Beer comes in many styles, tastes and flavours. There are different levels of bitterness, hopiness (that a word?), lighter or darker malts, low carb, cold filtered. Complicated stuff for a beginner.
Thinking back to when I started drinking beer the thing that stood out the most – more than any particular flavour or style, were the rivalries involved in drinking particular brands of beer. I still don’t think you get the same rivalry with other alcoholic drinks as you do with competing beer brands.
Not to say it doesn’t happen but you don’t see too many people arguing over particular wineries or choice of vodka.
Let me explain.
In Tassie there is a real North versus South rivalry. Launceston versus Hobart if you like. Or, as it happens to be; Boag’s versus Cascade. Being from the North I sided with Boag’s and still kinda do. But being in a bar in Hobart with a Boag’s Premium in hand (Boag’s Draught wasn’t even allowed south of the midlands in the 90s), I would be heckled, sledged and have my sexuality questioned at every opportunity. It was like an intense footy rivalry. And much like footy, I loved it! It added to the overall beer drinking experience.
Not only could I enjoy the beer but I also had a new team to support. Team Boag’s!
Moving to Sydney things weren’t that different. In Sydney, anything outside the NSW border was seen as inferior and could not be trusted. A real man drank Toohey’s New or at worst, Toohey’s Extra Dry. Toohey’s Old perhaps for the classier, more mature gentleman. ‘Whoa you rebel, gotchyaself a Hahn I see. Don’t step too far out of your comfort zone…’
To conform I dabbled in them all, but behind closed doors stuck to Boag’s or even Carlton Draught or Coopers and silently apologised to them every time I ‘beer strayed’.
In Sydney I also noticed something for the first time. I called it the ‘Sydney Beer Snob’. Now the Sydney Beer Snob may drink a NSW brew if they have to, but would never ever touch something from another state. They like their State of Origin up that way – a sporting concept borrowed off the southern states of course (don’t ever try telling them that!), but this seemed ridiculous. They especially wouldn’t touch anything from ‘Mexico’ (i.e. Victoria). The Sydney Beer Snob thought they were all class with a Heineken, or maybe Becks or Stella in their hands. Far too classy to touch Australian beer!
Never had the heart to tell em what they were drinking was akin to someone in Europe or the US drinking Fosters…
The Sydney Beer Snob seemed sold on the concept that international beer was much pricier, and therefore must be superior in not only image, but also quality.
Things are a bit easier in Melbourne. People seem to drink a bit of everything. Like footy codes, I fit in better in Melbourne when it comes to beer. Some brews from CUB aren’t as bad as some other ‘big brand beers’ out there and there are microbreweries everywhere! Whilst I wish there were a few gems in the actual city centre, the number of microbreweries in Victoria is a major reason why I have developed such an appreciation of all things beer.
And next time I have a Boag’s Premium in my hand here in Melbourne, I know I won’t have my sexuality questioned…at least not over my choice of beer!
I don’t think beer brand rivalry is native to Australia anymore than sporting rivalries. There are obvious rivalries everywhere. Guinness versus Murphy’s in Ireland, Sapporo versus Kirin versus Asahi in Japan, Miller versus Bud in the US. Breweries compete with each other for domestic dominance as much as any other business, and through advertising try and attract dedicated supporters just like sporting teams.
Which brings me to craft beer. Until a few years ago I certainly didn’t appreciate it or seek it out. Probably thought craft beer was sold at an Arts and Crafts Market, and should be avoided at all costs as it was probably made with juniper berries and cloves. A nice drinkable lager was pretty much all beer was to me. But in sporting terms craft beer is the underdog. The sporting team the general masses don’t seem to barrack for; yet very few dislike. They are the team respected, but not always followed. But those who ‘barrack’ for craft beer do so with as much if not more passion than anyone I know!
But more on craft beers and microbreweries later. Much later.
Next, we need to head over to England for a working holiday in the old country, and talk up my discovery of European beers…some bad, and some good. Oh, and speaking of which, that includes Fosters Lager! Yes, Foster Lager…
Till then,
Cheers!…Prost!...Salute!...Kampai!
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