The Great Aussie Beer Shed
By Rocky | January 25, 2008
With Australia Day tomorrow we thought it would be appropriate to mention the Great Aussie Beer Shed. This great attraction is just out side of the Victorian /
Topics: Australia | No Comments »
The best cold beer is Vic, Vic Bitter
By Rocky | January 23, 2008
Well plenty of people would disagree, but half of Australia think the best cold beer is Vic, Victoria Bitter. VB is Australia’s biggest selling draft beer and is available in just about every pub in the continent. Brewed by Carlton and United Breweries now known as The Fosters Group the beer has a reputation of being a beer for everyone especially the Aussie worker. Originating from Melbourne it was really Melbourne Bitter and Carlton Draft which were the beer drinkers choice, but after great advertising like this old You Tube ad, and marketing into new areas, VB has become the Australian favorite. Well a hard earned thirst needs a big cold beer…you know the rest.
Topics: Australia | No Comments »
Carlton Dry Fusion with a touch of lime
By Rocky | January 9, 2008
Australia’s Carlton and United Breweries are the latest brewery to try their hand at a beer with salt and lime added. The Carlton Dry Fusion has just been released onto the local market and if the first few weeks of trade are any indication this drink is going to be one of the most popular boutique beers this summer in Australia. The beer is a full strength beer but with 25% lower carbohydrates than normal beer, so not only does it taste great it helps that dreaded beer belly away while lazing on the beach this summer. The dry taste is really enhanced with the twist of freshly squeezed lime and salt giving it a really refreshing taste. The might be a little hard to get until all the bottle shops and pubs stock it, but trust Hoppsy, the wait will be worth it- we really think most beer drinkers and a lot of people who are not too keen on beer will really enjoy it. It should really help open up a new market.
If you have tried the new Carlton Dry Fusion drop us a line and tell us what you thought of it http://www.hoppsy.com/send-us-a-tip/
Topics: Australia | 13 Comments »
Schutzenfest Adelaide - beer & guns
By Rocky | January 4, 2008
Adelaide on Australia’s southern coast is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s largest folk festival the Schutzenfest. Schutzenfest’s have been popular throughout Germany for hundred’s of years when towns celebrated with a shooting festival followed by a fun day of beer drinking. Today fortunately the shooting is a fairground style attraction and the beer is icy cold and each year a King and Queen shooter are crowned. The festival dates back to 1865 in Adelaide and became a annual event in 1964. Now held in the city’s Bonython Park there’s Oompah music, Bavarian Foods including plenty of sausages and great beer. Over 40 stalls attend selling food, beer and cultural items. The highlight of the event is the Strong Arm Beer Stein Lifting Competition where the person who can hold a full stein at arms length for the longest wins. The Adelaide Schutzenfest runs from 11th - 12th of January this year. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Australia, Festivals / Events | 1 Comment »
Drink beer instead of eating whales!
By Rocky | December 17, 2007
Most of the world thinks its not very nice eating whales and we agree. But many Japanese appear to need to eat them after they do their so called scientific research - haven’t they tried cows? Blue Tounge beer in Sydney Australia has taken the step to link their tasty beer with the horrors of whale slaughter with this somewhat unpleasant ad. Hopefully it will help change the minds of the people who enjoy eating these magnificent creatures and they will reach for a bottle of beer instead - im sure the beer is much tastier and wouldn’t have that fishy smell! (Just a little warning today’s You Tube video might be too graphic for some but thankfully no whale is shown being hurt in this advertisment) Save the Whales!!
Topics: Asia, Australia, YouTube | No Comments »
The real Duff Beer
By Rocky | December 9, 2007
Well we all know it as Homer Simpson and his Springfield friends favorite beer but there was actually a real Duff beer sold in Australia a few years back. Whether an original idea or a bit of a rip off from the Fox network smash show it was left to the courts to decide. The product was eventually forced to be taken off the market due to legal action brought against Razorback Beverages Brewery which was from Barton South Australia by Twentieth Century Fox. Today some cans remain in collector’s hands and go for a huge price; it is not uncommon to see them on eBay or other auction sites selling for $500.
Topics: Australia | No Comments »
My beers been short changed about 20%
By Rocky | December 5, 2007
Last week we celebrated a new look bottle for Tasmania’s premium beers Cascade and Cascade Light, but our celebration has been shortlived. The Fosters owned company had reintroduced the striking Tasmanian Tiger Stripes back on the bottle and a flash new label. But all our excitement turned to tears when we got hold of one these new fancy green bottles and checked out the tasty golden contents. We have been short changed 45ml- yes that’s right the new green bottles hold a couple of mouth full less. The company stresses you still get great value and drinkers will accept the change. We at Hoppsy and we are sure most of our readers will agree its price rise by stealth and it stinks!- the price remains the same as it was when the bottles were nearly 20% bigger and now a six pack is really only a 5 pack but in 6 smaller bottles . The company says it has made the change not to save money or rip to of customers but to keep up with the size of other imported brands Heineken, Becks and Stella- well here’s another point they are not imported beers they are made here in Australia, also under Stealth. We are being had- its time start drinking Tea! - Somehow I don’t think the company will be using our picture above as the advertising campaign!
We would love to hear your opinion on this important trend- please add to our comments below. (and no although we should, we are not switching to tea)
Topics: Australia | 2 Comments »
Young & Jackson’s Melbourne’s most famous
By Rocky | December 1, 2007
Young and Jacksons or the Princess Bridge Hotel as it is officially named is Melbourne’s if not Australia’s most famous pub. Situated on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Street oppisite Flinders Street Station and Federation Square this pub has been the meeting place of Melbourne since 1861. The pub has one of the cities most famous artworks “Chloe” which is a nude of a Paris model painted by Jules Joseph Lefebvre. The painting was in its day too leud to hang in a public gallery and was hung in the pub instead. In the nearly hundred years of her public display it has been said throughout her life, Chloe has kept company with artists, poets, wharfies, Prime Ministers and drunks, soldiers, sailors, celebrities, bushies, labourers and art connoisseurs. Her history involves transformation, death, intrigue, love, war, depression and passion. After a huge renovation a few years back Chloe has been moved to grace the upstairs bar at Young and Jacksons to delight drinkers and diners for years to come.
Topics: Australia | No Comments »
Cascade Premium Larger
By wattsy | November 28, 2007
Cascade although now distributed by the Carlton and United group is Tasmania’ original beer and is still brewed in the foothills of Mount Wellington in Hobart using the pure mountain water and the finest of Tasmanian hops and barley. The beer is renowned for its taste and exceptionally smooth full flavour, which is partly due to its longer than usual maturation with extended largering. Cascade has won many beer awards and is respected as a fine beer, it recently won a gold medal for the best premium beer in Australia. The Cascade Premium Beer is only available in 375ml long neck green stubbies and on tap at selected outlets. Footnote: the Cascade Brewery in Hobart is open for tours where visitors can see the full brewing process of the Cascade family of products
FOOTNOTE: The new beer bottles are infact 330ml 345ml the size has been reduced about 20% from previous bottle. Price remains the same - see later post. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Australia | 4 Comments »
James Squire Amber Ale
By Rocky | November 25, 2007
James Squire beer are know for their premium if not boutique beers. The Amber Ale is one of the more exquisite, with its hand crafted unique brew of three malts and three different Tasmanian hops along with a 125 year old top fermenting ale yeast this beer delivers a rich creamy and slightly nutty finish. With a alcohol volume of 5.0% it is sold in 275ml long neck stubbies and on tap in premium pubs. Lion Nathan have been producing this beer since 1998.
Topics: Australia | No Comments »