View Full Version : Australian Beers
Bill Harsey
08-29-2005, 09:00
This thread is dedicated to Maisy who has taken all of us Yanks to task for drinking
bad beer.
Ok, what are the best Australian beers?
Roguish Lawyer
08-29-2005, 11:07
Foster's doesn't count, right Brew?
tyrsnbdr
08-29-2005, 11:33
Foster's doesn't count, right Brew?
Isn't that Australian for Beer? :D
brewmonkey
08-29-2005, 12:19
I am curious as to what Maisy is calling "good aussie beer" because I have never had one...
They have a craft beer following in Oz but from what I know from my Aussie brethern is that it is somewhat limited. Because their beer is heavily taxed they have seen an increase in homebrewing and people shying away from draft beer.
I would not use a Fosters can to piss in and the stuff from Castlemaine (XXXX) is hardly what I would call beer.
Of course I am WIDE open for Maisy to send me some samples of the local stuff and I will be glad to "judge" it following BJCP guidlines and then post my thoughts and opinions... :munchin
alphamale
08-29-2005, 12:29
Uh-oh! Maisy, hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast...
Call M1 for shotgun cover if needed. I'll snipe as appropriate.
:lifter
FrontSight (who has extremely wimpy beer tastes)
Uh-oh! Maisy, hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast...
Call M1 for shotgun cover if needed. I'll snipe as appropriate.
:lifter
FrontSight (who has extremely wimpy beer tastes)
Using a shotgun to provide overwatch sounds like a basic failure of planning... :rolleyes:
Uh-oh! Maisy, hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast...
Call M1 for shotgun cover if needed. I'll snipe as appropriate.
:lifter
FrontSight (who has extremely wimpy beer tastes)
FS, considering your previous demands for favors, let's turn the table.
For what I did for you, you do anything for TR. According to his wishes.
I'm sure you agree.
Ciao!
Martin
Foster's doesn't count, right Brew?
The last conversation with an Aussie, while having some some nice German sausage and beer...
"I´ve heard Fosters's isnt that well regarded with you fellas"
"Yes, its true, thats the piss we sell to the foreigners"
"Thats what I thought"
For what I did for you, you do anything for TR. According to his wishes.
Oh, there's GOT to be a really good story for this! :munchin Thanks for taking one for the team, Martin (you poor, poor bastard).
Let's just say FS called and woke me up one morning a few weeks ago, desperate for help. Nevermind that I was naked... ;)
Gruesome, gruesome, I tell ya.
Thanks for you consideration, Razor... we leave justice to TR.
Martin
Spartan359
08-29-2005, 13:22
The last conversation with an Aussie, while having some some nice German sausage and beer...
"I´ve heard Fosters's isnt that well regarded with you fellas"
"Yes, its true, thats the piss we sell to the foreigners"
"Thats what I thought"
I asked the same question to some women in Australia and got the same answer.
Martin, are you holding out on us? Oh do tell. :munchin
Bill Harsey
08-29-2005, 13:25
We come all the way down here to try and talk about beer and within one page we have FS and nudity. :eek:
This might be a new record.
Spartan359
08-29-2005, 13:46
Heh heh what's everyone's favorite Aussie beer? :rolleyes:
alphamale
08-29-2005, 13:49
"Well do you want help" ? vs "Are you suggesting that you want help?"
Nitpicker! :D
And English teacher! "I need to molest the code..."
Good thing I wasn't sippin' on my java when I read that... :D
FrontSight
Bill Harsey
08-29-2005, 14:00
Uh, does anyone around here drink beer?
alphamale
08-29-2005, 14:01
Sam Adams Light !!!
That's the strongest I drink...
FrontSight
Favorites: Ghuiness, and Thai beer (at least a certain Thai you can get in London).
Martin
fusion94
08-29-2005, 14:19
My favorite beer of all time is Guinness. My favorite Australian beer would be Victoria Bitter followed by Coopers.
Victoria Bitter (http://www.fosters.com.au/enjoy/beer/victoria_bitter.htm)
Coopers (http://www.coopers.com.au/default2.asp)
I used to manage the Australian Group for the Software Development Company I worked for so I came to love VB but still hate/loathe vegemite. That stuff is nasty.
I also learned to speak colloquial Australian from them.
uboat509
08-29-2005, 14:27
I am curious as to what Maisy is calling "good aussie beer" because I have never had one...
They have a craft beer following in Oz but from what I know from my Aussie brethern is that it is somewhat limited. Because their beer is heavily taxed they have seen an increase in homebrewing and people shying away from draft beer.
I would not use a Fosters can to piss in and the stuff from Castlemaine (XXXX) is hardly what I would call beer.
Of course I am WIDE open for Maisy to send me some samples of the local stuff and I will be glad to "judge" it following BJCP guidlines and then post my thoughts and opinions... :munchin
Actually I liked the Castlemaine XXXX. The Aussies called it lunatic stew and we would drink it by the barrel. VB was OK but not my favorite. I was only there for a month but I never once saw an Australian drink Fosters or use the word "crikey." Most of the Australians I met are actually embarrased by Steve Irwin because he projects a very skewed image of Australians.
SFC W
Well, i mainly drink the local brands with some dark Velko at times.
brewmonkey
08-29-2005, 16:07
Sam Adams Light !!!
That's the strongest I drink...
FrontSight
You're no longer allowed to post in this or any other beer related thread...:eek:
:D
brewmonkey
08-29-2005, 16:13
Actually I liked the Castlemaine XXXX. The Aussies called it lunatic stew and we would drink it by the barrel. VB was OK but not my favorite. I was only there for a month but I never once saw an Australian drink Fosters or use the word "crikey." Most of the Australians I met are actually embarrased by Steve Irwin because he projects a very skewed image of Australians.
SFC W
When my father was with ARPERCEN (the old RCPAC) our neighbors were from Oz and other then the accent and an occassional "all right mate!" you would have thought he was from back east like me.
As for beer, having had the job I did I am spoiled. :lifter
Roguish Lawyer
08-29-2005, 16:28
Back on topic please, ladies and gentlemen.
Australian Beer. Go.
Michelle
08-29-2005, 18:54
Uh, does anyone around here drink beer?
Yes sir. Guinness. (one of the highest iron-content consumables there is... more iron than red meat or spinach). Dead Guy Ale (Rogue) is good.
Aussie beer.... hmmmm...Maisy must educate me on that. They make some fine red wines, but I don't know about beer. Fosters.... that went away when high school did. :)
m1
P.S. F|S Shotgun cover... I'm on it. (I think F|S is still celebrating my new Remington with me... hence the comment).
Roguish Lawyer
08-29-2005, 19:37
Crap.
End.
If there are good beers made in New Zealand, you may discuss those also. :munchin
brewmonkey
08-29-2005, 20:36
If there are good beers made in New Zealand, you may discuss those also. :munchin
Speight's Porter is a good beer. They have several other "ok" beers but I don't think any but their "Pilsner" which is the worst of the lot is here in the US.
Yes while it was true that in the past, Beer in the North West was like sex near the Ocean..... We caught on. Our micro beers are among the chewiest and best in the universe.
Guinness, a fine brew, but has to be from a keg.
Back to topic, I liked Tooths KB Lager. It was from down under. But seriously how can anyone who makes a sandwich using a explosive (Vegimite) know about beer?
Man, I go away for a few hours and.....
Ok, to address just some of the points raised so far:
Australians don't drink Fosters. Tuuka is right. If you drink this stuff, on your head be it. We wouldn't touch the stuff, it is sold almost totally to *silly* foreigners who actually believe they are drinking the real Australian experience. :D I can't even remember the last time I saw it advertised in Aus.
To Brewmonkey, I suspect your contacts may be better than mine, so I won't argue re taxes. IMO, Australian taxes on everything from beer to books, cars to cameras is too high. :rolleyes:
They have a craft beer following in Oz but from what I know from my Aussie brethern is that it is somewhat limited.
Au contraire, mon capitan.
From my (ie, girl) perspective, the last 5 or so years has seen an explosion here in the beer industry.
When I was growing up, there was 1 beer each state, and that was what you drank.
For instance, QLDers drank XXXX, NSW drank CUB, VIC drank VB etc. To even ask for an interstate beer was to have eyebrows raised at you, and god help you if you asked for an imported beer at my local pub.
The exception to this is the Northern Territory who drink anything they can get their hands on, in the largest possible quantities. The only state I have ever seen 1 litre bottles of beer regularly sold at bottleshops and pubs. While living in Darwin, I came to appreciate their point of view. Hottest b****y 6 months I have ever experienced! LOL
Thankfully times changed. Tasmania has been producing really good beers. James Boag, Hahn, Cascade to name a few. My particular favouite right now is James Squire Original Amber Ale.
Of course it is all a matter of taste. If I may add, my new two favourites I discovered in the international section of my local Dan Browns. They are both British, Newcastle Brown and Hobgoblin (being a girl, I originally bought Hobgoblin for the cute label, found out the beer is not bad either :D )
The Hobgoblin only comes in 600mL size in my bottle-o, so I only drink that on nights I really want to *relax*
(yes, Maisy is a Cadbury's!).
FrontSight
Maisy, do you have a riding crop?
Yes. Doesn't everyone?
Michelle, we do make some good reds, don't we? *pats herself on back* OH makes a great contribution in this area to supporting our local industry LOL.
Brewmonkey, I personally cringe every time I see Steve Irwin on tv. I have never said "crikey" in my life, and would be mortified to do so. What accent???!!! :p
Don't you know it's y'all over there who have the accents? BTW, I once spent 10 days in Montana. When I got over there, I had to speak reeeaaaalllyy slowly cuz no-one could understand me. By the end of it I had picked up quite a usable "Montanan" accent. Can still do it if I hang around my sister-in-law (reason I was in Montana) too long!
One final comment, I don't know what it is about the Australian psyche, but I have noticed whenever we get excited about something, we seem to really push to be the best in the world at it.
Our wine industry up until the last 10 years was truly second-rate, then suddenly it became popular. Now we produce arguably some of the best in the world *shrug*. Give us some time and we may also rank in beer. (Australia - taking over the world beer by beer! - LOL)
Vegemite as an explosive??? - Please share!
how can anyone who makes a sandwich using a explosive (Vegimite) know about beer?
Well, they are both made with yeast... ;)
brewmonkey
08-29-2005, 21:10
Newcastle? Ewww.... you should have kept right on going. Anything that comes in clear bottles should send a shiver down your spine. Actually any beer not in an amber/brown bottle should be left where you found it. A little thing called "light struck" will make those beers taste like skunk piss (think Corona) and if it doesn't then they have used pre-isomerized hop extracts. The companies that can afford that stuff are mass producing their beer, not craft brewing.
You want a good beer from the UK? Look for Fullers Products, any of them.
As for taking over the world, you have a lot of catching up to do! :lifter
Speight's Porter is a good beer. They have several other "ok" beers but I don't think any but their "Pilsner" which is the worst of the lot is here in the US.
I'm not a big beer drinker...I prefer the stuff brewed by pubs themselves if I do drink some.
NZ beer can generally be classed by who drinks it:
Tui: Students (our Uni pub is sponsered by them).
Heinkein: Aucklanders (Only Heinekin brewery outside of whereever it is they brew it).
Export Gold: Teenagers
Speights: South Islanders
Lion Red: The Mongrel Mob (I reackon the gang accounts for 85% of sales).
Waikato Draught: Those odd people from King Country.
The others are mixed by the people types.
I haven't had enough experience to really rate them, but Ex Gold tastes like water and I hate it. Henikein I like a bit.
brewmonkey
08-29-2005, 21:24
I'm not a big beer drinker...I prefer the stuff brewed by pubs themselves if I do drink some.
NZ beer can generally be classed by who drinks it:
Tui: Students (our Uni pub is sponsered by them).
Heinkein: Aucklanders (Only Heinekin brewery outside of whereever it is they brew it).
Export Gold: Teenagers
Speights: South Islanders
Lion Red: The Mongrel Mob (I reackon the gang accounts for 85% of sales).
Waikato Draught: Those odd people from King Country.
The others are mixed by the people types.
I haven't had enough experience to really rate them, but Ex Gold tastes like water and I hate it. Henikein I like a bit.
You know me, having been a pub brewer for many years I prefer local beers too. But the fact is that not all pub brewers are professionals and sometimes the beer is not that good.
Oh of course not. I've had some I'd never look at again.
Anything that comes in clear bottles should send a shiver down your spine.
Interesting to know, thank you. I guess that would explain why so many of the newer craft-style beers (James Squire, Coopers, some of the new Tooheys) are coming out in brown bottles.
As for taking over the world, you have a lot of catching up to do!
Hey, I didn't say we were anywhere near it yet! :D
FYI, if you want to get a quick run-down on some of the more popular beers in OZ, here (http://www.australianbeers.com/) is not a bad coverage. Please note, the Northern Territory does not score a mention :) .
Also, just had to post this from the website re Aussies and their beer loyalty:
Like most regional beers (such as XXXX), Emu-Export can inspire passionate loyalty in its drinkers. Recently, AustralianBeers.com was out reviewing remote pubs in outback Western Australia. In one old pub literally in the middle of nowhere (Ora-Banda), we spotted one bloke covered in tats when he wandered out into the beer garden and said good-naturedly to a breast-feeding mother (who was concurrently feeding herself Jack Daniels), "How's ya tit mate?". When our reviewer followed this charming man inside to get a beer he asked him what he was drinking. "Maate", he said, "Export mate", "Nectar of the gods mate, nectar of the gods". And he was deadly serious.
And Outback Australia once again raises the level of class for the world! :rolleyes:
[QUOTE=HOLLiS]
Guinness, a fine brew, but has to be from a keg.
QUOTE]
Double ditto.
Bill Harsey
08-30-2005, 08:36
Miss Maisy,
Over the years I've had the chance to get to know a few of Australia's best axemen who compete in the professional timber sports chopping and sawing competitions.
As these guys competed in the North American "meets" (ok, world championships)
they would come thru the shop and spend some time here.
We drank a traditional logging beer found in Oregon called
"Cold and Lots"
Miss Maisy,
Over the years I've had the chance to get to know some of Australians best axemen who compete in the professional timber sports chopping and sawing competitions.
As these men competed in the North American "meets" they would come thru the shop and spend some time here.
We drank a traditional logging beer found in Oregon called
"Cold and Lots"
Mr. Harsey, that seems to be available over here too :D
For Maisy, imagine a down under movie where;
Steve Irwin, in his finiest Aussie accent says, "Crikey Sandy, take a case of vegimite and blow that bridge."
Brew pubs have grown a lot in the last 15 years in Oregon. They seem to mimic the Euro pubs, great food and brew. Our Beer selection in the markets almost rival the wine selection. Lots of choices.
We drank a traditional logging beer found in Oregon called
"Cold and Lots"
I agree, The Colder and the Lot-er (more) the better. Sometimes micro brew cost gets in the way of having MORE.
zeroalpha
08-31-2005, 18:48
Their are NO good Ozzie beers.
End of story
(Bintang aint half bad if your ever in Indo though)
Bill Harsey
08-31-2005, 19:02
Mr. Harsey, that seems to be available over here too :D
You understand.
Out of honor and respect to Maisy I went out and got some Fosters tonight.
Am drinking it now and thinking of her posts last night.
You understand.
Out of honor and respect to Maisy I went out and got some Fosters tonight.
Am drinking it now and thinking of her posts last night.
Tomorrow this will become: "Drank it out of respect and now I think I need another roll of TP." :D
Good luck Mr. Harsey.
I drank Fosters once and just couldn't get past the aftertaste that keeps haunting you even after you drink a different brew. Slight bump North to Thailand: Worst beer I've ever drank, Singha!! Nasty as dirty dish-water. Some like it, some people also drink sterno. :)
Mr Harsey
PLEASE DON'T DO IT!
Please - it's not worth your health or your tastebuds, which will be forever ruined by the experience!
And*cocks one hand on hip, glares* what's WRONG with my posts, huh?????
Bill Harsey
08-31-2005, 19:28
This stuff isn't that bad...makes me want to talk back to folks using a funny accent that sounds kind and polite but is full of acerbic wit, but other than that, it isn't bad. :D
Have no fears, I have some "Let 'er Buck" Pendleton Roundup Rodeo whiskey to kill the after taste if needed.
Make note, get Madam Maisy some Olympia beer too.
Oh, Mr Harsey
sounds kind and polite but is full of acerbic wit
*blushes modestly* Thank you for the kind compliment.
Funny accent? I would have thought Americans were getting used to it, considering the number of Australians I see on US TV these days. ;)
(Was watching tv last night, one station had the INXS comp and another had "House",had to laugh on how noticable the Australian accent was on it :) )
That INXS thing is a load of shit. I never liked the band...but hell, the singer and the band have been dead for years!
Bill Harsey
08-31-2005, 19:42
What's INXS?
Mr Harsey,
INXS is an Australian band (pronounced in-excess) who were huge in OX, and have had some fame in the US back in the 90's.
Their lead singer Michael Hutchence killed himself a few years ago and the band now has a US show kind of like American Idol, where a number of young singers are vying for the opportunity to become lead singer of the band.
The show itself is not that interesting, but I enjoy the singing, so I occasionally am *allowed* to watch it by remote-controlling OH.
Huey14, I agree. I was never a great fan of them when they were popular, liked some songs, hated others, but you're right, whatever they do with the new singer they won't be INXS, that's gone.
The Reaper
08-31-2005, 20:19
I find AC/DC to be a MUCH better band, and one of my all time faves.
TR
Bill Harsey
08-31-2005, 20:52
I've gotta get out more...
I find AC/DC to be a MUCH better band, and one of my all time faves.
Oohh yeah *happy wiggle* I love Akkadakka. Just the thing to get your heart started in the morning. I play it in the car on the way to work. Wakes me right up, and no accidents yet!