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Thus Let Us Drink Beer

Dainton Equalizer and Supertrooper

Every now and then when I am on the verge of not feeling overly excited about the colourful barrage of new craft beers that see the light of day on a weekly basis down under, there is bound to be one of the old faithful breweries that releases another milestone.

A brewery that has never let me down in that regard is Dan Dainton’s enterprise, one of the most consistent breweries in terms of quality standards, creative new creations  and well-calibrated experimentation, all of which carry what has become the trademark Dainton DNA.

For over seven year, apart from its solid core line-up, Dainton has pumped out a wide array of quality releases ranging from staples via sours, smoked porters to barrel-aged beers.

Dainton’s hazy IPA are what made me fall in love with the brewery, so I was excited to learn about a new addition to their core line-up, i.e. the Equalizer, which seems the ABV dialled down a notch for this hazy pale ale.

Stating that the Equalizer has juicy notes would be an understatement par excellence, as the melange of pineapples, orange and grapefruit flavours is positively overwhelming. I did not anticipate to have a hazy regular go-to, but this one is definitely a contestant.

Now, let’s shed some light on an expression I have been dying to try and a beer that in every aspect lives up to its big name – ABBA would be proud: Enter the Supertrooper.

The Supertrooper has things dialled up to eleven in every single aspect that an Imperial NEIPA could be: Haziness, sticky sweetness, piney resinous-ness and tropical fruitiness that is counterbalance by a beautiful maltiness, rounded up with a warming alcohol content of a whooping 10%.

Dainton’s Equalizer and Supertrooper expressions are perfect examples for Dainton’s approach having been nearly perfectioned whatever end of the beer claviature they plan to tackle and I cannot wait to sample future releases.

High Adventures in the Great Outdoors

Vegetarians Do It Better

Animal rights and vegetarianism have been the subject of both underground and mainstream movies for the past five decades, the origin of which is fabled to go back to Lennon’s Bungalow Bill from the White Album.

Specifically within the confines of scenes like hardcore and straight edge, ditties advocating vegetarian- and veganism are manifold with themes ranging from speciesism (e.g. Gorilla Biscuits’ “Cats and Dogs”), ethics of eating seafood (NOFX’s “Clams have feelings too”),  vegetarianism (Cro Mags’ “Death camps”), hypocrisy of ethical meat eating (Propagandhi “Human(e) meat”) and ant-bullfighting (Ataque 77’s “San fermin”).

The movement has grown to a stage where whole festivals are under the banner of veganism, e.g. Fluff Fest in the Czech Republic, and while I often found some tasty fare at such event, it is often hit and miss and overpriced.

Given the fact that animal agriculture is one of the main factors contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of land, opting for a vegetarian diet has more than enough reasons going for it and I am always ecstatic when I find something that is not merely meant to resemble meat but tastes delicious as well.

Enter v2food, whose “plant to plate” mission is to design meat alternatives in that their products contain the same hit of protein, iron, zinc, phosphorus and vitamins B12, B3 and B6 as beef mince plus a healthy dose of dietary fibre without any cholesterol.

Having started in Australia, v2food is looking to scale its production and given that they have already established a relationship with Burger King New Zealand, and other burger chains down under it should not be too long until their delicious signature v2mince and v2burger patties will be available in the new world as well.

What makes v2food plant alternative burgers special is not only that they are affordable but the fact  that they have expertly calibrated their patties to not just look but taste juicy and feel the part terms of texture without relying on the involvement of chickpeas. 

With the ultimate aim the make their operations sustainable and have them result in a carbon negative footprint, it is something to get behind – the fact that their v2mince delivers not only on the flavour front but was fantastic as e.g. filling for dumplings for the recent Lunar New Year celebrations or pasta sauce, does not hurt either.

Water of Life – Bourbon Brothers

I had a conversation the other day with someone who repeatedly toured with Motorhead and was eager to share tour stories about Lemmy’s antics. Needless to say, hilarity ensued as the great man’s legacy looms large and many great tales were celebrated. However, I have to admit that when it comes to Lemmy’s drink of choice, i.e. Jack Daniels and Coke, he lost me as I never quite understood why someone would taint the fantastic taste of bourbon with a mixer. Then again, chacun a son gout.

Be it as it may, if you are willing to embark on a journey to learn how to appreciate bourbon and American whisky, it can be a rocky road without the right guidance at the beginning to learn the basics and the finer nuances of different expressions.

Enter Bourbon Brothers.

Spawned by a group of bourbon aficionados, Bourbon Brothers is an Australian entity that has its foci firmly set on premium bourbons and American whiskies.

Appreciating how much it would pain an uninitiated soul to shell out over $100 to take a punt on a whole bottle of amber liquid and then not love it, they have established a spirit subscription services that offers more than the diminutive standard 30ml samples.

Instead of wasting funds on novelty packaging, Bourbon Brothers  focus on the essence and proffer aptly sized 100ml tasting bottles so you can acquaint yourself thoroughly with the respective drops.

With founder Sean having cultivated his faible for spirits from Nashville Tennessee since the dawn of the new millennium, after which he spent a decade in the new world, he has visited most American distilleries himself to learn and imbibe straight from the source.

Upon his return to Australia, he set out to spread the gospel and his love and passion for American whiskies, which eventually led to the founding of Bourbon Brothers along with the curation of premium experiences of which their no-fuss subscription service is only one example.

My  first exposure to Bourbon Brothers was through their  exquisite premium pack, which includes essentials like including two branded Glencairn glasses / coasters and a triumvirate of samples of rye-rich Old Foresters, the accolade decorated Elijah Craig with its honeyed apple flavours and the fantastic small batch Noah’s Mill, which is one the rarer end of things.

Circa’s Peepshow

Opera House

Sydney, Australia

February 7, 2021

Taking elements from the realms of circus burlesque and cabaret, the Australian circus company Circa has refined its own idiosyncratic melange of acrobatic feats with a twist since its inception in 2004.

Split into two acts with an interval and based on the underlying concepts of temptation, glamour and voyeurism, Circa’s Peepshow is a tour de force of classy contemporary cabaret with equal parts of clowning, aerial feats (with especially the slower male performances being interestingly reminiscent of Francis Bacon paintings), ballet and traditional circus skills peppered in.  Despite the show’s title, the show is firmly grounded on storytelling instead of relying on gimmicky displays of nudity.

Serenaded by a well-curated score comprised of classic songs, orchestral arrangements and accompanying bass centric beats, the protagonists journey of self-discovery and sensual rituals are set in scene in an alluring manner, which serves as the melodramatic foundation for the individual acts expressing themselves through their scantily clad bodies.

After Circa’s fantastic, more philosophically minded Humans 2.0 incarnation as part of the recent Sydney Festival, Peepshow showcases the versatility of the troupe the playful, glittery  and cheeky facets of Director Yaron Lifschlitz and his ensemble.

Summa summarum, Circa’s Peepshow is an eighty minute long celebration of concise, charming sensual and dazzling variety that could have not asked for a better stage than the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House.

High Adventures in the Great Outdoors

Music and Fragrances

There are quite a few commonalities between music and fragrances in that at closer inspection, both are based on harmonious compositions and notes that have been arranged and blended together in a concerted manner – all of which has been done to portray the composer’s vision that transcends the vehicle itself and is enhanced by the active engagement of the recipient.

Not unlike music, fragrances are a very personal thing every time I come across a new range that intrigues me, not unlike with music, I dig deeper to learn more about its evolution and the background of the creators.

Case in point: Goldfield and Banks.

Having fallen in love with the botanical side and the aromas of terra australis, one French-Belgian by the name of Dimitri Weber set out to capture his interpretation of the very essence of this sunburnt country. The result is a collection of gender-free fragrances, the common denominator of which is that their ingredients are unique to down under and have been channelled in this manner before,

What I specifically like about Dimitri channelled his alchemy is that he not only creates unique new fragrances but marries the tried and tested approaches of the old world via collaborations and consultations with established perfume houses with new influences to create an olfactory experience that is far from novelty territory, which is where similar endeavours often end.

If Goldfield & Banks’ range was music, it would be old school West-Coast punk rock as it reminds me of coastal walks, forests in spring and steamy heat and its implications all pervaded by a distinct DNA. While this might sound contradictory, it makes perfect sense once you indulge in the perfumes.

Given the aforementioned, it is not further wondrous that the name of Goldfield & Banks is an ode to one of Australia’s first botanist and naturalist s, i.e. Joseph Banks, whose life’s work was focussed on the documentation and collection of Australian plants and its botanical richness.

Not unlike music, fragrances can create an ambience and take you on a journey. Take for example Goldfield & Banks’ Pacific Rock Moss, which is an homage par excellence to the marine climate of Australia’s East Coast and summery nights courtesy of the melange of coastal moss and cedar wood.

The Wood Infusion expression  has, well, a telling name as the focus is firmly set on the wood prevalent on Fraser Island – think sandalwood, iris and oud wood, resulting in a dense, ambery  yet creamy complexity comparable in music terms to All.

Then there is my favourite of the trio, i.e.  Velvet Splendour, which could not only be a great name for a glam rock band but is also the olfactory equivalent to a Van Gogh painting with its aromas of sunburnt wildflowers  and mimosas, accentuated by delicate leathery notes and spicy highlights.

Not unlike music, fragrances can be loud and boisterous or subtle and delicate and what I like about Goldfield and Banks is that their fragrances effortlessly cover the whole claviature.

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image from company website