The Future Of Australian Craft Beer?

[MarkBastard]

No, it is entirely related. Again, you can see this by reading (and, hopefully, thinking about) the words.

No, you are:

1. Wrong
2. A ******* spastic
3. A troll
4. **** off

 

[sim]

chill winstan

 

[Kingbrownbrewing]

MB I think I love you.

No ****.

 

[MarkBastard]

there is literally only northgate between us

 

[Nick JD]

@Nick_JD - Great quote, and I just referred to it in a podcast, thanks for that!

It was in the New Scientist mag a few months back.

 

[Clutch]

Pos(t)ing in a hipster thread.
I'll bet that the average schlub would give more support to a craftbrewer than a homebrewer would, given the choice. You've only got to look at the large amount of AG snobbery that goes on in here to ascertain that.
What would happen if one of us took the step to start a microbrewery? You'd get people refusing to drink it based on the amount of the guy's post count.

Is it true that a large brewery has a 20% share in Stone & Wood? Does that mean it can't be counted anymore?

 

[Liam_snorkel]

yeah, Little World Beverages.

 

[Clutch]

Who are partly (40% Wikipedia tells me) owned by Lion Nathan.

Oh noes!

 

[MarkBastard]

It's not about ownership at all to me. All commercial breweries are businesses and being a 'fan' of a business is ridiculous.

I guess Mad Brewers is James Squire who is Lion Nathan? But they make some awesome beers, better than a lot of the 'independent' Australian stuff.

 

[Steve@PMF82]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, about beer, about anything really.

It costs big bucks to run a brewery of any size, so when someone " sells out" a part of their brewery/business so they can grow, to meet the demand, as long as the beer stays the same it cant be a bad thing for beer in general?

Cutting them down just for that is good old tall poppy syndrome.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, about beer, about anything really.

It costs big bucks to run a brewery of any size, so when someone " sells out" a part of their brewery/business so they can grow, to meet the demand, as long as the beer stays the same it cant be a bad thing for beer in general?

Cutting them down just for that is good old tall poppy syndrome.

Its all about the beer quality, big or small. But there is a "romance" about small family owned breweries that are fiercely dedicated to their product and the overall experience. But large breweries give wider exposure to Craft beer.

Both can go wrong though. I.e. Small with quality control (no lab or brewing qualifications), large with beancounters and cheapening the product.

 

[Nick JD]

...who is Lion Nathan?

Give me this selection of brands when I'm at a pub and I'll be a happy chappy. There's nothing in this that I'd pass up if it was your shout. Although I'd piss that lime wedge off - what are we? Hairdressers?

 

[winkle]

Its all about the beer quality, big or small. But there is a "romance" about small family owned breweries that are fiercely dedicated to their product and the overall experience. But large breweries give wider exposure to Craft beer.

Both can go wrong though. I.e. Small with quality control (no lab or brewing qualifications), large with beancounters and cheapening the product.

The classic example of how it can go wrong is James Squire Golden Ale, originally a very good gateway craft beer, now a mass-production bit of trash that makes TED taste good .

 

[Yob]

Sorry Nick I gotta disagree (on personal taste) 95% of those beers, if given to me I would offload to the local bums... ****... I really have turned into a beer snob appreciator

I say 95% coz there are a few in there Ive not tried.

 

[MarkBastard]

XXXX Gold is the worst beer there and I buy 4 of them at a time in plastic cups at the footy, so you're right Nick.

However none of them are craft beers so it is a bit beside the point. Though I've never had Mac's Gold (or even heard of it) so can't really comment on that.

And Cider isn't beer obviously.

 

[Nick JD]

XXXX Gold is the worst beer there and I buy 4 of them at a time in plastic cups at the footy, so you're right Nick.

However none of them are craft beers so it is a bit beside the point. Though I've never had Mac's Gold (or even heard of it) so can't really comment on that.

And Cider isn't beer obviously.

The entire Macs range is freakin awesome.

Can you imagine if CUB offered this:?

http://www.macs.co.nz/macs-beers.html

 

[daemon]

The entire Macs range is freakin awesome.

Can you imagine if CUB offered this:?

http://www.macs.co.nz/macs-beers.html

Especially for the price! I find that Macs beer isn't anything standout but by the same token the quality is much, much higher than Australia's megaswill. Considering it's owned by Lion Nathan, I wise they'ed send the brewers and ingredients to Milton to work....

As for the craft beer debate, I dislike the polarised views. To me craft beer is about the core focus of the brewery. If they're busy trying to create and perfect great beer with great flavour, does it matter who owns them? Do you ask who owns your local butcher or do you simply care about the quality of the product?

Malt Shovel is both a good and bad example. They can still produce a good beer (and any batch out of their brewery is still quite good) but the "James Squire" line is badly tainted by brewers who are focussed on price more than taste. The poor job done by Swan / Tooheys is absolutely shocking at times, which means I don't bother wasting my money with them.

 

[bigfridge]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, about beer, about anything really.

It costs big bucks to run a brewery of any size, so when someone " sells out" a part of their brewery/business so they can grow, to meet the demand, as long as the beer stays the same it cant be a bad thing for beer in general?

Cutting them down just for that is good old tall poppy syndrome.

Very true - there is a lot of ignorant ranting that passes for information on AHB these days.

The FACTS are that when the owners of Little Creatures sold Matilda Bay to CUB they could not be part of the brewing industry for a few years, so they built up a vineyard and then used those funds to start Little Creatures.

They GAVE 40 % to Lion Nathan so that they could use their established distribution network. Sounds pretty cranny to me - I am glad that we have those guys working FOR craft beer.

But if you only want to drink 'labels' go right ahead - but you will miss out on some fantastic, well crafted beers !

 

[Deebo]

As long as the beer is good the size of a company doesnt bother me. Sure you may want to support the smaller guys as they are probably doing it harder but it wouldnt effect my enjoyment of the beer.
Saying that.. I agree that malt shovel has gone to **** lately.

Somewhat OT but I got an 'international' beer pack for christmas from someone.. had a whole pile of BUL stuff, false advertising! (pissed me off and just had to get it off my chest)

 

[Nick JD]

Discussing commerical beer on a homebrew site is like discussing butchers on a hunting site.

We can rant all we want, the proletariat will continue funding the swill business. And it will prosper.

All hail the hard earned thirst (wife-beater singlets free with each slab).