Carlton & United Breweries says beer lovers of New South Wales have spoken and it has listened, bringing back the “beloved classic” Reschs Dinner Ale more than 25 years since it was last brewed.
Reschs Dinner Ale was first brewed in Sydney in the early 1900s, but production ceased in the mid-1990s, CUB said.
The Reschs Appreciation Society was founded in 2009 and has campaigned to bring back all Reschs beers ever since. It now has an impressive 15,000 members.
CUB marketing manager Marc Lord said while Dinner Ale brewing was stopped more than two decades ago, the was beer was never forgotten.
“To have such a passionate group of people campaigning for a beer that hasn’t been brewed for decades really says something,” Lord said.
“We love supporting the Society and are so excited to be bringing back Reschs Dinner Ale so they can enjoy ‘a little class from the long glass’.
Reschs Appreciation Society member William Ryan said his first Dinner Ale memory was in the early 1970s when he worked in the cellar of the Tea Gardens Hotel in Bondi Junction.
“My knock-off drink of choice was a couple of cans of Resch’s DA, Edmund Resch’s premium brew from his Waverley Brewery. It went by many names including Dinner Ale, Dirty Annie and Don’t Argue.
“Those little steel tins slid down in one gulp. There were red and white cans in every esky, every garage fridge, every laundry tub, on every dinner table and picnic rug. It was delicious and refreshing.
“The thought of their renaissance sends me back to a time where the world was our oyster,” Ryan said.
They won’t be able to relax just yet, with CUB saying the Dinner Ale is back just for a limited-edition run. That said, the Reschs aficionados were successful in the permanent return of Reschs’ iconic Silver Bullet last year.
Lord said, “Classic, local beers have become a popular choice during the pandemic as many drinkers sought out experiences that reminded them of simpler times.”
For CUB’s new CEO Danny Celoni, answering the call from consumers also supports the industry.
“Reschs Dinner Ale will be available at Liquorland and First Choice bottleshops across NSW while stocks last.
“We know initiatives such as this help drive consumers into store because they capture the nostalgia of beer lovers and remind them of simpler times. We are committed to listening to our retail partners and helping expand the beer category,” Celoni said.
