Beers that exceeded your expectations

Discussion in 'Australia' started by hopswiller, Apr 17, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. hopswiller

    hopswiller Initiate (0) Jul 17, 2011 Australia

    Started a post a few months ago about being disappointed that didn't really create any discussion. Even the requested response from one of the breweries was left unanswered.

    How about beers that have exceeded expectations?

    Yeastie Boys His & Her Majesty 2013 both can lay claim this year.
    The His version was a great tripel peppered with a floral note i couldnt pick until i read ratebeer, tea hey.....well played.
    I was expecting the Her version to be a dark Belgian strong ale (as the bottle says) and not a kick ass american porter with Belgium yeast, great work stu!!!
     
    #1 hopswiller, Apr 17, 2014
  2. danieelol

    danieelol Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2010 Australia

    Have to go back a bit for local beers which have exceeded my expectations, but I'd go with:

    Mad Brewers Garden De Paradisi (I enjoyed this one a fair bit more than I expected, nothing mind-blowing but good for what is usually a middle-of-the-road series)

    Aurora Australia (really nice BA somewhat wild Quad)

    BrewCult Supa Fly (excellent, very aromatic Rye IPA)
     
    #2 danieelol, Apr 18, 2014
  3. hawthorne00

    hawthorne00 Devotee (331) Nov 23, 2010 Australia

    Sail and Anchor/ Karl Strauss The Bloke Red Ale - I'm not much for things described as red ales, but I liked this. Toasty caramel with hoppy things slipping through nicely rather than struggling against sweetness.

    HopDog Alluvial Peach - elegant and really refreshing.

    Coopers Artisan Reserve pils - Coopers in non crap lager shock.

    Foreign:
    Don't care for Stone Arrogant Bastard, so was surprised to really enjoy Double Bastard.

    Tiny Rebel Dirty Stop Out is very sophisticated and complex for something coming out of Newport.

    For some reason I expected Hanssens Oude Gueuze to be interesting but rather rough and ready - it was more subtle than I guessed.

    Chimay Dorée - Seems stupid, but expected this to be ordinary. Was a lovely, vibrant, hoppy quaffer.
     
    #3 hawthorne00, Apr 20, 2014
    Gogo_comp and danieelol like this.
  4. Parrotshake

    Parrotshake Pundit (859) Nov 29, 2008 Australia

    Hanssens Oude Gueuze was a life-changing beer for me in about 2009. Haven't seen it since. Is there some in a store I can buy it from or did someone bring you some from overseas..?
     
    #4 Parrotshake, Apr 21, 2014
    eric5bellies likes this.
  5. hawthorne00

    hawthorne00 Devotee (331) Nov 23, 2010 Australia

    I got it at Acland Cellars.
     
    #5 hawthorne00, Apr 21, 2014
  6. MrKennedy

    MrKennedy Pooh-Bah (1,838) Dec 29, 2006 Australia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Pretty sure i recall seeing this in Sydney too. Give me a yell if you want some sent your way
     
    #6 MrKennedy, Apr 22, 2014
  7. sinkas

    sinkas Initiate (0) Jul 9, 2008 Australia

    Grand imperial Chilli porter
    "the Bloke" ( assumed it woudl be a jo..
    Chimay doree, was expecting to be underwhelmed
    all day ipa, in can, bloody good
     
    #7 sinkas, Apr 23, 2014
  8. foles

    foles Initiate (0) Jan 28, 2007 Australia

    Better get my hands on the bloke, I have passed it too many times.
     
    #8 foles, Apr 23, 2014
  9. scmorgan

    scmorgan Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2005 Australia

    Abbey Ale from Malt Shovel, first time i had it it was old and not so good. This last time was fresh off the pack line and ticked all the belgo boxes ...
     
    #9 scmorgan, Apr 25, 2014
  10. Gogo_comp

    Gogo_comp Initiate (0) Apr 28, 2014 Australia

    Evil Twin Yin and Yang. Yes Evil Twin are a good brewer, but beers you need to mix together make me think they are trying getting rid of 2 average beers. But was happy to be proven wrong!
     
    #10 Gogo_comp, Apr 28, 2014
  11. goodbyesoberday

    goodbyesoberday Initiate (0) May 12, 2005 Australia

    I had two bottles of Feral Hop Hog the other night, the second one exceeded my expectations.
     
    #11 goodbyesoberday, Apr 28, 2014
  12. Parrotshake

    Parrotshake Pundit (859) Nov 29, 2008 Australia

    Pretty sure this Orval I am drinking now is better than the last one I had. Not sure if that counts. It's definitely 2 years older.
     
    #12 Parrotshake, Apr 28, 2014
  13. spicelab

    spicelab Savant (1,223) Nov 6, 2009 Australia

    Young Henrys Real Ale.

    Thought it would be terrible like all their other beers but it was actually OK.
     
    #13 spicelab, Apr 29, 2014
  14. jahsausage

    jahsausage Initiate (0) Feb 23, 2002 New Zealand (Aotearoa)

    Orval put some "wiild" yeast in the bottles before the cap. I don't know the full story and i can't spell the full name of 'Brett' yeast but its one that takes its sweet f'n time to make those great flavours!
     
    #14 jahsausage, May 10, 2014
    danieelol likes this.
  15. Lukie

    Lukie Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2007 Australia

    Brettanomyces
     
    #15 Lukie, May 10, 2014
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.