Thursday, October 6th, 2011
It is no surprise that Peroni Gran Riserva comes from the same brewery as Peroni Nastro Azzurro but does it rate better than its more well-known sibling?
The Peroni Brewing company (Birra Peroni) which was founded in 1846 is now owned by brewing giant SAB Miller, the same company that recently took over the Foster’s Group in August this year. Both this and Peroni Nastro Azzurro thankfully still come from their country of origin, Italy.
Gran Riserva pours clear and a golden yellow in colour with light carbonation. It starts with a foamy white two-finger thick head that quickly subsides to leave no lacing. The smell is pleasant and that of sweet grains & malts and is fairly subtle. It’s funny because the first time I tried this beer I could have sworn I tasted honey but this time round I didn’t whatsoever. It starts off smooth with biscuit like malts but you soon get hit with an alcohol-like taste midway and left with a lingering herbal hop bitterness. This beer is very filling and a lot heavier than its more common counterpart Peroni Nastro Azzurro. It’s readily available at Dan Murphy’s year round for $13 a 3 pack, yes I said 3 pack believe it or not.
I’ll be honest I liked this brew more the first time round but not so much after that. I can’t make my mind up as to whether or not I prefer this to the normal Peroni Nastro Azzurro. I know for one thing though and that’s the standard 5.1% Peroni Nastro Azzurro is definitely a more sessionable beer
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts: 6.6% alcohol – 330ml brown bottle – Pop top
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Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
Another ‘Premium Lager’ for the already saturated Australian market, or is this a bloody Brootiful beer? Time to find out!
What started as a dream for Kent Grogan founder of Broo Ltd soon became a reality after quite a lot of beer drinking mixed with some serious thinking – not sure if those two really go well together. Late last year a unique share offer named Live The Dream was offered to the public. When this offer was first released it offered 10 shares in the company to anyone who purchased a carton of Broo beer online and after that supply was exhausted they then offered 10 shares in the company plus a carton of Broo for $55 which could be applied for via the Broo website. I myself bought 10 shares through this unique scheme as I’m sure a lot of others did. After its unique introduction had finished its course the beer was released to liquor stores nationally and since then the brand has grown stronger with the release of the online Broo merchandise shop. The company is all Australian and this can easily be seen by its branding & marketing.
This is positively another one of those ‘Premium Lagers’ which are so plentifully stocked on the shelves of your local 1st Choice. Broo Premium Lager clocks in at 4.6% alcohol per 330ml bottle and equates to 1.2 standard drinks. It pours a straw like yellow that is clear and moderately carbonated. There is a one finger white head that quickly recedes to leave no lacing. The smell is similar to all those other ‘Premium Lagers’ and resembles that aroma of your local pub, not real enticing in my books. The taste is dull and watery and could easily be sessioned if you so desire such a beer. I personally would take this beer over VB Raw, VB and XXXX but that in itself isn’t saying a whole lot.
I truly believe that what makes this beer special is the marketing and branding associated with it and if I could rate it on that alone it would get 5 out of 5. Other than that it doesn’t have a whole lot to offer except for perhaps a quaffing beer at your mates backyard pissup, coupled with the fact a carton goes for $45 at most stores.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts: 4.6% alcohol – 330ml brown bottle – Twist top
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Friday, April 8th, 2011
This is the latest brew in a series of wacky creations by the James Squire Mad Brewers team and it’s a tasty one at that!
Scribbly Gum Lager is a limited release beer with only 4,200 cases produced and each case contains twelve 640ml bottles. It went on sale nationally on the 21st February this year. Last year James Squire created the Orchard Ale as part of their Mad Brewers Label and it was focused on the Belgium Saison (low alcohol pale ale). This time round they focused this new brew on distinctive Australian summer flavours and aromas.
The labelling on this brew says: This is a “big” lager with an intriguing smoky character backed up with hints of the Aussie native bush flora and as per usual the labelling on this year’s Mad Brewers beer is fantastic and in keeping with tradition it’s colourful, in your face and stands out from the crowd. Personally I’m not a fan of smoked products other than smoked salmon and therefore would like to reassure those who are similar that this brew has a very minimal smoked character to it if any. As far as Australian lagers go, I believe the taste of this one to be sublime. It’s full of different flavours, starting off sweet & fruity and leaving your mouth with a subtle smoky/roasted taste. It pours a cloudy straw like colour with an attractive two fingered head. The aroma of this brew is simply lovely – There’s a beautiful mix of fruits blended alongside a subtle smokiness. You can pick two 640ml bottles of this amazing lager up for $15 and there’s a list of stockists here.
A few have told me that they would not drink this as a session beer but I respectively disagree. I could happily drink this brew all night, but I would do so making sure I savoured every mouthful. I would like to say well done to the Mad Brewers team at James Squire, you have created one of my favourite Australian lagers to date, cheers!
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 6.5% alcohol – 640ml amber bottle – Pop top
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Friday, November 19th, 2010
If you’re tired of drinking Australian lagers and let’s face it most of us are, here’s a decent German import for you.
Fűrstenberg comes fully imported courtesy of the Australian Beer Connoisseurs, from the Black Forest in Germany. The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range located in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Southwest Germany and it is there that the Fürstlich Fürstenbergische Brauerei (brewery) stands. The history of the Fűrstenberg brand can be dated back to 1705 and it now has seven different brews to its name. If you’re interested in seeing the Black Forest brewery mentioned above, tours are held daily at the cost of 5 Euro per person but of course you would have to be in Germany to do so.
The aroma of this brew is sweet and pleasant coming from the floral hops in it. It has a light hay colour which is similar to a wheat beer bar the fact it’s clear rather than cloudy. It pours with an inch thick head that quickly disappears to leave no lacing at all. There’s also a steady stream of carbonation to it and along with its dryness has a nice refreshing taste to it. It should only be served chilled. The taste is dry and smooth with a definite malty flavour to it and overall is satisfying to the taste buds. A carton of Fűrstenberg will cost you $39.99 and $13.99 for a 6pack. Both prices shown are from 1st Choice.
This is an enjoyable session lager that won’t leave your head thumping like some of its Australian counterparts. It also won’t break the bank and for the same price of XXXX Bitter, why wouldn’t you go imported this time round!
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 5.3% alcohol – 330ml amber bottle – Pop top
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Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Grolsch, Holland’s very own premium lager since 1615.
Grolsch Premium Lager is currently brewed and bottled by the Grolsch Brewery (Grolsche Bierbrouwerij), located in the city of Enschede, Netherlands. This brewery is a state of the art facility which has the capacity to produce 4 million hectolitres of beer. This equates to more than 12,000 330ml bottles!
Most people will know Grolsch for its unique swing top lid pictured above. I know many people who have happily bought Grolsch just to get their hands on the unique bottle which can be used for many things, from a water bottle to a candle holder. Unfortunately, the mainstream Grolsch bottles such as the one shown at the top, no longer come with the unique swing top but instead have the standard pop top. It is my understanding that you can still get the swing top on the 450ml variation of this brew but locating that size may be a mission in itself. There is also a 1.5L Magnum Bottle variation of this brew that has the swing top and can be found at Dan Murphy’s from time to time for around $15 a bottle – it is pictured above next to a 375ml Crown Lager bottle.
This fully imported lager pours with a full white, bubbly head that disappears quickly to leave specs of lacing on the glass. The colour is a light gold, that is clear with plenty of carbonated bubbles sticking to the inside of the glass. It’s smell is noticeable and inoffensive. There’s a sweet grainy aroma to it. The taste appears slightly bitter up front followed by a surge of sweetness. It’s a pleasant brew that has a good balance between malt and hops, though I’m not sure how long I could drink it for, so be careful if you’re planning to use it as a session beer. A carton of Grolsch retails for$40 when on special, so that’s the time to buy it.
Grolsch is a decent lager and one that is still brewed from its original origin, in this case Holland aka, The Netherlands. I recommend giving it a try for yourself but just bear in mind that it’s not a session beer and if you see the swing top bottles, snap those babies up quickly cause they’re hard to come by.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 5.0% alcohol – 330ml green bottle – Pop top
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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
Sapporo, Japans answer to the well-known lager.
Before I continue I would like to make it clear that this review is based on the imported Sapporo Draft beer and not the brewed under license alternative that comes from Canada. Sapporo is said to be ‘Japan’s oldest brand’ with its beginnings being traced back to 1876 when the Kaitakushi Brewery was founded and Sapporo was the first Bavarian-style brewing company in Japan The company now has five breweries located in Japan along with the Sleeman brewery in Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately, the majority of Australia’s Sapporo now comes from the Sleeman brewery in Canada and still all this while it is being dubbed as ‘Japan’s premium beer’. This rice lager is made with the use of two-row barley that was specifically developed by the company itself. Two-row barley has a lower protein content to that of traditional barley and therefore has a higher fermentable sugar content making it more suited to this brew. Sapporo Draft pours a decent white fluffy head that is short lasting and it also leaves a small amount of lacing on the glass. It’s appearance is a clear Straw yellow colour and it has plenty of carbonation with bubbles collecting around the head of the glass. The aroma is dull and subdued but there is a slight sweet malt smell to it that can be discovered with further inspection. Sapporo Draft is easy to drink with a smooth, crisp and refreshing taste but there’s not a lot more to it, taste wise. It would make for a good thirst quencher, possibly after a hard day of cleaning the home or the like. Delicate citrus flavours are evident but unfortunately the high carbonation conceals a lot of the taste.
Sapporo may well be Japan’s oldest brand, but unfortunately time has not made this brew an exceptional lager. While it may be appealing to some, others will be left expecting something more from these old Japanese Brewers.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 5.0% alcohol – 334ml brown bottle – Pop top
** Update ** As of the 1st October 2011, Coopers will be brewing under license and supplying Sapporo Lager direct from their Regency Park brewery in Adelaide, Australia.
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Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Kronenbourg 1664 is touted as the premium beer of Brasseries Kronenbourg brewers since 1664, well let me tell you it’s not anymore, at least not here down under.
The Kronenbourg 1664 we buy here in Australia is brewed under license in Victoria by the Foster’s Group and it is this version that I am reviewing here. Originally Kronenbourg 1664 came to Australia from the Kronenbourg Brewery in France and the name Kronenbourg comes from the French village of Cronenbourg. The other part of this beers iconic name came from the year in which the brewery was founded, 1664. It was originally founded in Strasbourg as the Hatt Brewery but was relocated & renamed in 1850 and is now owned by the Carlsberg Group. Kronenbourg is the fifth oldest beer brand in the world that is still being used to this day. You can get your hands on the real imported Kronenbourg 1664 in Australia but don’t count on 1st Choice or Dan Murphy’s stocking it as I unfortunately made this mistake. Kronenbourg 1664 is premium lager with an alcohol content of 5% per 330ml volume. It has a crisp, clean and refreshing taste that presents with an initial bitterness. It would make for a good season beer. Neither of the two bottles I consumed poured with any noticeable head but they did leave an even amount of lacing on my glass. There’s a clear golden hue to this beer and it comes well carbonated, which it quite noticeable with its mouth-feel. The aroma smells of sweet malts and is generally pleasant all round. A commendable point about this brand is it’s cap covered labelling and green 1664 embossed bottling. Both add to the pedigree of this beer making it stand out from the crowd.
Although Kronenbourg 1664 may not be the most amazing lager on the market it does come with high regard in certain circles and its name has every reason to. If you haven’t tried Kronenbourg 1664 for yourself I suggest you do, and where possible, read the label first and see if it’s the fully imported version.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 5.0% alcohol – 330ml green bottle – Pop top
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Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Royal Dutch Post Horn is premium full strength lager that is fully imported from Holland.
It is brewed by the Posthoorn Brewery which is located in the Dutch city of Breada, Holland. Post Horn is the English translation of the word Posthoorn and hence is the name of this brew. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of information as to the history of this lager but I will give you what information I do know. Royal Dutch Post Horn comes in a six-pack of green 330ml bottles, each having an alcohol content of 4.7% per volume. The standard green bottles have ordinary labelling, with white, green, gold and red blended together to try and catch your eye. You can expect to pay $16 for a six-pack as I did at my local independent bottle store. It is imported into Australia by ALM Imports in NSW and I have yet to see this beer being sold at 1st Choice or Dan Murphy’s, so be sure to find your local independent bottle store if you’d like to try it.
This imported lager pours a fluffy white head that leaves small amounts of lacing on the glass. It has a clear golden yellow hue with plenty of carbonation, some may think it has too much. There’s a sweet malty aroma but is quite faint. The mouth feel is creamy while also being a tad watery. As for the taste ̶̶̶ it is clean, crisp and dry and on a summer’s day I can see it being rather refreshing. I found the taste diminished substantially after I had consumed three bottles for some reason and this made me call it quits for the night.
Overall, Royal Dutch Post Horn is not an outstanding lager by any means, but it is certainly not the worst. Personally I think this beer is better suited to the hotter, summer months so if you want to give it a try do so then.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 4.7% alcohol – 330ml green bottle – Pop top
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Friday, June 25th, 2010
Bighead is Australia’s first true no-carb beer but, unfortunately it also has no-taste in my opinion.
This no-carb alternative is brewed & bottled by the Burleigh Brewing Company in Burleigh Heads, Queensland. We certainly are a fan of their unique creations and have already reviewed their Duke European-Style Premium Lager and their limited release My Wife’s Bitter. So why did we not like this novel brew? You’ll just have to read on to find out.
Is this truly a no-carb beer? Well according to the nutritional information section on the bottles label, it has zero grams of carbs per 330ml serving. The company has also gone as far as to have this brew independently tested and it complies with the Australian & New Zealand Food Standards to have no carbohydrates. It’s a known fact that mainstream low-carb beers generally lack any real flavour and unfortunately this brew conforms to the notion. It pours a light shade of gold with no noticeable head nor does it leave any lacing on the glass. There’s no noticeable aroma to this beer either. It’s alcohol volume is 4.2% which is lower to other low-carb offerings, such as Bondi Blonde’s 4.5% and Platinum Blonde’s 4.6%. The taste is uninspiring and almost seems flat but, I can see some carbonation happening inside the glass so this isn’t the case. The taste is watery and doesn’t make you want to drink more, regardless of the fact it has no-carbs. Negatives aside I’d like to say a few positive things about this brew. Obviously the best part is that it has no-carbs, which is great for the waist line. The labelling and branding of Bighead is fantastic and it caught my eye when browsing at my local bottle shop. Another positive to this lager is that it’s 100% natural and has no additives or preservatives.
Ultimately the best thing to do with this brew is to try it for yourself and make your own mind up as to whether or not Australia’s first no-carb alternative is for you.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 4.2% alcohol – 330ml amber bottle – Pop top
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Sunday, June 6th, 2010
Malt Runner is the latest beer in a long line of limited releases by the acclaimed Malt Shovel Brewery which produces the well-known James Squire range.
This seasonal brew was released nationally last month, and is said to be ‘the perfect companion on a winter’s night’. Well here I am on such ‘a winter’s night’, its 15°C outside and this brew is going down exceptionally well. Malt Runner has similar stylings to a German Bock, which traditionally is a strong dark lager with light hop bitterness and an alcohol content somewhere between 6.3% to 7.2% by volume. This brew however, has a lighter alcohol content of 5.2%, making it a dark lager rather than a German Bock. The important ingredient used in this brew is cherry juice, which has been added to balance the malt flavours.
Malt Runner pours a lovely thick creamy head with tightly packed bubbles. Although this isn’t evident in the above picture, I assure you it does. The beer itself has a smokey chocolate taste along with a caramel-like malt finish, which makes it quite warming on a cold night. I personally can also taste the cherry juice within and it reminds me of one of my all-time favourites, Belle-Vue Kriek. The aroma is sweet, fruity and pleasant and its appearance is copper-like in colour.
James Squire ambassador chef Matt Kemp has created the perfect accompaniment to this limited brew, Bitter Chocolate and Roasted Macadamia Brownies. Once I saw the recipe posted here I couldn’t resist but make them myself. These brownies are indeed the perfect pairing for this brew but they are also sinfully good regardless of what they are served with. They are so good in fact that I woke up this morning to the sound of my girlfriend eating one next to me in bed!
Malt Runner can be found at any of these locations. I picked my 6-pack up from my local 1st Choice for $15 where the whole James Squire range is currently on special.
Other limited release brews by James Squire that we have reviewed are Mad Brewers Orchard Ale and Sundown Lager, feel free to check them out also. Sundown Lager was so popular that it was permanently made part of the James Squire range.
To conclude, this beer was a unique taste experience for me and I would happily try it again. I would highly recommend you try it for yourself before stocks run out. After all, it is limited to 9,000 cartons nationally.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 5.2% alcohol – 345ml amber bottle – Pop top
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