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Apologies for the lack of netiquette...this isn't my first post! Anyway, by way of brief intro, I've been brewing since 1995 in our nation's capital (that's right, it isn't Sydney!) and I'm a keen forum participant on a number of brewing forums in Australia and the US. Anyway, I thought sod it, why not join up a forum in the land that makes the best damn stouts and reds in the world! So, please cut me some slack when I pester you lot for the inside running on making stouts, porters and reds - I love them and I'll happily take on board all the tips you have!

In exchange, I'll help out where I can by answering brewing questions based on all the cockups and discoverys I've picked up along the way over the last 12 years.
Anyway, to conclude, here's a piccy of my brew setup - this is a photo taken before the stainless fittings and hoses were installed. It's a 10 Gal system and it never fails to keep my 8 cornies full!
[img:2l3914we]http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/albums/1170898523/med_gallery_204_125_4828.jpg[/img:2l3914we]

Cheers,
Rowan / TL

Hi Trough Lolly, and welcome.

So which Irish beers make it to Oz?

In the pubs, we can pretty easily get our hands on the usual cohort of Guinness Stout, Harp and Kilkenny. All are available in our bottleshops and here in Canberra we're pretty lucky to have some beer afficionados running them so it's not impossible to order in Murphy's (Stout and Irish Red), Beamish, and Smithwick's - as you can see, Guinness Ltd. has a strong supply link to Australia.

So what Aussie beers do you see? Please tell me that you've got access to something other than Fosters or VB (Victoria Bitter)? I could never work out how they got the cat to squat over the bottle opening...

Cheers,
TL

"Trough Lolly":1cff9gx5 wrote: So what Aussie beers do you see? Please tell me that you've got access to something other than Fosters or VB (Victoria Bitter)? I could never work out how they got the cat to squat over the bottle opening...

Cheers,
TL[/quote:1cff9gx5]

So it IS a product of a cat's digestive system! <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D --> Well, we have a vast range of Aussie craft beers here. Not! Coopers Stout has been spotted (lovely stuff!)and officially Little Creatures Pale Ale is available from one chain of (UK owned) bottle shops, but try to get hold of some? As a regular visitor to WA it's one of my favourite beers out there and probably one of the best. <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->

Agreed - LCPA is an excellent pale ale. If you're interested, I can provide you with the clone recipe. Let me know if you want the AG, Kit and Kilo or extract version.

We have mainly Coopers, Black Rock and Muntons as our main kits available. The coopers stout isn't too bad, and it substantially benefits from a partial mash with some Maris Otter and roasted barley...

Cheers,
TL

So no Irish craft beer, then? For shame.

Actually, does anyone know which Irish craft brewers do export? Is it just Carlow?

We get a fairly wide range of the common Aussie beers: Toohey's, Boag's, Cooper's, Carlton Cold and VB. Our Foster's is made in Cork under licence. We get Castlemaine XXXX as well, but I've no idea where it's made, probably the UK.

Funnily enough, Harp and Fosters have about the same status in our respective countries: you have to look really hard to find it, and you get a slightly sad and confused look if you ask for it.