In these enlightened times, to discuss beers from overseas shouldn’t be some sort of holiday reverie when stockists are being shirt fronted by customers about the changing taste of their favourite lager from Europe. In fact, I was recently corrected by a brewery head when referring to them as imported beers when the ‘correct tagging’ is international beers. Apart from the bloke who wants to re-live a vacation experience, customers in the bottle shops are a savvy bunch who knows what they like and how they like it. So when the major breweries of Europe start brewing their products here in Australasia, the question of taste is expectantly put under the microscope.
We thought the best way to tackle the issue was asking the brewers themselves about why the likes of Heineken, Becks, Kirin Ichiban, Stella Artois, Tuborg, Carlsberg and Kingfisher are either brewed here or in New Zealand.
All the brewery reps we interviewed showed a straight bat in declaring the freshness of the product angle as the prime reason for brewing in Australia, and followed up with the inevitable ‘globalisation process’ typecast comment. But from the numerous emails I’ve received from loyal punters, the simple fact is that their favourite beer tastes different and they want to know why.
Brewmaster for Lion Nathan Australia Bill Taylor was somewhat bemused stating “I thought we addressed these issues in May of last year when we announced joint ventures with both Heineken and Becks with Lion Australia to bring the companies together in sales and distribution deals, involving the option to brew company brands in existing Lion Nathan Australia breweries by 1 July 2004.
The Heineken brewed in Australia is identical to the Heineken brewed in 90 countries across the world, and is unchanged to what has been brewed since Gerard Heineken perfected it in 1873.
The consistency of brew is possible because Heineken uses a proprietary brewing process, using special Heineken brewing equipment imported and installed here in Australia, a unique recipe which requires that all ingredients are imported, and are the same as those used in Holland, and of course the patented (and secret) Heineken A-type yeast.
The yeast used in Australia has been grown from exactly the same culture that has been used since 1873. Interestingly, the yeast was discovered by a pupil of the famous Louis Paster. It is the yeast that gives Heineken its flavour, but the yeast itself does not end up in the final product. The only ingredients in Heineken are a blend of four summer variety European grown hops, malted barley and purified water.
To ensure the process is strictly adhered to, a Dutch Mater Brewer works beside the Australian team who themselves have been fully trained in the exacting art of producing perfect Heineken. And to make absolutely certain, every local brew is sent to Holland for testing by Dutch Master Brewers before being released to the market. To date, every brew has exceeded the Dutch Master Brewer’s expectation of the taste of Heineken.
Locally produced Beck’s is brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516 and using the same Beck’s approved malt, hops from the world famous Bavarian Hallertau region and, most importantly, the original, over 100-year-old cultivated Beck's yeast strain. Local water carbon filtered to the same purity standards that Beck’s use in Germany is also used and Lion Nathan have installed equipment to enable their brewers to faithfully reproduce the Beck’s process requirements.
Every brew of Beck’s made in Australia is dually verified and approved for sale by the Master Brewers in Germany and the Master Brewers here in Australia (who have worked beside their German counterparts to ensure consistency of product).To date, Lion Nathan’s systematic taste profiling systems have ensured all Beck’s brewed locally is absolutely consistent with the ideal Beck’s formulation and taste profile.
So why the beer would taste different? According to Bill Taylor, “Maybe the drinkers aren’t used to drinking fresh European beer. A beer that is a bit older can sometimes have a deeper flavour, less crisp, slightly oxidized taste profile the customer may have become accustomed to. In the end it’s an emotional response based on customer’s desire for authenticity. Beer drinkers have the right to choice and are entitled to buy what they want, but price doesn’t reflect how much it costs to produce.”
The Malt Shovel Brewery has been making Kirin Ichiban for a few years now after their James Squires Amber Ale began to be brewed at the Tooheys Plant in XXXXX, and a ‘gap appeared in the production/bottling run schedule allowing the Japanese dry lager to take up the slack. As Chuck Hahn explains it hasn’t been totally smooth sailing and adjustments have to be made, not a pleasant thought with the summer season upon us. “It takes up all my tanks for a month. The secondary fermentation needs to be held at 8 degrees for 10 days and cuts back our capacity leading to brew house inefficiency. Plus, it costs me a $1000 a month to send back samples!”
We asked Jamie Cook, General Manager Premium & Specialty Beer of Foster Australia about brewing InBev favourite Stella Artois here in the Abbotsford, Victoria brewhouse. "Foster's Australia has been brewing Stella Artois draught for over 10 years, and we recently moved to local production of Stella Artois in pack.” Foster’s Australia moved to local production for two main reasons: First, brewing locally means we can deliver to consumers the best tasting, freshest Stella Artois available. Second, local production enables us to keep up with continued growth in consumer demand." Producing Stella Artois locally delivers to consumers the best tasting, freshest Stella Artois available. Foster's Australia has been producing Stella Artois draught for over 10 years. The same brew that is used in draught beer is used in Stella Artois in pack, so there is guaranteed taste consistency. The same brewing recipe is used locally as the imported product. Any noticeable difference in taste between previously imported and locally produced beer is because you are now being delivered fresher beer. Local production means we can keep up with consumer demand.
To finish up, I think the days are numbered for big breweries around the world to import their beer, and the ones that do will remain expensive and hard to find. A major plus for beer vs. wine debates is the fact you can relocate a brewery with relative ease. Water can be chemically altered to replicate the taste of any city in the world, while malts, hops and yeast can either be shipped cost effectively or reproduced locally.
Michael Comerton, The Words, Pictures and Directions Guy for Matilda Bay Brewing Co., was also a former employee of Guinness in Ireland. He related an interesting situation that arose for imported Guinness to the USA town of Denver which became known as ‘The Denver Effect’. The basic problem was that the atmospheric pressure in Denver is low due to the high altitude causes the stout to come out of the tap differently frothing (foaming) up all over the place. Now the gas in the Guinness kegs is a mix of nitrogen and carbon dioxide to give it that creamy dense head on the beer but because of the frothing, the gas mixed had to be altered. An interesting titbit to help us understand that local conditions can dramatically change your beer
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Cascade Brewery
We’ve strummed our fingers and tapped our toes awaiting the big announcement from Cascade Brewery. A quick jaunt to Old Hobart town revealed all the information required for me to give our readers the latest scoop from Australia’s oldest brewery. An enormous amount of effort has gone into shaping the future direction of the brewery to enable its proud tradition to continue in an ultra competitive premium/boutique beer market. But you’ve been waiting long enough, so without further ado here goes.
Beer product development requires the use of traditional brewing methods with the freshest local ingredients that are readily available at a reasonable price. And if you’re fortunate enough to have a rich and colourful history as is the case with Cascade Brewery, then use that background to infuse some local pride and product loyalty into the mix. “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.
The newly released beers have been re-named the Degraves Collection, which groups together Pale Ale, Stout and newcomers Amber Ale and Blonde wheat paying 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. Gone are the four packs, and replaced with traditional 6-packs at a very reasonable price, allowing punters to have a go at these new products without spending a fortune.
Cascade Blonde is a re-jigged version of Summer Blonde from the Four Seasons collection According to Head Brewer Max Bursom “We’ve instilled more wheat to the wheat/barley mix resulting in lighter, clean, crisp ale with passion fruit tartness and a delicate back palate bitterness which should please females and the younger beer enthusiasts.” Legend has it that this style was inspired by a local fair haired barmaid famous for being zesty and sassy whose picture adorns the label.
The exclusion of Cascade Pale Ale would have caused a revolution in Van Demens land as ‘Pale’, as the locals call it, has been a part of the brewery since the 1850’s. Tradition has it that the flavour must be big and bold with a clean hop finish on the back palate and just a hint of fruitiness from the ale yeast .In recognition of its historical importance, Cascade Pale Ale received the honour of having the famous brewery façade on the label.
Cascade Amber Ale is the newest recruit to the Degraves Collection and enters an already crowded small brewery favoured style category. A blend of three malts to drive the flavour profile, it’s a pleasant well balanced drop with hints of toffee and caramel. It’s smooth and refreshing, rather than going for a rich heavy amber style. The character on the label is Jim Stoner who invited locals for a free beer during the depression if they brought their own drinking vessels. Understandably, large jam tins were a favourite ‘glass’.
I’ve often mentioned to fellow beer enthusiasts that Cascade Stout is a real sleeper beer that often falls below the radar screen. A deep rich creamy brew with a slightly nutty roasted flavour, and pleasant bitter coffee laced finish. On the label is another local character, Fatty Appleton who was famous for his ability to carry two firkin kegs under his arms that came in handy when crowd control issues arose.
No self respecting report about Cascade Brewery would be complete without a mention of their newly renovated visitor centre including their spectacular botanical gardens. According to Baker, ““Visitors to Tasmania have long been seeking out the Cascade Brewery, and we’ve now improved the experience. A complete refurbishment of the popular Visitor Centre now boasts a spectacular extension with a view to Mt Wellington, and a new bar that has the complete suite of Cascade beers on tap, enabling visitors to sample the range. Cascade’s rich history can also be further explored with memorabilia on display. Our botanic style gardens, yielding some unique and rare flora species, have also been regenerated to ensure its historical significance is retained,” added Dominic. “It’s really is one of the most picturesque historical sites in the country.”
Beer product development requires the use of traditional brewing methods with the freshest local ingredients that are readily available at a reasonable price. And if you’re fortunate enough to have a rich and colourful history as is the case with Cascade Brewery, then use that background to infuse some local pride and product loyalty into the mix. “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.
The newly released beers have been re-named the Degraves Collection, which groups together Pale Ale, Stout and newcomers Amber Ale and Blonde wheat paying 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. Gone are the four packs, and replaced with traditional 6-packs at a very reasonable price, allowing punters to have a go at these new products without spending a fortune.
Cascade Blonde is a re-jigged version of Summer Blonde from the Four Seasons collection According to Head Brewer Max Bursom “We’ve instilled more wheat to the wheat/barley mix resulting in lighter, clean, crisp ale with passion fruit tartness and a delicate back palate bitterness which should please females and the younger beer enthusiasts.” Legend has it that this style was inspired by a local fair haired barmaid famous for being zesty and sassy whose picture adorns the label.
The exclusion of Cascade Pale Ale would have caused a revolution in Van Demens land as ‘Pale’, as the locals call it, has been a part of the brewery since the 1850’s. Tradition has it that the flavour must be big and bold with a clean hop finish on the back palate and just a hint of fruitiness from the ale yeast .In recognition of its historical importance, Cascade Pale Ale received the honour of having the famous brewery façade on the label.
Cascade Amber Ale is the newest recruit to the Degraves Collection and enters an already crowded small brewery favoured style category. A blend of three malts to drive the flavour profile, it’s a pleasant well balanced drop with hints of toffee and caramel. It’s smooth and refreshing, rather than going for a rich heavy amber style. The character on the label is Jim Stoner who invited locals for a free beer during the depression if they brought their own drinking vessels. Understandably, large jam tins were a favourite ‘glass’.
I’ve often mentioned to fellow beer enthusiasts that Cascade Stout is a real sleeper beer that often falls below the radar screen. A deep rich creamy brew with a slightly nutty roasted flavour, and pleasant bitter coffee laced finish. On the label is another local character, Fatty Appleton who was famous for his ability to carry two firkin kegs under his arms that came in handy when crowd control issues arose.
No self respecting report about Cascade Brewery would be complete without a mention of their newly renovated visitor centre including their spectacular botanical gardens. According to Baker, ““Visitors to Tasmania have long been seeking out the Cascade Brewery, and we’ve now improved the experience. A complete refurbishment of the popular Visitor Centre now boasts a spectacular extension with a view to Mt Wellington, and a new bar that has the complete suite of Cascade beers on tap, enabling visitors to sample the range. Cascade’s rich history can also be further explored with memorabilia on display. Our botanic style gardens, yielding some unique and rare flora species, have also been regenerated to ensure its historical significance is retained,” added Dominic. “It’s really is one of the most picturesque historical sites in the country.”
Top Notch
As the Spring Racing Carnival has concluded and we wind the turn towards the holidays, it’s a good chance to see what the Australian premium beer market will offer us for the silly season. Odds are good that the competition will be fierce as the premium beer ‘yearling’ has shown good form on a slow track all year. Look for value this season both in the bar and the bottle shop, but be willing to take long shot for pure enjoyment; life’s to short to be entirely driven by the almighty dollar.
Down in the Apple Isle the ‘Beer Wars’ continues like a family feud. This real life North vs. South conflict has intensified with J. Boag & Son to the north expanding their brewery and announcing a new beer for the mainland – Boags Draught. While Cascade to the south continues to go from strength to strength with their Four Seasons specialty beers with Summer Blonde making its third seasonal appearance, and Cascade Premium Light continues to hold the title of premium light beer of choice on the market.
Strong sales growth of its premium beers has led J. Boag & Son to invest in a major expansion program which will double the capacity of the Launceston Brewery
The first stage of the expansion was to install a new $15million high speed packaging line, completed in October. The addition of this new bottling line has enabled J. Boag & Son to launch their oldest brand, Boag’s Draught nationally. Director Lyndon Adams, said, “In the last six years our sales have doubled with the phenomenal growth led by James Boag’s Premium, which is now Australia’s second largest premium beer brand.” “Our growth has led to the situation where we have outgrown our current facility. Following a review of all possible expansion options open to us, the company felt that maintaining the authentic Tasmanian origin of our brands was critical to our ongoing success, and thus we chose to upgrade our existing brewery in Launceston.”
Meanwhile to the south, Cascade continues to score goals with their Four Season range of beers. Created especially for the Australian Summer, Cascade Summer Blonde is a refreshing and zesty blonde wheat beer using the freshest wheat, hops and pure soft water from the slopes of Mount Wellington. The master brewers at Tasmania’s Cascade Brewery have used the highest-grade wheat and barley to ensure the beer is pure and clear. Cascade hops are used to give the beer its distinctive citric aroma and zesty palate.
Back on the mainland, Carlton & United Beverages has launched an advertising campaign with their premier premium beer Crown Lager. Crown Lager is one of Australia’s most iconic brands, launched in 1953, and continues to outsell any other premium beer on the market. The new Crown Lager campaign, created by George Patterson Partners Melbourne, taps into Australians’ positive outlook on life through a combination of still lifestyle images and temp-mort sequences. The photographic images featured in the campaign are in fact ‘real’ people (the majority provided direct from Foster’s employees’ personal photo albums) celebrating the memorable, the important, the exhilarating and the fun moments because as the ad says… “There’s a lot in life to celebrate”.
Matilda Bay Brewing Company has launched their latest specialty beer Roof Top Red Lager. The name "Rooftop Red Lager" gets its inspiration from Paul Kelly's song 'From a 727' where he sings about looking over the roofs of Sydney from a plane. As you approach Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport from the west, you fly over areas of Balmain and Leichhardt. Many of the traditional homes of these areas have red tiled or red corrugated iron roofs. Rooftop Red Lager’s distinctive red hue and full, refreshing flavour are created by small-batch brewing using specially selected and lightly-toasted carared and melanoidin malts. The aromatic Hersbrucker hop - added to the kettle late in the boil - softens and balances Rooftop’s malts to deliver a smooth, delicate palate rich with hints of toffee and caramel. Rooftop Red Lager is currently available in selected outlets in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and with that terrific red hue should put a rosy red glow on all beer loving Santas.
Speaking of Sydney, Tooheys Australia has put their efforts behind the Hahn Premium and Hahn Premium Light brands and the Hillross Australian Golf Tournament. Sign up over the net at www.hahn.golf.com.au to compete for the ultimate golf experience. The competition offers the opportunity for four mates to attend and compete in the Pro-Am tournament, attend the champion’s cocktail party, a free coaching clinic and a signed golf bag. The Hahn beers will also sponsor a National Pub Golf Championship which will involve 4,200 competitors on 42 golf courses around Australia. Entry is simple, requiring contestants to purchase 9 middies or stubbies of Hahn Premium or Hahn Premium Light over a four week period at participating pubs and clubs. Each venue will hold a draw to select their 4 golfers.
The Malt Shovel Brewery has enjoyed continued success with winter and summer limited release brews, and their latest drop is no exception. James Squire Golden Ale has been brewed as a real flavoursome quaffing beer for the forecast long hot summer months ahead. Golden Ale follows the release of James Squire Australian Strong Ale this winter and James Squire Colonial Wheat Beer last summer.” Golden Ale is a lighter bodied beer with an alcohol content of 4.5%. Fresh toasted grains of Barley and Wheat give it a rich orange-amber colour and the pleasing tropical stone fruit aroma comes from the new season Amarillo hops,” said Head Brewer, Doug Donelan. "Often thought of as an English-style summer beer, this brew demands cold fermentation. It has a restrained bitter finish, mild carbonation, a firm head and a dry cracking finish and is an ideal thirst quenching session beer,” added Donelan.
As a special bonus for beer lovers, Golden Ale will also be available on tap at the James Squire Brewhouse 115 Russell Street, Melbourne and at the James Squire Brewhouse King Street Wharf, Sydney. The Malt Shovel Brewers are passionate about their handcrafted beers and are committed to educate discerning drinkers to the delights of matching quality beer and fine food. "Golden Ale would make a great accompaniment for fresh cold prawns, chicken Caesar salad, white-bait fritters, laksa or marguerita pizza,” said Brewmaster, Chuck Hahn.
No review of Australian premium beers would be complete without a look at what’s happening at Adelaide’s Coopers Brewery. We were pleased to discover their annual launch of their Vintage Ale will continue in 2004, and the release of a new mid-strength ale.
The 2004 Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale, described by Coopers brewers as the best yet, has a hefty 7.5% alcohol by volume and is expected to develop a more complex and interesting flavour for up to two years. Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale was first released in 1998 and was sold out within five days .Other brews followed in 1999, 2000, 2002 and now 2004, with each brew becoming a collector’s item. Some 5000 cases of the 2004 Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale, about 25% of the total brew, are being sent to the US to meet orders from American wholesalers. Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Mr Glenn Cooper, said that 2004 Vintage Ale had been ordered by a number of exclusive restaurants in the US, including Rubicon in San Francisco, jointly owned by actors Robin Williams and Robert de Niro and film producer Francis Ford Coppola.
Coopers Brewery has launched a new mid-strength premium beer to its range of premium quality, naturally conditioned ales .Coopers Mild Ale is a full flavoured ale with an alcohol content of 3.5%, designed to meet the growing demand Australia-wide for mid-strength beers. Coopers Managing Director and Chief Brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, said “Mild Ale is a smooth, easy-drinking ale that was very similar in flavour profile to Coopers Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale, but slightly softer.” Dr Cooper added “The idea was first conceived about two years ago when a number of publicans at a trade day suggested that Coopers look at developing a lighter brew to cater for the demand for flavour, but with lower alcohol. We experimented with a number of different brews last year to try and find the right balance between malt and hop characters,” he said. “We then tested what is now known as Mild Ale in market conditions before looking for an appropriate name.”Dr Cooper went on to say “Mild Ale is a distinctive category of ale in England, created in the nineteenth century as a restorative for labourers and heavy manual workers. It remains popular in the Midlands and Northwest of England, as a beer full in flavour but with a slightly lower alcohol content and hop bitterness. Mild Ale is the product of brewing with a selection of barley and wheat malt and with no added sugar,” he said. “This traditional brewing approach provides the smooth malt character which is balanced by a triple hopping with Pride of Ringwood and Saaz hops. “It is fermented similarly to its stablemates, Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale, with the customary secondary fermentation in the bottle and can.”
Down in the Apple Isle the ‘Beer Wars’ continues like a family feud. This real life North vs. South conflict has intensified with J. Boag & Son to the north expanding their brewery and announcing a new beer for the mainland – Boags Draught. While Cascade to the south continues to go from strength to strength with their Four Seasons specialty beers with Summer Blonde making its third seasonal appearance, and Cascade Premium Light continues to hold the title of premium light beer of choice on the market.
Strong sales growth of its premium beers has led J. Boag & Son to invest in a major expansion program which will double the capacity of the Launceston Brewery
The first stage of the expansion was to install a new $15million high speed packaging line, completed in October. The addition of this new bottling line has enabled J. Boag & Son to launch their oldest brand, Boag’s Draught nationally. Director Lyndon Adams, said, “In the last six years our sales have doubled with the phenomenal growth led by James Boag’s Premium, which is now Australia’s second largest premium beer brand.” “Our growth has led to the situation where we have outgrown our current facility. Following a review of all possible expansion options open to us, the company felt that maintaining the authentic Tasmanian origin of our brands was critical to our ongoing success, and thus we chose to upgrade our existing brewery in Launceston.”
Meanwhile to the south, Cascade continues to score goals with their Four Season range of beers. Created especially for the Australian Summer, Cascade Summer Blonde is a refreshing and zesty blonde wheat beer using the freshest wheat, hops and pure soft water from the slopes of Mount Wellington. The master brewers at Tasmania’s Cascade Brewery have used the highest-grade wheat and barley to ensure the beer is pure and clear. Cascade hops are used to give the beer its distinctive citric aroma and zesty palate.
Back on the mainland, Carlton & United Beverages has launched an advertising campaign with their premier premium beer Crown Lager. Crown Lager is one of Australia’s most iconic brands, launched in 1953, and continues to outsell any other premium beer on the market. The new Crown Lager campaign, created by George Patterson Partners Melbourne, taps into Australians’ positive outlook on life through a combination of still lifestyle images and temp-mort sequences. The photographic images featured in the campaign are in fact ‘real’ people (the majority provided direct from Foster’s employees’ personal photo albums) celebrating the memorable, the important, the exhilarating and the fun moments because as the ad says… “There’s a lot in life to celebrate”.
Matilda Bay Brewing Company has launched their latest specialty beer Roof Top Red Lager. The name "Rooftop Red Lager" gets its inspiration from Paul Kelly's song 'From a 727' where he sings about looking over the roofs of Sydney from a plane. As you approach Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport from the west, you fly over areas of Balmain and Leichhardt. Many of the traditional homes of these areas have red tiled or red corrugated iron roofs. Rooftop Red Lager’s distinctive red hue and full, refreshing flavour are created by small-batch brewing using specially selected and lightly-toasted carared and melanoidin malts. The aromatic Hersbrucker hop - added to the kettle late in the boil - softens and balances Rooftop’s malts to deliver a smooth, delicate palate rich with hints of toffee and caramel. Rooftop Red Lager is currently available in selected outlets in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and with that terrific red hue should put a rosy red glow on all beer loving Santas.
Speaking of Sydney, Tooheys Australia has put their efforts behind the Hahn Premium and Hahn Premium Light brands and the Hillross Australian Golf Tournament. Sign up over the net at www.hahn.golf.com.au to compete for the ultimate golf experience. The competition offers the opportunity for four mates to attend and compete in the Pro-Am tournament, attend the champion’s cocktail party, a free coaching clinic and a signed golf bag. The Hahn beers will also sponsor a National Pub Golf Championship which will involve 4,200 competitors on 42 golf courses around Australia. Entry is simple, requiring contestants to purchase 9 middies or stubbies of Hahn Premium or Hahn Premium Light over a four week period at participating pubs and clubs. Each venue will hold a draw to select their 4 golfers.
The Malt Shovel Brewery has enjoyed continued success with winter and summer limited release brews, and their latest drop is no exception. James Squire Golden Ale has been brewed as a real flavoursome quaffing beer for the forecast long hot summer months ahead. Golden Ale follows the release of James Squire Australian Strong Ale this winter and James Squire Colonial Wheat Beer last summer.” Golden Ale is a lighter bodied beer with an alcohol content of 4.5%. Fresh toasted grains of Barley and Wheat give it a rich orange-amber colour and the pleasing tropical stone fruit aroma comes from the new season Amarillo hops,” said Head Brewer, Doug Donelan. "Often thought of as an English-style summer beer, this brew demands cold fermentation. It has a restrained bitter finish, mild carbonation, a firm head and a dry cracking finish and is an ideal thirst quenching session beer,” added Donelan.
As a special bonus for beer lovers, Golden Ale will also be available on tap at the James Squire Brewhouse 115 Russell Street, Melbourne and at the James Squire Brewhouse King Street Wharf, Sydney. The Malt Shovel Brewers are passionate about their handcrafted beers and are committed to educate discerning drinkers to the delights of matching quality beer and fine food. "Golden Ale would make a great accompaniment for fresh cold prawns, chicken Caesar salad, white-bait fritters, laksa or marguerita pizza,” said Brewmaster, Chuck Hahn.
No review of Australian premium beers would be complete without a look at what’s happening at Adelaide’s Coopers Brewery. We were pleased to discover their annual launch of their Vintage Ale will continue in 2004, and the release of a new mid-strength ale.
The 2004 Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale, described by Coopers brewers as the best yet, has a hefty 7.5% alcohol by volume and is expected to develop a more complex and interesting flavour for up to two years. Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale was first released in 1998 and was sold out within five days .Other brews followed in 1999, 2000, 2002 and now 2004, with each brew becoming a collector’s item. Some 5000 cases of the 2004 Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale, about 25% of the total brew, are being sent to the US to meet orders from American wholesalers. Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Mr Glenn Cooper, said that 2004 Vintage Ale had been ordered by a number of exclusive restaurants in the US, including Rubicon in San Francisco, jointly owned by actors Robin Williams and Robert de Niro and film producer Francis Ford Coppola.
Coopers Brewery has launched a new mid-strength premium beer to its range of premium quality, naturally conditioned ales .Coopers Mild Ale is a full flavoured ale with an alcohol content of 3.5%, designed to meet the growing demand Australia-wide for mid-strength beers. Coopers Managing Director and Chief Brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, said “Mild Ale is a smooth, easy-drinking ale that was very similar in flavour profile to Coopers Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale, but slightly softer.” Dr Cooper added “The idea was first conceived about two years ago when a number of publicans at a trade day suggested that Coopers look at developing a lighter brew to cater for the demand for flavour, but with lower alcohol. We experimented with a number of different brews last year to try and find the right balance between malt and hop characters,” he said. “We then tested what is now known as Mild Ale in market conditions before looking for an appropriate name.”Dr Cooper went on to say “Mild Ale is a distinctive category of ale in England, created in the nineteenth century as a restorative for labourers and heavy manual workers. It remains popular in the Midlands and Northwest of England, as a beer full in flavour but with a slightly lower alcohol content and hop bitterness. Mild Ale is the product of brewing with a selection of barley and wheat malt and with no added sugar,” he said. “This traditional brewing approach provides the smooth malt character which is balanced by a triple hopping with Pride of Ringwood and Saaz hops. “It is fermented similarly to its stablemates, Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale, with the customary secondary fermentation in the bottle and can.”
Mercs Own Peach Ale
Mention ‘Aussie Dancing Guy’ and everyone knows you’re referring to Paul Mercurio. Since tapping his way into our hearts in Strictly Ballroom, he has continued to dazzle us with his footwork in The Full Monty and now a judge on the hit TV show “Dancing with the Stars.’ But many would be surprised that this gifted choreographer is also a passionate brewer, now with his own range of beers called Merc’s Own, the first being a Peach Ale.
Paul began brewing 17 years ago after receiving a home brew kit as an anniversary gift from his wife and fellow dancer Andrea. “Back in ’87 Coopers beer was expensive and with poverty brought experience as I practiced the craft in my laundry room. I’ve always developed a bit of a beer club with the crew I’m working with, even back to the early days at the Green Room at the Sydney Opera House.”
So why brew a peach beer I hear you ask? “In the immortal words of Scott Hasling (Strictly Ballroom) I just want to dance to my own steps” I’m a risk taker, and I love a challenge. The idea for a peach ale came from an old home brew recipe that I tweaked a bit to pull the recipe into shape. The peach juice plus the German Tettnanger aromatic hop provide a pleasant spiciness on the palate. Besides, fruit-based ales are steeped in tradition and I couldn’t get my hands on any apricot juice at the time of brewing!” Seriously, it’s my beer; I do all the work including the cleaning up. I could have left it to someone else, but that’s not taking responsibility for my own work. I have personally handled every one of the 3780 bottles in the batch, and proud of it.”
So what inspired him to go down the path of a commercial beer range? “Stupidity (he laughed), since a young age I’ve tried to fulfil my dreams. I’m passionate about food (he cures his own brand of smoked beef brisket), flavour, and beer. I take my roles of artist, actor, dancer, father, and brewer very seriously. I’d also like to make some money out of this; idle actors need an income like everyone else so why not work hard at the things you enjoy.”
Merc’s Own Peach Ale is a refreshing drop, surprisingly subtle fruitiness without excessive sweetness. The ale has a champagne or white peach appearance with a white creamy head. Bottle conditioned and naturally carbonated with no additives or preservatives in the blend. The aroma is a delicate balance of malt and fruit characters without the expected overpowering tartness. The peach ale has a fruity, spicy flavour with mild back palate bitterness. The fruitiness is more dominant as the beer warms a little. Recommended serve at 4C.with a fresh fruit salad and cream or BBQ seafood.
Paul began brewing 17 years ago after receiving a home brew kit as an anniversary gift from his wife and fellow dancer Andrea. “Back in ’87 Coopers beer was expensive and with poverty brought experience as I practiced the craft in my laundry room. I’ve always developed a bit of a beer club with the crew I’m working with, even back to the early days at the Green Room at the Sydney Opera House.”
So why brew a peach beer I hear you ask? “In the immortal words of Scott Hasling (Strictly Ballroom) I just want to dance to my own steps” I’m a risk taker, and I love a challenge. The idea for a peach ale came from an old home brew recipe that I tweaked a bit to pull the recipe into shape. The peach juice plus the German Tettnanger aromatic hop provide a pleasant spiciness on the palate. Besides, fruit-based ales are steeped in tradition and I couldn’t get my hands on any apricot juice at the time of brewing!” Seriously, it’s my beer; I do all the work including the cleaning up. I could have left it to someone else, but that’s not taking responsibility for my own work. I have personally handled every one of the 3780 bottles in the batch, and proud of it.”
So what inspired him to go down the path of a commercial beer range? “Stupidity (he laughed), since a young age I’ve tried to fulfil my dreams. I’m passionate about food (he cures his own brand of smoked beef brisket), flavour, and beer. I take my roles of artist, actor, dancer, father, and brewer very seriously. I’d also like to make some money out of this; idle actors need an income like everyone else so why not work hard at the things you enjoy.”
Merc’s Own Peach Ale is a refreshing drop, surprisingly subtle fruitiness without excessive sweetness. The ale has a champagne or white peach appearance with a white creamy head. Bottle conditioned and naturally carbonated with no additives or preservatives in the blend. The aroma is a delicate balance of malt and fruit characters without the expected overpowering tartness. The peach ale has a fruity, spicy flavour with mild back palate bitterness. The fruitiness is more dominant as the beer warms a little. Recommended serve at 4C.with a fresh fruit salad and cream or BBQ seafood.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Sister’s Are Brewing It for Themselves
Women have been brewing since the start of time, but it’s pretty much been a macho thing for the past four hundred years. In ancient societies, mythologies stated that beer was a gift specifically to women from a goddess (not a god) and women remained bonded to complex religious relationships with female deities, who blessed their brewing vessels. In fact, many celebrations were based on female events such as the brides-ale for her wedding and groaning-ale for the midwife and labouring mother to drink during the ordeal. I love ancient medicine stories. So when it came to pass that not one but two lady brewers were operating pub breweries not 2 kilometres from each other in Melbourne, Victoria, we just had to see them in action.
I arrived at Bells Hotel in South Melbourne to find Samara Fuss and Josephine Horn frowning and scowling at a defective keg washer. The frustration was evident and their determination to fix it themselves equally apparent. When my editor Katrina Holden and I met with them a fortnight ago, they were averse to highlighting their feminine side in the beer industry, but agreed if the story wasn’t demeaning to the male brewers and highlighted the beer they are so proud of.
Samara ‘Sam’ Fuss is a determined, confident young lady with an athletic build who was brought up on the southern coast of New South Wales. By her own admission, she was sports mad as a kid gaining selection to the state soccer team and an invitation to the Academy of Sport in Canberra for her volleyball skills. Sam was influenced by her dad who encouraged her interests which included work as a blacksmith and welder. Her first taste of the brewing bug occurred when Sam had the opportunity at the Fremantle icon pub the Brass Monkey. She spent a year in Europe, but returned to Australia for the Olympics in Sydney. Her father informed her of a new brewery opening up in Fremantle called Little Creatures, so right after the games she headed west. Wasting little time and displaying a lot of persistence, Samara got a job behind the bar. She eagerly volunteered to be a participant in their ‘Adopt a Brew’ programme. In fact, she ended up doing twelve brews before getting the opportunity to work in the brewery full-time after one of the assistant brewers severely burnt his leg requiring extensive time off the job.
Under the direction and inspiration of female brewer/winemaker Janet McDonald, Samara worked at Little Creatures for three years. According to Sam “I really enjoyed the team environment, and from Janet I gained the knowledge and passion to brew.” Ready for a new challenge, Sam was offered the position as head brewer for the Melbourne ALH pub breweries Gunn Island and newly opened Three Degrees at the QV Square in January 2004. Like anyone taking over a new management position, Sam was keen to get involved with the change, in this case to re-badge the in-house beers at the Gunn Island Brewbar in Middle Park. The timing was stressful as at the same time, the hotel was gearing up for the Grand Prix at Albert Park across the street from the hotel.
Josephine Horn grew up on the south island of New Zealand in the town of Christchurch. She arrived in Australia in 1996 after completing her post graduate diploma in Winemaking to take up the position of cellar hand at Coonawarra in South Australia. After the harvest it was off to Europe to vintage in Spain. This to and fro from Australia to Europe became a lifestyle for Josephine involving herself in vintages in France in ’97,’98, ’03, and Italy in 1999. During the same time she was involved with the vintages at Rosemont in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales in 2001-2003. Her interest in beer making came from the positive beer culture in Europe where dining and drinking beer are part of life. She even went so far as to attend a ‘meet and greet’ at a remote monastery to ‘pick the brains’ of the resident brewing monks only to find they had taken the vow of silence!
In 2000 Josephine met her partner Michael who wanted a stint in his hometown of Melbourne after the eight years of shifting from Europe every harvest season. Josephine obliged the request and took on a seven month contract with the Master Winemakers in the Yarra Valley. It was while she was working with Peter Florence at Master Winemakers who is also a partner in Buckley’s Brewery in Healesville that the beer bug bit again when he offered her the opportunity to brew with them. As her contract was about up, Josephine started ‘doing the rounds’ of all Melbourne breweries large and small with no success. In June of 2004, she read an article about Bell’s Hotel in South Melbourne with a quote from Bill Bell about not being able to keep up with the demand for his in-house beers. Her first task was giving the mini brewery a good ‘scrub out’ to make some room cause “I know how to clean and get things organised”.
So what are the beers made by the girls like, I hear you say. Josephine’s beers have made a good start as her newly developed Hell’s Bells strong lager won the title of Best Lager at this year’s Festival of Beers in Brisbane. With 40% wheat in the recipe and 6.4% Al/Vol this beer makes an impact. New American Amarillo hop provides the aromatics while Australian Superpride gives the beer its bitterness without fumy alcohol traces from a beer, a common problem with high Alco levels in a lager.
Sam has the responsibility of brewing for two pubs and is making a good fist of it with her Gunn Island Pale Ale, Red Ale and Amber Ale on tap. Here are some brief tasting notes on her products.
Gunn Island Pale Ale-5.6% A/V
Brewed with Aust pale malt and light crystal malts, this hoppy North American style pale ale has a clean citrus flavour and distinct floral aroma imparted from the late hopping of imported Cascade hops.
Gunn Island Red Lager-5.0%A/V
This Bavarian style lager uses imported carared and melonoidin malts, with its unique red hue, peachy and redwood undertones, the honey malty bursts, is complemented with the soft spicy bitterness from the hallertauer, hersbrucker, and tettananger hops.
Gunn Island Amber Ale-4.5%A/V
With a blend of 5 distinct types of mal, this medium bodied Amber Ale presents a spectrum of malty flavours starting off sweet and toffee like, it gives way to mocha, toasty finish with a slightly roasty aroma.
3 Degrees Clear-4.8%A/V
Three is made with pale and Vienna malts, balanced by the generous late addition of Hersbrucker hops; the result is a rich brew with a waxy soft mouthfeel, complex floral and spicy aroma, with a burnt golden hue.
I arrived at Bells Hotel in South Melbourne to find Samara Fuss and Josephine Horn frowning and scowling at a defective keg washer. The frustration was evident and their determination to fix it themselves equally apparent. When my editor Katrina Holden and I met with them a fortnight ago, they were averse to highlighting their feminine side in the beer industry, but agreed if the story wasn’t demeaning to the male brewers and highlighted the beer they are so proud of.
Samara ‘Sam’ Fuss is a determined, confident young lady with an athletic build who was brought up on the southern coast of New South Wales. By her own admission, she was sports mad as a kid gaining selection to the state soccer team and an invitation to the Academy of Sport in Canberra for her volleyball skills. Sam was influenced by her dad who encouraged her interests which included work as a blacksmith and welder. Her first taste of the brewing bug occurred when Sam had the opportunity at the Fremantle icon pub the Brass Monkey. She spent a year in Europe, but returned to Australia for the Olympics in Sydney. Her father informed her of a new brewery opening up in Fremantle called Little Creatures, so right after the games she headed west. Wasting little time and displaying a lot of persistence, Samara got a job behind the bar. She eagerly volunteered to be a participant in their ‘Adopt a Brew’ programme. In fact, she ended up doing twelve brews before getting the opportunity to work in the brewery full-time after one of the assistant brewers severely burnt his leg requiring extensive time off the job.
Under the direction and inspiration of female brewer/winemaker Janet McDonald, Samara worked at Little Creatures for three years. According to Sam “I really enjoyed the team environment, and from Janet I gained the knowledge and passion to brew.” Ready for a new challenge, Sam was offered the position as head brewer for the Melbourne ALH pub breweries Gunn Island and newly opened Three Degrees at the QV Square in January 2004. Like anyone taking over a new management position, Sam was keen to get involved with the change, in this case to re-badge the in-house beers at the Gunn Island Brewbar in Middle Park. The timing was stressful as at the same time, the hotel was gearing up for the Grand Prix at Albert Park across the street from the hotel.
Josephine Horn grew up on the south island of New Zealand in the town of Christchurch. She arrived in Australia in 1996 after completing her post graduate diploma in Winemaking to take up the position of cellar hand at Coonawarra in South Australia. After the harvest it was off to Europe to vintage in Spain. This to and fro from Australia to Europe became a lifestyle for Josephine involving herself in vintages in France in ’97,’98, ’03, and Italy in 1999. During the same time she was involved with the vintages at Rosemont in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales in 2001-2003. Her interest in beer making came from the positive beer culture in Europe where dining and drinking beer are part of life. She even went so far as to attend a ‘meet and greet’ at a remote monastery to ‘pick the brains’ of the resident brewing monks only to find they had taken the vow of silence!
In 2000 Josephine met her partner Michael who wanted a stint in his hometown of Melbourne after the eight years of shifting from Europe every harvest season. Josephine obliged the request and took on a seven month contract with the Master Winemakers in the Yarra Valley. It was while she was working with Peter Florence at Master Winemakers who is also a partner in Buckley’s Brewery in Healesville that the beer bug bit again when he offered her the opportunity to brew with them. As her contract was about up, Josephine started ‘doing the rounds’ of all Melbourne breweries large and small with no success. In June of 2004, she read an article about Bell’s Hotel in South Melbourne with a quote from Bill Bell about not being able to keep up with the demand for his in-house beers. Her first task was giving the mini brewery a good ‘scrub out’ to make some room cause “I know how to clean and get things organised”.
So what are the beers made by the girls like, I hear you say. Josephine’s beers have made a good start as her newly developed Hell’s Bells strong lager won the title of Best Lager at this year’s Festival of Beers in Brisbane. With 40% wheat in the recipe and 6.4% Al/Vol this beer makes an impact. New American Amarillo hop provides the aromatics while Australian Superpride gives the beer its bitterness without fumy alcohol traces from a beer, a common problem with high Alco levels in a lager.
Sam has the responsibility of brewing for two pubs and is making a good fist of it with her Gunn Island Pale Ale, Red Ale and Amber Ale on tap. Here are some brief tasting notes on her products.
Gunn Island Pale Ale-5.6% A/V
Brewed with Aust pale malt and light crystal malts, this hoppy North American style pale ale has a clean citrus flavour and distinct floral aroma imparted from the late hopping of imported Cascade hops.
Gunn Island Red Lager-5.0%A/V
This Bavarian style lager uses imported carared and melonoidin malts, with its unique red hue, peachy and redwood undertones, the honey malty bursts, is complemented with the soft spicy bitterness from the hallertauer, hersbrucker, and tettananger hops.
Gunn Island Amber Ale-4.5%A/V
With a blend of 5 distinct types of mal, this medium bodied Amber Ale presents a spectrum of malty flavours starting off sweet and toffee like, it gives way to mocha, toasty finish with a slightly roasty aroma.
3 Degrees Clear-4.8%A/V
Three is made with pale and Vienna malts, balanced by the generous late addition of Hersbrucker hops; the result is a rich brew with a waxy soft mouthfeel, complex floral and spicy aroma, with a burnt golden hue.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Review of Light & Mid Strength Beers 2005
It’s not just coincidence that as the baby boomer Grey Army heads north and west to warm those aging bones, we see a rise in low alcohol and midstrength beers. In fact, they now rank second in overall beers sales after the premium ranged products. No doubt that random breath test and drink drive campaigns have also contributed to more conservative attitudes towards alcohol consumption, but from what the older boys tell me, it’s the social embarrassment of not being able to ‘hold their grog like they used to’ that is the driving force behind their choice of drink.
The midstrength market was born in the early 1990s through Swan Gold (followed by Emu Draft and Carlton Midstrength) in WA and XXXX GOLD in QLD. The hot humid conditions of Far-North Queensland led many beer drinkers to begin looking for a bigger flavoured beer than the lights but still lower in alcohol than ‘heavies’. With both markets (Qld. & W.A.) formerly dominated by full strength beers, midstrength offered drinkers in these states a beer that suited their needs and lifestyle. After only a few years, the midstrength segment became the largest segment in both states. Today, midstrength beer is the second largest beer category in Australia accounting for 17.09% of total beer sales and growing at 3.6% per year. In Queensland, midstrength beer represents a staggering 48.6% of total beer sales, larger than the regular beer sales of 37.7%. Without a doubt, the midstrength revolution is a rapidly growing area of the beer market across all states and can no longer be seen purely as a Queensland or West Australian phenomenon.
Launched in 1991, XXXX GOLD transformed the QLD beer landscape and is now the state’s most popular beer. XXXX GOLD continued the great tradition of XXXX brewing heritage by being brewed with only the finest Australian barley and unique golden cluster hops. For almost 15 years, XXXX GOLD has been an integral part of the QLD community, supporting and sponsoring local sporting teams and community events, as well as having an association with Surf Life Saving in both QLD and WA.
A long running television campaign has also captivated QLD drinkers with well known characters Jacko and Marlin seen on television screens for more than five years. With XXXX GOLD found in practically every pub and club in QLD, it was only a matter of time before XXXX GOLD found its way across the border and into the pubs, hotels and homes of other Australian drinkers.
Outside Queensland, activities include XXXX Gold’s support of racing and cricket in many regional areas across the country and has partnered Surf Life Saving in WA for a few years This summer also sees a national pack promotion giving beer drinkers the chance to enjoy the good life by winning a holiday for themselves and their mates every year for the next 20 years. Other activities includes a major sampling program, as well as sponsorship of QLD and South Australian grassroots cricket, and some of QLD’s great sporting teams as well as the broadcast sponsorship of the ICC cricket super series on Channel 9.
In Western Australia the Midstrength category is also well developed, representing 26% of total WA beer market. Carton Midstrength (“Carlton Mid” as the bar call is known) is the market-leading brand at 50.9% of the mid strength category. Consumer/community and trade support for the Midstrength category and the Carlton Midstrength brand include support for the Royal flying Doctors Service, sponsorship of all AFL in WA, i.e. the West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers and WAFL.
Current Carlton Midstrength trade support leverages the success of the recent “Shed” advertising and promotions campaign, which includes TV advertising, on-pack and on-premise consumer promotions. The Foster’s Australia is committed to the Midstrength category and its investment in Carlton Midstrength, an ‘opportunity’ brand, will continue into 2006 and beyond.
Australia’s third largest brewer, Coopers Brewery, says sales of Coopers Mild Ale have exceeded expectations since its launch in October last year.
The new beer, which has an alcohol content of 3.5%, is already outselling some of Coopers more established brands, including Dark Ale. Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Mr Glenn Cooper, said Mild Ale had quickly established itself as a serious player in the mid-strength beer sector, particularly in the Queensland and Western Australia where mid-strength beers have well established markets. “Mild Ale’s growth in Queensland and WA has been exceptional, but the product is also showing good take-up in the southern states, which do not have such a tradition of mid strength beers,” he said.
“One of its major advantages is that it is a mid strength beer that doesn’t taste like a mid strength beer. “It’s smooth, easy-drinking ale that’s similar in flavour profile to Coopers Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale, but slightly softer. “It’s an ideal beer for people who enjoy the taste of a full flavoured beer, but wish to limit alcohol consumption. Many people are telling us they are drinking Mild Ale simply because of the taste, not because it is lower in alcohol.” Mild Ale is fully brewed using a selection of barley and wheat malt with no added sugar. It then undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle or can, the same process used in the production of Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale.
Many other reduced alcohol beers start out as normal strength beers, with alcohol being filtered out later, a process that also removes flavour.
This market was likely to grow as the population aged and people sought to limit their consumption of alcohol either for health or lifestyle reasons.
“Coopers Mild Ale is certainly contributing to the development of the mid-strength market, particularly on the southern States,” he said.
“If its growth continues, it will quickly become one of our major brands behind Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale. Mild Ale comprises one standard drink per 375ml bottle or can, compared to 1.3 standard drinks for Pale Ale and 1.7 for Sparkling Ale.
The Midstrength category is still largely undeveloped in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, traditionally regular beer markets. Their alternate preference is for Light, rather than Midstrength beer, due most likely to less exposure to the Midstrength category. However recent trends indicate consumer interest in the category and similarly strong growth would be predicted in these States – particularly the warm northern and western cities of NSW.
The midstrength market was born in the early 1990s through Swan Gold (followed by Emu Draft and Carlton Midstrength) in WA and XXXX GOLD in QLD. The hot humid conditions of Far-North Queensland led many beer drinkers to begin looking for a bigger flavoured beer than the lights but still lower in alcohol than ‘heavies’. With both markets (Qld. & W.A.) formerly dominated by full strength beers, midstrength offered drinkers in these states a beer that suited their needs and lifestyle. After only a few years, the midstrength segment became the largest segment in both states. Today, midstrength beer is the second largest beer category in Australia accounting for 17.09% of total beer sales and growing at 3.6% per year. In Queensland, midstrength beer represents a staggering 48.6% of total beer sales, larger than the regular beer sales of 37.7%. Without a doubt, the midstrength revolution is a rapidly growing area of the beer market across all states and can no longer be seen purely as a Queensland or West Australian phenomenon.
Launched in 1991, XXXX GOLD transformed the QLD beer landscape and is now the state’s most popular beer. XXXX GOLD continued the great tradition of XXXX brewing heritage by being brewed with only the finest Australian barley and unique golden cluster hops. For almost 15 years, XXXX GOLD has been an integral part of the QLD community, supporting and sponsoring local sporting teams and community events, as well as having an association with Surf Life Saving in both QLD and WA.
A long running television campaign has also captivated QLD drinkers with well known characters Jacko and Marlin seen on television screens for more than five years. With XXXX GOLD found in practically every pub and club in QLD, it was only a matter of time before XXXX GOLD found its way across the border and into the pubs, hotels and homes of other Australian drinkers.
Outside Queensland, activities include XXXX Gold’s support of racing and cricket in many regional areas across the country and has partnered Surf Life Saving in WA for a few years This summer also sees a national pack promotion giving beer drinkers the chance to enjoy the good life by winning a holiday for themselves and their mates every year for the next 20 years. Other activities includes a major sampling program, as well as sponsorship of QLD and South Australian grassroots cricket, and some of QLD’s great sporting teams as well as the broadcast sponsorship of the ICC cricket super series on Channel 9.
In Western Australia the Midstrength category is also well developed, representing 26% of total WA beer market. Carton Midstrength (“Carlton Mid” as the bar call is known) is the market-leading brand at 50.9% of the mid strength category. Consumer/community and trade support for the Midstrength category and the Carlton Midstrength brand include support for the Royal flying Doctors Service, sponsorship of all AFL in WA, i.e. the West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers and WAFL.
Current Carlton Midstrength trade support leverages the success of the recent “Shed” advertising and promotions campaign, which includes TV advertising, on-pack and on-premise consumer promotions. The Foster’s Australia is committed to the Midstrength category and its investment in Carlton Midstrength, an ‘opportunity’ brand, will continue into 2006 and beyond.
Australia’s third largest brewer, Coopers Brewery, says sales of Coopers Mild Ale have exceeded expectations since its launch in October last year.
The new beer, which has an alcohol content of 3.5%, is already outselling some of Coopers more established brands, including Dark Ale. Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Mr Glenn Cooper, said Mild Ale had quickly established itself as a serious player in the mid-strength beer sector, particularly in the Queensland and Western Australia where mid-strength beers have well established markets. “Mild Ale’s growth in Queensland and WA has been exceptional, but the product is also showing good take-up in the southern states, which do not have such a tradition of mid strength beers,” he said.
“One of its major advantages is that it is a mid strength beer that doesn’t taste like a mid strength beer. “It’s smooth, easy-drinking ale that’s similar in flavour profile to Coopers Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale, but slightly softer. “It’s an ideal beer for people who enjoy the taste of a full flavoured beer, but wish to limit alcohol consumption. Many people are telling us they are drinking Mild Ale simply because of the taste, not because it is lower in alcohol.” Mild Ale is fully brewed using a selection of barley and wheat malt with no added sugar. It then undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle or can, the same process used in the production of Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale.
Many other reduced alcohol beers start out as normal strength beers, with alcohol being filtered out later, a process that also removes flavour.
This market was likely to grow as the population aged and people sought to limit their consumption of alcohol either for health or lifestyle reasons.
“Coopers Mild Ale is certainly contributing to the development of the mid-strength market, particularly on the southern States,” he said.
“If its growth continues, it will quickly become one of our major brands behind Pale Ale and Sparkling Ale. Mild Ale comprises one standard drink per 375ml bottle or can, compared to 1.3 standard drinks for Pale Ale and 1.7 for Sparkling Ale.
The Midstrength category is still largely undeveloped in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, traditionally regular beer markets. Their alternate preference is for Light, rather than Midstrength beer, due most likely to less exposure to the Midstrength category. However recent trends indicate consumer interest in the category and similarly strong growth would be predicted in these States – particularly the warm northern and western cities of NSW.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Beer 101
Having a desire to learn more about beer and the brewing process gives a whole new slant on a ‘thirst for knowledge’. Some have a passing interest to find out more about the amber fluid, and others have a full blown obsession. Either way, there are plenty of ways to gather significant information to satisfy most hop heads.
Most Capital cities have major breweries that provide tours of their facilities. It’s a matter of giving them a call to find out the who, what, where, and when’s to getting on board. Small breweries and pub-breweries are also very accommodating with brewers often leading the tour and proud of their set-ups and products. Without sounding to schoolmarmish, it’s always a good idea to take pen and paper to jot down interesting comments and questions you’d like to ask, as after a few pints you might forget.
Our big breweries are often maligned but when it comes to educating the public about beer, their efforts have been first rate. An enormous amount of expertise, manpower, and financial support has been expended to better inform and educate the hospitality employees and beer enthusiasts in general
Carlton & United Beverages developed the Draught Beer Academy in 2001, and has trained over 2,500 workers in every state and territory. The star of the show is undoubtedly the massive “beer school on wheels” which has covered 65,000 miles including remote and rural areas around the country. In fact, its popularity has demanded that another beer bus be built in 200x. The academy was created with the assistance of more than 25 leading publicans and hoteliers to insure that Australians received the most perfectly poured and presented beers in the world. To learn more about the Draught Beer Academy, go to their website at www.draughtbeer.com.au. There you can find out about the course content, take a virtual tour, and even pinpoint where the ‘beer truck’ is located at the moment on the location tracker.
In May 2002 Lion Nathan Australia developed an education program called Beer Masters that is available on CD-ROM and as a link from their website that can actually be used by TAFE and hospitality students to gain accreditation/credit points in their courses. Beer Masters enables the students to sit exams online and obtain a certificate that, if successful, is recognised as meeting the academic requirements of Operate a Cellar System module which is part of a number of hospitality courses run by TAFE Meadowbank (NSW) campus. Novices like me can visit the website http://www.lion-nathan.com.au/all+about+beer+appreciation/beermaster.htm: There you can learn about the history of beer, a flowchart explaining the brewing process, beer appreciation, and a whole lot more including a virtual brewery tour.
Ian Watson is an independent ‘Beer consultant and Sommelier’. The job description includes helping restaurants, cafes and pubs with their beer and food menus providing independent tasting notes to venues and breweries, staff training-, plus speaking at beer tastings, dinners and festivals as well as being on the restaurant floor. His base of operation is “Oropa Bier Café” at the Spotted Cow hotel in Toowoomba, Qld. On Friday and Saturday evenings he can be found helping diners with their beer selection for both pairing with a meal and general consumption.
According to Ian “The key to this is education of both staff and consumer, helping them understand flavour profiles like sour, chocolate, champagne and banana. I often encourage the consumer to realize their own selection through a series of flavour analogy examples rather than straight deciding their accompaniment for them. But many want my choice to be theirs as well, understandable when Oropa has a menu of about 12 draught beers and 40 bottled beers as well as another 20 or so beers that I keep aside as my hidden treats.”
Beer education is also achievable in slightly more formal or direct settings of beer tastings, beer dinners and Beer 101 classes. At theses events it is possible to take things to a more specific area or a more involved level. An example of which is an upcoming event that I am doing called “la Femme de Bier”. This is a women’s only beer tasting that will explore the important role that women have played in the last 10 000 years of brewing history, as well as give some of the girls a chance to explore the concept of beer without the intimidation of guy The more we can get people talking about beer, the more they will learn about beer the more craft beer will grow in Australia
“Tales and Ales” are presented by the brewers of James Squires ales, lagers, and porters. These events are the equivalent of a beer cocktail (tale) function, where a variety of beers are tasted (and described), while being matched with a variety of interesting food dishes. It is an informal stand-up version of a beer dinner (similar to the wine dinner hosted by the winemaker). According to Doug Donelon “We have found that this format works very well in the hotel environment and also allows the hotel to showcase some its finer dishes to an interested and enthusiastic group of connoisseur’s. Ideally all the beers would be on tap (served in jugs), but bottles served on trays can be just as effective.
Format as follows:
1. Upon arrival, guests are given a beer glass that is used throughout the evening. This special glass is their “ticket” to further beers. In some instances the first beer may be a light beer. This beer is used as a palate cleanser and is the only beer served until most of the people arrive.
2. The 2nd Beer is served. A Malt Shovel Brewer describes how to taste and fully enjoy the beer “an organoleptic evaluation” and usually some history about the beer. As the Brewer is talking, the first finger food dish is served. Brewer will comment on why the choice of this beer & food has been matched together.
3. About 15 minutes later, the second beer is served (via jugs or bottles served around). The Brewer talks and the food is served.
4. This sequence is repeated, using the same glass throughout, until all beer & food combinations have been enjoyed.
5. At the conclusion of the beer and food matching a cleansing larger/ale is served to finish off the evening. The Brewer makes some concluding remarks about beer & food enjoyment and of course introduces the chef. Total time is about one & half to two hour’s maximum.
6. The Patrons can then go on to enjoy the beers they have sampled throughout the night.
SAMPLE BEER& FOOD MATCHINGS
Possibly Hahn Premium Light (on tap) upon arrival as a palate cleanser.
1. Australian White Beer oysters with a dill/vinaigrette sauce
2. Hahn Premium Lager Sashimi/sushi with wasabi
3. James Squire Amber Ale Lamb Cutlets with mint sauce
4. James Squire Pilsener Chicken satay kebabs with peanut sauce or another spicy dish
5. James Squire Porter Chocolate mud cake/fudge/brownies
6. Cleansing Lager/ale from the tap – Draught James Squire is the usual preference.
Getting involved with beer lovers and increasing their understanding of beer and brewing is central to Matilda Bay Berwery’s philosophy. The entire Matilda Bay team spends a substantial amount of their time with bartenders, consumers and the media discussing all facets of the humble blend of malt, hops and water.
“Our goal is to make everyone as obsessed about beer as we are! Beer appreciation is meant to be fun and we always keep it that way” said Michael Comerton, The Words, Pictures and Directions Guy from Matilda Bay.
Education sessions are regularly conducted for bar and hotel staff, and an array of events are held in venues across the country. Lavish beer and food matching dinners, informal finger food evenings, and Matilda Bay’s Beer 101 (beer, food and a “very unserious” test) are coordinated for groups of varying sizes throughout the year.
“Sometimes Brad Rogers could be discussing dark lagers with a group of six at Kingsleys Ale House in Woolloomooloo, while on the same night Phil Gallagher is fielding questions about wheat beer from a crowd of 100 at the Sail & Anchor in Fremantle” Comerton said.
Matilda Bay’s Bar Shouts are naturally very popular too and the teams in each of the states often undertake a wee crawl around a few pubs, shouting Matilda Bay beers for those present and chatting about various beer styles and flavours.
Providing a very different business experience, Matilda Bay also holds corporate events with an emphasis on education around beer flavours, styles and dishes. In addition, Matilda Bay’s website has a key focus on education. Online, the brewing process and ingredients are explained in detail, along with ‘Brewer’s Notes’ from Brad covering his thoughts on each beer’s recipe and process.
And if you like getting along to shows, you’ll find Matilda Bay at numerous festivals and events nationally. Matilda Bay is present at Australia’s leading food and wine events, and Brad can often be found in the demonstration kitchens or auditoriums discussing brewing with the crowd.
According to Comerton “many people are surprised when they meet us at pubs or at shows and get chatting. People find it refreshing not to get a sales pitch – we just love to chat about beer! We enjoy talking with fellow beer lovers about beer styles, brewing, and food among other things. And it’s so important to hear feedback from people who have tasted our beers and are already entrenched fans as well as from those who are tasting any of our beers for the first time.”
Without trying to bow my trumpet to loudly, I present a beer appreciation course at the Melbourne Belgian Beer Café Bluestone on one Saturday afternoon a month that is coordinated through the Centre of Adult Education (CAE). The course lasts for two hours in which participants taste test eight beers that are accompanied by specially selected entrée sized dishes that compliment the differing beer styles. During the class, the course content includes presentation, glassware, handling and storage, as well as palate identification, judging a beer, styles of beer,and a short history of beer through the ages. It’s a great day out but we do advise you take public transport home as many students continue their further education at the bar afterwards.
Most Capital cities have major breweries that provide tours of their facilities. It’s a matter of giving them a call to find out the who, what, where, and when’s to getting on board. Small breweries and pub-breweries are also very accommodating with brewers often leading the tour and proud of their set-ups and products. Without sounding to schoolmarmish, it’s always a good idea to take pen and paper to jot down interesting comments and questions you’d like to ask, as after a few pints you might forget.
Our big breweries are often maligned but when it comes to educating the public about beer, their efforts have been first rate. An enormous amount of expertise, manpower, and financial support has been expended to better inform and educate the hospitality employees and beer enthusiasts in general
Carlton & United Beverages developed the Draught Beer Academy in 2001, and has trained over 2,500 workers in every state and territory. The star of the show is undoubtedly the massive “beer school on wheels” which has covered 65,000 miles including remote and rural areas around the country. In fact, its popularity has demanded that another beer bus be built in 200x. The academy was created with the assistance of more than 25 leading publicans and hoteliers to insure that Australians received the most perfectly poured and presented beers in the world. To learn more about the Draught Beer Academy, go to their website at www.draughtbeer.com.au. There you can find out about the course content, take a virtual tour, and even pinpoint where the ‘beer truck’ is located at the moment on the location tracker.
In May 2002 Lion Nathan Australia developed an education program called Beer Masters that is available on CD-ROM and as a link from their website that can actually be used by TAFE and hospitality students to gain accreditation/credit points in their courses. Beer Masters enables the students to sit exams online and obtain a certificate that, if successful, is recognised as meeting the academic requirements of Operate a Cellar System module which is part of a number of hospitality courses run by TAFE Meadowbank (NSW) campus. Novices like me can visit the website http://www.lion-nathan.com.au/all+about+beer+appreciation/beermaster.htm: There you can learn about the history of beer, a flowchart explaining the brewing process, beer appreciation, and a whole lot more including a virtual brewery tour.
Ian Watson is an independent ‘Beer consultant and Sommelier’. The job description includes helping restaurants, cafes and pubs with their beer and food menus providing independent tasting notes to venues and breweries, staff training-, plus speaking at beer tastings, dinners and festivals as well as being on the restaurant floor. His base of operation is “Oropa Bier Café” at the Spotted Cow hotel in Toowoomba, Qld. On Friday and Saturday evenings he can be found helping diners with their beer selection for both pairing with a meal and general consumption.
According to Ian “The key to this is education of both staff and consumer, helping them understand flavour profiles like sour, chocolate, champagne and banana. I often encourage the consumer to realize their own selection through a series of flavour analogy examples rather than straight deciding their accompaniment for them. But many want my choice to be theirs as well, understandable when Oropa has a menu of about 12 draught beers and 40 bottled beers as well as another 20 or so beers that I keep aside as my hidden treats.”
Beer education is also achievable in slightly more formal or direct settings of beer tastings, beer dinners and Beer 101 classes. At theses events it is possible to take things to a more specific area or a more involved level. An example of which is an upcoming event that I am doing called “la Femme de Bier”. This is a women’s only beer tasting that will explore the important role that women have played in the last 10 000 years of brewing history, as well as give some of the girls a chance to explore the concept of beer without the intimidation of guy The more we can get people talking about beer, the more they will learn about beer the more craft beer will grow in Australia
“Tales and Ales” are presented by the brewers of James Squires ales, lagers, and porters. These events are the equivalent of a beer cocktail (tale) function, where a variety of beers are tasted (and described), while being matched with a variety of interesting food dishes. It is an informal stand-up version of a beer dinner (similar to the wine dinner hosted by the winemaker). According to Doug Donelon “We have found that this format works very well in the hotel environment and also allows the hotel to showcase some its finer dishes to an interested and enthusiastic group of connoisseur’s. Ideally all the beers would be on tap (served in jugs), but bottles served on trays can be just as effective.
Format as follows:
1. Upon arrival, guests are given a beer glass that is used throughout the evening. This special glass is their “ticket” to further beers. In some instances the first beer may be a light beer. This beer is used as a palate cleanser and is the only beer served until most of the people arrive.
2. The 2nd Beer is served. A Malt Shovel Brewer describes how to taste and fully enjoy the beer “an organoleptic evaluation” and usually some history about the beer. As the Brewer is talking, the first finger food dish is served. Brewer will comment on why the choice of this beer & food has been matched together.
3. About 15 minutes later, the second beer is served (via jugs or bottles served around). The Brewer talks and the food is served.
4. This sequence is repeated, using the same glass throughout, until all beer & food combinations have been enjoyed.
5. At the conclusion of the beer and food matching a cleansing larger/ale is served to finish off the evening. The Brewer makes some concluding remarks about beer & food enjoyment and of course introduces the chef. Total time is about one & half to two hour’s maximum.
6. The Patrons can then go on to enjoy the beers they have sampled throughout the night.
SAMPLE BEER& FOOD MATCHINGS
Possibly Hahn Premium Light (on tap) upon arrival as a palate cleanser.
1. Australian White Beer oysters with a dill/vinaigrette sauce
2. Hahn Premium Lager Sashimi/sushi with wasabi
3. James Squire Amber Ale Lamb Cutlets with mint sauce
4. James Squire Pilsener Chicken satay kebabs with peanut sauce or another spicy dish
5. James Squire Porter Chocolate mud cake/fudge/brownies
6. Cleansing Lager/ale from the tap – Draught James Squire is the usual preference.
Getting involved with beer lovers and increasing their understanding of beer and brewing is central to Matilda Bay Berwery’s philosophy. The entire Matilda Bay team spends a substantial amount of their time with bartenders, consumers and the media discussing all facets of the humble blend of malt, hops and water.
“Our goal is to make everyone as obsessed about beer as we are! Beer appreciation is meant to be fun and we always keep it that way” said Michael Comerton, The Words, Pictures and Directions Guy from Matilda Bay.
Education sessions are regularly conducted for bar and hotel staff, and an array of events are held in venues across the country. Lavish beer and food matching dinners, informal finger food evenings, and Matilda Bay’s Beer 101 (beer, food and a “very unserious” test) are coordinated for groups of varying sizes throughout the year.
“Sometimes Brad Rogers could be discussing dark lagers with a group of six at Kingsleys Ale House in Woolloomooloo, while on the same night Phil Gallagher is fielding questions about wheat beer from a crowd of 100 at the Sail & Anchor in Fremantle” Comerton said.
Matilda Bay’s Bar Shouts are naturally very popular too and the teams in each of the states often undertake a wee crawl around a few pubs, shouting Matilda Bay beers for those present and chatting about various beer styles and flavours.
Providing a very different business experience, Matilda Bay also holds corporate events with an emphasis on education around beer flavours, styles and dishes. In addition, Matilda Bay’s website has a key focus on education. Online, the brewing process and ingredients are explained in detail, along with ‘Brewer’s Notes’ from Brad covering his thoughts on each beer’s recipe and process.
And if you like getting along to shows, you’ll find Matilda Bay at numerous festivals and events nationally. Matilda Bay is present at Australia’s leading food and wine events, and Brad can often be found in the demonstration kitchens or auditoriums discussing brewing with the crowd.
According to Comerton “many people are surprised when they meet us at pubs or at shows and get chatting. People find it refreshing not to get a sales pitch – we just love to chat about beer! We enjoy talking with fellow beer lovers about beer styles, brewing, and food among other things. And it’s so important to hear feedback from people who have tasted our beers and are already entrenched fans as well as from those who are tasting any of our beers for the first time.”
Without trying to bow my trumpet to loudly, I present a beer appreciation course at the Melbourne Belgian Beer Café Bluestone on one Saturday afternoon a month that is coordinated through the Centre of Adult Education (CAE). The course lasts for two hours in which participants taste test eight beers that are accompanied by specially selected entrée sized dishes that compliment the differing beer styles. During the class, the course content includes presentation, glassware, handling and storage, as well as palate identification, judging a beer, styles of beer,and a short history of beer through the ages. It’s a great day out but we do advise you take public transport home as many students continue their further education at the bar afterwards.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
