Beer’s casualties of 2015: Deleted but not forgotten

Carlton & United Breweries has confirmed the axing of several Matilda Bay beers in the inevitable rationalisation of its portfolio under the new Yak-led regime.

So as the year draws to a close, we thought it worth recapping some of the other beers that were deleted in 2015: Some you’ll maybe miss, others you perhaps never knew existed.

Bohemian Pilsner, winner of Champion Lager at the 2005 Australian International Beer Awards, is perhaps the highest profile casualty from the Matilda Bay range.

Big Helga, the Munich-style lager launched in 2010, has also been given the flick, as have Redback Mild (there was a Redback Mild?) and relative newcomer Little Ripper Sparkling Lager.

From the Cascade stable, Bright Ale has been deleted, despite its supposedly promising start: In March 2014, CUB declared Bright Ale its most successful craft draught launch since Fat Yak.

Also deleted were Cascade Blonde Ale, and Yatala Sun Chaser Lager, a beer brewed by CUB exclusively for Coles Liquor stores as of mid-2013.

Other beers deleted earlier this year, as covered by us previously:

Tap King Classic range
XXXX Gold, Tooheys Extra Dry, James Boag’s and Hahn Super Dry are no longer available in Tap King. Consumer behaviour dictated that the format had merit only on special occasions as opposed to being the disruptive everyday proposition that Lion had hoped for. The move upset a few fans of these beers: Australian Brews News was inundated with comments from readers in response to this article. “I am very disappointed that the XXXX Gold has been discontinued and if the only brand in the Tap King is James Squire Beer, then we will be getting rid of the Tap King all together [sic.],” commented ‘Shaine’.

SKW 99 Not Out
The beer launched by Moa in partnership with Shane Warne “simply didn’t sell”, the cricketer’s manager James Erskine admitted in October, having evidently just taken a sip of some high ABV truth serum. However, both parties have left the door open for a relaunch.

Mountain Goat IPA
Goat IPA was likely the highest profile deletion in the world of [then] independent craft, making way as it did for the new Pale Ale in the brewer’s range. “It’s stagnating and it’s just tending to sit around a bit long,” Mountain Goat’s Cam Hines told us in July.

NT Draught
The ‘Darwin Stubby’ got flicked in May but CUB has suggested it may one day get a re-release as part of its heritage brand program. “It’s become a product people pick up as an item of interest or souvenir rather than being a beer made for general consumption,” a CUB spokesperson said at the time.

Will you be shedding a tear at the loss of any of these products? Have we missed any? We look forward to your comments below.

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