# Vb Disaster!



## bconnery (4/7/07)

VB is to have it's alcohol content slashed by 0.1%

Oh the horror, the horror...

To calm the fears that are surely racing through your mind, the article assures us "Master brewers to ensure VB 'tastes the same' "...

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22014231-2,00.html


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## Enerjex (4/7/07)

ahhhhh this is the last thing i need at the moment! i hope they adjust the caustic soda amount to balance with the lower amount of malt used.


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## dial90 (4/7/07)

Give it a few years and it will end up like Bud and Miller 

Not that I really care about VB, but this is further indication that the tax on beer needs to be overhauled as it has been in the wine industry. Should make an election issue out of who is going to make beer cheaper.


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## 3GumsBrewing (4/7/07)

Mmmmuuuuhahahhhhaaaaaa.

Nearly spat my coffee out when I read this little gem -


> "It certainly doesn't affect the taste, which is very important to our VB drinkers,"



A great start to the morning, love a good laugh.


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## Lukes (4/7/07)

*"The taste will stay exactly the same. Our master brewers have done a lot of work to make sure of that." 
 
*


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## DJR (4/7/07)

Thus proving that to the big guys it's about money, not producing a consistently good product, not that VB was a good product anyway


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## warrenlw63 (4/7/07)

Lukes said:


> *"The taste will stay exactly the same. Our master brewers have done a lot of work to make sure of that."
> 
> *



Aha!! So they'll sparge the dog twice now. :lol: 

Warren -


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## Doc (4/7/07)

Heard this on the bus radio this morning.
Mentioned to my wife that this is the result of letting accountants run the brewery and bad tax laws for breweries. The tag line of their will be know change in taste as hilarious. There is no taste to change 

From memory though they have steadily been reducing the alcohol content for the last five years anyway. Maybe their interim attempt was VB Mid in the hope that would take market share from VB and save them money.

Doc


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## chimera (4/7/07)

...pointing out to ones spouse the downside of allowing an accountant to run a brewery!

the sweet irony!


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## lucas (4/7/07)

bwahahaha... OMG, it's a DISASTER!!


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## danbeer (4/7/07)

OH NOES!   

They're changing something in VB!

It is the end of the world! 
(Well, according to the news.com article anyway...  )




I had a quiet chuckle when I saw the article - like 99.999% of VB drinkers would be able to tell the difference without being told! :blink: 

They have already reduced the Alc% in most of their other mega swill beers over the last few years...

Goes to show what a marvelous triumph of marketing over substance VB is.


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## Tseay (4/7/07)

Call to arms- get on the news limited web site and promote the craftbrew/homebrew flag via the comments section


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## danbeer (4/7/07)

First thing i did was look at the readers comments section - interestingly, mostly negative comments about what a crap beer VB is....


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## vb4eva (4/7/07)

this is a really sad day 

my all time favourite beer is going down the drain slowly 

you guys are way too cruel. it's not a bad beer really...


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## 3GumsBrewing (4/7/07)

vb4eva said:


> this is a really sad day
> 
> my all time favourite beer is going down the drain slowly
> 
> you guys are way too cruel. it's not a bad beer really...




hahaha........ wait :excl: ...... are you serious?


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## FazerPete (4/7/07)

vb4eva said:


> this is a really sad day
> 
> my all time favourite beer is going down the drain slowly
> 
> you guys are way too cruel. it's not a bad beer really...


Are you some kind of Foster's stooge or something? :blink: Maybe it's time to change your all time favourite to something that actually tastes like beer <_<


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## petesbrew (4/7/07)

DK said:


> hahaha........ wait :excl: ...... are you serious?



I've got to admit, as much as I can't stand the stuff now, it holds a nostalgic value for me. 
I mean, who didn't drink it as a young un? After all, it's where I got my cast iron stomach from...

(wipes tear from eye, while remembering the good ol' days)


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## Phrak (4/7/07)

petesbrew said:


> I mean, who didn't drink it as a young 'un?


 Pete, never-ever liked the stuff personally.
I can honestly say I've only drunk it when it's been free, there's _absolutely_ nothing else to drink or when it's been rude to refuse someone else's "favourite" beer. i.e. When courting my missus and her father offered me a WeeB. (I have since turned him and my Brother-in-Law off WeeB, and into craft-beer drinkers :beerbang: )

Interestingly enough, the FIL & BIL both have said that lately, VB makes them feel bloated, gives them the runs and tastes different (worse) of the last couple of years.


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## petesbrew (4/7/07)

Phrak said:


> Pete, never-ever liked the stuff personally.
> I can honestly say I've only drunk it when it's been free, there's _absolutely_ nothing else to drink or when it's been rude to refuse someone else's "favourite" beer. i.e. When courting my missus and her father offered me a WeeB. (I have since turned him and my Brother-in-Law off WeeB, and into craft-beer drinkers :beerbang: )
> 
> Interestingly enough, the FIL & BIL both have said that lately, VB makes them feel bloated, gives them the runs and tastes different (worse) of the last couple of years.



Actually I always though it was rough as guts, but drank it anyway, till my first taste of OLD. 

On that other note, an old girlfriend's dad once offered me a homebrew. From the taste of it I reckon an old footy sock was used as filtration, or a hop sock? Drinking it with a polite smile was one hell of a struggle.


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## Pyssedas Heavy Industrial (4/7/07)

We at Pyssedas say that their argument that the price is based on CPI increases is economic lunacy - we have written to them [letter can be found over here - http://www.pyssedas.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=205 ] and intend to write to the Reserve Bank and the Federal Treasurer this afternoon!

Sadly, as usual, we do not expect a reply to our letters...


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## AngelTearsOnMyTongue (4/7/07)

Thank god Theyre only lowering the Alc content. I thought you were going to say they were going to reduce the Formaldehyde content!!!!!

God preserve us!

ATOMT


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## Screwtop (4/7/07)

WAIT FOR IT!!!

As soon as sales stats are in after 3 months, if the lower alcohol product has been accepted - THEY'LL JACK THE PRICE UP TOO!


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## Duff (4/7/07)

And it's continuing to cop an absolute flogging in the reader's comments, haha


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## capretta (4/7/07)

Screwtop said:


> As soon as sales stats are in after 3 months, if the lower alcohol product has been accepted - THEY'LL JACK THE PRICE UP TOO!



nice call screwtop! totally agree..


This is the final straw, the last excuse i needed to permanently move to drinking CARLTON COLD!! :blink:


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## jimmyjack (4/7/07)

> This is the final straw, the last excuse i needed to permanently move to drinking CARLTON COLD!!


 Carlton Cold, Id be switching companies :lol: 


yea yea I know I couldnt help myself

Cheers, JJ


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## Tseay (4/7/07)

The story on the news web site is up to a 103 comments and counting. Anyone care to post a recipe in the comments section for our friends at CUB to clone. Pity we can't post the photo of the dog.


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## Keifer (4/7/07)

Thats so laughable at the disaster bit!

Then this made me laugh as well, in the replies to the story:



_Step 1. Buy a slab of VB. Step 2. Buy a slab of James Squire. Step 3. Use the VB to remove oil stains from your driveway. Step 4. Slake your 'hard-earned thirst' with the Squire.

Posted by: Geoff Saunders 2:48pm today _


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## Weizguy (4/7/07)

Enerjex said:


> ahhhhh this is the last thing i need at the moment! i hope they adjust the caustic soda amount to balance with the lower amount of malt used.


ah, yes the malt...I almost forgot that it was in there.

At first I thought that they (CUB) wouldn't save much money by decreasing the amount of alcohol by 0.1% , as that dosn't equate to much cane sugar, but I can see much more savings if the malt is decreased.
How ignorant of me.

At least Foster's is just as delicious as it always was </sarcasm>.

(not quite) beerz
Seth


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## Tyred (4/7/07)

I find it amazing the number of people who are bagging the beer. Lower the alcohol content and raise the price at the same time. Sounds like a beancounter decision to me.

Is it any wonder that people are switching to other beers that have taste.


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## Duff (4/7/07)

This comment is absolute gold.

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Yeah, I dont drink VB anymore. It's overrated. I drink Pure Blonde. Much better. 

Posted by: Paul of Sydney 2:26pm today 
Comment 105 of 111

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:lol:


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## xknifepointx (4/7/07)

The alcohol content of high-selling Australian beer Victoria Bitter will be cut slightly in a move that will save brewer Foster's up to $20 million a year in tax payments.

News Limited on Wednesday reported the alcohol content of the iconic Melbourne-brewed beer would be cut from 4.9 per cent to 4.8 per cent to cut the amount of excise Foster's pays on the beer it brews.
ADVERTISEMENT

Foster's spokesman Ben Wicks said the change would not affect the taste of the beer.

"It certainly doesn't affect the taste, which is very important to our VB drinkers. The taste will stay exactly the same. Our master brewers have done a lot of work to make sure of that," he told News Limited.

Industry analyst Mark Bowles said the "significant saving" the brewer would make would be re-invested into the brand, particularly its mid-strength VB variety and its annual summer promotion involving collectible figurines.

"Our estimate would be that they could save potentially between $10 million and $20 million," he said.

The lower-alcohol Victoria Bitter would arrive in shops next month.

But the price of Foster's beers was set to rise next month, based on CPI and increased production costs.



I can't believe they are putting the price UP, its already near $40 a case of the crap.


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## Pyssedas Heavy Industrial (4/7/07)

As promised we have now written to the Reserve Bank and the Federal Treasurer about the price hike too!

check here - http://www.pyssedas.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=207


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## jimmylt (4/7/07)

Duff said:


> And it's continuing to cop an absolute flogging in the reader's comments, haha


I don't think CUB will give a toss what a few readers in a news columns comments section, or a home brewers online forum, say. We all know (including CUB) that they are still gonna sell truck loads of the stuff.
I don't mind the stuff.


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## sinkas (4/7/07)

FazerPete said:


> Are you some kind of Foster's stooge or something? :blink: Maybe it's time to change your all time favourite to something that actually tastes like beer <_<




What happended to vb4eva's post?


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## Phrak (4/7/07)

sinkas said:


> What happended to vb4eva's post?


Nuthin, it's post #14.


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## Duff (4/7/07)

jimmylt said:


> I don't think CUB will give a toss what a few readers in a news columns comments section, or a home brewers online forum, say. We all know (including CUB) that they are still gonna sell truck loads of the stuff.
> I don't mind the stuff.



Good on you.


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## Enerjex (4/7/07)

I don't think the price rise is a good idea. If they're saving 20mil on dropping the alcohol 0.1% why are they going for the cash grab and upping the price too. To me it sounds like cost of production just went down 20 million not up. Another point is that I bought a slab of vb 3 months ago for a BBQ and it cost me $41. Now that's a F'ing joke, vb isnt a $40+ beer. You can find it occasionally at 2 for $62 but that's a rarity. The recent $6-7 per slab price rise (over the last 3 years) may be the governments fault, but fosters should look at what the beer is costing the consumer. 

One thing I know for sure is that I can go to almost any bottle shop and they'll have something like heineken, becks, cascade, coopers in an on special pile for under $40, not to mention boags draught (isn't awesome but is a lot better than vb for a swill beer) is usually around $34, and Amsterdam is plain but a lot better than VB and is $29 a slab.... I know what i'll be drinking.

Geez what a rant.


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## winkle (4/7/07)

Gee, I hope it doesn't affect the delicious rusty metallic tang in the lingering finish


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## DarkFaerytale (5/7/07)

Duff said:


> This comment is absolute gold.
> 
> ----------
> 
> ...



it's good for you too! low in carbs! 

i'm speachless when i hear people talk about pure blonde, how do you tell people it's not that good without hurting there feelings and making them go back to drinking something worse 

-Phill


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## Slurpdog (5/7/07)

Duff said:


> This comment is absolute gold.
> 
> ----------
> 
> ...



That is ABSOLUTE GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Lukes (5/7/07)

If they save 20 mil on 0.1 % that means with a little early morning maths the other 4.8 % is worth $960,000,000 to the A.T.O.  
Please correct me if im wrong but a mill or two on advertising and marketing is chicken feed to C.U.B's VB tax bill.

Here is one more pic of *THE WET DOG* that the A.T.O. and Australia love so much more than most of the members here...






- Luke


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## Pyssedas Heavy Industrial (5/7/07)

Our final letter to CUB re the theological implications of their price hike is now available over with the other ones - the true significance of 4.8 is revealed to the world for the first time!


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## peas_and_corn (5/7/07)

Comment 53 is fantastic-

This is just another example of Unions getting involved with the all womens government party that debates whether gays should get married and if God really exists. I have had enough. I say no to Prince William or anyone else being GG. I say no to Channel 9 hosting the football. I say no to no! Hey, when did VB start making beer?

Posted by: Bov of Adelaide 10:33am July 04, 2007
Comment 53 of 120


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## Tseay (5/7/07)

Now the vineards are chasing the disgruntled VB brewers.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22021677-2,00.html


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## peas_and_corn (5/7/07)

As long as there's more good quality beer on the market, it's a good thing


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## mikem108 (5/7/07)

"You can get it...reading an AHB post about VB changing"

I think I mentioned it before but we used to always get 2 slabs of VB on our band rider even when we tried to negotiate one slab of something better (back then it was some kind of imported lager) instead of 2 slabs of VB the venues would not relent. The trips back to the hotel were often spent hurling full cans of VB at various things at high speed and watching with glee as they explode :super: 

ahh the memories


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