Heineken

[Lindsay Dive]

What a shame.
Imported Heineken is dead! From all reports the imported stuff was all sold prior to Christmas and the ONLY Heineken you can buy now is made in Australia by Lion Australia Pty Ltd.
I tasted some of the new Heineken and the difference is quite noticeable. It has now joined the ranks of other well known megaswills.
In the future, when at Restaurants, I'll be leaving the Heineken in the fridge.
It has been reported that a Heineken "representative" has informed local liquor store owners that there is absolutely no difference between the imported and local stuff.....yeah right!!

Regards,
Lindsay.

 

[PostModern]

Heineken was never a standout beer anyway, imho. Not a bad beer, but nothing about it made it stand out in the crowd of green bottled Premium Lagers. Personally I would just about always have chosen say a Boags over a heiny. Now there is no way I'll even consider it. Thanks for the news.

 

[Gerard_M]

In Europe Heineken IS megaswill !

I would have thought that a locally produced beer would be in better shape than a beer that has been sitting on a boat for 6-8 weeks.

Cheers
Gerard

 

[Aaron]

In Europe Heineken IS megaswill !

I would have thought that a locally produced beer would be in better shape than a beer that has been sitting on a boat for 6-8 weeks.

Cheers
Gerard

[post="106789"][/post]​

I think Heineken is megaswill here. I thought it had been made locally for a while like Stella and now Becks. I have to agree that a green bottle lager brewed here should be in better shape than one that comes on a slow boat from Europe. I don't normally drink the stuff though.

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Woooah....I never said that Heineken was a top shelf product. Far from it, but, there a quite a few licenced restaurants that have a beer list that is absolute crap and I would much rather drink an imported Heineken to a VB......if you know what I mean.
Just imagine what the Europeans would say if they had a choice of VB, Tooheys Red or a XXXX for example.

edit...spelling.

 

[ozbrewer]

i have a feeling, but not 100% sure but the 500ml cans will still be imported, and the cans always tasted better then the bottle

 

[warrenlw63]

You guys are right about the difference. Not a fan of the stuff anyway... However.

Wife bought me a slab of it (locally produced) it was on special for about $50 and included a 1.5 litre magnum of Heineken thrown in. The 1.5 litre bottle was the Dutch brewed variant.

Local stuff was totally different. That said they were both ordinary beers. I think the local version has a full body and a different hop character to the imported variety.

Both very similar to cat's piss though. :lol:

Warren -

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Aaron, are you saying that Stella and also Becks is brewed and bottled here?

 

[Bobby]

yeah thats true. been like that for a while now. check the cartons. you will not see 'imported' printed on them.
if your going to spend 50 bucks on something spend it on a ctn worth while.

 

[Aaron]

Aaron, are you saying that Stella and also Becks is brewed and bottled here?

[post="106800"][/post]​

They certainly are. Beck's is done by Lion Nathan. I can't remember who makes Stella.

 

[warrenlw63]

Aaron

Stella was done by Matilda bay in Vic for a while. The old Redback Micro in Flemington Road. Not sure which arm of CUB do it now. :unsure:

Warren -

 

[Finite]

Beck's is done by Lion Nathan. I can't remember who makes Stella.

[post="106806"][/post]​

brewed By S.A Interbrew.

Heres the story for those interested:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/17/...l?from=storyrhs

 

[WillM]

I gave the locally produced Heineken a go (on tap). My initial impression was good with a great malty taste (euro), but then within a second or two a strange taste took over.

My imediate thought was metho. I've never tasted metho, but this is what I imagine it to taste like. Maybe they are adding some cheap vodka to the brew, although I doubt it. (yes of course I have tasted cheap vodka). The tastes was so pronounced I nearly didn't bother finishing the beer - , which for me is pretty serious.

Anyway, that was my experience and I wander if anyone else has noticed this favour and what is causing it? I've tried it at 2 different venues and that's enough for me.

On a more +ve note, I have enjoyed the Becks and Stella I have purchased on tap, but the quality seems to vary from venue to venue.

Anyone from Lion Nathan / CUB reading, I'm open to employment as QA sampler for you.

 

[501]

Yeh $50 for a locally brewed (and Crapper IMO) copy.

definitely Becks has changed I reckon as well.

cheers 501

 

[devo]

I had to endure this crud at the OZ open tennis recently. Horrid *****

 

[pharmaboy]

Becks is on of my favourite lager/pilseners, especially at the price cf urquell, and i like lowenbrau as well, i was buying becks through the changeover from import to local and never noticed the difference UNTILL I was told that it had shifted,then suddenly it was less hoppy, less body blah blah blah. Of corse I went home and dug up the packaging for the previous case I had bought, low and behold it was also made here.

So without knowing it tasted fine, after, not as good. If it is different it might be fresher and better for one, but for sure I never noticed the change - all nice!!!

 

[Busboy]

Must admit that I don't mind the occasional Becks or Stella. Used to drink Heineken too, but it's definitely not as good now that it's made by Lion Nathan. My issue with them though is that if you didn't hear that they were now locally made, looking at the bottle you would think they're imported. Front labels are the same as always with "Germany" and "Holland" all over them. Up at Liquorland I just saw a six-pack of Stella for $22. Who would pay $22 for a locally made beer. The bottles are only 330mls too. I wonder if the ACCC would be interested in checking these out to see if consumers are being mislead.

 

[Aaron]

Must admit that I don't mind the occasional Becks or Stella. Used to drink Heineken too, but it's definitely not as good now that it's made by Lion Nathan. My issue with them though is that if you didn't hear that they were now locally made, looking at the bottle you would think they're imported. Front labels are the same as always with "Germany" and "Holland" all over them. Up at Liquorland I just saw a six-pack of Stella for $22. Who would pay $22 for a locally made beer. The bottles are only 330mls too. I wonder if the ACCC would be interested in checking these out to see if consumers are being mislead.

[post="110591"][/post]​

If you actually read the bottle you will find that it tells you where the beer is made. They don't hide it.

As far as not paying $22 for a local. Sounds like a bit of cultural cringe to me. Whilst I will admit $22 is a reasonable amount to pay for a six pack good beer is good beer regardless of where it is made.

 

[junior06]

I agree, i still dont mind a heineken or becks with my chinese food which is normally the best option V crowns and vb's at most smaller restuarants.

I think the fact that we know its brewed by lion nation is why you 'think' you dont enjoy it as much, i had 7-8 heinkens at a 21st the other week and enjoyed them greatly(it was either that or TED's).
If i hadn't read this forum i wouldn't have known it was locally brewed and didn't notice a difference, i love homebrews and geniune micro brewed beers.
But i think we're a little to "anti mass produced beers" yeah i also used to drink alot james squires and i noticed a big change with there beers since being taken over but still dont mind there beers.

you can grab a slab of becks for $40 at most bottlo's (nothing like home brew) but for a couple bucks more than carlton draught and around 10-15 bucks cheaper than rebadged vb(crownies). i dont think you can too wrong.

cheers
andre

 

[Busboy]

Yes it does tell you; on the back with small letters. Unlike the front label which proudly proclaims "German Breweries" etc. How many people read the back label anyway? BTW, I don't mind paying for a good local beer. But people expect to pay more for imported beer to cover transport costs, etc. My point is that the fact that it is now locally produced should lower the cost and that there should be transparency in the advertising.