Exhibit of Foreign and Colonial Beers (part ten)

Still not finished giving this poor dog a good kicking. Got to get the last bit of fun out of it.

It's interesting that the beers today are listed under Victoria. Which would have been correct a few years earlier. But this is after Confederation and should really be listed as Australia.

The beers are all either Pale Ale or Stout.

Australian samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Shamrock Brewing and Malting Company	Australia	Pilot B and Bitter Ale	Pale Ale
Shamrock Brewing and Malting Company	Australia	Extra Pale Ale Special	Pale Ale
Shamrock Brewing and Malting Company	Australia	Extra Brown Stout	Stout
Shamrock Brewing and Malting Company	Australia	Extra Malt Stout	Stout
Bux Brewing Company, Melbourne	Australia	Non-Alcoholic Ale	Ale
Coghlan and Tulloch, Limited, Ballarat	Australia	Pale Ale	Pale Ale
Coghlan and Tulloch, Limited, Ballarat	Australia	Bitter Beer	Pale Ale
Carlton Brewery, Limited	Australia	Extra Stout	Stout
Carlton Brewery, Limited	Australia	All Malt Ale Bitter	Pale Ale
Carlton Brewery, Limited	Australia	Carlton Ale	Ale
Carlton Brewery, Limited	Australia	XXX. Pale Ale	Pale Ale
G. H. Bennett, Melbourne	Australia	Non-Intoxicating Ale.	Pale Ale
McCracken’s City Brewery, Limited, Melbourne	Australia	Australian Bitter Ale	Pale Ale
McCracken’s City Brewery, Limited, Melbourne	Australia	A K. Light Ale	Pale Ale
McCracken’s City Brewery, Limited, Melbourne	Australia	Extra Stout, Khaki Brand	Stout
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

We'll start with the Pale Ales.

Victoria.— Among the brands described as bitter ale, the first place must be given to the “All Malt Ale Bitter” of the Carlton Brewery Company, Limited. It drank clean with a pleasant palate, though a little thin; it had a clean white top. It is awarded three marks. The Australian bitter ale of McCracken’s Brewery, Melbourne, is also awarded three marks. It was of a character which should sell anywhere if in condition and brilliant.

Several brands of ale of a paler type were tasted, and of these the extra pale ale of the Shamrock Brewery and Malting Company was the best. Although it had a green wood flavour, probably due to cask timber, it was a very fair beer, and is awarded three marks. The A.K. light ale of McCracken's Brewery, Melbourne, was of good condition, but has a pronounced green wood flavour. It is awarded two marks. The Carlton ale and the XXXX pale ale, both of the Carlton Brewery, Limited, are each awarded two marks.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

It's a shame that the classic Carlton beer Vic Bitter wasn't included in the samples. Were they already brewing it in 1902? Odd that the the “All Malt Ale Bitter” drank thin. You'd expect an all-malt beer to be full-bodied. At this point, I think Carlton was 100% top-fermenting. Though it can be difficult yo tell in Australia, as terms like Bitter continued to be used after breweries switched to bottom-fermentation.

What most grabbed my attention was McCracken's AK. It's the first AK I've come across from outside the UK. It demonstrates just how common the term was at one point. I wonder if there any others brewed in Australia?

Among the stouts the extra malt stout of the Shamrock Brewing and Malting Company was of fair quality and in good condition. It is awarded three marks. The extra stout of the Carlton Brewery, Limited, had a somewhat rough taste. It is awarded two marks. The extra stout, Khaki brand, of Messrs. McCracken’s Brewery, Melbourne, had good condition, but lacked character. It is awarded two marks.

The non-intoxicating ale of Mr. G. H. Bennett, Melbourne, was good of its kind, and is awarded three marks. The non-alcoholic ale of the Bax Brewery Company, Melbourne, was devoid of hop flavour and too sweet. It is awarded two marks.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

I drank quite a bit of Carlton's Stout when I lived in Melbourne. Though that was branded Abbotsford. It was OK. Not a patch on Cooper's Stout. Fucking like Westvleteren compared to Carlton Lagers. Which were totally undrinkable.

Interesting that there were a couple of NABLABs anongst the samples.  Not non-alcoholic, as I suspect that the non-intoxicating Ale was simply a low-alcohol beer.