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Pirate Life Brewing Cans (IPA, Throwback IPA, Pale Ale) 355ml 2x 6 Pack for $40 @ Dan Murphy's

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Pirate Life Brewing Cans (IPA, Throwback IPA, Pale Ale) 355ml 2x 6 Pack for $40 @ Dan Murphy's
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Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 18:46 danmurphys.com.au (1064 clicks)

I was looking around for some good deals on craft beer and came up with this one from the latest Dan Murphy's catalogue.

The IPA is the real deal out of the three beers as it's normally $28.99 for a 6 pack and $96.90 for a case of 24.

The Pale Ale is also a nice drop and a pretty good price as it's normally $25.95 for a 6 pack and $89.90 for a case of 24.

The Throwback IPA I don't rate at all but could be a good entry point if you're not used to heavily-hopped beers, although only a small saving over the regular price (normally $23.95 for a 6 pack and $76.90 for a case of 24).

I'm aware that Pirate Life is now owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev so the craft beer tag is less applicable, however it still tastes the same as it did before they sold out. I'm also aware that some people still consider the sale price on this stuff to be expensive for beer, however as I've been cursed with taste buds I'm rarely able to spend under $90 for a case of 24 beers. As a result, $3.33 a can is hard to pass up.

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  • jv on 30/10/2018 - 18:50
    +2

    The IPA is the real deal out of the three beers

    Based on the reviews on the site, I might have to try this…

    Have you tried the Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA?

    • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 18:59
      +1

      Have you tried the Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA?

      Yeah, for my tastes it's a better beer than the Pirate Life IPA but also a bit stronger (7.2 vs. 6.8 ABV if I recall correctly). The Yanks on the US West Coast have been at the hoppy beer game a lot longer than us and it shows.

      • OneMoreTune on 30/10/2018 - 19:12

        The SN IPA and Pirate Life IPA are both average beers imo blehhhhhh
        Especially if comparing to other 'craft beer' that are out there.
        Pirate Life was one of the first craft beers I ever tried…. and I've never gone back.
        Much MUCH nicer IPA's going around than those.
        It's a deal none the less.

        • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 20:09
          +5

          It's a deal none the less.

          Yeah, that's pretty much the bottom line.

          On the scale of things they're not as good as many IPAs you can get, however they are a lot better than the slightly cheaper IPAs like Gage Roads' Sleeping Giant, stuff from Little Creatures, Cricketer's Arms etc.

          I'll go out and drop $25 on a four pack of good local (Canberra) stuff like Bentspoke or Pact, or get something a little more fancy for $20-$30 for two 500mL cans, but I always like having something decent in the fridge that I can crack without feeling like I need a special occasion to do so.

          For me the Pirate Life IPA fits the bill when the price is right but there's no way I'd buy it at normal price for nearly $30 a sixer. Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA is the same. The last time I bought it was when Dan Murphy's had a 20% eBay sale and I scored a case for $89.89 delivered which is pretty good for 24x 473mL cans of 7.2% ABV beer.

          • ViperAMD on 30/10/2018 - 20:31

            @Pantagonist: Agree Nevada tropedo is amazing (have you tried SN hop hunter? Even better imo). Surprised you'd rate cricketer's or little creatures. Pirate life is amazing, especially their double IPA and mosaic IPA.

            • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 20:38
              +2

              @ViperAMD: Heh, I don't rate Little Creatures or Cricketer's IPAs, I was just using those as examples to illustrate where Pirate Life's IPA sits on the scale of quality for me.

              Little Creatures IPA is $84.99 for a 24 pack at DM for 330mL bottles. With this deal you can get a 24 pack of Pirate Life IPA 355mL cans for $80. In other words, you can get a better IPA for a cheaper price and get more of it.

          • OneMoreTune on 31/10/2018 - 11:32

            @Pantagonist: Everyone needs there go to middle range beer… almost a fridge filler but not quite.
            I might have to give it another go.

        • prhino on 30/10/2018 - 21:52
          +2

          Strongly disagree. When fresh, Pirate Life IPA is up there with the best of the US west coast IPAs.

          • Qbagger on 30/10/2018 - 22:31
            +2

            @prhino: Good call - large variation on the best before dates stamped on the cans in my Dan's store - always check!

            • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 22:43

              @Qbagger: Great idea if you have that luxury. My local DM had 11 cans of the IPA left but one of the employees was kind enough to let me add another single can from another brand and put it through as the $40 deal. BB on the ones I picked up was 04/06/2019.

              Most brewers who care about freshness mark their cans with a packaged / canned date (like the Akasha Korben D IPAs I just finished which were canned on 23/10/2018).

              • Qbagger on 30/10/2018 - 22:51

                @Pantagonist: IIRC the Four Pines 'In Season IPA' stamp a brewed-on date. Only problem is their last couple of releases haven't lived up to the earlier highs! Still worth checking out though in a low-risk 4 pack. Just a bit pricey IMO.
                https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_622797/4-pines-in-s…

                • Rudigar on 31/10/2018 - 10:28

                  @Qbagger: I tried Four Pines new mid strength pale when it was DM members price of $16 a sixer the other week.

                  Was pretty decent, would happily drink it at a bbq or something civil if it stayed that price!

                  I’ve just got back from a few years overseas and before I left there was Rogers and not much else for mid strengths so if anyone knows any other decent ones let me know please!

              • chriise on 01/11/2018 - 19:08

                @Pantagonist: Where did you find Korben D? I just finished my last can and didn't think they were still brewing. I'm not too far from the brewery so guess I can go check on the weekend.

                • Pantagonist on 01/11/2018 - 20:19

                  @chriise: Good bottleshops in Canberra have it. Akasha canned a new batch just over a week ago so it shouldn't be too hard to find.

                  • chriise on 01/11/2018 - 21:10

                    @Pantagonist: Awesome - i will definitely try and stock up on a few more of those

          • OneMoreTune on 31/10/2018 - 11:41

            @prhino: Ya reckon!? Fair enough. I just never rated it after trying other IPA's, maybe it wasn't fresh enough I wonder. Had $8 pints of it a month or so ago, which was fecking good for Perth and thought it wasn't bad. Have had cans from Dans too.
            I've tried beer like Garage Project Los Lobos, Cheeky Monkey IIPA, Garage Project Endo IPA, Dainton IIPA, Hop Nation The Chop IPA… and well yeah, I just don't they compare but they would cost more too.

        • Snoopy113 on 31/10/2018 - 08:50
          +1

          Definitely agree with this. Possibly a good gateway IPA. But when tasted beside other IPAs its really generic and boring.

      • OneMoreTune on 30/10/2018 - 19:35
        +2

        The last buy
        http://i68.tinypic.com/14ifzsw.jpg
        Chop IPA is my standard go to IPA now.

      • Aids on 30/10/2018 - 20:03
        +3

        Balter, and Kaiju (especially the Aftermath double IPA) are as good as anything I've tried out of the US.

        • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 20:21
          +3

          Both good drops, no arguments there. I think the issue we have with beers sent over here from the US is that they're not as fresh as the stuff that's made and canned in Australia so it's hard to compare. The wet hop stuff you get in the taprooms on the US West Coast tastes amazing.

          I guess what I'm saying is that the Americans have been doing the heavily-hopped thing for a while now so they tend to push the envelope a bit more than Australian brewers when it comes to experimentation in that space.

        • OneMoreTune on 31/10/2018 - 11:52

          So got to try Aftermath

    • ciab on 30/10/2018 - 19:09
      +5

      Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter IPA is the real winner

      • jv on 30/10/2018 - 19:11
        +2

        Haven't tried that yet. Will add it to my 'Beer Bucket' list…

      • troyww on 30/10/2018 - 20:01

        Have Hop Hunters in the fridge at the moment and their definately up there . Not a huge fan of the Torpedo IPA , It's nice but not a go to for me.
        Piratelife generally for me is a little subtle for my taste buds .
        So many nice beers these days .

        • jv on 30/10/2018 - 20:53

          So many nice beers these days

          So what do you recommend?

    • UberIsCool on 31/10/2018 - 06:24

      Stockade 8bit or Mr Fruju, two great IPAs

  • indium on 30/10/2018 - 18:53
    +2

    The pale ale is also 2 for $40 at BWS while the throwback IPA is 2 for $35. No deal on the IPA

  • chickenchipsgravy on 30/10/2018 - 18:53
    +1

    love the Pirate Life, worthy of sailing the seven seas for this decent drop.

  • Tightwads brother on 30/10/2018 - 19:07
    +1

    Don’t mean to hijack the thread Nomadesque, but if you don’t want to spend $90 per case, like it was costing me, get into home brewing. You will find plenty of clone recipes for all the top craft beers around….Better for you, fun to experiment with different grains and hops and 1/4 of the price. Started back up this year and forgot how good it is.

    • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 20:26

      It's definitely something I'd like to have more of a go at. I was living in Darwin before Canberra which is possibly the worst place to try to home brew as you need to have a 24/7 temperature-controlled room so that the fermentation doesn't go haywire. There are a couple of craft brewers up there but I don't think their stuff gets close to competing with most brewers down south. I don't think there are any notable breweries in the tropics, come to think of it.

      • Fappo on 30/10/2018 - 22:18

        Even in a cooler climate the way to go is to set up a heat pad and a temp controller in an old fridge for fermenting.

      • stewy on 30/10/2018 - 22:56

        Buy a second hand fridge and a Keg King temperature controller.

        I picked up a decent full size (pidgeon pair) fridge off Gumtree for $200 delivered and the temp controller was $80 at my LHBS.

        Even down south in Wollongong I needed that in summer to brew properly. Now I live near Townsville and brew beer just as good as when down south.

        Drinking lagers is now often so damn boring for me and I like experimenting with the various already that I can brew….

        EDIT: Oh and given Canberra now, buy a heat belt too for winter

    • troyww on 31/10/2018 - 10:35

      My mate went this route to save money . He now has a shed filled with enormous stainless steal tubs , fridges , plastic cubes and cultures etc . It looks like an industrial drug lab . The back room has a 5ft long chest freezer housing 16 kegs with 16 taps .
      I'm not sold that he's saving a whole lot of money but he certainly has a lot of friends and hosts some most excellent "get togethers"

  • OneMoreTune on 30/10/2018 - 19:18
    +1

    Beer lovers, do yourself a favour and buy a 2L growler and start checking which local bottle shops have taps and fill up on some special release.
    www.nowtapped.come.au is pretty useful.

    • jv on 30/10/2018 - 19:41
      +3

      http://www.nowtapped.com/

      • OneMoreTune on 30/10/2018 - 19:43
        +1

        Not sure what I was doing there…. haha… thanks JV.
        Wow, can't believe I just said that lol

        • jv on 30/10/2018 - 19:44
          +2

          Don't Drink and Post…

          • JuryWheel on 30/10/2018 - 19:53
            +1

            @jv: Any idea how much a growler costs to buy and fill? Haven't heard of the app before…

            • jv on 30/10/2018 - 20:03

              @JuryWheel: No idea. Maybe OneMoreTune knows…

            • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 20:13

              @JuryWheel: I haven't heard of any bottle shops around Canberra doing it. Bentspoke have their own version which they call "travellers" but last time I checked the price wasn't much different to actually having a beer in the pub; plus the initial outlay for the vessel itself. The main advantage seems to be the ability to take home the beers they make that aren't canned.

              • serpserpserp on 30/10/2018 - 20:26

                @Pantagonist: How long until the beer goes stale in one of those things?

                • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 21:57

                  @serpserpserp: Not sure, but I think the idea of selling in 2L vessels is to get you to drink it sooner rather than later. 2L of beer would be lucky to last 3 days in my house. ;)

                  • OneMoreTune on 31/10/2018 - 11:49

                    @Pantagonist: Yeah only lasts 3 - 5 days if you're opening and closing it. But alot of it can be special release stuff that doesn't get canned/bottled also.

            • OneMoreTune on 31/10/2018 - 11:46

              @JuryWheel: In WA most of the places that have taps sell growlers also and do a deal for the growler on your first fill. Works out abotu $10 - $15 for a cheap 2L glass growler. I fill up with beer that range from $25 - $40 for 2L, just depends what they have on at the time.

    • digitalbath on 30/10/2018 - 20:48

      I’ve been thinking of this. How long does the beer stay good to drink in the growler?

      • carwashhair on 30/10/2018 - 21:17
        +1

        Seen some folks say 2 days, i'd wanna finish within 24 hrs myself…

  • [Deactivated] on 30/10/2018 - 19:51
    +6

    Pirate Life Pale Ale is a fine beer, but I do find it difficult to justify the price……

    …so I only buy it each November with my AMEX shop small!

    $16.95, or thereabouts, for a six pack (after cashback) from a participating small bottle shop.

    • jv on 30/10/2018 - 20:03

      Good tip…

      • gimli on 30/10/2018 - 20:39

        $16.95 is an excellent tip

        • jv on 30/10/2018 - 20:55
          +2

          It beats the $12 crap that Dan's has been dishing out lately…

          • Fappo on 30/10/2018 - 22:21

            @jv: Pilsner Urquell is under $50 a carton at Dan's atm. Excellent beer. (But yeah, haven't seen a good monthly deal there for a while.)

  • Schezwon on 30/10/2018 - 20:21

    Pirate Life is pretty good, great find.. But.. If I had to buy a case of craft beer at full price, I'll have to say Bentspoke is my favourite, Morts Gold and Crankshaft.

    • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 20:41

      I went through an embarrassing amount of Bentspoke's Red Nut this past winter.

      Did you manage to get your hands on any of the limited release Cluster 8 Double IPA? I've heard whispers that it might become part of the regular lineup.

  • serpserpserp on 30/10/2018 - 20:22

    Standard price is $85 a carton at Liqourland.

    https://www.liquorland.com.au/Beer/pirate-life-pale-ale-5-4-…

    not sure that $5 off is a bargain?

  • antonthenet on 30/10/2018 - 20:38
    +1

    I've had this beer and yeah it's nice but it's not worth $100 a slab.

    • jv on 30/10/2018 - 20:42
      +1

      it's not worth $100 a slab

      This is $40 for half a slab.

  • shbshb on 30/10/2018 - 20:49

    Cheers OP, will grab a couple of IPA 6 packs.

  • afah0447 on 30/10/2018 - 21:05
    -6

    I hate to say it mate, but Pirate Life is not a craft beer. It is owned and brewed by Carlton and United Breweries.

    It is pretty much the definition of big corporate beer trying to cash in on the craft beer trend.

    • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 21:11
      +2

      I suggest that you read the OP more closely.

      Also, Pirate Life is not owned and brewed by CUB. CUB and Pirate Life are owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

      Pirate Life were their own thing prior to be acquired. Flavour-wise their beers haven't changed since they were acquired. It's a fair way from a cash in and more a big multinational beverage company trying to stay ahead of trends after craft brewers started taking a larger slice of the beer market pie.

      I do wish they hadn't sold out and I tend to direct my money towards smaller craft brewers since this acquisition trend started, however when the price is right I buy their stuff without hesitation as it's still a good product.

      • freefall101 on 30/10/2018 - 23:17

        I lot of big corps learned quickly that beer drinkers aren't attached to brands, they're attached to the taste. Which is why some early brands went to crap, but more recently they're not interested in changing the beer at all if they can help it. What they want to do is use their massive distribution networks to lower prices.

        AB InBev can get bottles cheaper, labels cheaper, can negotiate with Dan's and all the big retailers, can lower shipping costs and can supply capital to increase volumes. All without changing the beer. That's why they buy these companies up now.

  • Luc on 30/10/2018 - 21:18
    +1

    Yeah Pirate Life although it's owned by a multinational now is still on the 'ok' scale, the dowuble IPA in the 500ml can is the pick for me.

    My IPA of choice(and many others) is Colonial Brewing's IPA in the 375ml can with the nifty full top lid(ring pull takes the entire top of the can off and you drink as though it's a glass).
    It's $75 a slab and beats Dan's pirate life 355ml deal hands down but of course you have to find where you can buy it.

    Up here(Northern Rivers Far North Coast NSW)it's a long way from Melb but it's actually cheaper here than anywhere I found it on a recent trip to Melb a few weeks back. 6.5%,375ml cans and a delish hoppy sweetness.

    Link. https://www.colonialbrewingco.com.au/news-events/ipa-pale-al…

    Thanks OP for the heads up and will look at the local Dan's for it.

    • Aids on 30/10/2018 - 21:27

      I agree. Colonial is the best bang for buck IPA around imo.

    • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 21:36

      I'll have to try it again at some stage. I bought a four pack a while ago at the same time as some Extra-Hop Sauce tinnies and it didn't really blow me away in comparison to those but I can't remember why exactly.

    • lethalmoney on 30/10/2018 - 21:51

      colonial is getting everything right.

  • tunzafun001 on 30/10/2018 - 21:46

    Wild yak Pacific ale for $10 on Woolies / Coles voucher deals is a good alternative.

    • Pantagonist on 30/10/2018 - 22:03
      +5

      Not really in the same ballpark as any of these in my opinion.

      Granted, it's beer, so if that's your sole criterion then it's a good choice.

      • tunzafun001 on 30/10/2018 - 23:43

        To be honest I brew my own beer and have only tried the piratelife in an orange can (not sure if this is it). I found the wild yak similar in terms of hops, but a better balance with citrus notes. Punk IPA I had in Scotland last year was the closest. I find a metallic after taste in piratelife (sorry boys) and it's made around the corner from me! James squires hop thief has a similar after taste to me (again $11 for 6 at Dans).

        • Pantagonist on 31/10/2018 - 09:12

          The orange can Pirate Life is the Throwback IPA which is essentially a mid-strength session beer (3.5%). As I mentioned in the OP, I don't rate it at all. Up-front there are hints of hops but I find there's no body or follow-through of that flavour.

          Wild Yak is a less bitter beer than any of the Pirate Life beers on the IBU (International Bittering Units) scale so maybe that's just more pleasing to your palate? I'd say the "metallic" taste you perceive might be as a result of the bitterness.

          In IBUs:

          Wild Yak Pacific Ale: 18 IBU
          Brewdog Punk IPA: 35 IBU
          James Squire Hop Thief 8: 35 IBU
          Pirate Life Throwback IPA: 35 IBU
          Pirate Life Pale Ale: 50 IBU
          Pirate Life IPA: 60 IBU
          Pirate Life IIPA: 120 IBU ;)

          I haven't tried the Hop Thief 9 but reviews I've read seem to suggest that the returns are diminishing as the numbers increase. 7 was certainly better than 8.

    • Ozymandias on 31/10/2018 - 00:27

      Can't say it is - that's a 'summer day and I don't care what I'm drinking as long as it's vaguely like beer' beer. Pirate Life isn't the best going around but it's a long way ahead of the Yak Pac Ale.

  • lethalmoney on 30/10/2018 - 21:51

    philter XPA is my current go to aussie beer. absolute belter of a beer. colonial pale is up there as well..

    Cant beat homebrew for value for money (and after 10 years brewing, its a nice drop too).

    Easily my fave, Blackmans brewery (from Torquay Vic). These lads can not brew bad beer. Highly recommend you chase down their delicious cans.

    Quiet Deeds - Juice Train is a great NEIPA.

  • Poimandres on 30/10/2018 - 21:54
    +1

    For good current deals, I'd recommend Holgate Mt Macedon Pale for $60 a carton at First Choice: https://www.firstchoiceliquor.com.au/Beer/holgate-mt-macedon…

    Or even better, wait for the Booze Bet 2 x 24 cartons of Hawkers Rover Henty St Ale for $99 delivered that is going live tomorrow ;)

    • Fappo on 30/10/2018 - 22:28
      +1

      The Rover's a great beer for $50 a carton. Pretty mild but a great session brew. Anyone in Adelaide, the Ed Cellars always have it for sale at $50 (At least they used to. Haven't been there for a little while.)

  • Qbagger on 30/10/2018 - 22:40

    My recommendation for Ale of the Week (available through Dan's) is Nail Brewing VPA - 4 pack for $16.95
    https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_622795/nail-brewing…

    Great summery, citrus hopped pale ale. Something a little different with a nice sweet pineapple tinge and good carbonation/mouth-feel with a decent alcohol warmth.
    Try it if you can get it!

    • chriskq on 31/10/2018 - 12:17

      whats with some craft beers and pineapple/passionfruit…. if i wanted to drink passiona i would ffs

      • Pantagonist on 31/10/2018 - 13:07
        +1

        Generally those flavours are imparted by combinations of the various hops used. There aren't too many brews that use actual pineapple or passionfruit for flavouring.

        If you look at this chart it gives you some indication of the flavours that certain hops impart. If you don't like that heavy fruit / citrus flavour then you can stay away from beers that contain those hops.

  • Fobsessive on 31/10/2018 - 00:44

    At my local Dan's, all the hoppy ales are far too old…(3 months +)

  • spuderump on 31/10/2018 - 00:48

    My top 5 drinks currently in no particular order:

    Balter XPA
    Pirate Life IPA
    Ballast Point IPA
    Pirate Life Pale Ale
    Big Shed Fruit Tingle

  • Flanders on 31/10/2018 - 02:47

    Thanks OP.
    These shall go down well while I watch the new realease films I just downloaded for free ;)

  • ratman on 31/10/2018 - 08:39

    My usual drinking beer is bentspoke crankshaft, but this is a good 14% cheaper for only 5% less volume in the can. This is also an excellent beer, a bargain for sure. I bought 2. Cases.

    • Pantagonist on 31/10/2018 - 09:18
      +1

      Also 17% higher ABV. ;)

      • ratman on 31/10/2018 - 20:01
        +1

        Only 11% more in the pirate counting for the volume difference ;) (355ml vs 375ml for bentspoke)

  • mlcn on 31/10/2018 - 08:42

    Bought it at $35 for 2 6-packs at BWS (Mascot Station). Didn't like the taste at all :(

    • Pantagonist on 31/10/2018 - 09:15

      I'm guessing that's the Throwback IPA in the orange cans? It's not a great beer so I'm not surprised you didn't like it.

      • mlcn on 31/10/2018 - 11:36

        You are correct. Good that I am not the one with such opinion

  • AssociatedNotSureIfSerious @ Dan Murphy's on 31/10/2018 - 09:20

    IPA is nice but for the pale ale I prefer the new zealand hopco version. These are in green cans and are very easy drinking. Shame Dan's dont sell them.

    • Qbagger on 31/10/2018 - 12:57

      Totally agree! Hard to find the green tins

  • Schmendrick on 31/10/2018 - 14:45

    Unless one beer is at least $15, I'm not interested

  • Homr on 03/11/2018 - 09:33

    Which one out of the 3 is the fruitiest???? My favourite beer is the beechworth pale ale, any of these 3 similar??

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