# Stone & Wood Draught Ale



## esssee (8/4/11)

Hi all,

I got me a copy of the Critics Choice "Top 100 Australian Beers", and noted that the Stone & Wood Draught/Pacific Ale was No 1.

Well bugger me if I wasn't in my local 1st Choice the other day, and saw cases of said beer for $35. OK, they were a couple of weeks past the "Best Before" date, but it's cheap beer, and the best one in Australia at that. I therefore procured one.

Now, not having had this beer before, I can't comment on the taste, but My God they are Super Carbonated. They froth up when the stubbie is opened, and then are a bit of a pain to pour.

Is this normal for this beer, or just a side effect of being a few weeks past Best Before?


----------



## Pistol (8/4/11)

No, it's not normal.

Sounds like a bad batch or maybe from poor handling in transit/ storage.


----------



## adryargument (8/4/11)

I grabbed two a sixpack of s&w and lcpa for $32, both were wonderful as usual. No carb issues with the pacific ale.


----------



## DanRayner (8/4/11)

If you can, stop buying from 1st Choice / Dan Murphy's - they really don't seem to look after their beers as they should - why were they selling it after the best before (and not on special)?

Your local independent beer nutters will be a better bet - Sunbury isn't too far from Slow Beer, Purvis, Cloudwine, or Acland Cellars is it? If you're spending $70/case on a good beer then it's worth the drive in  and these guys should have the sort of turn over of stock that would allow them to be reasonably competitive with their prices on these sorts of beers (maybe not on things like VB but then who wants a $33 carton of VB anyway?)


----------



## manticle (8/4/11)

Sunbury is a fair way from all mentioned retailers. Sunshine wouldn't be so bad.


----------



## DanRayner (8/4/11)

manticle said:


> Sunbury is a fair way from all mentioned retailers. Sunshine wouldn't be so bad.



Fair enough, not being from Vic I wouldn't know, I just prefer local independents - what's in Sunshine?


----------



## WarmBeer (8/4/11)

DanRayner said:


> Fair enough, not being from Vic I wouldn't know, I just prefer local independents - what's in Sunshine?


Ahhh, Sunshine, Melbourne's best "joke name" suburb


----------



## Maxt (10/4/11)

DanRayner said:


> If you can, stop buying from 1st Choice / Dan Murphy's - they really don't seem to look after their beers as they should - why were they selling it after the best before (and not on special)



Dan, unfortunately not all places have good independants.
I have scoured every bottle shop in my neck of th Northern Rivers, and the most exotic they get is Barefoot Radler! You might see LCPA and James Squire, but that's it for alternatives to large Australian breweries.
Dan Murphy's opened in Ballina and all of a sudden we have access to a hundred beers not seen up here before.

Tell Ant to get a Plonk franchise up here and I'll be happy to support him, but otherwise I will continue to use Dans...(yes I have asked the local independants to get beer in, but they are not keen, saying it's a volume issue).

BTW, I still think Oetinger Pils is the best value beer to be found in a bottle shop.


----------



## TedAu (10/4/11)

I've tried the S&W pacific ale from bottles with two weeks till there best before date and it had lost a lot of its flavour punch, but didn't have any carbonation issues.

So far I've only found it in one boutique wine and beer store down here, would love to find it for less than $90 a carton.


----------



## manticle (10/4/11)

DanRayner said:


> Fair enough, not being from Vic I wouldn't know, I just prefer local independents - what's in Sunshine?



I just mean in terms of proximity (comparatively speaking) to the retailers you're suggesting.


----------



## brando (10/4/11)

Maxt said:


> BTW, I still think Oetinger Pils is the best value beer to be found in a bottle shop.



True! I was buying it recently for $24 per carton.


----------



## BitterBulldog (12/4/11)

i had carb issues with the latest case i purchased from Dan's @ Willoughby.

I just opened them slowly & poured them slowly.

It's the 1st time though, & i've been buying the beer regulary for a year now.

i guess any bottle conditioned beer has the potential to do this.


A lot of my Murray's beers have had the same problem.

But they're just too delicious to keep me away!


----------



## Lord Raja Goomba I (12/4/11)

On special $15.90 per 6-er at 1st choice. Planning on taking in the catalogue and making Dan's match it and beat it.

Goomba


----------



## Jarthy (12/4/11)

BitterBulldog said:


> A lot of my Murray's beers have had the same problem.
> 
> But they're just too delicious to keep me away!



About 5 of the last 20 Murray's that i've had have gushed. 

one i was drinking out of the bottle and it kept gushing in my mouth :S not a good feeling, though it looked like i had rabies...


----------



## .DJ. (12/4/11)

I always buy murrays from the brewery.. NEVER had an issue... I try to do the same for any cases of Micro brewed buy I buy. at least if its not really fresh, it would have been stored correctly.

its mishandling...


----------



## Pennywise (12/4/11)

Pistol said:


> No, it's not normal.
> 
> Sounds like a bad batch or maybe from poor handling in transit/ storage.



Seems to be quite a bit of this going on ATM, and not with imported beers either



DanRayner said:


> If you can, stop buying from 1st Choice / Dan Murphy's - they really don't seem to look after their beers as they should - why were they selling it after the best before (and not on special)?



Couldn't agree more with this



DanRayner said:


> Fair enough, not being from Vic I wouldn't know, I just prefer local independents - what's in Sunshine?



It's pronounced scum-shine, just for future refernance


----------



## domix (13/4/11)

Had the same problem with a S&W Pacific from 1st Choice. Very, very fizzy.
Never had a problem with them when buying from Purvis in Surrey Hills.

Also, the only 2 Murray's Dark Knights I've bought were gushers.

The Icon 2IPA is always great though.


----------



## HeavyNova (13/4/11)

domix said:


> Had the same problem with a S&W Pacific from 1st Choice. Very, very fizzy.
> Never had a problem with them when buying from Purvis in Surrey Hills.
> 
> Also, the only 2 Murray's Dark Knights I've bought were gushers.
> ...


Had a few bottles of the S&W Pacific Ale from a Vintage Cellars store in South Perth last weekend. No carb issues with the ones I had.


----------



## Aus_Rider_22 (13/4/11)

I've always noticed the Draught/Pac Ale is overly carbonated. I will take notice of the BB date next time. I've always got them from my local shop who specialises in craft/microbeers.

I had just assumed it was a negative on the beer itself and how they all were. The owner of the shop said to me before I tried them that they are really fizzy.


----------



## haysie (13/4/11)

BitterBulldog said:


> i had carb issues with the latest case i purchased from Dan's @ Willoughby.
> 
> I just opened them slowly & poured them slowly.
> 
> ...



It`s not a bottle conditioned beer, unfiltered yes. Unless some wild yeast slipped the pastuerisation process, buggered how you get a gusher.

Buy a lot of this stuff :beerbang: from the local Dan, never had an issue. The only time I didnt like this beer was drinking at the Beach hotel in Byron and left my glass in the sun only for a couple of minutes, the whole schooner was giving off that sun-kissed not to be missed aroma.


----------



## haysie (23/4/11)

haysie said:


> It`s not a bottle conditioned beer, unfiltered yes. Unless some wild yeast slipped the pastuerisation process, buggered how you get a gusher.
> 
> Buy a lot of this stuff :beerbang: from the local Dan, never had an issue.



 Excuse me for being a doubting Thomas.
Bought a box this morning for an Anzac Day BBQ on Monday. Chilled a few down and guess what, unpourable. Not gushing from the bottle but soon as you pour nothing but foam. My box is a best before August/2011, the beer doesnt taste as fresh as it normally does. I spent $60 for this box that I have to drink from the bottle :angry: . On the upside I know the beer is heaps better than this and have sent off a message to the boys at S&W.

edit. the second one was no good either so i`ve rushed out and rescued the other 3x 6 packs and fridging them due to suspicion of bombs.
edit. i can just pour to a std pils glass with dupont like carbonation, pouring to a headmaster.......forget it.


----------



## HeavyNova (23/4/11)

HeavyNova said:


> Had a few bottles of the S&W Pacific Ale from a Vintage Cellars store in South Perth last weekend. No carb issues with the ones I had.



Actually, mine were highly carbed - I just didn't notice the first time as I'd already had a few by then. Certainly not unpourable though, just very bubbly.


----------



## Snowdog (23/4/11)

I've found the Stone & Wood Pacific to be a bit carbonated from the bottle. I prefer the Stone & Wood lager in bottles, and Stone & Wood Draught as Draught.

I see the 2011 Stone Beer is going into production soon! Saying it may be different than the last two years. We'll see.


----------



## Charst (23/4/11)

haysie said:


> It`s not a bottle conditioned beer, unfiltered yes. Unless some wild yeast slipped the pastuerisation process, buggered how you get a gusher.
> 
> Buy a lot of this stuff :beerbang: from the local Dan, never had an issue. The only time I didnt like this beer was drinking at the Beach hotel in Byron and left my glass in the sun only for a couple of minutes, the whole schooner was giving off that sun-kissed not to be missed aroma.




According to the web site they dont filter or pasteurise the beer so that means it is bottle conditioned doesn't it. Most times I've had it it's been over carbed but i generally buy it from first choice so there you go. Richmond Central Bowls Club had it in bottles and it was the best experience ive had drinking it. much softer finer bubbles no soda water harshness and somehow tasted more passionfruit and less resinous.


----------



## haysie (23/4/11)

Charst said:


> According to the web site they dont filter or pasteurise the beer so that means it is bottle conditioned doesn't it.



Correct! I _thought_ the beer was pastuerised to get into places like Dans etc. Which is a bummer because. One day you buy it, pours well, bewdiful galaxy aroma and taste. The next time you buy it pours terrible, gassy, galaxy being driven off by the co build up. Its a little disapointing for a beer to be voted #1 and then you take a hit n miss on what you get via the bottle o.
Hopefully Hargie will set us straight.


----------



## Hargie (23/4/11)

...Hi All, sorry for the slow response on this..i'm on holidays and under instructions from the family to stay away from beer/work stuff...

Anyway thanks for the heads up guys, as we can't address any issues if we don't know about them..cheers..
The Pacific ale is neither filtered nor pastuerised which adds an extra layer of complexity in getting this beer into bottles and then into peoples hands . However just because it is difficult is no excuse. We expect, as does anyone who buys it, to have the beer reach you in good shape.
Have spoken to the other guys and we are on the case and rest assured we are taking the matter very seriously...
Anytime somebody spends their hard earned on our product and it doesn't meet their expectations is of concern to us...we all take unsatisfactory S&W experiences personally (they are fortunately very few and far between)...this issue will be resolved, indeed, it may well have been already...
...Despite all the recent good news about our beer we remain a very small, very focused team and anytime a wake up call like this appears it only strengthens our resolve to stay on track and do what we love to do as best we can...there will inevitably be hiccups along the way, thats life but we are in this for the long haul and we are very gratefull for all the support ( and honest critiques ! ) on AHB...thanks guys...
Lastly just remember whatever beer you buy, where ever you buy it, be sure that beer is being/has been looked after, if not shop elsewhere....as with any natural product , fresh is best...

Cheers
Scott 
S&W


----------



## Maxt (24/4/11)

Hi Scotty, just to add to the feedback, bought a 6pack from Lismore and found it over carbed as well. BTW, why don't you guys have a tent at Bluesfest. Went off last night.


----------



## jyo (24/4/11)

It's funny this thread came up, I bought my first couple of bottles of Pacific Ale (first drop from Stone and Wood actually) yesterday. Mine expired 20th September 2011 and were at the higher end of carbonation but by no means over the top. Fantastic drop BTW.
Cheers, John.


----------



## Brewtus (24/4/11)

WarmBeer said:


> Ahhh, Sunshine, Melbourne's best "joke name" suburb


From the other posts one could guess 'Sunshine 1st choice' has two jokes in the name...


----------

