To don’t ask,
How many Aussies do you know that drink Foster’s? Not many I’d guess. It just doesn’t sell here. I manage a liquor store in Dandenong (a suburb of Melbourne). On average, we’d sell about 50-60 cases of VB per day. How much Foster’s do we sell? If we’re lucky, about 5 cases per day.
Well, hell.
I don’t know how it is in Australia, but here in the States it tastes like piss.
Is it any wonder that it doesn’t sell?
Let me guess - to tourists?
I must say that I grew up in Victoria, and when I wa a kid Fosters (ah…Fosters lager, it’s got the flavour, that makes life worth living) was definitely the biggest selling beer in Victoria (VB and Melbourne Bitter - also from CUB - competed for 2nd place until the Courage brewery came along).
In NSW at least, the most popular beer switches between Toohey’s New (formerly draught) and VB. The only time I see the Fosters label at all is on their Light Ice these days.
That is truly surprising. I assume someone drinks the shit. It’s a bloody icon. I assumed it was Victorians.
Me, I live in NSW but I’ve always drunk Victorian beer, VB usually. Now that I’m older, richer and wiser it’s the Cooper’s range of fermented comestibles for me.
If you really manage a bottleshop are you available for marriage, I can ditch the wife and kids.
Slight hijack.
Did you guys see the beer ad just after the Olympics which was a send up of the American Fosters ads.
The “we eat prawns, not shrimp” etc one - I think it was a Light Ice ad, very funny stuff.
Hey reprise
Don’t make fun of the Foster’s ads.
The VB ads are using the voice of a dead man, I tells you. It’s some sort of voodoo bullshit I think.
You had to love that line “we play football without a helmet”.
I just wish Aussie companies trying to market products overseas wouldn’t use spokespeople who are generally regarded here as wankers.
Jacko, Paul Hogan, and Steve Irwin aren’t exactly our beloved sons people - if they’re doing endorsements in the US, it’s for the same reason John Glenn is selling “aeroglides” on infommercials here…
Ah, another eminently intelligent and worthly gentleman. Keep your eye out for when The Loaded Dog’s announces formation of the local SDMB chapter. I’ll share one of those wizz bang new Coopers “brown lables” with you then!
BTW, don’t you just love this time of day when the 'merkins are largely tucked up in safely their cots and Oz seems to rule the boards? 
(except when disabled for maintenance of course)
[hijack]
Huh? Whadda… just five more minutes, mum. zzzzzzz kick oh, yeah, the SDMB website thingy… right onto it! Actually, I’ve got a green light from Ed Zotti at the SD to go ahead, and the site’s nearly finished (more than eight profiles would be nice though), so it’ll be up soon. I’ll post something about it when it finally is.
[/hijack]
Now back to the important stuff. BEER. Fosters isn’t actually that bad. Thing is, it’s also not that good. It’s just a bland internationally styled beer designed not to offend anybody. Think of it as McBeer - the Aussies’ revenge.
The blokes at the Carlton and United Brewery say in private that, “The more we advertise Foster’s, the more VB sells”. That’s probably true in Australia. VB is easily the most popular beer, even in states outside its native Victoria.
I know one person who drinks Fosters.
Fosters is one of the biggest selling beers in the UK (possibly the biggest selling), and it seems to be the only Aussie beer the Yanks know about. Woolly mate, we’re going to have to introduce these Americans to the delights of Cascade Premium Lager, Coopers Sparkling Ale, Hahn Premium, and even Tooheys Old. Sheaf Stout isn’t bad either. By the way, Woolly me ol’ cobber, what’s this about a new Coopers beer? How come no bugger told Doggie about it, eh?
Yeah a lot of people are surprised that we don’t sell much Foster’s. Last year just before the Sydney Olympics, they reduced the size of the bottles and increased the price of a case, which hasn’t exactly helped.
Also I thought I’d post a couple interesting facts here, for the Aussies 
(Although you might already know these).
Have you ever wondered how Crown Lager got it’s name? That particular beer is actually the top “layer” of a vat of Foster’s, hence the name “Crown” and the fairly expensive price tag.
One of my spies from CUB told me what they do with the “waste” extracted from the Foster’s Special Bitter vat. They mix it with lemonade, and presto, Sub Zero is born.
Fellas, am I crazy, or does Foster’s taste different than it did 10 years ago? I think they may have “dumbed down” the taste of it somewhat to market to the “broadest” common denominator of beer drinkers.
This also happened to American mass-marketed beers during the 1970’s & 1980’s. A 1969 Budweiser had more flavor and kick than a 1984 Bud.
So, what’s the deal with Foster’s? Did they cheap out, too?
BTW, LoadedDog, I must agree, Sheaf Stout is pretty good stuff. It can be found in the U.S. with considerable effort.
Reprise, I wouldn’t be too hard on Jacko & Steve Irwin. You guys could be Canadian and have to answer for Tom Green.
Foster’s used to be a gold standard in world-class lagers. Since the company changed hands it has taken on the character of bovine urine (reputedly).
As to Spudweiser, ever since they started adding rice to their beer (before we were born), I doubt it’s been the same. All their beechwood aging amounts to is throwing a handfull of beech wood chips into the vat once the foaming stops.
I’ll go for a Modelo Especial anytime.
Woolly
I don’t know if I this is permitted - Steve OSR???
** TLD **, the Coopers “brown label” is a vintage ale, designed to be bottle aged for up to 18 months * after * purchase. http://www.coopers.com.au/beers/cb_vi.htm Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale sounds like it belongs in one of those Blackadder IV episodes.
It’s not widely available but I have a collegue who bought 2 dozen, put them in his cellar and sold half almost a year later for three times the purchase price. It’s good stuff though the aging thing might be more of a novelty. The six pack I obtained passed the initial taste test well and didn’t get to the aging bit.
And SDMB in Oz, don’t hide your light behind the damned bushel man … go with some self promotion!
And ** don’t ask ** I must apologise but I’m not on your wavelength … sheep aren’t too good at mnemonics.
Evening all. I’ve never seen anyone buy Foster’s.
Some good beers mentioned here. Apart from Coopers yellow (ie stout) I find their beers a tad sweet. Current favoured brews: James Squire Pilsner (mmm really bitter) Mountain Goat hightail ale and as a stand-by Cascade Pale Ale. Melbourne if I’m feeling broke.
BTW I seriously doubt the Crown lager story.
I’m not in Australia, but for awhile I bought a lot of Foster’s. For a long time, I was obsessed with shotgunning an entire Foster’s oilcan. (Shotgun: poke a hole in the side of the can near the bottom, cover the hole with your mouth, pop the top, and chug.) Once I succeeded in this quest, I stopped buying Foster’s, and have not had one in nearly five years.
And to any highbrow, cultured beer drinkers reading this who are shocked and offended by the mere thought of shotgunning beer, don’t worry. I’m just a loutish yank. In fact, I’m nursing a can of Budweiser as I write this.
Fosters is a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP. BHP is an Australian company that has grown, a lot, and is now far-reaching. They have hundreds of interests and subsidiaries.
BHP Diamonds has diamond mines all over the world.
People who work for BHP in Yellowknife and Lac de Gras Ekati mine drink Fosters.
I think they’re just foolish, with the availability of superior brews. Mind you, they’re also foolish for living in Yellowknife.
Geez I love a good beer thread…
Thanks for that info on the Coopers Brew Woolly. The thing to remember with beer though is it can certainly be improved with ageing (well the bottle-conditioned varieties can), but with limitations. When I was really into homebrew, I found that the average homemade lager was at it’s best at around six months in the bottle. Ales and stouts could go a year or so, given their more complex flavours and higher alcohol content. At 18 months to two years, I found almost sherry-like overtones in the beers I tried. Not really what I wanted. I think I’d be drinking that Coopers brew at twelve months.
picmr, I also think the Crown lager story is a bit dodgy. It’s an entirely different brew, made with much more malt, and less sugar.
Adding rice to beer is not necessarily a bad thing. Many beers in South East Asia contain rice malt, partly because of it’s availability in the region, but also because it suits the hot climate. It creates a very mild, light coloured, refreshing drop good for quaffing at great speed in the tropical heat. Great in Bangkok or Saigon, but I totally agree with you Zenster that it’s madness for Bud to do it for the US market ('cept that maybe the American taste is for all things mild -J&B and Cutty Sark Scotch, mild coffee, etc). I’ve made Asian style beers with rice malt at home, but it needs a little extra hops to make up for the reduction in flavour. It was sad to see everybody drinking locally manufactured Fosters last time I went to Vietnam. On my first trip, I was getting into the 333, and the wonderful (but only 3.5%alc/vol) Bia Sai Gon. I buy 333 in Sydney for those really hot summer days when I’ve been out mowing the lawn or something. And yes, I suspect Fosters is also doing the rice thing now.
Hey, as long as everyone doesn’t associate your country with Yahoo Serious, I wouldn’t complain.
As someone who was born and bred in Victoria, I challenge this statement. Crown Lager was the premium beer brewed by Courage Breweries, the archrival of Carlton United Breweries (who brewed Fosters Lager).