Dry Dock Premium Lager has recently sailed its way onto the shelves of BWS and Dan Murphy’s stores nationally, having been officially released in October last year. It was introduced by Woolworths who now owns 25% of the Cage Road Brewery in Fremantle.
It’s a premium lager that has been produced to compete directly with Tooheys Extra Dry. First of all let’s get one thing straight, if I had to pick between Dry Dock and Extra Dry, Extra Dry would win hands down and I don’t hold Extra Dry with high regard so go figure. At first glance I mistook Dry Dock for Carlton Dry. The next thing I noticed was the price, $15 a six-pack which sounded reasonable for a new beer on the market, so I bought a pack. I love to try new brews but unfortunately this one was a mistake.
It pours a pale yellow colour with a short little head and moderate carbonation. There’s a faint sweet aroma but nothing that really stands out. The taste is bland and watery which leaves me thinking “is that all?” It’s not overly pleasant and to be honest I don’t believe it’s worth $15 a six-pack. The strange thing is this is actually the second lager introduced by Woolworths, with the first being Platinum Blonde which I didn’t mind drinking. You would think they’d improve things the second time round.
I love to recommend beers to others but you won’t see me recommending this one. If you must try it for yourself wait till it’s on special, preferably $10 a six-pack or better yet wait for a party to happen and steal one off your mate if they’ve bought some.
You can currently pickup a 6-pack of Carlsberg lager for $10 at BWS. You must have a Woolworths Everyday Rewards card to take advantage of this offer.
Simply head to your local BWS store, pickup as many 6-packs of Carlsberg as you like and show your Everyday Rewards card at the register. The RRP of a Carlsberg 6-pack is generally around the $17 dollar mark, so this makes for a saving of $7 per 6-pack.
This offer ends Sunday 9th May 2010, so make the most of it while you can. You can redeem this offer as often as you like before the end date.
You may have noticed like I did, a new addition to your local bottle shop, Coopers Clear. It comes in an aptly chosen 355ml clear glass bottle, with gold and blue labelling. It was officially launched on the 21st January, so if you haven’t seen it already expect to shortly.
Coopers have joined the current ‘low carb’ craze which appears to be saturating the market of late. I was hesitant at first of trying this new brew probably due to the fact some of the recent low carb beers can be tasteless and watery but since drinking Coopers Clear I haven’t looked back. The family owned Coopers Company have been creating quality beer products since 1862 and this brew is said to be the beginning of their next generation of products.
Coopers Clear is a full strength low carbohydrate, dry beer aka lager. It has a light golden colour, with a quickly disappearing creamy white head that leaves a ring around the inside of your glass. There is a decent amount of carbonation in it, which adds to the taste. The taste is dry, crisp and especially refreshing – it seems like the perfect summer beer on a hot hot day. The aroma is mild with some sweet fruity undertones.
Currently there appears to be alot of dislike appearing around the place regarding this brew but I beg to differ and think it’s a refreshing summer beer that hits the spot nicely, so much so that I bought a carton of it last week for $37 from First Choice, which seemed to be a decent price. Like anything you should try this brew for yourself and at $15 a six-pack it won’t break the bank, then you can make your own mind up and leave your thoughts for others to read, cheers!
Why is it that only up until now I’ve never heard of Barons Brewing? Well actually that’s not entirely the case, cause if you look below you’ll see the current brands that Barons Brewing lovingly create and I know that I’ve definitely tried one or two of them or maybe more.
From what started as an Australian Independent beer company, Barons Brewing is now recognised on a global scale. Only five years in and Barons Brewing now has breweries in Australia, Belgium, China, England and Singapore. Why is this you might ask? Well if Barons Lager is anything to go by it’s the taste!
To begin with, this brew has absolutely no additives or preservatives and it really does taste that way. The inspiration behind this brew was the German Pilsner Munich Helles which was created by the Germans back in the late 1800’s to compete with Czech Pilsners. It had a malty taste with spicy hop characteristics but was more subdued than its Czech counterparts. ‘Helles’ is German for ‘Bright’. Oddly enough some of the ingredients used to make Barons Lager are sourced from Germany and the Czech Republic, talk about in keeping with the countries of origin. This brew is very crisp on the palate and has a wonderful refreshing finish about it. I could drink this lager all night long. It has a sweet inviting floral aroma and pours a strong white head with a rich golden colour. There are only two minor problems with this beer and they are, cost and availability. For a local lager the cost is quite high and again, for a local brew availability isn’t that crash hot, I was only able to source this beer at my local Liqourland and that was purely by accident.
In conclusion this lager was definitely one of my favourites to date and I will happily purchase it again…if I can find it.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 4.9% alcohol – 330ml amber bottle – Pop top
Well basically this is Victoria Bitter’s first attempt at penetrating the low carbohydrate market and frankly it’s a poor one at that. I understand that VB have a hard reputation to lift but this new lager simply doesn’t cut it and here’s why.
Hearing the news of a new low-carb lager I honestly thought that VB may have been onto a winner but unfortunately that’s not the case, excuse the pun. VB Raw turned out to be the mysterious free beer which I filled a survey out for a month ago and had posted on the BeerAdvice News section here. A six pack showed up at my front door neatly wrapped in what looked like a recycled cardboard box with each bottle delicately encased in green gift wrap along with a VB Raw pamphlet. Now in terms of marketing and packaging I would give this beer 5/5 but regrettably that’s not what I review. As mentioned earlier, this beer is marketed towards the low-carb section and the younger generation of beer consumers. Its carbohydrate rating comes in at 1.9 grams per 100ml which when compared to a similar low-carb lager such as Bavaria Blonde’s 0.9 grams per 100ml, it doesn’t fare that well. The worst part for me with this beer was the taste, or lack thereof. I find myself thinking long and hard on how to describe the taste but my thoughts lead me to consider it as bland – it almost tastes as though it was watered down. There is no lingering taste whatsoever and it leaves your tastebuds saying ‘is that it?’ It has only a small amount of carbonation and pours with a nearly non-existent head. The smell is slightly sweet and the colour is a light shade of yellow.
I would like to thank www.inthemix.com.au for supplying me with a six pack of this beer for free, because if I were to have paid for it I would have been severely disappointed.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 4.5% alcohol – 355ml green bottle – Twist top
I came across this Australian made brew purely by accident one night on the town after visiting the Sky Room in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. As I approached the bar I soon realised that the majority of my well known and regular ‘night out’ brews were nonexistent. Quickly assessing my surroundings I noticed the blue label of Duke in the hands of many at this bar and with that knowledge I made my purchase – Duke Lager European-Style Premium Lager.
Much to my surprise this lager is not only brewed in Australia but brewed at one of my favourite holiday destinations, Burleigh Heads. Naturally brewed and bottled by the Burleigh Brewing Company, in you guessed it, Burleigh Heads makes this an attractive beer in my books. It contains no preservatives or additives and is not heat pasteurised which in case you were wondering is the process of heating beer to a certain temperature which in turn kills all yeast and bacteria good or bad that may be residing in it. Most mainstream beers are pasteurised to provide a more stable product with a longer shelf life but in turn result in the brew having its natural flavour altered. When poured, this beer has a light golden appearance with a decent amount of carbonation. I didn’t notice much head in my glass but the taste was certainly noticeable; sweet, crisp and refreshing the way a good lager should be and this brew certainly does have some European characteristics to it. A sweet floral smell is exuded from the golden liquid. Remember, that like all other lagers, this one is no exception and should be served cold; the bottle recommends a chilly 6 degrees.
Though this may have been an accidental find for me I now know that I will reach for it with confidence. Overall Duke European-Style Premium Lager makes for one easy drinking brew that is not only crisp and refreshing but full tasting in a good way. Well done Burleigh Brewing Company! I for one look forward to trying more of your tasty creations.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 4.8% alcohol – 330ml amber bottle – Pop top
From the outset, this beer is intriguing. It is a beer that I have oftentimes thought quirky as I have seen it in the shop, but overlooked. I’m glad I gave it a chance, and I think you will be too.
image
This Mexican beer, brewed by the Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery (1890), has an interesting history. Pronounced “Dos Ecc-is”, the beer was a result of celebrating the XX century. The brewery began production in 1890, releasing its first keg in 1893, winning awards at the Chicago and Paris world fairs with that first brew. Four years later, Wilhelm Hasse created the Dos Equis (originally dubbed “Siglo XX”). The interesting thing about this turn of events was that this distinctively Mexican beer was created by a German, and it shows. It has a distinct organic taste that is synonymous with many German beers, but at the same time is undeniably Mexican.
The beer itself has a slightly heavier feel to it than what you would expect from a Mexican Cerveza, for example, Corona or Sol, but is refreshingly smooth at the same time . It is quite light in appearance, maybe more so than traditional lagers, and is quite fizzy, dubbed “a refreshing, golden aromatic pilsener-style lager”, which I concur is a very apt description. The bubbles are the first thing to hit you, followed by that distinct Mexican flavour, and then a pleasantly bitter aftertaste that lingers on your lips for quite a while after drinking. It’s heaviness has a tendency to make you feel like you are getting full quite quickly, so I would recommend it as a compliment to spicy Mexican food, as opposed to an easy-drinking session beer. As with most Mexican beers, it’s traditionally served with a slice of lime in the bottle.
The advertising for this beer is not what you would expect from a Mexican beer. We are used to people smiling, having fun on a beach, etc when we see many Mexican beers advertised on television. The campaign has rolled out distinctively different, a true salute to the kind of beverage it is. It follows a snapshot of the life of “the worlds most interesting man”, drinking what we are led to believe is “the worlds most interesting beer” which can be seen below. Aside from the clever advertising this beer also made an appearance back in 1999 in the hit comedy Office Space.
video
Promoted as a “Vienna-style Lager Beer”, this beverage certainly sets itself up as a somewhat elite beer. While I partially agree, the product does have something missing. It feels like they have attempted to create a fully-rounded, full-bodied Mexican-style lager, but there is something that makes it just fall short of the mark. Don’t get me wrong, I greatly enjoyed this beer, and would buy it again, but maybe not at the same frequency as other Mexican beers. This being said, I do recommend it, especially if you enjoy your Mexican cuisine.
BeerAdvice rating (out of five):3.5
From the outset, this beer is intriguing. It is a beer that I have oftentimes thought quirky as I have seen it in the shop, but overlooked. I’m glad I gave it a chance, and I think you will be too.
This Mexican beer, brewed by the Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery (1890), has an interesting history. Pronounced “Dos Ecc-is”, the beer was a result of celebrating the XX century. The brewery began production in 1890, releasing its first keg in 1893, winning awards at the Chicago and Paris world fairs with that first brew. Four years later, Wilhelm Hasse created the Dos Equis (originally dubbed “Siglo XX”). The interesting thing about this turn of events was that this distinctively Mexican beer was created by a German, and it shows. It has a distinct organic taste that is synonymous with many German beers, but at the same time is undeniably Mexican.
The beer itself has a slightly heavier feel to it than what you would expect from a Mexican Cerveza, for example, Corona or Sol, but is refreshingly smooth at the same time . It is quite light in appearance, maybe more so than traditional lagers, and is quite fizzy, dubbed “a refreshing, golden aromatic pilsener-style lager”, which I concur is a very apt description. The bubbles are the first thing to hit you, followed by that distinct Mexican flavour, and then a pleasantly bitter aftertaste that lingers on your lips for quite a while after drinking. It’s heaviness has a tendency to make you feel like you are getting full quite quickly, so I would recommend it as a compliment to spicy Mexican food, as opposed to an easy-drinking session beer. As with most Mexican beers, it’s traditionally served with a slice of lime in the bottle.
The advertising for this beer is not what you would expect from a Mexican beer. We are used to people smiling, having fun on a beach, etc when we see many Mexican beers advertised on television. The campaign has rolled out distinctively different, a true salute to the kind of beverage it is. It follows a snapshot of the life of “the worlds most interesting man”, drinking what we are led to believe is “the worlds most interesting beer” which can be seen below. Aside from the clever advertising this beer also made an appearance back in 1999 in the hit comedy Office Space.
Promoted as a “Vienna-style Lager Beer”, this beverage certainly sets itself up as a somewhat elite beer. While I partially agree, the product does have something missing. It feels like they have attempted to create a fully-rounded, full-bodied Mexican-style lager, but there is something that makes it just fall short of the mark. Don’t get me wrong, I greatly enjoyed this beer, and would buy it again, but maybe not at the same frequency as other Mexican beers. This being said, I do recommend it, especially if you enjoy your Mexican cuisine.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts: 4.5% alcohol – 330ml green bottle – Pop top
Another recent addition to hit the shelves of liquor retailers here in Queensland is Steinlager Pure, or so I thought. Lion Nathan who owns the brand say on their website that this beer was launched in 2007, so I’m confused as to why only in recent months it appears to be making a debut in Queensland. Nonetheless, I am not complaining as I am all in favour of new brews.
In essence what first attracted me to this beer was the way it was marketed as being completely pure. It contains absolutely no additives, no preservatives and best of all it’s ingredients are all sourced from within New Zealand where it is brewed. Steinlager Pure uses a unique variety of hops called Pacific Jade which are commissioned by Steinlager to deliver a smooth and refreshing flavour to this brew.
This lager has a sweet, indulging aroma with a rich golden appearance. On the palette it is refreshing with a clean, crisp taste. There is a dominating malt flavour, with a hint of creaminess. A six-pack of this lager was enough to tie me over, I enjoyed it but wouldn’t make a night of drinking it.
If you’re interested in giving this brew a try, head over to the interactive Steinlager Pure website here and use the unique ‘Steinlager Pure Finder’ to find your local stockist.
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 5.0% alcohol – 330ml green bottle – Pop top
This is the first James Squire brew to be reviewed on BeerAdvice and it certainly won’t be the last. This limited release lager is aimed at the craft beer segment and has been developed to be enjoyed during these hot summer months. In case you were wondering, what exactly a craft beer is, here is a general definition: a craft beer is one that is made by a small, independent brewer that uses only traditional brewing methods and high quality brewing ingredients.
James Squire began his brewing career as a convict sent to Australia on the First Fleet. Although he started from some very rocky beginnings, he ended his life as a brewing legend. His legacy and name are now carried on by the Malt Shovel Brewery in Camperdown, more then one hundred and fifty years later and this is their latest limited release brew.
This beer is certainly smooth and fresh, which reinforces its target climate. It has a rich malt taste and mild bitterness, while not being overly carbonated. There is a pleasant sweet aroma probably attributed to the malt used and it pours a pale shade of gold. I believe this beer is perfectly suited to our hot summer and is worth the extra cash at the checkout. You’ll currently be able to get yourself a six-pack of this limited brew at Dan Murphy’s for $17.99 and in my opinion, its money well spent!
Rating (out of five):
Quick Facts : 4.4% alcohol – 345ml amber bottle – Pop top
