Matilda Bay - Pull Your Finger Out

[QldKev]

Why would you pay $90 for it? MB lost me when they rebranded and alpha, bohemian and dogbolter, and discontinued rooftop red (all great beers at the time, but no longer). They then increased carton/six pack price by about 70-80% for those said beers, and introduced some very ordinary beers (Helgas, fat yak).

Alpha particularly used to be outstanding a few years ago, especially on tap. A shadow of its former self.

Yep $90, could buy a few carb caps, I'm also seriously looking at a portable keg setup; I already have a soda stream bottle and adapter, and thanks to Batz a spare reg.

If they are going to play these crappy games, they have lost me as a customer and hopefully a few others will think about buying from them too.

QldKev

 

[QldKev]

I've just sent a email to Matilda Bay, stating I am not happy with a 4 pack in exchange for my carton. Will post their response.


QldKev

 

[Batz]

Yep $90, could buy a few carb caps, I'm also seriously looking at a portable keg setup; I already have a soda stream bottle and adapter, and thanks to Batz a spare reg.

If they are going to play these crappy games, they have lost me as a customer and hopefully a few others will think about buying from them too.

QldKev

When did I give you a reg? The reg I left at your place is a high pressure LPG reg for yardy's NASA.

Batz

Edit: OK perhaps it was one of those chrome plated ones I had a while back, seniors moment happening I think.

 

[ShredMaster]

I bought a 30can pack of New once, one can was obviously scraped on something during packing and had a line around it 1/2 way up and the can itself was empty. I rang the 1800 number on the can and spoke to a chick there who took my details, told me to hang onto the can and some "customer service" thingy would get back to me. Got a letter a week later telling me to take the letter into the place I bought it from and redeem for a whole new carton and they will credit the shop for the carton. Worked a treat...

I can understand that a craft brewer has a completely different business model from a megaswill brewery so they will be more cautious to just take a word for it that it was ****. They have more pride in their product and would probably be offended by being told that but they really ought to back it up with even BETTER service that I got from Mr Megaswill.

As mentioned earlier, consumer law means you are entitled to a refund/replacement in the right circumstances. If you drank the whole carton then it will be unlikely that the beer was actually that bad, in their opinion, because it didn't stop anybody from drinking it. If you drank a 6pack and took the rest back to the shop they may have been able to replace the remainder and take your work that it was **** and throw an extra 6pack at you for the one you managed to drink. You can talk direct to the manufacturer but technically they can tell you to get bent, you didn't buy it from them so go take it up with who actually sold it to you.

I'm keen to hear the response....

Cheers,
Shred.

 

[petesbrew]

I've just sent a email to Matilda Bay, stating I am not happy with a 4 pack in exchange for my carton. Will post their response.


QldKev

As already stated, did you try taking it back to the retailer?
$90, yep I wouldn't be happy.

 

[Rina]

I can understand that a craft brewer has a completely different business model from a megaswill brewery so they will be more cautious to just take a word for it that it was ****. They have more pride in their product and would probably be offended by being told that but they really ought to back it up with even BETTER service that I got from Mr Megaswill.

Nah the irony is Matilda Bay is CUB while 4 Pines etc (afaik) are 'independent'.

Maybe he didn't keep the receipt? Keeping receipts for every beer you buy sounds like a pain.

 

[QldKev]

I just had a phone call. Normally they require a stubby to be returned so they can test them. They are happy to stand behind the product and have agreed to a full replacement carton. This restores my confidence in the brewery.

QldKev

 

[beerbog]

They're on AHB also, give it to em. :beerbang:

 

[chunckious]

Where's the recipe for Alpha Pale Ale then!!!!!

 

[Rina]

They're on AHB also, give it to em. :beerbang:

That's what I thought too. Sounds like a total 180. Any way good to hear.

 

[donburke]

I just had a phone call. Normally they require a stubby to be returned so they can test them. They are happy to stand behind the product and have agreed to a full replacement carton. This restores my confidence in the brewery.

QldKev

can i ask how many of the 24 bottles did you offer to return full ?

 

[ekul]

does anyone have a clone for this beer? Good outcome Kev

 

[sponge]

From a quick search it's mostly ale with a few % of crystal

Mainly cascade (late and dry hopped) with a bit of centennial, amarillo and mt hood thrown about the boil

1056 @ 16'C




Sponge

 

[HoppingMad]

That treatment is rubbish Kev.

I recall getting better treatment from CUB a while back. Our boss used to order in VB a fair bit (don't ask me why) and we had one bad case.
The guys from the brewery replaced it no questions asked. You'd think that if the megaswill arm of Fosters can get their customer service right then Matilda Bay should be able to as well.

On the subject of clones, my notes from research many moons ago state:

Pale Malt
Dark Crystal Malt

Lots of late boil Cascade
Dry Hopped Amarillo in secondary
Mt Hood (bittering)
Centennial

Fermented with 1056 at 16 degrees

My brewclub went to their Garage brewery in Dandenong yonks ago, that was the source, and also their older website.
Hops may have changed since but historically it was a two-grain, 4 hop beer.

Cheers,

Hopper

 

[kevo]

This restores my confidence in the brewery.

QldKev

Maybe wait and taste the replacement beers...

 

[jayse]

I hope the replacement carton lives up to expectations and that Alpha pale has not actually been dumbed down, I like the beer but always thought it was overpriced being a larger brewery charging more for their beer then many small independent companies.

 

[yardy]

When did I give you a reg? The reg I left at your place is a high pressure LPG reg for yardy's NASA.

Batz

I've got a NASA ? cool :icon_cheers:



Kev,

save a few of the replacement stubbies for when i drop in and pick the gear up, about 8 should give me a good idea if that batch is infected or not :icon_cheers:

 

[QldKev]

I've got a NASA ? cool :icon_cheers:



Kev,

save a few of the replacement stubbies for when i drop in and pick the gear up, about 8 should give me a good idea if that batch is infected or not :icon_cheers:

what NASA? what pot?, what esky? h34r:



Something should be available for a sample or few



I've got confidence the next ones should be great. I've purchased soo many of these over the years and never had a problem prior.



QldKev

 

[QldKev]

The saga continues...



Looks like they cannot do a credit for the Alpha Pale Ale for any store within 400km's of me... (although we can buy it local)

I've been offered 2 options
A Fat Yak as an alternative. That's fair, a $50 carton to replace a $90 odd carton.
OR I have to arrange someone down in Brisbane to pick it up and store it for me as I cannot guarantee personally I will be down there within the 3 month voucher expiry; and fingers crossed that being stored in Queensland weather for months wont spoil the product. Also being a product with a high hop ratio, it will most likely not be as good once it is a few months old even if stored at cool temps.

If they cannot source the replacement product locally, would it not be up to them to arrange delivery of it?


QldKev

 

[MarkBastard]

I can store it for you if it comes to that

In a room that's relatively cool (under 30 degrees anyway and probably averages 25)