Chris Shanahan: When honesty is a foreign concept

Dear Foster’s and Lion Nathan, why do I find it so hard to find “brewed in Australia” on the labels of international brands you brew in Australia?

I have in front of me bottles of Stella Artois and Beck’s that you brew in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

I’m reading Stella’s front label and see “Belgian Tradition”, “Belgium’s Original Beer” and “Anno 1366”. On Beck’s I read “Brauerei Beck & Co Bremen, Germany”. No mention of Australia. But I’m looking.

So, over to the back label. Oh, there it is, smaller print, but clear enough. But how many people might never look there? How many people see Belgium and Germany prominently on the front labels and believer that’s what they’re buying? Why wouldn’t they — these are reputable international brands.

I’ve no quibble with the beers. They’re excellent facsimiles of the originals, brewed with extraordinary care and attention.

But aren’t the front labels misleading? Don’t drinkers deserve the truth? Why not put “product of Australia” prominently on the front labels.