back of the ferry

Two things in the world of beer give this correspondent, and botf in general, the hershey squirts. One is the prevalence of the 330ml beer bottle. No need to say more. It has been mentioned ad nauseum in these pages. The second is the farkin schmiddy.

There is a beer review coming. Just give me 5 minutes on my soapbox. The dreaded schmiddy started to appear in try hard establishments whereby the poor old punter could be stung for the price of a schooner (and often much more) for a beer the volume somewhere between 285ml (middy) and 425ml (schooner). It was often accompanied by its good friend the change tray as a way to suggest to the punter that not only have we reamed you for an undersized beer but you can tip us for the pleasure.

Call me niave but I thought it was only a verbal insult used by said reamed punters and not an official term. Low and behold, after a solid afternoon slash evening at the Cargo Bar, there was the dreaded word in black and white on the over-head-height bar tab. As drinkers of fine beers we should not stand for this.

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald looking at the rise of the schmiddy quotes our colleague in beer, the @beer_diva, in support of the dreaded receptacle. “City bars are moving away from the traditional middy and schooner glass sizes for more boutique beer sizes”, beer appreciation consultant Kirrily Waldhorn said.

We at botf would totally agree with this, if only it were true. I am sure in some bars it may be the case but I believe that in the majority of venues it is simply a cynical exercise to charge more, for less. The schmiddy has been about a long time and the widespread availability of quality craft beer on tap is but a recent development, at least in Sydney.

At least sanity and fairness reigns on the northern beaches. The Manly Wharf Hotel was queried in the same article. ”We always have the option of a middy or schooner, just to give people a bigger or smaller beer,” a Manly Wharf Hotel spokesman said.

On to todays beer. Little Creatures Original Pilsner. Like its Pale Ale sibling, we at botf have taken far too long to taste and review this beer. I am not as fond of this as the Pale Ale. This one has slightly bitter first taste and a ‘dusty’ follow through. Lots of body and depth. Definitely top rung, but not a patch on its sister.