Some nice beer news

While I don’t want to make light of the dreaded GFC and the effects it has had on many people’s livelihood worldwide, I also haven’t got too sucked into the whole ‘imminent collapse of the whole wide world as we know it’ tin-bangers and their calls of doom. Same for Global Warming – “WHOOOOOOOO, We’re all going to DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!!!” Call me an optimist.

But today I saw some good news for those ho have been crusading for real causes that affect real people – beer drinkers. It seems that, as a result of the global financial downturn, more and more Australians are staying in instead of going out to dinner. Not great for the restaurant owners who can’t adjust, but there is some good news in it. People staying home to have dinner parties are serving better quality wines and also better beer.

The Herald Sun reports findings of some data or another about sales figures and such which show a big increase in “premium beer” and “bottled wine” sales as well as spirits and a small increase in overall beer sales. I worry a little that ‘Premium Beer’ is what the Big Brewers refer to as premium – mainstream pissy fizz but with silver and gold labels as well as ‘imports’ like Stella Artois (from the small Belgian enclave of Southbank) and Heineken that comes all the way from Camperdown.

Even better was the news that VB sales have dropped by one percent – maybe we are beginning to upgrade a little. I don’t think that this report signals a swing towards craft beer, or even that we are beginning to look for something ‘better’, but maybe it is a small step in the right direction. Premium beer sales are up by 20%, mid-strength by 10% and full strength beer is up by 7% which might just hint at a move towards exploring of the beer world by those who may not have known that anything other than VB and Crown and Toohey’s New existed before.

Today, the premium beer market – tomorrow the craft beer world!!

Cheers
Prof. Pilsner

Trivia - Odd One Out

Trivia Part Three answers

Hope you did well so far with the Prof's Ale Stars Trivia Challenge. Part One was True or False, Part Two was multiple choice and Part Three was the simplest of all! Four items, you decide which one is the Odd One Out. Simple. Here are the 'answers'.

11. Lazy Mutt, Spotted Cow and Tusker are named for a DOG, COW and ELEPHANT, Old Speckled Hen is named for an MG SPORTS CAR, making it the odd one out.

12. Phoenix Blue Marlin, Toohey's Blue and OB BLue are all LAGERS, Coor's Blue Moon is a Witbier.

13. Three of these were rhyming slang (made up and fairly crap rhyming slang, I admit!) for that lovely top that sits on a nicely poured beer. Home Sweet Home - FOAM, Breakfast in Bed - HEAD and David Lee Roth - FROTH. Tit For Tat was the Odd One Out.

14. Ready? This one caused the most (A) Discussion, (B) Groans and (C) Most things to be thrown at me and, frankly, I can't see why.

2Brothers
3Ravens
3Boys
3Degrees

2 Brothers is the only one that is a '2'. But that's not it.
3 Boys is the only one that is NOT Australian. But that's not it.
3 Degrees is the only one that is a brewpub, not a brewery. But that's not it.
3 Ravens is the Odd One Out because it is the only one that doesn't have something odd about it. Compared to the other three. See? Simple.

The last question related to our special guest, Dave Bonighton from Mountain Goat. They were

Hawthorn Football Club, 3 Surfboards, 2 Mountain Bikes and 1 EH Holden.
The Hawthorn Footy Club is Dave's AFL team and the other three things were listed as the only assets on the loan application that Dave and partner Cam could list for the bank when they were looking to start up the brewery. And the unnamed team (High Table, I'm looking at YOU!) who claimed that the mighty Hawks were the only thing on that list that was OVER RATED - you can start next month's trivia with a two point penalty.

And finally, for those who were there and have had to put up with hearing the questions all over again, here is one last Prof Pilsner Trivia Treat. A quick beer-realted 'What am I?'





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Cheers
Prof Pilsner

Beer Blokes London correspondent

Ale Star Gemma is off for a brief jaunt in The Old Dart which just happens to coincide with the GBBF – that’s The Great British Beer Festival for those who don’t speak fluent abbreviation – and has kindly offered to act as official (unpaid but greatly appreciated) Beer Bloke correspondent.

She told me that she could spare a couple of days to get to the event and convey all the ‘colour and oomph’ of what is said to be a great festival. An event of two distinct parts, the GBBF is part very good, varied, traditional, extreme and interesting beers and part freaky anorak wearing beardy-wierdies frightening small children and grown adults alike. So take care Gemma and steer clear of the Tickers.

Gemma promised to squeeze at least one day into her busy social schedule to get to the festival, so stay tuned for a ripping report – or two.

Cheers
Prof . Pilsner