Is There One Single Beer Merchant That Refridgerates Imports?

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If a beer has had had any oxygen introduced post fermentation then it will be permanently damaged fairly quickly. Even if it is scrubbed of oxygen before packaging or bottle conditioned it will still show oxidative/stale character much quicker than well handled beer.

+1 Oxygen ingress post ferment will always stale quicker.

As for the original question of refridgerating imports I'm sure that there's very limited chance it could ever happen. Unfortunately the courier/postal service responsible for any part of the delivery chain don't value the product as much as the brewer or consumer. If it where do-able then expect the marketeers to be charging you extra for the privilege. The slogan would probably go "Kept cold from tank to table, that will be 5$ extra a 6-pack thankyou..."

Quality after production by any brewery is a concern. I have personal experience with a public venue holding half finished kegs in demountable buildings for 3 weeks between "functions" and then serving them to a public of over 10,000 at a time. The venue had no regard for quality as it would have cost them money.

My 2 cents

Booz

 

[Murcluf]

Been wondering something similar in the past especially when you see import just sitting on a shelf or direct sunlight. If brewdog do do to such lenghts to freight beer here in refridgerated containers it's a shame to see there product sit in the sun on the back docks of a local Dans in 35 degrees for a couple of days, only to be dragged inside to be put on the shelf until some punter comes along.

Unfortunately the theo-capitalist pedlars of mass consumption don't have respect for well crafted products or to give them the care and attention they deserve so the consumer enjoy it as it should be enjoyed.

 

[WildaYeast]

I think Thirsty Boy's post hit most of the points I was thinking as I read this thread.

There's a Brew Strong podcast on oxidation, with Charlie Bamforth from UC Davis on as guest. He talks about stale-ing reactions, which predominantly include oxidation, but occur for other reasons as well. Minimising oxygen on packaging is one way to delay these reactions. Heat greatly accelerates these. I forget the factor, but it's significant - perhaps logarithmic.

Jamil also talks in later podcasts about having stored beers cold for 10-years, giving them to the most sophisticated palettes, and having no oxidation detected. So, temp control is significant. There's also one where the talk about warming and cooling, as not a good thing. Light-struck is another factor.

I know Burleigh Brewing has been promoting a limited distribution network, to emphasize fresh -- refrigerated delivery.

As much as I like to sample, I figure any import here is a questionable purchase. I know Ross at CB has been selling some imports, but not sure if he is bringing them in or whether they are refrigerated. I do know that they store all of their stock in the cold rooms.

 

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I know this may seem like BS to some but there are some (believe it or not) issues/concern in trade where chilled beer in a carton returning to ambient temperature, creating condensation in the 6-pack and carton and therefore compromising the structural integrity of the package resulting in a potential safety issue to the consumer....

It's a laughable joke.

Booz

 

[felten]

almost as laughable as spilling hot maccas coffee on yourself and winning $2.86 million* from the lawsuit

 

[WildaYeast]

I did actually get a 4-pack from DM a while back only to have it fall apart as I was walking out the door. Was quite amazed, and a bit chagrined, but they gave me a new one and cleaned up the mess. (No, I wasn't pissed, yet) So, I could understand it being a concern, valid or not.

 

[ianh]

i read somewhere in last few days that the beer and spirit co (brewdog importers) used refridgeratied containers for imports...

This was in Tuesday's SMH Link

 

[DanRayner]

I agree that high temperatures will stale a beer more quickly than lower temperatures but there really are only a few distributors who do actually transport in refrigerated containers. But again at lower temperatures, not cold per se but less than 20degC, this staling occurs at a much slower rate and I wouldn't be surprised if Wildayeast is correct in his suggestion that it is logarithmic.

Better-made beers with quick delivery and higher turnover will usually be enough to avoid staling.

Beer should never be in direct sunlight on shelves, brown glass can only go so far to stop UV from skunking - I'd never buy them...

Burleigh Brewing was once promoting limited availability but is now available to customers in southern NSW and the ACT through ALM (Australian Liquor Marketers - AKA IGA) who, as far as I am aware, do not have refrigerated stores for beer and I have never received these beers in a refrigerated truck. But that said, I've never experienced a staled beer from them either.

The majors/megabrews (I'm guessing previous posts were referring to CUB and Tooheys) might (*might* I have no evidence one way or another) store their products in refrigerated warehouses but they certainly do not transport/deliver them in refrigerated trucks - kegs are delivered to pubs on the back of open-tray trucks in direct sunlight throughout summer - or at least they are here in Canberra - but I doubt that they see that as "mishandling"

Chilling and warming of packaging or packaging that is flimsy and crap (I'm looking at you Monteith's your beers maybe awesome but the packaging ain't ) really annoys me; I've dived to save beer and subsequently hurt myself for the sake of a case of something like Leffe so many countless times cos of this!

 

[Thirsty Boy]

The majors/megabrews (I'm guessing previous posts were referring to CUB and Tooheys) might (*might* I have no evidence one way or another) store their products in refrigerated warehouses but they certainly do not transport/deliver them in refrigerated trucks - kegs are delivered to pubs on the back of open-tray trucks in direct sunlight throughout summer - or at least they are here in Canberra

I at least wasn't referring to the major brewers here in australia - they dont store or deliver in controlled environments at all. But look at the beers... How often do you hear homebrewers and beer geeks lamenting all the preservatives, enzymes, filtering, processing that is required to make beer that you can leave sitting on the loading dock in the heat, without screwing it up in no time flat.

Now look at a beer imported from Germany where they cant add anything to enhance the shelf life... The poor thing has already travelled half way around the world, across the equator and been abused by people who dont know better - I think that the least the poor stuff deserves is to be treated with respect and not sent further down the road to ruin, once its in the hands of people who are supposed to care about beer.

And as for imported craft beer from the states or scotland or whatever... Unless its been brought over in a fridge, its almost certainly already knackered when it gets here, and its definately going to be after a few weeks on the shelf of a beer shop at 20C

Aging happens fast at 20, it happens insanely quickly at higher temps, and it almost stops happening at about beer fridge temperatures....

Sure - a bottle shop cant control what happens to a beer before they get it. But they can try to source beer from people they think treat it better than others, and they can make sure its put into better conditions asap after they get it. If a beer is half stuffed when it hits the bottlo... It would be nice if it went into the fridge and stayed half stuffed till i bought it, instead of finishing off the trip to staleness on the shelves of the shop. I know that costs money... But if i am paying $10 for an imprted beer anyway, i'd rather pay 12 and have it in half decent shape.

 

[Benniee]

[quote name='The Ol' Boozeroony' post='716046' date='Dec 8 2010, 09:35 PM']Quality after production by any brewery is a concern. I have personal experience with a public venue holding half finished kegs in demountable buildings for 3 weeks between "functions" and then serving them to a public of over 10,000 at a time. The venue had no regard for quality as it would have cost them money.[/quote]

Oh dear... Knowing you place of emplyment and thinking of the only "local" venue that has that sort of capacity makes me a little sad.

You guys would be pretty much powerless to stop this sort of practice wouldn't you - even with the potential damage to the brand?

Benniee

 

[Weizguy]

Oh dear... Knowing you place of emplyment and thinking of the only "local" venue that has that sort of capacity makes me a little sad.

You guys would be pretty much powerless to stop this sort of practice wouldn't you - even with the potential damage to the brand?

Benniee

oh, I just worked it out, too. I have tasted beer at that venue and is often a lucky dip.

Aren't you glad now?

 

[Muggus]

oh, I just worked it out, too. I have tasted beer at that venue and is often a lucky dip.

Aren't you glad now?

Haha that makes three of us!

Mates of mine how it tastes different up here compared to another venue of similiar size down the road with the same namesake as the aforementioned beverage...