To The Antipode!

I'd like to wish my Australian friends a very happy Australia Day last week (Jan. 26). I can't say I did anything particularly Australian on the actual day, but I went out to celebrate yesterday and ended up at a fine bar in New York called, simply enough, The Australian. I was quite pleased with their selection of beers, and I guess this Michigan guy is going to have to get used to a pint being $10.

First up, the Cooper's Sparkling Ale. This is a sort of middling golden beer with a good head. I've had this in a bottle, and rather enjoyed it, but the draft was oddly less satisfying - the unfiltered nature of the beer wasn't exactly on display, while the extra flavor that the yeast generally provides was again lost. As for the "sparkling" nature of a sparkling ale, that is, the unsubtle carbonation, as I mentioned already, this beer had a really thick head, much to the detriment of its carbonation. So while this was in the bottle and on tap, next time I think I'll go with the bottle.

Cooper's Extra Strong Vintage

Next, the Cooper's Extra Strong Vintage Ale. This is more like it - this was a thick and creamy ale with a strong alcohol kick but none of the alcohol bitterness: just dangerously smooth drinking. I particularly enjoyed the darker roast in the grain and the additional malty sweetness that well and truly kicked the Sparkling Ale's ass. This was delightful, rich, and complex, and yes, also quite strong.

Of course, when I went up to the bar to order another Cooper's, I was informed that because there was a Bud Light representative at the bar, the Goose Island IPA could be charged to the promotion. I couldn't quite make heads or tails out of that, but when I ordered the Goose Island and wasn't charged, I was pretty happy. If faced with paying for a beer or getting a Bud Light, I'd probably have paid for the beer. But Goose Island for free? Yes please. The IPA has a great floral hops bitterness on the tongue, with enough dry astringency to refresh but not to pucker. I couldn't have been more pleased with this free acquisition.

Keen's Steakhouse Pub.

The naked lady matchbox cover is a replica of the naked lady painting over the bar.

Finally, I ended up at the bar at Keen's Chophouse for a burger and a beer. The beer was a proprietary ale that was on the golden and thin side. My burger was incredibly sticky and juicy (finally - a medium rare burger that was well and truly medium rare!) so the beer did exactly what I needed it to do: cut through the fattiness and provide a spicy counterbalance to the unctuous juices coming out of my burger. Other than that, quite unremarkable.