The Bar - Beer, Wine & Spirits Discussion Thread

[DanWCE]

These are definitely beers to have when you're just having one in the night, lock them away if you're having a session. I remember when Little Dove came out people made a big deal about how they'll knock you on your arse if you're not careful. Now beers in the 8-12% range are fairly common.

A mate of mine who's in the industry told me the reason why stronger beers have become more popular. Basically, it doesn't really cost any more money to brew a 10% ABV beer than it does to brew a 4% beer. He said (I believe) that the cut the government takes in tax is a flat rate, but when it comes to what people will pay for beers, they'll obviously pay more for the strong beers than they will for a standard or mid strength beer. So you can make more profit selling stronger beers than you can with lower strength.

Must say that the increase in strong beers has really made me appreciate a good session or mid-strength beer.

I think there's a bracketed ABV tax allocation there that does rock the pricing boat a bit, but I don't believe it's as broad as 4-10%. It could have changed, though. My discussions with brewers was more along the lines of if they were going to brew a high ABV beer they'd go all out on it and make sure it was worthwhile and going to sell well because they were creeping into a higher tax bracket.

Depending on style there is also the increased cost of production, head scratching ****ery with trying to nail the fermentation so it's actually drinkable, increased risk of needing to drain pour a batch you've invested a lot of time, grain, hops into it.

The more profitable high ABV beers would be the dark beers I reckon. Minimal hop schedule. But then if you want to charge a premium you introduce barrels, and up goes the brewery costs.

 

[Godfather32]

These are definitely beers to have when you're just having one in the night, lock them away if you're having a session. I remember when Little Dove came out people made a big deal about how they'll knock you on your arse if you're not careful. Now beers in the 8-12% range are fairly common.

A mate of mine who's in the industry told me the reason why stronger beers have become more popular. Basically, it doesn't really cost any more money to brew a 10% ABV beer than it does to brew a 4% beer. He said (I believe) that the cut the government takes in tax is a flat rate, but when it comes to what people will pay for beers, they'll obviously pay more for the strong beers than they will for a standard or mid strength beer. So you can make more profit selling stronger beers than you can with lower strength.

Must say that the increase in strong beers has really made me appreciate a good session or mid-strength beer.

My standard beer is now Colonial Small for this reason

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

I think there's a bracketed ABV tax allocation there that does rock the pricing boat a bit, but I don't believe it's as broad as 4-10%. It could have changed, though. My discussions with brewers was more along the lines of if they were going to brew a high ABV beer they'd go all out on it and make sure it was worthwhile and going to sell well because they were creeping into a higher tax bracket.

Depending on style there is also the increased cost of production, head scratching f***ery with trying to nail the fermentation so it's actually drinkable, increased risk of needing to drain pour a batch you've invested a lot of time, grain, hops into it.

The more profitable high ABV beers would be the dark beers I reckon. Minimal hop schedule. But then if you want to charge a premium you introduce barrels, and up goes the brewery costs.

You're probably right. He runs a quite small operation so the profit margins are small. He didn't go into much detail and I'm sure that he is across all of the taxes, but he did say that they've been putting out some 7-8% beers because they will just make more profit from a can of 8% IIPA than they will from a can of 4-5% beer. Really noticed the shift when I was living in NYC 2-3 years back and went to Other Half brewery in Brooklyn (side note, get your hands on these if you can - they tend to run $15-20 a can but they're mostly amazing beers, they pop up every now and then at Mane Liquor and Besk). Anyway, I would say the average beer on tap there was about 8%, they had a small number in the 5% range but just as many above 10% (I think the highest was 14%). They were delicious and easy-to-drink beers and after an hour and a half of tasters I was thoroughly pissed and stumbled my way to the metro back to Manhattan.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

My standard beer is now Colonial Small for this reason

That's a solid, reliable choice. Balter's Easy Hazy and Captain Sensible are also good options. South Freo Brewing do (or at least did) a session ale with really good body and was very malty (which I personally enjoy), but because they're a small brewery it's definitely not economical to have a session on those beers (which probably run about $8 a can).

 

[Godfather32]

That's a solid, reliable choice. Balter's Easy Hazy and Captain Sensible are also good options. South Freo Brewing do (or at least did) a session ale with really good body and was very malty (which I personally enjoy), but because they're a small brewery it's definitely not economical to have a session on those beers (which probably run about $8 a can).

I'll keep an eye out for the Balter's, bit hard to come across where I am and I'm not coming into the metro area if I can help it at the moment.

 

[Forward Press]

That's a solid, reliable choice. Balter's Easy Hazy and Captain Sensible are also good options. South Freo Brewing do (or at least did) a session ale with really good body and was very malty (which I personally enjoy), but because they're a small brewery it's definitely not economical to have a session on those beers (which probably run about $8 a can).

Balter has a great range and importantly easy brand recognition and a distinctive label that tells you exactly what you're getting.

Wasn't it one of the first craft breweries to really explode onto the scene?

 

[Forward Press]

I'll keep an eye out for the Balter's, bit hard to come across where I am and I'm not coming into the metro area if I can help it at the moment.

Great thing is that the XPA and Captain Sensible seems everywhere, so if you're outside of Perth if you ever run into a Balter, it's likely to be them.

 

[DanWCE]

I'll keep an eye out for the Balter's, bit hard to come across where I am and I'm not coming into the metro area if I can help it at the moment.

How much room you got for me to come pitch a JD tent on your property and escape the Ronaz? I'll bring your Balter beers

 

[Godfather32]

How much room you got for me to come pitch a JD tent on your property and escape the Ronaz? I'll bring your Balter beers

Plenty mate, as long as the fire doesn't come this way.

 

[DanWCE]

Plenty mate, as long as the fire doesn't come this way.

Heading in your direction or all good atm?

 

[Godfather32]

Heading in your direction or all good atm?

Nah it's all good, raced home early from work and packed the car up but the wind took it in the other direction.
Looks to have calmed down heaps now

 

[Bender_]

A new edition to my collection of cellared stouts for the upcoming winter, very excited about this one:

 

[Agent93]

Wasn't it one of the first craft breweries to really explode onto the scene?

Not really. It's Mick Fanning's project he started in 2016* with Parko and a couple of other surfers. They sold out to CUB (now owned by Asahi) in 2019.

*ie Little Creatures beats it out by a decade+.

 

[Agent93]

Bought it because the missus is a big Kylie fan, and I enjoyed their pale ale recently.

It's bitter, and... nutty? And I'm not 100% convinced I like it. But I do love the humour in the branding.

 

[Bender_]

 

[DanWCE]

View attachment 1339042

Tried the Double?

 

[Bender_]

Tried the Double?

I have indeed, great drop but I prefer this one.

 

[DanWCE]

I have indeed, great drop but I prefer this one.

Huge call.

 

[Bender_]

Huge call.

Ooof! Are you gonna fight me too like Dark Sharks?

 

[DanWCE]

Ooof! Are you gonna fight me too like Dark Sharks?

Oos oos!

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

Not really. It's Mick Fanning's project he started in 2016* with Parko and a couple of other surfers. They sold out to CUB (now owned by Asahi) in 2019.

*ie Little Creatures beats it out by a decade+.

They still make a really good product despite being bought out. I guess it's not surprising, why mess with a successful product. It doesn't do them any good to make Balter into some sort of Carlton knock-off, everyone who drinks it now would just buy something else.

Don't really like the term "sold out" either. It's rumoured that Fanning and other of the initial stakeholders collectively made something like a $200 million windfall from the sale of Balter. If I started up a craft brewery and got that kind of payback, I'd console myself on my private tropical island when people bitch about me being a sell-out.

I think Mismatch (small South Australia craft brewery) sold for something like $4.5 million, which is a pretty nice payday as well. The problem that a lot of small breweries run into is that they can only expand to a certain point, then they pretty much need their own canning and brewing facility, which often requires a big capital investment. It's a lot easier to take a payout from a larger conglomerate than it is to run around to banks or capital investors, which has a high risk of becoming overextended.

 

[Bender_]

And that's me done with drinking another Pirate Life beer ever again.








*I'm aware of Fyfe's previous involvement.

 

[DanWCE]

I gave up on PL ages ago. Will probably try a steak from their brewpub one day based on recommendations, but yeah I don't give them any beer sale cash.

 

[Bender_]

I gave up on PL ages ago. Will probably try a steak from their brewpub one day based on recommendations, but yeah I don't give them any beer sale cash.

They peaked with their NZ pale ale 4 years ago. I'd legitimately push an old person to the ground to have one of those again.

 

[DickDunn]

Otherside’s shift brewers NZ double IPA is sooooo good. Just about the best thing they’ve made imo. Get on it