Australia’s leading premium beer*, Crown Lager is proud to announce the newest addition to the Crown Family – Crown Ambassador Reserve – a limited edition vintage lager.
The number one bottle of the first vintage has been specially released to mark the anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation on 2 June, with the subsequent release to the public on 30 June 2008.
This beer is set to make history as Australia’s first luxury style of beer, just as Crown Lager did in 1954, when it pioneered the premium beer market as the country’s first premium beer.
Crown Ambassador Reserve (9.2% ABV) is a full-bodied, rich lager-style beer. Deep amber in colour the brew, once poured, is perfectly carbonated and capped with a creamy effervescent head derived from careful in-bottle fermentation. Longer maturation gives Crown Ambassador Reserve a distinctive taste, which is both luscious and mouth-filling. Balancing a complex base of sweet caramelised malt with the bitter fruitiness of the signature Galaxy hops, hand-picked fresh from the bine (hop vine), it’s truly a beer to be savoured.
With only 5,000 bottles produced in 2008, Crown Ambassador Reserve is perfect for celebrating a very special occasion, be it a celebration, a fine meal or for sharing with like-minded beer appreciators.
In addition to the Queen, other influential Australian recipients of Crown Ambassador Reserve include Kevin Rudd, who will be receiving bottle number 2007 to mark the year he became prime minister, and former prime minister John Howard who will be sent bottle number 11 to mark the number of years he was in office.
Steve Waugh will be receiving bottle 168 to celebrate the number of test caps won, and footballer James Bartel will get bottle number three to represent his playing number.
The lager is packaged in a 750ml champagne-style bottle, individually numbered and nestled in a presented box. Each bears the signature of Master Brewer John Cozens, who oversees the entire brewing process. Unlike other beers, Crown Ambassador Reserve is a limited vintage release, which makes it a unique gift idea or long-term investment.
The brewing of Crown Ambassador Reserve only takes place once a year and coincides with the seasonal availability of fresh Galaxy hops, grown in Myrtleford, Victoria. They have been selected for their fruity flavour, whilst they also assist with stabilisation of the beer, enabling long-term cellaring.
The beer should be consumed at least three months following release (first vintage released 30 June 2008), in order for the flavours to develop and increase in smoothness. Similar to fine wine, Crown Ambassador Reserve will mature with age and provide excellent drinking for up to ten years. Cellaring the beer correctly at or below 15°C will encourage the complex flavours to further evolve and improve over time, whilst the alcohol strength will prevent spoilage.
Crown Ambassador Reserve uses the finest ingredients, including malted barley, Crown Lager yeast strain, Pride of Ringwood hops and fresh Galaxy hops added green to the kettle – unique compared to most beers, which often use dried varieties. These ingredients produce rich characters, which make it the perfect accompaniment to flavour-intense dishes such as prime meats, or alternatively alongside decadent desserts or strong flavoured cheeses.
Try matching the beer with succulent beef tenderloin topped with onion marmalade. The rich roasted flavours of the beef are balanced by the generous hop bitterness and caramelised notes from the malt. Alternatively, try serving with a roasted lamb rack with Jerusalem artichoke and Swiss brown mushrooms.
The beer is best served at a drinking temperature of around 7-11°C in a good quality Shiraz wine glass. Before serving, rest the bottle in one hand while gently turning with the other – this distributes the yeast that has settled during secondary fermentation and maximises the flavour and aroma of the beer.
John Cozens, Master Brewer, said: “We are extremely passionate about the brewing process and there are numerous special touches that set Crown Ambassador Reserve apart. For example we only use the first and highest quality runnings in the brew in order to obtain the best and most potent fermentable sugars, which help the beer reach the required strength.
“Plus we ensure the entire process is carefully monitored – right from the hop picking through to bottling – and only once it has been sampled by myself and team of expert brewers, will it be bottled and made available to the public.”
Crown Lager was first brewed in 1919 but was reserved only for visiting and travelling ambassadors and diplomats until 1954, when in celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s first visit to Australia the lager was released to the general public.
Crown Ambassador Reserve is available in 750ml bottles at selected restaurants and bars throughout Australia from 30 June 2008. RRP $54.99-$60.00 per bottle. Each bottle contains 5.4 standard drinks at 9.2% ABV.
Recipients of Crown Ambassador Reserve
- Her Majesty The Queen – bottle number 1
- John Howard – bottle number 11 (number of years in office)
- Kevin Rudd – bottle number 2007 (year he became prime minister)
- Steve Waugh – bottle number 168 (number of test caps won)
- Hugh Jackman – bottle number 1968 (year he was born)
- James Packer – bottle number 1967 (year he was born)
- John Eales – bottle number 86 (number of caps scored for Australia)
- Ian Thorpe – bottle number 1982 (year he was born)
- James Bartel – bottle number 3 (his playing number)
- Eddie McGuire – bottle number 1990 (premiership year for Collingwood)
*Crown Lager is ranked first in the Premium Beer segment in volume terms, holding 17.3% volume share. Source: Fosters Group Calculation based in part on data reported by Nielsen through its ScanTrack Liquor Service for the Premium Beer Category, (Fosters Group Defined) for the MAT period ending 29 February 2008 for the Australian off premise liquor market. Copyright © 2008, The Nielsen Company
