Castlemaine XXXX
Castlemaine XXXX is the name of an Australian type of beer produced by the Castlemaine Perkins Brewery , Brisbane , Queensland . It is brewed in Milton and is very popular, at least in Queensland, where it is also widely served in pubs and bars.
history
XXXX was launched in 1924, then by Castlemaine Brewery , which later became Castlemaine Perkins. Since its inception , XXXX has been brewed in the Castlemaine Perkins Brewery in Milton, and the label has also shown an artistically designed sketch of the brewery since the beginning. Finally, in the 1950s, the eye-catching “XXXX” neon sign was erected on the brewery.
designation
The name goes back to the long tradition of indicating the strength of a beer with an "X". It can be traced back more directly to the XXX Sparkling Ale , introduced in 1878 . Today it is used in connection with XXXX Bitter , XXXX Gold , XXXX Draft / Original Draft , XXXX Light Bitter (Lager), XXXX DL (Diet Lager) and Sovereign (Lager). Earlier beers that are no longer on the market today include Thirsty Dog (wheat beer) and XXX Sparkling Ale , which is only sold in the pub attached to the brewery.
Dissemination and acceptance
XXXX is the most widely used beer in Queensland, although other beers such as Victoria Bitter and Tooheys are also very popular. Outside Queensland the beer is less common, which leads to more jokes about the name, such as "It was called XXXX because you ca n't put shit on a beer label." Another story explains the name XXXX by saying that the Queenslander beer cannot could spell. Outside Australia , e.g. B. in the UK , XXXX often competes with Foster's .
The XXXX most famous outside Australia is probably the XXXX Export Lager with an alcohol content of 4.8% by volume. It is described as smooth but tasty (with a distinct bitter aftertaste).
XXXX is operated in the UK by Inbev Ltd. Brewed under license and widely canned in at least the UK. It's also sometimes served in pubs, although it's not nearly as common as Foster's. With 4% alcohol by volume, it is not as strong as most of the Australian varieties.
XXXX Gold has been sold since 1991 and has now risen to number 3 of the most popular beers in Australia.
Advertising, recognition value, sales formats
XXXX's mascot is "Mr. Fourex ". He is a cozy cartoon man in a coat and hat who makes his appearances in Milton in the XXXX brewery area. It is slated to be reintroduced in the near future after disappearing from the scene in 1967. Mr. Fourex was modeled after a man named "Paddy Fitzgerald".
As usual, most beers under the XXXX label in Australia come in 375 ml cans, popularly known as "tinnies", 375 ml bottles, the "stubbies", 750 ml bottles, "tallies or longnecks", or 250 ml bottles "Throwdowns", sold. The bottle cap looks like a crown cap, but it can also be opened by turning it.
In Queensland almost every pub, called a hotel in Australia , offers XXXX on tap, as a "draft". In other countries this is rather the exception.
The "Breakfast Creek Hotel" in Newstead, Brisbane still draws it from wooden barrels. This beer is not pasteurized and its taste is described as fresher and softer than that of the "normal" barrel variant.
Others
The English Fantasy - writer Terry Pratchett invented in his Discworld novels a continent , of Australia is very similar, and called this XXXX .