Beer on Solstice in Australia

As a beer brewer/lover I was a little concerned that all I would find on my recent cruise on Solstice would be the usual commercial offerings.

As other beer enthusiasts will agree, we are always in search of good craft beer.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised. Whilst the expected commercial US and Australian (because it was being provisioned in Australia) beers there was a reasonable offering of craft beer as well other international beers. To find some of them you have to get friendly with the barman. So I sampled 36 different beers on the cruise. I didn't go thirsty!

The passport bar had the best selection and the Ensemble bar had a few that you couldn't find anywhere else on board.

My go to beer was the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (sessional) and the Dog Fish Head 90 minute IPA.

For those interested, here's the list.

Coopers pale ale

Sam Adams Boston Lager

Budweiser

Amstel

Heineken

Corona

Dos Equis

Newcastle Brown

Bodingtons

Peroni

Crown Lager

Hahn Super dry

XXXX Gold

Sapporo Reserve

Vic Bitter

Oommergang Abbey Ale

Sierra Nevada Kellerweys (Heferweizen)

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Tooheys New

Dog Fish Head IPA 9%

Fullers London Pride

Budweiser Light

Coors Light

Singha

Moa St Joseph's*

San Miguel

Amstel Light

Daura Damm -Puerto Rico

Orval -Belgium

Miller Lite,

Tiger

Heineken Lite

Tsingtao

Kingfisher

When on the Reflection shortly after its launch I went into Michaels Club as I wanted to try a few different beers. The place was always empty with never more than 4 people in it, me, the BTs and the servers. I swear that they had to dust the cobwebs off the bottles when they served them. Every beer was skunky. It was almost a vicious circle. Was the beer bad becasue of a lack of turnover and was the lack of turnover due to no customers or was the bad beer the reason for no customers?

Two of my favorite Breweries are Sierra Nevada and Bells. Was never disappointed by anything that I every had from them.

Looking at your likes and favorites/ go to beers you need to try Bells Two Hearted Ale.

Here in the states spring has finally arrived with the annual release of Bells Oberon. 🌞. It may be your go to ale after you try it.

Drink up 🍺🍻

👯

My go to beer was the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (sessional) and the Dog Fish Head 90 minute IPA.

 

I'll bet you like SN Torpedo. Hard for me to find an IPA I like better. Great ratings on Beer Advocate-93-99.;)

My go to beer was the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (sessional) and the Dog Fish Head 90 minute IPA.

 

I'll bet you like SN Torpedo. Hard for me to find an IPA I like better. Great ratings on Beer Advocate-93-99.;)

 

Yes quite like the Torpedo

When on the Reflection shortly after its launch I went into Michaels Club as I wanted to try a few different beers. The place was always empty with never more than 4 people in it, me, the BTs and the servers. I swear that they had to dust the cobwebs off the bottles when they served them. Every beer was skunky. It was almost a vicious circle. Was the beer bad becasue of a lack of turnover and was the lack of turnover due to no customers or was the bad beer the reason for no customers?

 

Two of my favorite Breweries are Sierra Nevada and Bells. Was never disappointed by anything that I every had from them.

 

Looking at your likes and favorites/ go to beers you need to try Bells Two Hearted Ale.

 

Here in the states spring has finally arrived with the annual release of Bells Oberon. 🌞. It may be your go to ale after you try it.

 

Drink up 🍺🍻

 

👯

Ok I'll have to try and track down an importer of Bells locally to me here in Australia.

That is a pretty big list.

I like beer too but am not fussy and will drink just about anything, even the mass production brews. I like to try the local beers when travelling though.

Thanks for the info Team Alpha! Were any of the craft beers you enjoyed covered under the classic pkg? If I remember correctly the max cost is $8 for beer with this pkg.

Sierra Nevada Brewing has, over its 30-plus-year history, expanded its repertoire substantially. Their Pale Ale is a "go to" for many of us. We live about an hour from the original Brewery (the one in Chico) and our Costcos always have cases of the Pale Ale. Right now, they've got a 4-IPA case from Sierra Nevada that is fantastic!

Enjoying craft beers, I've been surprised over the decades how few are easily available in Australia. Although, the situation was a bit improved on our last visit two years ago.

Cheers.

Sierra Nevada Brewing has, over its 30-plus-year history, expanded its repertoire substantially. Their Pale Ale is a "go to" for many of us. We live about an hour from the original Brewery (the one in Chico) and our Costcos always have cases of the Pale Ale. Right now, they've got a 4-IPA case from Sierra Nevada that is fantastic!

 

Enjoying craft beers, I've been surprised over the decades how few are easily available in Australia. Although, the situation was a bit improved on our last visit two years ago.

 

Cheers.

I haven't seen the 4-IPA case in Indiana, but I'll bet Torpedo is in there?

H

Sierra Nevada Brewing has, over its 30-plus-year history, expanded its repertoire substantially. Their Pale Ale is a "go to" for many of us. We live about an hour from the original Brewery (the one in Chico) and our Costcos always have cases of the Pale Ale. Right now, they've got a 4-IPA case from Sierra Nevada that is fantastic!

 

Enjoying craft beers, I've been surprised over the decades how few are easily available in Australia. Although, the situation was a bit improved on our last visit two years ago.

 

Cheers.

It doesn't surprise me as I been told that they don't have Fosters. Supposedly the word for beer in Australia. :eek: :rolleyes:

Drink up 🍺🍻 or is it drink down (under)?

👯

I haven't seen the 4-IPA case in Indiana, but I'll bet Torpedo is in there?

Of course! The 4-IPA Variety Pack

Thanks for the info Team Alpha! Were any of the craft beers you enjoyed covered under the classic pkg? If I remember correctly the max cost is $8 for beer with this pkg.

I suppose my email was a bit misleading. If you have a look at the list it was probably a wide selection of international commercial beers with a smattering of what I consider to be craft beers. In answer to your question, no, not many beers at all under the limit (is it $8 or $7?). We had the classic drinks package under the 123 Go Promo and actually upgraded to the premium before the cruise for $11.76AUD. Clearly I enjoy a beer, and different ones at that, throw in even 1 cocktail per day at Moleclular and it had well and truly paid for itself.

I spoke to a couple of guys who were on the Classic package and they were throwing back Coronas all day long. That was available on the Classic package so they were more than happy.

Australia's most popular beer is Victoria Bitter (VB). The ship ran out of it by about day 8 on a 17 day cruise. Fortunately we were visiting Australian ports so they could restock. It's about the last card in the pack for me but I had one simply to add to my list.

Here's a pic of the beer menu from the Passport bar on deck 3 with prices.

H

 

It doesn't surprise me as I been told that they don't have Fosters. Supposedly the word for beer in Australia. :eek: :rolleyes:

 

Drink up 🍺🍻 or is it drink down (under)?

 

 

👯

Fosters was heavily marketed internationally from the 1980's onward for approx 20years. It's still available in the UK made under licence but to a completely different recipe. It's been re-launched here recently but is still not widely available here - I'm unaware of it being available as draught, packaged only. CUB (owned by SAB Miller) is Australia's biggest brewer and Fosters is one of the many brands in their stable. Victoria Bitter, Crown Lager and Carlton Draught would be the most popular in the market.