The last beer discovery in Canberra was made at the Canberra Central branch of ALDI. In NSW, we are not able to buy alcohol in a supermarket. Whilst there are many bottle shops adjacent to a supermarket, none are part of the supermarket like the UK, US, Europe and China. This is not the case in the ACT and apparently Victoria and ALDI has exploited this with a “liquor” section offering wine, spirits and beer.
In keeping with other ALDI lines, ALDI beer is ridiculously cheap and branded in a faintly ridiculously legitimate way. They’ve applied a similar approach to wine, beer and Irish Cream made on a wine base – but you’d need to go to a blog specialising in those categories to find out what is going on there. It is possible to get a real brand like Mythos or Asahi, and these appear cheap – but I can’t be sure. A case of 30 cans of Bugle Bay (a “bitter”) is $34.99, a case of Low Carb beer is $28.99 and a case of Storm Light is $19.99.
I tried two ALDI beers – Cape Cyan Natural Blonde and Shipstone’s Crew Fine Amber Ale. As expected, Cape Cyan doesn’t exist, and I’m not sure if the ALDI branding department is being ironic by ensuring that there is no blue in any of the packaging or labelling. It is a low carb beer and has been rendered completely tasteless. At 4.7% and $28.99 a case it is probably the best low carb beer in the market as it tastes (or doesn’t) the same as all other low carb beers but is significantly cheaper. There’s nothing icky about it, it’s just completely flavourless. Shipstone’s Crew does actually taste like something, and has a reasonable hue to it that suggests some effort has gone into making this. There’s beer label hyperbole talking about hops and malt and nutty taste and at $28.99 a case, if you just want to get pissed, this is your poison.
Neither ALDI offering was worse than a beer launched by Carlton in 2010. Carlton Dry Fusion Black “graced” these pages in December last year and was pillioried. It is good to see that the Australian public has rejected this abomination as well and now bottleshops around the country are stuck with pallets of this cat’s piss. I can’t recall seeing a case of ful strength beer being this cheap this decade – but I reckon they’ll need to give it away to get anyone to drink it. I had one, and wouldn’t be paid to drink this crap. It would appear I’m not the only one.
Bugle Bay is awesome
Are they taking the PISS??? Bugle Bay…. why not FART Laaager
Made in Victoria. Same colour can as Melbourne Bitter, tastes like Melbourne Bitter, must be….
WHAT?!… Give me the choice of expensive brands like Stella Artois or Crown or Corona, or Heineken or whatever else… and the cheap Bugle Bay “piss”, and I will choose Bugle Bay anytime… (…It seems, for some people everything that’s expensive is automatically GOOD, and everything that is cheap is necessarily of poor quality… WRONG!)…
Constantine
Thanks for the comment. I actually thought that one of the Aldi beers was really good. The “cheap piss” heading was more just a humorous heading than a comment on Aldi beer. That said Cape Cyan is piss, but as the article – cheaper than other piss.
Were is bugle bay bitter gone?? Was on shelf then next gone…..
Not sure – haven’t been to an ALDI with grog for some time
i have been given a bottle of Aldi piss by my tightarse old man and have been frightened to drink the shit, maybe i will keep it on ice until he comes to my place
I rang Aldi Office and asked them what has happened to Bugle Bay Beer, they said it’s been taken off their shelves but if enough people ring up about it they will bring it back, come on peoples of fine taste and ‘ring em up’
Bugle Bay Connoisseur. 🙂
Joe
I think they’ve replaced it with Rivet. 330ml cans at $24.99 a case.
Thanks Bladdamasta, I bought a case today to give it a try, it’s not bad but I still prefer Bugle Bay @ 375ml for a 30 can slab for same price and made in Vic. Just read the label and Rivet is made in Vietnam, bugger!!
Damn, I have to find a good beer that’s naturally brewed in Vic, I can’t drink any of the commercially made shit, I feel crook for a few days after if I do.
PLEASE BRING BACK BUGLE BEER
I totally agree bring back Bugle Bay Beer and leave it in 375ml 30 can slabs.
Bloody typical… yeah, okay for NSW /Vic / & ACT. While the rest of us have to make do with all the usual “overpriced” pub & supermarket outlets…other than Aldi. When are we (QLD) going to be treated as adults and be allowed to buy beer like the rest of the country…???
Ya hoooee, Bugle Bay Beer back on the shelves 12th Jan here in Vic limited stock, I’ll be getting a few slabs, woo hoo!!
I thought the beer was very good for the price.
Thanks for the good writeup. It in fact was once a entertainment account it.
Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate?
Another great Aldi lager deserves a mention: Sainte Etienne, which if translated would mean female Saint Stephen. Or trans Saint Stephen, now Stephanie. Why pay £4 somewhere else for a Kronenburg or Stella 4-pack when you could save £1.50 on this?! Who cares if it is misnamed and is insipid? It looks like beer and it is 4.8% alcohol!