John Boston Lager

[jadk42]

A great beer in the early 90's produced I think in Qld by one of alan bonds companies. Now that I am a home brewer I would love to make something similar- does anyone emember it?

[Trough Lolly]

This from Wiki:

The first (official) brewer in Australia was John Boston who brewed a beverage from Indian corn bittered with cape gooseberry leaves. It is likely though that beer was brewed unofficially much earlier. The first pub, the Mason Arms was opened in 1796 in Parramatta by James Larra a freed convict.

It is worth noting here that although Australian beer today is predominantly lager, early Australian beer was exclusively Ale. Lager was not brewed in Australia until 1885. Early beers were also brewed without the benefit of hops as no one had successfully cultivated them in Australia and importation was difficult. James Squire was the first to successfully cultivate hops in 1804. The Government Gazette from 1806 mentions that he was awarded a cow from the government herd for his efforts. Squire also opened a pub and brewed beer though an epitaph on a gravestone in Parramatta churchyard casts some doubt on the quality of the product:

YE WHO WISH TO LIE HERE
DRINK SQUIRE'S BEER!

Cheers,
TL