Cities evoke different memories for different people. For some New York means the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and Central Park, for brewer and beer sommelier Ian Watson it means Heavyweight Alt, Brooklyn Lager and Punk Rock. 

Flying in from England we pause only for a quick stop to drop off our bags before heading straight to our first beer destination - The Chelsea Brewpub. Located right on the water at the Chelsea piers, the pub is in a dream location. Shiny copper clad brewing vessels overlook the bar and seating areas that lead out onto the pier itself. With baseball playing on the TV and the smell of ribs wafting from the kitchen, it's a venue that ensures you know instantly that you are well and truly in the US.

Hop Angel IPA was the first beer to greet us and after the previous week of sampling some fantastic Milds in the UK this attack of hops was most welcome. It greeted us with the resinous-citric character so typical of this style, just what we were craving. The food is typical brewpub fare, tasty and reasonably priced much like the beer. The best part of this venue though was the staff who seemed to take a genuine pleasure in introducing us to their range of beer.

The next morning our first subway ride delivered us to Williamsburg, Brooklyn; the home of Brooklyn Brewery. I had been in contact with head brewer Garret Oliver for some time regarding our visit and we arrived at the brewery expecting it to have a shop front of sorts where we could try the beers, say "G'day" to Garret and be on our way. We were wrong. What we instead found was a full production brewery that only opens a tasting room to the public on special occasions. Garrett took time out from his busy schedule to give us a fantastic private tour and tasting. Both Garrett and I share a love of beer and food and with each of the beers tasted we discussed dishes that we thought would be appropriate matches. He also recommended to us a fine New York gastropub called The Spotted Pig - something to bear in mind for our next trip.

One of the highlights in the Brooklyn range is the Black Chocolate Stout, a 10.6% Russian Imperial Stout that has an intriguing aroma of mocha, chocolate, cognac and rum. The East India Pale Ale is also worthy of note with one of the freshest hop aromas I have encountered in any beer. We even managed to meet ‘Monster' the brewery's cat - named after their deliciously complex Barleywine.

Brooklyn Brewery's draught beer brands are produced at the Williamsburg facility while the bottled product is produced at another plant in upstate New York. The beers - and particularly the very classy Brooklyn lager - are widely available in the city and are a must try in this part of the world.

The Blind Tiger Alehouse was next on our list and we soon found ourselves sipping on a 60 minute IPA (through a Randall of course) and chatting with the local homebrewers. This venue is one of the most amazing beer bars that I have seen anywhere. It boasts a draught list that changes constantly and features some truly incredible US craft beers as well as a few classic Europeans and cask conditioned beer. The bottled menu continues this theme and is supported by a well thought out list of whiskies, tequilas and gin.

Two beers really grabbed our attention that evening. Dogfish Head Aprihop - a beer that uses a combination of high hopping and additions of apricots to create an aroma and flavour that would melt anyones heart (the brewery describes it as a fruit beer for hop lovers) and Bear Republic's Hop Rod Rye - an IPA made with a healthy portion of rye malt, displaying a captivating combination of peppermint and pine aroma over the top of deep caramel.

You might be able to guess by now that IPA was a firm favourite style on this trip. These highly hopped beers have become a big specialty of the US beer scene.

As amazing as the Blind Tiger was, its patrons were even better and after a while we were back on the subway with Beeradvocate.com members heading to Brooklyn again for a visit to The Spuyten Duyvil - New York's greatest Belgian Specialty beer bar.

The Spuyten Duyvil is very unlike the Belgian Beer Cafes of Australia or New Zealand. Rather than being decorated in a classic Euro bar style, it takes a path that really tickled my fancy - mid 20th century modern (50s op shop ware), meaning that you felt as though you were having a beer in a friend's dining room rather than a commercial bar. According to our hosts all the furniture is for sale as well. So if you enjoyed sitting at your table as much as the Achel that you were drinking you can purchase both as you leave.

Spuyten Duyvil specialises in Belgian beers that are hard to find (not a Stella in sight), as well as US brewed but Belgian inspired beer. The menu is divided into Belgian provinces and covers a broad range of brewing traditions. Cantillion Lou Pepe Gueuze (in my opinion the greatest lambic of all - dry and tart with a nose full of lemon zest and winey notes) went down a treat and was soon followed by a De Ranke XXB. The staff were once again very efficient, knowledgeable and most definitely passionate about their products.

There are many other great beer bars and Brewpubs in New York City. A visit to these is a great way to see the beer and meet the people, something I intend to do again.

Barossa Valley

by John Kruger

South Australia's Barossa Valley is famous for rich, full-bodied red wines and beautiful scenery, but if you have more of a lust for good beers rather than good shiraz, the valley is still the place to be.

With wineries realising that they have production infrastructure, sales points, warehousing and distribution already organised, they're starting to jump on the brewing wagon as well. But it's not just the beer and wine giants that are starting to knock out the beers, there's a host of passionate private brewers to be found in the Barossa that makes the whole beer experience in the area so much richer.

The first step to ensuring a hassle free tour is to contact the places you intend visiting to making sure that the venues will be open and have product ready and waiting. Not all cellar doors are open during weekdays and, not surprisingly, they tend to run out of sho

rt-run batches from time to time. A designated driver or one of the excellent chauffeured services in the area is a must as there's too many great beverages waiting for you to taste.

Our first port of call is the Greenock Tavern, just off the Sturt highway in the main street of Greenock. It's a small unassuming pub that sells Barossa Brewing Company beers. Depending on the time of year there's either a gutsy Greenock Dark Ale or a well hopped Miller's Lager on draught, an opportunity to taste the beer flowing fresh from the keg. You may also spot the brewer, Darryl Trinnie drinking his own beer or a good glass of white wine at the bar. If he's not there and it's a weekend, he or his partner Gaye will be just around the corner on Mill Street at the old wheat store which is now a tasting room and houses the fermentation, cold conditioning, bottling and packaging side of things. Darryl or Gaye are only too happy to fill you in on hop varieties and malt selections contained in their beers and are friendly and knowledgeable hosts. You can also buy bottled varieties including the Wheat Store wheat beer, which is gaining a loyal following as a fragrant, yet hoppy, summer thirst quencher.

Grab a favourite as a cold takeaway and head into the main street of Nuriootpa and track down a small butchers store
called Linke's. In there you'll find good stuff like sliced smoked pork fillet, awesome mettwursts and other smoked meaty beer snacks. Not far across the other side of the road is a bakery, again called Linke's. Stock up on dill pickles and bread rolls and you've got a genuine do-it-yourself lunch of German-style smallgoods, pickles and fresh artisan bread. Combined they are the perfect accompaniment for that takeaway wheat beer. All you need now is to find a tree overlooking the vines at the lookout at Menglers Hill or any other picturesque locations in the Barossa. They certainly aren't hard to find.

If DIY lunch doesn't take your fancy there's fine dining at a restaurant in Tanunda. At 1918, Chris and Mel Fletcher take their food very seriously like most Barossan residents and their wine and beer list is suitably matched, including local beers. In the right weather you'll find the place packed so a reservation is the best bet to guarantee a table out on the veranda. Take your time and enjoy the day.

Accommodation is varied in the Barossa, from quaint cottage style B&Bs scattered everywhere to more modern digs at the Novatel near Jacob's Creek or Peppers at Marananga. Both have good reputations for great dining and stunning views to match. The Valley Hotel in Tanunda also has five neat, modern rooms out the back including one with a single spa that's like getting beaten up in the bath.

If you're not dining at the same place as you stay, Vintners Bar and Grill just out of Angaston is well worth a visit. Even a stop for coffee and chocolates is a good move. A little further down the road is the Saltram winery with its restaurant Salter's Kitchen. The cellar door is down one end of the large dining room and it's not unusual to see a large ice bucket, brim full of ice and their new beer brewed in partnership with Matilda Bay's Brad Rogers, Pepperjack Ale. Chalk up another win to the clean US56 yeast. This is an unusual ale with a portion of co-fermented shiraz juice adding colour and thinning the body a little. The wood oven pizzas at Salter's Kitchen and a few Pepperjacks are a perfect way to chill out and enjoy the sunset through the big windows or out on the deck.

If you're staying in a good B&B, chances are there's a barbeque out the back and a good supply of highly addictive locally smoked bacon and fresh eggs in the fridge. These will cure most over-indulgences from the previous night and set you up for a visit to Chateau Yaldara where Barossa Valley Brewing is located. Sample a Bee Sting, their honey wheat beer, or even their so-called ‘development ale'. The brewery is hoping to bring beer lovers together by forming a nation-wide tasting panel to help develop their next beer. If you can't sample it in the Barossa, hop on to their web site to find out where you can sample it and add our feedback.

The area is picturesque and the winery's Café Y is earning a good reputation for its food. If you're planning on filling your nostrils with the smell of hot water and grist, you're best off phoning ahead to find out about brewing times and café openings to make the experience as beery as possible.

While technically not in the Barossa, the Lobethal Bierhaus is less than 40kms away and well worth the visit for the beer lover. Situated in the Adelaide Hills it has a fully operational micro-brewery making some outstanding beers including an APA, Hefeweizen, Pilsner and Porter. With more beers being planned it's the kind of place that can be visited again and again to taste what's new. It's no wonder that the place is often brim-full; the food is excellent and the beers are even better. Keen home brewers can check out the gleaming brewery from the comfort of the bar or a dining table and Alistair or Phil are only too happy to answer questions about anything beer related. Check out the refillable two-litre ‘growlers' that are hugely popular with the locals.

Two more micros are planned for the Barossa Valley already so the Barossa Visitor Information centre in Tanunda is a good start to keep up with the latest attractions.

Find them at:

Barossa Brewing Company
Open for tasting and sales Saturday & Sunday from 11am to 4pm
Mill Street, Greenock
Phone: 0419 811 525 or (08) 8563 4041
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Barossa Valley Brewing
Yaldara Estate
Hermann Thumm Drive, Lyndoch
Phone: (08) 8524 4357
www.bvbeer.com.au

Lobethal Bierhaus
Open Friday & Saturday - Noon to 10pm; Sunday & Public Holidays -
Noon to 6pm
3a Main Street, Lobethal
Phone: (08) 8389 5570

1918
Open for lunch & dinner 7 days
94 Murray Street Tanunda
Phone: (08) 8563 0405
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Vintners Bar & Grill
Nuriootpa Road, Angaston
Phone: (08) 8564 2488
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Saltram Tasting Bar
Nuriootpa Road, Angaston
Phone: (08) 8561 0200
Fax: (08) 8561 0232
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Salter's Kitchen
Valley Hotel Motel
73 Murray St, Tanunda
Phone: (08) 8561 0216

Jamie Cook finds a drinking hole in England that gives brewpub a whole new meaning... The Angel & White Horse - Tadcaster, England

Tadcaster is one of those fortunate English towns that is blessed with owing its livelihood to breweries. Situated close to the walled city of York, Tadcaster has two breweries that were both founded by members of the Smith family. The larger John Smith's brewery is now a part of the Scottish & Newcastle empire whilst the smaller and more traditional Samuel Smith's brewery remains an independent family owned business.

At the front gate to the Samuel Smith's brewery on the main street of the town sits the The Angel & White Horse Pub, a classic ‘brewery tap' - a pub that is usually part of the brewery that is used to showcase its wares whilst also slaking the thirsts of the brewery workers and locals.

Time appears to have passed Samuel Smiths by as it continues to operate its business by sticking to the traditions established before the industrial age. The brewery itself was founded in 1758 and is a traditional gravity brewery where the brewing process starts high up in a tower where the brewhouse is located. From there the brew flows down to the fermentation area where the almost archaic square open fermentation vessels are located. These ‘squares' were crafted from local Yorkshire slate and contribute real character to the family's fine ales. After fermentation the brew continues its downhill journey to the cellar area where it is stored prior to being racked into wooden casks.

‘The Angel' draws its range of draught ales directly from the brewery and presents them in prime condition, serving them by hand pump to customers across the bar.

The best way to experience the ‘The Angel' is by starting with a brewery tour. By spending an hour or so climbing up and down stairs amongst a labyrinth of tanks, vessels and pipes, being seduced by the sensory experience on offer you will build up a real thirst for what is a classic real ale. The sight of those slate squares filled with bubbling brews draws you in and when you put your head over the top of them to appreciate the aroma in the same way you would ‘nose' a glass of fine wine, the carbon dioxide coming off the fermenting wort makes your head spin.

By the time you reach the bar in ‘The Angel' you are almost foaming at the mouth for one of Sam's ales. As you watch the pint of Old Brewery Bitter being drawn by hand you begin to think about how this beer is going to present itself after its journey through the brewery. When you are presented with a brimming glass of deep brown ale topped with a thick, dense white head it seems calm, collected and naturally relaxed. A far cry from the breathlessness, beating chest and strained calf muscles of its expectant drinker!

The dangers of drinking real ale are completely removed in a place like this. A beer that is molly coddled from the time that grain meets water high up in the tower to when it caresses the inside of the crystal clear pint glass in the bar is a true gift. The care and attention, together with the complete lack of modern processing, makes me think of how my grandmother would have created her much loved fruit cakes. Not surprisingly the fruity characters and full mouth flavour of the ale are reminiscent of those fruit cakes, and would probably sit just as well beside a slab of aged English cheddar. The round malt character of Sam's is almost heavenly when consumed within the brewery gates.

As you sit by the side of the open fire, you can only fall further in love with the living breathing ale in front of you. Each mouthful is rewarded with a heavy lace around the glass, and each pint adds to that warming inner glow. The dizzy rapture is occasionally interrupted by the clatter of the horse drawn brewery dray taking a delivery of wooden casks out the gates to the local pubs.

Was I really that affected by the wondrous brew provided by the angel, or was my head still spinning from the carbon dioxide fumes given off by the stone squares?

Daniel Tillack, Editor of Modern Fishing magazine, explores the relationship between beer and fishing.

There are a lot of ‘B' words in the fishing vernacular: barramundi, bass, bream, barracuda, billfish, bonefish, bait, boat, barnacle, beam, berth, bilge, bollard, bow, breakers, buoy, barometer and beer. Yes, beer. Whether it be sipping suds while staring at the surf or clasping a cold one while creeping past a crocodile, a beer has always been a favourite way to pass the time between bites.

The history of beer and fishing goes way back, further than the days of drunken sailors singing sea shanties about overboard shipmates and sexy mermaids. I'd wager that ‘fisherman' takes the mantle and moves prostitution to the second oldest profession in human history. Later on - once agriculture had been developed (some 5,000 years ago) - it didn't take too long for the job of ‘master brewer' to emerge. (Perhaps the Egyptians worked the barley after setting the nets for the day...) And so fishing and beer - both invented as a means of sustenance, yet evolved into a source of merriment - have stumbled through the ages arm-in-arm.

Beer is no longer just beer, and fishing is no longer just fishing. Every part of the globe has their own interpretation and styles of both, but no matter what your persuasion you'll be guaranteed that wherever you roam there will be some form or another to scratch your itch. Beer and fishing are two constants.

Australia is young when compared to the ages of beer or fishing. Yet the same way a young child can dance to The Beatles in 2008, Australia embraced beer and fishing at birth and they have become part of the rich tapestry that is Aussie culture. A bloke in Stubbies, thongs and a terry-towelling hat walking along a beach with a rod in one hand and a beer in the other, his Sheila alongside him, is a scene which would bring a joyous tear to the eye of Captain Cook - especially if the missus is holding a Vegemite sandwich.

Beer and fresh fish were valuable commodities in the days of the early settlers. Not only could you eat the fish and get pissed on the beer, you could use these items to barter with (or, more likely, for). In fact, some people today still hold great value in the exchange of beer for goods and services.

I recall a fishing trip with some mates on the Haughton River in North Queensland. We had set our crab pots early in the morning and embarked on a day's fishing. When we returned to collect them in the afternoon, expecting a rich bounty of delicious mud crabs, we were disheartened to find that every one of our pots had been robbed - baits, crabs and all. Sadly, this isn't uncommon and is usually an infuriating experience, but we couldn't do anything but laugh. The robber had been kind enough to leave a can of XXXX Gold in each crab pot he had stolen from. Hardly a fair trade for big mud crabs - at least give me full-strength - but amusing nonetheless...

Legalities aside, that story shows that the symbiosis of beer and fishing trips comes in many forms.

Some people don't understand it. I can remember some priceless looks from concerned rent-a-houseboat owners watching production lines haul slabs of beer onboard for weeklong fishing excursions. Such expressions are almost as funny as some of the arguments I've heard about with concerned wives ‘explaining' to their husbands why, in a three car convoy up Cape York, one car devoted entirely to the transport of beer is excessive. Beer o'clock can be earlier on some trips than others...

As long as moderation, safety and the law are kept in mind, beer is fine to use as an additional relaxant when we get away from it all with a fishing trip. There's a lot of fun to be had getting a group of mates together and heading to an exotic location with a hot sun, big fish and a charter guide to drive the boat. I've been on such trips with mixed groups and it has allowed me to observe (very scientifically, I assure you) something special.

For all that beer and fishing achieve, it is the social value that should not be underestimated. They are the great levellers. They are two things that combine the hearts and minds of the ‘everyman'. Rich or poor. If you're trying to find commonalities between demographic extremes, don't be surprised if the priest, car salesman, judge, bricky, tuckshop lady and sewage maintenance worker all love two things: beer and fishing. I could mention a third love, but we all know that one already.

The first man to watch a bird dive into the water and pull out a fish and then declare he would give it a go would not have had the capacity to understand what he was starting. Nor would the first exponent of brewing have known that this, the most ancient manufacturing art known to man, would stand the test of time. They were humble beginnings. The only guarantees for both these arts is that they will survive for as long as man walks the earth, because what better way is there to end a long day under a relentless sun than to kick back with a brew and enjoy a fresh fillet or two?

Beer battered fish

Serves 4

Ingredients
1½ cups self-raising flour, sifted
300ml ice-cold beer
4 x 200g fish fillets, skinned
Light olive or vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions

"Australians drink a lot of beer and Matt Kirkegaard tours the brewery keeping many Australian glasses full..."