Uncle Seth

Currently hitting some classic Blues with John Lee Hooker. BOOM BOOM.

Hope you're OK now.

Hey there EJ. Please start a new New Member post and we can all say "G'day".

There is usually a contact address for the download distributor when you see the download not available message. I have experienced "restart" issues with dodgy internet speed and always had the download issues resolved. I would assume that no "End date" means that it is available until redeemed.

SKATENIGS - "Chemical Imbalance"

FWIW, it's not just the hobos who drink Oettinger. It's a very high selling beer and that's because it's cheap. Not because it's cheap AND nasty. The company keeps costs down by lack of paid advertising; relying on public opinion and price to drive sales. Premium price? About $40 a box of stubbies at DM's or $50 for a case of 500ml (wife-beater) size cans. Liquid sawdust? OK, it is a very dry beer, but it's also subject to the German Beer Purity law and contains only water, barley malt and hop extract (for bitterness). Most Aussie mass-market lagers also contain around 30% cane sugar (to boost the alcohol without adding any flavour) Germans can be snobs with their beer. That is likely due to an abundance of fine examples in Germany. I know that German pilsners are not to the taste of the Australian palate, with bitey bitterness and a very dry finish, and sometimes a malty, Graham cracker flavour with a noble hop flavour in the finish that is not present in our local lagers. Just be aware that a German Pils stands apart from most standard lagers in flavour, bitterness and overall character. I'm not denying your individual tastes, and your experience will be highly dependent on the freshness of the beer (including storage at the shop). Check the date on the packaging and dispose accordingly. @Darren69, wheat beer is especially susceptible to freshness issues, although how would you be able to compare if you've never been served a fresh version? Again, please check the date on the package. For wheat, anything older than 3 months should be approached with scepticism. Freshness would be indicated by banana ester flavour in the beer. (Again, a matter of personal taste). In summary, I have had a few older and nasty examples of the Oettinger Pils, with cardboard character and other staling factors, but I have also had some fresh and delicious versions of it with fresh malt and hop flavours, so I hve an indication of how it should taste. Don't forget that for beer that's travelled halfway around the world and been across the equator multiple times (I hear that most freight ships come to Aust via Singapore), it's surprising that it can ever be so good. </rant>

Magic. Thanks!

If not stored yet, these two please: Pink Floyd - Animals – 2016 remastered version (888751842717) and Billy Joel - The Nylon Curtain - MOFI Hybrid Super Audio CD, Numbered Limited Edition (UDSACD 2093)

Just checking before I asked for Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage - German 2012 double LP gatefold (4024572556990) please

What? Everything?

FZ - Sheik Yerbouti

FWIW, Dos Equis amber is a Vienna lager (hence the red-brown colour). Been a while since I had (or made) one. First taste should be slightly sweet, and then malty, drying out in the finish, with a supporting (but not firm) bitterness. A great session style, when brewed well.

Maybe it wasn't always so, but great strides have been possible with flavours since sanitation and yeast purity have been available (credit to Louis Pasteur for the latter). IIRC, Coopers, until they downsized their yeast library, had 3 dominant and unique strains in their beer. I'd been so happy if they made a heritage batch with all 3 strains. As for beer serving temp, I hold that beer which has to be served freezing cold is best avoided. Lagers are best at 4-8° C, where the maltiness and any hop flavour will just pop. Higher temps would be for stronger lagers such as Bock, Doppelbock or Maibock or dark lagers like Schwarzbier. I'm planning to start brewing again soon, now that the stifling Summer weather is settling down. Stay tuned

They absolutely change the recipe for Coopers Vintage. It started as an English style (old ale or such) and has become more Amercanised, as the public demands. In my opinion, the 2018 batch is most similar to Batch 3 (which is now well past it's prime), providing me with a strong yeast character, medium banana and low liquorice and caramel, with a firm, but not excessive bitterness. That was about 6 months ago and @UglyI'd be grateful if you could tell me how it's drinking now (malt/ caramel balance and any hop flavour/ bittering and any detectable fruitiness or overall drinkability/ balance).

Depends on freshness. Can be awesome or really past it. A good example should be a delicious balance of bitterness, fruitiness (mostly banana) and mild phenolics. Very thirst-quenching. An aged example will be excessively dry and have very low to no fruit aroma/flavor, yet still easy to drink due to low bitterness.