Archive for the ‘australia’ Category
Figure 1. Coopers Best Extra Stout
Introduction
Coopers Brewery, based in Adelaide, South Australia, offers complete beer solutions with both homebrew kits and recipes as well as pre-prepared bottled or draught beer (Coopers, 2010). Coopers make purchasing easy for their clientele by colour-coding their bottled products to avoid confusion. One of their pre-prepared bottled products is Best Extra Stout, a stronger 6.3% alc. vol. stout which is identified by theorangey-yellow colour on the label. Coopers Brewery is an exception among large contemporary breweries in that it is still owned and run by several Cooper family members.
Aim
This experiment was designed to investigate numerous characteristics of Coopers Best Extra Stout including, but not limited to, aroma, flavour, colour, satisfaction and vessel design.
Method
A 750 ml bottle of Coopers Best Extra Stout was obtained from a local supermarket for NZ$3.99. The sample was refrigerated to 4oC. The cap of the bottle was removed under controlled conditions using a bottle cap leveraging device. The contents of the bottle were decanted into clean glass vessels. Aroma was evaluated by smelling the beer. Flavour was analysed by tasting the beer and discussing it with a research collaborator at great length and, subsequently, satisfaction was assessed. The glass was held up to a standardized light to evaluate the colour and aesthetic aspects of the vessel were considered.
Results
Results for Coopers Best Extra Stout are shown in table 1 below.
Table 1. Characteristics of Coopers Best Extra Stout.
| Characteristic | Result |
| Aroma | Juicy prunes steeped in licoricey chocolate with an finish of caramel and a hint of espresso |
| Flavour | Substantial fizziness is quickly interrupted by considerable bitterness with an almost smokey undertone and a recollection of leather, with a burnt-like coffee aftertaste |
| Colour | Deepest brown with a splash of red culminating in an almost black pour. The final pour provides a view of a personal, micro-universe in the bottom of the glass as thousands of yeasty ‘stars’ pepper the black ‘void’ of space … where no one can hear you scream. A feeling of omnipotence is difficult to avoid. Unfortunately, the ‘stars’ soon coalesce to form a beige sludge, perhaps providing evidence of the Big Crunch and the ultimate fate of our universe |
| Satisfaction | A beer to share over good conversation, probably in the cooler months. The carbonation detracts slightly from the drinking pleasure |
| Vessel Design | An choppy, brown bottle, embossed with the brand name and adorned with a no-nonsense black, white and yellow label (see figure 1) |
| Head | A fizzy caramel-coloured head steadily diminishes over 192 seconds to leave a thin coating of tiny bubbles on the surface |
| Drinkability | 6 |
Conclusion
The beer was tasty, but the analysis revealed questions about the fate of the universe. The yeasty precipitate appeared to model the Big Crunch (Wikipedia, 2010), however, it is beyond the scope of this study to determine the final outcome of the universe. Luckily, since contraction of the universe may not even start for another 10 or so billion years (new scientist, 2002), it seems that there are plenty of opportunities to investigate this phenomenon through beer-related research.
References
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2759-universe-might-yet-collapse-in-big-crunch.html
Figure 1. Wyndham Estate Bin 444 Cabernet Sauvignon
Introduction
Wyndham Estates, located in the renowned Hunter Valley of NSW, Australia, pride themselves on the intensity of their wines (see Wyndham estate website, 2010). They classify their cheaper wines by “Bin” followed by a triple digit number, which designates the grape varietal. Cabernet sauvignon, the grape that makes in Bin 444, is “one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties”, and has apparently only existed since the 17th century when a chance crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc varietals occurred (Wikipedia, 2010).
The Wyndham Estate website (2010) shows images of large marsupials wandering amongst the vines. It is unclear whether the beasts are browsing on the grass between the rows of vines, helping themselves to the ripe fruit, or attempting to steal a few bottles of product, stowed safely in their pouches while sproinging away at high speed.
Aim
This experiment was designed to investigate numerous characteristics of Wyndham Estate Bin 444 2007 wine including, but not limited to, aroma, flavour, colour, satisfaction and vessel design.
Method
A 750 ml bottle of Wyndham Estate Bin 444 2007 was obtained from a local supermarket for NZ$11.99. The bottle was opened under controlled conditions. Approximately 100 ml of liquid was poured into clean glass vessels. The contents of the can were decanted into clean glass vessels. Aroma was evaluated by smelling the liquor. Flavour was analysed by tasting the wine and discussing it with a research collaborator at great length and, subsequently, satisfaction was assessed. The glass was held up to a standardized light to evaluate the colour and aesthetic aspects of the vessel were considered.
Results
The results for Wyndham Estate Bin 444 2007 are shown in table 1 below.
Table 1. Characteristics of Wyndham Estate Bin 444 2007.
| Characteristic | Result |
| Aroma | Summer fruit pudding with a suggestion of charred woodiness. Similar to those Japanese fruit candies which are wrapped in rice paper you can eat |
| Flavour | Chunky with obvious tannins and slightly tart and bitter, but not unpleasant. A conglomeration of red, summery fruits finished off with a splash of black pepper |
| Colour | Deep ruby red |
| Satisfaction | Suitable for chilly evenings while watching cooking shows on TV |
| Vessel Design | Uncomplicated black, cream, red and gold label wrapped around a classically shaped, green wine bottle. |
| Legs | The glass was vigorously swirled, the liquor began to form distinct rivulets after 19 seconds |
| Drinkability | 6 |
Conclusion
Wyndham Estate Bin 444 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon does comply with the company mandate of producing wines “for people who want more intensity and sensation from their wine experience” (Wyndham website, 2010).
Having assessed the characteristics of the beverage, a more urgent line of inquiry needs to be addressed, that being the question of how a large marsupial which had stolen a bottle of wine would gain access to the liquor contained within the bottle. Fortunately, Wydham Estate Bin 444 is secured by the use of a twist off cap. However, with their crap forearms, twist caps could still provide problematic for the marsupial. It is postulated that, through past experience being passed down through the generations of marsupials, they may collaborate to achieve the desired outcome. However, it is beyond the scope of this study to confirm this hypothesis.
References
Journal of Applied Drink Studies International 