Grand Ridge Brewery Box Set

[Murcluf]

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.....

 

[dig]

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...

 

[alowen474]

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?

 

[zebba]

Who does that then?

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

 

[alowen474]

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

 

[Millet Man]

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.

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.

 

[husky]

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.

 

[Dazza_devil]

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.

 

[dig]

Does it say anywhere "Treat like milk"?

Scharer's used to.

 

[BrenosBrews]

Does it say anywhere "Treat like milk"?

Scharer's used to.

mmmmmm, coffee beer.

 

[kahn]

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.

 

[Dazza_devil]

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.

 

[drsmurto]

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.

 

[Dazza_devil]

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.

 

[HoppingMad]

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.

 

[Kai]

Since when?

Since 2004 maybe?

 

[Dazza_devil]

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.

 

[Count Vorlauf]

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.

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.

 

[Count Vorlauf]

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.

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.

 

[dig]

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.