End of the line for Castlemaine XXXX

Castlemaine XXXX – probably the worst lager in the world – has been withdrawn from sale in the UK.
It was very popular in the 80s when Australian lager seemed exotic. The adverts were brilliant.
But why anyone ever asked for a second pint was beyond me.
It was bland, weak chemical tasting crap sold purely on the [...]

Stella ditches posh totty

Stella owners InBev have dropped the Peeterman Artois and Eiken Artois brands, signalling an end to their attempt to rebrand Stella as a cool European drink.
The Publican has the first story here. I suppose the’ll concentrate on Stella 4%, which has been selling for £3 for a 4 pack even in the likes of Threashers.

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Superstrength lager saved

Top-dog blogger Tandleman has posted about an important victory for drinkers after a do-gooder group in London tried to get super-strength lager banned. Click here to read on.

Stella tones it down

Stella Artois has re-launched itself by dropping its ABV from 5.2% to 4%. Story here.  It’s the last throw of the dice for a brew that has become uncool.
Remember the days when Stella  was reassuringly expensive and exceedingly fashionable?

A generation could be lost

Stella Artois’ wife-beating hoodoo shows no signs of disappearing and despite fancy rebranding and new products – like the pointless Vier – makers InBev are looking to the future. According to this Telegraph story, they plan to break the bank to buy out America’s Budweiser.
Seems quite a smart move, Bud’s sales and image remains pretty robust despite being [...]

Short, dark night of the soul

To the St Teresa of Avila (my patron saint) social club in Birkdale yesterday and a free bar and buffet to celebrate the First Holy Communion of my wonderful nephew.
When there’s no cask beer, I normally make for the Bloody Mary’s, but as this was a kiddies party, getting hammered wouldn’t have gone down well, [...]

Tramps face tough decision

In yet another cynical, empty gesture, big store off-licences in London have banned the sale of superstrength lagers like Carlsberg Special Brew.
Big Smoke tramps, who are usually unwelcome at stores like Tesco and Waitrose anyway, are now weighing up their options. Should they emulate their American cousins and take up sweet wine, join their Russian [...]

Definitely the best lager

Cains have teamed up with artist Peter Blake, designer of The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album sleeve, to launch a limited edition bottle of its lager.

The Union Jack label kicks off Cains’ support of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture 08 and will be available nationally throughout the year.

Cains do an excellent lager, especially on draft. There’s a cask and a keg [...]

Here’s to cans and Cains

Cains are reporting good sales in these troubling times and are also celebrating the launch of what they claim to be Britain’s first one-pint can. 
We’ll have to take their word for it, although I’m sure I can remember one-pint cans of Kestrel or some such lager in the late 80s.
Although frowned upon by purists, the [...]

In search of lost Skol

Music was my first love. No, I tell a lie, it was Skol.
The foaming lager was everywhere in the 70s and 80s, but over the years retreated from the limelight to lurk in the bargain sections of supermarket drink aisles and the dusty, refrigerated shelves of pubs preserved in amber.
When I think of it now, [...]