dbb@fluke.UUCP (02/23/84)
A few thoughts on mcq@druxt.UUCP's article:
Anchor Liberty Ale is the ale that Anchor Brewing Co. distributes
more than locally. I think it stacks up quite well against rather
formidable foreign opposition.
> Why are British imports so outrageously expensive, even
compared to other imports?
Most of the British imports I see are ales, stouts, and porters --
at least a much higher proportion than elsewhere. These are more
expensive to brew (more time = more money) in general. Otherwise I
don't find British lagers to be significantly costlier than other
European imports.
It's mighty seldom that a bottled export will come close to a
domestic on draught, as anyone who has had true Liffey water
Guinness can confirm.
Britain has a lot of small breweries, as Britons generally adhere
faithfully to their local brew -- many of the pubs are owned by a
brewery and thus only serve their own bitter and mild, along with
standards like the ubiquitous Guinness Stout. Most of the small
breweries have neither the means nor the desire to export their
products.
--
(something clever)
Dave Bartley John Fluke Mfg Co, Inc Everett,WA 98206 USA
{ sb1,allegra,sun,uw-beaver,lbl-csam,ssc-vax,microsoft }!fluke!dbbmcq@druxt.UUCP (McQueerRL) (02/25/84)
[]---- More beer talk in the wine group. A couple of people have been raving about Anchor Steam beer - I had tried it, thought it not too terribly exceptional. Saw some of their porter, though, so I picked it up. Good. Maybe worth the $6 a six-pack when I feel like having a very heavy dark brew like that. You say they make an ale. OK, I'll keep an eye out for it. Thanks. After I got out of school and had money to buy high-priced beer, I undertook a long experiment with different brands. I came to the following conclusions: 1) Most German/Dutch imports don't live up to their reputation. 2) I like a lot of British imports. 3) The Mexicans know how to brew beer also. My normal buying habits now include Dos Equis as kind of my "standard" for a darker, heavier beer (I buy Canadian lighter lagers and ales a lot). I also like Indio, which is hard to find. Incidently, that same Consumer's Report article which favored Anchor Steam was lukewarm about Dos Equis, so maybe I have wierd tastes. What I really wanted to ask concerns 2). Why are British imports so outrageously expensive, even compared to other imports? special duties imposed somewhere? it's what the market will bear? high cost of production in Britain? Britishers I've run into assure me that the imports we get here don't include the best ones made in Britain (I've been told that Watney's is fit only to wash one's socks out in. I like it anyway, but not for its usual price.) "It's tough to argue over a Utica Club" (rotten beer, but they had clever commercials) Bob McQueer ihnp4!druxt!mcq