This month’s “ RefMet beer of the month” is the Holgate Brewhouse Old Pale Ale.  This beer is based on an English style bitter.  It has a strong copper-red colour and a full taste brought on by the hops.  The beer boasts an alcohol content on 5%, which is typical for Pale Ale.  The malt adds a nutty flavour, which helps to balance the bitterness of the beer, and certainly makes the beer very enjoyable to drink.

If you find you self around the Macedon Ranges in Victoria and enjoy the OPA then call into Woodend and visit the Holgate Brewhouse (in the old Keatings Hotel) and order the Bitter Pale Ale and watch it pulled by traditional beer engine.

Enjoy.

Paul Plater

Paul’s work in China has continued with a recent visit to some of Kerr McGee’s local Chinese vendors.  Visits were made to the Bohai Oil Pipeline Coating Company in Guangzhou, South China Marine in Wuzhou and a number of smaller local fabrication companies in the Tanggu and TEDA district where KMG is based.

In conjunction with the Australian Foundry Institute annual conference at Panther World of Entertainment in Western Sydney, The Australasian branch of the Institute of Refractories Engineers held a one day technical conference and exhibition on Monday 24th October.. RefMet was a bronze sponsor of this event, and exhibited in the main exhibition area for the day. The attached photo shows Paul at the RefMet stand, discussing issues with Joe Krusic from Loy Yang Power in the Latrobe Valley.

At the IRE annual meeting, held after the technical sessions, Michael was elected Vice-Chairman of the Branch for 2006.

RefMet has been appointed materials’ consultant for Upstream Petroleum, with Paul being seconded to their South Yarra office on an almost a full time basis. He will assist their materials effort for their offshore projects.

Due to Paul’s efforts, RefMet has also won a significant project to assist Kerr McGee Petroleum in China, initially to audit materials, coating and fabrication practices for the KMGCP Bohai Bay projects.

Michael, on the other hand has been assisting Zinifex at their Hobart smelter with procurement of replacement refractories for a major roaster shutdown scheduled for later this year. This involved an audit of the successful tenderer’s production facility in Thailand. The attached photo shows Michael, together with Zinifex staff and local management. A second trip will be made in early August to conduct QA on the product prior to shipment.

We have had to wait two years since the last limited release of Boag’s Honey Porter. I was fortunate to be in Hobart on its low key release last month. This is a worthy successor to the 2003 version, with a strong malty palate, mitigated by the influence of local Honey.

Porter is often considered too tart by many people, but this concoction is very easy drinking with no harsh overtones. This is achieved by the addition of leatherwood honey to the process, while still retaining the the mellow porter style, imbued by the ‘Van Dieman’ hop. This combination brings the beer in at a healthy 5.5% alcohol level.

Again this is a beer not to be over chilled, a fact conceded by many Hobart innkeepers, one of whom was quite happy to find me a few bottles from the cellar rather than the fridge. Who needs a chilled beer in a Hobart Winter?? This delightful tipple is currently available from Dan Murphy’s stores.

Michael Walton

RefMet recently sponsored a major training course, given by Vince Carrucci, CEO of Carmagen Engineering Inc of New Jersey USA, entitled “Design and maintenance of Aboveground Atmospheric storage tanks”, to API specifications 650 & 653.

The course was attended by representatives of all major refining companies, many NDT inspection companies, minerals industry operators and other interested engineering groups.

The course gave an in depth understanding of the principals behind these specifications, detailing their very pragmatic background, and dealt  specifically with the major problems to be found with factors such as ground subsidence, corrosion and wind stresses.

The feedback from attendees was very positive, so much so that an additional course is being planned for Q3/4 this year.

RefMet is indebted to Vince Carrucci, Carmagen’s CEO, for making his first  trip to Australia to present the course.  His positive response to both Australia, and his audience, has prompted him to make himself available for a further course, subject to adequate demand.

GRB’s Moonshine has been a favourite of mine for a number of years.  It is not a skolling beer, but one to sip and savour at the right time of day-any time of day!.  The beer is of the ‘Scotch Ale’ or ‘Barley wine’ type, reminiscent of the Younger’s No 3 ale I used to occasionally drink in UK.  This means it is a dark, full bodied ale showing enormous malt character, without the heavy overtones of a Stout or a Porter.  This is also a beer with a punch, containing 8.5% v/v, and is not to be trifled with!

To enjoy fully, do not overchill: in fact a modest cooling is preferred, to bring out all of the beer’s complex flavours.  Remember, the darker the beer, the warmer it should be for full appreciation.  Try it after dinner with fine chocolates.

Michael Walton

RefMet recently held a further successful one day refractories seminar in Notting Hill, Vic.  This was attended by 10 senior engineers from significant local resource companies, and a representative of a refractory supplier.

This month’s “ RefMet beer of the month” is the James Squire Golden Ale.  The Golden Ale is another of the limited release beers from the boys at the Malt Shovel Brewery and has proven to be incredibly popular.  At this late stage in the release if you come across any quantity of the Golden Ale at your local bottle shop then snap it up.

Most real beer drinkers will remember the very flavoursome Colonial Wheat Beer brewed as last summers limited release beer by James Squire.  The Golden Ale is certainly different, but you will not be disappointed.  The taste is dominated by the tropical / stone fruit flavours brought on by the Amarillo hops and finishes with a mildly bitter after taste.  Overall this beer is very refreshing after a hot day in the office, mowing grass, fixing cars, working on the roads, watching TV ……. Hey you don’t really need an excuse!

The Golden Ale goes well with all summer foods such as salads and prawns.  It also compliments aromatic foods such as Thai food.

Enjoy.

Paul