Victoria Bitters in the US

Discussion in 'Australia' started by syrupjoe, Nov 4, 2012.

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  1. syrupjoe

    syrupjoe Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2010 Florida

    Hey all - I know this beer is nothing special to you, but my grandfather swears it is the best beer he's ever had (he enjoyed it when he was in Australia over a decade ago). He's getting pretty old and I've been trying to get ahold of some for him to enjoy - it'd mean a lot to him.

    Any chance any of you BA's that have access to VB are coming to the US and would be willing to throw some in your luggage? I'd compensate you for your time and efforts. I personally am located in Minneapolis, but perhaps some could be shipped once you're stateside or another BA who resides here would be willing to ship...

    Thanks for any input you might have on this!
     
  2. deathevocation

    deathevocation Initiate (0) Nov 7, 2008 Australia

    I can send you a sixer of the green cans of death from Australia. They're drinking well for the style at the moment as the receipe has reverted to what it once was. Perhaps you can send me some Schlitz Gusto, Hamm's or the like in return. Send me a message. Cheers.
     
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  3. Lukie

    Lukie Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2007 Australia

    If it is any help, it is BUL in Ontario, Canada, so you might have some luck in one of your Northern neighbours getting hold of some?

    But then again, like most macro-BUL, it likely isn't even the same recipe.
     
  4. bylerteck

    bylerteck Grand Pooh-Bah (3,143) May 17, 2009 Canada (ON)
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Ask someone in Ontario. It's readily available there and imported, not contracted.
     
  5. Darwin553

    Darwin553 Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2009 Australia

    I would say, given its been more than 10 years since the OP's grandfather was in Australia, that he would like to drink a VB that tasted like the one he last had and if the new recipe is everything that it makes itself out to be in terms of bringing it back to its original taste than a 6pk sourced here in Australia like the one deathevocation is offering would be the best bet because you would think that any VB outside Australia is the old recipe.
     
  6. heygeebee

    heygeebee Pooh-Bah (2,101) Aug 6, 2010 Australia
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Gulp - i have to fess up. I heard myself - almost an out of body experience - saying 'One VB please' last time I was at a bar. And it was for me. Put into context I was at the Mariners vs Sydney @ Bluetongue stadium which now surprisingly does not not sell Bluetongue any more. Go figure.

    The VB wasn't as bad as it was or could have been. Gulp, I said it.
     
  7. MrKennedy

    MrKennedy Pooh-Bah (1,814) Dec 29, 2006 Australia
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    How many did the Sydney FC defenders have before the game?:wink:
     
  8. deathevocation

    deathevocation Initiate (0) Nov 7, 2008 Australia

    I've had quite a few. I drink cheap shit lager occassionally, usually Carlton Draught (at the football, on the porch when I don't want too much going on). Think the "new" VB will the cheap shit lager for a while.
     
  9. mammal33

    mammal33 Initiate (0) Apr 23, 2012 Georgia

    I know you can get VB in South Florida, and if you can get it there I'm sure you can get it in many other states. Total Wine should have it and they are all over. Have a google......good luck.
     
  10. deathevocation

    deathevocation Initiate (0) Nov 7, 2008 Australia

    Geez, I bet South Florida is thankful. Haha.
     
  11. trumpy

    trumpy Initiate (0) Apr 21, 2008 Australia

    I have to fess up too. As a beer noob years ago, I cut my teeth (and occasionally chundered like a demon on) VB, and numerous other macro brews, so I bought a single stubby last weekend just to try the "original recipe". I have moved on, that's all I will say. It is better than the lower ABV shite they were brewing, but that is damning it with faint praise. There are other more interesing beers in my fridge now. I washed the taste out with a SN Hoptimum, and could not taste anything else for about half an hour. Bliss.
     
  12. deathevocation

    deathevocation Initiate (0) Nov 7, 2008 Australia

    I think 99.9% of us cut our teeth on VB/Tooheys/Swan/XXXX/West End. I was convinced as a 16 year old in the early 90s that VB was the world's best beer and that the Yanks brewed piss water. Holy fuck, haha.
     
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  13. Lukie

    Lukie Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2007 Australia

    I must be that .1%
     
  14. danieelol

    danieelol Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2010 Australia

    VB and its ilk are the reason I used to dislike beer, because I thought all beer tasted like it. Its main flavour profile is stainless steel.
     
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  15. deathevocation

    deathevocation Initiate (0) Nov 7, 2008 Australia

    You must be if you weren't drinking shit lager with your mates at 16.
     
    brendanos likes this.
  16. Darwin553

    Darwin553 Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2009 Australia

    You don't know what you're missing :wink:
     
  17. Lukie

    Lukie Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2007 Australia

    Thankfully I wasn't do that.
     
  18. trumpy

    trumpy Initiate (0) Apr 21, 2008 Australia

    What was your first beer?
     
  19. Lukie

    Lukie Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2007 Australia

    I didn't drink until I turned 18, and I think my first ever beer was a Stella Artois at my 18th birthday dinner. I never binged either. I think it was a couple of months after that I started drinking James Squire and had my first ever great beer in Tripel Karmeliet.

    And here I am now.
     
  20. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,772) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I did my first serious beer drinking in NSW in the early 70s. Beers like Tooheys New and Old, Reschs Pilsner & Special Export, Tooth's Flag Ale and KB Lager, Millers, were all independent brewers and their beers, though limited in style variation, got me hooked as a beer drinker. Swan Lager...never had it in OZ but it was a staple of mine when I moved to California and I miss it a lot. I see on the web that the Swan Brewery building just got the ax.:slight_frown:

    On a side note, some of the beers I mentioned were imported to the US in the 70s...in steel 750ml cans and they sucked.
     
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