The Increasingly Mis-named Range Of Aussie Beers

[caleb]

Am I the only one annoyed and confused by the totally random mis-use of style names by our big brewers? Names seem to be attached to beers without regard to what the name really means or whether it is even vaguely appropriate.

Witness the recent erruption of "blonde" labelled beers onto the shelves. Now is not "blonde" a well known style of Belgian Ale? What gives some marketing "genius" the right to decide to slap it onto a crappy "low-carb" (i.e. use more sugar for less residual body) beer?

The irony is that almost without exception, the beers so mislabeled are generic lagers, poor third generation clones of the original Pilsener without the character or quality. Let's look at some of the offenders:

Victoria Bitter - actually a lager. Can't be a bitter because that's an ale style.
XXXX Bitter - another lager.
Melbourne Bitter - yet another lager...
Emu Bitter - a lager. Someone PLEASE send these guys a BJCP guide book!
Resch's Real - a lager. Is this an allusion to "real ale". What would CAMRA have to say...
Cascade Pale Ale - not an ale at all, actually a lager.
Boag's XXX Ale - actually a lager. (no way... imagine that!)
Pure Blonde - Not a "blonde" at all, actually a lager.
Platinum Blonde - actually lagers.
Carlton Blonde - a lager.
Boag's Blonde - another lager. More marketing "me-too" wankiness.
Carlton Draught - by definition, draught beer is beer on tap... if it's bottled, it's not "draught".
XXXX Draught - another bottled beer, thus by definition not draught.
Boags Draught - another bottled "draught" beer.
Emu Draft - well, I guess a can could be considered a really really tiny keg...
Hahn Ice - Not an "ice" beer at all. Has not been frozen and had the ice removed to make a super-strong beer.

Funnily, Cascade Blonde (another Foster's beer) IS at least actually a wheat beer. Yet they had no qualms about using the same name for "Pure Blonde".

Now, is this not false labelling? Which is illegal? Imagine if wine producers tried the same stunt! Sparkling white labelled as "shiraz", chablis labelled as "chardonay", shiraz labelled as "port".

Do any other countries have to put up with this BS? (Maybe in America?)

It's obvious marketing is running the show, and they don't give a stuff about beer, but believe (or would have us believe) it's all the same pale yellow lager-y stuff and they can call it whatever they want. :angry:

 

[peas_and_corn]

I'm sure they would argue that they are brand names- just as 'Pizza Hut' is rarely situated inside a hut.

...though I do agree with the sentiment of your post.

 

[unterberg]

Hmm I have never really given too much thought to that. But looking at this really long list - thats a bit of a worry.
But then again I normally dont drink any of those if I can avoid it.
So if you dont recognize them as proper beers its not a problem, hehe.

 

[Adamt]

I'll wager they're not actually breaking any laws.

 

[brettprevans]

not really on topic but sort of along the linbes of the sentiment.

A group of 5 people who hadnt made a booking strolled in to Mrs Parmas and promtply complained when Mrs Parmas staff told them that they were full. They complained about not being able to sample the food and drink (great range of microbrews). The staff told them they were welcome to drink at the bar. The group then order 3 Pure Blonds, a diet lemonade and a gluten free beer. dumbarses. do they think they are drinking special beer because itsd named 'blonde'.

It is interesting tht you mention an appalation style reigme for beers. I wouldnt be oppopsed to it.

 

[eric8]

You would also think that most of the people who do drink these pissant beers have no idea about different types of styles. Well maybe they know lager and ales, but that would be it.

 

[peas_and_corn]

And would they know what the difference between a lager and an ale is?

 

[jonocarroll]

As much as I agree with the sentiment - the examples you've given are fairly fussy; whether it's called 'ale' because it's used an ale yeast or because they like the word 'ale' makes no difference to the name 'Cascade Pale Ale' since it's a name, and they can name their beers whatever they choose. Fussing over 'Hahn Ice' (and all the other 'ice' named beers) is probably a real stretch - I don't think it actually claims to be an eisbier, but rather references the fact that it is cold.

This was also recently discussed in another thread, and i pointed out that 'Kentucky' 'Fried' 'Chicken' would be just as much a leap of faith.

The argument has been formally done for what we must now call 'Sparkling White Wine';

Champagne ... is produced exclusively within the Champagne region of France, from which it takes its name. Through international treaty, national law, most countries limit the use of the term to only those wines that come from the Champagne appellation

but I would doubt anyone is going to really fuss over the distinction between ale and lager.

Unless any of them start making claims in text on the bottles about being something it's really not, I say let 'em be.

I'm keen to hear what butters has to say with regard to your BJCP promoting advice.

 

[drsmurto]

BJCP style GUIDELINES

Not a law in this country or most others

 

[PostModern]

And would they know what the difference between a lager and an ale is?

Lagers are pale and ales are dark, Silly.

Fussing over 'Hahn Ice' (and all the other 'ice' named beers) is probably a real stretch - I don't think it actually claims to be an eisbier, but rather references the fact that it is cold.

Although Ice isn't an Eisbock, it is filtered by some magical Chuck Hahn devised system involving ice in some way. Maybe he just brought the idea over from the States, tho.

 

[muckey]

I'm keen to hear what butters has to say with regard to your BJCP promoting advice.

**GROAN** h34r:

 

[Jakechan]

I asked my missus recently to check out book son beer next time she is in the municipal library. She came home with this great book printed in the early 80's about beer in Australia. One of the main things I got out of the book, and which was obviously a major gripe of the author, was that almost all Aussie beers are brewed as Lagers, even though they are often marketed/sold as Ales.

He also went on to complain about the draught beer-in-a-bottle situation.

Things like this would not be tolerated in other countries, particularly Germany where they have a law that states that BEER must only contain the 4 main ingredients, barley, water, yeast and hops. Sure, they can make beer with anything they like, but they cant call it beer.

A good read.

Cheers,
Jake

 

[caleb]

but I would doubt anyone is going to really fuss over the distinction between ale and lager.

Unless any of them start making claims in text on the bottles about being something it's really not, I say let 'em be.

I'm keen to hear what butters has to say with regard to your BJCP promoting advice.

"I would doubt anyone is going to really fuss over the distinction between shiraz and chablis"...

I would say that they ARE making claims on the bottle about it being something it isn't. And not in the "Champagne" vs "Methode Champagnois" style claim... more like "shiraz" vs "chablis" style of claim.

At what point do you worry? When this appear on the shelf:

CARLTON

Real Trappist Ale


4.5% ABV

​

And the contents is just re-badged Foster's Lager to cash in on the "Belgian Ale" trend.

 

[PostModern]

I asked my missus recently to check out book son beer next time she is in the municipal library. She came home with this great book printed in the early 80's about beer in Australia. One of the main things I got out of the book, and which was obviously a major gripe of the author, was that almost all Aussie beers are brewed as Lagers, even though they are often marketed/sold as Ales.

That's a historical thing isn't it? When the breweries upscaled and had a long brew length, they wanted only one process. Keep the labels, to keep the punters, but change the beer to fall into the easiest to manage style.

 

[jonocarroll]

Things like this would not be tolerated in other countries, particularly Germany where they have a law that states that BEER must only contain the 4 main ingredients, barley, water, yeast and hops. Sure, they can make beer with anything they like, but they cant call it beer.

Actually, FWIW ...

The Reinheitsgebot is no longer part of German law: it has been replaced by the Provisional German Beer Law (Vorlufiges Deutsches Biergesetz (Provisional German Beer-law of 1993)), which allows constituent components prohibited in the Reinheitsgebot, such as wheat malt and cane sugar, but which no longer allows unmalted barley.

 

[Jakechan]

Actually, FWIW ...

Ahh so desu neh.

But!

The vast majority of German breweries continue to comply with the Biergesetz, often claiming compliance with the Reinheitsgebot even when it is patently incorrect (for example, for wheat beers, which were prohibited by the Reinheitsgebot), using this compliance as a valuable marketing tool.

...which underlies the importance of beer to their culture and the obvious need to ensure that their knowledgeable customers are kept happy.

 

[jbirbeck]

beer is technically a food and therefore is subject to food labelling laws. Therefore it MUST be labelled with a name or description of the 'food' that would not mislead consumers...that is, it must be a name that indicates the true nature of the product.

Failure to comply with the Food code can result in a $250k penalty (Under the SA law at least, each jurisdiction has its own laws which refer back to the Food code).Based on the list each of the producers would in breach of the food labelling laws as it dow not indicate the true nature of the product being sold, it just takes somebody to point it out and want to push it...then its in the hands of those who enforce the Food Act.

 

[jonocarroll]

At what point do you worry? When this appear on the shelf:

CARLTON

Real Trappist Ale


4.5% ABV

​

And the contents is just re-badged Foster's Lager to cash in on the "Belgian Ale" trend.

As someone said above, how many people would know the difference? That example probably wouldn't work - the people who know what a Belgian Ale is would know better than to buy a 'Carlton Belgian Ale', and those who don't wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole while wearing a megaswill branded trucker's hat. Carlton probably knows better than to try something like that. But to put the work 'ale' or 'bitter' on a lager is probably safe enough for them.

I think it's safe to assume that as long as marketing execs exist, companies will keep adding buzz words to their products. I'm sure there's a forum where people are complaining about the false use of names for just about every product there is.

 

[peas_and_corn]

beer is technically a food and therefore is subject to food labelling laws. Therefore it MUST be labelled with a name or description of the 'food' that would not mislead consumers...that is, it must be a name that indicates the true nature of the product.

Failure to comply with the Food code can result in a $250k penalty (Under the SA law at least, each jurisdiction has its own laws which refer back to the Food code).Based on the list each of the producers would in breach of the food labelling laws as it dow not indicate the true nature of the product being sold, it just takes somebody to point it out and want to push it...then its in the hands of those who enforce the Food Act.

They all have 'beer' written on the label. It seems that's as detailed a description as is needed.

 

[jonocarroll]

...which underlies the importance of beer to their culture and the obvious need to ensure that their knowledgeable customers are kept happy.

I think perhaps you missed the emphasis on using this compliance as a valuable marketing tool. Hell, Becks claims to adhere;

Beck's marketing material claims that it follows the strict Reinheitsgebot, the German Purity Law of 1516. As with virtually all modern beers, cultured yeast is an ingredient, which was later approved in an amendment to the original purity law. The Reinheitsgebot of 1516 is frequently cited in advertising and marketing material, but modern commercial breweries do not adhere to its requirement.

and I doubt they do it 'for the wellbeing of their customers.'