I prefer my beer out of a bottle or a tap than from a sludgy tank under my kitchen sink

[Ralph]

Well aint that just lovely. Sarah Harvey who wrote this article 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/drinks/8981580/They-re-...

goes on to say part way through "

I've never dabbled in home brewing. I prefer my beer out of a bottle or a tap than from a sludgy tank under my kitchen sink"

Seriously Sarah?? You really think that is how homebrewers drink their beer?? I would watch out with your stereotyping, many of the people who visit Beervana will also be homebrewers who brew fantastic beer and serve it from keg or a bottle... You may have just alienated a bunch of them.

[JR]

What do you mean Ralph, do you not enjoy a little undersink sludge in your beer?  Next you will be telling us that homebrewers are not all desperate alchoholics after cheep booze that is as strong as possible.

The fastest way to loose any sort of respect for anything you read in the media is to read an article that is on a topic that you know something about.  The rest of the articles are just as erronous, but because you dont have as much knowledge on those topics you dont realise that they are nonsence too.

[Dougal]

Hmmm... it sounds as if Sarah's just as disconnected as lots of regular people when it comes to how her food is produced. Isn't it interesting that she repeats that old stereotype that beer is somehow messy and unhygienic whereas we all know that winemaking is the exact opposite, right?

What gets me is the casual sexism of her remark "Choosing a beer over a wine, or a vodka, lime and soda still, bizarrely, seems to confuse and amuse men." That may well be her experience, but speaking for myself, I'm usually relieved when anyone in my company, male or female, reaches for a craft beer. It implies that they've unplugged themselves from the marketing of big liquor and from social conditioning, and are choosing a drink because they like the way it tastes. We usually have more to talk about than someone who likes to express their brand loyalty in public. 

[Hillman]

Personally I like the sludgy tank under the kitchen sink. I'm not proud.

Also, what would be the effect of sparging with a light lager? And would the jet planes contribute anything more than sugar? I'm not at all curious to taste this beer but I'm kind of interested in how this would work.

[SR]

the jet planes definately contribute more than just sugar... there's all these goodies as well:

WHEAT GLUCOSE SYRUP, INVERT SUGAR, THICKENER (1422), GELATINE, FOOD ACID (330), GLAZING AGENTS (VEGETABLE OIL, 903), FLAVOURS, COLOURS (102, 122, 110, 133, 150(d)).

and probably a similar ingredients list for the steinlager :o)

[Malcolm]

Would it have much of a head with gelatine in it?

[Ralph]

people quite regularly use gelatine for fining beer. The head should be fine. The main thing that the jet planes will contribute will be the flavours and colours...