View Newsletter Online - The Victorian Beer label Collectors Society

NEW BRIDGE ROAD BREWERS LABELS

THE COMMITTEEPresident: Rob Greenaway19 Tadema Cres., Eltham, VIC 3095.Tel: (03) 9431 3069robgway1@aapt.net.auVice President/Secretary:Angus MacEwan11 Harleston Rd., Mt Eliza, VIC 3930.Tel: (03) 9787 0225amacewan@bigpond.comTreasurer: David Dobney5/68 Lambeck Dve,Tullamarine VIC 3043.Tel: (03) 9338 8566, Mob: 0409 232 799lakewood@alphalink.com.auEditor: Umit Ugur2 McGahy CourtTemplestowe VIC 3106Tel: (03) 9842 8192, Mob: 0434 218 176uugur@tpg.com.auLibrarian and Raffle Co-ordinator: JackWilks, 65 Tiverton, Mulgrave VIC 3170Tel: (03) 9561 4221jwilks@bigpond.net.au2. Forward all contributions for VBLCSNEWS to the Editor.3. All general society business, requestsfor labels from society stocks and labelcontributions to the Secretary.4. New members and notification ofchange of address to the Treasurer.5. Please forward a self-addressed,stamped envelope with all yourcorrespondence that requires a reply.MEMBERSHIP FEESJoining Fee: AU$5.00Annual Subscription:Australia-AU$25.00Overseas-AU$40.00Due and payable on July 1st.Pro-rata rates:After October 31st, 70% of annual fee.After February 28th, 40% of annual fee.All prices are quoted in Australian dollars.The Treasurer will accept Americancurrency and Euros.Label Co-ordinator: Alan Richards34 South Crescent, Northcote VIC3070Tel: (03) 9489 9851richardsalan@bigpond.comLife Members: Norman J Long, AlanRichards, Jack Wilks, Rob Greenaway,Keith Deutsher, (George Crompton, AlexFreer, Phil Davin, Laurie Godden dec.)ADMINISTRATIONTo ensure the smooth running of oursociety, we ask members to pleaseco-operate as follows:1. Forward all moneys to the Treasurer(except for raffles and catalogues).Copyright © 2006 by the Victorian BeerLabel Collectors’ Society (VBLCS). Allrights reserved. VBLCS welcomes any ofits articles being reproduced providedaccreditation is given to the author and the“VBLCS News”. Letters and opinionsexpressed in the VBLCS News byindividual members of the Society may notreflect the position of the Society as awhole.Web-site: http://www.vblcs.com

PRESIDENT’S PAGEI must apologise for not being able to attend our Christmas meeting and to socialise over adrink and a few nibbles. From all reports a small gathering had a very enjoyable day andthere was plenty to eat. Your Committee will endeavour to review the time and venue toensure we do not clash dates again with our Can Collector friends. Maybe a change in venuewill add more variety and increase our attendance on this special time.Whilst away I had the opportunity to participate in a fund raising beer and food matchingpresentation organised by a London legal firm. Beers from around the world were matchedwith a suitable nibble. I am please to say Little Creatures Pale Ale did attract a lot of interestas did the Vegemite sandwiches. Nearly $2000 was raised on the evening to go to charity.Maybe there is an opportunity here for us to have some variety plus contribute to a needycause. Suggestions?Did members get a chance to read the summer 2011 edition of the Beer and Brewermagazine related to articles on breweriana and collectables in the segment Beer Talk –Collectors?I thought the article on Ballarat Bertie that was written gave the VBLCS some very goodrecognition. I know a Queensland member, Jim Whittle, contributed a similar excellentarticle on his collection.The Beer and Brewer magazine is keen to hear from members who would like to makereaders aware of their hobby and areas of their speciality. If there are any membersinterested in contributing then please let me know. Some areas for thought are can or bottlethemes, label themes, beer steins, bottle openers or even coaster. Think about it and give mea call.Have you checked your local bottle shops and the specialty bottled beer stores lately? I havebeen away recently to comeback to at least 25 new issues or changes. There are someexciting beers out there however we must reiterate, the Liaison officers of the VBLCS canonly do their best in obtaining labels for members. We have great relationships with manybreweries who either donate of offer a modest charge for labels but it is up to all members tocheck out their bottle shops. Many members buy two bottles [or more] to then exchangewith an interstate member who has greater access to their regional craft beers.Cheers and happy collecting.Rob GreenawayOur next meeting is 12 th February commencing at 12.00 midday. People can arriveearly and swap those hard to get labels and items of breweriana. This will then befollowed by our FORMAL MEETING at 1.00pm.May I wish you and your family a HAPPY and REWARDING NEW YEAR andremember to chase that elusive label.

Club Tivoli offers a fine restaurant providing excellent German food and a range ofbeverages. Prices are very reasonable and the service is excellent. Give it a try.DECEMBER 2011 MEETING NOTESThe December 2011 meeting was held at the Club Tivoli in Windsor on Sunday 4th ofDecember and commenced at 12.20.APOLOGIES:Rob Greenaway (away overseas). Shirley Robinson, Norman Dobson and his wife wereinadvertently left off the October apologies. We apologise for this mistake.MINUTES:The minutes of the last meeting that was held in October at the Thunder Road Brewery wereread and there was no business arising.FINANCES:A full and comprehensive financial report was delivered by our treasurer David Dobney.The report showed that we are in a sound financial position.CORRESPONDENCE:The only correspondence was a request for catalogues that was fulfilled.GENERAL BUSINESS:Alan Richards reported that he has received the new labels from Bridge Road Brewers inBeechworth and these will be distributed shortly. He also pointed out that he has not got theNorwegian label and members will have to buy a stubby if they want this label.Mike Bannenberg reported that a gift pack of Little Creatures pint bottles is available from1st Choice liquor in Tooronga.Matilda Bay Brewing has moved from Dandenong to new premises in Port Melbourne.David Dobney Reported that Cassela wines from Griffith are planning to brew beer andmarket it under their Yellowtail label. The beer will be aimed at the US market.RAFFLES:The raffles were then drawn and the lucky winners were:B 64 Norman DobsonD 75 Wayne Richardson,B 54 David Dobney.There were 17 members who signed the attendance book.The meeting closed at 12.45 pm. The small number of members present then enjoyed asumptuous lunch and drink supplied by our club.

Michael Bannenberg and Alan Richards then sold copies of their book: AUSTRALIANBEER LABEL ANNUAL VOL.1. This book represents great value at only $20 for membersI wish you all a happy Xmas and prosperous new year and look forward to seeing you in2012.Angus MacEwan.LABELS ISSUED WITH THIS NEWSLETTEROwing to frequent shortages of microbrewery labels and occasionally different quantities ofmatching neck and back labels, the labels issued may not be the full published list.Malt Shovel: James Squire Malt Runner 345mlJames Squire Nine Tales 345mlSAB: West End Draught [a range due to limited numbers]Lion Nathan: Hahn Super Dry Premium 330mlHahn Super Dry 3.5Hahn Premium LightAleChemy Brewing Co; Chilli Choc Dark BockBridge Road Brewers: Posse Summer AleRobust PorterHefe WeizenCeltic Red AleBling India Pale AleAustralian AleChestnut PilsnerBeechworth Pale AleCastlemaine Perkins: XXXX Gold 375ml Drink Wise [2 varieties]Also included is a range of obsolete reissued labels from CUB, Tooth and South AustralianBreweries. In addition we have a range of Spanish labels from our partner CELCE for whichwe thank them for their kind donation.VBLCS sends it’s thanks to Graeme Crompton, Cor Groothuis, Chuck Hahn, Alan Richardsand Ben Lawrence plus Castlemaine Perkins, Malt Shovel, Bridge Road Brewers, LionNathan and South Australian Brewing Co. for contributing labels to this issue.VBLCS wishes a Happy New Year to all its members

AUSTRALIAN SMALL BREWERY UPDATE - JANUARY 2012New South WalesAfter operating a small (250-litre) pilot brewery at Rydalmere since mid-year, RiversideBrewing Company have recently moved to larger premises at North Parramatta. Thecompany has also installed a larger 2,000-litre brewery, obtained from Mountain Goat inMelbourne, who have themselves recently up-sized (see below). Riverside will officiallylaunch its products this summer.Also in the pipeline, Illawarra Brewing Company is moving to larger premises at NorthWollongong, not far from their present cramped home, and 4 Pines has ordered a new 50hLDME brewing system, to be installed at Brookvale, a few kilometres away from theirexisting brewery and harbour-side bar at Manly. Brewing will continue at Manly after thenew brewery comes on line probably early in 2012.VictoriaThe old family-owned wine-making business, Booths Taminick Cellars, near Glenrowan,has recently become the home to a new small brewery. The beer side of this business, whichgoes by the name Black Dog Brewery, is operated by James Booth. He and his father, Peter,are winemakers for the family business. At present, beers are produced in tiny 75-litrebatches.Another new Melbourne-based microbrewery was introduced to the beer-drinking public atthe Victorian Microbreweries Showcase at Federation Square in October. Black HeartBrewery, based in the bayside suburb of Brighton, unveiled its impressive inaugural productrange, comprising an American pale ale, American brown ale, Belgian blond ale, weizen,and dunkelweizen. Black Heart is a partnership between Brad Schultz and championhomebrewer Robin Brown.In the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Mountain Goat Brewery has installed a new 25hLDME brewhouse to replace their old system, acquired in 1999 from the then recently defunctGeebung Polo Club Brewery at Auburn. This old plant has been given a new home byRiverside Brewing at Parramatta. At Brunswick East, Temple Brewing Company opens forbusiness on 19 December, just in time for Christmas. More about this one next time. And atGeelong, work has commenced on the new Little Creatures Brewery, being developed atthe historic Valley Woollen Mills site in Swanston Street. It is planned to begin brewingthere in late 2012. Little World Beverages, the parent company of Little Creatures, enteredinto an agreement to purchase the site late in 2010.South AustraliaMcLaren Vale Brewing Co. has recently taken delivery of a 35-hL DME brewing system,to be installed in an industrial shed at Willunga, near McLaren Vale. The company launchedits first beer, Vale Ale, in November 2007, but this and its other products have been brewedin New South Wales, at Australian Independent Breweries, Smeaton Grange. It was hoped tobegin brewing at Willunga before the end of 2011, but it is not known at this time whetherthis will be or has been achieved.

Western AustraliaBack in 2010, Brew 42 moved from its original home at Allanson near Collie to the LakeClifton Tavern and Motel near the eastern shore of Lake Clifton, between Mandurah andBunbury. Since then, another brewery has opened beside Lake Clifton. It is associated withthe Cape Bouvard Winery, several kilometres north of Brew 42. The brewery part of CapeBouvard Winery and Brewery, with a tiny 200-litre brew length, opened in July this year,and is another venture of Peter McAppion, who is also associated with the Black SaltBrewery at North Fremantle.At Willyabrup, in the Margaret River district, The Grove Vineyard, Winery and LiqueurFactory has recently added beer brewing to its already diverse range of activities. Brewingcommenced there in March 2011, using a 90-litre batch-size ‘nanobrewery’, and startingwith a Blood Orange IPA. Presently, three beers are available on tap at the brewery.Another new microbrewery in the south-west is the Boston Brewery at the Willoughby ParkWinery near Denmark. The basis of this brewery is the original equipment from theColonial Brewery at Margaret River, which installed a new brewhouse in 2010. Brewingstarted very recently at the Boston Brewery, but there has been no sign of an official openingup until the time of writing. Also due to open soon is the Cheeky Monkey Brewery andCidery at Margaret River. I’ll have more about these two next time.Please send contributions to this report to the compiler either at P.O. Box 5098, EastLismore, NSW, 2480 or brett@australiangoodbeerdirectory.com. Information aboutmany Australian small breweries, and links to their websites, can be found at The AustralianGood Beer Directory (www. agbd.org).Brett Stubbs, 16 December 2011AUSTRALIAN BEER NEWSIn Queensland CUB has revived the classic beers Brisbane Bitter and Bulimba Gold Top,just days before the brewer is set to be absorbed by SABMiller, but the popular NSW-basedKB brand is to be culled. The Queensland beers, last seen in the 1980s, have been re-createdin a limited run of just 5,000 cases each, to be sold in Brisbane bottle shops. CUB brewingoperations manager Geoff Day said the company could bring the beers back to full-timeproduction at the Yatala brewery if they proved popular.“Beer drinkers are drawn to brands that remind them of home,” he said, noting the successof the Great Northern brand when launched in Queensland last year.In Victoria, the classics Abbots Lager and Ballarat Bitter will be re-released and 5,000 caseswill be sold in Dan Murphy's and Woolworths Liquor outlets. While Foster's will not ruleout the possibility of bringing these brands back to full production if consumer response isstrong, at the moment it does not have plans to do so.Source: The Australian, Nov 29, 2011

FROM THE EDITORCongratulations to Michael Bannenberg and Alan Richards for producing an excellentpublication - Australian Beer Label Annual, Volume 1 - a must have book for us labelcollectors. Contact Michael or Alan to get your copy and please help them with informationand photos where possible for those hard to get labels for the forthcoming annuals.Very hectic couple of months in the boutique brewery market! Many new labels, some soldin shops and some unfortunately only available at the brewery.Above photo shows Ram Lager, Ram Bitter, Ram Pale Ale from U-Brew It, Best Bitter Ale,Pale Ale, Amber Ale, Bottlenose Oatmeal Stout, Penguin Bitter Ale and Summer Elder Alefrom Dolphin Brewery.Photo above shows Brewer’s Own from Tooborac Hotel & Brewery, Yowie Lager fromKing Valley Brewery, Posse Winter Ale from Bridge Road Brewers, Summer Dry Lager,Lazy Dog Ale, Howling Pale Ale, Leader of The Pack IPA and Dead Dog Stout from BlackDog Brewery.

Many thanks to Rob Greenaway, Angus McEwan, Brett Stubs, Jack Wilks, WayneRichardson, Simon Knight, Ross Mackie and Michael Bannenberg for their contribution tothis issue of the Newsletter.Umit Ugur, December 2011HOW BARLEY MALT WAS PRODUCED FOR THE FIRST TIMEOnce upon a time, a very long time ago, somebody left an earthen bowl of harvested barleyout to dry in the sun. There was a brief summer shower and the barley kernels absorbed thewater - starting to germinate. When the sun came back out, the air, the ground and theearthen bowl warmed up and stopped the germination process of the grain. This is howExaminer.com recently described the production of the first malt.This two-stage malting process of moistening the grain and then heating it breaks the someof the starches of the kernel down into sugars - specifically maltose - a form of glucose.Other starches in the kernel are converted into soluble starches and enzymes.Any grain can be malted. So why do brewers primarily choose barley for beer? One reasonwas the early availability of barley. Barley is in the grass family; it is self pollinating andgrew wild in the Fertile Crescent. It was easily made into flour for bread, was feed foranimals and once somebody accidentally turned it into malt, barley became the first grain tobe turned into a manufactured beverage.Also, barley is the backbone of many brew recipes because the grain is particularly good atthe malting process and for the beer itself. The high concentration of converted sugarssimplifies the process of fermentation in ales. Along the barley shaft are spiklets, one fertilespiklet paired with two reduced spiklets. This is known as a 2-row barley; it offers a lowerprotein/higher sugar content that allows for shorter steeping and produces a clearer beer.There is also a 6-row barley, higher protein/lower sugar content, that is often used in manylagers along with unmalted grains such as corn, rice and wheat. Some brewers use thismethod as a cost reduction for brewing; however, there is also the side benefit of headretention in this combination.AUSTRALIAN BEER NEWSIn Tasmania Cascade recently launched mixed eight-packs, enabling customers to sample arange of the brewery’s products; packs have two bottles each of Blonde, Pale Ale, PremiumLager and Stout. For consumers with iPhones, a free app now available has suggestions forbeer and food matching, plus information on more than 600 beers available in Australia. It isalso reported that Cascade is now producing most of the Matilda Bay range for the group.Source: Australian Brews News Dec 6, 2011

A TRIP TO BEECHWORTH WITH THE ODD DETOURVictorian member Alan Richards (411) wrote:As some members may have noticed, Bridge Road Brewers have changed their entire rangeof labels – yet again. This is not a minor tinkering as has happened so often in the past, but acomplete change of style. Their standard range consists of seven beers and lately there hadbeen a number of specials the club needed to get. The only way to get these labels was tovisit the brewery. Many brewers are very good to the club, and Ben Kraus of Bridge Road isone of those, but counting out hopefully 1,600 labels is asking too much of a small business.But first we had to call into the new Cellarbrations at Wangaratta. Here Judd Porter of theKing Valley Brewery had his Yowie Lager available. This is contract brewed at this stage(Southern Bay is the most likely candidate) and he hopes in the near future to build his ownbrewery at nearby Milawa. Judd has since said the Yowie Lager will be distributednationwide through ALM (Australian Liquor Marketers), so should you have trouble findingit, give ALM a try in your state. Luckily he also had available the new Summer Dry Lagerdone for Metcash Trading. Metcash is the distributor supplying the IGA/Franklins,Cellarbrations/Bottle-O chains of retailers so Summer Dry should be easily found there. Aswith most contract brews, mint labels are difficult to get as the brewery can hold the labelsand not the wholesalers such as Judd and Metcash...The next port of call was Bridge Road Brewers at Beechworth. In addition to the sevenlabels in his standard range, the club also managed to get the Posse Summer Ale label. Thisbeer is specially brewed and only available to members of the brewery’s Posse club – acarton-each-month, quarter etc. Recently Bridge Road Brewers did a collaborative brew withthe Nøgne ø brewery of Norway. The result of this was an India Saison that was released inOctober. 2,500 labels were printed and all used so the only way to obtain the label is from aretailer – there are still some stubbies available in specialist retailer and the beer is verydrinkable. Their Australian Ale has a printer’s error, not sure if the brewery knows. Thelabel that will be distributed with the newsletter has the bar-code number 9 339161 000019and this barcode is on a white background. However this is the bar-code for their Bling IPA.The correct bar-code of which the club only obtained a few labels, is 9 339161 000002 andis on a grey background. This should be readily bought in retailers soon.Further up the Ovens Valley highway is Boynton’s winery at Porepunkah. For some yearsnow they have had a range of four beers brewed for them first at Buckleys and later atMildura. There have been a number of changes over the years and their Ale finally reflectsthe latest changes. However Mildura are no longer doing small runs of contract brews – theminimum order is reputed for be 1,000 cases which is too large for many to be able toabsorb. The Mildura brewery in the past has brewed beer for the Echuca Brewery, 3Troupers, Cricketers, and many others, few of whom will be able to take such an order.Then it was onto the Bright Brewery – very nice to know that they didn’t have any newlabels out so we could relax over a beer beside the burbling Ovens River. However theywere waiting for their Pinky Framboise label from the printers! This will be another limitedrelease which will only be obtainable from the brewery.

On the way home we called into Booth Bros winery in the foothills of the Warby Rages, xkms at the end of a gravel road. Booths have been making wine since 1903 and the fourthgeneration of Booths, James (see photo below), decided recently to branch into brewing. Therelease was on Saturday 26 November, luckily there was still some Lazy Dog Ale availableon the Monday after when we arrived. This is the only beer released so far, with the HowlingPale Ale, Dead Dog Stout and Leader of the Pack IPA due soon. So far the beer is onlyavailable at the winery but will soon be at the usual speciality shops. The brewery is VERYVERY small but there are plans to grow it.Then it was back to Melbourne to chase up some of the new labels there – three newMoonDogs , 3 Ravens Smoked Wheat, Bullant’s & Sweetwater’s IPA, changes to Mildura’s,Buckley’s, Plantinum Blonde and so onHappy hunting – there’s lots out there to hunt!

On the ship’s drink menu Beer wasdescribed as ‘frothy and refreshing,much like the sea on a windy day.’There were 7 domestic beers listed,15 imported including Foster’sLager 750 ml. $6.75 US, 1 NonalcoholicBeer and 1 AlcoholicMalt Beverage.At Halifax we were able to visitand try the beer of a small breweryon the waterfront, called GarrisonBrewing Company. It was in a great location for cruise ship passengers to try and buy theirbeer on returning to the ship. The beer I tried was very enjoyable to drink. I purchased a 500ML. bottle of their Honey Lavender Ale – 6.5% Alc/Vol which I drank later that day. Thebeer is brewed with lavender and honey, described as “when you open this bottle, expectfloral aromas, the scent ofapple pie and banana.Smooth ale featuresflavours of honey, maltand lavender with a hint oflemon.’Due to limited time weonly could walk throughAlexander Keith’s Brewery,while we were visitingHalifax.During our wandering in Boston, we were able to have lunch and a beer at a very reasonableprice at the “Cheers Bar” of the TV fame. The down stairs bar has changed little since theoriginal show was on our TV, and is still being shown today. We enjoyed our meal, theatmosphere was great, and the service was friendly.

VBLCS CHRISTMAS MEETING 2011Feast for the membersAlan Richards & Michael BannenbergRobert Manser & David DobneyShirley Robinson & friendsJack Wilks & Wayne Richardson

CREATURES MOVING INGeelong’s $60 million Little Creatures brewery has set itself to be open for business by theend of next year.Western Australia’s Little World of Beverages - brewer of the popular beer range – boughtthe Valley Mill site in South Geelong last year for $6.38 million. The Little World board hasofficially signed off on a $60 million investment in the project after posting a 36 per centincrease in after-tax profits in the last financial year.Chief executive Ross Sudano said this week a planning permit from the City of GreaterGeelong was expected within days, after which partial demolition would begin.The brewery’s initial operational deadline of October 2013 has been brought forward toOctober next year.Mr Sudano said stage one of the project would see the brewery established to better meetdemand for the range in the eastern states.Opportunities to develop an on-site restaurant and bar, similar to the popular LittleCreatures’ Fremantle brewery, or a visitor centre like the Little World’s White Rabbit outletat Healesville, would be explored once production was up and running.“What’s driving this whole project at the moment is the ability to produce beer to supportthe growth in this market,” Mr Sudano said. “So once we’ve achieved that then we can putour minds to what we do – some form of visitor centre, somewhere to allow people toengage with us and the business and the brewery.”The Geelong brewery will produce the full range of Little Creatures products as well as theWhite Rabbit brand’s light and dark ale.Mr Sudano said partial demolition and asbestos removal would be carried out first, withconstruction hoped to begin early in the New Year.“We’ve only got a short time frame and a lot to get done in that period,” he said.Mr Sudano said 20 to 30 full-time positions would be available when the business firstopened its doors, with a possible expansion of the workforce depending on demand and anyvisitor centre plans.Little World has already employed a Geelong engineer and hopes to use local labour in theconstruction phase.“We’re very excited and we’ve had a great response down at Geelong.” Mr Sudano said.Source: Article by Victoria MacDonald, Geelong Advertiser dated 24 August 2011

LABEL OF THE YEAR 2010 PRESENTATIONThe photo below left is showing Ben Lawrence and Bob Manouge presenting the Label ofThe Year Alex Freer award in the Boutique Brewery category to Glenn Cooper of CoopersBrewery and the photo on right is showing Rob Greenaway presenting the award for GeorgeCrompton in the Major Brewery category to Adrian McNulty of 3 Ravens BrewingCompany.NO LIVE YEAST IN 170-YEAR OLD BOTTLE FROM BALTIC SEAFinnish scientists have cracked open a cold one … a 170-year-old cold one, that is.The bottle of beer, salvaged last summer from the wreckage of a ship that sank nearthe Aland Islands in the Baltic Sea, was thought to be the oldest drinkable beer everfound (see VBLCS New November 2010 issue).Unfortunately, the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) reported June 27,the first bottle opened did not withstand the stresses of time. Seawater made it intothe bottle, contaminating the brew. Nonetheless, the researchers were able toanalyse the chemistry of the pale golden liquid. They found malt sugars, aromaticcompounds and hops typical of what you'd expect to find in a bottle of beer today.The researchers had hoped to find live yeast cells in the brew, which would helpthem reverse-engineer the brewing process and replicate the beer. But no yeast cellssurvived the years 164 feet (50 meters) below the ocean's surface. There were,however, live lactic acid bacteria in the bottle. These bacteria, sometimes used inbrewing, would add a sour taste to the beverage. The newly opened bottle seems tobe in worse condition than one that broke when divers brought it up to the surfacein summer 2010, VTT, an independent research corporation, reported. That beerfizzed as if it were still carbonated, suggesting that yeast were still alive andproducing the carbon dioxide that gives beer its bubbles.Divers did manage to salvage five bottles from the wrecked ship, which likely sanksometime between 1800 and 1830. (They also brought up more than 100 bottles ofchampagne.) The researchers now plan to crack open another bottle and try again.Source: Live Science, June 2010

HOPS BEER IS DE VINEIT was while sharing a beer or two with regulars at the Gellibrand River Hotel in Victoriathat brewer Luke Scott first heard the story of the Wild hops.Somewhere on the fringes of the Otway Ranges was a field that supplied the long-defunctBallarat Brewing Company for its bitter, a beer with the Ballarat Bertie character on itslabel. There remained patches where the crop was still growing well, including one wherehop vines were using a tree as an impromptu trellis. Last month, Mr Scott and fellowbrewers headed out, filled their truck with vines and set about brewing a distinctive beer.“This guy who drank at the pub told me the region’s history as a hop-growing area, whenfamilies grew hops for breweries in Ballarat and Colac, ”MrScott, of Otway Estate Brewery,says. “The ones we used are growing at the side of a council road by a tranquil creek bedwhere there’s water to keep them going.”The hops are now confirmed as an English variety called Canterbury Goldings and Mr Scotthas used them to create a one-off beer known as Australian Bitter Ale. It will be released thismonth, along with a number of other beers using this year’s freshly harvested hops.More than in any previous year, the popularity of hop-harvest beers grows. Using freshhops- and in some cases wet hops that go straight into the brew without undergoing dryingprocesses-can lend different characteristics.Occasionally, beers are made using developmental varieties that may never go on to begrown commercially; in others they use hops grown in a brewer’s back garden. One thingthey all have in common is a story to tell.At Red Hill Brewery, on the Mornington Peninsula, its Hop Harvest Ale uses hops grown onits farm; they’re picked by friends who offer their services for the day in return for food andcold beer.In Hobart, the best known Australian hop harvest beer, Cascade’s First Harvest, uses threenew varieties of hop every year, most of which will never become commercially available.Also in Tasmania, Two Metre Tall uses up to seven hop types grown on its estate-includingold and rare varieties- in its Derwent Real Ale.Moo Brew in Tasmania has been developing a beer using freshly harvested, locally grownhops that may become the first released under the Mona (Museum of Old and New Art)label, while Hawthorn Brewing Company, which is yet to open its brewery and has its beersmade under contract, has used home-grown varieties to dry-hop its latest batch of pale ale.An event dedicated to hop-harvest beers, Paddy’s Hop Harvest Festival, will be staged atPaddy’s Brewery in Flemington, on April 30.Source: Article by James Smith, Warrnambool Standard dated 16 April 2011

THE BELGIAN BREWERIANA MEETINGBelgian member Yves DeKock (609) wrote:The Belgian breweriana meeting in Hoegaarden is held every year on the first Saturday ofNovember. That meeting is getting more and more famous year after year and one can meetwith many collectors from various European countries.My collector friend, Vlad Shamov, the President of Russian club KKPA in Moscow cameand visited me in November so we were able to go together to the Hoegaarden meeting. Themeeting is an important link between collectors from Western and Eastern Europe. Theycome first to an agreement about exchanging glasses or any other kind of fragile advertisingitems and then they meet and trade in Hoegaarden. Some collectors just come in and pick uptheir items and leave right after.BARONS BRAND FOR RESURRECTIONFormer Barons Brewing director Patrick Clarke has acquired the brand's intellectual property(IP) ahead of an intended relaunch early next year.

Clarke, who appointed a liquidator to the Barons companies earlier this month, toldTheShout that his new company, Great Southern Brewing, purchased the IP following anational expression of interest campaign conducted as part of a preliminary asset sell-off.Clarke said original Barons brewer, Richard Adamson, had agreed to come on board withthe new venture and brewing contracts are currently under discussion.Clarke said Barons has appointed Pure Beverages to handle sales and distribution, and he isalso pursuing some direct retail relationships. Commenting on the brewer's demise, Clarkesaid Barons had done a great job of brewing and marketing its beers but had been let downin the area of business acumen. "The consumer has always enjoyed the Barons brand and thebeer itself, the priority is just to get the business side of the operation working, withconsistency of supply to retailers at the right price."Clarke is understood to be owed $4.5 million by the collapsed Barons business. He toldTheShout that when he increased his involvement with the brewer 12 months ago it was totry and improve its fortunes. But he soon realised there was "no way in the world" thebrewer would be able to trade itself out of difficulty with its flawed business model andgovernance structure.He confirmed he appointed insolvency accounting firm Rodgers Reidy on November 1 tohandle the liquidation of the Barons business and pursue key debtors. Clarke stressed that heensured no staff were owed any money following the brewer's collapse.Source: http://www.theshout.com.au/beernewsitems/HOP DOG BEER WORKSSimon Knight (651), memberfrom New South Wales, boughtthe beers shown on left in BerryBottle Shop. Apparently they arebrewed in very small batches inHop Dog Beer Works in SouthNowra, NSW. It is a 200 L nanobreweryfocused on hop-centricand artisinal ales which areunfiltered, unadulterated andbottle conditioned. The beer isavailable in bottles and growlers(2L refillable bottles).Editor’s note: According to HopDog Beer Works web-site, the“All Hallowed Ale” is sold outbefore Halloween.

HIGH PRICED LABELS RECENTLY SOLD ON eBayLight Dinner Ale from G.S. Heat Ltd in Barrow in Furness, UK sold for US$ 140.50,Somerville’s Brown Stout from North British Brewery in Edinburg, UK sold for GBP 79.99,Light Bitter Ale from Boorne’s in UK sold for US$ 385.00, Special Extra Stout fromStonehill’s in London, UK sold for US$ 88.70, Hessener Marzen from Robert Finke inHessen, Germany sold for Euro 80.00 and Lager from Wetzstein Brau in Oelsnitz, Germanysold for Euro 78.00 in October 2011.Weizenbier from Braucommun, Eisenberg, Germany sold for Euro 112.11, Weizen Bierfrom Gunnel Brewery in Klingenthal, Germany sold for Euro 88.00, Austauschbier fromDAB in Dortmund, Germany sold for Euro 26.50, Double Brown Ale from Scarborough &Whitby in Scarborough, UK sold for US$126.16, Spezial Malzbier from DruidensteinBrewery in Oberloquitz, Germany sold for Euro 88.00 in November 2011.Old Ruby Ale from North Norfolk Brewery in Trunch, UK sold for US$ 115.35, LuncheonStout from Lloyd & Yorath Ltd in Newport, UK sold for US$ 102.50, Friary Luncheon Alefrom Friary Holroyd & Healy’s Breweries, Guildford, UK sold for GBP 45.77, Guinnes’sExtra Stout from Dublin, Ireland sold for US$ 57.88, Kelsey Light Ale from J.W.Green’s inTunbridge, UK sold for GBP 34.99 and Pfungstadter Bier from Justus Hildebrand,Pfungstadt, Germany sold for Euro 131.00 in November 2011.

Guinness’s Extra Stout from Offilers’ Brewery Ltd, London, UK sold for GBP 90.99,Compass Brand Guiness’s Stout from A.MacFee & Co Ltd in Liverpool, UK sold for GBP57.00, Walsheim Neger from Walsheim, Germany sold for Euro 48.50, Pale Ale fromWintles Brewery in Mitcheldean, UK sold for US$ 611.77, Blue Ribbon beer from StorzBrewing Co in Omaha, US sold for US$ 308.33 and Export Lager Beer from GambrinusStock Co in Cincinnati, US sold for US$ 225.00 in November 2011.LOCAL BREWERY IS OPENING DOORSBEER CONNOISSEURS will be able to get closer to their favourite product when BellarineBrewing Company (BBC) opens its doors to the public this weekend.BBC, which forms part of the Bellarine Estate - and claims to be the only microbrewery onthe Bellarine Peninsula - produces high quality lagers ales pilsners and stouts.Bellarine Estate part owner Tim Page Walker said after months of renovations the companywas excited to give the public what they had asked for.“We had so many requests to see our brewery that it just made sense to open it up tovisitors.”The BBC has taken over the running of the restaurant, cellar door and has relocated themicrobrewery to the very front of the business where everyone can see it and experience theexcitement of the Bellarine’s first microbrewery.“It’s going to be the next big thing on the Bellarine Peninsula.”As part of the changes at the Bellarine Estate, Mr Page Walker said the company waslaunching a variety of entertainment options every Sunday.“A range of local musicians will be dishing up laid back, casual music, perfect for taking inthe views of the bay with a cold ale and a lazy Sunday lunch.”For more information visit www.bellarineestate.com.au.Source: Article by Luke Griffiths, Bellarine Times, 25 October 2011

BATTLE BREWS FOR TAP BEER CHOICEIndependent Liquor is launching into the tap beer market to try to break apart what it says isa “cosy duopoly” between Lion and DB Breweries.The Papakura-based company says two of the international brands it brews under license,Carlsberg and Kingfisher, as well as its Boundary Road Craft range and Wild Buck NewZealand Ale, will be available on tap at bars around the country in the next month.Chief Executive Julian Davison said the tap beer market-which he estimated was worth $900million annually-was uncompetitive.“A punter knows whether they are walking into Lion bar or a DB bar because there would bea large majority of bars that are under contract by those two brewers, which restrict the rangeto Lion or DB. What we want to do is force those two brewers to allow consumer choice,”said Davidson, a former Lion managing director.Lion’s beer brands include Lion Red, Speight’s, Steinlager and the Mac’s range. DBBreweries has Tui, Monteith’s, Export Gold and Heineken, among others.Independent is promising an aggressive market entry and its sales team began the tap beerpush last week.But the company is not expecting an easy ride.“Lion and DB have held this market for 150 years and I don’t think they’re going to let go ofit without a fight,” Davidson said.‘What I’m most prepared to engage in is a very fair fight.” He said a highly competitivepackaged beer market meant pricing for those products was “arguably far too cheap”.

“That competition hasn’t been available on-premise and it’s certainly our intent to bring thatcompetition into play.”DB managing director Brian Blake said he did not accept Independent’s claim his companywas part of a duopoly. “There’s been fierce competition between DB and Lion for manyyears and there have been no barriers to others entering the tap market - it’s simply thatothers have chosen not to do so,” he said.Lion external relations director Liz Read also disagreed with Independents claim, saying thealcohol market was open to any company that wanted to have a go at entering it.“Bars and restaurants decide which beverage brands they want to stock and their decisionsare dictated by consumer preference,” she said.Blake said DB was relaxed about having a new competitor entering the tap beer market, butthe firm would defend the existing distribution arrangements it had with bars.Whether a bar that stocked Lion tap beer would be able to also sell an Independent brandwould depend on the commercial arrangement the bar had with the brewery, Read said.She said it was not unheard of for a pub to stock both Lion and DB tap beer, so it waspossible some pubs might end up selling brands from all three breweries. -Independent had already signed up a “substantial amount” of tap beer customers, saidDavidson.One of those is Auckland’s Easy Tiger. Owner Rick Doran said the bar, near Vector Arena,would have Carlsberg on tap from next month.“As an independent operator, it has been limiting having DR and Lion as the only tap beersuppliers to date,” Doran said. “I am pleased I now have an alternative and I welcome thecompetition into the tap beer market.”Independent’s move would help Carlsberg “carve out its fair share” of the New Zealand onpremisemarket - an area in which it has been underperforming, said Anders Rosendal, theDanish beer brand’s regional manager.Independent liquor was founded in Auckland in 1987 by Michael Erceg, who died in ahelicopter crash near Raglan in 2005.The company, which has a big share of the New Zealand ready-to-drink market, wasacquired by Tokyo-listed Asahi, a Japanese brewer, in August for $1.5 billion.Source: Article by Christopher Adams, NZ Herald News dated 14 November 2011VBLCS wishes a Happy New Year to all its members

JAMIESON BREWERYLocated on the banks of the Goulburn River, where it enters Eildon Lake, is the picturesqueJamieson Brewery. Terri Marsden is the new owner of the brewery and pub after thepurchase was completed a couple of weeks ago, at the end of November 2011. Jeff Whyte,the former owner and brewer, who gained a reputation for brewing the fine JamiesonBrewery beers, is staying on as brewer.Brewer Jeff WhyteNew owner, Terri MarsdenJeff originally started brewing at the pub around ten years ago. Trade through the pub hadslowed when the drought and subsequent drop in water at Eildon reduced the numbers ofvisitors to the area. He bought the 1200L brewing equipment second hand from NewZealand. He built a room on to the front of the pub to house the brewery, allowing patrons tolook through the front windows and watch Jeff brewing.The pub itself is quite roomy after a couple of extensions. The ground at the back of the pubslopes gently towards the river, providing a large grassy area. It would be great to sit in theshade of the trees here on a hot summer’s afternoon.Their four beers can be tried on a tasting paddle, which comes with bread, olive oil,crackers, and homemade pesto. Having nibbles with the paddle is a nice touch and enhancesthe experience. The paddle is only twelve dollars.The Raspberry Ale is a standout with an unmistakable raspberry aroma. It is made byinfusing the beer with raspberries added near the end of fermentation. It is sweet, but hasenough bitterness to keep it balanced. The Mountain Ale is a dark wheat beer that has asmoky roasted malt taste. The Pale Ale is an enjoyable complex flavored English-style paleale. Unfortunately, they had run out of their American IPA, the Beast. So instead, we weretreated to a specialty Belgian-style ale.Jeff is now able to relax a little and enjoy brewing his sensational beers. Meanwhile Terri isbusy getting to know the ropes of running your own pub and brewery in the lead up to thebusy holiday season. Tasty beers, great food from the new chef, famous homemade fudge,and a scenic location make the trip to Jamieson Brewery well worthwhile.Source: Australian Brewery News, 7 December 2011

RAFFLESAs at December 9 th 2011 the following members have credit as listed:Larry Ross April 2014Jim Halsall Oct 2013Sue Plant Feb 2013Ray Trinder Feb 2013Lloyd Gerdes Dec 2012Wayne Richardson Dec 2012Peter May Oct 2012Alan Colclough Oct 2012Simon Knight Aug 2012Ian Buller Aug 2012Alastair Graham Aug 2012Philip Withers Aug 2012Lloyd Hartree June 2012Murray Wells April 2012Jim Stewart April 2012In the February raffle, first prize will contain a CAMRA (CAMpaign for Real Ale) Australia1 st Anniversary Ale label that was brewed by Matilda Bay in the 1980’s.Second prize will have a Fitzroy Bitter label, this was issued by CUB as a fund raiser for theFitzroy Football Club before the wicked AFL cruelly killed them off (Carn the ‘Roys).Third prize has a Cairns Draught Beer label. Hotel bottled at the Red Beret Hotel inRedlynch, Queensland.Each prize will also contain Australian micro-brewery labels; some no contents labels, and13 1/3 & 26 2/3 fl. oz. labels from various Australian breweries.Prizes will contain well over 100 labels; a selection of Australian, New Zealand and variousoverseas labels.Tickets are $1.00 each with a maximum of two tickets ($2.00) per member. Available fromJack Wilks 65 Tiverton Drive Mulgrave Vic. 3170.VBLCS wishes a Happy New Year to all its members

VBLCS BEER LABEL CATALOGUESCairns, Rockhampton and Toowoomba 28 pages $6.00Mildura (Northern Breweries) 16 pages $3.50Northern Territory 27 pages $6.00Kalgoorlie 26 pages $6.00Old Ballarat 19 pages $4.50Sovereign 9 pages $2.00Anchor, Sail & Anchor, Matilda Bay 18 pages $4.50South Australian & Associated Breweries 154 pages $15.00Coopers Brewery 130 pages $15.00Sanctuary Cove Brewery 23 pages $6.00Courage Breweries $6.00Geelong Brewery $6.00Richmond Brewing Co $6.00Castlemaine Perkins $6.00CUB Queensland $6.00Tasmanian Breweries $7.50Swan Brewery Co $13.00Micro Breweries (1st Edition) $6.50Micro Breweries (2nd Edition) $8.50Micro Breweries (3rd Edition) $8.50All members please note: When sending cheques or money orders to the Secretary aspayment for catalogues ordered, please make them payable only to “The V.B.L.C.S.” Pleasedo not make them payable to the Secretary, either by title or by name. Copies of the ClubCatalogues are obtainable from Angus MacEwan, 11 Harleston Road, Mt. Eliza, Victoria3930. Ph: 03 9787 0225. ALL CATALOGUE PRICES ARE POST PAIDMEETING DATES FOR 2012VBLCS meetings are held at the German Club Tivoli, 291 Dandenong Road, Windsor,Melway Ref. 58 G8. October meeting will be at the Thunder Road Brewery, 130 Barkly St,Brunswick, Melway Ref. 29 J10Meeting dates for 2012 are:February 12April 8June 10August 12October 14 (at the Thunder Road Brewery)December 9NOTE: As a general rule the meetings are held on the second Sunday of even numberedmonths. Starting time is 1.00 pm although many members come earlier for socialising.December meeting is our Christmas meeting and the starting time is 12.00 noon.

BEATEN TRACK BREWERY LABELS

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