Dans, The craft beer experts..NOT

[Tony]

Dans wine selection compared to their beer is kind of like a department stores female clothes section compared to males.

haha...... it just feels bigger because your forced to stand around for far far too long while SWMBO looks and feels

A better comparison is the underwear section.

 

[tricache]

Aren't you on the gold coast.... and I'm guessing you weren't in goldclub (/it wasn't formed yet)... because otherwise you might be missing an obvious avenue of supply

I think the most disappointing thing about Dan's and First Choice (at least my local ones) is even relatively high volume craft beers get mishandled to the point they taste like crap. This means that everyone we say "you should try something other than XXX Gold" to goes in, grabs a bottle of something like Burleigh 28 Pale, tastes it and rightly says "that's rotten, I'm going back to gold". I'd personally rather they didn't stock it than stock it poorly.

Ed

I was (original member) but Burleigh Brewing had shipped all theres out by then so had none down at the brewery at that time.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I actually did contact Dan's once in relation to a beer which I was looking for (FIGJAM by Burleigh Brewing) and that I was annoyed at the fact that I could order it online (from my local store) but when I went in I was told they had no idea when they would be seeing it. I later one found out that there was a few cases out the back but staff were too lazy to actually go check. I got onto head office and they took a good 2 weeks to get back to me by then I had got my beer (ordered online and picked up from the same shop) and they still did nothing but tell me they could put aside a case.

All in all they were no help at all and I have come to realise if I want to find a beer its easier to look online and check stocks of my local shop and then order to pickup on my way home from work.

RANT OVER

+1. I did the same thing. IT wasn't until I said "you're online doobie says you have it" I finally got "it might be out the back". Turns out, it'd been sitting there for about 3 weeks and no-one had decided to put it out.

 

[Nick JD]

I was (original member) but Burleigh Brewing had shipped all theres out by then so had none down at the brewery at that time.

I might be wrong, but those huge pallets of beer boxes behind us at the club meetings sometimes ... are they full of beer?

 

[tricache]

I might be wrong, but those huge pallets of beer boxes behind us at the club meetings sometimes ... are they full of beer?

Not always, sometimes just boxes but sometimes they are...and sometimes they are missing a box or 2 h34r:

 

[drsmurto]

Dans wine (and beer) selection is predictable and boring.

Luckily we have smaller, independent bottle shops (although their number is in decline) who know their stuff. For those in Adelaide, I'd start with The Edinburgh Hotel and Eastend cellars for wine and beer, the Wheatsheaf for some beer over the bar but I find it a tad pricey.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

In Launnie - crown cellars. Great bottlo and the staff there is enthusiastic and accommodating (gave me a mixed sixer of Bridge Roads single hops for a 6 pack price).

Goomba

 

[JDW81]

In Launnie - crown cellars. Great bottlo and the staff there is enthusiastic and accommodating (gave me a mixed sixer of Bridge Roads single hops for a 6 pack price).

Goomba

Williamstown fine wines, in Willamstown (vic) funnily enough, is also a great place to stop for beer and wine. They fellas who work there are very knowledgeable and more than happy to talk beer (or wine) until the cows come home.

 

[bum]

I was only in Launceston for a couple days but found Crown Cellars (range and staff) to be really great. Range isn't quite up with the likes of Slowbeer/Purvis but would have to be the best drive-thru in Australia. Very honest chat about the beers and they even gave me a 10% discount on a small purchase. I'd be going out of my to shop there if I didn't have to swim.

 

[mikec]

I was only in Launceston for a couple days but found Crown Cellars (range and staff) to be really great. Range isn't quite up with the likes of Slowbeer/Purvis but would have to be the best drive-thru in Australia. Very honest chat about the beers and they even gave me a 10% discount on a small purchase. I'd be going out of my to shop there if I didn't have to swim.

There is a boat that goes there now, it's not even a sail boat.
Tassie is catching up to the world.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

There is a boat that goes there now, it's not even a sail boat.
Tassie is catching up to the world.

An expensive boat.

Cheaper to fly.

 

[Dave70]

DM: Hi mate can I help you at all?

How dare he be so polite and attentive..

Does anyone really expect some shelf stacker getting paid peanuts to understand / give a shit about the nuances of what makes a 'craft' beer?

Next time just lick them on the cheek and be done with it. Shuts em up real quick.

 

[bum]

Yeah, we were looking at taking our car over on that boat. Ended up saving more than I spent in Crown Cellars (two visits) by buying two plane tickets and hiring a car.

 

[Mardoo]

Sadly most "craft" beers in Australia are bottled and I think I remember Ross posting about how they can brew good beers but often have SFA expertise in bottling plant and the logistics chain. He should know, having trodden that path himself. So you can get a Margaret River or Geelong beer that probably tasted great at the brewery tap but by the time it gets to the Oodnadatta Dans branch it's often ratshit.
On the other hand the likes of Budvar are right up there with bottling and distribution.

For example I was in Dans at Port the other day (the one that Warra refers to) and as usual I grabbed some Kozel, Brok and Zywiec - it was all in magnificent condition and luuurverly. I've never been disappointed by any of these brands and I've bought them in many Dans locations from the Sunny Coast to Sydney.

I also think it's a bit of an urban myth that they deliberately leave pallets out in the sun to rot - of course at some stage there's a few in the yard while the forky is inside doing some rearranging and if you are driving past you could obviously say "look at the bastards, at it again". However my regular Dans in SEQ was Chermside in the Shopping Town - not a stand alone Dans - and there the loading docks have to be cleared pronto - same at North Lakes where they have no "yard" to leave pallets in. So there should be a noticeable difference in quality between stand alone stores and shoppingtown stores, if indeed the myth is correct.

Haven't found it yet.

Interesting point about the bottling. That hadn't occurred to me.

And they don't need to leave pallets out in the sun. Can you say, "ground shipping during summer"? Working in the wine industry I see plenty of wine shipped and stored at 30+ degrees.

 

[Nick JD]

Interesting point about the bottling. That hadn't occurred to me.

And they don't need to leave pallets out in the sun. Can you say, "ground shipping during summer"? Working in the wine industry I see plenty of wine shipped and stored at 30+ degrees.

Beer isn't transported refrigerated, not refrigerated after bottling at the brewery. Nor refrigerated in the bottlo warehouse.

I dunno where people get the idea that their craft beer has been whisped around by refrigeration fairies.

 

[JDW81]

I dunno where people get the idea that their craft beer has been whisped around by refrigeration fairies.

No Easter Bunny, no Santa Claus, no refrigeration fairies, what is left to believe in?

 

[sp0rk]

Beer isn't transported refrigerated, not refrigerated after bottling at the brewery. Nor refrigerated in the bottlo warehouse.

I dunno where people get the idea that their craft beer has been whisped around by refrigeration fairies.

Listening to a interview with a bloke from Stone Brewing on Radio Brews News, and they have all of their beers refridgerated when shipped around the USA...

 

[beerbog]

Hi mate can I help you at all?

Off topic, but isn't it funny how people greet someone they've never met before with "mate" and greet their mates with "c**t"! :lol:

 

[waggastew]

My local Dan's is the same one in Port Mac as Warra and Bribie. I have a love hate thing going on with it.

On the plus side it stocks a load of beers that we would never see in Port if it wasn't for them. My Dad lives in Wagga which despite its size is yet to get a Dan's. I was there at xmas and had trouble trying to get even one Czech pils to do a side-by-side with a pils my Dad brewed. Over the last couple of years I have managed to get most of the LC single batches, a regular supply of standard Sierra Nevada (as well as some of their seasonals), and pretty well drank my way through the whole range of interesting beers. They do add line pretty regularly although alot of them are for pretty uninteresting local craft beers e.g. Balmain Brewing Company.

Having said that their supply chain is bloody useless. I once tried to call my local Dan's to find out availability on a beer (Coopers Celebration when it first came out). Phone went straight to a call centre who checked the same website system I had checked minutes earlier. After much screwing around they put me through to the actual store where I got someone saying 'we may get it in 2 weeks, or we might not, I can't tell'!

Until we get an independant with a decent range it will be my main commercial beer shop. Having said that I tend to stock up at Platinum in Sydney when down there.

Stew

 

[Kingbrownbrewing]

Beer isn't transported refrigerated, not refrigerated after bottling at the brewery. Nor refrigerated in the bottlo warehouse.

I dunno where people get the idea that their craft beer has been whisped around by refrigeration fairies.

Dont know where you get that info from, but a few breweries I know insist on it, especially the one I work for. Once it hits the retailer though, it becomes a massive issue, as you have no control other than to try and educate them. One of the main reasons we don't deal with the majors.