Tannic Teeth

Matilda Bay Brewery has been producing Alpha Pale Ale under a style similar to the American Pale Ale for quite some time now.

It has a distinct hopped aroma, citrus dominant and austere bitterness. Pouring deep golden from the bottle chances are you’ll be taken back by the bitterness that arrives in a slow wave along with a grapefruit aroma. You may as well think you’ve had a bite of a grapefruit because it’s not too dissimilar. I’d err on the side of caution if you don’t like bitter beers and steal a sip from someone who knows this style and enjoys it. Definitely refreshing with a filling wholemeal bread mouth-feel. Good in summer after a long bike ride in the setting sun.

One of the greatest things about showing someone around your city is you get a chance to view things from a fresh(er) perspective.

Fremantle was revived in the old terraces and quirky shops.

The chilly spikes of morning eased to the rounded lull of a winter sun.

Beer and Kangaroo under an olive tree with great company.

But it’s only going to be for a nine more days, I feel too guilty being a tourist in my own town.

At the risk of sounding like a troglodyte or social misfit with a strange phobia for bars and open places for not discovering it earlier, but Little Creatures Freo is one very decent place for a good pint and feed. And to be totally honest with you, this was only my second time there. I admit it, in times when petrol prices were reasonable and politicians truthful, I never felt the need to venture so far south for a beer, pizza and drunken social interaction; good thing I was finally dragged along by happen chance for Nachos and 3 pints before having my mid-afternoon bliss called short by the prospect of serving equally drunk customers myself.

Obviously brewery fresh would be facetiously suggesting otherwise here; you can see, hear and smell the beer being brewed, reminiscing times back in the winery; Nothing quite like the look of a 318 stainless steel vat in full ferment glinting in the morning sun. Food and Beer is tops, as would many staunch advocates of the place attest with their returning patronage. The Bright Ale tasted was live with fruity, floral characters, balanced well with malty roundness and not-so-bitter hopped finish. The Pizza (hot sausage, olive and roasted capsicum) was of fresh ingredients not overly topped or scantly sewn- the base was perfect and not oily-and much better than many so called ‘Italian’ restaurants of Perth. The staff are quintessential Freoians through and through, hippyesque, chatty, veritably high on life (or other substances for that matter) give service in genuinity of good vibes. It gives the place it’s unique spell that once cast over you, you’ll probably return.

Hands up who loves the great ’nectar of gods’? You would be well aware then, of the monopolistic disposition Belgium holds amongst the brew kings of the world. With a long heritage stemming back before 1500’s, beer brewing has more of less be perfected in the adage ‘less is more’ when it comes to flavouring beers and truly crafting the amber liquid. Trappist beers (those made by order of Monks) are common in this part of the world, however the below mentioned beer though having an ecclesiastical connotation has no appellation label denoting ‘Trappist Beer’. Without further a do enjoy this beer.

St Sebastiaan ‘Grand Cru’ Blond Strong Beer “Doppelbock” [Belgium] (Crown seal - Ceramic swingtop vessel) 7.6%

For those not dissuaded by the $20 per bottle price tag, may rest assured you will receive many years of service from a ‘ye olde worlde’ ceramic bottle. Aptly serviceable for any liquid from spirit to vinaigrette its glazed inside and out or quite nice addition to any already overly cluttered beer bottle shelf in your house. But back to the beer.

This is a malty, yeasty beer akin to the fluffy fillingness brought on from 50’s diner vanilla milkshake. The top notes bear resemblance to light banana and slight hints of cloves, on the mouth it’s filling and rich, but also distinctly metallic. Kind of similar to licking a steel knife after preparing a Vegemite and banana sandwich- after you have eaten several rounds. Its warm not suprising due to the hefty 7.6% alcohol percentage but is duly balanced within the rounded flavour profile. Don’t drink this if you are after a refreshing brew, conversely when you want one beer that counts. Quality not quantity is the go here; and at $20 per bottle unless you want or feel like a pregnant yak, just eer on the side of caution and indulge in one.

For quite some time now wine has held a monopoly on ‘degustation’ events, careful tasting of precisely crafted foods with equally crafted wines. One may ask where does beer fit into this equation?

Enter James Squire

Cleverly orchestrated over the entire nation, James Squire has put together a ‘exceptional food with first-class beer’ event. The deal is, Chefs are given 5 different beers namely: Amber Ale, Pilsener, Golden Ale, IPA (Indian Pale Ale) and Porter. Each Chef willing to put their hand up to create a diverse course of meals to match the beers will be judged upon by ‘mystery judges’ under the guise of normal customers at each Chef’s restaurant. Today was just an example of what can be done at Origins restaurant (Sherton Hotel- Perth).

Below are the reviews of the food and beer ‘matches’

Golden Ale matched with; Pancetta wrapped banana prawn with picked apple sauce.

The pancetta carrying the fat and flavour of this dish perfectly complimented the prawn flavour and texture. It may have been too much by it self being overtly salty, however the pickled apple sauce with a certain spicy character (cinnamon, clove?) and tartness completely ‘brought back to ground’ the intenseness of the prawn. Golden Ale matched probably the least best amongst the line-up, however light tropical character and nuttyness on the finish was a pleasant contrast.

Pilsener matched with; Salt and Pepper squid with lime wasabi mayonnaise.

Presented in cute little Chinese take-away boxes, this was distinct Asian themed dish. Not only the influence of lime wedges, but also the use of rice flour, Sichuan pepper and wasabi, I thought it was a bit too much for the poor little slivers of squid to handle. Saltiness was the dominant player in this scene, so much so you could get that funny sensation on your tongue desiccating. Lime was needed, and did fit in well cutting back the saltiness; however the saviour was the Pilsener, refreshing, tart and carrying bitterness needed to combat the salt. It was an intense ride.

Amber Ale matched with; Lamb Backstrap on chrisp potato and shallot puree.

Fragrant lamb perfectly cooked medium in a natural jus was instant hit with the Amber Ale. In many ways more simplistic of the line up, there was a potato wafer (akin to a potato crisp) affixed with a dollop of alliaceous (garlicky) puree. Contrasted well with the meaty lamb really coming through towards the end, the garlic/onion characters really rising to the forefront. The Amber Ale carried a certain breadyness not dissimilar to wholemeal bread, which in a strange way gave an impression of a fuller tasting lamb sandwich. Primal.

IPA matched with; Peking Duck with cucumber noodles and nam jim.

Another Asian contender in the line-up, it’s hot and spicy, with sour notes too. The duck sat atop a beansprout salad with chilli, shallots and cucumber and under nam jim. This was a spicy little sucker, hot garlic and onion with chilli and fish sauce. Being packed between the two I feel as though the flavour of duck was dragged back too far with the nam jim dominating the palate. Not that that was a bad thing because the IPA with its aromatic hops and feisty bitter finish ‘rounds off’ the dish into complete unity. By far my personal preference, perhaps for the interplay of flavours, between the IPA and Duck. Spirited.

Porter matched with; Margaret River Venison skewers with chocolate oil.

A rich dark porter matched with a rich gamey meat. Delish! Venison being one of my favourite meats, really did ‘come to life’ with the combination of Spinach Spätzle, Chinese Wood-ear mushrooms and apple, drenched in dark chocolate oil. It’s strange mixture when one thinks of it separately, but the rubbery texture of Spätzle and the rehydrated earthy mushrooms and rich dark chocolate marries finely with the earthy wild gamey characters of Venison. The Porter was finely matched in my opinion, carrying though the characters of the dish, changing, forming their own on a ‘Porter Palate’. There is earth, game, sweet chocolate and apple immixed with creamy maltyness of the Porter. Wintery.