Castlemaine Thirsty Dog

Discontinued. Thankfully. An early attempt by Lion Nathan to cash in on the increasing flow of imported ’boutique’ beers entering Australia. There was more money to be made in importing and eventually brewing such Euro Brands as Heineken.

Peculiar attempt at a wheat beer from Queensland’s favourite brewer. It looks exactly like a standard lager, presumably because Castlemaine reckons that’s what beer should look like. Negligible head. There is some wheat in the nose but also citric notes, including - bizarrely - pineapple. Medium-bodied and it tastes like golden syrup - sickly sweet. Hint of cloves and the faintest trace of bitterness. Some unpleasant chemcial overtones that become increasingly ’grabby’ by the end of the bottle. Tastes like it was designed by the marketing team to try to grab some of the teen drinkers who are weaned on alcopops and expect more sugar in their drink. (Bottle)

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have a song named after this beer. I really like the song.

horrible representation of a wheat beer, more girls should drink this but i guess the marketing guys wanted guys to drink this sweet lolly water.

Good ’ol XXXX have tried to make a Yuppie beer. Put a cattle dog on the label and the beer in a clear bottle, yeah.. Pity it is a pretty crappy wheat beer, bland as anything.