Innocence Lost To Homebrew Aka How S*#t Is Vb!

[Siborg]

My problem with most "megaswill" is the fact that they are all light lagers with little variation between brews. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the odd (ice cold) CD or VB, but when I go to a pub and all the offer is those two, and maybe a european style light lager or a low alcohol/carb light lager, it all gets a bit boring.

Since I've gotten into brewing, I've discovered that beer is such an amazing drink and there are so many styles on offer that I feel its a shame that we are mostly exposed to light lagers. Since most people know no better, they are missing out on some amazing beer.

 

[reviled]

Since I've gotten into brewing, I've discovered that beer is such an amazing drink and there are so many styles on offer that I feel its a shame that we are mostly exposed to light lagers. Since most people know no better, they are missing out on some amazing beer.

That pretty much sums it up dunnit

 

[Nick JD]

Megan Gale's bottom....

I'll give Andy Lee a quick call and get the recipe. If he doesn't remember it I'll post it later when he remembers; bet it's on the tip of his tongue.

 

[earle]

Since I've gotten into brewing, I've discovered that beer is such an amazing drink and there are so many styles on offer that I feel its a shame that we are mostly exposed to light lagers. Since most people know no better, they are missing out on some amazing beer.

Exactly, my FIL knows that I'm into beer. When we were in a pub recently he told me they had lots of different beers. Imagine my disapointment when I walked around tho the bar to see 10 taps of very similar offerings. What he should have said was they have lots of brands of pretty much the same beer.

 

[Siborg]

Exactly, my FIL knows that I'm into beer. When we were in a pub recently he told me they had lots of different beers. Imagine my disapointment when I walked around tho the bar to see 10 taps of very similar offerings. What he should have said was they have lots of brands of pretty much the same beer.

Too true. I think its a common misconception that a different brand of beer is a different style of beer. I used to think the same before I got into brewing.

 

[JestersDarts]

I'll give Andy Lee a quick call and get the recipe. If he doesn't remember it I'll post it later when he remembers; bet it's on the tip of his tongue.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[manticle]

I can never understand why so many on this and other forums speak down what is termed as "megaswill".
They are mostly very well brewed, consistent from batch to batch, and very well marketed to the average consumer.

Now, as to the taste, that's an individual thing. There really is no basis to criticise the beer if it's not to your taste, when the beer is technically sound. All it means is that you prefer a different taste. And the corollary is that we shouldn't criticise others if they do like the taste.

I homebrew because I have never much been a fan of most commercial brews. By brewing my own I indulge in a great hobby, and get to drink beers I've made myself, to my taste. Technically they might not be as good as most "megaswills", but I enjoy them nevertheless. And the fact I've brewed them adds an other dimension to my enjoyment.

I am the first to admit that I can happily sink pints of carlton or tinnies of melbourne in the right context (hot day, barbie, mates, after work or any non beer nerd situation where analysis of hops and yeast and mash temps might be met with bemused disdain). I am currently brewing two batches of aussie style lager with fresh PoR flowers so I'm far from the worst beer snob you'll ever meet.

However I think it's a spurious argument that just because whatever brand of well known cold australian/euro lager is the same week in week out that they are worthy of any kind of accolades. That's what we expect from mass produced and that's what mass produced will give. That's what mass produced means

I don't really like or use the term megaswill myself but consistency of product from a large commercial enterprise is to be expected. It doesn't mean very much at the end of the day - two minute noodles are consistent, as are heinz baked beans.

I also agree with TB though- I have had some downright horrible craft brews so being 'hand made' is no guarantee of quality either. Not going to mention which breweries spring immediately to mind as having had horrible craft brews for one reason or another - in fact you've got BUCKLEY'S chance of me letting that slip. I might tell my TWO BROTHERS but not you.

That said - warm up any number of aussie style lagers to anything above 5 degrees and some pretty horrible flavours can come through. The sign of a good beer to me is one that tastes good warm, even if you'd prefer it cooler. Last time I drank Crown Lager it tasted like an egg sandwich marinated in carlton draught. I despise 'premium' and gimmick beers though - melbourne bitter is unpretentious. If you're going to be pretentious then you need to be good (in which case you're no longer pretentious).

 

[Nick JD]

At the Bureau of Statistics Christmas party during a drinking game I heard an employee utter that she'd spent the better part of a year in the search for the exact percentage of people who drink beer to get pissed and couldn't care less what it tasted like as long as it was cold and fizzy because between the glass and their esophagus was merely a blink.

She said the number she'd come up with was 99.3% - all of which wore singlets and drove utes.

Then she removed her glasses, shook her glossy blonde hair out of the conservative bun she kept it in and leant provocatively against the desk.

O ... K ... maybe it was a dream - but...

...VB IS STILL SHIT!