# Grand Ridge Brewery Box Set



## Dazza_devil (4/2/10)

I decided to buy a box set of Grand Ridge Brewery beers at the recommendation of the shop attendant and it wasn't cheap. Upon searching for a best before date I came up with nothing, but the box is laced with pictures braggin' about AIBA awards, the latest being 2004. .

Here's my thoughts as I try them,

Natural Blonde - ruined my crumbed whiting and salad. Tasted stale but I finished it.

Brewers Pilsener - foul aftertaste. Amongst the worst beers I've ever tried. Only thing it had going for it was it had alcohol in it but give me pure diluted ethanol anytime.

Gippsland Gold - almost undrinkable and I've drank some crap in my time. Not worthy of further comment.

Yarra Valley Gold - I thought I tasted a hop initially not sure, this one is drinkable but has a metallic twang.

Nut Brown Ale - Shit, and has the same metallic twang. Now I'm gettin pissed off. I reckon the boys should pay these dickheads a visit.

Hatlifter Stout - Roasted shit. On the blowa. 



These beers are enough to put me off anything with a name that is remotely mountainous. How they ever won any awards leaves me disheartened with the industry. I'm hesitant in hitting the post button in the case that I may not be giving a fair review if this stuff is off, there's no date anywhere to be found but I don't think it's off, just really bad. I feel like a dickhead for buying it. 'World's Most Awarded Brewery', I think someone has some explainin to do. No Chemicals-No Preservatives-Fresh. Local.Pure. I'm just pleased they aren't Tasmanian. Perhaps it needs a few chemicals, the ones that make up a quality beer.


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## dig (4/2/10)

I have never understood why small guys would risk their reputation by putting unstable beer out into the trade. If you serve it up over your own bar, it stays cold, turns over quickly (one would hope) and you can keep an eye on it, but in warm bottles that languish on shelves for god knows how long, you're courting disaster.


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## Dazza_devil (4/2/10)

They wanna hope it does serve up more than OK over the bar.


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## dig (4/2/10)

That 'Most Awarded Brewery' thing is a throwback to the days when you could enter a beer as many times as you liked in as many or as few categories as you wished. GR were famous for their 'scatter gun' approach to the AIBA. Rules have changed now.


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## Dazza_devil (4/2/10)

Since when?


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## dig (4/2/10)

I don't know. Two or three years?


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## Dazza_devil (4/2/10)

Grrrrrrrr


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## Jeff Margrie (4/2/10)

Hay Boagsy, I met Eric Walters who owns Grand Ridge brewery at a farmers market some time back. He was there promoting their beers with free taste testing. I tried all and found them quiet nice.

Anyway a guy came up to him and complained about purchasing some of their beer from a bottle shop and said it tasted foul. Straight away Eric said what did you buy exactly. Then Eric handed him a replacement 6 pack. He also said from time to time this might happen as you don't know how long it might have been on the shelf. He said to me and a few other bloks that where taste testing, if it happens give them a call and they will send out a free replacement.

So may be you should give them a call, and see what happens.

Make more homebrew that way you don't have to buy commerical beer that can taste like crap.

Cheers WoolBrew :icon_cheers:


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## komodo (4/2/10)

I actually dont mind GRB beers at the brewery. I've made the trek a couple of times over from Inverloch as I like to go to the pub grab a bite then do the ridge road and come back to inverloch via yarram - a few good 4x4 trails out there too. Would I buy it in a bottle - no way every time ive had it out of a bottle I've nearly gagged on it. And this is before I started home brewing. I've read a few people have had similar experiance and I've read a few posts on here where more experianced members suggest they could have some fairly well know infection issues in their bottles/bottling


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## Dazza_devil (4/2/10)

WoolBrew said:


> Hay Boagsy, I met Eric Walters who owns Grand Ridge brewery at a farmers market some time back. He was there promoting their beers with free taste testing. I tried all and found them quiet nice.
> 
> Anyway a guy came up to him and complained about purchasing some of their beer from a bottle shop and said it tasted foul. Straight away Eric said what did you buy exactly. Then Eric handed him a replacement 6 pack. He also said from time to time this might happen as you don't know how long it might have been on the shelf. He said to me and a few other bloks that where taste testing, if it happens give them a call and they will send out a free replacement.
> 
> ...


No date on the bottles or package sounds like playin it safe to me. 
This is more than an ageing issue. I don't appreciate being led astray and free beer for a year wouldn't convince me otherwise.
I hope Eric has enough room up his arse for a sixpack.


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## zebba (5/2/10)

I've had a few of them but can only remember a couple. 

The Yarra Valley Gold is alright, but there are just too many other beers in that style that are better. You're bang on about the metallic aftertaste, I got that too.

The Moonshine (Scotch Ale) is a great drop. I found it similar to Orkney Breweries "Dark Island", but a little less roast and a *lot* more body (I found the Dark Island to be a quite thin on the mouthfeel). I'd say their Moonshine was the best of that style that I've had to date, although admittedly I've only tried a handful of scotch ales. Still, I would happily recommend it for people to try.


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## rosswill (5/2/10)

Boagsy said:


> I decided to buy a box set of Grand Ridge Brewery beers at the recommendation of the shop attendant and it wasn't cheap. Upon searching for a best before date I came up with nothing, but the box is laced with pictures braggin' about AIBA awards, the latest being 2004. .
> 
> Here's my thoughts as I try them,
> 
> ...



I got the same six pack from Dan's and had exactly the same experience. Not one was drinkable. I thought stale. I assumed you can rely on Dan's for turnover to keep the beer fresh.


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## peas_and_corn (5/2/10)

I had the same experience- there's a thread on AHB somewhere with my thoughts. I heard that the awards were won under a different head brewer, though I am not sure of the reliability of that info, since I am unsure where I heard it.


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## Dazza_devil (5/2/10)

That would be right, win an award then put a heap of crap out there with the medal stamped all over it.
There must be some sort of regulation about selling a beer that's won an award being the actual beer that's in the bottle you purchase.
Yeah this beer won an award in 2003 but since then we wouldn't give a shit what it tastes like as long as it sells.


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## bum (5/2/10)

rosswill said:


> I assumed you can rely on Dan's for turnover to keep the beer fresh.



Nope. Was talking to an employee of my local Dan's who said everything usually sits in some big central warehouse (think Bunnings) for ages before it goes out to stores.


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## peas_and_corn (5/2/10)

That's how chain stores work.


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## Swinging Beef (5/2/10)

I have never bought a mixed six pack of GR stuff, but all their beers I have bought as singles have been good.
The moonshine is excellent, and probably one of my top ten beers of all time.
I usually buy from our local bottle shop, and they are stored on the shelf, not in the fridge.


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## Count Vorlauf (5/2/10)

Dan's buys in huge quantities then lets is sit around. I've heard of pallets of beer roasting in Queensland parking lots. Buy from the brewery (if you can) or a local independent. They buy in smaller quantities and turn it over.



bum said:


> Nope. Was talking to an employee of my local Dan's who said everything usually sits in some big central warehouse (think Bunnings) for ages before it goes out to stores.


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## Dazza_devil (5/2/10)

This one came from the local bottlo and wasn't chilled when I bought it which was a day before I drank it.
Still have the foul taste in my mouth and I just ate a can of smoked oysters in BBQ sauce to try and drown it out. 
I'll let them know at the bottlo, count my losses and never again.


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## Pennywise (5/2/10)

I've had the Pilsner, Blonde, Gipsland Gold and the Moonshine, and to be quite honest the only one I'd ever buy again is the Moonshine, which is absolutly fantastic. The others leave alot to be desired


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## Murcluf (5/2/10)

The reviews I've heard in the past have been those bought from Dan's BWS etc have tasted pretty poor but those who have been to the brewery and tried it there said they are fine.

Unless the beers have a high rotation rate at a DM you play russian roulette with what you get. have had that issue with both local and imports. I've had some really good beers that taste foul from there.....


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## dig (5/2/10)

It's not Dan's at fault here. They don't open the bottles, contaminate them with wild yeast, acetobacter and, who knows, fecal coliform, and then re-crown the bottles. If the product is inherently dirty, like milk is, and therefor has a very limited shelf-life, like milk does, then treat it as such (keep cold, sell quickly) and for god's sake put a date code on it. 'Rank after...' would be a good one. Option 2 is to acquire the equipment and expertise to do the job properly, and option 3 is to cease and desist. 

I can see that I'm going to get in trouble here again for not supporting craft beer...


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## alowen474 (5/2/10)

dig said:


> It's not Dan's at fault here. They don't open the bottles, contaminate them with wild yeast, acetobacter and, who knows, fecal coliform, and then re-crown the bottles.



Who does that then?


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## zebba (5/2/10)

beerforal said:


> Who does that then?


I think he's saying that they DON'T do that, so those things are therefore already in there...


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## alowen474 (5/2/10)

Ahhh.
I don't think I'd like to see the bottling line then!!


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## Millet Man (5/2/10)

Not true in my experience Count.

We move a bit through Dan's warehouse's and for example they don't start stocking up for the Christmas rush until mid Nov to mid Dec, so only a month or so ahead (which they need to get it out to the stores). It may however sit in the store for a while if it's not moving of course, same for big guys or small independents. You're right though to buy from the brewery if you want if fresh as possible.



Count Vorlauf said:


> Dan's buys in huge quantities then lets is sit around. I've heard of pallets of beer roasting in Queensland parking lots. Buy from the brewery (if you can) or a local independent. They buy in smaller quantities and turn it over.


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## husky (5/2/10)

I picked up a box with 6 different brews straight from the brewery. All were quite good. Really liked their Lager so I will occasionally pick up a six pack from Dans and never had a problem. I believe Dans would turn beer over faster than most other platces that stock craft beer.
A guy at work has had a bad batch of gippsland gold from a smaller store. Sent them in to the brewery and they were sent 2 free slabs.


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## Dazza_devil (5/2/10)

I just received this response to querie I sent though the Grande Ridge website about a best before date and were it was.
This was sent before I consumed any of the products.


"The Grand Ridge Beers are produced naturally, without the use of any added
chemicals, preservatives or sugar and have a shelf life of 2years, though
the darker beers such as the Hatlifter Stout and particularly the Moonshine
& Supershine can be cellared for up to 5 years and will improve as they
vintage.

The requirement for labeling beer specifies that the best consumed date be
available for each batch, and this is recorded at the brewery, in the
distribution records and on the outer of each case an outlet receives.

To keep your beer at its best until ready to consume keep it in a cool dark
place and always avoid chilling, bringing back to room temp and chilling
again.

Thanks for supporting Grand Ridge! "

I cant find a thing anywhere on my box. Maybe it was on the box that the box was in. Regardless, I think it should be on the stubbies.
Looks as though everyone knows how old it is except the person consuming it.

Good excuse for a poor product that doesn't resemble the award winning beer, oh yeah it's probably a bit old.


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## dig (5/2/10)

Does it say anywhere "Treat like milk"?

Scharer's used to.


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## BrenosBrews (5/2/10)

dig said:


> Does it say anywhere "Treat like milk"?
> 
> Scharer's used to.



mmmmmm, coffee beer.


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## kahn (5/2/10)

I purchased one of the GR Box Sets from my local IGA last week for $20. I couldn't find a "best by date" on the box or bottles either.

I think GR does some ok beers, the moonlite being a great light alcohol beer and the Yarra Valley gold rates well with me. But the rest are pretty ordinary. And I think the price they go for, there is a lot better out there.


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## Dazza_devil (5/2/10)

I've replied to their email asking if they can give me a production date from the barcode number. From the taste it's around 6 years old and been stored in temps that vary from 4 to 40 degrees on a daily basis.
Haven't told them what I thought of the stuff yet though.


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## drsmurto (5/2/10)

Boagsy said:


> I've replied to their email asking if they can give me a production date from the barcode number. From the taste it's around 6 years old and been stored in temps that vary from 4 to 40 degrees on a daily basis.
> Haven't told them what I thought of the stuff yet though.



I may be completely ignorant of barcode technology but i would assume it is the same no matter what batch.

Otherwise every single place its sold that relies on a scanner would have to update their system each time a new batch came in. 

What you are better off providing them is where and when you bought it.


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## Dazza_devil (5/2/10)

You might be right there, I never thought of that.
I'm about to go in to the place of purchase, I'll see what I can get out of them redarding their stock before I take it up with the Brewery.


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## HoppingMad (5/2/10)

Have heard the bottling line theory before about Grand Ridge. Spoke to a few people outside the brewery who claim that their bottling process has something to do with the problem and that standards declined a bit after a head brewer left (after all those awards). Dunno if it's myth or reality, but something seems to be an ongoing issue for these guys (at store level or brewery) - shame they can't sort it out. 

Speculation and rumour aside, I'm yet to have a bad beer from there myself. Maybe I'm just lucky. Only ever bought singles though, and samples at events and markets.

Spoken to Eric from the brewery on a few occasions at some of these things and he's a decent enough guy.

Will be going to Beerfest at Grand Ridge later this month so I guess I'll be chugging the fresh stuff there. :icon_drunk: No box sets for me!

Hopper.


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## Kai (5/2/10)

Boagsy said:


> Since when?



Since 2004 maybe?


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## Dazza_devil (5/2/10)

It appears that the retailer doesn't deal with the brewery direct, the middle man and the brewery would be the only ones that know when the beer's best before date is. It's not really the breweries fault, it's mine for being friggin stupid enough to buy it.


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## Count Vorlauf (5/2/10)

Yep, barcodes don't tell you a thing about the production date. The only info encoded in there is the manufacturer and the name of the product.

The big supermarkets and bottle shops (one and the same these days) require pallet labels from the manufacturers that do include the "best by" date. How they would link that information to a six pack on their shelves is beyond me.





DrSmurto said:


> I may be completely ignorant of barcode technology but i would assume it is the same no matter what batch.
> 
> Otherwise every single place its sold that relies on a scanner would have to update their system each time a new batch came in.
> 
> What you are better off providing them is where and when you bought it.


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## Count Vorlauf (5/2/10)

This seems to be taking the thread in a whole different direction since it now turns out that the beer in question was purchased at an independent bottle shop, but...

My experience has been 2-4 big orders a year with no idea on the brewer's side where the beer is going and how it is being stored. I've seen craft beers on Dan's shelves with "use by" or "brewed on" dates that indicate the beer is a year old. 

Most small breweries struggle to keep one full time salesperson out there to keep an eye on how the product is turning over their local market, much less check in on stores from Queensland to Victoria to West Australia. The big retailers don't seem to perform this sort of diligence, leaving stale beers on the shelf too long. Smaller, independently owned stores generally seem to keep a better eye on their shelves and are quicker to ping the brewery if something isn't moving.

Unless a brewery is pasteurising its beer, and certainly if it is bottle conditioned, you are going to get issues after a while. These should really be limited to things like 'floaties', oxidation, other stale flavors rather than whatever seems to be going on here.

Agree that it's good practice to put a use by date or some other indication - not only for the consumer to make an informed decision, but also for the brewer to be able to trace back any issues that might pop up.






Millet Man said:


> Not true in my experience Count.
> 
> We move a bit through Dan's warehouse's and for example they don't start stocking up for the Christmas rush until mid Nov to mid Dec, so only a month or so ahead (which they need to get it out to the stores). It may however sit in the store for a while if it's not moving of course, same for big guys or small independents. You're right though to buy from the brewery if you want if fresh as possible.


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## dig (6/2/10)

> Unless a brewery is pasteurising its beer, and certainly if it is bottle conditioned, you are going to get issues after a while.


Not true. How many times have you had an 'off' LCPA or a White Rabbit? Both unpasterurised and bottle conditioned. There are very well understood principles involved here, and if brewers choose not to equip themselves with the gear and the skill set to do it properly, it makes me livid as a consumer. I've said this before (and had my head kicked for it), but I think that the best think that can happen to craft beer in Aust is for brewers of poor quality beer to go out of business. The equipment then gets recycled and hopefully ends up in the hands of a brewer that does have the skill to make good beer. The rise in imported craft beer to Australia suggest to me that consumers, you guys, now know the difference between good and bad. Twist the knife, finish the job, and put crappy craft beer to death by not buying it.


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## jbowers (6/2/10)

dig said:


> Not true. How many times have you had an 'off' LCPA or a White Rabbit? Both unpasterurised and bottle conditioned. There are very well understood principles involved here, and if brewers choose not to equip themselves with the gear and the skill set to do it properly, it makes me livid as a consumer. I've said this before (and had my head kicked for it), but I think that the best think that can happen to craft beer in Aust is for brewers of poor quality beer to go out of business. The equipment then gets recycled and hopefully ends up in the hands of a brewer that does have the skill to make good beer. The rise in imported craft beer to Australia suggest to me that consumers, you guys, now know the difference between good and bad. Twist the knife, finish the job, and put crappy craft beer to death by not buying it.



I'll agree with this statement. Less brewers = more market share for good brewers = higher production rates therefore lower costs = cheaper, better beer our fridges.


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## bum (6/2/10)

dig said:


> Not true. How many times have you had an 'off' LCPA or a White Rabbit?



LCPA _always_ tastes metallic to me and not so long ago I made a thread here about a shit sixer of WR I got from Dan's.

[EDIT: So no one gets the wrong idea I should point out that I know the WR was 'shit' because I'd previously had some very nice ones from another retailer.]


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## bum (6/2/10)

jbowers said:


> Less brewers = cheaper, better beer our fridges.



You've never studied economics, have you?


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## jbowers (6/2/10)

bum said:


> You've never studied economics, have you?



No.

In all seriousness though, what's wrong with that equation?


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## dig (6/2/10)

> LCPA always tastes metallic to me and not so long ago I made a thread here about a shit sixer of WR I got from Dan's.
> 
> [EDIT: So no one gets the wrong idea I should point out that I know the WR was 'shit' because I'd previously had some very nice ones from another retailer.]



These are personal taste issues, not an indication of technical fault. And I agree with you, LCPA has been metallic for ages, and having spent the last 6 months drinking west coast beers from Canada and the States, it was a shock to me the other day when I bought some newly imported LC and tasting just how rusty that beer appears. But that's how they choose to brew. The beer is not contaminated with wild yeast, it hasn't turned to vinegar and it doesn't taste as though it's been filtered through the underwear of an Afghani goat herder. As for WR, I don't know, it's a new beer and I guess they are tweeking things and the flavour may vary, but it's an inherently awesome beer. These beers don't go rank on the shelves because they are tested for microbiological stability at every step in the process. The right equipment and the proper skills.

I've advocated in the past that crap craft beers be outlawed, but because craft beer drinkers now have access to really good beers, I have confidence that they, you guys, will effect the change that needs to happen simply by choosing to drink better beer. Fantastic. Death to crappy craft beer.


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## Dazza_devil (6/2/10)

I drink a fair bit of LCPA, luv it to death but the metallic twang I got from some of the beers in this box set were very in your face metal, noticable after the first two or three sips as an aftertaste.
The taste is still lingering in my mind.

Edited to say that if the Brewery continues to put stuff out there that is sub-standard the more people that try it the better. That way it will be dead and gone quicker.


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## fcmcg (6/2/10)

i know the Belgians love their open fermentation , but i have had WR at least 9 times and every one has been different .I think that a brewery , across the road from a winery ( Innocent Bystander...across the car park...which is full of potential wld yeast ) is a situation that would make consistency difficult...but thats just in IMHO....
Cheers
Ferg


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## dig (6/2/10)

You're right Ferg, winemakers are a pack of filthy bastards. Hose the snakes and the redbacks out of the press the week before vintage begins. That's why the 'opens' at WR are housed in a clean room supplied by HEPA filtered air.


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## HoppingMad (8/2/10)

Agree that White Rabbit and LC are consistently good. 

Not sure if I agree that Grand Ridge can compete on quality control and microbiological testing thingymajigs with someone like Little World Beverages (Little Creatures & White Rabbit) though. These guys are a tad larger.

Being publicly listed and having the backing of Lion Nathan (who is a 40% majority shareholder) gives Little World Beverages the resources to get their beers better and more consistent. Privately owned micros without such a network out in country Victoria like Grand Ridge wouldn't be able to match this, no matter how hard they try. They simply don't have that financial backing - so they are doing what they can.

I'm all for bashing a brewery that churns out crap. I also agree with Dig and others that the market will decide whether a place lives or dies on the strength of its product. Breweries such as Emerald Hill in Melbourne have folded for this very reason. They had a good enough mix on paper - a central location in Sth Melbourne and an interesting range of beers, but the product was simply not stable in the way it was made. People voted with their tastebuds and they went out of business.

I think Grand Ridge still put out plenty of good beer amongst the bad. They have gone the distance and were around when the craft brewing movement pretty much could be counted on a bit over a hand (in terms of micros in this country).

I reckon that problems aside they will be around for a fair while longer yet.

Hopper.


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## jivesucka (8/2/10)

word is on the street coopers is the only family-run brewery in oz. everything is cub or lion nathan with the unusual exception of coca cola-amatil. where do grand ridge fit into the scene?


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## dig (8/2/10)

Thanks Hopper for the thoughtful and considered reply. LC and WR have their microbiological analysis 'farmed out' to labs who specialise in this sort of thing in their respective cities. These services are not cheap, but if you're spreading the cost across much bigger beer volumes, they are not too prohibitive. Indeed most manufactures of small craft beer equipment make the assumption that microbiological analysis will not be performed, and so the gear does not have micro sampling ports. You couldn't take an aseptic sample for analysis even if you wanted to go to the expense and trouble.

I'm currently doing some consulting work for a brewery in Canada that began as a brewpub but now sells most of it's product in bottles. They too are having problems with stability, but they are determined to get on top of the issues by getting good advice, equipping themselves with the skills they need and spending what needs to be spent on the equipment to brink it up to standard. A bit different an approach to "Gee, sorry your beer turned to vinegar. Here, have a replacement 6-pack"

Sydney and Melbourne, actually most Australian cities, have a great restaurant scene because bad restaurants (and they will forever pop up) are not supported by the public and they go out of business very quickly. Crappy craft beer will forever pop up too... I just wish it'd go away as quickly as bad food does.


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## Millet Man (8/2/10)

dig said:


> Thanks Hopper for the thoughtful and considered reply. LC and WR have their microbiological analysis 'farmed out' to labs who specialise in this sort of thing in their respective cities. These services are not cheap, but if you're spreading the cost across much bigger beer volumes, they are not too prohibitive. Indeed most manufactures of small craft beer equipment make the assumption that microbiological analysis will not be performed, and so the gear does not have micro sampling ports. You couldn't take an aseptic sample for analysis even if you wanted to go to the expense and trouble.


True Dig.

That's why we take great care to clean and sanitise (everyone should), filter and pastuerise since our beer goes all around the country and overseas. As well as regularly pulling the bottling machine apart to make sure it is clean, clean, clean. In the last year there's been less than 10 complaints out of half a million bottles, and none of them were because it was infected so it can be done. (We did have problems in our early days before we owned our own brewery, but that's another story).

Cheers, Andrew.


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## Maple (8/2/10)

dig said:


> I'm currently doing some consulting work for a brewery in Canada that began as a brewpub but now sells most of it's product in bottles.


Sorry OT, Dig - Which brewery, if I may ask? Also, if you get a chance and haven't already - Give Phillips "Amnesiac" a try, keen to hear what you think of this one. it's a Double IPA that I tried about a month ago when passing through Vancouver.


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## komodo (8/2/10)

jivesucka said:


> word is on the street coopers is the only family-run brewery in oz. everything is cub or lion nathan with the unusual exception of coca cola-amatil. where do grand ridge fit into the scene?



My understanding is that coopers is the largest independant brewery in Australia. Thats not to say everything else is owned by LN, CUB & Coke.


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## SpillsMostOfIt (8/2/10)

I think dig is about as right as anyone who has ever posted to this site has ever been.  

A few years ago, I bought a six-pack of beer from the brew-pub where I had spent the day drinking fabulous beers to find the bottled stuff to be undrinkable, *unfiltered* vomit. There's no excuse for that. Why should there be if I bought the same six-pack from the supermarket across the road?

I like to think one purpose of packaged beer is as a marketing exercise to bring customers to your brewpub (thinking about some, but not all, microbrewerypublikethings). It doesn't matter too much if only every twelfth six-pack tastes like vomit - that is a marketing statement you should not be able to afford to make. You might as well have a step in your manufacturing process that puts aside the 'seconds' as your marketing freebies.

If you want to sell your beer through 3rd party retail outlets, you cannot put the entire responsibility for what they sell in their hands. If you care about your product and figure it needs to be treated in a certain way, you should ensure it gets treated in that certain way. If you don't, then you're saying you don't care about what happens to the product once it leaves your hands and (by extension) about the people who consume your product.

I really like 'Treat like milk'. I think I might steal it. Why does every shop that sells it know how to treat milk?


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## dig (8/2/10)

Cheers Maple. I'm a big fan of Amnesiac and a lot of the other beers in the Phillips range. Was over on the big island last week with resume in hand, knocking on Matt Phillip' door... 

I'm not really able to speak about the other place. Sorry.


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## Adam Howard (12/4/10)

Blimey. 

A while back I got given one of the mixed 6 packs and while none of the beers blew my socks off they weren't terrible. 

Mate came over with a few of the Natural Blondes on Saturday. Woeful. First thing I noticed was the bottles filled right up the neck, only about a centimetre from the cap. Outrageously citrusy....resembles a chunder after a night on the piss.

Cracked another bottle today. Upon opening, barely a noise. Poured into a Chimay glass, next to no carbonation. Same horrible flavour. Hugely disappointed.


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## zebba (13/4/10)

Had a supershine on the weekend. Great beer. So whilst I can take or leave the majority of the GR range, the supershine and the moonshine are both great drops (moonshine being a strong scottish dark and probably the best of that style that I've had, and supershine claiming to be similar style but being more of a barleywine IMO)


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## HoppingMad (14/4/10)

This thread has popped up on the radar again, and I didn't realise there'd been so many comments since Feb so thought I'd throw my 2c back in light of further comments and a recent visit I did to Grand Ridge.

Tried the beers again at the brewery in March and will agree that many of them are disappointing. I was shocked by this as I remember them to be very good.

Not all the beers were poor, but Gippsland Gold has the most obvious flaws with strong diacetyl. This has been commented on or alluded to in many posts since early this year with many dubbing it 'Diacetyl Gold'. 

The Natural Blonde I tried also had flaws and tasted of sour orange and high acidic fruit ester (whereas it used to taste much smoother - not like an overdone belgian), so I would conclude that the issue lies not with storage of these beers but with the brewery itself and what is happening prior to bottling/kegging. The Natural Blonde may also have gone a slight recipe change since I last had it a year or so back.

To be fair though, didn't try Moonshine or Supershine, and I did find the Hatlifter Stout and Moonlight both very good - the Moonlight is a standout of the lot, a very clean tasting beer and a great light version of their Nut Brown Ale of old. 

So I don't think you can outrightly say that Grand Ridge make crap beer, but they do need to get their brewhouse in order so that everything in their stable becomes as consistently good as it used to be.

Hopper.


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