What's The Deal With James Squire

[ibast]

Maybe give it another go ibast.

I think I'm going to have to just to make sure I'm fully informed on the subject

Dam this is a tough hobby.

 

[T.D.]

I think came out in the post above

Yep, I probably should read ALL the posts before replying! :lol:

 

[T.D.]

I think I'm going to have to just to make sure I'm fully informed on the subject

Dam this is a tough hobby.

Yeah, best get cracking on those award winning beers ibast! How many trophies do you reckon you'll need to win before you are allowed to partake in critical discourse???

 

[neonmeate]

everyone knows the "awards" that get handed out to every brewer in australia each year have a tangential relationship at best to beer quality... hahn ice and CUB-brewed Stella have won the australian beer awards for godssake.... i think ibast is on the money with the decline in JS beers. even if he can't spell caricature.

JS beers are successful products - they sell well, and are well made for what they are... but they definitely seem to have been saving money on late hop additions.... the IPA and pilsener used to have heaps more hop flavour. and the amber ale tastes like one-dimensional tinny caramel muck these days, but it used to be very drinkable. the porter and golden ale are still pretty decent. but certainly not shockingly flavourful.
i think of JS as the Australian Sam Adams - or kind of like Helgas bread. dependably bland, selling low-risk adventurousness.

 

[warrenlw63]

I reckon they've never been that great. I can remember us all milling around a bottle of the Amber Ale at a HB club meeting when it first came to prominence in Vic. To me it tasted almost as good as toilet water. <_<

Haven't had it lately but every time I seemed to try it luck was not on my side. They had it on tap at a local pub not so long ago and it was that badly infected I contemplated pouring it on my salad.

The Pilsner was always too biscuity malt for the style with a strange fruity hop character to it which seems to defeat what a good pilsner sets out to achieve.

Personally the only one worth giving a damn about even though it's grossly out of style is the IPA which is moreish enough in its own way. Summer Ale is OK enough too I guess.

To me going bland and mainstream can only improve them to the point of at least being of a reasonably consistent quality and I guess freely available for that emergency six pack at the local Curry joint.

Warren -

 

[ibast]

even if he can't spell caricature.

Damb you. :angry: I knew I was wrong, I just couldn't figure out where. :lol:

 

[///]

:lol: I wish, what a job that would be........ However my old man is a Tooheys Veteran - been there for almost 40 years - started off as a "scientist" and has gone on from there - this is where I get my info from :huh:

Works in Tech Services?? The boys won 5 medals at the World Beer Cup, including JS (am sure... wheres those results).

Scotty

 

[the_fuzz]

Works in Tech Services?? The boys won 5 medals at the World Beer Cup, including JS (am sure... wheres those results).

Scotty

Not 100% sure on Dept, but works in the Labs and looks after Quality Control of the Brewery and of the grains, hops etc

Has a name from Robin Hood B)

 

[mfdes]

Does it matter what kind of brewing I do in order to state what I don't like?
I don't like and have never liked any of the James Squire beers. The waffle they put on the labels!
It may have been a cut above the rest when it came out, but they're pretty ordinary compared to other stuff out there. To me it's all marketing and little substance.
A bit like Heineken drinkers. Just about all I know personally only drink it because it's more expensive.

MFS.

 

[T.D.]

A bit like Heineken drinkers. Just about all I know personally only drink it because it's more expensive.

MFS.

Add Corona to that scenario too...

 

[KoNG]

WWWH, your love of all things Chuck is undoubtable. he has obviously touched you in a special way at some point in the past.

My thoughts are that the bottled products are somewhat lacking, for sure.!!
but
On the flipside, any of the beers from the bright tanks down at King Street Wharf are usually, really good.
Govenor King and Speculator being fav's... and a little Highway Man for good measure. :lol:

 

[crozdog]

i think of JS as ..... kind of like Helgas bread. dependably bland, selling low-risk adventurousness.

Good analogy neonmeate! Helgas is a GWF brand. GWF also produce Tip Top (among other brands) in the same factories. Same as MSB/Tooheys.

To the masses I guess it comes down to them being prepared to pay more for Helgas instead of Tip Top or MSB instead of New as they obtain or see "perceived value". They are certainly marketed as such. However to the more informed/educated/interested (take your pic or substitute favorite expression ), it goes a lot deeper - as this topic shows.

 

[lowtech]

the IPA used to have heaps more hop flavour.

Yeah I thought it was a little less aromatic the last time I had it(12 months ago at least), still like it though as a nice easy drinker.
I like a thinner/drier type ale ,but was severely dissapointed with the golden ale when it came out , big hop nose but an absolute gutless malt backbone to back it up.Not dissing it per se, just felt it didn't match the hype as an english summer type ale.

 

[T.D.]

Either they have changed the IPA recipe or it is one of those beers that loses its hop aroma very quickly. I agree it is lacking in hop flavour in times. But a mate of mine who used to work at the brewery told me that its bursting with hops when sampled from the bright tank. He also had a six pack of some IPA that had only been bottled the week before and it was a totally different beast to what you usually get in the bottlo. They may have also changed the recipe though, definitley a possibility...

 

[bconnery]

I found the IPA on tap to be a totally different beast to the bottled version.
I'd personally always found the bottled version to be a little lacking to me but I had some on tap not that long ago and it had far more hop character.

As for the rest of the range I've generally agreed with what many have said here, they seemed to start out nice but have generally faded in quality to me.

Although the original Hop Thief was what started me on Nelson Sauvin... I really enjoyed that beer.
The second one I personally found very lacking and almost stale. I taste better APAs than that one at club nights and swaps...

And the malt shovel strong ale I thought was great. I kept a case of the first batch and tasted them over the course of a year and a half. Very nice...

Ben
Award winning AG brewer

 

[neonmeate]

for the record I mean it used to have more hop flavour like when it first came out in 2000 or 2001 or whenever that was... on the other hand I have never really been a fan of the fuggle


neonmeate
award winning AG brewer who uses lots of aroma hops

 

[0M39A]

And the malt shovel strong ale I thought was great. I kept a case of the first batch and tasted them over the course of a year and a half. Very nice...

Ben
Award winning AG brewer

I still have 2 6 packs of strong ale.

best before feb. 05.

found a carton of it in the back of the cool room of the little pub my missus works at a few months ago. Been there its whole life, so its still in very good condition.

age has done this beer well. very very nice and malty and biscuty with just enough bitterness to pull it all together.

 

[Stuster]

neonmeate
award winning AG brewer who uses lots of aroma hops

I can definitely vouch for that. It's a close run thing between your Euro hop explosion and mikem/Oldbugman's saaz hop explosion. Both super hoppy in a completely different way to the American hop bombs, very spicy. Both super yummy.

Trying to keep vaguely on topic (for some reason ), I've enjoyed some JS beers. I do think they've gone down hill over the last few years, but I think it's more likely to be just my changing tastes as much as anything. They're certainly best fresh. I've had some rancid bottles of the IPA that were only fit for the drain, but it's a beer I've definitely enjoyed at the JS Brewhouse.

Stuster
Award winning drinker

Just a thought, was Michael Jackson an award winning AG brewer? :lol:

 

[oldbugman]

mikem/Oldbugman's saaz hop explosion.

What are you talking about.. I cant taste a damn thing...

 

[razz]

Not 100% sure on Dept, but works in the Labs and looks after Quality Control of the Brewery and of the grains, hops etc

Has a name from Robin Hood B)

Robin of Loxley ?