Australian Lost Beers

[bowie in space]

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

 

[spaced]

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/

 

[Lecterfan]

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.

 

[DU99]

Even though the Hannans Brewery closed in 1982

 

[humulus]

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:

 

[of mice and gods]

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

 

[of mice and gods]

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!

 

[O'Henry]

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.

 

[Glot]

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

 

[TimT]

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:

 

[TimT]

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?

 

[Bribie G]

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.

 

[Bribie G]

No longer produced according to Wikipedia.

 

[Brew Matt]

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.

 

[of mice and gods]

there's still life in the old thread yet!

 

[Not For Horses]

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 ;-)

 

[soundawake]

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.

 

[Hangover68]

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.

 

[koshari]

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!

 

[Mardoo]

…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.