Dec. 27, 2011 at 9:11am with 23 notes
Reblogged from screwrocknroll
screwrocknroll: Spotted in an Australian bottle shop: Imported Pabst Blue Ribbon. Guys, that $4.80 price tag is per bottle, not for a six pack. One of the biggest misconceptions Australians and Americans have about each other is the belief that the other country produces terrible beer. Americans tend to think Australian beer can be summed up as “Fosters” — which Australians don’t actually drink — and have had no exposure to the decent and growing local micro- and craft breweries. Australians, for their part, tend to suppose American beer is all like Budweiser, and have no idea that the American craft brewing industry is better established and more vibrant than our own. This situation is beginning to change; a growing selection of decent American beers can be found in Australia now, though they’re still not widely available. The mental barrier still applies, however; we’re far more inclined to be interested in imports from Europe than we are the US because of the residual prejudice against American product. For the love of God though, I hope no curious Australians shell out for import PBR. Not only will it confirm all their worst suspicions about American beer, it’ll distract them from the actually good stuff that’s available.  (This visit resulted in my bringing home a Rogue Creamery 75th Anniversary Ale, from Newport, OR. I’m unfamiliar with this beer, but I know Rogue well; it was the first good non-Sam Adams American beer available in Australia.

screwrocknroll:

Spotted in an Australian bottle shop: Imported Pabst Blue Ribbon. Guys, that $4.80 price tag is per bottle, not for a six pack.

One of the biggest misconceptions Australians and Americans have about each other is the belief that the other country produces terrible beer. Americans tend to think Australian beer can be summed up as “Fosters” — which Australians don’t actually drink — and have had no exposure to the decent and growing local micro- and craft breweries. Australians, for their part, tend to suppose American beer is all like Budweiser, and have no idea that the American craft brewing industry is better established and more vibrant than our own.

This situation is beginning to change; a growing selection of decent American beers can be found in Australia now, though they’re still not widely available. The mental barrier still applies, however; we’re far more inclined to be interested in imports from Europe than we are the US because of the residual prejudice against American product.

For the love of God though, I hope no curious Australians shell out for import PBR. Not only will it confirm all their worst suspicions about American beer, it’ll distract them from the actually good stuff that’s available. 

(This visit resulted in my bringing home a Rogue Creamery 75th Anniversary Ale, from Newport, OR. I’m unfamiliar with this beer, but I know Rogue well; it was the first good non-Sam Adams American beer available in Australia.

  1. delshanky reblogged this from screwrocknroll
  2. davebloom said: In the U.S., the ONLY appeal of PBR is that it’s cheap and marginally (only marginally) better than Miller and Bud. Microbrews—domestic and otherwise—all the way.
  3. fairmanrants said: I get annoyed with Australians who write off Fosters. Sure, it’s nothing brilliant, but in comparison to Carlton Draught and VB, it’s tastes decisively less like butthole. I’ve actually wanted to try PBR for a while… Where was this bottle shop?
  4. theremixbaby said: PBR RULES
  5. jakec said: Ew, are there really Australians that truly believe American beer is categorically worse? I always assumed it was transparent posturing to cling to national identity.
  6. screwrocknroll posted this