Monday, 29 August 2016

XXXX Gold

This Queensland staple has risen up to become one of Australia’s most popular beers.

It isn’t even full strength, at 3.5%.

XXXX, also simply just called Gold is a Queensland born beer, it has in recent years been passing the title of best Australian Beer back and forth with VB.




A mid strength lager and low carb beer, it has become a sponsor of many major events and in 2012 the company even bought a three-year lease for an island and named it XXXX Island.

The yellow logo with the four X’s can likely be found in every pub and bottleshop from Tasmania to far north Queensland. It was even being brewed here in Tasmania until recently.

Also available in 30 blocks

I personally know a lot of people who turn to this now because of its lower strength and the better after effects. It is promoted as a beer you can drink more of (than regular beer) and still enjoy it. I 
have been known to drink it on occasion if I want to sober up quickly afterwards.

The best place to have a XXXX

Some XXXX Gold advertising:

Another reason to like XXXX Gold, the XXXX Angels!
The Angels!

Cheers,


Dave

Tuesday, 23 August 2016

Boag's Draught

My #1 go to beer!
It has been a long time coming but now I’ve got to my #1 go to beer.

I met a Japanese person visiting Launceston for the day yesterday and they were now hooked on Boag’s Draught, it was a sign that I should get this post done.

I want to tell you what I know and love about this local treasure.

The Facts:
If you drive from Launceston to Hobart you can see brewery sponsored signs, the north side have Boag’s the south side have Cascade. What I think is funny about the divide of two breweries on one island state is that I can name a few bars in Hobart that have Boag’s on tap rather than their local product.

Boag’s Draught is the most ubiquitous of the Boag’s products, found in many shapes and sizes, cans, stubbies, long necks and even kegs =) It is virtually a crime in Tasmania for a pub not to have Boag’s on tap (Craft beer bars excluded of course). It’s green label design makes it easy to spot in fridges and bottle shop cool rooms.

This is a long neck 750mls of pure awesome

Tasmania loves to brag about its clean water, one of the fine products that go into Boag’s Draught. Pride and passion are also added to the brewing process, the full-bodied lager with a smooth hop bitterness is crisp and refreshing, perfect for drinking in large quantities.

The pure waters of Tasmania:

Boag’s Draught is made in Launceston, northern Tasmania (where I live). The person on the logo associated with the beer is St. George, a great Roman dragon slayer back in his day who probably also slayed a few beers too.

The brewery has trucks drive around the city with malt in the back, the distinctive smell is meant to encourage the city to drink beer, trust me, it works.

I still serve.
Boag’s Tester Reserve:
In 2006 Boag’s launched an ambitious advertising campaign, they formed the Boag’s Tester Reserve. Anyone old enough could sign up to be a member, they would receive a set of dog tags (I still cherish mine) and go out and test Boag’s Draught as often as they could. I had just come of legal drinking age around that time but I was captivated by the ads on TV and the games on their website. With great regret (for legal reasons I believe) the campaign suddenly ended. I won’t ever forget the beer wars of 2006-7 So many brews were consumed…



They haven’t always kept me happy:
The current label is not the best they have come up with, I preferred the last one, something about the colour and the design was better. I understand they changed it because they didn’t want St. George to be left handed (I am a leftie).

Boag’s Draught has suffered like many other beers by a change in recipe to lower the cost several years ago. I witnessed it first hand when locals who drink more draught than water suddenly had to adjust to a different product.

This was my favourite design

Boag’s Draught today:
Now called James Boag’s Draught, the beer is now 99.9% sugar free on average, a recent initiative by Boag’s and their affiliates to promote healthier beer drinking. Cans are now available in a 30 block in order to compete with VB.

I’ll leave you with the Tester Reserve motto,

I hope you can enjoy a Boag’s Draught or two soon,

Cheers,

Dave

Tester Reserve motto:
Duty: I am duty bound to maintain the fine quality of Boag's Draught by testing it regularly.
Respect: I must always respect the full-flavoured Boag's Draught taste and the master brewers responsible for it.
Self-Sacrifice: I shall never say no to making a bottleshop run, no matter how far it is, or what time of day.
Courage: I will unflinchingly face up to any bouncer, bitchy barmaid or whining girlfriend who tries to stop me testing Boag's Draught

Loyalty: I pledge to test Boag's Draught and only Boag's Draught as long as I have breath in my body.


Monday, 8 August 2016

Asahi Super Dry Black

A spin on black beer
Japan is a country of beer drinkers that like to experiment, they don’t always come out with a win but sometimes they do.

Most bars in Japan give you a choice when you ask for beer if you want regular or black.

When you think of dark, black beers you immediately think of stouts or heavy tasting brews.




Asahi Dry Black is a beer, not a stout, according to Dan Murphys, Dry Black is “Bold and refreshing, Asahi Super Dry Black ventures into new territory for dark beer. Using the same yeast strain as Asahi Super Dry, this great brew is unlike any other. By inheriting the DNA of “Karakuchi” (Dry), Asahi has successfully blended the rich aromas and flavours while maintaining a smoothness never before accomplished in dark beer.”

Looks good enough to drink!

One strange thing I noticed a lot of Japanese do in my time over there was to order a ‘half and half’ which would be half Super Dry and half Dry Black, it was very nice!

Half and Half!
Recently I ventured out into Launceston for two nights in a row of ‘bar hopping’ and both nights I ended up in the Star Bar and both times I had a schooner of Dry Black. It is a very nice beer and if you are looking for a change why not have a couple?


There is also a lime version
An issue is its scarcity out of Japan. It isn’t as widely available as the Asahi Super Dry and is only in select bottle shops and bars.

Cheers,


Dave 

She needs a Super Dry