Hahn Premium

Hahn Premium is one of Australia's most exciting beers. It has a new image, a new taste, and is aimed at a new market.  It has won a swag of awards, and it is generally considered by all who taste it that it is indeed a fine beer.  So what is its story? Is the attention justified? AustralianBeers.com gives you latest and greatest on Hahn Premium. 

Hahn Premium targets a different audience. It promotes itself as a fine product, to be consumed in contexts in which wine would otherwise be consumed. It is teaching the growing professional or monied class that is socially acceptable to drink the fine Hahn product at a nice dinner, even if it wouldn't be acceptable to consume a lowly XXXX or the like. 

Hahn has even redefined, or is attempting to redefine, the image of the Tallie (ie 750mill bottle), once reserved for solely Ockers at barbies. 

The whole idea with the bottle [Tallie] is to take it into some of the wine territory and for it to act as a substitute. It has doubled our expectations of original distribution.

Tim Salt, Lion Marketing Director, Business Review Weekly, Vol. 21, No. 41

And it is working.

Growth in the premium segment has been pretty spectacular. We are changing our overall drinking style as a country, and are becoming more money-rich and time-poor. We are now seeing occasional beer drinkers trying premium and becoming regular beer drinkers, while there is also some migration upwards. What is more, more females are drinking beer than ever before, and if they do, they choose a premium

Paul Kennedy, CUB, Business Review Weekly, Vol. 21, No. 41

The beer itself draws back on its German lager roots. According to Lion Nathan:

The German hops add a high aroma value to the brew, with a relatively low level of bitterness. The hops are added very late in the brewing process to highlight their aromatic quality and provide a fresh, green and herbaceous aroma. 

We don't really agree with the statement that the bitterness is low. In our view it is a bitter beer. Just taste it, and feel the bitter rise at the back of your throat. Then try, say, a Fosters, and see what its rise feels like. There is a difference. It is likely that both floral and bittering hops are added to give both the distinct aroma and deep throat bitter bite. The end bitterness is somewhere between XXXX Bitter and Emu Bitter. 

So what is the end result? How does the beer rate?

Well, according to the experts, very well. Hahn has picked up a swag of awards.

How does AustralianBeers.com judge the final product?

Hahn Premium is a crisp premium lager with a bitter hoppy taste and a clean bitter finish.  This European style full strength lager has been compared to a northern German Pilsener by its brewers.  The Premium Lager does not have the strong hoppy aroma of a full Pilsener but don’t let this stir you from enjoying this crisp premium beer.  Best served fairly cold (but not freezing!), Hahn Premium soothes the palate with a smooth body and finishes in a clean bitter bite.

It is well suited to seafood dishes such a oysters, seafood marinara, grilled fish and sauced fish dishes.  However, we recommend you steer clear of very spicy dishes and acrid Asian foods.  Like most premium beers and Pilseners, it is well suited to chicken and pork dishes with creamy sauces. 

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