.       

Goat :
Rating:            4.5/10
ABV:               4.2%
Taste:            Quite a tasteless beer. No citrus/fruit or hop flavours of any kind. Quite plain. Easy to drink. I wouldn't buy this beer again.  Beer needs to have a beer like taste people.

Young Henrys Motorcycle Oil:
Rating:               6.5/10
ABV:                 5.5%   
Taste:           Dark Stout beer. Light stout with a mild bitterness taste, much better than the Phat Mongrel.  Not to heavy on the chocolate or after bitter taste of other stouts.     

Balter XPA:
Rating:             5.5/10
ABV:                5%
Taste:                Light on taste, easy drinking. Very light Floral flavours. There are better beers to get. Kind of expect this from a QLD beer, just drink Great Northern and you'll know what I mean, completely tasteless beer. What's the point?  

India Pale Ale:
Rating:              6/10
ABV:                 6%
Taste:              Citrusy/pine flavours first assaults your palette, followed by a bitter after taste. Nice beer, but probably wouldn't get this again, there are better pale ales.

West Coast India Pale Ale:
Rating:              4/10
ABV:                 7%
Taste:                Cloudy asf. Punch in the face with the flavour straight up, so much pine/citrus flavour, a bit overbearing to be honest. This beer has an identity crisis, says 'West Coast' on the can, made on the East Coast in the Hunter Valley, WTF? I wouldn't buy this one again.

Algorithm Pale Ale:
Rating:              6.5/10
ABV:                5%    
Taste:                A light citrus and hop taste, no bitter after taste. Not to bad. There are better beers out there.


Ah so then the 5km beer challenge is done and dusted, what was I getting at with this post again.......?
I've no Idea but I sure had some fun.....




Cheers

Steve the happy boy

The review in progress.......






PS. Bike goes good!