Fosters, it's Australian, right!

Fosters Lager

Brewed by Fosters Brewing (CUB)
Style: Pale Lager
Australia

https://www.fostersbeer.com/

“Fosters, the Australian for lager” or so they say, but is it really? I am sure we all have heard the stories at this stage that Aussies dont actually drink Fosters. Its like a funny weird game the company play with the public, the more people cotton onto this “fact” the more they flex their “Australian credentials” via advertisements and sponsorship of all things Australian.

So the story is that actually the “amber nectar” that we know and love this side of the world (Europe) is actually made in Manchester, in the UK. A little bit far from Australia, 9,454 miles to be precise (I checked, thanks Google!)

It is a popular beer though, hell my mother drinks it. And I always see it well stocked in the local supermarkets, its not a bad beer to quench.

When I was a kid in the 80’s Paul Hogan was celebrity gold. Everyone loved him and Crocodile Dundee. The movies were class, something different, and brought into our homes the outback humour and Australian not give a fuck attitude. It was very charming. And if he told us to drink Fosters then so be it.

So how did this beer get off the ground, how did it start and what exactly is its origins?

William M. and Ralph R. Foster, two Irish-American brothers, arrived in Melbourne from New York in 1886. In November 1888 the brothers started to brew their own Lager, Fosters. So at least we know it was actually started in the land down under. The drink was actually an initial hit as due to the prominence of strong ales and the hot weather, a soft drinking cold lager was exactly what was wanted by the public. The company also had some expert refrigeration techniques developed early on so ice cold beer could be delivered to a public used to warm shitty beer.

With this initial success, the brothers sold the company to make a quick buck and the company eventually ended up in the hands of the Carlton & United Breweries company. These days it is owned by the international brewing giant AB InBev, and its biggest market is in the UK (second only to Carling), distributed by Heineken International who own the European rights to the brand (SABMiller for the US and Molson in Canada)

In the 70’s the beer was reasonably popular in Australia. They had not as many competitors and it was viewed as a premium beer. On draught initial success was found but then Castlemaine XXXX (“Four X”) and Toohey’s Draught basically kicked their arse and that was the end of that.

Could also argue that the more it became popular in the UK through mass advertising, the more that Aussies grow disinterested in it. Leave it to the “pommie bastards”. To the stage today where it is virtually impossible to get this national Australian icon……….in Australia. MAD!!

Aside from TV advertisements, the brand was famous for sponsoring Norwich football team and also for the Formula One seasons from 1986 to 2006.

These days the beer still likes to rely on the Australian stereotypes when it advertises it fare….it has a representation of a kangaroo and the Australian flag on its can, and when advertised you are bound to see references to sandy beaches, cork hats, and “G’day, mate” bellowing out at us from the TV screen in rather loud exaggerated accents, just so we know its an Australian beer, right! From their side I guess you could argue that the unique yeast strains only ever come from Australia and are only used in Fosters, keeping it real back to the 1880’s.

What do I think about it all? Well as an Orish fella, and to be shure when your havin the craic down in the pub and skullin the pints who gives a rats arse whadda the feck yer drinkin. Top of da mornin to ya all. (stereotypes, eh! LOL)

Review: 500ml Can of Fosters: ABV: 5% vol

Coming with the big fuck off blue can with the iconic “F” logo, “The amber nectar” or so they say, with a kangaroo hopping around the place as well, yep its Fosters alright.

Have to say poured cold from the fridge, it came out looking fantastic into the glass, a nice white frothy head, lovely clear golden colour, was surprised at how well it looked. Head does die a death but heh its a cheap lager. Top marks for appearance.

If I was surprised about the look, then I was shocked with the smell. There was none, NONE! Completely odorless. Pretty neat trick I think.

On the taste side of things, well there are not much flavours or stand out tastes with this beer, but its very drinkable, albeit a tad bit watery. It is extremely smooth, and very easy to quaff, with very light tastes of malts and only a slight hoppy bitter kick to it, mostly very clean and manageable. Not sure you are going to get too smashed downing these as the alcohol is very well hidden, but that’s fine if you just want to sit on the sofa and watch the footy on the box, a good beer to while away a few hours.

It does the job, it is a good lager to drink and enjoy. I enjoyed it, I always do.
Always decent to down. Fosters is just a very easy quaffable beer, inoffensive and very refreshing to drink, and it is what it is, a decent cheap lager. Simple.

As they say on their own marketing spiel, “Foster’s lager is a full bodied beer with excellent drinkability.” perhaps not full bodied but 100% drinkable.