Beer: A Gauge For Enthusiasts
The Sunday Age
Sunday September 21, 2008
BEER: A GAUGE FOR ENTHUSIASTS
Greg Duncan PowellMurdoch Books, $29.95Here is an example of that essential barbecue tool: the argument starter. Today, we are going to argue about beer. If you really had to choose between light beers, which one? Does Queensland produce any drinkable beer at all? Is Greg Duncan Powell's beer "speedometer" the best gauge for beer? (It runs from 50 to 100, but the beers actually rank from 65 to 95). Should an Aussie even consider that foreign muck? (The top beer is Czech.) Saaz or Pride of Ringwood? Top or Bottom? Powell makes a point of including beers that you should be able to find at a well-stocked bottle shop. We can still argue about what was left out. For my money, the short but accurate good/bad descriptions were a better indicator than the speedo as to where I should spend my beer money. There were a few laugh-out-loud witticisms regarding the failings of some aspiring brews. Those not inclined to argue can deconstruct beer culture, and why Powell divides his brews into categories such as diesel and ethanol. What exactly is a "girlie" beer and is this a good thing? One quibble: the book should have a plastic cover, to protect against the beer and sauce spills.
© 2008 The Sunday Age
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