Bluetongue Premium Lager

According to the Bluetongue website Bluetongue Premium Lager's fresh, full flavour comes from soft Hunter water and the finest local malted barley. Tasmanian bittering hops with a late addition of noble German Hersbrucker hops create a deliciously crisp bitterness and a tantalising floral aroma.  It is also the leading beer in their range of four.

Origin: Hunter Valley, Australia

Alcohol/vol: 4.9%

Style: Lager

Average Rating: 6.5 

Very Australian and very drinkable

Craig’s tasting

This beer was born and grew up in one of Australia’s most renowned wine making districts. While I don’t have enough time to talk about the beer v wine debate I do have some time to talk about the headline beer from the Bluetongue brewery.

I do have the time because it is worth noting that you will struggle to find a more a beer that embodies modern Australian food culture more than this. Over the past 50 years Australia has managed to develop a cuisine of its own. In actual fact it is merely a mish mash of the foods of the world that we have taken and called our own. Just like Russell Crowe, Mel Gibson and now the New Zealand soccer team thanks to their Australia beating performance at the 2010 Football World Cup.

What this beer fails to live up to in terms of long term drinking enjoyment it certainly makes up for in character and its ability to make many well prepared meals more enjoyable. In fact it may even make poorly prepared meals much more enjoyable. This is why McDonald’s must finally get serious about offering beer over the counter in Australia, otherwise I can’t see them ever becoming the worlds largest fast food conglomerate.

At the time of writing this review Australia had recently set some political records. With none more important than installing its first ginger haired Prime Minster. This is important to note here because the Bluetongue brewery produces a ginger beer in its range. Hopefully now that Gingers are starting to be treated like human beings the brewery will be able stop making this option. I hope that someday we will live in a country where Gingers will be able to drink the same beers we drink.

Danny’s tasting

Thank you for calling the Beer review hot line. Your call is moderately important to us. Our analysts have been alerted to your call and should be awake and coherent shortly. In the interests of appearing to care your call will be recorded. You have no option.

“If you are interested in an Australian Lager press #1”,

“If you want something different and relatively new to the market but only sold in 330 mil bottles press #3”,

“If you want a beer that doesn’t have a twist top (but looks like it does) and rips your hands apart when you attempt to open one press #7” (with your left hand, the one not lacerated by the crown seal).

“Hello and welcome to Bluetongue Lager”

Bluetongue has been around since 2004 and has been a big hit in the beer market. A very well packaged beer that is liked and very easily identified. Yes indeed there are a lot of Bluetongue Lizard Lovers out there in beer land.

Have to say that the first time I tried BTL I thought I had a use for a particularly scathing review I had lying around without a subject matter and was all ready to go to press when my brother in law shouted me one . Never one to pass up a freebee I drank it and was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t make me want to go out and buy a case but I wouldn’t knock one back either. Tastes a lot like Hahn Lager if I had to draw a comparison.

I think BTL is going to appeal to the trendy drinkers out there, the ones that think ordering a schooner of Carlton or Tooheys is beneath them but whatever floats their boat I guess

If you want something that rates 6.5 out of 10 press #4