Beer retailer put to the Sword

This blog has always tried to support the retail side of the craft beer scene – afterall, without retailers getting the product out there, it’s all a bit hard, really.
One of Melbourne’s best, and long serving outlets, Sword’s Select, recently had the following message on their website’s homepage;
We have been categorized as a high risk operator and consequently penalized with a risk fee of $4770 per location on top of our normal Liquor License fees purely because we open before 9am. Our packaged Liquor Licence fees have increased as follows;
• South Melbourne Market $1686.20 to $6360
• Queen Victoria Market $1686.20 to $6360
• Clifton Hill $249.90 to $1590
• Prahran Market $500 - $1590
Now, those who have been to The Queen Victoria Market or the South Melbourne Market will know that they are a vibrant and essential commercial and community hub. The ‘feel’, the hustle and bustle, what Darryl Kerrigan would describe as ‘The Vibe’ – it’s what drives the market.

If you have a stall at the market, you need to have the stall open when the market opens because, well, that’s when the people come in because, well, that’s when the produce comes in because, well, that’s when the boats and the tractors and the trucks and whatever else brings the produce come in – early.

And I’m not sure that Swords can really be seen as a threat to law and order and public safety and binge drinking because they open before nine in the a.m. does the Liquor Licensing Commission really think that potential pissed idiots are going to stagger into the market and load up on Weihenstephan Hefe Weissbier Dunkel at five bucks an each, or are old winos going to sneak in for an early opener of Beattie 06 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Yarra Valley at $239?!? Spare me!!

Support your local (or, as in my case, not-so-local) good beer retailer and let your local member know that we simply have to stop this habit of dumbing everything down to cater for the lowest common denominator.

Cheers,
Prof. Pilsner

We Wish You a Beery Christmas 2008

Just a quick post amidst all the hustle and bustle of festivities to wish all the Beer Blokes and Blokettes out there in internetland a Happy and Safe Christmas.

A very busy 2008 has seen Beer Blokes grow from a rubbishy bit of waffle which was mostly made up by me and read by a few easily amused punters, to a flourishing source of wisdom and beery information which is awaited eagerly by many, many astute beer lovers and industry experts alike. No, wait, that’s another made up bit. But we have increased our hits from around 20 a week to between 20 and 50 a day and for that support I thank you all. It makes the time it takes to source and compile the stuff I post worthwhile.

Thank you also to all those who have encouraged this tomfoolery by leaving comments and feedback on the stuff you have stumbled across here over the year and I hope you continue to post your thoughts in the future.

A special thanks to all my overseas readers and contributors who have helped out during the year to find answers and opinions for me and the other blokes when I have requested it. I am hoping to ‘profile’ a few OS beer blogs in the New Year so that we can generate a few extra hits ad keep spreading the good beer word.

The New Year will also see me embark on a couple of Beer Nerd Adventures as I attempt to visit as many beer bars and restaurants as I can so that I can give you all an idea of what they are about. Many more nights and sunny afternoons will be spent at special places like The Local Taphouse which is fast becoming a beer Mecca for those seeking beery sustenance as well as beery conversation and beery company. Well done, boys, and keep up the good work.

And, lastly, to all those craft brewers out there who have kept my fridge full and my mouth happy, a huge thank you. I hope that this blog has helped to spread the word about the types and styles and brands of good beer that are out there and that some of you have been encouraged to try some of the same as a result of these pages. Keep supporting the blokes who are getting some terrific brews out into the market and support the blokes like Cloudwine, Purvis and Sword’s Select who are retailing and showcasing these beers.

Stay safe, be excellent to each other and, for goodness sake, drink some great craft beer and tell your mates about it.

Cheers,
Prof. Pilsner