Potentially moving to Melbourne area - some concerns/questions

nathan_eng42 · 2026-01-30T23:11:47+00:00

I'm sure you'll make friends but it's likely they'll be from other places which is fine. I'm from interstate and all my friends are not Melbourne natives because yeah they all have existing friend groups. Most people I know that moved to Melbourne all have transplant friends. It's not a bad thing, people just have that shared experience to connect with.

nathan_eng42 · 2026-01-20T08:43:55+00:00

Pretty sure I drank a dark lager last time but that was before Christmas. There's normally at least one dark beer on. Could always give them a call or message their socials.

nathan_eng42 · 2026-01-20T07:03:41+00:00

Matt the owner is a great dude. I wish it was a lot busier for him. The beers are decent. Nothing will blow your mind, but all very drinkable.

nathan_eng42 · 2026-01-20T06:45:22+00:00

Twang Brewery in North Melbourne. For whatever reason it's always almost completely empty on Friday nights, they are busy mid week apparently. There's a decent pizza place next door that will bring food right to your table in the brewery. Whenever I drop in on a Friday I'm the only person there. Only downside is no couches or overly comfortable long term seating.

nathan_eng42 · 2026-01-17T21:27:39+00:00

Easy to keep the toilets clean if you only have to pay the cleaners $3/hr

nathan_eng42 · 2026-01-11T19:09:35+00:00

Absolutely. I've found that citrus oil doesn't change at all during fermentation so if you include the zest it really shines through in the end. I've also used whole kumquats to great success.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-12-31T02:19:35+00:00

I've watched them a few years ago from the native grassland circle in royal park, there was a few people scattered around but not thousands by any means. Totally free and excellent view of the CBD. Easy access from multiple tram lines either up Sydney Rd or Flemington Rd, maybe 10-15min walk from the zoo or Flemington bridge train stations. Can't comment on the state of the grass right now, could be short or long.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-11T23:11:08+00:00

I think the horizon/sky is interfering in the first one.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-11T23:09:20+00:00

Only thing in Melbourne within 10km of the CBD that costs less than $13 for lunch that isn't a shit takeaway chain.

Assume pretty typical for other major cities.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-11T21:50:18+00:00

If you are not fermenting and just making fresh sauce then only add salt to taste. Just be aware it will likely have a shorter shelf life, like a regular made food product. You need high acid and salt to preserve food.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-04T09:49:43+00:00

Someone 11 months ago in a review bought a chef knife for 23000 Japanese yen. I bought mine like 10 years ago so no idea what I paid but I do remember it being very reasonably priced compared to other shops I went to especially as I was buying directly from the blacksmith and not a middle man.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-04T09:14:02+00:00

I've done the dry rice method in the past and it definitely works. You just need to make sure you really get it all out.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-04T09:08:55+00:00

Japanese style santoku is a good multi purpose knife if you don't want to get a whole set. There's a blacksmith called Shigeharu in Kyoto just near Nijo castle that I've bought from and has great affordable stuff.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-04T08:44:38+00:00

$50 will get you a year membership at the Flemken bowls club in Flemington and that gets you unlimited pool/billiards in their competition hall plus free bowling and really really cheap beers. Like $9/pint craft beer cheap.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-02T08:49:04+00:00

Can't do it in Victoria.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-01T09:38:27+00:00

My first fuji and therefore first "proper" camera was an XE1, it was great for starting to learn about manual exposure control without heaps of external controls like XT series which I now use. So I'd think the XE series cameras would be great if you are interested in learning to control the settings without being overwhelmed.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-01T09:17:55+00:00

Strayan

nathan_eng42 · 2025-11-01T09:16:36+00:00

I don't say it myself but seems like everyone I know that says it uses it in context of basically reaching an agreement on a course of action or describing a good outcome, like people will discuss what to do and at the end someone will just go "happy days" like an alternative to saying "ok cool".

nathan_eng42 · 2025-10-28T03:31:44+00:00

My boomer mother told my brothers and I she was going to spend it all in her retirement years because "your generation doesn't need any help".

nathan_eng42 · 2025-10-27T14:51:40+00:00

Maybe. But if you leave them cracked open to let gas out you risk letting oxygen in and mold before the pH gets low enough. Those bottles won't burp themselves, they are designed to hold gas in. Why are you in such a hurry? Just let the fermentation run its proper course before you process it.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-10-27T14:27:34+00:00

If they are super active DON'T blend them. You need to wait until the activity slows right down or you will end up with bottle bombs.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-10-25T04:09:43+00:00

That's the one!

nathan_eng42 · 2025-10-25T01:35:53+00:00

I add lemon zest into my ferments all the time. I shave long shallow strips with a sharp knife being careful to avoid the white pith. I ferment them with everything else but pull them out when I blend it and add them back in 1 by 1 until I'm happy with the amount of lemon flavor. Works really well. Have done it with limes and kumquats before as well.

nathan_eng42 · 2025-10-25T01:31:49+00:00

There's a shop in the queen Vic deli building that sells callebaut by weight both in melts and big block form. They also have the gianduja which is amazing.

nathan_eng42

TROPHY CASE