Archive for the ‘Beer’ Category
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011
Australia’s best craft beer as voted by Australian beer drinkers in the annual Local
Taphouse’s Hottest 100 Craft Beers of 2010 is Vale Ale – with its stable mate Vale Dry also
being voted in the Top 10, and the top lager.
Vale Ale displaced Little Creatures Pale Ale from the top spot it had held for the past two
years and polled well ahead of the other 499 craft beers from across Australia that were
included in this year’s “People’s Choice” poll. It is the first time the McLaren Vale beers have
been included in the poll – with Vale Dry having been in the market since late last year.
McLaren Vale Beer Company Managing Director, Mr Adam Trippe-Smith, said the result was
a “great pat on the back” for the young and enthusiastic team behind the emerging premium
beer company.
“We are passionate about our beer and committed to having fun while pursuing the perfect
brew,” Adam said. “We’re delighted our customers have enjoyed our beers enough to vote
us top of the Hottest 100 in our debut year and we look forward to continuing to surprise and
delight them with our beers, which are increasingly being stocked by discerning pubs,
restaurants, bars and leading beverage stores around the nation.”
McLaren Vale Beer Company crafts the internationally-awarded Vale Ale and recently
released Vale Dry – Australia’s first unfiltered dry lager. Its home is the world class
hospitality venue, The Salopian Inn, established 1851. Look out for the distinctive
black and white label in leading pubs or visit www.mvbeer.com for more information.
Be sure to check out The Local Taphouse blog for the full results of the 2010 “Hottest 100″ beer line up.
Tags: The Local Taphouse
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Monday, January 24th, 2011
Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) will provide up to 4000 cartons of Great Northern beer to hard working State Emergency Service (SES) and Rural Fire Service volunteers to say thank you for their continuing efforts in helping Queenslanders throughout the flood disaster.
CUB Queensland General Manager Cameron Levick said it was a privilege to make the beer available to SES volunteers and Rural Firefighters who have assisted during this crisis in Brisbane as a part of its ‘Flood, Sweat and Cheers’ campaign.
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Tags: Carlton, Queensland Floods
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Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Bluetongue announced today the new look of its Bluetongue Premium Lager and Bluetongue Premium Light products.
With its modern fresh look, the redesign intends to firmly position Bluetongue Premium Lager and Bluetongue Premium Light within the premium domestic beer category.
Pieta Jordan, Marketing Manager of Bluetongue, said “The refresh of Premium Lager and Light reflects the contemporary position of the Bluetongue brand, whilst enhancing the great taste that is being brewed in our new state of the art Warnervale brewery. We see this fresh look as a great way to engage today’s’ Australian Premium Beer drinkers; and encourage them to try the great taste of Bluetongue. Whether they are a loyal drinker or a first time taster, we know our taste won’t disappoint.”
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Tags: Bluetongue
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Sunday, November 7th, 2010
Poured into a glass a bright golden colour with a medium level of carbonation and a small white coloured head. The aroma is a bit odd consisting mostly of lemons and an artificial cinnamon.
On the palate Carlton Dry Fusion Black comes across with lemonade, faint clove flavours accompanied with a watery mouth feel. The beer ends clean with a slightly cloying watery lemon after taste.
Score: 1.5 / 10
Verdict: Avoid at all costs! I am not exactly sure what the person that came up with this brew was thinking its basically a spiced shandy, even in your mouth the beer seems to have trouble deciding if its a beer or a alcopop. I will give the people at Fosters 10 / 10 for being brave enough to try something out of the ordinary, but I cant see this beer catching on and think it will be lucky to stay on the shelves for 6 months.
Where to buy: Carlton Fusion Black will be coming to most bottleshops near you soon and will cost around $43 a case.
Related: CUB Sheaf Stout
Tags: Carlton, Carlton United, CUB, flavoured beer
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Saturday, November 6th, 2010
Poured into a glass with an above average sized head which slowly faded down to leave a thick lace covering. Dark amber in colour and clear although the liquid appeared to contain suspended solids throughout. The aroma was plentiful with cinnamon, toffee, brown sugar, caramel, citrus and bread notes abound.
The body is fairly solid on this beer with a slightly creamy mouth feel, although the hops dominate this beer on the palate in a big way. An aggressive bitterness kicks in pretty much straight away and seems to dominate all the way to the back. In the flavour department the malt seems to bring toffee, caramel and oranges notes, while the hops are full of resinous grapefruit, pine and tropical fruit notes.
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Tags: ESB, Hargreaves Hill, VIC
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Friday, November 5th, 2010
On November 3rd bottle number one (from 30) of the Antarctic Nail Ale from Nail Brewing in Perth sold at auction for $800. Taking the title of most expensive beer from Brewdog’s recently released limited edition “The End of History” ($765). The Antarctic Nail Ale has also stolen from Crown Ambassador Reserve ($90) the title of Australia’s most expensive beer.
This unique beer was brewed in Western Australia with ice brought back from the Antarctic on the Sea Shepherds last campaign. All money raised from Antarctic Nail Ale will go to the Sea Shepherd to help fight the Japanese whaling in the Antarctic sanctuary.
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Friday, November 5th, 2010
Everyone has at least one person in their life who is hard to buy gifts for, why not think Beer for this Christmas.Its refreshing on a hot Christmas, travels well and is easy to transport! Beer Cartel has recently put together some premium beer gift packs for that special beer lover in your life.
Mixed Boutique Beer 12 Pack – $59.00 + P&H
An excellent gift for any beer enthusiast! The beers within this selection have been hand picked for their quality and variety – it’s definitely not the standard Heineken and Corona beer pack you’ll find at your local liquor store. Each package includes 12 completely different beers from a mix of Australian and International breweries delivered to your door. Also included is a tasting booklet with information on each beer and a rating sheet to allow the lucky recipient to become a real beer connoisseur!
Beer Club 6 Month Membership – $294.00 + P&H
Perfect for the beer die hard in your life, the Beer Cartel beer club membership is the gift that keeps on giving! Each month the recipient will receive 12 premium craft beers (3 beers each from 4 breweries) delivered straight to their door. Beer styles vary, guaranteeing something new to experience each month, from amazing Porters to sensational Ales. Tasting notes are included allowing the lucky beneficiary to learn about these hard to find beers from Australia and around the world. A sensational gift for those that think they have tasted everything!
Skinny Blonde Low Carb Lager 24 Pack- $66.95 + P&H
Skinny Blonde is an all Australian, all natural, low carb beer brewed in Sydney with a world first label.
The beer’s inception began when three friends; The Vines drummer Hamish Rosser, winemaker Richie Harkman and artist Jarrod Taylor built a pilot brewery in Jarrod’s laundry and then, inspired by premium Japanese beers, set to work on a crisp, dry, easy drinking beer for all occasions. Using cheeky branding in the form of ‘Daisy’, a 1950s pin up girl, the beer is beginning to create quite a stir. The bottle utilises modern ink technology, which has allowed the brewers to achieve a world first – having Daisy’s bikini “disappear” as the beer is savoured. Enjoy and watch the difference!
For more details or to purchase any of the gift packs visit the Beer Cartel website.
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Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
Australian Independent Distillers (IDA) is already a significant player in the Australian alcohol market and plans to cater to the Generation Y beer-drinking male demographic with their new Three Kings label. Launching on October 11, IDA introduces Three Kings; a cross-category alcohol brand with a unique black coloured bottle featuring a vodka & ginger mix, a dry-style lager and a 100% Australian apple cider.
“The cross category play is a bold one and certainly challenges the norms of alcohol brand launches,” said
Steve Williams, Marketing Director of IDA. “By launching all three products together, the brand will be decisively positioned as one which offers three
products of equal standing. We are confident the immediate unity of a launch across categories will provide
the confidence and level of trust needed to see Three Kings succeed.”
While this venture aims to deliver to IDA a slice of the beer market, it is also responsive to a new wave of consumer – one whose choice of drink is not necessarily dictated by habit, but habitat.
“We need to acknowledge the expanding repertoires of this generation. They are no longer just beer drinkers, they drink different products for different occasions.”
“There is a need for such a brand in a rapidly evolving market and IDA has created Three Kings to appeal to this generation of men. For them, it’s not about the malt, the regionality of the water or the personality of the brewer. It’s about good times, good mates and stories that eventuate when these elements unite,” he said.“Three Kings presents a strong position which is masculine, modern and right for any occasion.”
Three Kings Dry Lager
A classic dry lager using a pale malt. Hersbrucker and Nelson Sauvin hops provide a characteristic aroma, with the latter offering up fruity, zesty notes of gooseberry and a hint of spice. The palate is dry, crisp and provides grassy notes which support a moderate and pleasing bitterness.
Three Kings Cider
A pale, cloudy appearance is followed by a sweet, fruit-forward aroma of apple. Such notes belie a crisp, fresh flavour on the palette, which showcases the well- balanced characters of acidity and fruitiness enjoyed from this quality cider consisting of 100% Australian apples.
Three Kings Vodka & Ginger
Characterized by a cloudy appearance and boasting a warm spicy aroma from ginger and a sour sweet note from apple. These aromas are echoed in the flavour profile; with a full yet refreshing mouth feel that expresses a mild bitter flavour for complexity and the smoothness of premium vodka. A refreshingly light finish and perfect for summer.
More information about the Three Kings range can be found online at threekings.com.au.
About Independent Distillers
Founded in Auckland, New Zealand in 1987 Independent Distillers (Independent Liquor in NZ)manufactures and distributes alcoholic beverages to export markets worldwide. Independent Distillers also produces a selection of beer, wine and spirits under its own brands, and is beginning to distribute licensed brands in some markets.
A company that prides itself on being dynamic and innovative, Independent Distillers is always keen to explore new opportunities and break category norms. It has successfully been at the forefront of innovation and development of RTDs in both New Zealand and Australia and owns some of the largest brands in the Asian RTD market. Key products such as Vodka Cruiser, Woodstock Bourbon & Pulse have been a major influence in the expansion and growth of the Independent Distillers Group over the last two decades.
Tags: Cider, IDA, lager, Three Kings, Vodka
Posted in Beer, Mixed Drinks | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
Bluetongue Premium Lager is celebrating the official opening of its new Bluetongue Brewery at Warnervale on the NSW Central Coast by giving two lucky beer lovers the chance to brew their very own batch of Bluetongue with three of their mates.
Late July saw Jennifer Hawkins tasting the very first bottle to come off the packaging line at the Bluetongue Brewery, and is looking forward to sharing the freshest beer possible with Australians in the lead up to this Summer through the “Taste to Win” competition.
Pieta Jordan, Bluetongue Marketing Manager said, “The new Bluetongue Brewery has been engineered for taste and quality, which results in that brewery-fresh great taste. Bluetongue beer lovers understand that the best tasting beer is always the freshest beer. It became obvious to us that we should give our consumers the chance to see and experience the level of sophistication and care we put into every brew of Bluetongue – and provide them with the opportunity to taste beer as the brewers do; fresh from the tank. Every brew of Bluetongue is brewed with three different types of hops to deliver that perfect balance of flavour, aroma and finish so I have no doubt that they will jump at the chance to come to the brewery and brew their very own signature Bluetongue”.
The Bluetongue “Taste to Win” promotion will be running between October to December in bottle shops nationally along with supporting promotions at selected licences premises. The competition will give two Bluetongue winners and three of their mates the opportunity to visit the new Bluetongue Brewery at Warnervale and brew their very own batch of Bluetongue which will be bottled with a personalised label.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience will include;
- flights for four from their nearest capital city to Newcastle;
- two nights’ accommodation; and
- $2000 spending money for the major prize winner
For a chance to win the Ultimate Brewing Experience Bluetongue drinkers need only purchase a 6pk or case (for 4 chances to enter) of Bluetongue Premium Lager and SMS or go online to www.bluetongue.com.au/tastetowin to enter their unique code found inside each 6-pack to enter the draw.
Related Posts:
Bluetongue Warnervale first taste
Bluetongue Brewery starts production
Tags: Bluetongue, Bluetongue Brewery, lager, Warnervale
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Saturday, August 28th, 2010
Last Tuesday night saw the latest quarterly Brewshare event at The Localtaphouse in Darlinghurst. The set style for the night was Indian Pale Ales (IPA) with 21 entries and 5 more in the nights ‘open class’.
Sydney water had a bit of mishap with a water main bursting down the road in Moore Park leaving the pub without water. This caused all in attendance to turn to beer for their hydration but with so many fantastic brews on offer this was hardly a punishment. The beauty of the event is it brings a such a wide variety of homebrewers together with a wide range of skillsets and experience to together to talk shop and enjoy each others work.
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Tags: brewing, brewshare, homebrew, The Local Taphouse
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