Tuesday 25 June 2013

ABC Wednesday, X for XXXX Bitter




An Australian without beer? Impossible. The bottle has four X's. I asked an Australian what it meant and he said it is just a particular brand. But... This is what Wikipedia says:

XXXX (pronounced fourex) is a brand of Australian beer brewed in Milton, Brisbane by Queensland brewers, Castlemaine Perkins. It enjoys wide popularity in the state of Queensland, where it is commonly found on-tap in pubs and bars.
 
The XXXX brand was first introduced in 1924 and is a throwback to the long standing tradition of using Xs to indicate the strength of an ale. The brand name also built upon XXX Sparkling Ale introduced in 1878. The brand is used on the XXXX Bitter, XXXX Gold, XXXX Light Bitter (Lager), XXXX DL (Diet Lager) and Sovereign (Lager).



 We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words beginning with X.


Slim Dusty Lyrics



Ringtones

Oh it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call
But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer

Now the publican's anxious for the quota to come
And there's a far away look on the face of the bum
The maid's gone all cranky and the cook's acting queer
Oh what a terrible place is a pub with no beer

Then the stockman rides up with his dry dusty throat
He breasts up to the bar and pulls a wad from his coat
But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer
As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer

Then the swaggie comes in smothered in dust and flies
He throws down his roll and rubs the sweat from his eyes
But when he is told, he says what's this I hear
I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer

Now there's a dog on the v'randa, for his master he waits
But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates
He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear
It's no place for a dog 'round a pub with no beer

And old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life
Why he's gone home cold sober to his darling wife
He walks in the kitchen, she says you're early Bill dear
But then he breaks down and tells her the pub's got no beer

Oh it's hard to believe that there's customers still
But the money's still tinkling in the old ancient till
The wine buffs are happy and I know they're sincere
When they say they don't care if the pub's got no beer

So it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call.
But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer
  







16 comments:

Cloudia said...

Here's to ya!

Aloha

Roger Owen Green said...

Oh, thank GOODNESS! I thought it was going to be an X-rated post!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Nice amusing post Wil.

anthonynorth said...

A thing Australians share with Brits - a taste for beer. Although I've tried 4X and prefer a good English beer, preferably from the North of England. Better water for brewing.

Leslie: said...

Not a beer drinker, but for those who enjoy it, I'm sure it's eXcellent!

Leslie
abcw team

Roger Owen Green said...

Thanks - I'm home; one little thing to biopsy, probably benign.

Hildred said...

Love the tune and rendition, - on a really hot day a glass a beer sure hits the spot...but it has to be very hot! (the day, I mean)

Gerald (SK14) said...

not heard that song for years!

Joy said...

Yikes we don't want a pub with no beer. Funny. As the adverts say "Australian wouldn't give a xxxx for anything else". Castlemaine produce some amusing adverts playing on Australian stereotypes for the UK.

Carver said...

Perfect for beer for X week. Interesting information too. Carver, ABC Wed. Team

Nana Jo said...

I really enjoyed your beery interesting post. I love a cold beer on a hot day. I enjoyed the song, too!

Dina said...

What a fun post. Cheers to you, Wil.

Unknown said...

Yes, now I'm back and trying to fit back into this culture:) Can't thank you enough for taking us to Kinderdijk, it was so much fun (and loads of pics!).

We spent a day in the Openlucht Museum near Arnhem - they have even a small "Indish achtererf" which was educational for me, since I was only 5 when we moved to Holland.

Oh yes, and thank you so much for all the delicious food!

Ann said...

Cheers!!With that many X's must be strong.
Ann

Shooting Parrots said...

To paraphrase the tv advert, I couldn't give a fourex for any other post!

Gattina said...

That's an excellent X post ! Didn't know that XXXX beers exist although we have more than 2000 beer brands in Belgium !