Blog — Page 109 of 275

Water of Life - Spring Bay single malt whisky

Having had a firm focus on the distilling scene in Tasmania for the longest time, I feel borderline embarrassed to have missed out on one – a feeling that is counteracted with sheer delight when I get to sample a fantastic drop and discover a distillery that so far had not been on my radar.

Case in point: Spring Bay Distillery.

Now, early experimentation of Tasmanian distilleries and Australian ones at large, were a bit of hit and miss, however the ones that managed to calibrate the maturation, produced some phenomenal drops.

Spring Bay can definitely count itself to the second category, which is partly due to its founders, i.e. Cam and Suzy Brett, having a very distinct approach to distilling to achieve desired outcomes, which in terms of nuances takes things to another level. There is always Tasmania’s distinct climate that gives whiskies from the region an idiosyncratic edge, however, with the Spring Bay Bourbon cask a facet of sea saltiness is added that I would have attributed to the complexity of a dram originating from the Campbelltown region in Scotland.

Needless to say that with a telling name like Spring Bar, the local water sources contributes a distinctive note – a factor that many distilleries talk up but a factor that does often not contribute significantly to the overall character.

Clocking in at 46%, what caresses the nostrils is a melange of sweet fruity vanilla that is punctuated in the gentlest manner by the aforementioned sea saltiness. Just when you thought it had peaked, it takes a slight left turn, floral night waft in to culminate in honeyed aromas.

Now, I do like pairing whiskies with chocolate and immensely enjoy the cross-pollination of flavours, and Spring Bay’s Bourbon Cask enhances that experience immensely with its creamy texture that follows what was promised on the nose and accentuates further with savoury oak notes, vanilla chocolate and, again, the beautiful sea salt highlights.

The warming, elongated finish culminates with a smooth mouthfeel in nutty, wakame and oaky woodiness with a saline tang.

Cannot wait to try Spring Bay’s other expressions.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer – Tallboy and Moose Brewery

Quite an extravagant name, you might quip when you pick up a can that emitted from the Tallboy and Moose Brewery. Then again, after a bit of research and learning more about both the physical features, i.e. height, and cultural background, i.e. underneath the sign of the maple leaf, the moniker does not exactly constitute a stretch and a quite obvious choice.

With a passion for being the common denominator amongst the two, specifically when it came to Australian craft brews, they both entered the world of commercial beer distribution before trying their hand in the alchemy of brewing hops.

What started as a hobby eventually morphed to full scale operations in 2016, which had its focus firmly set on the creation of exquisite craft brews.

If you enter an Australian bottle shop, especially ones that have a bit of variety, the craft beer section resembles a colourful candy store, however, even amidst the most curious cans, chances are that you will find yourself intrigued by the design of the Tallboy and Moose cans.

Take for example the Lightning Axe 2020 expression. Yup, again a telling name, i.e. a beer infused with a Norwegian yeast strain, which after its initial incarnation was tweaked further and ended up as a refined Hazy IPA variant, which despite its Nordic DNA in terms of flavours is rooted in tropical territory. Think citrus, orange and what seems like a lactose heavy hybrid of mangos and pineapples, pervaded by just the right amount of spicy notes and an elongated finish, where bitterness puts its mark on the exit.

While the Lightning Axe Kveiik is an accomplishment is altering the DNA of what is commonly labelled as a Hazy IPA, their double IPA variant knocks the ball out of the park in terms of getting the best out of the cream of the American crop of resinous hops, i.e. Centennial, Cryo CTZ and Simcoe. What leaves me lusting for more is what culminates in a particularly dry finish after a crescendo that zig zags between fruity and pithy nuances.

Word around the campfire had that Tallboy and Moose are not only in the process of creating more experimental variants, but already have released ones that I definitely need to check out, such as one that is said to be a liquid homage and beer equivalent to cookie dough.

The Sports Shoe: A History from Field to Fashion

Bloomsbury Visual Arts

Both my wallet and my better half praise the fact that my sneaker collecting days are over, with only a few remnants remaining that I am unlikely to ever part with. Not that I ever camped out in front of a Footlocker to cop the umpteenth incarnation of Nike’s BRED or indulged in similar antics, but I was into the game enough to realize how much of a time intensive lifestyle it can become.

Apart from sports shoes having become an accepted and integral part of the fashion world, functional sports shoes have always been of significance to me growing up, no matter if it was soccer or running shoes, some of which I remember fondly as they were inextricably tied to emotionally charged events.

With the author Thomas Turner being a historian, this tome carefully examines the history of the sports shoe and its evolution over the last hundred years with a fantastic eye for the detail that lends perspective on the rise of once strictly utilitarian footwear and the transformation to the mainstream and something that portrays attitude and carries a whole world of dedicated subcultures.

Apart from the forensically researched history, the book is opulently illustrated with eye candy galore and insights that reveal why both certain stylistic abominations as well as enhancements have been implemented and sold over the years.

The fact that the book pursues a holistic approach and  goes beyond the realm of what collectors and athletes would look for in terms of looks, form and function; i.e. shedding light on societal contexts and interactions and thereby expanding its significance, makes it a both educational and entertaining addition for the bookshelf of anyone not only interested in fashion but anyone who has enjoyed a sports shoe in one form or another.

The Formative Years – Maximumrocknroll

There are many ways to skin a cat when it comes to the creation of a fanzine.

Having the core interests and common denominator somewhat defined as it was the case with punk rock in the 1980s and the potential audience having had to overcome to an obstacle or two to find their way to the scene, the creation of engaging content with a resulting emotional connection and a sense of belonging was a tad easier to achieve as at least in the beginning, the recipients of fanzines was a rather exclusive club looking to immerse themselves in and find information about their passion.

Delivering content in a relatable, conversational style and having idiosyncratic writers that infuse the publication with their own personality, always helps to further refine a personal style that make the editorial content stand out, to add character and ultimately – at least back in the day – it trumped stylish design.

A major drawcard for me as a juvenile delinquent that attracted me to reading – fanzines or other literary emissions – was that I learned something from it, no matter if it was something factual, inspiring, opinions and insights and that it was challenging in some way and, almost equally important, to experience a reduced barrier between the writer and myself.

Enter “MRR”, i.e. Maximumrocknroll from San Francisco.

I do not think that it would be considered a hyperbole to claim that what was initially derived from a radio show and found its first incarnation as the accompanying booklet to the fantastic “Not so quiet on the Western front” compilation, MRR in the pre-internet age quickly became the bible for anyone looking to learn about punk rock subculture and its branches outside the confines of their own scene, city, country and continent.

Founder Tim Yohannan and his crew managed to create a consistent beat and an overarching structure that enabled readers to easily find what they were looking for, while the diversity of the contributors kept the reading experience fresh and engaging.

With the usual ingredients of music related interviews, news and review, especially the columns section with a wide array of relatable international scenesters sharing insights on their scenes and independent coverage that other established mainstream magazines could only dream of.

Literally every reading session of the hefty magazine, ended with me employing an English dictionary to write to contributors and engage with people from the ad section to trade records or order in bulk from distributions that advertised in MRR from all over the world.

Given the interactive environment MRR created, it should not be further wondrous that when they published their guide “Book Your Own Fuckin’ Life” in the early 1990s, it became the ultimate guide for bands to book tours, finding venues and likeminded people when traveling overseas, and to initiate contacts on the ground and go from there.

My first visits to the US and other countries saw me armed with the aforementioned book and the most recent issue of MRR to guide me through the respective cities via the addresses for record stores and venue advertised. Many friendships resulted and evolved, some of which eventually transitioned into the electronic realm and continue to this day.

After MRR created the blueprint of what a worldwide punk rock fanzine could look like and by never not championing a DIY attitude, it spawned the welcome advent of many other fanzines, which again enriched and cross-pollinated the scene and at times helped to ignite a feud or two.

Eventually, in 2019 and after over four hundred issues, MRR ceased to have a physical release and moved online, which naturally took away a bit from the tangible charm it once had before the advent of an age where information was readily available at your fingertips without ever sacrificing its relevant for punk rock.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer - Jetty Road Brewery

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visits to the local watering hole have become few and far between, however, when possible they are occurrences to be savoured. During a recent one, the owner and craft beer enthusiast of my local of choice proffered an emission from Jetty Road, a brewery that so far has gone underneath my radar.

Having done a bit of research, it shows that while the slick and borderline corporate appeal of Jetty Road is based on a carefully planned approach that finds its roots in a sincere dedication and passion for the creation of good draft beer.

Having started by humbly brewing beers at their homes and trial by error, they organically evolved and eventually found an entry into the world of commercial brewing, which proved to find an instant success that spurned them on to expand their portfolio and operations beyond their core range of brews and they began to undertake excursion into more adventurous terrain as far as hoppy, limited and seasonal emissions go.

Needless to say that after sampling one of their Pale Ale, I had to get a hold of their accolade decorated IPA, the can design of which I found not only subtle and aesthetically pleasing but full of character, accentuated by berry and fruity notes that rest on a solid foundation of well-calibrated bitterness, pervaded by caramelly highlights.

Taking things up a notch or two is the Infinite IIPA.

Now we are talking. With an ABV of 8.8.% and comprised of a melange of eight different deliciously resinous hop variations, the Infinite fires on all cylinders in a beautiful clear way and thereby stands out from the sea of IPA epigones. While there are fruity notes materializing on the roof of the mouth, the Infinite is not trying to be overly exotic but pay homage to the more traditional IPAs in terms of bitterness.

Given the exquisite quality of the two IPA variations, one cannot help but look forward to Jetty Road’s future experiments.