# Australian Lost Beers



## Lilo (19/4/09)

Talking to me old bloke recently about beer (I am 42, he is 62). I grew up in Rockhampton, Central QLD, he Emerald CQ.

I was 12 Yrs old during the QLD beer strike but can remember it quite well. Since that, I can unfortunetleay remember through my formative years that beer came from Pubs that were Red (Castlemaine) or Blue(Carlton) Pubs.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...5008700,00.html

Can anyone remember this and more importantly can anyone remember the early breweries, their brews and their demise/ circumstances of the breweries which each town/city in Oz had years ago. What did our forefathers here drink, was it good/ bad and why did id dissapear...

Lilo

Love to try and replicate a few Oz beers from the early 20th Century if I could

Lilo


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## Screwtop (19/4/09)

Lilo said:


> Talking to me old bloke recently about beer (I am 42, he is 62). I grew up in Rockhampton, Central QLD, he Emerald CQ.
> 
> I was 12 Yrs old during the QLD beer strike but can remember it quite well. Since that, I can unfortunetleay remember through my formative years that beer came from Pubs that were Red (Castlemaine) or Blue(Carlton) Pubs.
> http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...5008700,00.html
> ...



Castlemaine beer came from Toowoomba when I grew up on the Darling Downs, the choices were Bulimba and Castlemaine beer, like you say Red and Blue pubs. The Toowoomba maltings used to smell soo good.

I remember my OM talking about Mac's brewery at Rockhampton, saying how bad their beer was during the war. Does your OM remember it. There was a Blue Pub in Allora in the 60's where XXXX drinkers would drink, story was that the lines were short and the beer was close to the taste of XXXX :lol: remember having a beer there with the FIL in the 70's and it was good (XXXX drinker at the time). Seem to remember white cans of death from Cairns too, think they were a CUB brewery.

Screwy


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## bradsbrew (19/4/09)

I remember a beer that had a white label it was called Pilsener i think was the only beer my mum would drink and everyone else said it was crap. Late 70s. Anyone remember that one/

Brad


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## Screwtop (19/4/09)

bradsbrew said:


> I remember a beer that had a white label it was called Pilsener i think was the only beer my mum would drink and everyone else said it was crap. Late 70s. Anyone remember that one/
> 
> Brad




How could I forget Bulimba Pilsener, my OM's staple diet. Also how about Ballarat Bertie, my brother talks about that beer he lives at Linton near Ballarat.

Screwy


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## Bribie G (19/4/09)

In Queensland, Bulimba brewery moved to a location on the city side of the Story Bridge and were taken over by Carlton in the 1970s where they brewed Carlton Draught, Bulimba Gold Top beer and Pilsener. The Pilsener wasn't a bad drop and survived into the mid 1980s. The Brisbane version of Carlton Draught was very alpha hoppy compared to XXXX. (edit and extremely pale as well, about the colour of a modern blonde, prolly just a pale base malt plus a heap of cane sugar)

In the early 80s Gold Coast Businessman Bernie Power opened a big modern brewery at Yatala between Bris and the GC and the beers were very nice indeed, the main Powers Bitter was a more hoppy version of XXXX. CUB stomped all over them, bought them out, moved their brewery there and demolished the Story Bridge site and sold it off for high rise units. There is still a large hoarding there advertising Fosters brands. A few times a year Fosters issue Powers Gold in 30 can blocks for about a buck a can. Tragic.

CUB had breweries at Cairns and Darwin (Darwin Stubbies). They are both gone. CUB kept Cairns Draught going (Yatala Brewed) till about 2003 then killed it off. 

Mac's beers at Rockhampton died in the late 60s. My father in law remembers wooden casks on bars with wet towels draped over them.

I think one of the real tragedies in the last twenty years has been the disappearance of Tooths beers.

IMHO one of the reasons we are more advanced in home brew compared to the UK and Europe is that there, you can walk out of the door and get a hundred beers. Here we are now down to about ten national brews on tap. Hence the rise of the micros, and our own HB community.


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## BEC26 (19/4/09)

I remember Powers, and Brewers ( I think Chuck hahn had something to do with this) stubbies in the 80's

Never bought a Powers as they sponsored the broncos back then, bur brewers wasn't too bad.

I still long for Tommy Raudonikis and "Sydney Something" beer that came out around that time as well.

I remember it being marketed as "bang for buck" which t was. Don't remember the taste though.

anyone recall what the name of the beer was?? Google didn't help.

Cheers
Bruce


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## warrenlw63 (20/4/09)

I went to school virtually a stone's throw from the long defunct Courage brewery in Barry Rd. Campellfield. The smell is still quite familiar. I remember my dad and most of his mates preferring Courage Crest not because it was better but because you got an additional 250ml (they came in 1 litre bottles) for the same price. By all accounts the Courage beers were virtually identical to the CUB stuff at the time.

I get a real sense of deja vu when I boil with POR in my kettle. 

Warren -


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## white.grant (20/4/09)

BEC26 said:


> I remember Powers, and Brewers ( I think Chuck hahn had something to do with this) stubbies in the 80's
> 
> Never bought a Powers as they sponsored the broncos back then, bur brewers wasn't too bad.
> 
> ...



Sydney Bitter? Was one of the first beers I tried as an underage drinker at the Prince of Wales C1981. I don't remember the flavour so much but the brand didn't last very long.

cheers

grant


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## Screwtop (20/4/09)

How about Eumundi Lager, the brewery opened in the Imperial Hotel Eumundi about 1988. Remember the beer taking off in popularity, hard to believe it came and went so fast, bought out and closed down, now made at Yatala.


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## gap (20/4/09)

Grantw said:


> Sydney Bitter? Was one of the first beers I tried as an underage drinker at the Prince of Wales C1981. I don't remember the flavour so much but the brand didn't last very long.
> 
> cheers
> 
> grant



Sydney Bitter was brewed by Chuck Hahn in the early 1980's.

Regards

Graeme


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## Millet Man (20/4/09)

Screwtop said:


> How could I forget Bulimba Pilsener, my OM's staple diet. Also how about Ballarat Bertie, my brother talks about that beer he lives at Linton near Ballarat.
> 
> Screwy


The Ballarat Brewing Co. was bought out by CUB in the 50's and and closed down in the late 80's, Ballarat Bitter (Bertie) is now only made occasionally to keep the IP - same probably goes for Richmond lager and Power's brands.

Cheers, Andrew.


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## Lilo (20/4/09)

Screwtop said:


> Castlemaine beer came from Toowoomba when I grew up on the Darling Downs, the choices were Bulimba and Castlemaine beer, like you say Red and Blue pubs. The Toowoomba maltings used to smell soo good.
> 
> I remember my OM talking about Mac's brewery at Rockhampton, saying how bad their beer was during the war. Does your OM remember it. There was a Blue Pub in Allora in the 60's where XXXX drinkers would drink, story was that the lines were short and the beer was close to the taste of XXXX :lol: remember having a beer there with the FIL in the 70's and it was good (XXXX drinker at the time). Seem to remember white cans of death from Cairns too, think they were a CUB brewery.
> 
> Screwy




OM Remembers Macs well. Brewery was on the River Bank at the bottom end of Quay st, right on the old Wharves. Can't describe taste or compare it to anything now.


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## Bribie G (20/4/09)

Yes Eumundi brewery, I'd forgotten about that. Unfortunately it opened at the wrong time and was a victim of "the recession we had to have". It was a very nice drop with some real hops in it. I haven't seen it around for yonks, might try a six pack if I see it again. It was briefly brewed by Powers at Yatala but then Fosters acquired the rights and leased them on to Castlemaine Perkins. The agreement expired last year and I wonder if Eumundi is still available. However I'll try it and report :icon_cheers: 

Old report here:

linky

Actually that 'Australian Beers' website appears to be an abandoned one from at least 5 years ago and has some interesting beers that are already Australian Lost Beers like Hahn Vienna Red and XXXX Thirsty Dog wheat beer. Interesting if somewhat sad.


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## MHB (20/4/09)

You got me trolling the memory banks, if I recall correctly back around WW2 there was a small brewery in Rocky called Mack's. From what I hear you might not want to replicate their beer. 

If you want info of history of breweries in Australia you could contact

Dr Brett J. Stubbs 
School of Environmental Science and Management 
Southern Cross University 
P.O. Box 157 
LISMORE. NSW. Australia. 2480 

E. [email protected] 

He does brewery history for a living, bummer of a job. 

MHB

PS
I see BrinieG mentioned Macks he knows more than me on this one vague recolections at best.
M


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## Bribie G (20/4/09)

1979 label: 





So CUB took them over, closed them down, kept the brand going for a while then dumped it. Usual story. Bastards


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## tdack (20/4/09)

Millet Man said:


> The Ballarat Brewing Co. was bought out by CUB in the 50's and and closed down in the late 80's, Ballarat Bitter (Bertie) is now only made occasionally to keep the IP - same probably goes for Richmond lager and Power's brands.
> 
> Cheers, Andrew.



They brewed a batch in either 2004 for the commissioning of HMAS Ballarat or in 2006 when HMAS Ballarat spent had a week of "Community Engagement" in Ballarat - the Navy doing odd jobs for local community projects. There was a freedom of entry march and the ship now have Ballarat Bertie as their unofficial mascot, complete with a replica of him that gets put on the bridge roof for ceremonial harbour entries.

We got a few cases onboard, wasn't anything to write home about, better than the VB tins though.


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## Leigh (20/4/09)

One of the older in-laws always says Richmond Bitter, Richmond Lager and Ballarat Bitter were 10 times better than anything on the market today. 

He also talks about Courage Stout? He says it was the thickest, strongest stout around, and was true to its name in that only the Courageous drank it LOL

He always yarns about them becoming more like VB and Melbourne Bitter over time after they had been bought out by or merged with CUB.


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## Bribie G (20/4/09)

OK now you've got me going  . This site is gold: linky and will keep you going for hours.

A few samples:













Wouldn't you love to have a can of no. 8 .... on second thoughts maybe not <_<


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## jivesucka (26/10/10)

i wouldn't mind a tooheys 2.2 right about now, LOL!


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## Hatchy (26/10/10)

I could go a Thomas Coopers. 1 of my mates found a bottle shop that had a pallet of it that we were still drinking over 6 months after they stopped making it. I've still got a full stubby of it in my collection.


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## Dazza_devil (26/10/10)

Leigh said:


> One of the older in-laws always says Richmond Bitter, Richmond Lager and Ballarat Bitter were 10 times better than anything on the market today.



My father still raves about a beer called Richmond Tiger, best beer he's ever tasted. I've never heard a mention of it anywhere else, I wonder if it is associated with the Ricmond Beers you mention.


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## Muggus (26/10/10)

My old man always rambles on about Hunter Old. How it use to be absolutely amazing...like Tooheys Old, but way better...rah rah rah...
Continually get requests from him to brew it, but I haven't the slightest clue where to begin...Tooheys Old clone!?


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## HarryB (26/10/10)

Muggus said:


> My old man always rambles on about Hunter Old. How it use to be absolutely amazing...like Tooheys Old, but way better...rah rah rah...
> Continually get requests from him to brew it, but I haven't the slightest clue where to begin...Tooheys Old clone!?



probably just a tooheys old clone, without the "modern commercial beer"-style ingredients list (i.e. use real hops and no sugar)


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## Screwtop (26/10/10)

Some long gone QLD'ers











My brother lived in Balllarat, he used to talk about Ballarat Bertie ???? Victorians, anyone??

Screwy


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## haysie (26/10/10)

I recall the Richmond beers being a CUB product.
Bertie from Ballarat? someone will google up sumthin.

edit> i miss the tough long necks.


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## winkle (26/10/10)

Screwtop said:


> Some long gone QLD'ers
> 
> View attachment 41678
> 
> ...



I've got a can of Bertie here if you want it Screwy, done as a special batch a few years ago :icon_cheers:


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## MarkBastard (26/10/10)

Does anyone have any high res scans of old beer posters like that one screwtop posted?


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## Shed101 (26/10/10)

Screwtop said:


> My brother lived in Balllarat, he used to talk about Ballarat Bertie ???? Victorians, anyone??
> 
> Screwy



Sounds a bit like:

"... Burlington Bertie, i'm short fat and dirty,
My college portrays my high class! (High class!)
I walk down the Strand with my cock in my hand and I wave it at kings as I pass!"

Back OT ...

Anyone remember any of these?


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## Bribie G (26/10/10)

Time for some  :icon_cheers:


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## brett mccluskey (26/10/10)

Screwtop said:


> Some long gone QLD'ers
> 
> View attachment 41678
> 
> ...


Ballarat Bertie was a character they used on their labels,etc An old,thin fella,wearing an apron ,moustache,specs,holding up a glass of beer :drinks:


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## Screwtop (26/10/10)

BribieG said:


> Time for some  :icon_cheers:





That was how it was :lol: Arm out the window of the EJ indicating a right turn, leaves the window down and the car unlocked to go into the bottlo (no drivethroughs) and the nice newly packaged six packs were kept in a fridge without glass doors :lol:



> I've got a can of Bertie here if you want it Screwy, done as a special batch a few years ago



Thanks, but hang onto it Perry, will have a squiz sometime.

Screwy


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## Shed101 (26/10/10)

BribieG said:


> Time for some  :icon_cheers:




That's hillarious! Imagine what he would have thought about a twist-off cap


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## Screwtop (26/10/10)

Shed101 said:


> Anyone remember any of these?




Haha love em..........That's it, my next stout is going to be named Gooleys :lol:

Screwy


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## Shed101 (26/10/10)

Screwtop said:


> Haha love em..........That's it, my next stout is going to be named Gooleys :lol:
> 
> Screwy



Oooh, I bet that fella's got Stout Gooleys!


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## trg (26/10/10)

Anyone from Adelaide remember Kent Town Ale? I remember it being a good alternative to Coopers about 20 years ago


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## haysie (26/10/10)

BribieG said:


> Time for some  :icon_cheers:





Where do find this stuff BG? That was great, the "i got it now" tune. Excellent :icon_cheers:


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## haysie (26/10/10)

trg said:


> Anyone from Adelaide remember Kent Town Ale? I remember it being a good alternative to Coopers about 20 years ago



The best part of Adelaide 25 years ago,, were the early openers...... the beer label didnt matter to us non priveleged Victorians who didnt know of such thing.


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## adam (26/10/10)

Muggus said:


> My old man always rambles on about Hunter Old. How it use to be absolutely amazing...like Tooheys Old, but way better...rah rah rah...
> Continually get requests from him to brew it, but I haven't the slightest clue where to begin...Tooheys Old clone!?


I didn't know you couldn't still get it. I seem to remember various pubs in NSW serving Black (tooheys old) and/or Brown (hunter old) - they were referred to by their colour.
Hunter old from memory was not as dark as tooheys but had more body and finished slightly sweeter - probably closer to a Newcastle brown ale.

Cheers, Adam


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## jayse (26/10/10)

A little off topic but to do with australian beer history heres an article  from brewnews which has a complete list of Australian brewery workers who have lost their lives on the job, good read. A few breweries here that even bribie would not remember.


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## Leigh (26/10/10)

Here's Ballarat Bertie:






He even has his own Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ballarat-Bertie/31913558364


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## Nick JD (26/10/10)

BribieG said:


> It's Will*A*mmette, d*A*mmit



Isn't it Willa*m*ette?


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## brett mccluskey (26/10/10)

Leigh said:


> Here's Ballarat Bertie:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Flickr is a good source for pics of labels,cans,posters,etc too :icon_cheers:


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## Batz (26/10/10)

I remember my OM drinking Coopers Gold Crown, living in Adelaide you drank West End, Southwark or Coopers.

He never did know I used to nick a bottle out of the fridge now and then :lol: 

Batz


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## crozdog (26/10/10)

adam said:


> I didn't know you couldn't still get it. I seem to remember various pubs in NSW serving Black (tooheys old) and/or Brown (hunter old) - they were referred to by their colour.
> Hunter old from memory was not as dark as tooheys but had more body and finished slightly sweeter - probably closer to a Newcastle brown ale.
> 
> Cheers, Adam



Brown was made by Tooths.

Black was made in Grafton. For some reason I thought it was also made somewhere in the Hunter too. (could be wrong 'bout that & maybe it was brown like you say)


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## BobtheBrewer (26/10/10)

BribieG said:


> OK now you've got me going  . This site is gold: linky and will keep you going for hours.
> 
> A few samples:
> 
> ...




You forgot to mention that Brisbane Bitter was more popularly known as Brisbane River!


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## fasty73 (26/10/10)

BribieG said:


> Time for some  :icon_cheers:



Isn't that the music they use for VB just a few years ago? "matter of fact I got it now" seems to ring a bell. 
NO NO it was Tooheys, " I feel like a Tooheys, I feel like a Tooheys or 2".


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## brett mccluskey (26/10/10)

crozdog said:


> Brown was made by Tooths.
> 
> Black was made in Grafton. For some reason I thought it was also made somewhere in the Hunter too. (could be wrong 'bout that & maybe it was brown like you say)


In 1971 Tooheys opened a new brewery in Cardiff,Newcastle.Called the Hunter Brewery. Maybe what you're thinking of?


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## gap (26/10/10)

toper1 said:


> In 1971 Tooheys opened a new brewery in Cardiff,Newcastle.Called the Hunter Brewery. Maybe what you're thinking of?




And it was called Tooheys Hunter Old . The Tooheys Old sold now is a very poor impersonation of 
Hunter Old. I used to have friends bring back cartons of it when they went to the vinevards to buy wine.

Regards

Graeme


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## Leigh (4/4/11)

Doing some important work today, and stumbled across this ripper website

http://www.vblcs.com/

Now if only some of these labels/beers could be raised from the dead!


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## gregs (4/4/11)

Batz said:


> I remember my OM drinking Coopers Gold Crown, living in Adelaide you drank West End, Southwark or Coopers.
> 
> He never did know I used to nick a bottle out of the fridge now and then :lol:
> 
> Batz



When I was 14 or 15 years old my mates and I discovered the stash of an alco, it was a single garage unit half full of beer, although I was allowed the odd wine or beer back then, we took advantage of the poor bugger and knock off his beer over that summer at a couple of bottles at a time. It was the Pilsner in the silver label that everyone called silver bullets at the time, Reaches, I think. And its not that old I guess.

I still feel bad about it today but we did have some fun.

gregs.


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## brett mccluskey (4/4/11)

gregs said:


> When I was 14 or 15 years old my mates and I discovered the stash of an alco, it was a single garage unit half full of beer, although I was allowed the odd wine or beer back then, we took advantage of the poor bugger and knock off his beer over that summer at a couple of bottles at a time. It was the Pilsner in the silver label that everyone called silver bullets at the time, Reaches, I think. And its not that old I guess.
> 
> I still feel bad about it today but we did have some fun.
> 
> gregs.


I've been lookin' for you a long time, young fella :lol: You owe me a few :drinks:


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## manticle (4/4/11)

gregs said:


> When I was 14 or 15 years old my mates and I discovered the stash of an alco, it was a single garage unit half full of beer, although I was allowed the odd wine or beer back then, we took advantage of the poor bugger and knock off his beer over that summer at a couple of bottles at a time. It was the Pilsner in the silver label that everyone called silver bullets at the time, Reaches, I think. And it's not that old I guess.
> 
> I still feel bad about it today but we did have some fun.
> 
> gregs.



You robbed a hobo?

You remember the first infection you ever had? That was him getting revenge.


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## Greg.L (4/4/11)

Years ago I was renovating an old weatherboard house. Under the lino were some old newspapers from the twenties. There were classified ads that had a listing called "breweries". Every major regional centre had its own brewery listed, because transport was too expensive in those days - cheaper to brew it where the people were than transport it around the state. I think it was after ww2 that the consolidation of breweries really got under way.

I remember in the 60s and 70s each state still had their own brands - some bottle shops would "import" fosters and VB from victoria, people wanted to taste exotic interstate brews. It was only in the 80s that the quality of aussie mainstream beer really hit rock bottom, hence the popularity of home brew and boutique breweries.

Greg


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## gregs (4/4/11)

manticle said:


> You robbed a hobo?
> 
> You remember the first infection you ever had? That was him getting revenge.




He drove a Mercedes Benz.


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## gregs (4/4/11)

toper1 said:


> I've been lookin' for you a long time, young fella :lol: You owe me a few :drinks: View attachment 45095



Did you drive a Mercedes?


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## manticle (4/4/11)

gregs said:


> He slept in a Mercedes Benz.



I bet you stole the bricks from underneath that too.


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## gregs (4/4/11)

manticle said:


> I bet you stole the bricks from underneath that too.




Well it was pretty bloody shinny. This guy also lived right on the beach in the Illawarra area south of Sydney. I do feel bad about it, but shit I was a kid.


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## brett mccluskey (4/4/11)

manticle said:


> You robbed a hobo?
> 
> You remember the first infection you ever had? That was him getting revenge.


 :lol:


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## manticle (4/4/11)

gregs said:


> shit I was a kid.



And I was kidding.


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## gregs (4/4/11)

manticle said:


> And I was kidding.




Hey I know you were kidding, but when I think back, I know it was the wrong thing to do. Can you believe at 51 years old I am still in contact with the mate who helped me and he loves the beer we brew in Bundy.

gregs.


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## bowie in space (4/4/11)

Is this what Reg Reagan drinks....or used to?


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## spaced (5/4/11)

Couple of pictures of some old qld breweries I stumbled over on google.

http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2008/10/06...land-breweries/


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## Lecterfan (5/2/12)

I couldn't decide which necro thread to conjur up - so I went with this as it was the most interesting...


I found a bottle of Ballarat bitter today that a friend of mine had put away in his shed. It is old and has been through several temperature changes. It is in a crown seal CUB bottle - presumably from the 2006 run (going from wikipedia - I know it's not from the most recent run...knowing this guy, a Western Vic farmer in his late 60's, he may well have had it left over from the late 80s...we found all sorts of crazy shit in that shed today).

Anyway, just thought I wold comment that this beer has aged amazingly well...in the fact that it tastes very little like Ballarat bitter as I know it. CUB drinkers would probably be horrified, but it has oxidised, got several shades darker and now has amazing sherry and caramel overtones with a slight sourness that simply didn't exist in the original (probably for good reason).

This is my first time experiencing a beer that has been aged as much as this and although I've consumed plenty of port, sherry and other fortified wines etc I had not, until now, experienced those characters in a beer. I am very happy. If I could leave the few remaining bottles of my "old ale" alone for a few years it would be fascinating to see what happens to them.

Sorry for O/T and the necro - just thought I'd share.


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## DU99 (5/2/12)

Even though the Hannans Brewery closed in 1982


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## humulus (5/2/12)

gregs said:


> Well it was pretty bloody shinny. This guy also lived right on the beach in the Illawarra area south of Sydney. I do feel bad about it, but shit I was a kid.


Wasnt in the Sutho Shire was it?????? h34r:


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## of mice and gods (26/12/13)

Maybe it's a bit morbid but I found that death by beer article posted a couple of pages back pretty interesting and did a bit more researching based on some of the info in the article (I filled in some names, dates and locations that were missing) and summarised it like this -

1855 - Patrick Doyle, suffocated when overcome by c02 at the brewery of Mr. J. L. Stewart, Hobart.
1862 - Hugh Cartwright, suffocated when overcome by c02 at Bonney's brewery, Campbell Town.
1876 - Thomas Mainwaring, scaled to death by boiling wort at Tooth's Brewery, Sydney.
1882 - David Hallahan, scalded to death by boiling liquor, Wahgunyah Brewery, Victoria.
1883 - Christopher Kuymiss, died as a result of severe scalding at the Kangaroo brewery, Hindmarsh.
1889 - Joseph Oddy, died of shock as a result of scalding at Mount Cook Brewery, Cooktown.
1891 - James Hickey, died as a result of scalding at West End Brewery, Brisbane.
1895 - Harry Lindsay, drowned in a vat of beer after being overcome by c02 at the Metropolitan Brewery, Melbourne.
1900 - James Kirby, scalded to death in boiling wort at the Esk Brewery, Launceston.
1903 - George Castle, drowned in a vat of stout after being overcome by c02 at the Walkerville Brewery, Adelaide.
1952 - Bernie Hanger & John Charlesworth, suffocated when overcome by c02 at Tooheys Brewery, Sydney.

(there are a couple ommitted from the article such as Mr Brown the plumber).

If you are interested in reading the source material I used here it is -

Mr Oddy - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/98486535?searchTerm=oddy%20%22mount%20cook%20brewery%22&searchLimits=l-availability=y|||l-format=Article
Patrick Doyle - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3334907
James Kirby - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/54456460
James hicky - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3535010#pstart537914
christopher kuymiss - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/43605638
William Mainwaring - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13384408
Hugh Cartwright - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/41454856
Bernie Hanger & Jophn Charlesworth - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/27529934

Al


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## of mice and gods (26/12/13)

So it seems like if your first name starts with J and your last name ends with Y.. you should take extra precaution when brewing!


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## O'Henry (26/12/13)

This link is about Camden Town Brewery in London, owner is the grandson of Macs owner. Maybe he has some info on the old beers they brewed.


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## Glot (26/12/13)

Last time I was in the Gold Coast casino, I couldn't even by a XXXX


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## TimT (26/12/13)

Thunder Road Brewerys - style themselves as craft brewers, though they apparently have some powerful financial backing - took on Carlton United in an interesting court case recently over the copyright of a number of old beer labels and names. Their argument was over whether CUB could legitimately hold on to some of the old labels and recipes given that they never intend to commercially use them, and just bring out very small runs occasionally to hold on to the name. Now, I think CUB won the case - though as with all legal cases it's all in the details, so the judgment might make interesting reading. But it did make a good point in challenging the CUB monopoly.

Not really a huge fan of the Thunder Road brews, I've got to say - the brews often seem a bit bland, and more about the label ('Collingwood Draught', 'Brunswick Bitter'). Though if it comes to a fight between them and CUB, I'll be cheering them on.

BTW - someone mentioned Richmond Tiger beer earlier. A competitor to the CUB beers in the 60s and 70s, I think. Some punters drank it religiously; Carlton gradually squeezed the Richmond-selling pubs out of the market - refused to do business with them. I can't remember the details, but it's outlined in Keith Dunstan's fine history of breweries in Australia, _The Amber Nectar_. Oh, and they beat us at footy this year too  Those buggers! :beerbang:


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## TimT (26/12/13)

Possibly CUB bought Richmond Tiger beer out in the end because I bought a six pack myself a few years ago at the Psarakos markets in Thornbury - and have never seen another lot since, there or elsewhere: another case of a label being bought and then only sold in limited runs to keep the copyright?


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## Bribie G (26/12/13)

Glot said:


> Last time I was in the Gold Coast casino, I couldn't even by a XXXX


What other beers were there? Some clubs have been "bought" by Fosters - last time I was in the Caloundra RSL it was all Fosters, and about 18 different beers on tap, that was quite impressive in its own megaswill way. Apart from the usual suspects like VB and Carlton Mid / Draught they had the full range such as Carlton Black, Carlsberg BUL, God knows how many Blondes and Lo Carbs and even Kilkenny and Guinness (although they are now gone to Lion). Star of the show was actually Cascade Full Strength Draught that I'd never seen on tap. Yes it seemed strange to be in a QLD club and no XXXX.


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## Bribie G (26/12/13)

No longer produced according to Wikipedia.


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## Brew Matt (26/12/13)

Southwalk Bitter still exists (though I haven't seen it about), and Southwalk Old Stout still exists, which is perhaps the kind of stout that people describe from the 'olden days'. I have a carton I am working through, and the Grafton Services Club would be one of the few venues that have it in the fridge within NSW - surprisingly the older patrons do not support it. Lion own it.


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## of mice and gods (26/12/13)

there's still life in the old thread yet!


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## Not For Horses (26/12/13)

My wife got me a book for Christmas. "the breweries of Australia A history".
I'm amazed and saddened by how many have closed doors or disappeared up the arsehole of CUB/LN.
I'd like to believe that we are working back to the days of locally produced and drunk beers.
Maybe even using locally produced malts ;-)


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## soundawake (26/12/13)

Brew Matt said:


> Southwalk Bitter still exists (though I haven't seen it about), and Southwalk Old Stout still exists, which is perhaps the kind of stout that people describe from the 'olden days'. I have a carton I am working through, and the Grafton Services Club would be one of the few venues that have it in the fridge within NSW - surprisingly the older patrons do not support it. Lion own it.


Yep I actually had a can of Southwark Bitter the other night when I visited a friend. And Southwark Old Stout is excellent - last year the brewery even kegged it for the first time in years, the Wheaty here in Adelaide got a keg and ran it through their glasshopper filled with Luwak coffee beans. It was amazing.

Those in SA and/or interested in SA's brewing history should get a copy of 'Beer Barons or Bankrupts - Early Brewers of South Australia' - http://www.brewsnews.com.au/2013/01/review-beer-barons-or-bankrupts-early-brewers-of-south-australia/ written by Alison Painter, who also authored the definitive history of Coopers, called A Jolly Good Ale and Old. Both EXCELLENT books if you love your beer history. I actually picked up my copy of Beer Barons or Bankrupts from Alison's house, she's a lovely lady.


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## Hangover68 (2/10/17)

thought i would bring this back to life after doing some reading on Courage Brewery Melbourne, watched the GF with a mate and he asked me if i wanted an old keg. Go out to the shed he hands me a keg of about 30-35ltrs which has Courage Brewery Melbourne F1904 around the top, it has a plastic adapter of some kind and hopefully i can get fittings to suit so i can use it.
It is stainless steel and made by Myttons who also made lpg tanks amongst other things.


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## koshari (3/10/17)

Hangover68 said:


> thought i would bring this back to life after doing some reading on Courage Brewery Melbourne, watched the GF with a mate and he asked me if i wanted an old keg. Go out to the shed he hands me a keg of about 30-35ltrs which has Courage Brewery Melbourne F1904 around the top, it has a plastic adapter of some kind and hopefully i can get fittings to suit so i can use it.
> It is stainless steel and *made by Myttons who also made lpg tanks amongst other things*.


and sinks, troughs and urinals!


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## Mardoo (3/10/17)

Hangover68 said:


> …he hands me a keg of about 30-35ltrs which has Courage Brewery Melbourne F1904 around the top, it has a plastic adapter of some kind and hopefully i can get fittings to suit so i can use it.


Can you post a photo of the adapter? I have one of those kegs too. Might help me in my quest to jerry-rig something.


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## Bribie G (3/10/17)

I can remember drinking Crest Lager in the mid 1970s in London where it was widely available in cans in Courage (parent brewery of course) pubs. 
Compared to Fosters that was actually a nice lager back then with a subtle hop flavour and excellent body, the Crest lager was pretty thin and hop-free.


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## jackgym (3/10/17)

We drank Crest Lager in Australia during the beer strike many years ago. Not a bad drop that I can remember.


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## Hangover68 (12/10/17)

Mardoo said:


> Can you post a photo of the adapter? I have one of those kegs too. Might help me in my quest to jerry-rig something.



Sure, will do on the weekend. Would be happy to be able to use it for either brewing or kegging, the mate that gave it to me gave me the challenge of filling it for our 50th's next year.


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## Hangover68 (14/10/17)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SkipnSCKznPpNebD2


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## Mardoo (15/10/17)

Awesome, thank you for doing that!


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## Hangover68 (15/10/17)

Mardoo said:


> Awesome, thank you for doing that!


No worries, hopefully can make something fit.


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## good4whatAlesU (16/10/17)

Not strictly Aussie but I like the advertisement blurb with this label..


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## Patrick8888 (7/12/18)

Screwtop said:


> How could I forget Bulimba Pilsener, my OM's staple diet. Also how about Ballarat Bertie, my brother talks about that beer he lives at Linton near Ballarat.
> 
> Screwy


I remember Qld 70s Pilsener well, in fact, digging it up was the reason I just signed up..I googled it, the red-gold 'Bulimba" image I found of label was like I remember, except I do not remember the 'Bulimba ' part...I assumed it was a CP brand beer, and as a fledgling drinker back then, I found that it was closest to my taste of all the then-local beers..it had a TV commercial... maybe it is on Youtube, but a white-haired man with heavy German accent would toast up a stein of Pilsner, and say 
_*"Von't you choin me, in a Pilsener!! " *_
Ja, that was for me, I liked or admired most things "Cherman" and if I was going to be a beer-swiller, it needed to be sophisticated Euro suds with a commercial like that....not the 4X, VB and Carlton Draught the Hoi-poloi ockers drank, lol..

when was it phased out?


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## jackgym (8/12/18)

My very first drink of beer was a Castlemaine XXXX tallie swigging with my Senior Scout mates in St George Square, Brisbane, one night long ago. XXXX has never tasted as good as that first drop, and never will now after brewing my own.


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## altone (8/12/18)

The coming of the 6 pack - Bulimba gold top



Long before I got to Australia but gotta love it.


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## Ballaratguy (9/12/18)

I’ve just read through the entire thread and enjoyed learning about the old brews. Wouldn’t it be great if there were any of these old recipes compiled for us to brew ourselves!
Ballarat Bertie
The Athletics Club Brewery in Ballarat (currently out of business but may reopen) made a brew that was based on a 1940’s Ballarat Bittter recipe. I got a six pack and gave it to my brother who only ever drank Ballarat Bitter when he was younger. He loved the Athletic version said it was very close to what he remembered


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## wide eyed and legless (9/12/18)

This guy was actually a pom, Sam Knott came out to try his luck in the gold fields, ended up working
McVeigh's hotel, Warburton.
Ballarat Bitter was made as a limited edition a couple of times by Carlton United Brewery.


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## Ballaratguy (9/12/18)

Actually Ballarat Bitter was brewed by its own company up until 1960’s/70’s
The brewery then operated u der the new owners (CUB) who shut down the brewery and sold the land th the Ballarat School of Mines which is now Federation Uni. The Ballarat Brewery offices are now part of the uni
I also know of a guy in Ballarat who has quite a lot of Ballarat Bitter stuff (including owning a couple of label copyrights


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## Holden4th (10/12/18)

So many locally based independent breweries of long ago with their own take on how beer should taste. Beers such as Tooth's, Kent, etc, which were either swallowed up (pun intended) by the big boys or just went out of business.

I remember when Powers came out and how it was so much better than Toohey's, VB, XXXX, etc. It's Yatala brewery was bought up by CUB and within a couple of years it ceased to exist. That's the way of the world now where mediocrity is the norm and why we home and craft brewers exist in ever increasing numbers.


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