Lobethal Bierhaus
The Lobethal Bierhaus brewery and restaurant/bar are collocated in Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills. You can get there in about a thirty minute drive from the city and there are also a coulpe of public transport options if you dont want to drive. I have caught a taxi before, it’s not a cheap option but it’s better than driving when you have had a couple and chances are once you try the beer you will want to have a couple.
The place it’s self is great. Located on the main street in a great old building. Some nice tables out the front which is a great place to sit on a sunny day. Walking in there is a reasonable sized restaurant area a good sized bar and the brewery behind glass so you can admire some brewers porn while having a pint. The bar area is only small and can fill up. The venue it’s self is more focused on the restaurant.
I have tried a few of the meals in the restaurant and every one of them has been nothing short of excellent. Last time I had the trio of sausages with mash and heartily enjoyed the whole experience. Washed down with a double hopped IPA was a treat. The menu is not very extensive but everything I have tried has been great quality produce and very well prepared. It is worth making time for a meal when you go up there. If it’s a nice day sit outside.
The most important part about a brewery is the beer. The Lobethal Bierhaus will not let you down in this department. My current favourite is the newly added double hopped IPA. The is their usual IPA with, unsurprisingly, double the hops. Their IPA is good but this is even better. I think it will end up becoming a regular in the lineup as owner/brewer Alistair seems to like it too. The IPA is good but now they have the double hopped I recommend it as a starting point before you hit the double. I do like really hoppy beers and could sit on the double all night but the regular IPA may be more sessionable for some.
Next up is the APA. This beer seems to have a similar malt bill to the IPA but uses American style hops rather than the English hops used in the IPA. This is also a fantastic beer with a good level of bitterness and great balance with the bitterness. The aromatic American hops are just right for a sessionable beer and I think this beer is very drinkable to the beer geek and novice alike.
Lobethal has even taken the risky step of brewing two dark beers. The first is the Red Truck Porter. This is based on the old English style and is closer to a Brown that Robust Porter. It is sweeter than my palate normally prefers but I can drink a lot more of it than I thought I would. It is a fantastic flavourful beer with a great chocolate sweetness that was surprisingly well balanced. I normally like something much drier and more bitter but this beer is very well balanced and extremely enjoyable. The stout I have not had for a while but was a good beer last time I had the pleasure. Hints oif chocolate and coffee and a smooth finish likely due to the use of oatmeal in the mash. Great on a cold winter day.
The last two regular lineup beers are the Wheat and the Pilsner. For me the pils lacks bitterness and finishing hops. It is a well made beer and very drinkable but just not quite enough punch for my taste. I’m really not a fan of the Heffeweizen style so all I can really say about this one is that it is about the mark and once again is obviously well made. It’s not a style that I really enjoy but a number of people have told me it’s a great example.
At the time of writing they also had the Devils Choice available. According to their web site this is a Belgian strong golden ale. I can tell you it is very drinkable for a 10% abv beer. While it may not be the most challenging Belgian style you will ever try it is a good beer for the geek and novice alike. You could easily, at your peril, put away a number of these. I think the brewers have got it right balancing the abv and drinkability very well.
Overall Lobethal makes great beers and is a great venue. The beers are available at a number of places around Adelaide but get up to the brewery, if you can, for the real experience. Grab a growler while you are there and take a couple of litres of the good stuff home with you.
16 comments
RSS feed for comments on this post.
I'm Here For The Hops » Double Barrelled Locals at The Wheaty posted on May 30, 2010:
[...] session of double barrelled local at The Wheaty. It’s on this Wednesday the 2nd of June. Lobethal Bierhouse and Barossa Brewing Co step up to the plate this time to have their beers square [...]
Glad you enjoyed your visit to the BH Aaron. I’m behind the bar there. Be sure to visit again and make yourself known.
Cheers,
Sam
Thanks for the comment Sam. Have to get back soon to get a growler refill.
I'm Here For The Hops » Quick Stop at the Lobethal Bierhouse posted on July 10, 2010:
[...] the house. I needed to get my growler filled anyway so figured it was time for a quick trip to the Lobethal Bierhouse before heading back to [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Double Barrelled Locals at the Wheaty posted on August 3, 2010:
[...] ale that has been on tap previously. It’s a tasty drop and always a hit. The Spiced Ale from Lobethal is a new one. I haven’t even seen it on tap up at the Bierhouse before. Spiced ales [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Lunch at Lobethal Bierhouse posted on August 29, 2010:
[...] to get my growlers filled so on Saturday morning after getting my run done I decided to head up to Lobethal Bierhouse to get some beer. I figured while I was heading up I should stop for a couple of beers and some [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Double Barrelled Locals at The Wheaty posted on October 2, 2010:
[...] beer I have to admit I’m really looking forward to is the double hopped IPA from Lobethal Birehaus. Their regular IPA is good but when you double up on the hops you are going to suck me in every [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Degustation at Lobethal Bierhaus posted on October 15, 2010:
[...] up on the 24th of November at the Lobethal Bierhaus, a degustation dinner matching food and beer. Along for the ride is Chuck Hahn. It’s great [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Double Barrelled Locals at The Wheaty, Wheatsheaf Hotel posted on November 28, 2010:
[...] so it’s time for two ne locals on tap at the Wheaty. This month, Wednesday 1st from 1800, Lobethal Bierhaus will line up next to Barossa Brewing Company. The brewers make an appearance and are always happy [...]
Support Your Local Brewery Adelaide | I'm Here For The Hops posted on May 28, 2011:
[...] Lobethal Bierhaus [...]
Support Your Local Brewery Adelaide posted on May 29, 2011:
[...] of the city or in the Hills then go for a visit to the Lobethal Bierhaus. On top of some amazing beer, try the double hopped IPA, they have their own restaurant with really [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Lobethal Scoops posted on July 17, 2011:
[...] Bierhaus has scooped the pool at the Royal Adelaide Beer Show. Lobethal Bierhaus has taken out ten trophies at the awards ceremony on Friday night. A number of other local [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Drink a Local at The Wheaty / Wheatsheaf Hotel plus The Font of Darkness posted on July 31, 2011:
[...] two locals will be going on to tap as usual. This month sees the Lobethal Red Truck Porter and the Barossa Brewing Company Grenoch Dark Ale. Both beers that have poured at [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Good Beer Wheaty 12 – 15 May 2012 posted on May 1, 2012:
[...] there is even more on Sunday. The afternoon session is the Cherry Experiment with Alistair from Lobethal Bierhaus. Alistair has taken some local sour cherries and added them to his heff and the oatmeal stout. [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Good Beer Wheaty Day 1 posted on May 13, 2012:
[...] prove to be a excellent and interesting session. After that we get to try some new beers from Lobethal Bierhaus. Alistair has added sour cherries to his heffe and to his stout. This is not normally my kind of [...]
I'm Here For The Hops » Good Beer Wheaty Day 2 – Whisky and Sour Beer posted on May 14, 2012:
[...] a break it was time for some cherry beers from Alistair at Lobethal Bierhaus. Alistair has taken his heffe and stout and aged them in barrels on sour cherries. I didn’t [...]