the decline of urban beer taps: out with the Old and in with yet another lager

Back in the day when I was a student in the mid to late nineties the beer of choice for any self-respecting young scholar was that pearl among affordable dark brews: Toohey’s Old.

At least that’s how I saw it and though I was a shy, unfashionable greenhorn – wet behind the ears and eager to please (so long as that didn’t mean missing the weekly instalment of Taggart on Friday nights) – I felt vindicated that I’d latched on to the good stuff at an earlier age.

As a teenager treading water in deepest suburbia I took my father’s lead and developed a taste and preference for dark beer over the mouth-watering alternatives (and bear in mind I had not the means to select and pay for my own alcohol) of New or VB, with pressurised cans of Guinness reserved for special occasions.

A touch over a decade later I’d love to write that the only thing that’s changed is that – a tertiary education having taught me to drop the corporate moniker – I am able to utter the single syllable ‘Old’ whenever I’m served at the bar.

But this simply isn’t so.

In my early twenties I’d done the honourable thing and moved to the inner west where I arrived to find the status quo intact. Old was plentiful. However, the onset of the naughties saw a slipping of standards throughout Sydney. Either as a result of publicans’ experimental folly or as a knee-jerk reaction to misguided customer demand, the once ubiquitous Old taps began to decline in number. The decay has become entrenched, with even the tasteful inner west not immune to the negligence; a sure sign of over-gentrification.

Take, for example, Newtown’s once much-loved Town Hall. Where formerly Old was on offer on both levels, first the vile Carlton Black took over upstairs before the rot set in down below. The likes of The Duke, the Alfred and, particularly, the Courthouse also need to get their public houses in order.

When knocking about Newtown (see appendix 1), if it weren’t for the fact that the Sando (which marks a confluence of Old and Dark Ale, no less), the Carlisle Castle and Warren View* still have their priorities right I’d have to drink at the Marlborough********** or schedule time to venture further afield to the Union************ or Lansdowne. Even in Fitzroy, Melbourne (at least when I was there in ’05), it was easier to locate a joint with draught Old (though it must be mentioned that an employee of the Tankerville responded to my enquiry with the gem: “What’s dark beer?”).

The result is that punters are being deprived of the nourishment, mental stimulation and fashion statement only a dark beer can deliver (appendix 2).

“Is that Coke you’re drinking?”

What with young people seemingly besotted with dark spirits and mixers, these days you’re hard pressed to find folks who know what Old is, let alone appreciate its virtues.

“What’s that – Guinness?”

You’re much likelier to hear them registering their approval of a pub’s supply of Golden Ale or Beez Neez than recognising the absence of Old (let alone a pricier dark option such as Dark Ale or Porter).

“What does it taste like – coffee, chocolate?” (Has everyone turned into a sommelier, as well as being an artist?)

“Isn’t that stuff really strong?

What’s as bad as the popularity of ‘boutique’ violations like Crown and Hahn Premium is the scourge of imported lagers passed off as luxury items.

Too many inner Sydney pubs have turned their backs on Old drinkers. It’s a sad state of affairs.

Appendix 1) Inner west establishments like the Hampshire************, Salisbury, Newington, Livingstone, Glengarry*************, Golden Barley and Petersham Inn are holding up their end. Likewise, the Empire**, Baldie and Annandale each gets a big tick. Don’t know what The Clare thinks its doing but The Rose receives an exemption from criticism because while there’s no Old to be seen, there is at least Dark Ale and, until recently, boasted the delights of Black Wattle. Special mentions must be reserved for Erskineville and Glebe. The former is home to the triangle of Old, in the form of the Erko************** , Kurrajong*** and bowlo, which makes up for the fact the Rose of Australia is now letting the side down. Glebe’s Friend in Hand, AB, Harold Park, Nag’s Head and Excelsior all keep the flag flying for thirsty Old drinkers.

Appendix 2) A handful of inner Sydney’s surviving venues for guitar-based live music are bucking the trendies. The Annandale and Sando boast scrupled owners who have remained true to the working, indie and middle classes, in preserving  a tap for the dark stuff. So too, until its recent sad demise, did the Hopetoun in Surry Hills. Thankfully, Manning at Usyd was also  carrying the flame at the time of writing********.

*As at February 2010 the Warren View no longer has Old.

**As at March 2010 the pub formerly known as the Empire no longer has Old.

***As at June 2010 the Kurrajong no longer has Old.

****As at August 2010 the Queens has Old (having only had Black hitherto).

*****As at October 2010 the Rose has swapped its Dark for White Rabbit.

******As at October 2010 the Courthouse has inexplicably jettisoned its White Rabbit (Dark) for the paler variety.

*******As at June 2011 the Botany View can be commended for its White Rabbit Dark.

******** As at July 2011 am reliably informed that the Courthouse has rectified its error and gone back to White Rabbit (Dark).

********* As at October 2011 the Manning Bar has scandalously removed its Old tap.

********** As at October 2011 the Marlborough has inexplicably gone down a no-Old-on-tap path.

***********As at October 2011 the Union seems to have permanently jettisoned Old, although an ever-changing more expensive dark beer tends to be available.

************ As at December 2011 the Hampshire has replaced Old with Kent Old Brown.

************ As at February 2011 the Glengarry no longer has Old nor Dark on tap.

************* As at February 2011 the Queens, the Summer Hill Hotel,  and the Erko no longer have Old on tap.