Beer News - "Bubbly, Blond & Very Popular"
Bubbly, Blonde and Very Popular
Willie Simpson, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 February 2007
"Once upon a time Australians drank beer because they enjoyed the taste or identified with the blokey images the brands conjured. Now, it seems, a growing band of drinkers is choosing beers that are kinder to their waistlines or more in keeping with their daily gym visits. Welcome to the world of low-carbohydrate beers.
You can blame it on the Yanks or the success of Carlton Pure Blonde, which came from nowhere to achieve sales of 100,000 cases within 12 months of its launch and inspired a rash of local low-carb rivals.
Bondi Blonde, the latest to grab the headlines (courtesy of a visit from that Hilton girl), is a curious example of an established brand that has been repackaged as a trendy low-carb number.
Bondi Blonde was one of the original contract beer brands when it was released three years ago, as a premium lager, by Canadian-born entrepreneur Dean Brunne. He noticed a distinct lack of local craft brands when he arrived here in the mid-1990s, so he came up with his own label and had the beer made at the then newly established Bluetongue Brewery in Newcastle.
Despite the cute marketing concept, Brunne found it tough to make a profit out of Bondi Blonde and eventually sold the brand to Bluetongue last year. Little did he realise it would be reinvented as a low-carb label, backed by a serious advertising budget and associated with a global celebrity brand in Paris Hilton.
There's nothing particularly new about low-carb beers, which were around in the late '80s as "dry beers"; basically, brewers use an enzyme to ferment out most of the residual sweetness, which gives standard beer some complexity. Low-calorie brands have been tried without much success and it seems that the public have to be ready for a new trend, rather than having it thrust upon them by beer marketers.
As with gluten-free beers, people choose these brands for dietary and health considerations rather than flavour. Still, it's getting increasingly difficult to ignore them.
Tasting notes
Carlton Pure Blonde (4.6 per cent)
Pale gold; presents like a normal beer with a clean, malty nose.
Palate Reasonable maltiness, "doughnut" mid-palate, some bitterness. Ho-hum and lacks complexity but, overall, probably the best of the local low-carb brigade.
Bondi Blonde (4.5 per cent)
Pale gold; clean aroma; grainy notes.
Palate A hint of green apple initially, but lacks complexity mid-palate;
dry, moderately bitter finish.
Overall, OK, but hardly inspiring.
Hahn Super Dry (4.6 per cent)
Pale gold; moderate mouth-feel; restrained carbonation.
Palate A hint of citrus early, hollow mid-palate; dry, abrupt finish with negligible bitterness. Inoffensive and drinkable enough after a gym session.
Michelob Ultra (4.2 per cent)
Pale gold. This US import is simply one of the worst beers I've encountered in a long stretch.
Palate Thin, chemical-tasting and vague beer flavours, it has few redeeming features. It is, however, low on carbs (2.6g/355ml). So is water.
GLUTEN-FREE
Silly Yak Aztec Gold (4.5 per cent)
Light straw; clean, grainy aroma and presents like normal beer.
Palate Slightly perfumed, relatively thin and finishes with a tart citrus note. This beer has also shown batch variations. Not the most complex beer, it would probably quench a thirst.
O'Brien Premium Lager (4.5 per cent)
Extremely pale straw; low carbonation; sweet-sour aroma
with wine-like and tart notes.
Palate Thin-bodied, empty mid-palate, tart finish initially, then reasonable bitterness. Out of balance overall, but probably drinkable for the gluten-intolerant.
O'Brien Pale Ale (4.5 per cent)
Hazy gold; head dies quickly; perfumed, flowery aroma.
Palate Weak body, jangle of jasmine-musk and citrus-tart notes, with a bitter shock to the finish. Little resemblance to the pale ale style. "
Willie Simpson, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 February 2007
"Once upon a time Australians drank beer because they enjoyed the taste or identified with the blokey images the brands conjured. Now, it seems, a growing band of drinkers is choosing beers that are kinder to their waistlines or more in keeping with their daily gym visits. Welcome to the world of low-carbohydrate beers.
You can blame it on the Yanks or the success of Carlton Pure Blonde, which came from nowhere to achieve sales of 100,000 cases within 12 months of its launch and inspired a rash of local low-carb rivals.
Bondi Blonde, the latest to grab the headlines (courtesy of a visit from that Hilton girl), is a curious example of an established brand that has been repackaged as a trendy low-carb number.
Bondi Blonde was one of the original contract beer brands when it was released three years ago, as a premium lager, by Canadian-born entrepreneur Dean Brunne. He noticed a distinct lack of local craft brands when he arrived here in the mid-1990s, so he came up with his own label and had the beer made at the then newly established Bluetongue Brewery in Newcastle.
Despite the cute marketing concept, Brunne found it tough to make a profit out of Bondi Blonde and eventually sold the brand to Bluetongue last year. Little did he realise it would be reinvented as a low-carb label, backed by a serious advertising budget and associated with a global celebrity brand in Paris Hilton.
There's nothing particularly new about low-carb beers, which were around in the late '80s as "dry beers"; basically, brewers use an enzyme to ferment out most of the residual sweetness, which gives standard beer some complexity. Low-calorie brands have been tried without much success and it seems that the public have to be ready for a new trend, rather than having it thrust upon them by beer marketers.
As with gluten-free beers, people choose these brands for dietary and health considerations rather than flavour. Still, it's getting increasingly difficult to ignore them.
Tasting notes
Carlton Pure Blonde (4.6 per cent)
Pale gold; presents like a normal beer with a clean, malty nose.
Palate Reasonable maltiness, "doughnut" mid-palate, some bitterness. Ho-hum and lacks complexity but, overall, probably the best of the local low-carb brigade.
Bondi Blonde (4.5 per cent)
Pale gold; clean aroma; grainy notes.
Palate A hint of green apple initially, but lacks complexity mid-palate;
dry, moderately bitter finish.
Overall, OK, but hardly inspiring.
Hahn Super Dry (4.6 per cent)
Pale gold; moderate mouth-feel; restrained carbonation.
Palate A hint of citrus early, hollow mid-palate; dry, abrupt finish with negligible bitterness. Inoffensive and drinkable enough after a gym session.
Michelob Ultra (4.2 per cent)
Pale gold. This US import is simply one of the worst beers I've encountered in a long stretch.
Palate Thin, chemical-tasting and vague beer flavours, it has few redeeming features. It is, however, low on carbs (2.6g/355ml). So is water.
GLUTEN-FREE
Silly Yak Aztec Gold (4.5 per cent)
Light straw; clean, grainy aroma and presents like normal beer.
Palate Slightly perfumed, relatively thin and finishes with a tart citrus note. This beer has also shown batch variations. Not the most complex beer, it would probably quench a thirst.
O'Brien Premium Lager (4.5 per cent)
Extremely pale straw; low carbonation; sweet-sour aroma
with wine-like and tart notes.
Palate Thin-bodied, empty mid-palate, tart finish initially, then reasonable bitterness. Out of balance overall, but probably drinkable for the gluten-intolerant.
O'Brien Pale Ale (4.5 per cent)
Hazy gold; head dies quickly; perfumed, flowery aroma.
Palate Weak body, jangle of jasmine-musk and citrus-tart notes, with a bitter shock to the finish. Little resemblance to the pale ale style. "
Labels: Beer News
posted by Stewart Went at
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