Boag's Classic Blonde RIP

The latest/ last packaging

This week I will talk about Boag’s Classic Blonde, a low-carb lager created in 2007 that changed beer drinking for many Tasmanians.

I only wish I could talk about this beer under better circumstances.

The first packing when it was released in 2007

At my bottle-shop yesterday I went into the cool room and looking down towards the back of the room next to Pure Blonde I saw an extra row of Pure Blonde, there was no Classic Blonde.

The bottle-shop staff member confirmed what I had known about for a while, Classic Blonde was no longer in production.

I had heard from my source at Boag’s that Classic Blonde was on the way out but it still came as a shock to find it was no longer for sale.

This is a sad day for beer lovers

I remember buying a six-pack back in 2007 when it had just come out, it was a unique tasting, new style of beer. Blonde beer which I have talked about in a recent post is still new in Australia, Classic Blonde was Tasmania’s alternative to Pure Blonde and it found a few fans who preferred it for the low carb aspect.

Boag's is well known for its advertisments

At a best-friends buck’s party we split a carton of Classic Blonde on a golf course, I wasn’t the one riding the golf caddy down a hill though. The beer has been good to me while it was here.

Dan Murphy’s described Classic Blonde as: “Cold climate Lager. Chilled by its proximity to Antarctica, Tasmania’s cold climate is alive in James Boag’s classic Blonde, creating a premium low carbohydrate Lager that is uniquely fresh and crisp.”

I am on the hunt for these items, will pay $$$

I acquired one of these many years ago

The Boag’s official website has already erased any traces of Classic Blonde, I only wish they could keep some sort of online museum about the beers they used to make, it feels like they are letting time kill it off out of fridges and our memories.

Two of these are no longer in production...

Without getting an official comment from Boag’s about why they have stopped production of Classic Blonde I can only assume it is due to them taking on production of mainland beers (XXXX Gold). There doesn’t seem to be any new Boag’s product to replace it which is sad since Boag’s Pure was the last new beer in 2009, it’s been six years and all they have done is relabel their current beers and remove many new creations.

I have a carton of this amazing beer left, but I will drink any more that I see out in the world and I suggest you do the same. Let’s see this beer off in style and remember its crisp taste.

Please don't forget

Please don’t forget Classic Blonde, it left a mark that will never be replaced. As for an alternative when it is completely gone the next is Pure Blonde, but I don’t rate it as highly as I do Classic Blonde.

- Dave