As we prepare to add the first non-Victorian brewery and bar listings to The Crafty Pint this week, we figured it was time to invite our first interstate blogger on board too. Here For The Hops documents the beer scene in Adelaide and beyond through the eyes of keen home brewer, photographer and Wheaty regular Aaron.
Name / Alias: Aaron / hereforthehops
Name of blog: hereforthehops
When started: April 2010
You write about: The Adelaide beer scene and breweries in the surrounding areas.
What you do when not blogging: Making and drinking beer. Photography. Travel.
Why did you start writing the blog? I started the blog to try and get information out about what is happening with beer and the breweries in and around Adelaide. Nobody was really doing anything in our, admittedly small, scene. It’s been really heartening to hear from brewers that they have had people come in saying they found out about them via the blog.
In the future I would like to try and foster more of a community amongst the people who are into great beer in Adelaide.
Why should people read it? To find out what events are coming up and what is happening at the local breweries. The occasional rant and report from a trip also make it onto the site.
What do you love / enjoy most about beer? Exploring and trying new beers. The huge variety and the different experiences and places I have had the fortune of drinking them in. Going into beer places there is always another beer geek that wants to talk beer too.
Your favourite Australian beer? It’s a cliche but it is really hard to pick one. It depends on so many things and changes all the time. I hate it when people wimp out on these questions though so I’m going to have to say the B2 Bomber from Bridge Road Brewers but there are so many great ones.
Favourite non-Australian beer? Probably even tougher. I love the lambic beers of Cantillon and others. I have had great bitters like The Landlord from Timothy Taylor and Trappist beers like Westmalle Tripel. I haven’t made it to Europe yet so one of those beers may make it to the top of my list but for now it would have to be Pliny the Elder from Russian River. I didn’t make it to the brewery while in the US but a pint sitting at the bar at the Toronado in San Francisco was an amazing experience that I wish I could repeat every day.
Aaron’s favourite view at The Wheaty
Favourite place to enjoy a beer? A much easier one. The Wheatsheaf Hotel – The Wheaty – in Adelaide. The Wheaty is a place that really has its own charm. The furniture looks like something your nanna had in her house in the 70s. There is live music on just about every night. New art from local artists on the wall every month. It is the kind of place where everyone is welcome and you really do see all walks of life.
On top of all that they always have an amazing selection of beers and the staff are into the beer and want to talk about it with customers. They also have great wine by the glass and a single malt list that would excite any malt drinker.
Hopes for beer in Australia? I would like to see more people get to try real beer. In Melbourne we are starting to see good beer make it further from the the specialist venues but in most of the rest of the country the beer selection at the average pub is really disappointing.
People aren’t going to get into it if they don’t know it exists but with the tied tap system so common in Australia it could take a while. I would love to see more breweries and more beers but more than anything I want people to give real beer a chance.
Cheers, Aaron. Speaking of The Wheaty, it will become the first SA venue on Crafty tomorrow – and the listing will feature Aaron’s photos too.
