I had the pleasure of taste testing Mountain Goat’s specialty ale Rapunzal during a recent Friday night visit to their Melbourne suburb (Richmond) brewery. For those who wish to have a taste of this delightful abbey ale will have to go to their brewery on any Wednesday or Friday night ‘open house’ as the ale will only be available on premise.
According to head brewer Dave Bonighton “Our aim was to produce a Belgian Style Strong Blonde. This style demands certain ingredients, and we followed the traditional specs. Pilsener Malt, low bitterness derived from Hallertau hops and a Belgian Yeast strain. Traditionally these beers top up their alcohol with 20% non-malt sugar - this keeps them light and approachable so that the malt doesn't dominate and the yeast and alcohol can speak for themselves (Rapunzel's alc is 8.3%).”
“The driving force behind these beers is ultimately the yeast. Those funky, fruity, phenolic esters and fusel alcohols that come from Belgian strains are what makes them so distinctive. You need to let them do their thing which is why the bitterness is low, and the malt profile quite dry. Getting them all balanced is the key.”
“So we end up with a medium bodied, high alcohol, estery, quite drinkable Belgian style Blonde Ale - Rapunzel really named herself after that. Eat with washed rind cheeses and dried fruit.”
As for my opinion, the key to it’s success is the restraint employed that moderate the usual overt sweetness characteristic in this style ale. Rapunzal has a deep golden colour, slightly cloudy with plenty of aromatic fruity esters with yeasty, bready qualities to enhance the experience. The other pleasing quality is the slightly bitter taste again not often found in Belgian styled ales. An experience worth savouring, but hurry as this is a limited edition brew that will only be available for a short time.
Showing posts with label charles coll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charles coll. Show all posts
Monday, December 8, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Beer Tastings ‘08
Wow, has the liquor industry taken a hiding this year or what! Welcome to our new Federal government with their knee jerk reactions to social issues by slugging on taxes to heal society’s wounds. They seem to pander to ‘special interest groups’ in an effort to correct parental and police problems and in the meantime make the law abiding citizens wear their legislative solutions. So I’m looking for some ‘stand–up guys’, at least in the beer industry, to will demonstrate that we are not the demon drink. I suggest the support of beer tastings at your local bottle shop.
Beer Tastings provide three major benefits; it provides a community based common sense environment to responsible behaviour when consuming alcohol, it gives the taster an opportunity to connect with brewers about their beer, and it’s profitable for bottle shops by an average 10 to 15% increase in over the counter sales.
Adam Thomas from Purvis Wine Cellars in Surrey Hills, Melbourne talks up their beer tastings. “It offers the consumers the ability to go outside their comfort zone and try beers that would normally be beyond their economic reach or product knowledge. With the price of imported and local craft beers what they are, they’re getting a taste and we get a chance to sway them. You need to have the brewers there on the night. The punter spends more time when speaking to a brewer rather than a rep and we get a customer friendly relationship with new found respect for our increasing product knowledge. As a result of beer tastings, beer makes up a third of our business and growing immensely.”
On advertising “Don’t really need to. A few signs in the shop maybe, but it’s word of mouth and building a good database of customers then letting them know it’s on. Many locals have bonded and now carpool down to the shop and also organise designated driver options for transport. We’re lucky to have a tram stop just outside our door, but it’s important the customers know about public transport availability.”
About set-up issues, “Access for unloading stock, plenty of ice, and always use glass over plastic. We’ll need 400 glasses for our next beer tasting and build into the cost s of losing up to 15% of stock. It’s nothing really and the benefit for a beer lover in appreciating beer in glass is enormous.”
In relation to the importance of glassware Chuck Hahn of Malt Shovel Brewery told me recently “Two years ago, we released a special glass that went through the basics of Pouring properly, inspecting the presentation, savouring the visual experience, smelling the hop and malt aromas - enjoying them. The glass compliments tasting properly by swirling around in the mouth before swallowing, and swallowing - not spitting - savouring the flavour and enjoying the expectations that are created by this craft experience. “
On the night advice, “Be adventurous, don’t do what you did before and vary the type of event. We do large tasting 2 or 3 times a year for 250-300 people and a smaller one of 50 beers for 50 people every couple of months. Sometimes we go with the local craft beers and at others we do a European day for example. You can vary the times held say rather than an evening session have one for the after work crowd.”
“The days of free beer tastings are long gone. Oh sure, we still get the individual breweries offering customers a taste, but our organised beer tastings are when we can really make an impact on our consumers. We charge $30.00 for 20 tasting tickets that they hand over to the brewer. At the end of the night, the tickets are counted by each brewery and are paid for their beer. Everyone walks away happy”
Eric Walters, brewer and owner of the Grand Ridge Brewery in Gippsland, Victoria is tireless when it comes to getting the word out about his range of beers. He and his band of ‘beer warriors’ can be found at local bottle shops, regional farmers markets and major food and beverage expos to get the public to try his beers.. Last year he earned the pouring rights at the Royal Melbourne Show.
“The progress of beer tastings in the past 3 – 5 years has been massive. I started 2 decades ago this Christmas flogging my beers at local bottle shops and thought of as weird, but the wine tastings started a palate change in customer appreciation of taste. People now appreciate quality at a higher level and are more willing to expand their education of taste. Their thirst for knowledge has expanded to bottle conditioning, dark ales, strong Belgians, thirst quenching wheat beers, the list is getting longer. It sounds corny but the actual tasting is a celebration for me. After all the hard work that’s gone into that swallow and to have the bloke turn around and say ‘that beer is awesome’ is inspiring.”
Walter went on to say “Face to Face contact now makes up 20% of our total business. From new products like out Natural Blonde Wheat Beer, to our gift pack 6 packs, and guesthouse accommodation and Restaurant at the brewery, all have come about by the punter telling us what they wanted. Every tasting is further market research and branding awareness; it’s very motivating to teach in the forefront of quality beers.
Small breweries have little to no money for advertising, and it’s vital that through beer tastings the beer lovers get an opportunity to try our beers. Victoria and Western Australia have led the charge in the resurgence of craft beer interest. We’re now seeing Queensland and New South Wales getting involved with the beer tasting experience. These local tastings have led to lager audience based events like the Microbrewers Showcase in Federation Square in Melbourne, and The Australian Hotel’s Craft Beer Competition in the Rocks in Sydney.
Speaking of Sydney, Richard Adamson, Head Brewer, Barons Brewing Company agrees “Beer tastings have been a great way for us to give many people their first taste of the Barons beers. It also gives us an opportunity to educate the public on quality craft beer, the process, the flavour, and the styles of beer available; and promote the concept that beer can be savoured and enjoyed for its quality rather than just swilled. We do a lot of beer tasting in bottle shops, which allow us to show our commitment to our customers…supporting them whilst they support us. It’s important for our entire team to have a good understanding of what they sell and that they are comfortable talking about Barons to the general public. Also important, and sometimes forgotten, is the instant feedback received from the people who drink our beer. Nothing beats the experience of having a random punter taste Barons with you, then immediately goes to the cold room and buys a case.”
And speaking of Queensland and New South Wales, I had a chat with Matt Coorey manager for the DrinkX Group who own 5 hotels (3 in Qld. and 2 in N.S.W.) including the Grand Central in Brisbane. “I compiled a report for the group including stats from A.C.Neisen, major breweries and overseas trends. The conclusion was that beer is heading ‘crafty’ and we needed to be on board. As a result we are re-configuring our bars to accommodate 30 craft beers on tap, including training and motivation of our staff so everyone in the organisation is right behind it. This will include beer tastings for our patrons on Tuesday nights. In our main bar where 90% of our customers drink, we will slowly introduce these beers and match them with food. We are also in the process of implementing our seal of approval – rubber stamp policy. Five to six ‘certifiers’ will select from submissions 30 beers to be featured at our platform craft bar, and in the bottle shops. Those beers will have a floor stack for the impulse buyer and highlighted in our special frosted white light fridges that get top shelf space. We’ll keep it to 30 beers so that it’ll always be fresh and offer further submissions an equal opportunity. We’re confident that our rubber stamped journey from bar to bottle shop to train stop to home will be very popular.”
As a personal note, after handing out thousands of beer tastings, I understand the significance and acceptance to the responsible serving of beer. Only through adherence to rules can we alter the younger generation. Getting tasters to smell swirl, and swallow with others doing the same with 65 ml tasters will transform that future delinquent to an epicurean cadet. The fraternity of beer tasters will embrace them to a better drinking environment. And maybe, just maybe some bureaucrats will see the light and stop this condemnation of people who enjoy the finer things in life. And lastly to all you bottle shop managers, who’ll come on board, remember to take care of the ‘beer roadies’. We’re the first to arrive and the last to leave, we’ve poured, talked, and listened to them all. It would be nice if there was something to eat before we hit the cold dark road home.
Beer Tastings provide three major benefits; it provides a community based common sense environment to responsible behaviour when consuming alcohol, it gives the taster an opportunity to connect with brewers about their beer, and it’s profitable for bottle shops by an average 10 to 15% increase in over the counter sales.
Adam Thomas from Purvis Wine Cellars in Surrey Hills, Melbourne talks up their beer tastings. “It offers the consumers the ability to go outside their comfort zone and try beers that would normally be beyond their economic reach or product knowledge. With the price of imported and local craft beers what they are, they’re getting a taste and we get a chance to sway them. You need to have the brewers there on the night. The punter spends more time when speaking to a brewer rather than a rep and we get a customer friendly relationship with new found respect for our increasing product knowledge. As a result of beer tastings, beer makes up a third of our business and growing immensely.”
On advertising “Don’t really need to. A few signs in the shop maybe, but it’s word of mouth and building a good database of customers then letting them know it’s on. Many locals have bonded and now carpool down to the shop and also organise designated driver options for transport. We’re lucky to have a tram stop just outside our door, but it’s important the customers know about public transport availability.”
About set-up issues, “Access for unloading stock, plenty of ice, and always use glass over plastic. We’ll need 400 glasses for our next beer tasting and build into the cost s of losing up to 15% of stock. It’s nothing really and the benefit for a beer lover in appreciating beer in glass is enormous.”
In relation to the importance of glassware Chuck Hahn of Malt Shovel Brewery told me recently “Two years ago, we released a special glass that went through the basics of Pouring properly, inspecting the presentation, savouring the visual experience, smelling the hop and malt aromas - enjoying them. The glass compliments tasting properly by swirling around in the mouth before swallowing, and swallowing - not spitting - savouring the flavour and enjoying the expectations that are created by this craft experience. “
On the night advice, “Be adventurous, don’t do what you did before and vary the type of event. We do large tasting 2 or 3 times a year for 250-300 people and a smaller one of 50 beers for 50 people every couple of months. Sometimes we go with the local craft beers and at others we do a European day for example. You can vary the times held say rather than an evening session have one for the after work crowd.”
“The days of free beer tastings are long gone. Oh sure, we still get the individual breweries offering customers a taste, but our organised beer tastings are when we can really make an impact on our consumers. We charge $30.00 for 20 tasting tickets that they hand over to the brewer. At the end of the night, the tickets are counted by each brewery and are paid for their beer. Everyone walks away happy”
Eric Walters, brewer and owner of the Grand Ridge Brewery in Gippsland, Victoria is tireless when it comes to getting the word out about his range of beers. He and his band of ‘beer warriors’ can be found at local bottle shops, regional farmers markets and major food and beverage expos to get the public to try his beers.. Last year he earned the pouring rights at the Royal Melbourne Show.
“The progress of beer tastings in the past 3 – 5 years has been massive. I started 2 decades ago this Christmas flogging my beers at local bottle shops and thought of as weird, but the wine tastings started a palate change in customer appreciation of taste. People now appreciate quality at a higher level and are more willing to expand their education of taste. Their thirst for knowledge has expanded to bottle conditioning, dark ales, strong Belgians, thirst quenching wheat beers, the list is getting longer. It sounds corny but the actual tasting is a celebration for me. After all the hard work that’s gone into that swallow and to have the bloke turn around and say ‘that beer is awesome’ is inspiring.”
Walter went on to say “Face to Face contact now makes up 20% of our total business. From new products like out Natural Blonde Wheat Beer, to our gift pack 6 packs, and guesthouse accommodation and Restaurant at the brewery, all have come about by the punter telling us what they wanted. Every tasting is further market research and branding awareness; it’s very motivating to teach in the forefront of quality beers.
Small breweries have little to no money for advertising, and it’s vital that through beer tastings the beer lovers get an opportunity to try our beers. Victoria and Western Australia have led the charge in the resurgence of craft beer interest. We’re now seeing Queensland and New South Wales getting involved with the beer tasting experience. These local tastings have led to lager audience based events like the Microbrewers Showcase in Federation Square in Melbourne, and The Australian Hotel’s Craft Beer Competition in the Rocks in Sydney.
Speaking of Sydney, Richard Adamson, Head Brewer, Barons Brewing Company agrees “Beer tastings have been a great way for us to give many people their first taste of the Barons beers. It also gives us an opportunity to educate the public on quality craft beer, the process, the flavour, and the styles of beer available; and promote the concept that beer can be savoured and enjoyed for its quality rather than just swilled. We do a lot of beer tasting in bottle shops, which allow us to show our commitment to our customers…supporting them whilst they support us. It’s important for our entire team to have a good understanding of what they sell and that they are comfortable talking about Barons to the general public. Also important, and sometimes forgotten, is the instant feedback received from the people who drink our beer. Nothing beats the experience of having a random punter taste Barons with you, then immediately goes to the cold room and buys a case.”
And speaking of Queensland and New South Wales, I had a chat with Matt Coorey manager for the DrinkX Group who own 5 hotels (3 in Qld. and 2 in N.S.W.) including the Grand Central in Brisbane. “I compiled a report for the group including stats from A.C.Neisen, major breweries and overseas trends. The conclusion was that beer is heading ‘crafty’ and we needed to be on board. As a result we are re-configuring our bars to accommodate 30 craft beers on tap, including training and motivation of our staff so everyone in the organisation is right behind it. This will include beer tastings for our patrons on Tuesday nights. In our main bar where 90% of our customers drink, we will slowly introduce these beers and match them with food. We are also in the process of implementing our seal of approval – rubber stamp policy. Five to six ‘certifiers’ will select from submissions 30 beers to be featured at our platform craft bar, and in the bottle shops. Those beers will have a floor stack for the impulse buyer and highlighted in our special frosted white light fridges that get top shelf space. We’ll keep it to 30 beers so that it’ll always be fresh and offer further submissions an equal opportunity. We’re confident that our rubber stamped journey from bar to bottle shop to train stop to home will be very popular.”
As a personal note, after handing out thousands of beer tastings, I understand the significance and acceptance to the responsible serving of beer. Only through adherence to rules can we alter the younger generation. Getting tasters to smell swirl, and swallow with others doing the same with 65 ml tasters will transform that future delinquent to an epicurean cadet. The fraternity of beer tasters will embrace them to a better drinking environment. And maybe, just maybe some bureaucrats will see the light and stop this condemnation of people who enjoy the finer things in life. And lastly to all you bottle shop managers, who’ll come on board, remember to take care of the ‘beer roadies’. We’re the first to arrive and the last to leave, we’ve poured, talked, and listened to them all. It would be nice if there was something to eat before we hit the cold dark road home.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
European Beer Review ‘08
Almost all of us have an ancestral link to Europe, and with our multicultural population, nearly every country is included. And as here in Australia they have their own version of ‘Fosters’ to meet the local population’s unquenchable demand for premium lager. So when we have a taste of the homeland you have two choices, either purchase their major multinational brewery products when on special or explore unknown varieties and styles at your local specialist epicurean bottle shops. Both have merits and drawbacks but worthy of your attention.
No two nations better exemplify this beer culture duopoly than Belgium, and Germany. Both have brewing histories dating back to the Middle Ages. Both have been affected by conflicts between church and state. And both nations introduced new flavours and styles of beer that continue to demonstrate popularity today.
Belgian Beer
God bless the persecuted monks who fled France during the revolution. Those ‘on the run’ religious refugees behind closed monestary doors began to brew exclusively for fellow monks beer described as "dark and sweet”And due to the fertile fields of the Flanders region began the art of ‘farmhouse brewing’ including lambic fruit beers.The first Trappist brewery in Belgium (Westmalle) officially began operation in 1836. The current Trappist producers are Achel, Chimay, Koningshoeven (the Netherlands), Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westvleteren. Best-known brand of Abbey beer is Inbev's Leffe. Others include Grimbergen, Tripel Karmeliet, Maredsous, Watou, Saint-Feuillien, Floreffe, and Val-Dieu.(308)
With approximately 125 breweries in Belgium, only Germany, France and the United Kingdom are home to more breweries in Europe. Beer production in Belgium is now dominated by Inbev and by the time of this printing, Anheuser-Busch (A-B) and InBev will have combined to forge the largest brewing conglomerate in the world after the US brewer accepted a sweetened $53.5 billion takeover offer. Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-BI), as the new group will be called, will surpass SABMiller as the number one seller of alcoholic beverages when the acquisition is completed later this year, with 17 per cent of the global market. The takeover brings together the makers of Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck's to create the world's largest brewer, as well as the third-largest consumer products company.
So if you vote with your feet for the premium lager, Stells Artois wins hands down. InBev’s Stella Artois was first brewed as a Christmas beer in 1926, and was so popular that it became an all year round beer. The name ‘stella’ also comes from the Latin word for star, probably linked to the traditional star atop the Christmas tree
According to Adam Thomas from Pervis Fine Wines in Melbourne “We are seeing a big jump in Fruit beers for the spring season as a viable alternative to wine spritzers and RTD’s. The big Belgian beers like Rochford 10 and Chimay Blue have been very popular for winter, but are now giving way to lambics like Lindemens Geuze, Cassis and Peach.. Beers with berries are all the go.”
Lambic beers fermentation, is produced by exposure to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley, in which Brussels lies. The beer then undergoes a long aging period ranging from three to six months (considered “young”) to two or three years for mature. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavor: dry, vinous, and cidery, with a slightly sour aftertaste.
Although Lambics flavoured with fruits such as raspberries (Framboise) or cherries (Kriek) are better known, the Lambic connoisseur’s choice will be Gueuze—the noblest of Lambic styles. A traditional dry Gueuze has no fruit flavouring and will be tart, sour, and naturally effervescent. A typical Gueuze will be a blend of one, two, and three year-old Lambic beers from ancient oak vessels which are a breeding ground for the colonies of bacteria strains that give Gueuze its sour character
The Lindemans family farm in Vlezenbeek near Brussels began Lambic brewing as a winter activity, when less farm work was required. The farm produced wheat and barley, the raw materials of the Lambic. Due to the growing success of the Lambic, the brewery became more important and consequently, in 1930, the farm-activities were stopped. It was in that year that they started the production of Geuze and Kriek. The Framboise was launched in 1980 and due to the success of the fruit-beers, they created 2 new beers: Cassis (black current beer) in 1986 and Pecheresse (peach beer) in 1987.
Lindemans Cuvée René Gueuze Lambic. Has a rich golden hue with yeasty sourdough aromatics. Medium dry yet full bodied with hints of tart lemon rind, nuts, and wheat toast. Finishes with a long, tart citrus rind and mineral fade.
From George Stephanopolous General Manager BID Melbourne Office:
With the Australian market now being exposed to such an array of beer styles from around the world, (predominantly Belgium, Germany and U.K), beer pallets have evolved and are craving for new and exciting styles, complexities and sensations from beer. Hence the growth in interest of Lambic beers, (now commonly sought as an alternative to RTD’s), brewed with natural ingredients and fruits such as raspberry, sour cherries, peaches and forest berries. Styles like Lambic fruit beers are growing in awareness and will offer a great alternative through the coming months of summer in Australia as people discover their full, fresh and vibrant flavour.
Trappist brewery Rochefort (Brasserie de Rochefort) produces three ales:
Rochefort 6 (red cap, brown beer, 7.5% A/V. Rochefort 8 (green cap, brown beer, 9.2% ABV).Rochefort 10 (blue cap, dark beer, 11.3% A/V). Reddish-brown colour, with a very compact head and an aroma of figs. It is very similar to 6 and 8, but with intense complex malt, smoke, wood, roasted quality and great texture.
German beer
Germany is the birthplace of lagers and also employed the bounty of the harvest to create seasonal wheat beers as well. But rather than religious persecution, there drawback was government intervention and ownership. German brewers were bound by adherence to the Reinheitsgebot ("purity order") dating from 1516 (and most recently updated in the Vorläufiges Biergesetz of 1993), according to which the only allowed ingredients of beer are water, hops and barley-malt. This law also requires that beers not using only barley-malt (such as wheat and rye) must be top-fermented. Beer has become part of Germany. There’s around 1,300 breweries in Germany, more than in any other country except the United States (approx. 1,500)
The highest density of breweries in the world is found near the city of Bamberg, in the Franconia region of Bavaria. The Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan brewery (established in 725) is reputedly the oldest existing brewery in the world (brewing since 1040). Weihenstephan occupies an exalted site atop Weihenstephan Hill in the Bavarian city of Freising, surrounded by the comparatively still very young Weihenstephan science centre of the Technical University of Munich. Three varieties are available here in Australia worth having a go at are: Vitus: A light-coloured, spicy single-bock wheat beer extra long and cold storage in the monastery cellars making this single-bock a really full bodied with a distinctive mouthfeel. Alcohol content: 7.7% A/V. Hefe-Weissbier; naturally cloudy wheat beer with its wonderful yeasty fragrance and a taste of banana and clove. Alcohol content: 5.4%A/V. Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel: supple, malty and mellow dark wheat beer 5.3% A/V
Erdinger calls itself the world's largest wheat beer brewery. It was founded in 1886 by Johann Kienle, and its beer is the best-known culinary product of the city. Currently, there are nine varieties available:The three best to have a sample of are:Weisbier- a golden cloudy wheat beer 5.3%A/V, Dunkel- a dark brown type 5.6%A/V, ans Kristallklar- a filtered Weisbier5.3% A/V.
Beck’s has savoured success with around 20% value growth outstripping the international premium segment in 2006 when compared with a year ago. It is the number one German beer in the world and sold 7.5 million hectolitres in2007. Beck’s grown by 4.3% (volume) and has achieved premium growth of 13% outside its home market. Beck’s arrived in Australia in 1906 and became their largest buyer within 3 years. The success of Beck’s is based on a few important factors. An emphasis on being a German ‘spitzen Pilsener von Welt” or ‘world class premium pilsener, strict adherence to the German Purity Law, and the inclusion of Hallertau hops of Bavaria, considered by some to be the finest pils hops in the world. Beck’s has clean crisp taste with plenty of back bitterness and a full rich flavour.
English Beer
Then there is English beer, aah the Motherland, whose mere mention begins contradiction, controversy, and the exception to the rule. To start, they don’t have a national lager, and rather than religious or governmental influence, they’re beer customs has evolved from the counterculture era’s CAMRA the campaign for real ale led by now deceased ‘Beer Guru’ Michael Jackson. Aussie’s Barons Brewing head brewer Richard Adamsons was recently in England to assist Danish brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergso create Vikings’ Return, a 4.5% ABV amber ale for J.D.Wetherspoons’ International Beer Festival. He was able to provide the latest report from the British bar. “The most popular lagers on tap are Carlsberg (DEN), Stella (BEL) and Fosters (AUS), but after that it’s the real ales with emphasis on English bitters and ales. Fullers, Marsden, Hobgoblin and Samuel Smith are getting a good nudge by the locals.
Fuller’s London Pride is the flagship brand of Fullers Brewery. Its cask version holds the No.3 position in the UK's premium ale sector and London Pride has doubled its sales over the last five years. A rich, malty flavour, countered with a balance of hops (a mix of Target, Challenger and Northdown varieties), with a slightly fruity finish. 4.7% A/V
Fuller's E.S.B. is a liquid legend; the cask version has been voted Champion Beer of Britain three times. Full, robust, chestnut-coloured ale, ESB has a rich maltiness that gives way to a nice hop after taste. A clean beer that is easy to drink - often too easy and too often.5.9 % A/V
According to the Beer Importers, traditional English brown ale Old Speckled Hen has demonstrated impressive sales figures on tap and in the shops. Rich golden amber ale with warming red tones, Old Speckled Hen is fruity on the nose with rich malty undertones, toffee like flavour with good back bitterness at the back of the gob. The finish is sweet without being cloying and a good dry finish.
No two nations better exemplify this beer culture duopoly than Belgium, and Germany. Both have brewing histories dating back to the Middle Ages. Both have been affected by conflicts between church and state. And both nations introduced new flavours and styles of beer that continue to demonstrate popularity today.
Belgian Beer
God bless the persecuted monks who fled France during the revolution. Those ‘on the run’ religious refugees behind closed monestary doors began to brew exclusively for fellow monks beer described as "dark and sweet”And due to the fertile fields of the Flanders region began the art of ‘farmhouse brewing’ including lambic fruit beers.The first Trappist brewery in Belgium (Westmalle) officially began operation in 1836. The current Trappist producers are Achel, Chimay, Koningshoeven (the Netherlands), Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westvleteren. Best-known brand of Abbey beer is Inbev's Leffe. Others include Grimbergen, Tripel Karmeliet, Maredsous, Watou, Saint-Feuillien, Floreffe, and Val-Dieu.(308)
With approximately 125 breweries in Belgium, only Germany, France and the United Kingdom are home to more breweries in Europe. Beer production in Belgium is now dominated by Inbev and by the time of this printing, Anheuser-Busch (A-B) and InBev will have combined to forge the largest brewing conglomerate in the world after the US brewer accepted a sweetened $53.5 billion takeover offer. Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-BI), as the new group will be called, will surpass SABMiller as the number one seller of alcoholic beverages when the acquisition is completed later this year, with 17 per cent of the global market. The takeover brings together the makers of Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck's to create the world's largest brewer, as well as the third-largest consumer products company.
So if you vote with your feet for the premium lager, Stells Artois wins hands down. InBev’s Stella Artois was first brewed as a Christmas beer in 1926, and was so popular that it became an all year round beer. The name ‘stella’ also comes from the Latin word for star, probably linked to the traditional star atop the Christmas tree
According to Adam Thomas from Pervis Fine Wines in Melbourne “We are seeing a big jump in Fruit beers for the spring season as a viable alternative to wine spritzers and RTD’s. The big Belgian beers like Rochford 10 and Chimay Blue have been very popular for winter, but are now giving way to lambics like Lindemens Geuze, Cassis and Peach.. Beers with berries are all the go.”
Lambic beers fermentation, is produced by exposure to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley, in which Brussels lies. The beer then undergoes a long aging period ranging from three to six months (considered “young”) to two or three years for mature. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavor: dry, vinous, and cidery, with a slightly sour aftertaste.
Although Lambics flavoured with fruits such as raspberries (Framboise) or cherries (Kriek) are better known, the Lambic connoisseur’s choice will be Gueuze—the noblest of Lambic styles. A traditional dry Gueuze has no fruit flavouring and will be tart, sour, and naturally effervescent. A typical Gueuze will be a blend of one, two, and three year-old Lambic beers from ancient oak vessels which are a breeding ground for the colonies of bacteria strains that give Gueuze its sour character
The Lindemans family farm in Vlezenbeek near Brussels began Lambic brewing as a winter activity, when less farm work was required. The farm produced wheat and barley, the raw materials of the Lambic. Due to the growing success of the Lambic, the brewery became more important and consequently, in 1930, the farm-activities were stopped. It was in that year that they started the production of Geuze and Kriek. The Framboise was launched in 1980 and due to the success of the fruit-beers, they created 2 new beers: Cassis (black current beer) in 1986 and Pecheresse (peach beer) in 1987.
Lindemans Cuvée René Gueuze Lambic. Has a rich golden hue with yeasty sourdough aromatics. Medium dry yet full bodied with hints of tart lemon rind, nuts, and wheat toast. Finishes with a long, tart citrus rind and mineral fade.
From George Stephanopolous General Manager BID Melbourne Office:
With the Australian market now being exposed to such an array of beer styles from around the world, (predominantly Belgium, Germany and U.K), beer pallets have evolved and are craving for new and exciting styles, complexities and sensations from beer. Hence the growth in interest of Lambic beers, (now commonly sought as an alternative to RTD’s), brewed with natural ingredients and fruits such as raspberry, sour cherries, peaches and forest berries. Styles like Lambic fruit beers are growing in awareness and will offer a great alternative through the coming months of summer in Australia as people discover their full, fresh and vibrant flavour.
Trappist brewery Rochefort (Brasserie de Rochefort) produces three ales:
Rochefort 6 (red cap, brown beer, 7.5% A/V. Rochefort 8 (green cap, brown beer, 9.2% ABV).Rochefort 10 (blue cap, dark beer, 11.3% A/V). Reddish-brown colour, with a very compact head and an aroma of figs. It is very similar to 6 and 8, but with intense complex malt, smoke, wood, roasted quality and great texture.
German beer
Germany is the birthplace of lagers and also employed the bounty of the harvest to create seasonal wheat beers as well. But rather than religious persecution, there drawback was government intervention and ownership. German brewers were bound by adherence to the Reinheitsgebot ("purity order") dating from 1516 (and most recently updated in the Vorläufiges Biergesetz of 1993), according to which the only allowed ingredients of beer are water, hops and barley-malt. This law also requires that beers not using only barley-malt (such as wheat and rye) must be top-fermented. Beer has become part of Germany. There’s around 1,300 breweries in Germany, more than in any other country except the United States (approx. 1,500)
The highest density of breweries in the world is found near the city of Bamberg, in the Franconia region of Bavaria. The Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan brewery (established in 725) is reputedly the oldest existing brewery in the world (brewing since 1040). Weihenstephan occupies an exalted site atop Weihenstephan Hill in the Bavarian city of Freising, surrounded by the comparatively still very young Weihenstephan science centre of the Technical University of Munich. Three varieties are available here in Australia worth having a go at are: Vitus: A light-coloured, spicy single-bock wheat beer extra long and cold storage in the monastery cellars making this single-bock a really full bodied with a distinctive mouthfeel. Alcohol content: 7.7% A/V. Hefe-Weissbier; naturally cloudy wheat beer with its wonderful yeasty fragrance and a taste of banana and clove. Alcohol content: 5.4%A/V. Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel: supple, malty and mellow dark wheat beer 5.3% A/V
Erdinger calls itself the world's largest wheat beer brewery. It was founded in 1886 by Johann Kienle, and its beer is the best-known culinary product of the city. Currently, there are nine varieties available:The three best to have a sample of are:Weisbier- a golden cloudy wheat beer 5.3%A/V, Dunkel- a dark brown type 5.6%A/V, ans Kristallklar- a filtered Weisbier5.3% A/V.
Beck’s has savoured success with around 20% value growth outstripping the international premium segment in 2006 when compared with a year ago. It is the number one German beer in the world and sold 7.5 million hectolitres in2007. Beck’s grown by 4.3% (volume) and has achieved premium growth of 13% outside its home market. Beck’s arrived in Australia in 1906 and became their largest buyer within 3 years. The success of Beck’s is based on a few important factors. An emphasis on being a German ‘spitzen Pilsener von Welt” or ‘world class premium pilsener, strict adherence to the German Purity Law, and the inclusion of Hallertau hops of Bavaria, considered by some to be the finest pils hops in the world. Beck’s has clean crisp taste with plenty of back bitterness and a full rich flavour.
English Beer
Then there is English beer, aah the Motherland, whose mere mention begins contradiction, controversy, and the exception to the rule. To start, they don’t have a national lager, and rather than religious or governmental influence, they’re beer customs has evolved from the counterculture era’s CAMRA the campaign for real ale led by now deceased ‘Beer Guru’ Michael Jackson. Aussie’s Barons Brewing head brewer Richard Adamsons was recently in England to assist Danish brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergso create Vikings’ Return, a 4.5% ABV amber ale for J.D.Wetherspoons’ International Beer Festival. He was able to provide the latest report from the British bar. “The most popular lagers on tap are Carlsberg (DEN), Stella (BEL) and Fosters (AUS), but after that it’s the real ales with emphasis on English bitters and ales. Fullers, Marsden, Hobgoblin and Samuel Smith are getting a good nudge by the locals.
Fuller’s London Pride is the flagship brand of Fullers Brewery. Its cask version holds the No.3 position in the UK's premium ale sector and London Pride has doubled its sales over the last five years. A rich, malty flavour, countered with a balance of hops (a mix of Target, Challenger and Northdown varieties), with a slightly fruity finish. 4.7% A/V
Fuller's E.S.B. is a liquid legend; the cask version has been voted Champion Beer of Britain three times. Full, robust, chestnut-coloured ale, ESB has a rich maltiness that gives way to a nice hop after taste. A clean beer that is easy to drink - often too easy and too often.5.9 % A/V
According to the Beer Importers, traditional English brown ale Old Speckled Hen has demonstrated impressive sales figures on tap and in the shops. Rich golden amber ale with warming red tones, Old Speckled Hen is fruity on the nose with rich malty undertones, toffee like flavour with good back bitterness at the back of the gob. The finish is sweet without being cloying and a good dry finish.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Asian Beer Review ‘08
The eyes of the world have been turned towards Asia recently, particularly China with the Olympics. Two things have impressed us most, their modernisation and a heritage of traditional values. This region has experienced dramatic change in the past few decades and no better exemplified than in their beer industry.
The two superpowers of the region China and Japan began brewing at the turn of the 20th century, with a constant clashing of tradition vs. modernisation. Chinese brewing history reads like a corporate business plan with international development (Germany), overseas acquisition (Japan), government supervision (Nationalist Govt.) and seizure (People’s Party of China) and finally privatisation including merger with other breweries to create Tsingtao Brewing.
But progress has come at a cost.Tsingtao Beer has long advertised as being "brewed with mineral water from the Laoshan Spring", renowned for the absolute purity of the water, contributing to its characteristic flavour; however, this now applies only to beer produced in Qingdao,. Originally, Tsingtao Beer was brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516 but after privatization the recipe changed, so that today Tsingtao beer, like many other beers made in China, contains a proportion of the less-expensive rice as an adjunct in the mash
China may have overtaken the US as the world's biggest beer market besides boasting the largest population on earth. Like most beer drinking nations, China’s consumption is particularly strong in urban areas among 25-45 year olds. Chinese consumers have a very strong affinity with domestic brands, which account for an estimated 96 per cent of all beer consumed, But fuelled by a recent boom in pubs and bars, premium beer is the fastest growing sector, increasing by 34 per cent in 2002 alone.
According to Peter Nixon, Business Manager Marketing for Dan Murphy’s, Asian beer consumption here in Australia follows similar tends. “We are seeing growth across the entire Asian beer category Chinese, Japanese and Indian alike. This is in line with all imported & premium beer growth. Melbourne and Sydney sales are highest followed by other capital cities with no real disproportion in line with population base. It’s the flavour and style profiles that appeal to the Australian palate and climate
Another player is Shanghai Lager that has adhered to traditional recipes of Shanghai China since 1936, produces a classic Asian lager brewed from rice. This develops the crystal clean palate and ultimate refreshment the Chinese relish in their beer. Pale straw in colour, Shanghai has a light and delicate in aroma, crisp and refreshing, with balanced bitterness and refreshing finish. The beer is a perfect companion to hot and spicy dishes, such as Szechuan, as the beer will cleanse the palate after each bite.
The history of modern brewing in Japan dates back to1869 when the government set up a brewery on the Northern island of Hokkaido and a decade later were brewing Sapporo Lager. At one time there were several dozen breweries around Japan including the ‘big 4’ Sapporo, Japan, Osaka (Asahi Brewery), and Kirin. The fierce battle for market supremacy in the early 1900’s led to the Japan Brewing Company merging with Sapporo. After the war, the DaiNippon Beer Company divided into two companies Nippon/ Sapporo and Asahi. The three continue to battle worldwide to be ‘champion Japanese beer’.
If one aspect of brewing can be attributed to Japan it would have to be the ‘Dry’ lager style. To create this drying effect, the mash is brewed at a lower temperature to soak up every drop of residual sugars that become alcohol. The result desired requires an extraction process to get only the first liquid run- off from the sweet wort then a long slow fermentation.
Asahi Super Dry is Japan’s original, traditionally brewed, super dry beer. Rich in flavour it cuts to a clean, crisp edge. It has a delicate, yet rich, full-flavoured body and refreshing, dry aftertaste. Asahi is a super premium Japanese beer with unisex appeal and a distinctive smooth character that is easy to drink. Asahi’s volume share of the Asian beer market isn’t huge; however it is growing at a rapid pace. Ranked in the top 20 Premium Imports, it appeals to urban leading edge consumers. Victoria and New South Wales continue to be the two key Asahi markets constituting over 80% of total volume.
Sapporo Imported Original Draught Beer has a distinctive silver can exhibiting their high tech outlook to brewing. Using state of the art technology, including a ceramic filtration process, creates a smoother cleaner lager. The sculptured conical shaped steel can releases a golden maize coloured brew with very subtle grainy sweet aroma and taste with a well balanced malt flavour.
Kirin Ichiban, the only Asian beer to be brewed here in Australia at the Malt Shovel brewery in Sydney. Locally brewed in small batches under the supervision of an expert Japanese brewer assures freshness. The Kirin is an ancient mythical beast which foretells the coming of festive and joyful events. The word “ichiban” means “first” in Japan and Kirin uses a First Press Brewing Method where only the first liquid drawn from the mash is used followed by a long fermentation period. The use of noble saaz hops provide a floral aroma that’s complemented by a delicate fruity flavour. Full bodied with subtle sweetness and mild bittering notes, Kirin Ichiban is quickly gaining local support in trendy nightspots.
Indochina and the subcontinent have their own tale to tell but the theme scenario is the same as younger, hipper new moneyed beer drinkers have taken over the bar, club and beer garden scene. Like Australia, they want to be seen with a notable international branded stubby but consume the local brew with their mates.
Chang Beer(1995) brewery, in the district of Bang Ban, Ayutthaya Province, is the top-selling brand in Thailand winning over 60% of market share after a hard market fight with the previously biggest brand Singha. In 2006, the company's market share was 49% of the beer market with genuine brand recognition. The eye-catching green logo of 2 elephants facing one another is immediately recognisable to Thais and foreigners alike. The company also has outstanding distribution and the beer is readily available. In fact, Chang has become more popular than Singha in the Thai market for its low price. At the end of the day, it is the branding of Chang that makes up for a fantastic part of this remarkable appeal. Chang Beer's full bodied, smooth taste is truly expressive of the finest quality natural Ingredients. 5% A/V
Singha Lager (1933) continues to be popular for its light golden flavour. Their 3 brewery locations are based on quality water sources. The Boon Rawd Brewery water supply is pumped from wells deep underground, then activated carbon filtered, sand filtered and treated to meet Singha’s exacting standards. Quality grains and hops sourced from Europe and Australia create a yellow-gold in appearance, with a distinctly rich flavour. Singha Lager demonstrates strong hop characters and notes of lemons, flowers and cinnamon. The beer has a fresh and surprisingly biscuity malt character with a rather gentle nudge of Thai sweetness.
Malaysian beer giant, Tiger Beer is brewed by Asia Pacific Breweries, a joint venture between Heineken NV and Frasers & Neave. It’s obviously the major brand of the brewer and it was first brewed back in the early 1940s. The beer has managed to gain immense popularity throughout the Asian Continent, in particular South East Asia.
Tiger Beer is a dry-hopped beer with a rather rich taste. It’s ideal for a long drinking session. My very first reaction was it tasted a bit strong, but after a few large sips, my taste buds eventually got used to the friendly invasion of quality hops and the overly strong taste replaced with a nice and rich one, with a lasting bigger finish. In short, it’s a highly refreshing beer and goes nicely with food, particularly spicy and peppery dishes.
Last month, Australian wine and beer group Foster's exited the Asian brewing business with the US$225 million sale of its operations in Vietnam and India. The firm's Vietnam breweries and local brands will go to Asia Pacific Breweries for US$105 million, and its Indian business including the Foster's brand will be taken on by SABMiller for US$120 million. APB operates 27 breweries in 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific. The Indochina market, which includes Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, has accounted for more than 40 per cent of its earnings in the past three years, the company said. Profit before interest and tax from this region increased by 20 per cent last year.
333 Premium Export Beer or Ba Ba Ba as the Vietnamese pronounce it is a popular rice lager sold around South East Asia and exported to France, the USA and Australia. The beer dates back to 1893 when they acquired the German Label "33” and during the 1970’s the extra 3 was added to its name. The beer is produced by Beer Saigon which doesn’t use a lot of the preservative chemicals used as a lot of the other Asian beers, making it much crisper and easer on the head the next morning. The beer has a 5.3 percent alcohol reading so it gives quiet a kick, especially in the hot Vietnamese sun.
On the sub continent, we viewed the Indian 20 x 20 Cricket and marvelled at their wealth and splendour everywhere you looked, a Kingfisher logo or billboard appeared. Kingfisher lager is a great beer and worthy of your indulgence. A nice golden amber colour with white creamy head, Kingfisher is well balanced malt character and good solid back bitterness. As with any Asian beer, serve it icy cold, sit back, and enjoy.
Another beer from India making an impact on the Aussie market is Taj Mahal Premium brewed by United Breweries in Bangalore. Taj Mahal (meaning the "best of buildings") is dedicated to the famous monument built in 1648. Taj Mahal Premium is a clear amber lager with a very delicate light hop flavour. The crisp hop bitter aftertaste makes this brew a perfect match with spicy foods.
And when is an Asian beer not an Asian beer, when it’s produced here in Australia. Lucky Beer is a highly distinctive concept with their unique ‘laughing Buddha’ bottle. An Asian influenced lager using only 100% Australian premium natural ingredients. Another unique trend is to offer Lucky Beer with a slice of ginger at the bar. They say that rubbing Buddha’s tummy brings you good luck, so why not get a bottle and see for yourself.
The two superpowers of the region China and Japan began brewing at the turn of the 20th century, with a constant clashing of tradition vs. modernisation. Chinese brewing history reads like a corporate business plan with international development (Germany), overseas acquisition (Japan), government supervision (Nationalist Govt.) and seizure (People’s Party of China) and finally privatisation including merger with other breweries to create Tsingtao Brewing.
But progress has come at a cost.Tsingtao Beer has long advertised as being "brewed with mineral water from the Laoshan Spring", renowned for the absolute purity of the water, contributing to its characteristic flavour; however, this now applies only to beer produced in Qingdao,. Originally, Tsingtao Beer was brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516 but after privatization the recipe changed, so that today Tsingtao beer, like many other beers made in China, contains a proportion of the less-expensive rice as an adjunct in the mash
China may have overtaken the US as the world's biggest beer market besides boasting the largest population on earth. Like most beer drinking nations, China’s consumption is particularly strong in urban areas among 25-45 year olds. Chinese consumers have a very strong affinity with domestic brands, which account for an estimated 96 per cent of all beer consumed, But fuelled by a recent boom in pubs and bars, premium beer is the fastest growing sector, increasing by 34 per cent in 2002 alone.
According to Peter Nixon, Business Manager Marketing for Dan Murphy’s, Asian beer consumption here in Australia follows similar tends. “We are seeing growth across the entire Asian beer category Chinese, Japanese and Indian alike. This is in line with all imported & premium beer growth. Melbourne and Sydney sales are highest followed by other capital cities with no real disproportion in line with population base. It’s the flavour and style profiles that appeal to the Australian palate and climate
Another player is Shanghai Lager that has adhered to traditional recipes of Shanghai China since 1936, produces a classic Asian lager brewed from rice. This develops the crystal clean palate and ultimate refreshment the Chinese relish in their beer. Pale straw in colour, Shanghai has a light and delicate in aroma, crisp and refreshing, with balanced bitterness and refreshing finish. The beer is a perfect companion to hot and spicy dishes, such as Szechuan, as the beer will cleanse the palate after each bite.
The history of modern brewing in Japan dates back to1869 when the government set up a brewery on the Northern island of Hokkaido and a decade later were brewing Sapporo Lager. At one time there were several dozen breweries around Japan including the ‘big 4’ Sapporo, Japan, Osaka (Asahi Brewery), and Kirin. The fierce battle for market supremacy in the early 1900’s led to the Japan Brewing Company merging with Sapporo. After the war, the DaiNippon Beer Company divided into two companies Nippon/ Sapporo and Asahi. The three continue to battle worldwide to be ‘champion Japanese beer’.
If one aspect of brewing can be attributed to Japan it would have to be the ‘Dry’ lager style. To create this drying effect, the mash is brewed at a lower temperature to soak up every drop of residual sugars that become alcohol. The result desired requires an extraction process to get only the first liquid run- off from the sweet wort then a long slow fermentation.
Asahi Super Dry is Japan’s original, traditionally brewed, super dry beer. Rich in flavour it cuts to a clean, crisp edge. It has a delicate, yet rich, full-flavoured body and refreshing, dry aftertaste. Asahi is a super premium Japanese beer with unisex appeal and a distinctive smooth character that is easy to drink. Asahi’s volume share of the Asian beer market isn’t huge; however it is growing at a rapid pace. Ranked in the top 20 Premium Imports, it appeals to urban leading edge consumers. Victoria and New South Wales continue to be the two key Asahi markets constituting over 80% of total volume.
Sapporo Imported Original Draught Beer has a distinctive silver can exhibiting their high tech outlook to brewing. Using state of the art technology, including a ceramic filtration process, creates a smoother cleaner lager. The sculptured conical shaped steel can releases a golden maize coloured brew with very subtle grainy sweet aroma and taste with a well balanced malt flavour.
Kirin Ichiban, the only Asian beer to be brewed here in Australia at the Malt Shovel brewery in Sydney. Locally brewed in small batches under the supervision of an expert Japanese brewer assures freshness. The Kirin is an ancient mythical beast which foretells the coming of festive and joyful events. The word “ichiban” means “first” in Japan and Kirin uses a First Press Brewing Method where only the first liquid drawn from the mash is used followed by a long fermentation period. The use of noble saaz hops provide a floral aroma that’s complemented by a delicate fruity flavour. Full bodied with subtle sweetness and mild bittering notes, Kirin Ichiban is quickly gaining local support in trendy nightspots.
Indochina and the subcontinent have their own tale to tell but the theme scenario is the same as younger, hipper new moneyed beer drinkers have taken over the bar, club and beer garden scene. Like Australia, they want to be seen with a notable international branded stubby but consume the local brew with their mates.
Chang Beer(1995) brewery, in the district of Bang Ban, Ayutthaya Province, is the top-selling brand in Thailand winning over 60% of market share after a hard market fight with the previously biggest brand Singha. In 2006, the company's market share was 49% of the beer market with genuine brand recognition. The eye-catching green logo of 2 elephants facing one another is immediately recognisable to Thais and foreigners alike. The company also has outstanding distribution and the beer is readily available. In fact, Chang has become more popular than Singha in the Thai market for its low price. At the end of the day, it is the branding of Chang that makes up for a fantastic part of this remarkable appeal. Chang Beer's full bodied, smooth taste is truly expressive of the finest quality natural Ingredients. 5% A/V
Singha Lager (1933) continues to be popular for its light golden flavour. Their 3 brewery locations are based on quality water sources. The Boon Rawd Brewery water supply is pumped from wells deep underground, then activated carbon filtered, sand filtered and treated to meet Singha’s exacting standards. Quality grains and hops sourced from Europe and Australia create a yellow-gold in appearance, with a distinctly rich flavour. Singha Lager demonstrates strong hop characters and notes of lemons, flowers and cinnamon. The beer has a fresh and surprisingly biscuity malt character with a rather gentle nudge of Thai sweetness.
Malaysian beer giant, Tiger Beer is brewed by Asia Pacific Breweries, a joint venture between Heineken NV and Frasers & Neave. It’s obviously the major brand of the brewer and it was first brewed back in the early 1940s. The beer has managed to gain immense popularity throughout the Asian Continent, in particular South East Asia.
Tiger Beer is a dry-hopped beer with a rather rich taste. It’s ideal for a long drinking session. My very first reaction was it tasted a bit strong, but after a few large sips, my taste buds eventually got used to the friendly invasion of quality hops and the overly strong taste replaced with a nice and rich one, with a lasting bigger finish. In short, it’s a highly refreshing beer and goes nicely with food, particularly spicy and peppery dishes.
Last month, Australian wine and beer group Foster's exited the Asian brewing business with the US$225 million sale of its operations in Vietnam and India. The firm's Vietnam breweries and local brands will go to Asia Pacific Breweries for US$105 million, and its Indian business including the Foster's brand will be taken on by SABMiller for US$120 million. APB operates 27 breweries in 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific. The Indochina market, which includes Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, has accounted for more than 40 per cent of its earnings in the past three years, the company said. Profit before interest and tax from this region increased by 20 per cent last year.
333 Premium Export Beer or Ba Ba Ba as the Vietnamese pronounce it is a popular rice lager sold around South East Asia and exported to France, the USA and Australia. The beer dates back to 1893 when they acquired the German Label "33” and during the 1970’s the extra 3 was added to its name. The beer is produced by Beer Saigon which doesn’t use a lot of the preservative chemicals used as a lot of the other Asian beers, making it much crisper and easer on the head the next morning. The beer has a 5.3 percent alcohol reading so it gives quiet a kick, especially in the hot Vietnamese sun.
On the sub continent, we viewed the Indian 20 x 20 Cricket and marvelled at their wealth and splendour everywhere you looked, a Kingfisher logo or billboard appeared. Kingfisher lager is a great beer and worthy of your indulgence. A nice golden amber colour with white creamy head, Kingfisher is well balanced malt character and good solid back bitterness. As with any Asian beer, serve it icy cold, sit back, and enjoy.
Another beer from India making an impact on the Aussie market is Taj Mahal Premium brewed by United Breweries in Bangalore. Taj Mahal (meaning the "best of buildings") is dedicated to the famous monument built in 1648. Taj Mahal Premium is a clear amber lager with a very delicate light hop flavour. The crisp hop bitter aftertaste makes this brew a perfect match with spicy foods.
And when is an Asian beer not an Asian beer, when it’s produced here in Australia. Lucky Beer is a highly distinctive concept with their unique ‘laughing Buddha’ bottle. An Asian influenced lager using only 100% Australian premium natural ingredients. Another unique trend is to offer Lucky Beer with a slice of ginger at the bar. They say that rubbing Buddha’s tummy brings you good luck, so why not get a bottle and see for yourself.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Belgian Beer Café
The choices for which bar to drink at is endless, so what do we look for? First and foremost for me is the beer, of which I demand the best selection from around the world and the consistency of service to entice me to have another. I demand the same hospitality and talent behind the bar no matter what time of the day or night. I require a menu with choice and flair, but not so far as to impede on my drinking environment. My demands require a special type of place of which the Belgian Beer Café can meet my needs in most capital cities in Australia.
Top priority for mind in a drinking establishment is conversation, not a combative environment against poker machine bells and whistles or loud brain hammering music. By the very nature of the beast, Belgian Beer Café’s draw patrons from all walks of life and tourists from around the world who have one thing in common, great beer. Most have an outdoor area to enjoy the seasonal nature of beer appreciation whilst enjoying the local sites and sounds.
With over 200 Belgian Beer Cafes worldwide, brewing giant Interbrew knows all about providing the ultimate Belgian beer drinking experience. Here the local white collared corporate urban cowboys are rife, and cosmopolitan sheik is the go according to Owner George Christopoulos at the Belgian Beer Café Bluestone in Melbourne. “Authenticity of the concept/décor is vital to our success, plus having the largest brewery in the world Interbrew providing us with their great selection of beers makes for a unique quality environment.” All the fittings, including a confessional box and marble bar tops, have been brought over from Belgium. The décor highlights the halcyon days of the 1950’s in Europe with old soccer photos on the walls along with kitschy musical instruments. They even imported four Belgian painters to create that “lived-in look”. But beer is why we come here, and indeed, the array of beers on tap is exceptional including:
Hoegaarden Witbier- renowned as “the best of the white ales”, Hoegaarden was first brewed in 1445 in the village of the same name using locally grown wheat. A light refreshing beer that works well for female and younger palates and as an ‘early opener beer for us old crusty beer veterans. The cloudy appearance comes from a secondary fermentation in the bottle or keg. Hints of coriander and Curacao provide a fruity, slightly spicy flavour with little to no back palate bitterness.
Leffe Blond- Belgium’s original abbey beer was founded in 1152 by monks following strict instructions from special recipes. By the 1800’s abbey beers began to be brewed off-premise but still obeyed the brewing traditions which included the extended fermentation to produce this exceptional 6.6% A/V ale. A sunny, golden yellow colour with light fruity, sweet aroma, Leffe Blond is full-bodied, yet not to heavy on the palate. It exhibits a well-rounded delicate malt sweetness that’s complimented by the slightly sour special yeast.
Leffe Dark- An exceptional dark ale almost black robe in appearance, sweetened with brown sugar with a slight bitterness from the roasted barley, which provides the coffee and chocolate flavour profile. It’s silky smooth with full bodied flavour, and hints of fruity sweetness. A natural dessert beer that works well with the Belgian waffles on offer.
Stella Artois- The world’s best selling Belgian beer enjoyed around the world in 80 countries since 1926. Originally brewed as a special Christmas beer (note the star on the coaster or bottle) using traditional malted barley plus noble hops for flavour. Stella Artois has a bright crystal clear pale gold appearance and a delicate hop aroma that requires pouring into a glass to truly appreciate. The pilsener lager has a pleasing hop flavour leaving the palate with a combination of grainy malt flavour, moderate hop bitterness and a slight citric sourness in the finish. Overall a clean bright satisfying beer that’s ideal for summer days.
Bottled beers also available in-house don’t let the side down as well. The Belgian Beer Café’s along with Interbrew have on offer a number of unusual fruit-based ales in Belle-Vue Kriek (cherry), and Belle-Vue Framboise (raspberry), plus the great trappist ales of Chimay and Duvel. The traditional method of serving Belgian beer is employed with every glass. They cut off the head of the beer with a spatula to get rid of the larger bubbles insuring that only the mousse is left at the top.
Afterwards, they immerse the glass in cold water to remove the film residue before presentation. What better way to enjoy these luscious beers than supping on genuine Belgian style menu items? All mains come with chips and mayonnaise, but to get you in the Belgian mood, why not order Mussels cooked in Hoegaarden. Witbier. Flemish beef stews, cheese croquettes, and Belgian waffles are on offer as well as Belgian sausages.
Top priority for mind in a drinking establishment is conversation, not a combative environment against poker machine bells and whistles or loud brain hammering music. By the very nature of the beast, Belgian Beer Café’s draw patrons from all walks of life and tourists from around the world who have one thing in common, great beer. Most have an outdoor area to enjoy the seasonal nature of beer appreciation whilst enjoying the local sites and sounds.
With over 200 Belgian Beer Cafes worldwide, brewing giant Interbrew knows all about providing the ultimate Belgian beer drinking experience. Here the local white collared corporate urban cowboys are rife, and cosmopolitan sheik is the go according to Owner George Christopoulos at the Belgian Beer Café Bluestone in Melbourne. “Authenticity of the concept/décor is vital to our success, plus having the largest brewery in the world Interbrew providing us with their great selection of beers makes for a unique quality environment.” All the fittings, including a confessional box and marble bar tops, have been brought over from Belgium. The décor highlights the halcyon days of the 1950’s in Europe with old soccer photos on the walls along with kitschy musical instruments. They even imported four Belgian painters to create that “lived-in look”. But beer is why we come here, and indeed, the array of beers on tap is exceptional including:
Hoegaarden Witbier- renowned as “the best of the white ales”, Hoegaarden was first brewed in 1445 in the village of the same name using locally grown wheat. A light refreshing beer that works well for female and younger palates and as an ‘early opener beer for us old crusty beer veterans. The cloudy appearance comes from a secondary fermentation in the bottle or keg. Hints of coriander and Curacao provide a fruity, slightly spicy flavour with little to no back palate bitterness.
Leffe Blond- Belgium’s original abbey beer was founded in 1152 by monks following strict instructions from special recipes. By the 1800’s abbey beers began to be brewed off-premise but still obeyed the brewing traditions which included the extended fermentation to produce this exceptional 6.6% A/V ale. A sunny, golden yellow colour with light fruity, sweet aroma, Leffe Blond is full-bodied, yet not to heavy on the palate. It exhibits a well-rounded delicate malt sweetness that’s complimented by the slightly sour special yeast.
Leffe Dark- An exceptional dark ale almost black robe in appearance, sweetened with brown sugar with a slight bitterness from the roasted barley, which provides the coffee and chocolate flavour profile. It’s silky smooth with full bodied flavour, and hints of fruity sweetness. A natural dessert beer that works well with the Belgian waffles on offer.
Stella Artois- The world’s best selling Belgian beer enjoyed around the world in 80 countries since 1926. Originally brewed as a special Christmas beer (note the star on the coaster or bottle) using traditional malted barley plus noble hops for flavour. Stella Artois has a bright crystal clear pale gold appearance and a delicate hop aroma that requires pouring into a glass to truly appreciate. The pilsener lager has a pleasing hop flavour leaving the palate with a combination of grainy malt flavour, moderate hop bitterness and a slight citric sourness in the finish. Overall a clean bright satisfying beer that’s ideal for summer days.
Bottled beers also available in-house don’t let the side down as well. The Belgian Beer Café’s along with Interbrew have on offer a number of unusual fruit-based ales in Belle-Vue Kriek (cherry), and Belle-Vue Framboise (raspberry), plus the great trappist ales of Chimay and Duvel. The traditional method of serving Belgian beer is employed with every glass. They cut off the head of the beer with a spatula to get rid of the larger bubbles insuring that only the mousse is left at the top.
Afterwards, they immerse the glass in cold water to remove the film residue before presentation. What better way to enjoy these luscious beers than supping on genuine Belgian style menu items? All mains come with chips and mayonnaise, but to get you in the Belgian mood, why not order Mussels cooked in Hoegaarden. Witbier. Flemish beef stews, cheese croquettes, and Belgian waffles are on offer as well as Belgian sausages.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Beer Advertising
A brewer once remarked to me the difference between premium and regular beer saying, “It’s fantastic to make top shelf beers but, it’s the regular beer that pays the bills.” So how do the big breweries step up against a raging premium and international beer dominated market? Through advertising, but not as we have known it.
Today’s beer campaigns are ranged for the 19-29 year olds with attitude, little time in their schedules, who demonstrate an upbeat enthusiastic view of the world around them. Gone are the archaic Vaudevillian slapstick humour bits in exchange for innovative, quirky, entertaining, sensual and humoruous - don’t forget the humour.
It was eleven years ago that J. Boag & Son employed the radical genius of photographer Helmut Newton to create the first premium beer ad ‘Who is James Boag’ campaign. We have been seduced by the lady in black, first on the couch scene then over the balcony to the latest erotic fantasy with the lady on the car bonnet. According to Anthea Pritchard, marketing manager at J. Boag & Son we will see all the ads this year, “The feedback to the ads is that they are timeless and people want to see them again. The intrigue and mystery have stayed true and interesting to all ages. Some people felt the ads vilified women, but Helmut Newton is controversial. The fact is that women have beauty that men ogle about; but women have the power over the situation. There is no question about who has the power is in these shots.”
The Carlton Draught ‘Big Ad’ represents the most significant change in Australian beer advertising in a decade. Now, when a mate tells you to switch on the screen to catch the latest ad, they probably are referring to the computer, not the television. Three million viewers is an impressive number by anybody’s standards, especially when you consider that the campaign began as an email stream among Foster’s Australia employees. Within 24 hours of viral life, the ad had been viewed 162,000 times, and was eventually seen in 132 countries. According to Matt Keen, general manager regular beer, Fosters Australia, “We have been blown away by the response from consumers and how far and wide it’s been enjoyed around the world”.
The epical nature was the brainchild of Animal Logic, the special effects masters who gained fame from working on films ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Moulin Rouge’ .They transformed a cast of 300 to thousands in collaboration with director of photography Andrew Lesnie, Academy Award winner in 2002 for ‘Best Cinematography’ for ‘Fellowship of the Ring’. Since the ad was launched, the sales figures have shown a healthy twelve per cent volume increase MAT Dec ’05 and a massive 41 per cent growth in New South Wales according to Felicity Watson, communications manager regular beer, Foster’s Australia.
Lion Nathan worked with advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi to develop the ‘For the Love of Beer’ campaign. Launched in February this year, it’s a Monty Pythonesque view of catapulting objects at the heavenly gods to the catchy tune of ‘The Great Escape’. Saatchi & Saatchi executive creative director, David Nobay, commented, “In some ways, the concept behind ‘Catapult’ is completely insane, and yet the idea of wanting it to rain beer is also entirely plausible. When your lips are parched and the sun is up, a great beer certainly feels like a gift from the gods. Tooheys New has just brought the dream to life for all to enjoy.”
Supporting this concept is Paul Foster, managing director mainstream beer, Lion Nathan Australia. “Our target audience is young Australians but it’s important that all ages enjoy the experience. We want to put mainstream beer on a pedestal and champion its cause. We want people from all walks of life to join in the celebration, to capture the moment of ‘raining beer’”. Catapult was first launched off the back of unbranded outdoor activity in some of Australia’s most iconic locations and was first ‘previewed’ via the web medium on Valentine’s Day but quickly launched into pay TV, free-to-air and cinema. According to Foster, “The internet is only another way to reach our customers. TV, cinema and outdoor advertising all play a crucial role as well.”
No doubt multi-media strategies are important tools to get the word out about a new beer, but television continues to be the yardstick to measure successful ad campaigns.
Advertisements such as Tooheys 'Bath Bomb'(2003), 'Bean Bomb'(2004) and 'What Mates Do', not to mention the Toohey’s Extra Dry 'Tongue'(2003) ad have changed the face of beer advertising forever. Many of the changes came from International beers such as the dark humour of the Guinness “I like to watch’ ads, and the Heineken Beer Moments campaign featuring ‘Quando’(2002), Jennifer Aniston ‘top shelf’(2003 and ‘Blind Date’(2003)Ads such as these have lifted the image of beer from the more 1980s and 1990s images of beer being a boys only, thirst quencher for working class blokes or men of the land, to a beverage that appeals to women and men alike. Using humour, these ads cleverly avoided sexist or condescending messages and instead, appealed to both real-life and fantasy scenarios that took the perception of beer into a new dimension
Another innovative stroke of genius this year in the battle for brand beer supremacy has been the VB ‘Boony Doll’. The Talking Boony figurine houses an audio chip loaded with the special comments and a timer that was synchronised with the VB Series (based on Eastern Standard Time). This special figurine was programmed to ‘sleep’ (to preserve power) until the start of the VB Series and then wake up for each of the matches broadcast on Channel 9 and respond to audio triggers transmitted through the TV. Over 200,000 figurines have been sitting close to TVs in homes across the country. The demand has been so high that after promotional stocks were exhausted, Talking Boonies were fetching up to $50 on e-Bay. Talking Boony has special code words (which were also being posted on the Boonanza website) for the twelve in-telecast prize draws. Prizes up for grabs included specially signed and framed Boonanza merchandise and a trip to the second VB Series final in Sydney for a winner and three mates.
So successful has the Boonanza Campaign been that it has led to Foster’s Australia announcing a new sponsorship deal with Cricket Australia, designed to showcase its premium multi-beverage portfolio across all levels of the game. Who says that TV ads can’t change the world.
Today’s beer campaigns are ranged for the 19-29 year olds with attitude, little time in their schedules, who demonstrate an upbeat enthusiastic view of the world around them. Gone are the archaic Vaudevillian slapstick humour bits in exchange for innovative, quirky, entertaining, sensual and humoruous - don’t forget the humour.
It was eleven years ago that J. Boag & Son employed the radical genius of photographer Helmut Newton to create the first premium beer ad ‘Who is James Boag’ campaign. We have been seduced by the lady in black, first on the couch scene then over the balcony to the latest erotic fantasy with the lady on the car bonnet. According to Anthea Pritchard, marketing manager at J. Boag & Son we will see all the ads this year, “The feedback to the ads is that they are timeless and people want to see them again. The intrigue and mystery have stayed true and interesting to all ages. Some people felt the ads vilified women, but Helmut Newton is controversial. The fact is that women have beauty that men ogle about; but women have the power over the situation. There is no question about who has the power is in these shots.”
The Carlton Draught ‘Big Ad’ represents the most significant change in Australian beer advertising in a decade. Now, when a mate tells you to switch on the screen to catch the latest ad, they probably are referring to the computer, not the television. Three million viewers is an impressive number by anybody’s standards, especially when you consider that the campaign began as an email stream among Foster’s Australia employees. Within 24 hours of viral life, the ad had been viewed 162,000 times, and was eventually seen in 132 countries. According to Matt Keen, general manager regular beer, Fosters Australia, “We have been blown away by the response from consumers and how far and wide it’s been enjoyed around the world”.
The epical nature was the brainchild of Animal Logic, the special effects masters who gained fame from working on films ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Moulin Rouge’ .They transformed a cast of 300 to thousands in collaboration with director of photography Andrew Lesnie, Academy Award winner in 2002 for ‘Best Cinematography’ for ‘Fellowship of the Ring’. Since the ad was launched, the sales figures have shown a healthy twelve per cent volume increase MAT Dec ’05 and a massive 41 per cent growth in New South Wales according to Felicity Watson, communications manager regular beer, Foster’s Australia.
Lion Nathan worked with advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi to develop the ‘For the Love of Beer’ campaign. Launched in February this year, it’s a Monty Pythonesque view of catapulting objects at the heavenly gods to the catchy tune of ‘The Great Escape’. Saatchi & Saatchi executive creative director, David Nobay, commented, “In some ways, the concept behind ‘Catapult’ is completely insane, and yet the idea of wanting it to rain beer is also entirely plausible. When your lips are parched and the sun is up, a great beer certainly feels like a gift from the gods. Tooheys New has just brought the dream to life for all to enjoy.”
Supporting this concept is Paul Foster, managing director mainstream beer, Lion Nathan Australia. “Our target audience is young Australians but it’s important that all ages enjoy the experience. We want to put mainstream beer on a pedestal and champion its cause. We want people from all walks of life to join in the celebration, to capture the moment of ‘raining beer’”. Catapult was first launched off the back of unbranded outdoor activity in some of Australia’s most iconic locations and was first ‘previewed’ via the web medium on Valentine’s Day but quickly launched into pay TV, free-to-air and cinema. According to Foster, “The internet is only another way to reach our customers. TV, cinema and outdoor advertising all play a crucial role as well.”
No doubt multi-media strategies are important tools to get the word out about a new beer, but television continues to be the yardstick to measure successful ad campaigns.
Advertisements such as Tooheys 'Bath Bomb'(2003), 'Bean Bomb'(2004) and 'What Mates Do', not to mention the Toohey’s Extra Dry 'Tongue'(2003) ad have changed the face of beer advertising forever. Many of the changes came from International beers such as the dark humour of the Guinness “I like to watch’ ads, and the Heineken Beer Moments campaign featuring ‘Quando’(2002), Jennifer Aniston ‘top shelf’(2003 and ‘Blind Date’(2003)Ads such as these have lifted the image of beer from the more 1980s and 1990s images of beer being a boys only, thirst quencher for working class blokes or men of the land, to a beverage that appeals to women and men alike. Using humour, these ads cleverly avoided sexist or condescending messages and instead, appealed to both real-life and fantasy scenarios that took the perception of beer into a new dimension
Another innovative stroke of genius this year in the battle for brand beer supremacy has been the VB ‘Boony Doll’. The Talking Boony figurine houses an audio chip loaded with the special comments and a timer that was synchronised with the VB Series (based on Eastern Standard Time). This special figurine was programmed to ‘sleep’ (to preserve power) until the start of the VB Series and then wake up for each of the matches broadcast on Channel 9 and respond to audio triggers transmitted through the TV. Over 200,000 figurines have been sitting close to TVs in homes across the country. The demand has been so high that after promotional stocks were exhausted, Talking Boonies were fetching up to $50 on e-Bay. Talking Boony has special code words (which were also being posted on the Boonanza website) for the twelve in-telecast prize draws. Prizes up for grabs included specially signed and framed Boonanza merchandise and a trip to the second VB Series final in Sydney for a winner and three mates.
So successful has the Boonanza Campaign been that it has led to Foster’s Australia announcing a new sponsorship deal with Cricket Australia, designed to showcase its premium multi-beverage portfolio across all levels of the game. Who says that TV ads can’t change the world.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Tax Ale
Perhaps protest is out of style and we have become blasé about the bi-annual slug of excise tax, or maybe we feel overpowered by escalating taxation on the ‘easy targets’ of beer, petrol and smokes. Add on gambling revenue from pubs and clubs and you have a government who knows where the cash cows graze and how to milk them.
It shouldn’t come as any real surprise however; the first beer tax goes back to the Saladin tithe introduced by Henry II in 1188 to raise money for the Crusades. Governments since their very existence have used two main tools to intervene between the citizen and his schooner; taxation and licensing. The humble tavern and their beloved ales have subsequently been taxed in every way imaginable. The malt was taxed, the liquor was taxed, the hops were taxed and once the hydrometer was created they taxed the specific gravity of the blessed drop. All under the justification that taxes are helping us and our health. The fact is that attempts to control demand for alcohol by piling on taxes have created a powerful source of revenue that’s as difficult to give up as the products they are trying to wean us off
So who are the biggest losers to this habitual form of taxation known as the GST? It’s certainly not been the wine industry who was granted a ‘privileged class status’ known as the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET). The logic to this exception to the new rule in 2000 was to provide assistance for struggling new small wineries. WET wineries are on an ad valorem tax (it is a value or priced based) and take little account for alcohol content as with beer and spirits plus the first million dollars of sales are tax free. Compare this to a small brewery as we did with Marcus Cox at 3 Ravens Brewery in Melbourne who provided a simple example” So here's how excise works at the moment for full strength beers. Example: the traditional Aussie beer of 4.65% alcohol by volume the first 1.15% is tax free - nice work government.
Calculation for excise is then based on the remaining 3.5% we assume the beer is going into bottle - different rate for kegs 1 litre of pure alcohol incurs a tax of $36.98 - new Feb. rate. .Say we have 100 litres of beer, we can work out the excise payable 100 lt @ 3.5% contains 3.5 litres of pure alcohol. 3.5 (litres of pure alcohol) x 36.98 (the excise rate) = $129.43. So on 100 litres of 4.65% beer, $129.43 is due in tax. Each case of beer is approximately 8 litres, so each case of beer is up for $10.35 tax. With wholesale at about $50, that's a huge component.”
But according to Cameron Hines from the Mountain Goat Brewery, things could be on the mend. “Australia has some fantastic microbreweries producing very high quality, all natural ales and lagers. While the industry has exploded around the world, gaining up to 9% of their respective domestic markets, microbrewing in Aus has remained tiny (microbrewed beer currently accounts for under 0.5 of a percent in the Australian market).
The things that makes microbreweries different from large breweries: Micro's use very expensive, traditional ingredients of the highest quality Micro's are very labour intensive, lacking large automated machinery Micro's don't have economies of scale when it comes to purchasing raw materials.
For these reasons microbreweries around the world are offered reduced excise rates - often reductions of between 30 - 90 % compared to what the big operators pay. This enables microbrewery movements to flourish, creating fantastic regional tourism, and skilled employment and export opportunities.
What we're proposing is similar deal as the wineries have received. We are asking that all Australian breweries receive a refund on the excise paid on their first million dollars of sales annually. This would mean a benefit of approx $100,000 to $200,000 P/A too many small breweries and this would make all the difference and promote strong growth in the sector. The UK, Canada, United States, New Zealand all has thriving microbrewery movements. With the right excise scheme in place the same will happen here.
I am the president of VAMI (Victorian Association of Microbrewers Inc.) and we went to Canberra in June last year. Catherine King Member for Ballarat and Fran Bailey (Minister for Small Business. and Tourism) kindly set up 11 meetings for us and then we held a microbrew tasting in Parliament House at the end of the day. We generally got a good response and have since been organising some economic modelling to take back to Treasury.”
This input and data was backed up by Chuck Hahn, Brewmaster for the Malt Shovel Brewery when he ‘put his small brewer hat on’, “The US craft market showed 7.9% growth last year, or a total of 4% of their entire beer market. They can make more unusual beers because they aren’t taxed on the alcohol, but by volume. This allows for the creation of big, bold, yummy 10 % A/V beers. For the average 5.0% A/V beers, the US pays one tenth the amount of tax as us. As the alcohol rises you really get hit, my Australian Strong Ale requires $4 more excise per case.”
Managing Director of Grand Ridge Brewery Eric Walters gets the last dig in the tax issue because they produce Australia’s highest alcohol beers Moonshine 8.5% A/V and Supershine 11.5%, therefore the most effected by the present taxation system. “There is no parity between small brewers and small wine makers which is unfortunate considering our international fame for the love of great beer. I’ve been operating for 16 years and have seen many small breweries come and go. It’s sad that all efforts to build an industry have received no support or recognition by the federal government. Small brewers are passionate and want to contribute but are unable to run a viable small business especially in regional areas. The present system is unworkable due to the fact that excise taxes are due within seven days but breweries must allow their customers 60-90 days credit, this means the debt grows all the time. I have to pay $30.00 in tax for my Supershine, that’s the same as a slab from the big boys. But if I got rid of Supershine I’d have a riot on my hands from the people who love and adore the big malty taste of a fine crafted scotch ale. If small breweries were provided a parity WET tax, I guarantee immediate increase and employment in the industry around the country.”
It shouldn’t come as any real surprise however; the first beer tax goes back to the Saladin tithe introduced by Henry II in 1188 to raise money for the Crusades. Governments since their very existence have used two main tools to intervene between the citizen and his schooner; taxation and licensing. The humble tavern and their beloved ales have subsequently been taxed in every way imaginable. The malt was taxed, the liquor was taxed, the hops were taxed and once the hydrometer was created they taxed the specific gravity of the blessed drop. All under the justification that taxes are helping us and our health. The fact is that attempts to control demand for alcohol by piling on taxes have created a powerful source of revenue that’s as difficult to give up as the products they are trying to wean us off
So who are the biggest losers to this habitual form of taxation known as the GST? It’s certainly not been the wine industry who was granted a ‘privileged class status’ known as the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET). The logic to this exception to the new rule in 2000 was to provide assistance for struggling new small wineries. WET wineries are on an ad valorem tax (it is a value or priced based) and take little account for alcohol content as with beer and spirits plus the first million dollars of sales are tax free. Compare this to a small brewery as we did with Marcus Cox at 3 Ravens Brewery in Melbourne who provided a simple example” So here's how excise works at the moment for full strength beers. Example: the traditional Aussie beer of 4.65% alcohol by volume the first 1.15% is tax free - nice work government.
Calculation for excise is then based on the remaining 3.5% we assume the beer is going into bottle - different rate for kegs 1 litre of pure alcohol incurs a tax of $36.98 - new Feb. rate. .Say we have 100 litres of beer, we can work out the excise payable 100 lt @ 3.5% contains 3.5 litres of pure alcohol. 3.5 (litres of pure alcohol) x 36.98 (the excise rate) = $129.43. So on 100 litres of 4.65% beer, $129.43 is due in tax. Each case of beer is approximately 8 litres, so each case of beer is up for $10.35 tax. With wholesale at about $50, that's a huge component.”
But according to Cameron Hines from the Mountain Goat Brewery, things could be on the mend. “Australia has some fantastic microbreweries producing very high quality, all natural ales and lagers. While the industry has exploded around the world, gaining up to 9% of their respective domestic markets, microbrewing in Aus has remained tiny (microbrewed beer currently accounts for under 0.5 of a percent in the Australian market).
The things that makes microbreweries different from large breweries: Micro's use very expensive, traditional ingredients of the highest quality Micro's are very labour intensive, lacking large automated machinery Micro's don't have economies of scale when it comes to purchasing raw materials.
For these reasons microbreweries around the world are offered reduced excise rates - often reductions of between 30 - 90 % compared to what the big operators pay. This enables microbrewery movements to flourish, creating fantastic regional tourism, and skilled employment and export opportunities.
What we're proposing is similar deal as the wineries have received. We are asking that all Australian breweries receive a refund on the excise paid on their first million dollars of sales annually. This would mean a benefit of approx $100,000 to $200,000 P/A too many small breweries and this would make all the difference and promote strong growth in the sector. The UK, Canada, United States, New Zealand all has thriving microbrewery movements. With the right excise scheme in place the same will happen here.
I am the president of VAMI (Victorian Association of Microbrewers Inc.) and we went to Canberra in June last year. Catherine King Member for Ballarat and Fran Bailey (Minister for Small Business. and Tourism) kindly set up 11 meetings for us and then we held a microbrew tasting in Parliament House at the end of the day. We generally got a good response and have since been organising some economic modelling to take back to Treasury.”
This input and data was backed up by Chuck Hahn, Brewmaster for the Malt Shovel Brewery when he ‘put his small brewer hat on’, “The US craft market showed 7.9% growth last year, or a total of 4% of their entire beer market. They can make more unusual beers because they aren’t taxed on the alcohol, but by volume. This allows for the creation of big, bold, yummy 10 % A/V beers. For the average 5.0% A/V beers, the US pays one tenth the amount of tax as us. As the alcohol rises you really get hit, my Australian Strong Ale requires $4 more excise per case.”
Managing Director of Grand Ridge Brewery Eric Walters gets the last dig in the tax issue because they produce Australia’s highest alcohol beers Moonshine 8.5% A/V and Supershine 11.5%, therefore the most effected by the present taxation system. “There is no parity between small brewers and small wine makers which is unfortunate considering our international fame for the love of great beer. I’ve been operating for 16 years and have seen many small breweries come and go. It’s sad that all efforts to build an industry have received no support or recognition by the federal government. Small brewers are passionate and want to contribute but are unable to run a viable small business especially in regional areas. The present system is unworkable due to the fact that excise taxes are due within seven days but breweries must allow their customers 60-90 days credit, this means the debt grows all the time. I have to pay $30.00 in tax for my Supershine, that’s the same as a slab from the big boys. But if I got rid of Supershine I’d have a riot on my hands from the people who love and adore the big malty taste of a fine crafted scotch ale. If small breweries were provided a parity WET tax, I guarantee immediate increase and employment in the industry around the country.”
Saturday, February 17, 2007
International Beers
According to ACNielsen’s Scantrack, “Last Year’s trend of ‘premiumisation’ has continued. The Australian off premise packaged beer category commands the largest of off premise sales with a 39% percent share. The majority of packaged beer growth is being driven by premium beer (growth of 11.8%), in particular premium imported/international beer (growth of 19.1%).
From my own market research, discounting by major bottle shop chains has been effective but that doesn’t account for even the lower disposable income housing districts also showing significant growth, and specialised beer shops doing a whopping big business with no signs of slowing down. Plus, any respectable up-market club or neighbourhood bar needs a staple internationally recognised premium lager to meet their client’s needs. The new beer unisex elite are now driven by flavour and aroma to an ever discerning Aussie drinker, with the more delicate palates chasing less bitterness and a clean well-rounded taste.
According to the Beer Importers, traditional English brown ale Old Speckled Hen has demonstrated impressive sales figures on tap and in the shops. First brewed in Abington, Oxfordshire to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory, the name is derived from the term “owd speckled un” used to describe an old MG used at the factory as a run around covered with various flecks of paint. A rich golden amber ale with warming red tones, Old Speckled Hen is fruity on the nose with rich malty undertones, toffee like flavour with good back bitterness at the back of the gob. The finish is sweet without being cloying and a good dry finish.
Lion Nathan’s flagship brands of Beck’s and Heineken have savoured success with around 20% value growth outstripping the international premium segment in 2006 when compared with a year ago. The success of Beck’s is based on a few important factors, including an emphasis on being a German ‘spitzen Pilsner von Welt’ or ‘world class premium pilsners’, and the inclusion of Hallertau hops of Bavaria, considered by some to be the finest pils hops in the world. The use of these hops may cause a few raised eyebrows due to the lightness in colour and put to question its strength and character, but after a swallow or two you will experience a clean crisp taste with plenty of back bitterness and a full rich flavour.
Talk about beer from Holland and the word Heineken isn’t far behind. G.A. Heineken was so appalled at the depravity and drunkenness caused by gin drinking that he swore to his mother that he would brew for the people if she bought the Haystack Brewery for him. Now enjoyed in over 170 countries, Heineken's global success has been built on a passion for quality, a dedication to innovation and a respect for the world it lives in. Heineken lager contains no additives or preservatives, and only the purest natural ingredients are used in the six week brewing process. And thanks to three generations of the Heineken family, the Heineken lager enjoyed all over the world today is still brewed to the original recipe, perfected in Holland in 1873.
Another great Dutch beer Grolsch is the only fully imported beer here in Oz. Grolsch has been producing superb beers since the early 1600’s when Master brewer Peter Cuper established the brewery in his hometown Grolle (now Groenlo) in Gelderland. Considered a small independent brewery until recent times, Grolsch products have been synonymous with three major factors: extended lagering and fermentation, unpasturised beers, and that infamous swing-stoppered bottle. The swing top dates back to 1897, when other Dutch breweries started phasing them out claiming they were too expensive for mass production. A seemingly useless appendage for modern drinking habits, it provides a distinctive novelty factor and instant recognition for all Grolsch products. Grolsch Premium is a fresh hoppy pilsner style lager with plenty of Herschbruger and Hallbrtauer hops for aromatics and Yakima and Golden Nugget hops for bitterness. All natural and triple cold filtered, the lager is well balanced with rich malty yeasty sweetness and a subtle bitter finish. The extended lagering provides that distinctive European flavour and classic golden colour.
The image of drunken Vikings marauding the countryside is as much a part of Scandinavia as the land itself. They brewed a barley based beer they called aul and handed down the method of top fermenting ales to all of Europe. And similar to Holland, the beers are dominated by two breweries, Carlsberg and Tuborg. Carlsberg has been brewing in Copenhagen since 1847 and remains a popular favorite around the world. Its light hoppiness compliments a dry malty mouth feel, with a sweet malty finish. Carlgerg’s slogan on the side of a building in Copenhagen’s city hall says it all “Probably the best beer in town”.
InBev continues exceptional worldwide beer sales and their relationship with Fosters Australia remains prosperous for both. Their ever popular Stella Artois has again shown double digit growth in 2006 behind investment in marketing and off premise promotion. Pacific Regional Director for InBev Sean Prendergast has more to say on the subject. “We have 4 global brands, Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Leffe Blonde and Leffe Brun. We contribute much of the success in Stella Artois to the great partnership we have with Fosters Australia. Hoegaarden, the most successful specialty International beer in Australia, and our Leffe’s have also drawn success from the creative below the line support from places like the Belgian Beer Café’s. It has created a unique position and relevance in the beer market and we are very pleased with their progress.”
A new member of the InBev-Foster’s team is Star Opraman. Star Opraman, a Czech pilsner style would be described as a softer lager style than the famous Pilsner Urquell. The Czech Republic drinks 150 litres per capita compared to us Aussies who down a respectable 85 litres per person so they should know a thing or two about brewing great beer. According to Mr Prendergast “ Star Opramen is not overpowering, a mild bitter but still containing a high 20’s BU (bittering units) which should please a wide range of educated lager drinkers.”
Pilsner Urquell is the flagship of the Czech brewing industry, and has been since 1842.Urquell means “original source” in German, the official language of Bohemia, once part of the Austrian empire. And as it says on the bottle, Pilsner Urquell is the original pilsner from the Pilsen, the birthplace of the pilsner lager style. Adding to its mystique, the beer introduced the now famous conical pilsner style glass when the world was switching over from stoneware and pewter tankards. Pilsner Urquell is golden in colour with a rich, well-compacted creamy head. The flavour and aroma profile is driven by the use of Saaz hops, which provide a floral, spicy aroma and adequate back bitterness without going over the top. Equally important in its structure is the renowned Moravian barley malt, which provides a malty softness and overall balance to the beer.
Brewing transplanted from the Austrian Alps wasn’t introduced until the nineteenth century. It took the youth and fashionable Italians of the 1960’s to re-launch beer into modern times. Wine was their parents and the peasant to drink; they wanted English-styled pubs and Bavarian Beer halls. Market leader Peroni’s main brand Nastro Azzuro is the ‘Blue Ribbon Italian Pilsner’ which includes 20% corn maize to sweeten the brew and then hopped with Saaz to spice it up. At 5.3% A/V Nastro Azzurro is quite a refreshing well balanced lager for its sweetness.
French lager Kronenborg 1664, France’s No. 1 selling beer, No. 2 in the UK, and on fire here in Oz. Dating back more than 300 years, The use of locally grown Alsace hop strisselspalt known as ‘the caviar of hops’ creates a flavour profile of a beer that’s more bitter than sweet with a distinctive tangy citrus taste at mid-palate. Kronenbourg 1664 was launched in the UK in 1952 to mark the Queen’s accession to the throne. According to Gary Hastings, Fosters Australia’s Group Marketing Manager International Beers,”Kronenourg's volume has had excellent growth in both draught & pack formats. Kronenbourg 1664 has strong loyalty and commitment from the 25 - 35 year old males and females in the "Beer Appreciator" or "Beer as Badge" consumer segments, who appreciate the beer's credentials, taste profile and heritage. Many of these consumers have trialled the brand overseas and have positive memories and compared to other international beers. Kronenbourg's highest volume is from inner city "progressive" bars and hotels. To drive carton volume further this year, Kronenbourg will support customers this year through increased promotional frequency, on-premise promotions and a greater in store /merchandising presence.”
Well travelled, socially aware,well educated, unisex group in trendy spots or at home at dinner parties.
From my own market research, discounting by major bottle shop chains has been effective but that doesn’t account for even the lower disposable income housing districts also showing significant growth, and specialised beer shops doing a whopping big business with no signs of slowing down. Plus, any respectable up-market club or neighbourhood bar needs a staple internationally recognised premium lager to meet their client’s needs. The new beer unisex elite are now driven by flavour and aroma to an ever discerning Aussie drinker, with the more delicate palates chasing less bitterness and a clean well-rounded taste.
According to the Beer Importers, traditional English brown ale Old Speckled Hen has demonstrated impressive sales figures on tap and in the shops. First brewed in Abington, Oxfordshire to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory, the name is derived from the term “owd speckled un” used to describe an old MG used at the factory as a run around covered with various flecks of paint. A rich golden amber ale with warming red tones, Old Speckled Hen is fruity on the nose with rich malty undertones, toffee like flavour with good back bitterness at the back of the gob. The finish is sweet without being cloying and a good dry finish.
Lion Nathan’s flagship brands of Beck’s and Heineken have savoured success with around 20% value growth outstripping the international premium segment in 2006 when compared with a year ago. The success of Beck’s is based on a few important factors, including an emphasis on being a German ‘spitzen Pilsner von Welt’ or ‘world class premium pilsners’, and the inclusion of Hallertau hops of Bavaria, considered by some to be the finest pils hops in the world. The use of these hops may cause a few raised eyebrows due to the lightness in colour and put to question its strength and character, but after a swallow or two you will experience a clean crisp taste with plenty of back bitterness and a full rich flavour.
Talk about beer from Holland and the word Heineken isn’t far behind. G.A. Heineken was so appalled at the depravity and drunkenness caused by gin drinking that he swore to his mother that he would brew for the people if she bought the Haystack Brewery for him. Now enjoyed in over 170 countries, Heineken's global success has been built on a passion for quality, a dedication to innovation and a respect for the world it lives in. Heineken lager contains no additives or preservatives, and only the purest natural ingredients are used in the six week brewing process. And thanks to three generations of the Heineken family, the Heineken lager enjoyed all over the world today is still brewed to the original recipe, perfected in Holland in 1873.
Another great Dutch beer Grolsch is the only fully imported beer here in Oz. Grolsch has been producing superb beers since the early 1600’s when Master brewer Peter Cuper established the brewery in his hometown Grolle (now Groenlo) in Gelderland. Considered a small independent brewery until recent times, Grolsch products have been synonymous with three major factors: extended lagering and fermentation, unpasturised beers, and that infamous swing-stoppered bottle. The swing top dates back to 1897, when other Dutch breweries started phasing them out claiming they were too expensive for mass production. A seemingly useless appendage for modern drinking habits, it provides a distinctive novelty factor and instant recognition for all Grolsch products. Grolsch Premium is a fresh hoppy pilsner style lager with plenty of Herschbruger and Hallbrtauer hops for aromatics and Yakima and Golden Nugget hops for bitterness. All natural and triple cold filtered, the lager is well balanced with rich malty yeasty sweetness and a subtle bitter finish. The extended lagering provides that distinctive European flavour and classic golden colour.
The image of drunken Vikings marauding the countryside is as much a part of Scandinavia as the land itself. They brewed a barley based beer they called aul and handed down the method of top fermenting ales to all of Europe. And similar to Holland, the beers are dominated by two breweries, Carlsberg and Tuborg. Carlsberg has been brewing in Copenhagen since 1847 and remains a popular favorite around the world. Its light hoppiness compliments a dry malty mouth feel, with a sweet malty finish. Carlgerg’s slogan on the side of a building in Copenhagen’s city hall says it all “Probably the best beer in town”.
InBev continues exceptional worldwide beer sales and their relationship with Fosters Australia remains prosperous for both. Their ever popular Stella Artois has again shown double digit growth in 2006 behind investment in marketing and off premise promotion. Pacific Regional Director for InBev Sean Prendergast has more to say on the subject. “We have 4 global brands, Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Leffe Blonde and Leffe Brun. We contribute much of the success in Stella Artois to the great partnership we have with Fosters Australia. Hoegaarden, the most successful specialty International beer in Australia, and our Leffe’s have also drawn success from the creative below the line support from places like the Belgian Beer Café’s. It has created a unique position and relevance in the beer market and we are very pleased with their progress.”
A new member of the InBev-Foster’s team is Star Opraman. Star Opraman, a Czech pilsner style would be described as a softer lager style than the famous Pilsner Urquell. The Czech Republic drinks 150 litres per capita compared to us Aussies who down a respectable 85 litres per person so they should know a thing or two about brewing great beer. According to Mr Prendergast “ Star Opramen is not overpowering, a mild bitter but still containing a high 20’s BU (bittering units) which should please a wide range of educated lager drinkers.”
Pilsner Urquell is the flagship of the Czech brewing industry, and has been since 1842.Urquell means “original source” in German, the official language of Bohemia, once part of the Austrian empire. And as it says on the bottle, Pilsner Urquell is the original pilsner from the Pilsen, the birthplace of the pilsner lager style. Adding to its mystique, the beer introduced the now famous conical pilsner style glass when the world was switching over from stoneware and pewter tankards. Pilsner Urquell is golden in colour with a rich, well-compacted creamy head. The flavour and aroma profile is driven by the use of Saaz hops, which provide a floral, spicy aroma and adequate back bitterness without going over the top. Equally important in its structure is the renowned Moravian barley malt, which provides a malty softness and overall balance to the beer.
Brewing transplanted from the Austrian Alps wasn’t introduced until the nineteenth century. It took the youth and fashionable Italians of the 1960’s to re-launch beer into modern times. Wine was their parents and the peasant to drink; they wanted English-styled pubs and Bavarian Beer halls. Market leader Peroni’s main brand Nastro Azzuro is the ‘Blue Ribbon Italian Pilsner’ which includes 20% corn maize to sweeten the brew and then hopped with Saaz to spice it up. At 5.3% A/V Nastro Azzurro is quite a refreshing well balanced lager for its sweetness.
French lager Kronenborg 1664, France’s No. 1 selling beer, No. 2 in the UK, and on fire here in Oz. Dating back more than 300 years, The use of locally grown Alsace hop strisselspalt known as ‘the caviar of hops’ creates a flavour profile of a beer that’s more bitter than sweet with a distinctive tangy citrus taste at mid-palate. Kronenbourg 1664 was launched in the UK in 1952 to mark the Queen’s accession to the throne. According to Gary Hastings, Fosters Australia’s Group Marketing Manager International Beers,”Kronenourg's volume has had excellent growth in both draught & pack formats. Kronenbourg 1664 has strong loyalty and commitment from the 25 - 35 year old males and females in the "Beer Appreciator" or "Beer as Badge" consumer segments, who appreciate the beer's credentials, taste profile and heritage. Many of these consumers have trialled the brand overseas and have positive memories and compared to other international beers. Kronenbourg's highest volume is from inner city "progressive" bars and hotels. To drive carton volume further this year, Kronenbourg will support customers this year through increased promotional frequency, on-premise promotions and a greater in store /merchandising presence.”
Well travelled, socially aware,well educated, unisex group in trendy spots or at home at dinner parties.
The Smaller the Brewery, The Bigger the Package
According to Llewellyn Communications, there is a global shift to craft beers In the United States, for example, the craft beer industry has grown every year for the last 35 years, with 1368 craft breweries currently operating in the country [1]. In the first half of 2005 alone, the American craft beer industry grew 7.1% by volume. Nearly 7 million barrels of craft beer will be produced in the United States this year, with a total annual dollar volume of A$ 4.9billion. By comparison, the domestic large and traditional regional brewing industry in the United States actually declined by 2.6% during the first quarter of this year.
In Australia there is also a clear trend towards increased consumption of craft beers, although beer consumption overall has been declining. While there is only limited data available on the Australian craft beer industry, largely because there is no association which represents all craft brewers, there are 71 craft breweries [2] operating in the country, which are estimated to account for around 8% of the overall beer market in Australia[3]. The balance of Australia’s A$ 8.5 billion beer market[4] is owned by Australia’s two biggest liquor companies, Lion Nathan and Foster’s Group
For such a small percentage of the market, how do these small breweries draw the attention of the beer drinking public? The key word here is attraction and the success or failure of many small breweries rests on the ability to draw people who want more than just a beer. Here are a few examples of up market beer environments.
Oxford 152 is a classic example of a recipe for success. The ingredients are a run down pub (Balmoral Hotel) in a disadvantaged suburb of Brisbane, or any other major city for that matter, and add a renovation rescue of $ 3 million. What you become is part of a trendy ‘wharfie’ neighbourhood in the hip area on the south side of the river. The stylish restaurant does over a 1500 meals a week and their in house brewed beers have won over 30 major awards.
I asked Brew Master Brennan Fielding what his biggest challenges were in running a successful craft brewery. ”Each follow up brew has to be precise and true to style as the last and that policy is over all 12 beers we make. A well made lager doesn’t have to be bland. I brew twice a week to keep up with demand, as our tanks only hold 800 litres.” Here is their list;
Oxford Cloudy- A German hefe weizen with aromatic clove & citrus, balanced with a generous amount of wheat is unfiltered. ABV 5%
Oxford Premium- An aromatic European lager with pronounced malt aroma and balanced hop profile, light straw in colour leaving no bitter aftertaste. ABV 5.2%
Oxford 152 Full flavoured mid strength lager with a slight floral aroma & pleasant hop bitterness. refreshing and extremely thirst quenching.ABV3.5%
Oxford Pale Ale- a classic Northwest American Pale Ale boasting floral aromatics with hints of Lychee and Grapefruit. Unfiltered for maximum flavour. ABV 4.9%
Oxford Light- brewed with imported Czech hops and German yeast, oxford light is a full-bodied, double hopped lager thatis both light in alcohol and colour but not in flavour. ABV 2.9%
English Brown Porter Ale- the style originated during the 1800’s in London. Subtle chocolate notes and infused with ‘Toby’s Estate’ Colombian coffee blend to provide a mocha flavour. ABV 4.9
Oxford Black- a silky smooth stout with pleasant roasted malt flavours. English hops create the mild bitterness, and a blend of 10 malts makes for a complex but enjoyable blend. ABV 5.4%
The Mid-North Coast (NSW) now has its own local brewing company, following the launch of Murray’s Brewing Co. Its headquarters and onsite brewery have been established at the recently renamed “The Pub with No Beer Brewery”, located at Taylor’s Arm and established sine 1903. Owner Murray Howe, outlined his clear vision: “We’re going to create Australia’s leading craft brewing business, right here from Taylor’s Arm. We’ll be a market leader in terms of beer quality and flavour, as well as market leader as a tourism business via development of The Pub with No Beer hotel into a world-class Brewery. I’m proudly patriotic and want to promote pride in supporting Australian beverage and food producers and, I’m very passionate about my beer. The beer-loving public is increasingly demanding fresh, full flavoured, full aroma beer and are willing to pay for quality, and to try new experiences such as beer and food matching. And that’s what they’ll get when they try a Murray’s branded beer, and visit The Pub with No Beer Brewery. Murray’s strategy for growth is to first build a reputation for world class ales locally, and then take on the world. “We expect to launch a new beer approximately every quarter, and have bottled beer available from February. We will be working hard to get distribution for Murray’s-brand tap and bottled beers across the North Coast region. Key to the future success of Murray’s Brewing Co. is Head Brewer, Graeme Mahy, who relocated from New Zealand, and has more than 22 years’ home brewing experience including 15 years’ in commercial brewing
Sunrise Wheat Beer (4.5% abv)
A Belgian styled Wit beer, spiced with coriander and orange peel and a touch of nativeAustralian Yellow Bohoney. The citrus aroma is backed up in the mouth with coriander and orange peel tartness and a clean, smooth and refreshing finish.
Nirvana Pale Ale (4.5% abv)
Nirvana Pale Ale is a hybrid of an American Pale Ale and classic English Pale Ale style. brilliant golden colour, with a fresh citrusy/spicey aroma and flavour, balanced with biscuity/toffee flavours from the malt, with the bitterness supplied by generous quantities of New Zealand grown Cascade and Hallertau hops.
Swinging Arm Dark Ale (4.5% abv)
Made in the traditional Brown Porter style from selected roasted a deep ruby colour and creamy off-white coloured head, with an aroma of caramel and bittersweet chocolate
Two craft breweries have developed around popular wine growing areas and are making quite an impact in their districts. Potters Hotel & Brewery is a relaxing getaway, home to the HunterValley’s first microbrewery; the heritage listed ‘Brick Beehive Kilns of Nulkaba’; and Australia’s first Destination Spa. Located on 11 acres at the gateway to Hunter Valley Wine Country, Potters Hotel & Brewery was established in 2002. Valley Destination Spa offers the largest range of spa treatments in Australia. The elite Destination Spa is equipped with the latest technology, professional treatment beds, wet rooms and Spa. Every treatment room has its own climate control to ensure maximum guest comfort during spa therapy. The Spa is also proud to be launching an exclusive luxurious skincare range made from caviar. The boutique accommodation features variety of hotel, villa and spa suite options. While maintaining a sense of privacy, guests can enjoy the best of the outdoor and indoor extensive leisure facilities including; swimming pools, kids playground, lollie shop, day/night tennis, spa, massage room, billiards and historic kiln tours. Marketing Manager Daniela Fosci. “The Hunter Beer Company is our unique point of difference. Our boutique microbrewery is the Hunter’s first ever microbrewery. Our beers were Bronze Award Winners at the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards and our beers are brewed on site daily,” Potters Hotel & Brewery features an authentic German Bier Hall, a fine restaurant the Old Brickworks Brasserie – recently named the Lower Hunter’s Best Restaurant for 2005; and a lively beer rendezvous, the Potteries Lounge Bar.
After six long years in the development and planning stages, the first microbrewery ever on the Mornington Peninsula is now open. The Red Hill Brewery is unique, not only do they have their own brewery onsite, but they have also established their own hop yard where they grow all their own hops organically to use in their beers. Now in their fourth season, the Red Hill Brewery hops are a dramatic spectacle, growing over four metres high, and on full display to visitors to the brewery. It is the only brewery in Australia growing and using all their own hops and is also the only property on the Mornington Peninsula growing hops for brewing. Hops can only be grown within specific latitude, Red Hill is located right in the middle of this, and combined with the rich soil and higher rainfall, and they grow beautifully. Five different varieties are grown organically on site providing all the hops for the beers brewed at the brewery.
The Red Hill Brewery is producing three main ale styles, handcrafted to suit the palates of people who love the wine and food of the Peninsula. The flagship beer, the Golden Ale, is based on a German style Kolsch Ale. It is very pale and crisp light bodied ale, fruity with a refreshing tanginess. Scotch Ale is famously known as the “Burgundy of Scotland”, ripe, fruity ale which is a deep red colour and has a caramel sweetness. The caramel flavours often impart a smoky taste to the beer The Wheat Beer is in the famous South German (Barvarian) style. It is a highly aromatic beer with a banana like fruitiness in the palate and soft clove spiciness in the aroma.
From the moment you arrive, The Red Duck Brewery and Purrumbete Homestead instantly conveys the grace and grandeur of one of Australia's most impressive and historic private mansions. The size of the homestead means that you can always find somewhere welcoming or secluded. The Great Hall, the large dinning room, the Music Room, the sun room and the many wide verandahs are all for our guests exclusive use The sheltered waters of the lake offer opportunities for bird watching, or fishing for plump Purrumbete trout and salmon. Awarded Victoria's Best B&B/Guesthouse 2003* by Gourmet Traveller magazine.
According to owner and brewer Scott Morgan “Our micro-brewery is just a quack and waddle from Lake Purrumbete located in part of the old stables and coach house, which were originally constructed about 1870.
What about the beer?All natural ingredients, nothing artificial, nothing to get in the way of real flavours and aromas. We start with fresh rainwater; add malt, hops and yeast. Then we fret like a mother duck, until the beer turns out just right.
Red Duck Pale Ale is the beer for you. Highly aromatic and fruity, this beer is packed with hoppy, malty flavour, with just the right amount of bitterness on the finish. A clean, crisp beer that can be enjoyed any time
The Amber Ale is a more serious, complex beer, with caramel, tar, sarsaparilla, orange rind and toasty notes tantalising the taste buds. A very distinctive dark beer.
The Porter is the last in the line-up and without a doubt the best. The last time I tasted anything this good was in London. Dark and intense, the earthy/charcoal, molasses, orange marmalade and cola characters show both power and balance. The combination of creaminess and bitterness is perfect, as is the lingering finish.
> [1] Source: Brewers Association (United States), as of 1 December 2005.
> [2] Murray’s Brewing Co. research, October 2005.
> [3] Source: Business Review Weekly, 8 July 2004.
> [4] Source: Business Review Weekly, 19 February 2004.
> [5] Source: www.theinfoshop.com
In Australia there is also a clear trend towards increased consumption of craft beers, although beer consumption overall has been declining. While there is only limited data available on the Australian craft beer industry, largely because there is no association which represents all craft brewers, there are 71 craft breweries [2] operating in the country, which are estimated to account for around 8% of the overall beer market in Australia[3]. The balance of Australia’s A$ 8.5 billion beer market[4] is owned by Australia’s two biggest liquor companies, Lion Nathan and Foster’s Group
For such a small percentage of the market, how do these small breweries draw the attention of the beer drinking public? The key word here is attraction and the success or failure of many small breweries rests on the ability to draw people who want more than just a beer. Here are a few examples of up market beer environments.
Oxford 152 is a classic example of a recipe for success. The ingredients are a run down pub (Balmoral Hotel) in a disadvantaged suburb of Brisbane, or any other major city for that matter, and add a renovation rescue of $ 3 million. What you become is part of a trendy ‘wharfie’ neighbourhood in the hip area on the south side of the river. The stylish restaurant does over a 1500 meals a week and their in house brewed beers have won over 30 major awards.
I asked Brew Master Brennan Fielding what his biggest challenges were in running a successful craft brewery. ”Each follow up brew has to be precise and true to style as the last and that policy is over all 12 beers we make. A well made lager doesn’t have to be bland. I brew twice a week to keep up with demand, as our tanks only hold 800 litres.” Here is their list;
Oxford Cloudy- A German hefe weizen with aromatic clove & citrus, balanced with a generous amount of wheat is unfiltered. ABV 5%
Oxford Premium- An aromatic European lager with pronounced malt aroma and balanced hop profile, light straw in colour leaving no bitter aftertaste. ABV 5.2%
Oxford 152 Full flavoured mid strength lager with a slight floral aroma & pleasant hop bitterness. refreshing and extremely thirst quenching.ABV3.5%
Oxford Pale Ale- a classic Northwest American Pale Ale boasting floral aromatics with hints of Lychee and Grapefruit. Unfiltered for maximum flavour. ABV 4.9%
Oxford Light- brewed with imported Czech hops and German yeast, oxford light is a full-bodied, double hopped lager thatis both light in alcohol and colour but not in flavour. ABV 2.9%
English Brown Porter Ale- the style originated during the 1800’s in London. Subtle chocolate notes and infused with ‘Toby’s Estate’ Colombian coffee blend to provide a mocha flavour. ABV 4.9
Oxford Black- a silky smooth stout with pleasant roasted malt flavours. English hops create the mild bitterness, and a blend of 10 malts makes for a complex but enjoyable blend. ABV 5.4%
The Mid-North Coast (NSW) now has its own local brewing company, following the launch of Murray’s Brewing Co. Its headquarters and onsite brewery have been established at the recently renamed “The Pub with No Beer Brewery”, located at Taylor’s Arm and established sine 1903. Owner Murray Howe, outlined his clear vision: “We’re going to create Australia’s leading craft brewing business, right here from Taylor’s Arm. We’ll be a market leader in terms of beer quality and flavour, as well as market leader as a tourism business via development of The Pub with No Beer hotel into a world-class Brewery. I’m proudly patriotic and want to promote pride in supporting Australian beverage and food producers and, I’m very passionate about my beer. The beer-loving public is increasingly demanding fresh, full flavoured, full aroma beer and are willing to pay for quality, and to try new experiences such as beer and food matching. And that’s what they’ll get when they try a Murray’s branded beer, and visit The Pub with No Beer Brewery. Murray’s strategy for growth is to first build a reputation for world class ales locally, and then take on the world. “We expect to launch a new beer approximately every quarter, and have bottled beer available from February. We will be working hard to get distribution for Murray’s-brand tap and bottled beers across the North Coast region. Key to the future success of Murray’s Brewing Co. is Head Brewer, Graeme Mahy, who relocated from New Zealand, and has more than 22 years’ home brewing experience including 15 years’ in commercial brewing
Sunrise Wheat Beer (4.5% abv)
A Belgian styled Wit beer, spiced with coriander and orange peel and a touch of nativeAustralian Yellow Bohoney. The citrus aroma is backed up in the mouth with coriander and orange peel tartness and a clean, smooth and refreshing finish.
Nirvana Pale Ale (4.5% abv)
Nirvana Pale Ale is a hybrid of an American Pale Ale and classic English Pale Ale style. brilliant golden colour, with a fresh citrusy/spicey aroma and flavour, balanced with biscuity/toffee flavours from the malt, with the bitterness supplied by generous quantities of New Zealand grown Cascade and Hallertau hops.
Swinging Arm Dark Ale (4.5% abv)
Made in the traditional Brown Porter style from selected roasted a deep ruby colour and creamy off-white coloured head, with an aroma of caramel and bittersweet chocolate
Two craft breweries have developed around popular wine growing areas and are making quite an impact in their districts. Potters Hotel & Brewery is a relaxing getaway, home to the HunterValley’s first microbrewery; the heritage listed ‘Brick Beehive Kilns of Nulkaba’; and Australia’s first Destination Spa. Located on 11 acres at the gateway to Hunter Valley Wine Country, Potters Hotel & Brewery was established in 2002. Valley Destination Spa offers the largest range of spa treatments in Australia. The elite Destination Spa is equipped with the latest technology, professional treatment beds, wet rooms and Spa. Every treatment room has its own climate control to ensure maximum guest comfort during spa therapy. The Spa is also proud to be launching an exclusive luxurious skincare range made from caviar. The boutique accommodation features variety of hotel, villa and spa suite options. While maintaining a sense of privacy, guests can enjoy the best of the outdoor and indoor extensive leisure facilities including; swimming pools, kids playground, lollie shop, day/night tennis, spa, massage room, billiards and historic kiln tours. Marketing Manager Daniela Fosci. “The Hunter Beer Company is our unique point of difference. Our boutique microbrewery is the Hunter’s first ever microbrewery. Our beers were Bronze Award Winners at the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards and our beers are brewed on site daily,” Potters Hotel & Brewery features an authentic German Bier Hall, a fine restaurant the Old Brickworks Brasserie – recently named the Lower Hunter’s Best Restaurant for 2005; and a lively beer rendezvous, the Potteries Lounge Bar.
After six long years in the development and planning stages, the first microbrewery ever on the Mornington Peninsula is now open. The Red Hill Brewery is unique, not only do they have their own brewery onsite, but they have also established their own hop yard where they grow all their own hops organically to use in their beers. Now in their fourth season, the Red Hill Brewery hops are a dramatic spectacle, growing over four metres high, and on full display to visitors to the brewery. It is the only brewery in Australia growing and using all their own hops and is also the only property on the Mornington Peninsula growing hops for brewing. Hops can only be grown within specific latitude, Red Hill is located right in the middle of this, and combined with the rich soil and higher rainfall, and they grow beautifully. Five different varieties are grown organically on site providing all the hops for the beers brewed at the brewery.
The Red Hill Brewery is producing three main ale styles, handcrafted to suit the palates of people who love the wine and food of the Peninsula. The flagship beer, the Golden Ale, is based on a German style Kolsch Ale. It is very pale and crisp light bodied ale, fruity with a refreshing tanginess. Scotch Ale is famously known as the “Burgundy of Scotland”, ripe, fruity ale which is a deep red colour and has a caramel sweetness. The caramel flavours often impart a smoky taste to the beer The Wheat Beer is in the famous South German (Barvarian) style. It is a highly aromatic beer with a banana like fruitiness in the palate and soft clove spiciness in the aroma.
From the moment you arrive, The Red Duck Brewery and Purrumbete Homestead instantly conveys the grace and grandeur of one of Australia's most impressive and historic private mansions. The size of the homestead means that you can always find somewhere welcoming or secluded. The Great Hall, the large dinning room, the Music Room, the sun room and the many wide verandahs are all for our guests exclusive use The sheltered waters of the lake offer opportunities for bird watching, or fishing for plump Purrumbete trout and salmon. Awarded Victoria's Best B&B/Guesthouse 2003* by Gourmet Traveller magazine.
According to owner and brewer Scott Morgan “Our micro-brewery is just a quack and waddle from Lake Purrumbete located in part of the old stables and coach house, which were originally constructed about 1870.
What about the beer?All natural ingredients, nothing artificial, nothing to get in the way of real flavours and aromas. We start with fresh rainwater; add malt, hops and yeast. Then we fret like a mother duck, until the beer turns out just right.
Red Duck Pale Ale is the beer for you. Highly aromatic and fruity, this beer is packed with hoppy, malty flavour, with just the right amount of bitterness on the finish. A clean, crisp beer that can be enjoyed any time
The Amber Ale is a more serious, complex beer, with caramel, tar, sarsaparilla, orange rind and toasty notes tantalising the taste buds. A very distinctive dark beer.
The Porter is the last in the line-up and without a doubt the best. The last time I tasted anything this good was in London. Dark and intense, the earthy/charcoal, molasses, orange marmalade and cola characters show both power and balance. The combination of creaminess and bitterness is perfect, as is the lingering finish.
> [1] Source: Brewers Association (United States), as of 1 December 2005.
> [2] Murray’s Brewing Co. research, October 2005.
> [3] Source: Business Review Weekly, 8 July 2004.
> [4] Source: Business Review Weekly, 19 February 2004.
> [5] Source: www.theinfoshop.com
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The Mid Kid Grows Up
We continue our expose of Australian craft breweries from last issue (Dec.’06 Honing the Craft) by looking at the middle level sized breweries. The pub breweries and micro’s, as a rule, brew less than half a million litres per year, so we’ll concentrate on breweries making more than that, but less then 80 million litres per year.
To provide a mental picture of this group of breweries, think of the ‘middle child syndrome’ in a family hierarchy. Any mum or dad knows what I’m talking about. The youngest (micro and pub breweries) complain that ‘mid kid’ get all the attention and advantages while they struggle for the scraps, whilst the oldest (big breweries) whinge that they don’t carry their weight and always have to help them with the chores around the place. In other words, the middle level breweries are in a ‘no win’ situation. The small guys are quick to mention the help the mids get from their relationships with the big breweries, while the bigs are less than impressed with their sales figures and incessant requests for increased advertising, marketing, and distribution. Like I said, they’re damned if they do and damn if they don’t.
The business plan for craft breweries worldwide is to create core brands plus limited release/seasonal beers to spice up their portfolio. The first task is to get your products ranged in the market and build the core brand to allow for expansion. It is paramount that once a craft brewery has established public interest in their product, that they are able to meet the demand. Many a small brewery has been doomed by this simple business practice, and the principle is the most significant factor for an alliance with a big brewery. With this in mind, let’s look at the leading lights in this category
Starting with the up and comers, Managing Director of Gage Roads Brewing Co. Peter Nolan began his passion for craft brewing from humble beginnings at the Sail & Anchor pub brewery in Fremantle, West Australia. “I was hired as a casual bartender with the opportunity to assist in the brewery. Within six months I was the technical brewer, taking over as head brewer eighteen months later. While running the brewery with colleague Bill Hoedemaker, we increased the capacity, doubled the range and took what was viewed purely as a marketing tool and turned it into a profitable division of the company. When I left the Sail to set up Gage Roads in 2002, my partner and I were the most highly awarded craft brewing team in the country.” Gage Roads Brewing Co opened in December of 2003, and over the next eighteen months, I coordinated the search for a location and suitable brewing equipment, developed our corporate logo and product branding, and hired key personnel for operations, marketing and sales. Our first brand launched on draught in June 2005.
Their current brewing capacity is 2 million litres per annum, scalable to 5 million with a brew length in their 40 hectolitre brewery at 4,000 litres per batch. GRB recently increased the capacity of the brewery by installing two more quadruple fermenters (160 hectolitres each) and a dual purpose fermenter/bright beer tank (160 hectolitres) and upgraded three lagering tanks from doubles to quadruples (80 hectolitres to 160 hectolitres). All three bottled products, their Pure Malt Lager , midstrength PILS and the IPA are distributed nationally by Hardy Wine Company and are available in most good bottle shops with a fast growing presence in on-premise outlets
According to Nolan “This is going to be a big year for Gage Roads. Last year we focused on commissioning the brewery, launching our flagship range and establishing our distribution in WA. The foundations have now been laid to support national distribution and we’re excited by the reception the brand has had in the east coast markets. In 2007 the focus will be on raising awareness nationally of the Gage Roads philosophy of producing all natural, world class Australian beer. One of the exciting things for us is to be out there competing on a national scale with the mega-brewers and international brands as a dynamic independent Australian craft brewery. When Bill and I set up Gage Roads our goal was to launch a range of all natural craft brewed beers brewed to a world class standard and make them available in restaurants and bottle shops nationwide. It is great to be part of that dream becoming a reality. The growth of pub brewing around the country will fuel the trend towards better beer by educating the public and Gage Roads will be waiting for these new customers in the bottle shop.
The Bluetongue Brewery in Newcastle, NSW began their journey at the popular local pub brewery (Queens Wharf Brewery) and created a local following for their unusual Ginger Beer. Moving off premise, their continued development is quite impressive. Their brewing capacity has increased to 6 million litres per year and currently churning out about 110,000 liters a week consisting of tap and pack, a breakdown of approx 500 kegs a week and 10000 cartons. Bluetongue are about to take back the distribution off Tyrrell Wines and take it into there own hands as of April 1. They will start off with a sales force on the Eastern Seaboard with reps based in NSW, QLD and VIC. Bluetongue is currently available on tap in 160 venues within Sydney and the Hunter region.
On Christmas Eve 2005, Bluetongue took on advertising guru John Singleton and merchant banker Mark Carnegie as a 50% shareholder, and as a result, a few major highlights have occurred. They signed a deal with the Outback Steakhouse chains in America, where we have been earmarked for 454 nationwide. Bluetongue Draught, alongside with Toomey’s New, have been selected as the two Australian beers to be served on tap. Bluetongue Traditional Pilsener in packaged form has also been included in the new range for Outback Steakhouses. It has been confirmed that they would like all 800+ stores to stock both Bluetongue products by January 01, 2007. Bluetongue also engineered two major publicity events in 2006. The first Singleton extravaganza was sponsoring The Sea Shepherd in an Anti Whaling Campaign, where a $1 from every carton goes towards the Sea Shepherd and Bond Blonde was launched by Paris Hilton on New Years day. Exposure was achieved in every media form nationally, and a TV commercial for Bondi Blonde will be released later this year. They are also expanding their sponsorship portfolio to include a 5 year sponsorship deal with the Newcastle Knights, Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, and Beer supplier for Wyong Racetrack, Kristie Newton female golfer, and the Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Classic.
New product lines to compliment the core brands of pilsener and ginger beer include the afore mentioned Bondi Blonde, a low carb preservative free lager at 5.4% ABV, Hunter Draught, a 375ml brown bottle, mainstream draught beer, and Hunter Old, a 375 ml bottled black beer.
Two of the major ‘movers and shakers’ in the middleweight division are Matilda Bay and Malt Shovel breweries. Both enjoy a close association with major breweries, but employ very different approaches towards ranging their unusual products.
Matilda Bay was established in Fremantle WA in 1984, and over two decades has continued to push the boundaries of craft brewing to create new beers that challenge the Australian drinker while continuing to produce to the highest quality core range beers, Redback Original, Beez Neez, Rooftop Red Lager, and Bohemian Pilsener. Their ‘beer lab’, called “the garage’ is located in Melbourne where Malt, Hops and Water Guy’ Brad Rogers conjures up their range of ‘out there beers.
Last year, Matilda Bay released two outstanding examples of craft brewing; Barking Duck and Crema. Barking Duck is based on the saison style beers from Belgium; otherwise know as farmhouse ales, while Crema was a world first, a coffee flavoured beer, brewed using organic Australian beans. The early success of Barking Duck, including being judged third in the world at the 2006 World Beer Cup in the US has meant it will be re-released for a limited time on tap at selected venues across Australia from the 1st of February, and for the first time the beer will also be available in pack from bottle shops in 750ml bottles.
The recently released Redback Cristal is designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of drinkers, including those that are just starting their craft beer journey. “Cristal is an excellent introduction to craft beer and wheat beer in particular. The fresh, easy drinking style will appeal to people who perhaps haven’t tasted wheat beers before, and it’s a seriously refreshing style for summer” said Brad. Redback Cristal is also the first Australian craft beer to appear in a clear glass bottle, a look that is designed to “let the wheat shine through.”
This isn’t the only ground-breaking packaging idea that Matilda Bay has introduced – late 2006 saw their Bohemian Pilsner enter the market as a longneck 640ml ‘dinner serve’ bottle created for people to share between friends or take out to dinner at a restaurant
The Malt Shovel Brewery was founded by pioneer Brewmaster Chuck Hahn in September 1998 at Camperdown, Sydney, in tribute to James Squire, Australia’s first brewer. Its flagship James Squire Original Amber Ale was followed by Pilsener, Porter and India Pale Ale. Following the successful launch of James Squire Limited Release Golden Ale in summer 2004, Malt Shovel has permanently added the beer to its core range of craft brews. James Squire Golden Ale’s distinctive golden/orange colour is achieved by adding a touch of Carapils, a good proportion (30%) of wheat malt ensures a well measured tart finish that is rounded out with amarillo hops (22BU’s). James Squire brewers targeted 4.5% ABV to take the edge off it and create something a little more approachable, especially for the warmer months
In addition to the core James Squire range, limited release beers are brewed each year in summer and winter. Their method of experimentation is to facilitate styles created at their James Squire Brewhouses in Sydney and Melbourne. Last years Rum Rebellion Porter proved a big success. Utilising the rum barrel aging process, the innovative Malt Shovel brewers created a very distinctive flavour profile of ‘earthy vanilla undertone of oak with residual rum flavour.
This year craft beer enthusiasts can look forward to the re-release of their distinctive Hop Thief, a secret selection of hops providing a passionfruit tang. Hop Thief provides a backdrop malty smoothness to ‘cushion’ the impact of two American hop varieties never tasted in Australia before.
Tasmanian rivals J.Boag & Son and Cascade complete our list at the upper level. J. Boag & Sons Brewery has been around for over 125 years, yet only seriously available outside of Tasmania for the last 12 years since the launch of James Boag’s Premium Lager. The Brewer has developed a reputation for brewing premium quality lagers and currently produces around 50,000,000 litres of beer, giving it 2.5% of the Australian beer market. Boag’s experienced some strong growth in ‘06, spear-headed by its newer national brands, Boag’s Draught which grew at 25% and Boag’s St George which grew at 42%.The state break-up of Boag’s Sales is Tasmania –34%, Victoria – 22%, NSW – 20%, QLD – 12%, WA – 8%, and SA – 4%
The Brewer has big plans to more than double their current brewery capacity with the addition of a new brewhouse in the next couple of years. Director of Sales & Marketing, Lyndon Adams said, “We believe there is no better place on Earth than Tasmania to produce premium quality beers. The purity of the ingredients produced in this State, particularly the water certainly gives us an advantage over Europe, Asia, and America and even we think the rest of Australia.”
“Our aim over the next few years is to consolidate our reputation in Australia, grow our volume through our increased portfolio range and extend our brand reputation into new export markets, in particular North America. We have recently sent a container of recyclable kegs full of Boag’s Draught across to the US. This is a trial for us, using this relatively new technology, but if it proves successful, it will certainly open up markets for us that we’ve previously not been able to economically provide our keg product to. James Boag’s Premium is also finding some strong success in the U.S., now being widely distributed across most states.”
Plans for 2007 include a new advertising campaign for James Boag’s Premium which will be launched in May. The new ad is a continuation of the “Who is James Boag?” series. A new viral, radio and outdoor campaigns for Boag’s St George will be progressively released throughout the year, all still featuring the theme of gallantry
Unfortunately, due to the expansion of the brewery, the seasonal Honey porter will not be released in ’07,but there are some surprises on the horizon. The rumour is that Boag’s will be putting a competitor into the growing low carbohydrate category. Whilst low in carbohydrates, Boag’s will put their signature on the flavour of this new brand, which should be in the market in the first half of this year. Boag’s also have a new ale planned to be launched mid year. This beer may be a limited release outside of Tasmania. It is a traditional English ale, brewed with East Kent Goldings hops and will be a strong showcase for the skills of the Boag’s brewing team
More than just a brewery, Cascade Brewery Co has been integral to Tasmania’s community since founded in 1824 by Mr Peter Degraves, and endures today as a rich part of Australia’s history. His Cascade Brewery was renowned in the 1800s throughout the Australian colonies, and continues to thrive as Australia’s oldest brewery.
“The history of the Cascade Brewery Co is something we are immensely proud of and we’re happy to be honouring Peter Degraves for his vision over 180 years ago,” said Dominic Baker, General Manager, Cascade Brewery Co. Degraves fostered a legacy, built from his commitment to consistency, purity and quality, and Cascade continues his passion today. Cascade Premium Lager and Cascade Premium Light showcase the perfection of fine Tasmanian ingredients when handled by expert brewers.
Cascade Pale Ale, Australia’s oldest continually brewed beer, and Cascade Special Stout have also been iconic beers since first brewed in the 1850’s. These beers, unchanged, now form part of a permanent range dedicated to Peter Degraves. The collection groups together Pale Ale, Stout and newcomers Amber Ale and Blonde Lager which pay tribute to Cascade’s highly successful seasonal beer favourites that are now permanently available. Each beer has its own unique story, inspired by the characters that have been a part of Cascade’s colourful and rich past.
Our brewers still love to experiment with the freshest local ingredients available and the successful seasonal format will continue. Cascade will continue crafting small batch brews at different times of the year, known as Cascade Limited Releases. Cascade First Harvest, which has delighted beer lovers since first brewed in 2002, will naturally be a part of this range. The 2007 Cascade First Harvest will include the following hops: Explorer (for bitterness at the start of boil), Leggett (for flavour 60 min into boil) and Galaxy (for aroma 5min before end of boil). Explorer and Leggett are new research hops and we will be using virtually the entire crop, and along with Galaxy they were developed by the late Grey Leggett. We will include a commemoration to brewer Mr Leggett who sadly passed away last year. The style of brew will be the same as previous.
To provide a mental picture of this group of breweries, think of the ‘middle child syndrome’ in a family hierarchy. Any mum or dad knows what I’m talking about. The youngest (micro and pub breweries) complain that ‘mid kid’ get all the attention and advantages while they struggle for the scraps, whilst the oldest (big breweries) whinge that they don’t carry their weight and always have to help them with the chores around the place. In other words, the middle level breweries are in a ‘no win’ situation. The small guys are quick to mention the help the mids get from their relationships with the big breweries, while the bigs are less than impressed with their sales figures and incessant requests for increased advertising, marketing, and distribution. Like I said, they’re damned if they do and damn if they don’t.
The business plan for craft breweries worldwide is to create core brands plus limited release/seasonal beers to spice up their portfolio. The first task is to get your products ranged in the market and build the core brand to allow for expansion. It is paramount that once a craft brewery has established public interest in their product, that they are able to meet the demand. Many a small brewery has been doomed by this simple business practice, and the principle is the most significant factor for an alliance with a big brewery. With this in mind, let’s look at the leading lights in this category
Starting with the up and comers, Managing Director of Gage Roads Brewing Co. Peter Nolan began his passion for craft brewing from humble beginnings at the Sail & Anchor pub brewery in Fremantle, West Australia. “I was hired as a casual bartender with the opportunity to assist in the brewery. Within six months I was the technical brewer, taking over as head brewer eighteen months later. While running the brewery with colleague Bill Hoedemaker, we increased the capacity, doubled the range and took what was viewed purely as a marketing tool and turned it into a profitable division of the company. When I left the Sail to set up Gage Roads in 2002, my partner and I were the most highly awarded craft brewing team in the country.” Gage Roads Brewing Co opened in December of 2003, and over the next eighteen months, I coordinated the search for a location and suitable brewing equipment, developed our corporate logo and product branding, and hired key personnel for operations, marketing and sales. Our first brand launched on draught in June 2005.
Their current brewing capacity is 2 million litres per annum, scalable to 5 million with a brew length in their 40 hectolitre brewery at 4,000 litres per batch. GRB recently increased the capacity of the brewery by installing two more quadruple fermenters (160 hectolitres each) and a dual purpose fermenter/bright beer tank (160 hectolitres) and upgraded three lagering tanks from doubles to quadruples (80 hectolitres to 160 hectolitres). All three bottled products, their Pure Malt Lager , midstrength PILS and the IPA are distributed nationally by Hardy Wine Company and are available in most good bottle shops with a fast growing presence in on-premise outlets
According to Nolan “This is going to be a big year for Gage Roads. Last year we focused on commissioning the brewery, launching our flagship range and establishing our distribution in WA. The foundations have now been laid to support national distribution and we’re excited by the reception the brand has had in the east coast markets. In 2007 the focus will be on raising awareness nationally of the Gage Roads philosophy of producing all natural, world class Australian beer. One of the exciting things for us is to be out there competing on a national scale with the mega-brewers and international brands as a dynamic independent Australian craft brewery. When Bill and I set up Gage Roads our goal was to launch a range of all natural craft brewed beers brewed to a world class standard and make them available in restaurants and bottle shops nationwide. It is great to be part of that dream becoming a reality. The growth of pub brewing around the country will fuel the trend towards better beer by educating the public and Gage Roads will be waiting for these new customers in the bottle shop.
The Bluetongue Brewery in Newcastle, NSW began their journey at the popular local pub brewery (Queens Wharf Brewery) and created a local following for their unusual Ginger Beer. Moving off premise, their continued development is quite impressive. Their brewing capacity has increased to 6 million litres per year and currently churning out about 110,000 liters a week consisting of tap and pack, a breakdown of approx 500 kegs a week and 10000 cartons. Bluetongue are about to take back the distribution off Tyrrell Wines and take it into there own hands as of April 1. They will start off with a sales force on the Eastern Seaboard with reps based in NSW, QLD and VIC. Bluetongue is currently available on tap in 160 venues within Sydney and the Hunter region.
On Christmas Eve 2005, Bluetongue took on advertising guru John Singleton and merchant banker Mark Carnegie as a 50% shareholder, and as a result, a few major highlights have occurred. They signed a deal with the Outback Steakhouse chains in America, where we have been earmarked for 454 nationwide. Bluetongue Draught, alongside with Toomey’s New, have been selected as the two Australian beers to be served on tap. Bluetongue Traditional Pilsener in packaged form has also been included in the new range for Outback Steakhouses. It has been confirmed that they would like all 800+ stores to stock both Bluetongue products by January 01, 2007. Bluetongue also engineered two major publicity events in 2006. The first Singleton extravaganza was sponsoring The Sea Shepherd in an Anti Whaling Campaign, where a $1 from every carton goes towards the Sea Shepherd and Bond Blonde was launched by Paris Hilton on New Years day. Exposure was achieved in every media form nationally, and a TV commercial for Bondi Blonde will be released later this year. They are also expanding their sponsorship portfolio to include a 5 year sponsorship deal with the Newcastle Knights, Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, and Beer supplier for Wyong Racetrack, Kristie Newton female golfer, and the Jack Newton Celebrity Golf Classic.
New product lines to compliment the core brands of pilsener and ginger beer include the afore mentioned Bondi Blonde, a low carb preservative free lager at 5.4% ABV, Hunter Draught, a 375ml brown bottle, mainstream draught beer, and Hunter Old, a 375 ml bottled black beer.
Two of the major ‘movers and shakers’ in the middleweight division are Matilda Bay and Malt Shovel breweries. Both enjoy a close association with major breweries, but employ very different approaches towards ranging their unusual products.
Matilda Bay was established in Fremantle WA in 1984, and over two decades has continued to push the boundaries of craft brewing to create new beers that challenge the Australian drinker while continuing to produce to the highest quality core range beers, Redback Original, Beez Neez, Rooftop Red Lager, and Bohemian Pilsener. Their ‘beer lab’, called “the garage’ is located in Melbourne where Malt, Hops and Water Guy’ Brad Rogers conjures up their range of ‘out there beers.
Last year, Matilda Bay released two outstanding examples of craft brewing; Barking Duck and Crema. Barking Duck is based on the saison style beers from Belgium; otherwise know as farmhouse ales, while Crema was a world first, a coffee flavoured beer, brewed using organic Australian beans. The early success of Barking Duck, including being judged third in the world at the 2006 World Beer Cup in the US has meant it will be re-released for a limited time on tap at selected venues across Australia from the 1st of February, and for the first time the beer will also be available in pack from bottle shops in 750ml bottles.
The recently released Redback Cristal is designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of drinkers, including those that are just starting their craft beer journey. “Cristal is an excellent introduction to craft beer and wheat beer in particular. The fresh, easy drinking style will appeal to people who perhaps haven’t tasted wheat beers before, and it’s a seriously refreshing style for summer” said Brad. Redback Cristal is also the first Australian craft beer to appear in a clear glass bottle, a look that is designed to “let the wheat shine through.”
This isn’t the only ground-breaking packaging idea that Matilda Bay has introduced – late 2006 saw their Bohemian Pilsner enter the market as a longneck 640ml ‘dinner serve’ bottle created for people to share between friends or take out to dinner at a restaurant
The Malt Shovel Brewery was founded by pioneer Brewmaster Chuck Hahn in September 1998 at Camperdown, Sydney, in tribute to James Squire, Australia’s first brewer. Its flagship James Squire Original Amber Ale was followed by Pilsener, Porter and India Pale Ale. Following the successful launch of James Squire Limited Release Golden Ale in summer 2004, Malt Shovel has permanently added the beer to its core range of craft brews. James Squire Golden Ale’s distinctive golden/orange colour is achieved by adding a touch of Carapils, a good proportion (30%) of wheat malt ensures a well measured tart finish that is rounded out with amarillo hops (22BU’s). James Squire brewers targeted 4.5% ABV to take the edge off it and create something a little more approachable, especially for the warmer months
In addition to the core James Squire range, limited release beers are brewed each year in summer and winter. Their method of experimentation is to facilitate styles created at their James Squire Brewhouses in Sydney and Melbourne. Last years Rum Rebellion Porter proved a big success. Utilising the rum barrel aging process, the innovative Malt Shovel brewers created a very distinctive flavour profile of ‘earthy vanilla undertone of oak with residual rum flavour.
This year craft beer enthusiasts can look forward to the re-release of their distinctive Hop Thief, a secret selection of hops providing a passionfruit tang. Hop Thief provides a backdrop malty smoothness to ‘cushion’ the impact of two American hop varieties never tasted in Australia before.
Tasmanian rivals J.Boag & Son and Cascade complete our list at the upper level. J. Boag & Sons Brewery has been around for over 125 years, yet only seriously available outside of Tasmania for the last 12 years since the launch of James Boag’s Premium Lager. The Brewer has developed a reputation for brewing premium quality lagers and currently produces around 50,000,000 litres of beer, giving it 2.5% of the Australian beer market. Boag’s experienced some strong growth in ‘06, spear-headed by its newer national brands, Boag’s Draught which grew at 25% and Boag’s St George which grew at 42%.The state break-up of Boag’s Sales is Tasmania –34%, Victoria – 22%, NSW – 20%, QLD – 12%, WA – 8%, and SA – 4%
The Brewer has big plans to more than double their current brewery capacity with the addition of a new brewhouse in the next couple of years. Director of Sales & Marketing, Lyndon Adams said, “We believe there is no better place on Earth than Tasmania to produce premium quality beers. The purity of the ingredients produced in this State, particularly the water certainly gives us an advantage over Europe, Asia, and America and even we think the rest of Australia.”
“Our aim over the next few years is to consolidate our reputation in Australia, grow our volume through our increased portfolio range and extend our brand reputation into new export markets, in particular North America. We have recently sent a container of recyclable kegs full of Boag’s Draught across to the US. This is a trial for us, using this relatively new technology, but if it proves successful, it will certainly open up markets for us that we’ve previously not been able to economically provide our keg product to. James Boag’s Premium is also finding some strong success in the U.S., now being widely distributed across most states.”
Plans for 2007 include a new advertising campaign for James Boag’s Premium which will be launched in May. The new ad is a continuation of the “Who is James Boag?” series. A new viral, radio and outdoor campaigns for Boag’s St George will be progressively released throughout the year, all still featuring the theme of gallantry
Unfortunately, due to the expansion of the brewery, the seasonal Honey porter will not be released in ’07,but there are some surprises on the horizon. The rumour is that Boag’s will be putting a competitor into the growing low carbohydrate category. Whilst low in carbohydrates, Boag’s will put their signature on the flavour of this new brand, which should be in the market in the first half of this year. Boag’s also have a new ale planned to be launched mid year. This beer may be a limited release outside of Tasmania. It is a traditional English ale, brewed with East Kent Goldings hops and will be a strong showcase for the skills of the Boag’s brewing team
More than just a brewery, Cascade Brewery Co has been integral to Tasmania’s community since founded in 1824 by Mr Peter Degraves, and endures today as a rich part of Australia’s history. His Cascade Brewery was renowned in the 1800s throughout the Australian colonies, and continues to thrive as Australia’s oldest brewery.
“The history of the Cascade Brewery Co is something we are immensely proud of and we’re happy to be honouring Peter Degraves for his vision over 180 years ago,” said Dominic Baker, General Manager, Cascade Brewery Co. Degraves fostered a legacy, built from his commitment to consistency, purity and quality, and Cascade continues his passion today. Cascade Premium Lager and Cascade Premium Light showcase the perfection of fine Tasmanian ingredients when handled by expert brewers.
Cascade Pale Ale, Australia’s oldest continually brewed beer, and Cascade Special Stout have also been iconic beers since first brewed in the 1850’s. These beers, unchanged, now form part of a permanent range dedicated to Peter Degraves. The collection groups together Pale Ale, Stout and newcomers Amber Ale and Blonde Lager which pay tribute to Cascade’s highly successful seasonal beer favourites that are now permanently available. Each beer has its own unique story, inspired by the characters that have been a part of Cascade’s colourful and rich past.
Our brewers still love to experiment with the freshest local ingredients available and the successful seasonal format will continue. Cascade will continue crafting small batch brews at different times of the year, known as Cascade Limited Releases. Cascade First Harvest, which has delighted beer lovers since first brewed in 2002, will naturally be a part of this range. The 2007 Cascade First Harvest will include the following hops: Explorer (for bitterness at the start of boil), Leggett (for flavour 60 min into boil) and Galaxy (for aroma 5min before end of boil). Explorer and Leggett are new research hops and we will be using virtually the entire crop, and along with Galaxy they were developed by the late Grey Leggett. We will include a commemoration to brewer Mr Leggett who sadly passed away last year. The style of brew will be the same as previous.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Honing the Craft
My New Year prophecy is that ‘2007 will be a defining year in the craft brewing industry.’ The war camps are mustering their troops for a Federal Election and it’s vital for small brewing companies get tax relief. Never in the history of Australian craft brewing has there been a greater need for solidarity or a better time to rally support. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to investigate the craft beer industry in America earlier this year. Comparisons between America and Australia are inevitable but well worth mentioning if we are to see any substantial growth. The American craft industry is streaking ahead with annual growth at 11%, and According to Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association in the US “. "The rate of growth in the craft beer segment appears to be accelerating, This is the third straight year we've seen an increase in the craft beer growth rate." Here in Australia growth is less than 3%.
The Victorian Association of Microbrewers (VAMI) compiled a report with the assistance of Business Management Company Street Ryan & Associates which highlights the major areas of concern for the small brewery industry. The report is an extensive look at all aspects of the microbrewing industry, warts and all, and was compiled to assist in lobbying members of parliament to support tax change. For mind, here are the two most significant issues.
Graduated Tax Structure/ WET Tax equivalency.
Microbreweries are small brewing businesses producing 10,000 to 3 million litres of beer per annum and present one of the few opportunities for business development and employment growth within the beer and malt industry. New microbreweries have been establishing at the rate of 30% per annum in recent years. Total employment in the brewing industry decreased at 0.3% per annum whilst employment in microbreweries has increased at more than 10% per annum.
The majority of microbreweries in Australia are diversified businesses, often offering hotel/pub/bar, restaurant/café, or tourist attraction operations in complement to beer manufacturing. Many microbreweries (54%) are located in rural and regional Australia. There were 84 known microbreweries producing an estimated 12.73 million litres of beer with an estimated total economic contribution to the Australian economy of $295.48 million. If there is no change in excise arrangement, we’ll see10.5% per annum growth in 2006 and 2007 and 7% per annum growth during 2008 to 2010, from existing microbreweries, but a re-structured excise environment will see 12% per annum growth in 2006 and 2007 and 20% per annum growth during 2008 to 2010, from existing microbreweries
Estimated and projected taxes collected and paid by microbrewery organisations suggest that the impact of a re-structured excise duty arrangement in 2006 (to introduce an excise minimum threshold of $1.72 million in sales per microbrewery enterprise or enterprise group) would be a total reduction in all taxes, duties and statutory charges of an estimated $6.39 million. However, by 2010 the re-structured excise arrangements would lead to an estimated increase in taxes, duties and statutory charges of $13.22 million (i.e. $72.00 million compared with $58.78 million in 2010).
Provide ‘the complete package’-sound investors, proper business plan, qualified personnel, technical training, quality assurance procedures for operators of small breweries, and a well organised distribution system.
The report goes on to say that many microbreweries are undercapitalised and face ongoing cash flow strain. Benchmarking results show that most microbreweries have average to poor long term credit risk ratios and poor efficiency ratios. There is a need for business skills, technical training, information, and quality assurance procedures for operators of small breweries. Few microbrewers have a background in the industry; their involvement often stems from a passion for brewing (perhaps generated from home brewing) or through a desire to diversify from an existing hospitality based business Some microbreweries are operating as hobby or lifestyle businesses (similar to many vignerons and wineries), with the production volumes below the extremely low level of 30,000 litres which is the excise duty threshold. Microbrewers believe that excise duty re-structuring, in line with wine companies, would have an immediate impact on these breweries, encouraging them to scale up to full time businesses; expanding production volumes, sales and employment
Visiting microbreweries are becoming “sought after” experiences of international visitors, particularly European backpackers. Guided bus tours from some operators now include microbrewery visitation as a key selling point. Many regional microbreweries are included in tourism brochures and emerging food and wine trails. Domestic consumers and tourists are keen to taste the product at its source, “meet the brewers”, and experience unique product in restaurants and bars. Sales of beer to the “food service industry” (restaurants, licensed cafes and wine bars) is another significant market segment. Often this market is accessed by appointed distributors who also supply to the third main domestic market segment; liquor stores and licensed supermarkets
So here are a few microbreweries that are leading the way and offer a benchmark for other small operators to emulate.
The Redoak Brewery deserves the title of best small brewery in Australia. Redoak has had outstanding success in the past three years. They achieved 18 awards at their inaugural Australian International Beer Awards 2004. This was then followed by the attainment of 35 awards at the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards - nearly doubling their results from the previous year. In 2006 won the Grand Champion Trophy at AIBA 2006 for the highest scoring beer judged against 974 other beers. Redoak was the most awarded brewery for the second year running at AIBA 2006 against strong local and international competition. They won the prestigious Grand Champion trophy at the Australian International Beer Awards 2006 and also won 2 Gold medals at the World Beer Cup 2006 in Seattle, U.S.A. against over 2000 international beers. At the local level, Redoak won trophies for their India Pale Ale and Christmas Cheer at the Australian Beer Festival in Sydney this September.
The Redoak Brewery currently brews a staggering 40 premium beers, of which 20 are available at any one time at the Redoak Boutique Beer Café on Clarence Street in Sydney. In addition to premium quality beers, brother and sister team Janet and David offer a menu of exquisite gourmet cuisine, developed together with Head Chef Richard Park as the perfect accompaniment to the Redoak beer range. The stylish boutique beer café offers a unique difference in many ways to any other drinking or eating establishment in Sydney or across Australia. Every aspect has been put together with the upmost detail. For example, the bar tops are made from 700 year old jarrah timber sourced from West Australia’s famous Redoak has also created a beer appreciation course to take customers through the brewery history, process and special qualities and characteristics that define a premium beer. Customers can then enjoy the fine cuisine complimented by a Redoak beer, while being taken through the individual flavour and aroma profiles of different beer styles. The Café also offers unique Tasting Boards – the first of their kind in Australia. The Tasting Boards each hold four canapé style dishes that are matched with four different Redoak premium beers.
Potters Hotel & Brewery is located in the NSW wine region of the Hunter Valley. The heritage listed ‘Brick Beehive Kilns of Nulkaba’; and Australia’s first Destination Spa offers the largest range of spa treatments in Australia. The elite Destination Spa is equipped with the latest technology, professional treatment beds, wet rooms and Spa. Every treatment room has its own climate control to ensure maximum guest comfort during spa therapy. The boutique accommodation features variety of hotel, villa and spa suite options. While maintaining a sense of privacy, guests can enjoy the best of the outdoor and indoor extensive leisure facilities including; swimming pools, kids playground, lollie shop, day/night tennis, spa, massage room, billiards and historic kiln tours. According to Marketing Manager Daniela Fosci. “Our boutique microbrewery is the Hunter’s first ever microbrewery. Our beers were Bronze Award Winners at the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards and our beers are brewed on site daily,” Potters Hotel & Brewery features an authentic German Bier Hall, a fine restaurant the Old Brickworks Brasserie named the Lower Hunter’s Best Restaurant for 2005; and a lively beer rendezvous, the Potteries Lounge Bar.
Moorilla Estate is dedicated to the enjoyment of life. Moorilla has evolved into a cultural haven that draws visitors from around the world to sample award-winning wine, food, accommodation and the Moorilla Museum of Antiquities (now closed to the public for re-development). The latest addition to Moorilla Estate is the state of the art ‘Moo Brew’ Micro Brewery. The estate is located 12 kilometres from Hobart, and the trip takes less than 15 minutes by car. or of you choose you can cruise to Moorilla Estate on the high speed catamaran ‘Excella’ departing daily from the Brooke St Pier situated within the Hobart Dock area.
Moorilla Estate is the birthplace of Tasmania's modern wine industry. Although earlier pioneers had attempted to grow grapes and make wine, it was Italian business immigrant (textiles) Claudio Alcorso who managed to blend the first successful combination of viticulture and marketing and put Moorilla on the map in the 1962. In Claudio's Words:” One kilometre long and almost as wide, its shape is not round, the isthmus is broad and the land rises up gently and then drops towards the river in steep banks covered by native casuarinas, the beautiful green-grey she-oaks… This was the land which became the focus of my life and my anchor to my new country.”
The Moorilla logo is quite unusual and is derived from a Chinese symbol. The unbroken lines and icons depict the constant change and influence of the four seasons. Moo Brew is brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516, which proclaimed that beer must contain only the essential ingredients: malt, hops, yeast and water.
To ensure the best flavours the brewing involves no preservatives or additives and Moo Brew is unpasteurised. Moo Brew currently produces four styles. A German Hefeweizen (Wheat Beer), an American style Pale Ale, a Czech Pilsner, and an American style Dark Ale. Moo Brew Pale Ale and Wheat Beer are both currently available in Victoria and New South Wales and all four styles are available at selected outlets within Tasmania.
The Mildura Brewery is unlike anything you've seen before, and its beer is equally as memorable, producing four permanent naturally brewed beers, along with unique specialty brews, from inside the former Astor Theatre in Mildura's restaurant precinct, the Mildura Brewery creates beers that are inspired by and named after local produce, landmarks and themes. The unique Mildura Brewery has held on to its former glory as the Astor Theatre with a grandiose refurbishment of the magnificent art deco building, but also includes a new 30hl DME three vessel brew house and bottling line, that is on full display to punters drinking or enjoying a meal in the Brewery Pub.
The Mildura Brewery Pub began life as the Astor Theatre, which was once the most popular theatre in town. Opening in late 1924, the Astor Theatre was one of many in the district, but after a complete remodelling in 1937, the theatre boasted a seating capacity of 914. The Astor enjoyed its heyday during the 1930s and 1940s, however the advent of the drive-in theatre in the 1950s spelled the end for the popular indoor theatre and it closed in the late 1960s. The disused theatre came with the Mildura Grand Hotel when the hotel was acquired by Don Carrazza and his family in 1989. For a long time the former theatre was used as a laundry, car park, and a workshop, with some of the front shops leased, but Mr Carrazza always felt it would be a shame to destroy the building. To honour the glory of the former Astor Theatre, the brewery has retained certain design elements, and today uses the projector room as conference venue, while the theatre's screen is situated among the brewing vats and remains in use.
Since the first beer rolled out of production in late 2004, the Mildura Brewery has taken beer-drinkers by storm. At the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards, Mildura Brewery beers won 18 medals and Sun Light was voted Best in Category.
Mildura Brewery's Head Brewer Stephen Nelsen has beer in his veins. He was introduced to beer by his father, Lyndon Nelsen, who worked for the South Australian Brewing Co. for 34 years. At the South Australian Brewing Co., and would often take his son to work on weekends. It began with sampling beers in the tanks and flourished into a love affair with beer. Stephen completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Technology 1992 and then travelled to Europe to do a personal study tour of breweries, working in craft breweries in England to produce real ales (cask conditioned hand pumped living beers).
Stephen returned to Adelaide to brew at the Port Dock Brewery Hotel, Stephen took the challenge of re-commissioning the brewery and developing their beers. He produced 5 beers including the strong Old Preacher, and award winning Milk Stout. The Fosters Group then hired Stephen to set up and run the Gunn Island Brew Bar in Middle Park, Melbourne where he produced three multi-awards winning beers called Shot Fox, Duck's Nuts and Cut Snake, and he gained knowledge of beer design and brewing practices from the product development people in Abbotsford. Stephen heard about the new Mildura Brewery and became involved through brewing consultant Brian Watson and today; he is just as passionate about his beer as he has ever been.
"I am motivated by the fact it's a three-vessel brew-house (in Mildura), giving the flexibility to produce any type of beer, from the diverse range I have experienced in Asia and Europe," Stephen said. "I'm extremely passionate about beer quality, technically and artistically."I also love the location on the river, as I am a keen water skier and fisherman. And I love the city because of its sunny climate, fresh produce, relaxed lifestyle and convenience.
The Mildura Brewery is the newest addition to the Mildura Grand Hotel Group. The Group includes: Mildura Grand Hotel, Stefano's award winning restaurant, the new Spanish Bar and Grill, Avoca Seafood Restaurant, 27 Deakin Stefano's Good Food Store, and Mario's sports Bar.
The Victorian Association of Microbrewers (VAMI) compiled a report with the assistance of Business Management Company Street Ryan & Associates which highlights the major areas of concern for the small brewery industry. The report is an extensive look at all aspects of the microbrewing industry, warts and all, and was compiled to assist in lobbying members of parliament to support tax change. For mind, here are the two most significant issues.
Graduated Tax Structure/ WET Tax equivalency.
Microbreweries are small brewing businesses producing 10,000 to 3 million litres of beer per annum and present one of the few opportunities for business development and employment growth within the beer and malt industry. New microbreweries have been establishing at the rate of 30% per annum in recent years. Total employment in the brewing industry decreased at 0.3% per annum whilst employment in microbreweries has increased at more than 10% per annum.
The majority of microbreweries in Australia are diversified businesses, often offering hotel/pub/bar, restaurant/café, or tourist attraction operations in complement to beer manufacturing. Many microbreweries (54%) are located in rural and regional Australia. There were 84 known microbreweries producing an estimated 12.73 million litres of beer with an estimated total economic contribution to the Australian economy of $295.48 million. If there is no change in excise arrangement, we’ll see10.5% per annum growth in 2006 and 2007 and 7% per annum growth during 2008 to 2010, from existing microbreweries, but a re-structured excise environment will see 12% per annum growth in 2006 and 2007 and 20% per annum growth during 2008 to 2010, from existing microbreweries
Estimated and projected taxes collected and paid by microbrewery organisations suggest that the impact of a re-structured excise duty arrangement in 2006 (to introduce an excise minimum threshold of $1.72 million in sales per microbrewery enterprise or enterprise group) would be a total reduction in all taxes, duties and statutory charges of an estimated $6.39 million. However, by 2010 the re-structured excise arrangements would lead to an estimated increase in taxes, duties and statutory charges of $13.22 million (i.e. $72.00 million compared with $58.78 million in 2010).
Provide ‘the complete package’-sound investors, proper business plan, qualified personnel, technical training, quality assurance procedures for operators of small breweries, and a well organised distribution system.
The report goes on to say that many microbreweries are undercapitalised and face ongoing cash flow strain. Benchmarking results show that most microbreweries have average to poor long term credit risk ratios and poor efficiency ratios. There is a need for business skills, technical training, information, and quality assurance procedures for operators of small breweries. Few microbrewers have a background in the industry; their involvement often stems from a passion for brewing (perhaps generated from home brewing) or through a desire to diversify from an existing hospitality based business Some microbreweries are operating as hobby or lifestyle businesses (similar to many vignerons and wineries), with the production volumes below the extremely low level of 30,000 litres which is the excise duty threshold. Microbrewers believe that excise duty re-structuring, in line with wine companies, would have an immediate impact on these breweries, encouraging them to scale up to full time businesses; expanding production volumes, sales and employment
Visiting microbreweries are becoming “sought after” experiences of international visitors, particularly European backpackers. Guided bus tours from some operators now include microbrewery visitation as a key selling point. Many regional microbreweries are included in tourism brochures and emerging food and wine trails. Domestic consumers and tourists are keen to taste the product at its source, “meet the brewers”, and experience unique product in restaurants and bars. Sales of beer to the “food service industry” (restaurants, licensed cafes and wine bars) is another significant market segment. Often this market is accessed by appointed distributors who also supply to the third main domestic market segment; liquor stores and licensed supermarkets
So here are a few microbreweries that are leading the way and offer a benchmark for other small operators to emulate.
The Redoak Brewery deserves the title of best small brewery in Australia. Redoak has had outstanding success in the past three years. They achieved 18 awards at their inaugural Australian International Beer Awards 2004. This was then followed by the attainment of 35 awards at the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards - nearly doubling their results from the previous year. In 2006 won the Grand Champion Trophy at AIBA 2006 for the highest scoring beer judged against 974 other beers. Redoak was the most awarded brewery for the second year running at AIBA 2006 against strong local and international competition. They won the prestigious Grand Champion trophy at the Australian International Beer Awards 2006 and also won 2 Gold medals at the World Beer Cup 2006 in Seattle, U.S.A. against over 2000 international beers. At the local level, Redoak won trophies for their India Pale Ale and Christmas Cheer at the Australian Beer Festival in Sydney this September.
The Redoak Brewery currently brews a staggering 40 premium beers, of which 20 are available at any one time at the Redoak Boutique Beer Café on Clarence Street in Sydney. In addition to premium quality beers, brother and sister team Janet and David offer a menu of exquisite gourmet cuisine, developed together with Head Chef Richard Park as the perfect accompaniment to the Redoak beer range. The stylish boutique beer café offers a unique difference in many ways to any other drinking or eating establishment in Sydney or across Australia. Every aspect has been put together with the upmost detail. For example, the bar tops are made from 700 year old jarrah timber sourced from West Australia’s famous Redoak has also created a beer appreciation course to take customers through the brewery history, process and special qualities and characteristics that define a premium beer. Customers can then enjoy the fine cuisine complimented by a Redoak beer, while being taken through the individual flavour and aroma profiles of different beer styles. The Café also offers unique Tasting Boards – the first of their kind in Australia. The Tasting Boards each hold four canapé style dishes that are matched with four different Redoak premium beers.
Potters Hotel & Brewery is located in the NSW wine region of the Hunter Valley. The heritage listed ‘Brick Beehive Kilns of Nulkaba’; and Australia’s first Destination Spa offers the largest range of spa treatments in Australia. The elite Destination Spa is equipped with the latest technology, professional treatment beds, wet rooms and Spa. Every treatment room has its own climate control to ensure maximum guest comfort during spa therapy. The boutique accommodation features variety of hotel, villa and spa suite options. While maintaining a sense of privacy, guests can enjoy the best of the outdoor and indoor extensive leisure facilities including; swimming pools, kids playground, lollie shop, day/night tennis, spa, massage room, billiards and historic kiln tours. According to Marketing Manager Daniela Fosci. “Our boutique microbrewery is the Hunter’s first ever microbrewery. Our beers were Bronze Award Winners at the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards and our beers are brewed on site daily,” Potters Hotel & Brewery features an authentic German Bier Hall, a fine restaurant the Old Brickworks Brasserie named the Lower Hunter’s Best Restaurant for 2005; and a lively beer rendezvous, the Potteries Lounge Bar.
Moorilla Estate is dedicated to the enjoyment of life. Moorilla has evolved into a cultural haven that draws visitors from around the world to sample award-winning wine, food, accommodation and the Moorilla Museum of Antiquities (now closed to the public for re-development). The latest addition to Moorilla Estate is the state of the art ‘Moo Brew’ Micro Brewery. The estate is located 12 kilometres from Hobart, and the trip takes less than 15 minutes by car. or of you choose you can cruise to Moorilla Estate on the high speed catamaran ‘Excella’ departing daily from the Brooke St Pier situated within the Hobart Dock area.
Moorilla Estate is the birthplace of Tasmania's modern wine industry. Although earlier pioneers had attempted to grow grapes and make wine, it was Italian business immigrant (textiles) Claudio Alcorso who managed to blend the first successful combination of viticulture and marketing and put Moorilla on the map in the 1962. In Claudio's Words:” One kilometre long and almost as wide, its shape is not round, the isthmus is broad and the land rises up gently and then drops towards the river in steep banks covered by native casuarinas, the beautiful green-grey she-oaks… This was the land which became the focus of my life and my anchor to my new country.”
The Moorilla logo is quite unusual and is derived from a Chinese symbol. The unbroken lines and icons depict the constant change and influence of the four seasons. Moo Brew is brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516, which proclaimed that beer must contain only the essential ingredients: malt, hops, yeast and water.
To ensure the best flavours the brewing involves no preservatives or additives and Moo Brew is unpasteurised. Moo Brew currently produces four styles. A German Hefeweizen (Wheat Beer), an American style Pale Ale, a Czech Pilsner, and an American style Dark Ale. Moo Brew Pale Ale and Wheat Beer are both currently available in Victoria and New South Wales and all four styles are available at selected outlets within Tasmania.
The Mildura Brewery is unlike anything you've seen before, and its beer is equally as memorable, producing four permanent naturally brewed beers, along with unique specialty brews, from inside the former Astor Theatre in Mildura's restaurant precinct, the Mildura Brewery creates beers that are inspired by and named after local produce, landmarks and themes. The unique Mildura Brewery has held on to its former glory as the Astor Theatre with a grandiose refurbishment of the magnificent art deco building, but also includes a new 30hl DME three vessel brew house and bottling line, that is on full display to punters drinking or enjoying a meal in the Brewery Pub.
The Mildura Brewery Pub began life as the Astor Theatre, which was once the most popular theatre in town. Opening in late 1924, the Astor Theatre was one of many in the district, but after a complete remodelling in 1937, the theatre boasted a seating capacity of 914. The Astor enjoyed its heyday during the 1930s and 1940s, however the advent of the drive-in theatre in the 1950s spelled the end for the popular indoor theatre and it closed in the late 1960s. The disused theatre came with the Mildura Grand Hotel when the hotel was acquired by Don Carrazza and his family in 1989. For a long time the former theatre was used as a laundry, car park, and a workshop, with some of the front shops leased, but Mr Carrazza always felt it would be a shame to destroy the building. To honour the glory of the former Astor Theatre, the brewery has retained certain design elements, and today uses the projector room as conference venue, while the theatre's screen is situated among the brewing vats and remains in use.
Since the first beer rolled out of production in late 2004, the Mildura Brewery has taken beer-drinkers by storm. At the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards, Mildura Brewery beers won 18 medals and Sun Light was voted Best in Category.
Mildura Brewery's Head Brewer Stephen Nelsen has beer in his veins. He was introduced to beer by his father, Lyndon Nelsen, who worked for the South Australian Brewing Co. for 34 years. At the South Australian Brewing Co., and would often take his son to work on weekends. It began with sampling beers in the tanks and flourished into a love affair with beer. Stephen completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Technology 1992 and then travelled to Europe to do a personal study tour of breweries, working in craft breweries in England to produce real ales (cask conditioned hand pumped living beers).
Stephen returned to Adelaide to brew at the Port Dock Brewery Hotel, Stephen took the challenge of re-commissioning the brewery and developing their beers. He produced 5 beers including the strong Old Preacher, and award winning Milk Stout. The Fosters Group then hired Stephen to set up and run the Gunn Island Brew Bar in Middle Park, Melbourne where he produced three multi-awards winning beers called Shot Fox, Duck's Nuts and Cut Snake, and he gained knowledge of beer design and brewing practices from the product development people in Abbotsford. Stephen heard about the new Mildura Brewery and became involved through brewing consultant Brian Watson and today; he is just as passionate about his beer as he has ever been.
"I am motivated by the fact it's a three-vessel brew-house (in Mildura), giving the flexibility to produce any type of beer, from the diverse range I have experienced in Asia and Europe," Stephen said. "I'm extremely passionate about beer quality, technically and artistically."I also love the location on the river, as I am a keen water skier and fisherman. And I love the city because of its sunny climate, fresh produce, relaxed lifestyle and convenience.
The Mildura Brewery is the newest addition to the Mildura Grand Hotel Group. The Group includes: Mildura Grand Hotel, Stefano's award winning restaurant, the new Spanish Bar and Grill, Avoca Seafood Restaurant, 27 Deakin Stefano's Good Food Store, and Mario's sports Bar.
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