What Makes Megaswill Just So Crap?

[newguy]

Thank you TB. That explanation took a lot of time; I appreciate it. The one thing that struck me is how Australian 'mega' lager differs from their North American counterparts: corn. Up to ~40% of the grist here is corn. Probably related to cost/availability.

I have to ask about high gravity brewing. Pretty much every big brewery over here produces high gravity wort, then dilutes it with water once it is done fermenting. I'm not sure of the exact reasons why, but cost and consistency are definitely factors (somehow). Is that a common practice in Australia?

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Duff / Stu - the syrups are added to the boil. Batched in when the wort is being transferred into the kettle.

newguy - yeah, its all HG brewing. that 15-20plato strength coming out of the brewhouse is significantly more than serving strength. I didn't specifically say High Gravity, I sort of thought the OG levels would give it away. Its all brewed and fermented at the higher strength to maximise tank space and capacity, then it is diluted back to serving strength in the filter room.

Happy to provide info, but really I'd rather talk about homebrewing

TB

 

[dig]

Who are the big 2 that use POR?

1 = CUB

but who is the other? Or, as per everything else to have said, do you just think something - so it must be true <_<

I've seen POR and Super Pride in the Tooheys hop coolroom. Perhaps you should have a look next time you've got your daddy's 'access all areas' pass. Take the lift at the south-west corner of the brewhouse down two floors, tun left, look in the fridge. Oh, and when you step out of the lift, see all that stuff on the pallet racking? Yeah, that all goes into the beer. That stuff goes into the beer.

Home work for you: Ask your dad what 'recovery' is, ask him what percentage and then do the maths. Once you've put your eyeballs back in, report back to us on monday with the answer.

 

[lowtech]

Happy to provide info, but really I'd rather talk about homebrewing

TB

Given that this is "Aussie Home Brewer" I totally support that notion.
Thirsty, your posts are certainly valuable and insightful to all beer geeks and I (we) gratefully thank you for your input.
After reading through all of this thread i have concluded that I am a "fence sitter".
I grew up on commercial beer, and continue to drink(enjoy) commercial beer.
A love of all things beery and subsequent research/ tasting has led me to find a plethora of styles that I enjoy.
Brewing(AG) at home has allowed me to experiment with grains, yeast and hops from all over the globe and arrive at a point where I can produce 20 litres @ a time of real beer that is fresher than imported examples and tailored to my fussy tastebuds.
If I want to produce a beer in a particular style I read/research/ question and totally immerse/absorb every bit of info and then go forth and make a beer.Some make me grin, and some make me sigh.That is the beauty of HB'ing.

I will continue to purchase and enjoy such beers as Coopers Sparkling,Stout, Lager, Dr Tim's, Boags draught, Amsterdam Mariner, Southwark stout,Little creatures PA, Goat High tail(draught) and even a mega cold xxxx gold at the cricket.
At the same time I will continue to rejoice in the fact that I can access malt from Europe/ UK, and Hops from the same places as well as US and NZ, and a mind boggling array of liquid and dry yeasts that allow me to make beer at home that tastes like nothing on earth that any one else has!

Lucky I am!!!!!

 

[dig]

Wanker

Fanboi

Tell the forum what 'recovery' is.

 

[randyrob]

I've read figures like 90% of the yeast cake can be 'recovered' and put back into the beer :blink:

 

[Murray]

This 'dig' character is epitomising all I've come to dislike about this forum over the last year. We're all brewers of some sort, let it go. Save the aggressive stuff for somewhere else.

 

[staggalee]

who or what is he referring to as "fANBOI"?

stagga.

 

[lowtech]

who or what is he referring to as "fANBOI"?

stagga.

her ya go Ol' Fella LINK

 

[staggalee]

her ya go Ol' Fella LINK

Gracias

stagga.

 

[Weekend_warrior]

This 'dig' character is epitomising all I've come to dislike about this forum over the last year. We're all brewers of some sort, let it go. Save the aggressive stuff for somewhere else.

suprisingly this 'dig' character has done more for the australian brewing community than most of us probably ever will

 

[Dave86]

I can't believe you guys are still going on with this shit...

 

[kirem]

Not so my friend... in post number 10 of this thread I gave you the insidest information you are likely to get along with a reasonably carefully thought through theory about why that relates to the sorts of tastes you are likely to find in an Australian Mega beer.

Critisise away people. I promise to not "defend" beers that I have plainly stated that I don't actually like......................

I have to commend TB for his post. We both work for the same 'MAN', he in beer-land and me in wine-land. I would never post even a remotely as detailed post about how I make wine and for him to share what he has is very courageous to say the least.

I make wine in a large winery - 70,000t+ and an awful lot of what is being said is exactly the same sorts of comments when comparing home winemaking, micro&craft wineries and large scale winemaking. I don't think there should be a comparison, they really are so different. They have different pressures, constraints, philosphy, ingredients etc.

The beer/wine that is produced by each type of brewery is made for a specific market. Australian draught is a style that is liked by a lot of consumers and when you are in the business of making beer, being consumer focused helps you stay in business, imagine turning around and saying we are not making VB the same anymore as some of the members of ahb said that it was crap and we should be making something along the lines of sierra nevada pale ale and it is going to cost you twice as much.

A beverage company the size of Foster's understands this and thus has smaller breweries to produce beer like alpha pale ale, barking duck etc and also play in the VB market. Same for wine, Grange/ WB platinum/ St Peters at one end and bag in box at the other. All are high quality & well made but are targeted and costed at different markets.

Further to this I think a brewery cops a lot of fault complaints about their product that are caused by transport, storage and most importantly delivery. I think dirty lines are a very big problem in the industry.

You've got big balls TB!

 

[dig]

Further to this I think a brewery cops a lot of fault complaints about their product that are caused by transport, storage and most importantly delivery. I think dirty lines are a very big problem in the industry.

I agree. Years ago when I was studying, I was lucky enough to go to the pub for lunch with a couple of senior brewers from Abbotsford. They sipped their pots of draught, looked at eachother and called the publican over for a chat.

"Yeah, I age my kegs for a couple of months", said the owner who went on to explain the workings of his keg solera system in the cellar. "My customers love it!"

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I have to commend TB for his post. We both work for the same 'MAN', he in beer-land and me in wine-land. I would never post even a remotely as detailed post about how I make wine and for him to share what he has is very courageous to say the least.

. . . . . . snip . . . . .

You've got big balls TB!

Not really, there isn't really that much more in my post than a knowledgeable brewer willing to bug the shit out of the guide, could get from the tour groups that come through the place twice a day. Maybe a little more, but not a lot. Hell, they let people taste the adjunct... all I did was talk about it

Fingers crossed thats the way the boss sees it too.... h34r:

Thirsty

 

[mfdes]

You won't even see super pride around for much longer. Not when new Australian varieties such as Topaz yield 4800+ kg/ha with 17-18% alpha (low co-h), and the grower gets paid per alpha yield.

MFS.

 

[WitWonder]

Great post TB. I'm glad I skipped to the end and read it.

Whilst I'm sure there are numerous 'brewers' who work for the big breweries who have forgotten more about brewing than I'll ever know, I am sure there are equal numbers, if not more, of scientists, engineers and marketing types who are more responsible for the final product. IMHO they have to be because they produce such huge volumes and must ensure it all tastes the same (until the local leaves it on pallets in the sun behind the pub). Personally, I would say the beer is fantastic - it must be, look at how many people buy it! Then again, look at how many records Brittney Spears has sold

 

[ibast]

Personally, I would say the beer is fantastic - it must be, look at how many people buy it! Then again, look at how many records Brittney Spears has sold

I think this must be Whats_Wrong_With_Hahns alter ego:



"After All it's been through, how dare you pick on Tooheys!"

 

[kirem]

Not really, there isn't really that much more in my post than a knowledgeable brewer willing to bug the shit out of the guide, could get from the tour groups that come through the place twice a day. Maybe a little more, but not a lot. Hell, they let people taste the adjunct... all I did was talk about it

Fingers crossed thats the way the boss sees it too.... h34r:

Thirsty

So how did you go TB? Been in to see big Trev yet