From Fresh, The West Australian, March 5

When is a beer bottle a can? When it’s the latest incarnation of the “Crownie”. At least, with the familiar sloping neck and colour scheme it looks like a bottle and has crown cap like a bottle – but is made of aluminium, like a can.

First instinct after emptying the 330ml vessel of Crown Lager is to try the macho crushing exercise. But the featherweight container is so sturdy it would take a weight-lifter to scrunch it in his fist. As for the concertina-on-the-forehead trick . . . forget it, for health and safety’s sake. The only entertainment empty aluminium bottles might provide is as skittles.

It was decided to give fans of long-established Crown Lager the aluminium option for health and safety correctness – it’s designed for events where glass is prohibited, it’s safer to carry, light to hold and is recyclable without shedding sharp bits. A possible snag for some customers is that the aluminium contains only 330ml of Crown Lager compared with the 375ml in the standard glass bottle.

Tasmania’s Cascade has just solved this problem. In a case of grabbing a Tasmanian tiger by the tail, Australia's oldest operating brewery has had to bow to fans of its flagship Cascade Premium by dumping the 330ml bottle it introduced as part of a brand update in 2007. After “some very direct feedback”, the old-size 375ml green bottle returns, though the restyled badging remains. This adds “the equivalent of almost three extra stubbies a case”, which, we’re told, delights the Cascade team including head brewer Max Burslem, who marks 40 years at Cascade Brewery this year.

Funny how imported beers tend to look more interesting than most domestic brands, even when holding only the regulation 330ml volume. A recent example is Phoenix Beer. It comes in a tall, weighty, admirably-brown, long-neck glass bottle with exotic shiny label. It could never be confused with a boring Aussie screw-top stubbie.

Billed as “The Famous Beer of Mauritius”, Phoenix is aimed at an obvious target market – returned tourists wishing to revive memories of the Indian Ocean holiday isle. But it also appeals to people who regard this lager as a taste of home. “It’s surprising how many Mauritius expats turn up asking for Phoenix,” Cellarbrations at Carlisle manager Adam O’Brien said. Tabitha Sparkes at distributor AllStates wholesalers agreed, saying demand had led to well over 20 metro area bottle shops stocking the golden lager within months of its arrival.

THE BEERS

Crown Lager (4.9 per cent)

Australia’s original “premium” lager still carries distinctive hoppy earthiness on the nose and slightly sweet fruitiness in the full-bodied, long aftertaste. The white head laces a glass nicely – and pouring the pale amber beer from either the 375ml or 330ml aluminium container is recommended, rather than “necking “it. That is unless you’re at a glassless event.

Cascade Premium Lager (5 per cent)

Like Crown, Cascade Premium is matured for longer than standard brews, enhancing flavour and smoothness as well as a full-bodied mid-palate, which leads to a crisp, Pride of Ringwood hop-spiced finish – though not as bitter as expected in a pilsner. The aroma, largely from locally grown German-style Hallertau Hersbrucker hops, has European floral qualities. Indeed, this beer has gained recognition in the “European-style lager” category, including at the Australian International Beer Awards from 2003 to 2008 and the 2006 World Beer Cup.

Phoenix Beer (5 per cent)

From a brewery founded on Mauritius in 1963, this global-style pale lager is brewed, without additives, for drinking chilled in hot-weather. With clean aroma and palate, and just a hint of honey, the lager is thirst-quenching because of fairly low carbonation, pasteurised and only two-thirds as bitter as a pilsner, which suits local tastes. And it looks impressive. For nearest Phoenix stockists, call AllStates on 9335 9377.

QUICK ONES

WA’s Nail Stout and Nail Ale both gained bronze medals in the Sydney Royal Beer Competition, which isn’t too shabby because no gold and only 19 silver medals were awarded for the 147 entries. “The tough judging makes last year’s gold (for Nail) all the more valuable,” Nail Brewing’s John Stallwood said. Tanglehead Pale Ale and Billabong Australia’s Pale Ale were other WA bronze winners.

Sail & Anchor’s annual Chilli Beer has gone on tap at the Fremantle pub brewery. “Our staff have been armed with tasting notes to inform customers,” head brewer Fiona Geraty said. “This version is relatively inoffensive . . . it’s all about subtlety this year.” The pale ale, mashed with Australian pale and a shot of Munich malts and wheat, is lightly hopped with Hallertau and Styrian Goldings and infused with de-stalked chillies and their seeds for a lighter, crisper style than the previous few years, with a fluffy white head. “Those looking to be blown away by a palate-searing beer will be disappointed,” Ms Geraty said.

By Vic Crossland

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