Closed for Xmas/NY

Please be advised the Brewery will be closed between Friday 23rd December and Monday 9th January
All orders for this period should be placed with the brewery before Wednesday 21st December.

Rest assured we'll be back in the early New Year cranking out some quality craft beer again. Happy and safe holidays, and cheers to another great year of craft beer.

What is Good Beer?

This posting, an exert from Sharp's Brewery Head Brewer Stuart Howe, is a great insight into the degrees of separation that exist in the beer world, purely due to ones strong opinions. "What is good beer?" is a question that Stuart superbly defines as what YOU want to determine as good beer.There's a great line towards the end of the post that completely sums up our Summer Limited Release, Two Head IPA. As an English IPA, complexity and balance from the fermentation and malt was particularly important when designing the beer, not just the hop character.Read the post and make up your own opinion. Cheers

Saturday, 3 December 2011 Written by Stuart Howe, Head Brewer for Sharp's Brewery, Rock, Cornwall, UK

What is Good Beer?

I was reading Mark Dredge’s post on using too many hops in beer and the resultant comments and it got me thinking; what is good beer?

The answer to that is simple: Whatever the person drinking the beer is looking for. It’s a bit like a cup of tea. I like a loose leaf lapsang made with soft water whereas most people like PG tips with plenty of milk and maybe one lump or two. Are they all idiots or am I? Don’t answer that!

I must warn you that I am now going to launch into my traditional sermon a lot of which I will have covered before. Sorry but I can’t help it.

You can argue that a beer brewed at high gravity using raw barley, enzymes, maize, hybridised yeast and post fermentation bitterness is a better beer than a reinheitsgebot-brewed, ice cave-aged whole hop pilsner if you are a thirsty drinker looking for cool clean refreshment on a scorching summer’s day. To a hophead who habitually shifts the frame of reference of his palate towards the extreme, a well-balanced, quenching cask ale which tastes of malt, hops and fruit is abjectly inferior to an ultra-pale, 1 Simcoe cone per ml, baseball bat of unrelenting grapefruit pith brewed by a 20 year old with his baseball cap on sideways, in a converted garage.

As a brewer I look for beers which I know are hard to execute, made well. Bunging a load of hops in or putting your brew in a barrel you have bought off a distillery is not difficult and certainly not big and clever. All too often the world of beer writing, blogging and the enthusiast is seemingly equating new and different to good and better. It very seldom is. For some their livelihood relies on uncovering the next big thing. One style of beer or brewery becomes de rigueur before being chip wrapping.

There are of course some drinkers who dismiss the new and innovative as second best to the old fashioned and traditional. In my opinion they are just as wrong as the fashionistas.

There seem to be a lot of people who profess to be beer lovers and yet seem to want to change beer completely. They can’t think that much of it if they champion the new and innovative to the detriment of the classic. A true beer lover embraces change enthusiastically but shows the necessary understanding and appreciation of our heritage and the passion and expertise of the brewer. I think only when you understand the complexities and elegance of brewing can you appreciate the true art of the brewer and how to judge him. You might not agree and why would you? You probably won’t be a brewer and if you are I bet you don’t sell much.

A great Lambic is not the Lambic which has a lower pH than all the others. It’s the one with highest degree of complexity and balance between the components of that complexity. So a great IPA or double IPA is not the one with the highest concentration of iso alpha acid. Very bitter and very strong beers have their place but to label subtle and well-constructed beers as crap because the analytical numbers don’t add up to 10,000 is ignorant and worthy of a slap. Who wants one? Eh?!

You decide what constitutes a good beer but in my experience the more you understand of what goes into a making a beer and the more widely you educate your palate, the more rewarding the experience of the decision making becomes. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but I think everyone should be able to reasonably justify that opinion when it is challenged.

Fashions change, balance and complexity never go out of style.

Two Heads IPA

To be launched at Beerfest 18th/19th November in Hobart. Our new limited release for the summer. It wont last long so get down and get your fill at Beerfest!

Beer Wars Hobart Screening

A special screening of the ace Beer Wars doco will be shown the night before the Tassie Beerfest at the MONA cinema, Thursday 17th November. Expect to see some special beers over the bar especially for the screening as well.

Relbia Gourmet Market - 27th November

The local Relbia region annually hosts a Gourmet Market in the lead up the Christmas, showcasing the areas many gourmet products. Its not only a great day out (open 11am-4pm), but also a a great chance to pick up a mixed 6-pack of beer form Van Dieman Brewing as a Christmas gift (we'll also have some beer on tap for you to enjoy on the day). Held on the lush lawns of the Josef Chromy Vineyard, it'll be a great chance to indulge in the best of the area. See you there, Sunday 27th November.

MOvember Season

November sees moustache growing season kick into full swing for MOvember. Brewer and owner of Van Dieman, Will Tatchell, has jumped on board the cause that supports and raises awareness of prostate cancer and depression initiatives in men. If you cant grow a MO yourself or want to become a MO-sister, please help by donating here. Its a little known fact that beers crafted by Moustached brewers actually taste better. MOvember fact #118

Hedgerow Autumn Ale

A couple of weeks ago we bottled our Hedgerow Autumn ale in preparation for its Autumn 2012 release. The reason we've bottled it so early is that many of the subtle fruit characters we're after only come though in the bottle conditioning process, or after being in the bottle for up to 6 months.

Last years release was dubbed as an Autumn Berry ale, something that a few people thought was a little misleading given is subtle fruit character. Whilst this was never meant to be a fruit beer, we've decided to call the 2012 release an "Autumn Ale", so not to confuse fruit beer fanatics. Again, the 2012 Hedgerow will have quite a subtle berry element to the beer, almost giving it a woody/earthy flavour.

This year we blended a portion of the beer that had been ageing in French Oak Pinot barrels, that even at this early stage, has defiantly come through into the beer as well as being slightly dry on the palate.

Release will be sometime in early Autumn 2012, but rest assured in the meantime the beer is happy sitting in the bottle waiting patiently to be enjoyed in a few months time.

We've still got a single barrel with beer in it that we'll monitor and taste over a yet to be decided time period, and decide what to do with it at a later date. Its honestly something that may sit there for up to another 12 months developing a personality.

Tas Micro Brew Fest 29th Oct

The Tasmanian Micro Brew Fest is only 10 days away, your best opportunity to sample and enjoy Tasmanias' best craft beer.

We Do Real Craft Beer

This is the poster that you'll hopefully see up in quite a few places over summer. We're trying to focus the end consumer (that's you) on the fact that we purely concentrate on producing great tasting craft beer for your enjoyment. We don't have any other distractions that can divert our attention away from this, and its something that we at Van Dieman are very conscious about maintaining. Its all about creating and delivering a craft beer that both we and you can be proud of and thoroughly enjoy to drink. Cheers.

Theoretical IBU's

Last night I managed to get my hands on a bottle of Mikkeller 1000 IBU IPA. It became famous upon its release in early 2010 as the most bitter beer ever made, supposedly it sports 1000 International Bittering Units, hence the name. Its unmistakably a very hoppy beer, initially leading in with some citrus and pineapple aromas and a subtle caramel malt flavour, this was followed by an almost oily texture punctured with bittering hops resulting in a long bittersweet finish that just kept expanding.

Whilst enjoying this beer, it got me thinking as the relativeness of IBU measurements in high alpha beers.

Hops play several roles in the production of beer, but in particular they are critical as a source of aroma, flavour and bitterness. More specifically the role of alpha acids associated with hop derived bitterness. These alpha acids, as they occur naturally, exhibit very poor solubility in water, which is why they must be boiled. This alpha acid component of the hop generally account for between 2% - 16% dry weight, with higher alpha hops being bred all the time. Thus, the greater the alpha acid content, the greater the amount of bitterness will add to the beer.

It is generally accepted that hop solubility in a given wort stops at around 100 – 120 IBU. As far as what we can taste, that is limited to 90 – 100 IBU. Therefore, theoretical IBU numbers are purely limited to how many hops a brewer can fit in their kettle.

A beer at 50 IBU’s with no malt depth to balance the hop bitterness might as well be poured down the sink as the acrid hop element will render the beer far to bitter. Alternatively, a 100 IBU IPA with a plethora of malt depth to the beer simply balances it out and adds a tremendous complexity, or balance.

In this current brewing world where one upmanship regularly raises its ugly head, IBU measurements are almost discountable. The responsibility of the brewer is to present the beer (including hop character) in its best possible form taking into account a variety of attributes, but most importantly drinkability and balance.

It must be balanced – period.

That’s why this Mikkeller 1000 IBU IPA succeeds, even if the name is slightly misleading.

Frankenstein creation

Is this what happens when we brew our Ragged Jack pale ale to the sounds of hats, gold chains, and untied sneakers of Run DMC and the lazy eyes and melancholic vibes of Radiohead. Lets hope not, because its a seriously ugly bottle.

Fuelled By Beer

They may not be of the Yellow variety (we ordered them before Cadel came through with the goods), but if you want to get your hands on a very limited Van Dieman Brewing cycling jersey, drop an email here Email Us . Available now in sizes XS through to 2XL, $120 inc GST and postage

*Guaranteed to make you go faster, look better and have less mechanicals.

*Some claims may be misleading and completely full of shit

Spring is Coming..

Spring is on its way judging by the bulbs that are starting to appear around the brewery at the moment. Within the next 3 - 4 weeks, a heap of daffodils will pop up an brighten the surrounding paddocks, bringing some much needed colour to the land

Rusty getting his pollen fix for the day

Tour De Brew - Stage 21 Yellow for Cadel

Congratulations Cadel!

Its a situation that heros stand up in. A need to step up to the plate and deliver in a given moment in order to succeed. No-one else can help you, everything that has happened before is irrelevant and it is in that moment that ultimately defines your success.

57 seconds was all he needed to swipe the jersey off Andy Pandy, and well, judging by the look of terror on young Andys' face in the starting box, he knew something was up. In a near clinical performance (HTCs' Tony Martin managed to find 7 secs out on course to come in quicker on the stage) Cadel not only sucked up the time, but delivered a couple of stunning combinations that left the Schlecks reeling against the ropes. He was simply sensational.

He knew what he needed to do.

What the reward was.

And most importantly how best to go about it.

When it mattered in this years tour, Cadel took things into his own hands. Whilst BMC supported him fantastically and ultimately delivered him to the win, when the hills got steeper and the pack thinned out, Cadel relied on no-one else to protect him, respond to attacks or pace him back into contention. It was all about Cadel, not anyone else.

I think he genuinely surprised the Schleck sisters with his tenacity and refusal to wither to their double act (bad luck fellas!), and Contador failed to intimidate Cadel or the other contenders like in previous years. I have no doubt that in Tommy Voekler carrying the mantle of the Malliot Jaune for as long as he did, Cadel sidestepped the hype, pressure and responsibility that is carried with the jersey. This allowed him to concentrate on the racing, cover the opposition and protect his team from burying themselves day in - day out had he had yellow on his shoulders.

Well done mate, you beat the best riders, in the biggest race, and no-one will ever take that away from you. So tonight, as the peleton rolls into Paris and team BMC lead them onto the Champes Elysees, stand up, raise your glass and salute a man who has arguably achieved the greatest individual sporting result this country has ever seen! Fact.

Stage 21

95km of glory. Sure Cavendish will have to fight to keep Green, but really, with yellow in the bag for Cadel, this is just a chance to check out how Paris is looking this time of year and to wait up for the anthem and ceremony.

Beer for the Stage: Bugger it, go with a Champagne or two.

Beer Locale: Whatever you can get you hands on

Tour De Brew - Stage 20 Cadels playground

Stage 19 Review:

Stage 20: Grenoble ITT 42.5km

As in recent seasons, the yellow jersey has still been up for grabs going into the final time trial. This course will prove an inspired choice. Anyone who's got some significant strength left in their legs will feature today. The rolling course, which includes the opening part of the climb to Chamrousse, is quite technical especially with the descents, so Evans could get time over Andy Pandy and Frank the Snake. The podium places will finally be settled today. I can’t see many people beating Cancellara, unlike the GC guys he’ll have been able to take it fairly easy the last couple of days.

Beer for the stage: As close to champagne as you can get, Deus is first brewed at Bosteels, transfered to the Champagne region of France were it is treated much like a champagne with the bottles inverted and the yeast expunged and bottle recorked. The palate is creamy-smooth, fruity and malty-sweet, and the finish is clean with characteristic beer bitterness. Grab one(or three) and toast Cadel

Biere Locale: Don’t worry about it, hot foot it to Paris to celebrate with Cadel

Tour De Brew - Stage 19

Stage 18 Review: Was Andy Schleck foxing with the other guys in previous days or did he do one of the most courageous and impressive rides in modern tour history. On the slopes of the Izoard (where 3-time Tour winner Louison Bobet said great riders made their reputations), Andy Schleck rode away from the field. At one point on the windy Galibier he had more than 4 minutes on the yellow jersey group.

The domestiques of the other contenders were unable to reel in Schleck and on the Galibier Cadel took the responsibility of containing the growing threat. With Basso, Voeckler, Contador, and Cunego sitting on his wheel, Evans stayed at the front and hammered away. Contador, having another jour sans, was dropped near the finish, losing nearly 4 minutes. Schleck soloed in for an amazing victory after being off the front for 60 kilometers. Voeckler just about nailed himself to the cross, holding Evans' wheel, making it clear the whole chase that he would not put his nose in the wind. He reward was another day in yellow.

Frank the Snake had an armchair ride all day to sprint away in the last 150m to gain some seconds on Cadel, and finish 2nd for the stage. If he doesn’t win on Alpe d’Huez, something is seriously wrong, as he’ll be as very fresh.

Cadel took back 2 minutes from Andy on the Galibier climb, showing that he has the legs to counter attacks that will certainly come on stage 19. He defiantly has some work to do to minimise his losses and hold onto a position that gives him the best possible crack at gaining yellow in Grenoble of Saturday.

Stage 19: Modane – Alpe d’Huez 109.5km

The rider who wins on Alpe-d'Huez often goes on to win in Paris, as Carlos Sastre underlined in 2008. With just two stages to follow, this could turn into a 109.5km mountain sprint.

There is little chance to warm up before the course reaches the 34km ascent comprising the Télégraphe and the epic north face of the Galibier. There are sure to be some breaks, with riders hoping they can defend their advantage on the long descent into Bourg d'oisans and onto the first ramps of the alpe, where the winner will climb into Tour history.

Beer for the stage: Van Dieman Jacobs Ladder Amber Ale. Alpe d’Huez, switchbacks and Jacobs Ladder all go hand in hand. Named after the access road to the ski village on Ben Lomond in northern Tasmania, this beer provides a smooth malty character with delicate caramel and toffee notes and a medium body sweetness. Some drivers have been known to carry a bottle of Jacobs ladder in the car going up the road instead on snow chains, the jury’s open as to which has more advantages.

Above: Jacobs Ladder

Biere Locale: Biere de Alps, located in Vallouise (340km fro Alpe d’Huez) has a cracking range of beers, and having tasted most of them, I can defiantly vouch for their quality. A white, blonde, amber and stout are the mainstream beers produced, but they also do couple of seasonals. The classic whit beer is a beauty, perfect for quenching your thirst after a long climb in the Alps.

Cheers

Tour De Brew - Stage 18

Stage 17 Review: Edvald Boasson Hagen attacked out of an early break on the day's final climb, the Pramartino. He then skillfully raced down the extremely difficult descent for his second stage win this year. Further back, Alberto Contador attacked twice on the Pramartino, but the Schleck sisters and Evans covered him both times.

On the descent Contador escaped with Sammy Sanchez, but Cadel led a measured chase to bring the bulk of the contenders, including the Schlecks, back together inside the finishing straight. Thomas Voeckler overcooked corners twice, at one stage parking the bike in a roadside carpark on the descent, and was unable to chase back on, costing him 27 seconds. Not enough to lose the lead, but enough to suggest that he is losing his grip on this years title.

This is a terrific article by Blazzin Saddles posing the question “Is Thomas Voeckler most exciting maillot jaune since, erm, Thomas Voeckler in 2004?

Stage 18: Pinerolo - Galibier 200.5km

There probably haven't been many, if any, occasions when the Izoard has been the smallest climb on the day's itinerary, which sums up just how extraordinary this stage is. Starting with the ascent of the huge Agnel climb (23.7km @ 6.5%), "the roof" of this year's Tour, then passing over the spectacular Izoard (14.1km @ 7.3%) , the day culminates with the ascent to the Tour's highest-ever finish on the summit of the Galibier (23km @ 5.1%). It will be of little consolation to most that this is reached from its easier side. The last 8.5km are tough and should see an intense battle between the podium contenders. Contador will do everything in his power to break them up and consolidate on a attacks, whether this happens on the 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd HC climb will be anyone’s guess.

Start pumping the coffees into you now, because this is THE stage of the tour not to miss, especially with the Alpe d’Huez tomorrow.

The view from the Col du Galibier at 2645m. It’s been Christian Prudhomme’s mission to have a mountain top finish here since he became in charge of the TdF. This will be the century celebration of the mountain’s first appearance in the TdF in 1911. This will be the first time that the finish line has been held at the top of the Galibier.

Beer for the stage: With such a pincale stage, why not set the standard high and try to find a Westvleteren 12. A monster 10.5% quadrupl, widely regarded as one of the best beers in the world. Mahogany color with a small off white head. Nose is dark fruity, light must, hints of yeast and prunes. Palate is rich and malty - bitter chocolate, cherries, figs, raisins, and the sweet toffee like malty character you expect in a belgian dark strong. Extremely complex and impressive quad. I was absolutely impressed at how well the alcohol is masked.

Biere Locale: Something Italian this time around. The BEBA brewery in Villar Perosa, just up the road from the start town of Pinerolo, prouce a range of 6 beers, 3 lighter styles including a lager and 3 stronger dark malt beers.

Cheers.

Tour De Brew - Stage 17

Stage 16 review: This stage was just meant to be about the breakaway or a solo effort. Nope. Instead the GC guys were called upon to lay claim to this years title. Midway up the day's climb, the 2nd category Col de Manse, Alberto Contador delivered a shock to the system. He jumped hard, catching everyone asleep at the wheel. The move was covered, so near the top he lit the jets again and only Samuel Sanchez and Cadel Evans could go with him.

They went over the top with more than a half minute lead. On the tricky, wet descent Evans got away and held a small gap to the finish. The Schlecks were no match for the Evans group on the technical descent and both lost time, Andy particularly. Voeckler finally saw an attack he couldn't handle, but he has retained the lead after a hard stage.

Up ahead, Hushovd was the best of an early escape that broke up on the climb, overpowering Edvald Boasson Hagen with the aid of teammate Ryder Hesjedal. Sets it up beautifully for the next 3 days in the Alps.

Stage 17
: Gap – Pinerolo
 
179km

The race heads into Italy via the Montgenèvre pass, climbs to Sestrières and then features a late complicating factor in the shape of the 7km Pramartino climb, off which the road descends steeply into the finish in Pinerolo.

The overall contenders are likely to wait until that last test before making any move today but the temptation for most will surely be to hold something back for the epic test the next day. That once again gives breakaway riders another good chance of going all the way to the finish. In fact, it is likely to be their final opportunity to do so.

Beer for the Stage: Van Dieman Little Hell ESB. Just released for winter 2011, we’ve designed this beer to get you through the cold winter nights, which lets be honest, is what we’re all doing at the moment. It begins with warm, spicy aromas leading into a rolling dried apricot and marmalade flavour with a polished residual malty sweetness. A sassy bitterness is achieved from dry hopping presenting a hellishly good example of the style.

Biere Locale: Brasserie Artisanale Des Grands Cols is in Briançon, at exactly the halfway point of today’s stage, perhaps appropriately with the feed station at this point. They produce a Witbier, Belgian pale ale and 2 spiced beers, but I’m suggesting none of the riders will be partaking in any consumption.