First published by WBM magazine in 2012
Beer Radar
By John Krüger
Coopers and Craft
If you haven’t noticed the neck tags on the Coopers stubbies by now, you probably never will. They’re spruiking the fact that Coopers Brewery has turned 150 years old. The neck tags seem to be a little unpopular as it turns out, but when you play with the classics, people get toey. When you find something you like, you tend to hang onto it tightly with both hands and get shitty when anyone tries to change even the slightest detail. That’s how precious some people are about their locally made classic beers. As much as I’m a huge fan of the latest technology, I’m a bit of a stick in the mud when it comes to food and beverages. I love a few fresh Coopers Pale Ales in summer. I also love grabbing a few longnecks of Coopers Sparkling Ale and Best Extra Stout on a cold night. I love that Coopers longnecks went from screw tops back to crown seals; that need a bottle opener or the seatbelt buckle of a Holden WB ute to open. I love the fact that the bloke in the bottle shop still wraps them in brown paper bags before I leave. If I had my way, Coopers labels would de-evolve. Have a look at the classic old Coopers India Pale Ale or Sparkling Ale labels. They’re proud solid labels that don’t playfully tempt with stars and gold leaf embossing, just the basics. No gimmicks needed. I’d buy a black t-shirt with that label on it any day.
With the revelation that Coopers made India Pale Ale in the long gone past, would Coopers reintroduce a challenging hoppy beer and shut the beer nerds up? Will we see challenging beers coming from Coopers in the near future? From the little I can glean from them after constant questioning, it’s seriously doubtful. But in the long term I can see a well thought out, surreptitious and safe move further into the “craft beer” market.
What is craft beer? The definition is a little grey. It used to be the small run hoppy beers that only small breweries would dare to make. Small brew length so smaller risk of being stuck with a beer that doesn’t sell. But then a few big multinational brewers started putting out a few hoppy beers and muddied the waters. Some conservative beer nerds think of Coopers as craft beer because a big multinational company doesn’t own them. According to the Craft Beer Industry Association of Australia’s website, Coopers doesn’t fit into their craft beer definition because they produce over 25 million litres of beer per annum. With another industry body, the Australian Real Craft Brewers Association, there’s more an emphasis on Australian ownership but no mention of annual production limits so you’d think Coopers could possibly get a look in, but I doubt it. To myself and another group of beer nerds, craft beer means a brewery that produces different, usually hoppy beers. The opposite of the general draught beer options pouring in most hotels. Risky sour beer producers get an extra star in my definition of craft. My definition also includes the extra human factor. Through the many different facets of my work as well as beer judging, I’ve dealt with many of the people who work at Coopers Brewery; from Dr Tim and Glenn, marketing, behind the scenes brewers, truck drivers and beyond. I’ve enjoyed talking to all of them. A mate of mine Simon Fahey is the guy you usually see at a function in a hotel launching the new Vintage Ale or the like. He’s not just a happy, grey haired Coopers PR guy, he’s Manager of Technical Systems at the brewery. His family comes from a few paddocks over from my family. He’s a good bloke to have a beer with. Jon Meneses spoke at the latest Adelaide Vintage Ale launch. He’s not really that keen on the public speaking because he’s a brewer not a lunch speaker, but he’s happy to inform the crowd about all facets of the latest beer with fascinating honesty and openness. While this brewery may not fit into some definitions of craft beer, these traits fit perfectly with mine.
Whatever category you put them in, happy birthday Coopers Brewery and many thanks to long gone Thomas Cooper for starting it all in the first place. Keep up the good work. I’ll keep buying your fine ales and secretly, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your India Pale Ale revisited. Hopefully with that beauty of a classic label stuck to a crown sealed longneck, marvelled at for a moment before being efficiently wrapped in a brown paper bag by the friendly bloke at my local bottle shop.
