Has James Squire Ruined The Golden Ale?

[mckenry]

I was on a tour of the Camperdown brewery many years ago when they were just launching the JSGA. The bar was open and the ale was flowing. Mmm, mmm, mmm...

It's still a pretty good beer, but it ain't what it used to be.

Well, no affiliation etc, but I have to defend JSGA when required.
I have had some bland ones, granted.
JSGA jugs for $14 at the Ancient Britian (Britton?) -[the AB in Glebe anyway] are superb. Great flavour and good value. If you want Great Value JSGA jugs - all styles - $10 in Leichhardt, think its called the royal.
So, what I am trying to say is, the good examples are out there. For non Sydney members, Glebe is a stones throw from Camperdown, where the brewery is. Not sure if some GA is brewed at Lidcombe, but I have had excellent JSGA close to the brewery. Maybe its a turn over thing, but the last JS newsletter talks about how much JSGA has improved on sales from last year. From memory it was 4 times...
No, I dont think they have ruined it. I still love it at the AB.
mckenry

 

[Bribie G]

I probably posted this on one of the many pages of this thread, can't be arsed to look, but last year at the James Squire bar, King St Wharf, where we drank about 11 pints during the course of the day :icon_cheers: the beers were great, hopthief, highwayman's, Pilsener, Porter etc. The only two 'meh' ones were GA and Amber ale which really did taste out of place and possibly were brewed at Lidcombe I would guess, as they were just so average.

 

[geoffi]

Well, no affiliation etc, but I have to defend JSGA when required.
I have had some bland ones, granted.
JSGA jugs for $14 at the Ancient Britian (Britton?) -[the AB in Glebe anyway] are superb. Great flavour and good value. If you want Great Value JSGA jugs - all styles - $10 in Leichhardt, think its called the royal.
So, what I am trying to say is, the good examples are out there. For non Sydney members, Glebe is a stones throw from Camperdown, where the brewery is. Not sure if some GA is brewed at Lidcombe, but I have had excellent JSGA close to the brewery. Maybe its a turn over thing, but the last JS newsletter talks about how much JSGA has improved on sales from last year. From memory it was 4 times...
No, I dont think they have ruined it. I still love it at the AB.
mckenry

As I say, it still ain't a bad beer. I buy it fairly often when I'm out and enjoy it. Now it is of course possible that my experience at the brewery was skewed by the fact that this was super-fresh beer. I mean, at the brewery, on tap...how fresh can you get? But I'm sure they have 'dumbed down' the recipe quite a bit, especially once the Toohey's/LN bean counters got hold of it.

 

[argon]

This has probably been discussed here before but couldn't get search results... But IIRC, the code stamp on the bottle shoulder tells you where the beer was brewed. Both the golden ale, sundown and the amber ale are coded with a 142 stamp. I believe that's lindcombe, where toohey's is made. (Happy to be corrected here.) Larger scale setup for the larger volumes required for these 3 beers.

I also believe the pilsner, porter and the ipa are done at camperdown (spelling?) where the recent batches have not declined.

 

[dgilks]

This has probably been discussed here before but couldn't get search results... But IIRC, the code stamp on the bottle shoulder tells you where the beer was brewed. Both the golden ale, sundown and the amber ale are coded with a 142 stamp. I believe that's lindcombe, where toohey's is made. (Happy to be corrected here.) Larger scale setup for the larger volumes required for these 3 beers.

I also believe the pilsner, porter and the ipa are done at camperdown (spelling?) where the recent batches have not declined.

I'm fairly sure that Golden, Amber and Pilsner are all brewed at Yattala in SA. Sundowner was supposed to be moving there (as of May). Porter, IPA and special releases (excepting Malt Runner) are all done at Camperdown. I believe that a very small number of batches of the Yattala beers are brewed at Camperdown as and when there is excess capacity.

The second way to determine where the beers are made is to check the six pack holder. If it is the fold up type it is brewed at Camperdown, the ones that are "tabbed" together at the bottom are from the Toohey's facilities.

 

[Murcluf]

I'm fairly sure that Golden, Amber and Pilsner are all brewed at Yattala in SA. Sundowner was supposed to be moving there (as of May). Porter, IPA and special releases (excepting Malt Runner) are all done at Camperdown. I believe that a very small number of batches of the Yattala beers are brewed at Camperdown as and when there is excess capacity.

The second way to determine where the beers are made is to check the six pack holder. If it is the fold up type it is brewed at Camperdown, the ones that are "tabbed" together at the bottom are from the Toohey's facilities.

Yattala isn't in SA its in QLD the Yatala in SA is where the prison is, maybe your right as it should be a crime to brew bad beer

 

[dpgrent]

Back when was working in the Cellar at a club the best tap beer on was always the ones that were the fresh kegs no matter what the cleaning of the beer lines were like if u but a fresh keg on straight from the brewers it always tasted better. Guiness Especaily a good fresh keg of guiness always better that one sitting in the coolroom for over 1 mth.
saying that home brew different story the older the better go figure
so if drinking at a club or pub always try and stick to a higher selling flavour u like (more chance of fresher keg) then getting the more obscure flavour that no one buys at the club or pub

 

[mckenry]

Back when was working in the Cellar at a club the best tap beer on was always the ones that were the fresh kegs no matter what the cleaning of the beer lines were like if u but a fresh keg on straight from the brewers it always tasted better. Guiness Especaily a good fresh keg of guiness always better that one sitting in the coolroom for over 1 mth.
saying that home brew different story the older the better go figure
so if drinking at a club or pub always try and stick to a higher selling flavour u like (more chance of fresher keg) then getting the more obscure flavour that no one buys at the club or pub

Home brew is definitely not "the older the better"
Some benefit from aging, others are best drunk young. For example, hoppy beers lose their punch after a couple of months, and a good Old Ale is better after a year if brewed and stored properly.

 

[proudscum]

it is not the beer that it was when Doug and Michel first brewed it at squire bar at the portland.
Used to help in the brewery a bit and get them to evaluate my humble offerings as did wes smith the malt supplier(he used to always pick the hops and malts used).
was very disappointed the night they launched it in melbourne after the brew had been through the camperdown brewery and the rough(read flavour)edges where taken off.
shame as it was one of the tap beers i used to go there for on nearly a daily basis.oh well.

 

[JestersDarts]

The closest pub to me (well i say "pub" its actually another pokie barn) the ROYAL HOTEL KENT TOWN (i'm quite happy to name and shame here haha) has put on JSGA on tap..

Out of 12 taps in the sports bar/ pokies area, this makes it the second ale on tap!
..next to CPA.

Oh, it gets thinner as I drink more flavourome AG brews..

 

[[email protected]]

I'm fairly sure that Golden, Amber and Pilsner are all brewed at Yattala in SA. Sundowner was supposed to be moving there (as of May). Porter, IPA and special releases (excepting Malt Runner) are all done at Camperdown. I believe that a very small number of batches of the Yattala beers are brewed at Camperdown as and when there is excess capacity.

I believe JSGA is brewed by South Australian Brewing Company. (so I'm told)

Booz

 

[jayse]

Not sure if its exclusively brewed at S.A.B but it is brewed there yes.

 

[hazard]

JSGA jugs for $14 at the Ancient Britian (Britton?)

Had JSGA on tap at Watermark bar, Docklands, Melbourne last Friday. $10 a pint. Virtually no amarillo, ar any hops to speak of. Tasted like Tooheys New (welll its been about 20 yeasr since I had a Tooheys New, so maybe its only what i imagine Toohey's New might taste like. Just accept it as a statement of huge disappointment).

How far is from Melbourne to the Ancient Britain? At least the price is right!

 

[mckenry]

Had JSGA on tap at Watermark bar, Docklands, Melbourne last Friday. $10 a pint. Virtually no amarillo, ar any hops to speak of. Tasted like Tooheys New (welll its been about 20 yeasr since I had a Tooheys New, so maybe its only what i imagine Toohey's New might taste like. Just accept it as a statement of huge disappointment).

How far is from Melbourne to the Ancient Britain? At least the price is right!

About 900km :lol: Inner west Sydney.

 

[keifer33]

Have had this recently in two bars and hugely disappointed. Just another tasteless beer on tap...

 

[jayse]

I still can't comprehend some people thought it was good once, drunk it since the begining and its like a funeral in your mouth, dull under bittered and the wheat malt is thin husky and stale tasting, hops taste dull and old/not right, I'd rather drink superdry.
It has a little sweetnes in there, doesn't help just goes to make it worse.
They seem to have captured everything you don't won't from the hops, malt and yeast pretty well though, I wouldn't buy it.
The other beers though still are pretty decent stables this one is so wrong.

 

[argon]

Yep agreed had a couple of ambers this arvo. A much better beer. Jsga was once good though... For me pick of the bunch. I can only think it was me that changed.

The ipa is still good though. Not mind blowing or great but will do, when nothing else to choose.

 

[haysie]

I havent read all the post`s h34r:
I reckon its great to visit a pub and have a pot of JS for $4 thereabouts versus a Carlton Draught at about $3.80, nice beer and a second is always welcome. JS does a great job at supplying a good product at a fair price, its a reckonised brand and the lines are flowing. On the other hand, I drink some obscure micro that doesnt get pushed out the lines very much and pay $6+ :angry: , some pubs really do have their heads up their ass re. what they are serving up..... not everyone can, wants to be a beer nerd. Once upon a time ago, the wine industry held that throne. Better still a thread on "rip off pubs, beer places" similar to all those Fosters,Tooheys,XXXX are crap and rubbish threads.
I would always have an amber before the golden but neither are session beers IMO, a couple then hit the road.

 

[MarkBastard]

I reckon all JS are session beers. Amber, IPA, even the Porter. Especially the Pilsner on tap.

Golden I never really liked and I just find it weird.

 

[J Grimmer]

ive liked the golden ale for a while, and saw this thread and thought id check it out, JSGA by far was the best beer they had in supply in the hotel i was staying in this week and hadn't noticed any change, Having said that i reakon the S&W draught will give it run for the money IMO.

Cheers J