TIPS OF THE TRADE REVEALED — HOW THE EXPERTS JUDGE BEER (see page 64) >>> INCLUDING
ISSUE 49 WINTER 2019 PRICE $9.95 (NZ $11.95)
BEERS & CIDERS
TASTED
Taphouse ON TOP JAMES THORPE’S DARLO TAPHOUSE IS AUSTRALIA’S BEST BEER VENUE. WHO ELSE MADE THE LIST?
THE DARK SIDE WHY PORTERS AND STOUTS DESERVE TIME IN THE LIGHT
HOMEBREWING EQUIPMENT KIT TIPS FOR BEGINNERS AND VETERANS
WWW.BEERANDBREWER.COM
PLUS! ALTERNATIVE INGREDIENTS | BREWING IN WINE COUNTRY | GABS BEERS AT HOME
YEASTS & FERMENTATION SOLUTIONS
With E2U active dry yeasts, you can pitch directly or rehydrate; depending on your equipment, habits and feelings. We offer you the opportunity to make your life easier, and contribute to sustainability by saving water and energy. Any process you choose, we ensure you the highest standards of quality, efficiency and security. All our solutions on www.fermentis.com TM
SAVE TIME. GET COMFORT. ACT GREEN. Distributed by:
PUBLISHER Paul Wootton | pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Charlie Whitting | cwhitting@intermedia.com.au ASSISTANT EDITOR Tam Allenby | tallenby@intermedia.com.au HOMEBREWER EDITOR Chris Thomas HOMEBREWER TECHNICAL EDITOR Jake Brandish NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Andrea Diaz | adiaz@intermedia.com.au Tel: 02 8586 6123 GENERAL MANAGER SALES – LIQUOR & HOSPITALITY GROUP Shane T. Williams GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY Kea Thorburn | kthorburn@intermedia.com.au PHOTOGRAPHER Simon Taylor (Styled shoot) Jasper Avenue (Front cover) HEAD OF CIRCULATION Chris Blacklock | cblacklock@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper | jacqui@intermedia.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: 1800 651 422 | Fax: +61 2 8580 6312 subscribe@beerandbrewer.com | www.shop.beerandbrewer.com Mail: PO Box 55 Glebe NSW 2037 SUBSCRIPTION RATE Australia $79.95 3 years (12 issues) savings $39.41 (33%) $54.99 2 years (8 issues) saving $24.61 (31%) $29.99 1 year (4 issues) saving $9.81 (25%) New Zealand $88.99 3 years (12 issues) saving $30.41 (25%) $60.99 2 years (8 issues) saving $18.61 (23%) $32.99 1 year (4 issues) saving $6.81 (17%) International $132.99 3 years (12 issues) $89.99 2 years (8 issues) $47.99 1 year (4 issues) Rate in AUD and incl. 10% GST for Australia, excluding GST for NZ and International PRINTING Webstar Sydney DISTRIBUTION Network Services (Aus) & NetLink (NZ), D&D Mailing, Dan Murphy’s, imakes, The Beverage Food Group (VIC) ISSN 1834 5115 DISCLAIMER
This publication is published by Food and Beverage Media (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.
Copyright © 2019 - Food and Beverage Media
EDITOR’S LETTER
Winter Issue
PUBLISHED BY Food and Beverage Media 41 Bridge Road GLEBE NSW Australia 2037 Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419
W
elcome to the 2019 Winter issue of Beer & Brewer. We’re halfway through this year already and hasn’t it flown by! As we pass this landmark, there is much to celebrate in the world of beer. More breweries continue to open across the country as craft beer continues to forge new paths, spreading the word ever farther and bringing ever more
adventurous beers to the people who love them. This issue sees the return of Beer & Brewer’s Top 65 Beer Venues in Australia. This
year, we’ve tweaked things a little bit to highlight certain additional aspects that these beer havens have to offer. The list was even harder to put together this time, with near impossible decisions having to be made. And with new the excise laws shortly or already enacted depending on when you’re reading this, competition could be about to get fiercer. By reducing taxes and keg sizes, this legislation could have a hugely positive impact the ability of smaller brewers and smaller venues to get craft beers in front of customers, which could not only see more places offering these marvellous drinks, but also the breweries able to invest in growth and further experimentation. Talking of experimentation, this issue, we’re looking at a few left-field ideas. In our Homebrewer section, Chris Thomas is examining the crazy concoctions of GABS on page 56, while I’ve taken a look at some of the alternative ingredients that brewers use beyond the hallowed Reinheitsgebot. Are the colder months bringing forth some inherent desire to find somewhere cosy with a dark, inviting beer? Well, we’ve got that covered this issue as well, as Luke Robertson explores porters and stouts (page 16) and Homebrewer takes a look at some darker recipes as well. Our Tasting Panel (page 72) has also evolved, with some fresh faces gathering at Beer & Brewer Towers for an in-depth tasting session of red, amber and brown ales, as well as a host of new releases, and other special beers and ciders. And if you’re wondering what judges are looking for when tasting beer, take a look at Tam Allenby’s feature (page 64) for some tips and inspiration from some of the best. Remember to keep in touch with us (cwhitting@intermedia.com.au) with your thoughts and suggestions. This is your mag and we love hearing from you. Cheers, Charlie
WE ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE DRINKING Get the facts DrinkWise.org.au
Find us on... WInter 2019 3
CONTENTS
inside... Winter 2019
FEATURES 16 Porters and stouts
36
Luke Robertson shines a light on the dark beers and how porters and stouts are growing in popularity and variety
22 Top 65 Beer Venues Our judging panel is back for 2019, and this time we’ve changed things up a bit. Check out the best beer venues for range, food, service, engagement and décor in our allnew list
32 Homebrewing Equipment The advances in homebrewing equipment have had a huge effect for beginners and veterans alike. Check out what’s now available in this growing market
36 Brewing Ingredients – Getting creative Getting creative with ingredients doesn’t just mean skittles and whale vomit. A host of established alternative grains, fruits and spices have been adding something special to beers for years
44 Regional Breweries Series Our second regional instalment takes us to South Australia and the ‘wine’ regions beyond Adelaide that support and are supported by a fantastic array of breweries
64 Tricks of the trade Always wondered what professional beer tasters are looking for in a beer? Want to know how to recognise flavours and spot flaws? Tam Allenby tells all
4 www.beerandbrewer.com
HOMEBREWER 48 Welcome 49 Letters 50 Q&A 52 Jake’s Brew Log
“Consumers are going to see more and more of these alternative grains.”
– Stuart Whytcross, Voyager Craft Malt
Jake Brandish investigates stouts and brews one with oatmeal
54 Bayside Brewers How a Melbourne homebrew society supported Sierra Nevada’s Campfire Relief Fund
56 GABS Chris Thomas tries his hand at balancing sessionability and creativity with some GABS brews
60 Recipes Andrew Childs takes us through Quite Hoppy IPA, a ‘quite hoppy’ IPA!
61 Coopers This issue, Coopers has brought us a toasted coconut porter
62 Level Up The Dark Side – what dark malts bring to dark beer
16
22
REGULARS 6 The Brew What’s happening this winter?
8 News The biggest brewing stories out there
10 World News 12 Bits and Bobs 14 New Venues 68 Entertaining – Food Get ready for the morning after the night before with Chefs Eat Breakfast Too
72 Tasting Notes This winter, we’re introducing our all-new ‘formally informal’ tasting panel. The panellists have turned their tastebuds to red, amber and brown ales, but there are also beers and ciders from across the style spectrum
80 Directory 82 A Pint With… Oscar McMahon, co-founder of Young Henrys
72
Check out our Top 65 Beer Venues 44
WInter 2019 5
THE BREW
WHAT’S ON
Things to Do This Season BREWCON AND THE INDIES Melbourne: 3-6 September
BrewCon 2019, the seventh annual Australian Brewers Conference and Trade Expo, is being held in Melbourne in early September at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre. Presented by the Independent Brewers Association (IBA), the conference is the Australian brewing industry’s keystone event and aims to build excellence and best practice in the Aussie beer industry. There are seminars covering all aspects of independent beer, brewery tours, workshops and the largest brewing trade expo seen each year in Australia. The Indies, the country’s largest independent beer awards, will be held on the evening of 5 September. Make sure you stay up to date with the Beer & Brewer website during BrewCon for a taste of the action. Brewcon.org.au
SYDNEY ROYAL BEER AND CIDER SHOW Judging 30 July, Awards Presentation 17 August
ADELAIDE BEER & BBQ FESTIVAL Adelaide: 12-14 July
Craft beer and barbequed meats – is there a better combo? The Beer & BBQ Festival will return to the Adelaide Showground for the fifth year running in mid-July, and if you’re anything like us, you’d agree that there’s nothing more delicious than mouth-watering BBQ paired with delicious beer. The line-up for the festival this year is bursting at the seams; in addition to the aforementioned culinary delights and craft brews, there’s a number of great bands and DJs (including DJ Yella from N.W.A, and Aussie punk legends Frenzal Rhomb) to keep attendees grooving all weekend long. On the beer front, there’s also a number of exciting new additions to the festival for 2019. The ‘Transcontinental Collaboration Series’ will see Collective Arts Brewing from Canada pair up with six Australian brewers to create beers available exclusively at the festival. Pirate Life has also brewed a Hoppy Amber Ale in collaboration with the event organisers, which will be on sale nationally in the lead up to the festival and across the weekend.
The Sydney Royal competitions are a showcase of Australia’s finest produce, with the best of the best awarded a coveted Sydney Royal medal – and beer is no exception. Judging will take place on 30 July, where the hundreds of entries across 40 classes will be tasted by a select judging panel, chaired by Philter’s Sam Fuss. The Awards Presentation will be held on 17 August. Last year’s awards saw Hope Brewhouse, Pirate Life, Lord Nelson, Australian Brewery and Flying Brick Cider Co take home the major awards. Who will triumph in 2019? Rasnsw.com.au
BREWOOMBA Toowoomba: 3 August
But if you’re really keen, why not just buy a season pass and spend the whole weekend there?
Toowoomba’s annual craft beer extravaganza Brewoomba will be celebrating its fifth year running this year, with four of the town’s top venues once again banding together to show off some of the best beers Australia has to offer. The Spotted Cow Hotel, Tapestry Bar, Blank Space and Fitzy’s Church St Carpark Party will each feature their own unique line-up of Australian and international craft beers on tap and in bottles and cans, plus special events and opportunities to meet some of the brewers. And to make the whole thing even easier, from 1-9pm a shuttle bus (offering unlimited rides) will make it easy to move between each of the venues, ensuring you don’t miss out on any of the action.
Beerbbqfest.com.au
Toowoombatickets.com.au
BBQ legends from both South Australia and the rest of the country will serve up a range of meats and other delights, stretching from low-and-slow ribs and brisket to international BBQ styles from Asia and beyond. There’s also the Beer & BBQ Battle of the Bands, where local Adelaide bands will fight it out to be crowned BBF Beer Band of 2019. Just like last year, the weekend has been split into various sessions – each with a different focus. ‘Bright Lights, Beer City’ (Friday 12 July, 5pm-12am) is all about the music; ‘Beer Geek: A Hop Odyssey’ (Saturday 13 July, 11am-5pm) is for the serious beer and BBQ fans, with a focus on education; ‘Top of the Hops’ (Saturday 13 July, 6pm-12am) is again all about the music, while ‘Hair of the Dog’ (Sunday 14 July 11am-6pm) is the most family friendly session, with kids activities and even a dog sideshow.
6 www.beerandbrewer.com
2019 ’S NE W R EL E ASE CO M IN G SO ON from Australia’s best performing region
Partner with us. Brew your best. bintani.com.au
INDUSTRY ROUND-UP
CHAMPION TROPHIES
The 4 Pines team celebrate their win
Winners of the 2019 AIBAs announced The Keller Door Schwarzbier Draught from 4 Pines Brewing Company was named Champion Australian Beer at the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) presentation. Hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV), the AIBA presentation took place at The Peninsula, 14 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, Melbourne on Thursday 16 May. Queensland brewers were well represented, with Balter Brewing named as Champion Large Australian Brewery and Green Beacon Brewing Co snaring Champion Medium Australian Brewery. Victoria’s Blackman’s Brewing took Champion Small Australian Brewery. Internationally, Firestone Walker Brewing Co. was awarded Champion International Beer for its Feral One brew, while New Zealand took the three remaining Champion International Trophies: Champion Large International Brewery went to DB Breweries, Champion Medium International Brewery was awarded to Deep Creek Brewing Company, and McLeods Brewery took home Champion Small International Brewery. With the brewing landscape evolving over time, this year saw two new trophies introduced into the awards. Best Fruit Beer was awarded to Rodenbach Caractere Rouge, while Best Wood or Barrel-Aged Beer went to Captain of the Coast, a beer from Pelican Brewing Company in the United States. The 2018 Champion Breweries – Black Hops Brewing, Green Beacon Brewing Co, Mountain Goat Beer and Philter Brewing – unveiled a collaboration brew at the event. The gose-style beer was called Achachacha Gose was made with traditional Bolivian fruit Achacha, cultivated in Queensland, as well as Weyermann Sauermalz and Galaxy hops. “The AIBA is the largest annual beer competition in the world, offering exhibitors the opportunity to benchmark their beer against industry standards to stand among some of the most talented brewers in the world,” says Paul Guerra, CEO of RASV. “With almost 2,600 entries from more than 400 breweries across 26 countries, 2019 marks the biggest year in the awards’ history and we look forward to seeing this growth continue.
8 www.beerandbrewer.com
Champion Large Australian Brewery: Balter Brewing, Queensland Champion Large International Brewery: DB Breweries Ltd, New Zealand Champion Medium Australian Brewery: Green Beacon Brewing Co., Queensland Champion Medium International Brewery: Deep Creek Brewing Company, New Zealand Champion Small Australian Brewery: Blackman’s Brewery, Victoria Champion Small International Brewery: McLeods Brewery, New Zealand Gary Sheppard Memorial Trophy For The Best New Exhibitor: Breakside Brewery, Oregon, United States
MAJOR TROPHIES Champion Australian Beer: Keller Door: Schwarzbier – 4 Pines Brewing Company, New South Wales Champion International Beer: Feral One – Firestone Walker Brewing Co., United States Best Australian-Style Lager: Steinlager Pure – Lion NZ, New Zealand Best European-Style Lager (Excluding Pilsner): Buckskin Munich Helles – King Car Group, Taiwan Best International Lager: Undercurrent, Draught - Deep Creek Brewing Company, New Zealand Best Pilsner: The Prospector Pilsner, Draught - Hemingway’s Brewery, Queensland, Australia Best Amber / Dark Lager: Keller Door – Schwarzbier, Draught - 4 Pines Brewing Company, New South Wales, Australia Best Australian Style Pale Ale: North of Nowhere Pale Ale, Packaged – DB Breweries Ltd, New Zealand Best New World-Style Pale Ale: Pale Ale, Draught – Cheeky Monkey Brewery and Cidery, Western Australia, Australia
Best International-Style Pale Ale: Balter Strong Pale Ale, Draught - Balter Brewing, Queensland, Australia Best British-Style Ale (Excluding IPA & Pale Ale): Summer Ale, Draught – Mountain Goat Beer, Victoria, Australia Best European-Style Ale: Infinite Guide Gose, Packaged – Bravo Brewing Co., Guangdong, China Best IPA: Hawkers West Coast IPA, Packaged – Hawkers Brewery, Victoria, Australia Best Amber/Dark Ale: Traders, Packaged – McLeods Brewery, New Zealand Best Porter: Black Shield Draught, Draught – Myanmar Brewery LTD, Yangon, Myanmar Best Stout: Exit Milk Stout, Packaged – Exit Brewing, Victoria, Australia Best Reduced/Low Alcohol Beer: Mid Range, Packaged – Black Hops Brewery, Queensland, Australia Best Wheat Beer: TAP6 Mein Aventinus, Packaged – Schneider Weisse GmbH, Bavaria, Germany Best Belgian/French Ale: Feral One, Packaged – Firestone Walker Brewing Co., United States Best Scotch Ale/Barley Wine: Alba, Packaged – Cervejaria Bohemia, Brazil Best Fruit Beer: Rodenbach Caractere Rouge, Packaged – Brouwerij Rodenbach, Roesalare, Belgium Best Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beer: Captain of the Coast, Packaged – Pelican Brewing Company, Oregon, United States Best Specialty Beer: Maui Express, Packaged – Denver Beer Co, CO, United States
DESIGN Best Design – Label/Surface Graphic: Sabro: Single Hop Hazy IPA – Hope Brewery, New South Wales, Australia Best Design – Outer Packaging: India Pale Ale – Mismatch Brewing Co., South Australia, Australia
MEDIA Best Media: New South Ales, New South Wales, Australia
REBRANDED CHEEKY MONKEY OPENS NEW PRODUCTION BREWERY Cheeky Monkey Brewing Co. has completed construction of a new production brewery in Vasse, Busselton, WA. Located 30 minutes from the original
The new branding for Cheeky Monkey
IBA CEO RESIGNS The Independent Brewers Association (IBA) has announced the resignation of CEO Alexis Roitman and the relocation of its head offices to Melbourne. Roitman was named as the first CEO of the IBA almost a year ago to the day, in the same
brewery, the new site was built from scratch by
time period that the IBA revealed its Seal of
the team. Inside the 1,5000 sq m shed, there
Independence. She also oversaw the launch
is a four-vessel Premier Stainless 25 hectolitre
of the IBA’s Beer Labeling Guidelines and the
brewhouse, capable of producing 10,000 to
association’s merger with Good Beer Week.
20,000 litres per day. Cheeky Monkey is aiming
“The Board will be reviewing the
to brew 1 million litres per year, but there is
requirements of the executive office over
considerable room for growth moving forward, with a potential capacity of 4 million litres a
the next few months,” IBA Chair Jamie Cook The site also features a fully automated
wrote in an email to IBA members.
year. The original brewery will continue to brew
bottling and canning line, as well as an in-
as a “product development site”.
house laboratory and a small bar located in
closely with Kate Paterson (Head of Industry
the heart of the brewery.
Development), Siobhan Kerin (Head of
“Because the shed is so big, we have plenty more room to expand and grow,” explains
“We want our customers to be immersed
“In the meantime I will be working
Events), Jason Sommers (Event Manager)
Brent Burton, managing director of Cheeky
in the production brewery experience,” adds
and Sophie Taylor (Public Affairs Manager) to
Monkey. “It’s a purpose-built production
Burton. “You can go to a lot of brewpubs
implement our plans.”
brewery. When you’re constructing a new
these days where you can see the brewery
building and installing new equipment there
through the bar, but we thought we’d like to
for her service and wishes her well in her
are delays that keep popping up, but we’re
take that one step further and put a little bar
future endeavours.”
finally at the end of the road now. It’s really
in the middle of the production brewery. That
exciting stuff for us.”
will be quite interesting to see.”
“The Association thanks Ms Roitman
In the same email, Cook also notified IBA members that the association’s head office has been moved to Melbourne.
Cider Australia urges government to update cider definition
“As the IBA and Good Beer Week entities and team head towards the finalisation of the merging process we have decided to relocate the merged team to a new location in Melbourne,” Cook explained. The new IBA office address is Level 3/306
Cider Australia is calling on the Federal Government to introduce a minimum juice
Smith Street in Collingwood – above popular
content for cider and streamline regulatory
beer bar BeerMash
requirements for Australian cider. The body says the current regulatory framework is holding back growth and making it difficult for consumers and producers to differentiate higher quality products in the marketplace. In its position statement on cider product integrity, Cider Australia said: “Cider Australia estimates that over 85 per cent of the cider ‘made in’ Australia is actually ‘made
defines apple and/or pear brandy, apple
with’ imported juice concentrate and not
and/or pear spirit, fortified cider and
Australian grown fruit as you’d expect.”
Method Traditional cider and the permitted
Cider Australia said it proposes that
ingredients and compositional requirements
the Government implements a minimum
for each product explicitly; states the
standard with respect to the proportion of
additives and processing aids that may
juice in cider of 50 per cent (by weight of
be used to produce each product; and sets
finished product); redefines the meaning of
out compositional requirements for each
cider and perry to exclude added alcohol and
product including a maximum ABV for cider
permit all pome fruit products (currently
and perry of 15 per cent (currently there is no
only apple and pear products are allowed);
upper limit).
WInter 2019 9
WORLD NEWS
World News WHAT’S MAKING HEADLINES IN THE WORLD OF BEER?
10 www.beerandbrewer.com
United Kingdom
Germany
USA
CARLSBERG’S BOLD NEW STRATEGY
STONE BREWING LEAVES BERLIN
CRAFT BEER MARKET GROWS
Carlsberg UK turned heads worldwide in late April with an ad campaign that admitted its lager is “probably not the best beer in the world” – a play on the brewery’s former advertising motto. The reportedly 20 million GBP campaign is part of a relaunch of the brewery’s flagship beer, which has been revamped with a new recipe and a new name. According to Carlsberg, Carlsberg ‘Danish Pilsner’ has been “completely rebrewed from head to hop”. A Carlsberg Group representative said that the recipe would not be updated outside of the UK.
Stone Brewing has waved farewell to its Berlin location, less than five years after opening. At the time, the brewery – located in the Mariendorf neighbourhood – was the first American craft brewery to open in Europe. “Ultimately the project turned out to be too big, too bold and too early in our growth curve in Europe,” said co-founder Greg Koch. Scottish craft beer giant Brewdog acquired the 100-hectolitre brewery and expansive taproom from Stone. Brewdog has had a bar in Berlin since 2017 and will also open a site in the city of Hamburg this year.
In a shrinking US beer market, the Brewers Association recently released annual growth figures for the US craft brewing industry that show 4 percent volume growth. In 2018, small and independent brewers collectively produced 25.9 million barrels, increasing craft overall beer market share by volume to 13.2 percent. Retail dollar value was estimated at $27.6 billion, representing seven percent growth over 2017. Also, growth for small and independent brewers occurred in an overall down beer market, which dropped 1 percent by volume in 2018.
Peru
Mexico
BEER CENTRAL TO ANCIENT SOCIETY
LAWMAKER PROPOSES BAN ON COLD BEER
Archaeologists who uncovered an ancient brewery believe beer was a central part of a centuries-old Peruvian society. During the reign of the Wari Empire (600-1100 AD), elite members of the society were said to have consumed a sour, beer-like alcoholic drink called ‘chicha’, fermented from corn and pepper berries. The brewery was uncovered at the site of Cerro Baúl, a centre of diplomacy for the ancient empire. Researchers believe that the Wari Empire held large beer festivals in an effort to bring together the diverse groups that made up the society.
A Mexico City lawmaker has introduced a motion to ban the sale of cold beer in an effort to curb public and underage drinking, sparking public outrage. The initiative, which aims to limit alcohol available for immediate consumption, was proposed by politician Lourdes Paz Reyes in parliament. Social media was quick to respond, uniting around the hashtag #ConLasCervezasNo, or ‘Don’t Mess With Our Beer’. Paz Reyes’ proposal is in response to a reported increase in the number of these ‘chelerias’ that sell cheap beer to be consumed immediately.
Canada
FROM BEER TO BUD Canada’s oldest and largest independent brewery Moosehead is branching out into the cannabisinfused beverage business. The brewery announced a joint venture with Sproutly – a leading supplier of water-soluble cannabis solutions – in early May. The goal of the project, according to Moosehead CEO Andrew Noland, is to create a range of non-alcoholic drinks that taste good and provide a “controllable cannabis experience lasting up to 90 minutes”. Each company will hold a 50 percent stake in the joint venture, which will become a standalone business.
Russia
BUDWEISER BUILDS FOOTBALL PITCH FROM PLASTIC CUPS Budweiser, which officially sponsored the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, has revealed a unique football pitch built from recycled plastic beer cups. More than 50,000 cups collected at arenas and fan sites after the tournament last year were used to create the sports facility in Sochi. The innovative 65 x 42 metre pitch ties in with Budweiser’s sustainability aims, with the brand recently pledging that every single bottle of beer it brews will be powered with renewable electricity by 2025.
Singapore
TIGER REVEALS NEW CONCEPT STORE Tiger Beer has unveiled a new concept store at the recently opened Jewel Changi, a new $1.7 billion shopping mall at Singapore’s international airport. Tiger Street Lab features exclusive seasonal brews that put a new spin on the classic Tiger recipe, only available at the airport location. The first beer to be released is an Orchid-infused Black Lager, offering a lighter and sweeter taste when compared to Tiger’s flagship offering. The venue overlooks the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, located at the middle of the new development.
WInter 2019 11
LEATHERMAN SIGNAL
BITS XXXXXXX & BOBS
The Leatherman Signal takes the traditional multi-tool to new heights, making sure you’ll always be prepared for the unexpected. Including a Firestarter, hammer, one-handed opening blade and emergency whistle, Leatherman says this is a “travel companion you can’t afford to be without”. Whether you’re skiing, mountain biking, canyoning or have any other kind of outdoor adventure planned for winter and beyond, this handy tool has everything you need to stay safe and prepared for every possibility.
BITS BOBS
Leatherman.com.au RRP $289.95
KLEAN KANTEEN 32OZ INSULATED CLASSIC BOTTLE Boasting Climate Lock double-wall vacuum insulation, this Klean Kanteen stainless steel bottle not only keeps your drinks hot for 24 hours but also iced for 90 hours – perfect for enjoying a cold beer in a far-flung location, if you’re that way inclined! The inside of the bottle is safe and non-toxic, and the rounded corners make it easy to clean. There’s also no need to stress about unnecessary leakage, thanks to a leak proof cap. Just pop it in your backpack and off you go.
BEER BOTTLE CUFFLINKS Take your beer love to the next level with these stylish stainless steel cufflinks – a surefire conversation starter at your next wedding or formal event, and the perfect way for two (or more) beer enthusiasts to spot each other in a crowd!
Kleankanteen.com.au RRP $62.95
Beercartel.com.au RRP $29.99
LONELY PLANET’S GLOBAL DISTILLERY TOUR While you’ve probably been to more breweries than you can count, what about distilleries? Travel guru Lonely Planet has released a guide to tasting whisky, gin, bourbon, tequila, cachaça and more at the world’s best distilleries and bars, stretching to more than 30 countries. In each country, distilleries are organised alphabetically by region, and in the entry for each distillery, the authors suggest the must-try drink or tasting experience and recommend local sights to check out too. Australia is represented in the book by 24 distilleries across New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria – so there’s no reason you can’t start exploring the spirits scene right here Down Under, before venturing further afield. Lonelyplanet.com.au RRP $29.99
12 www.beerandbrewer.com
NEW XXXXXXX VENUES
CRAFT BEER GURUS JOIN FORCES ON CO-OP BOTTLE-O The re-launched Oxford Tavern in the Sydney
shop and online store, we’re able to put
suburb of Petersham unveiled a co-op bottle
something really exciting together.”
shop with fellow Inner West craft beer experts
takeaways is a big win for locals. “In bottle shop terms, Petersham is a bit
Thorpe Hospitality has had a close
of a black hole – you’ve got this giant BWS up
Bucket Boys on Anzac Day, adding a much-
working relationship with Bucket Boys
next to Public House, but the range isn’t great
needed craft takeaway option to the area.
for a long time now, so it was a natural
– and we wanted to put something together
partnership to enhance the customer
that more accurately reflected the output of
experience at the Tav.
the area, which is not what BWS sells as a
The co-op focuses primarily on six-packs of tinnies from Aussie breweries, as well as a curated range of singles (sours, saisons, wild
“Johnno and Clint, the guys behind Bucket
ales and stouts), and a few select natural
Boys, have been our really good friends for a
wines and Aussie spirits – all built into a
long time,” Thorpe explained.
dedicated display behind the main bar. James Thorpe, director of Thorpe
“We’ve worked with them at The Taphouse
huge supermarket chain,” added Thorpe. “There’s so much good beer coming out of the Inner West, and that’s what should be on show – not endless macro brands from
and Odd Culture in a wholesale capacity,
overseas. There’s so much awesome natural
Hospitality (which also owns The Taphouse/
because they import a lot of stuff from overseas.
wine and cider being produced here too, and
Odd Culture in Darlinghurst), told Beer &
They also have a really good distribution
that stuff is just not getting a fair crack in
Brewer that what’s on sale is basically a “hero
channel to Tassie, so we were getting Bruny
the big outlets.”
selection” of the Bucket Boys vast range.
Island, Van Dieman and breweries like that
“The part of it that I’m most excited about, with our focus on hyperlocal
through their wholesale portfolio. “More recently Johnno approached us with
There’s also a strong chance that the coop will become a permanent feature of the venue, with Thorpe’s eyes also on a potential
breweries at the Tav, is that we’re curating
the idea of expanding our off-premise side of
mixed six packs along various different
the business – we’ve got two grand old hotel
lines,” he said.
licences at both the Taphouse and the Oxford
to test the waters – it’s by no means a
“Maybe there’ll be an Inner West IPA
expansion of the concept. “We’re trying it out for a couple of months
Tav, and we weren’t really doing anything at
pop-up, the plan is for it to be a long-term
six-pack, maybe a female brewers six-pack,
either venue with them. Johnno proposed the
thing and for us to potentially try something
a Berliner Weisse six-pack – just things like
idea that we partner with them and try to put
similar at the Taphouse as well, which is an
that, that allow the customer to try a whole
something really cool together.”
even worse area for off-premise sales.”
bunch of beers without having to buy cases
While Petersham is now well serviced with
on cases, or if they’re buying singles too it’s
a number of top venues including the Oxford
generally quite expensive.
Tavern (in addition to the White Cockatoo
“With the backing of Bucket Boys’ massive stockholding in their bottle
14 www.beerandbrewer.com
and The Public House), the addition of a craft and locally-focused bottle shop for
The Oxford Tavern X Bucket Boys Co-Op Bottle Shop 1 New Canterbury Rd, Petersham NSW 2049
BREWERY INSURANCE SPECIALISTS
Introducing the ALL NEW CraftCan DUO - 45 - 90 cpm - Servo Seaming - Expandable - Low DO - Compact Design
1300 306 571 brewery@midlandinsurance.com.au midlandinsurance.com.au
MIDLAND INSURANCE BROKERS
Thirsty?
Beer and Brewer Mag_87x119.indd 8
30/07/2018 3:35:24 PM
Get your serve of beer news, brewer interviews, brewery openings and festival information every week.
Unsurpassed Innovation in Canning Systems, Stills and Brew Houses Fully Supported and Serviced in Australia and New Zealand by
Subscribe to the Beer & Brewer weekly e-newsletter by going to
www.beerandbrewer.com
Find us on
info@viniquip.co.nz www.viniquip.com AUS: 1800 209 370 NZ: 0 800 284 647
PORTERS & STOUTS
E B T ’ DON F O D I AFRA … K R A D E H T ARE PORTERS AND STOUTS SUFFERING FROM AN IMAGE PROBLEM IN AUSTRALIA? LUKE ROBERTSON CHATS TO THE BREWERS WHO LOVE AND PRODUCE DARK BEERS TO FIND OUT
When a black beer is poured, with a foamy head, light peeking its way in around the edges, it’s a beautiful thing. Flavours of chocolate, coffee, caramel and more spill from the glass. A heady mix of dark roast malts is waiting to burst onto your palate. Why is it then that these beers get such a bad rap? Why do casual drinkers tend to shy away from them at the mere mention? Do dark beers have an image problem? The answer to the last question is probably a resounding yes, but it does look like things are changing in Australia. Inner-city Sydney brewery The Grifter Brewing Co. makes its Omen Oatmeal Stout year-round for the taproom, then in winter it extends production to cans and kegs for bottleshops, bars and pubs. Co-founder Glenn Wignall puts it simply: “People shouldn’t be put off by colour”.
16 www.beerandbrewer.com
PORTERS & STOUTS
“IT’S HUGE. WHEN WE BRING IT OUT, WE PRESELL IT. WE’VE HAD TO DO A SECOND BATCH THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT SOLD OUT AND DIDN’T GET TO EVERYONE.” SAM FUSS, PHILTER BREWING “A lot of people have it in their heads that dark beers are really heavy. A lot of people say having a Guinness is like having a pie or something,” he says. “Obviously our stout is a fuller beer, and if you’re into easy drinking summer ales and lagers or anything, you’re not going to like it”. However, he says, as awareness around all beer styles grows in Australia, so is awareness of dark beers. According to Wignall, it’s a lack of experience with the style more than anything and beers like The Omen are helping change that.
BY THE TANK LOAD Wignall says last winter time the brewery had a 24 hectolitre tank (2400 litres) dedicated to the Omen. As winter hits Australia this year, he expects the same will happen, and packaging runs will be part of that. Sydney-based Philter Brewing starts production of its Tropical-style Caribbean Stout just before winter begins. After a successful launch last year, it immediately presold the first batch of the 2019 edition. “It’s huge. When we bring it out, we presell it,” says head brewer Samara Fuss. “We’ve had to do a second batch this year because it sold out and didn’t get to everyone”.
The Black Stuff: five Guinness facts
Not too far from Sydney, in Newcastle, Foghorn Brewpub always keeps stouts and porters in its regular lineup. Brewing only for the brewpub, in 1800 litre
We could hardly do a story about dark beers without talking Guinness. Here are some fast Guinness facts:
batches, co-founder and head brewer Shawn Sherlock
• In 1959 Guinness pioneered the use of nitrogen gas to serve its Draught Stout. It’s a way to approximate cask-style ale, while using keg dispense.
service. He is passionate about the two styles and finds
• Launching in 1759, it’s not the oldest brewing company in the world (that’s Weihenstephaner c1040) but being brewed in 50 countries worldwide almost 300 years later, it’s certainly one of the most successful.
has the ability to brew small batches for immediate fresh the Newcastle locals extremely receptive to them as well. “Black beers and dark beers were traditionally quite popular here,” Sherlock explains. “[Dating] back to beers like Tooheys Hunter Old, and you can still get
•G uinness is often seen as a heavy, rich beer, but this is a trick of the carbonation. In fact, it has less calories and lower carbs than many pale lagers.
Tooheys Old fairly widely here, even though it’s no
• Guinness isn’t actually black. Sure, it looks black in a dimly lit Irish pub, but take it outside, hold it up to some bright light and you’ll see the edges are actually a dark ruby red.
was Tooheys Hunter Old”.
• Ireland is only the third largest market for Guinness. The UK is second. Number one? Nigeria! That’s right. Nigeria drinks more Guinness than any other country.
says he can’t be sure why they are popular in that part
longer Hunter. Certainly one of my first favourite beers Sherlock says if he doesn’t have something dark on tap, then he gets complaints from the regulars. He of the world but being such a fan of the styles, he isn’t complaining; he gets to brew them.
WInter 2019 17
PORTERS & STOUTS
On Sydney’s Northern Beaches is Modus Operandi. There you’ll find Silent Knight Porter. Co-founder Grant Wearin says that while it’s a core range beer, it’s not packaged; but for no reason other than they don’t have the space. He thinks it’d sell well if they could get it out nationally. “I have no idea until we try it, if I’m honest. We’ve bought it out nationally as a limited [packaged] and we were really happy with that. Maybe I’d err on the side of yes but we can’t facilitate that,” Wearin explains.
AN AGE-OLD DEBATE It’s one of the most contentious issues in beer. Some say the presence of roasted barley is what differs a stout to a porter, while historically stout was used to distinguish a beer that was stronger than usual. There are brewing records that refer to pale stouts in the late 1700s, which were 100% pale malt and finished strong at around 7% ABV. Now, modern breweries are making pale or white stouts, that are aiming for a modern stout flavour (roasted malts, coffee and chocolate) but with a pale colour. To achieve that they use cold brew coffee or cacao nibs.
Grifter’s Omen Oatmeal Stout in can
If you ask five brewers the difference between stouts and porters in 2019, you’ll get six different answers.
Pair it up!
At Foghorn, Sherlock is firmly in the camp that it’s roasted barley that makes a stout, while porters have dark but less roasty malts, like chocolate and dehusked roast malts. “It’s a bit of a defining one for me,” Sherlock says. “I tend to use different roast grains or darker malts in porters, and not so much of that roast barley. I’m a bit of a stout purist in terms of that roast barley element. “A lot of brewers have moved away from that intense
Stouts and porters are often served at either the start of the meal with raw oysters, or at the end of the meal with dessert. However, Grant Wearin from Modus Operandi suggests using them in the meal itself. The Modus Silent Knight Porter, he says, is great as a replacement for braising liquid like stocks and wine, in slow cooked dishes. With a Tropical Stout, Fuss says Caribbean style food, like Jamaican Jerk Chicken is an obvious one. The rich spices, heat, and bright citrus flavours work excellently well with the roasted drinkability of the stout.
roast barley, but I really like that roast character when it’s done well”. Sherlock also makes a Brown Porter, another style that has historical roots in the 1700s but has fallen out of favour in modern times, with most porters being black and a bit more chocolatey, whereas brown ales lean towards a hoppier and more fragrant style. “We do one here that doesn’t sell very well,” he adds. “It’s not a popular beer, but it’s one of my favourites that we do”. At Modus, Wearin doesn’t think there is much of a difference, especially when it comes to the person tasting it in the glass. He suggests only the most advanced beer judges and drinkers are able to pick up the differences between the two styles. “If you’re tasting blind, I think you’d need a pretty spot-on palate to distinguish the difference,” he says, but adds that he thinks it’s a bit of a moot point anyway: “I’ve never met someone that says ‘I only drink stouts, I don’t drink porters’ or vice versa”. Personally in these cases, I defer to beer historian and writer Martyn Cornell, who wrote on his blog in 2009:
18 www.beerandbrewer.com
Modus Operandi’s Grant Wearin
Tradition brewed with elegance
Independent & family owned, St-Feuillien is an official Abbey Brewery sharing 900 years of pure Belgian tradition & perfection
Now available nationwide website www.bidbeer.com l email: info@bidbeer.com l Phone 02 9667 3755 MOU1123 Horn Please Beer And Brewer Winter Ad_FA_3.pdf
1
9/05/2019
11:37 AM
BidBeer_HPHB_49.indd 1
6/05/2019 1:28 PM
new mountain goat cross breed out now.
WInter 2019  19
PORTERS & STOUTS
Also try… Imperial stout: This style is basically a bigger, richer stout. Higher in alcohol, higher in flavour, it is also a great jumping off point for additions such as coffee, chocolate, and these days, bizarre ingredients like cookie dough and jellybeans. Oyster stout: It’s a stout, with oysters! Stouts are great with oysters, and in the 20th century, brewers decided to just chuck the shells right into the tank. The result is a briney, minerally finish to a roasty stout. Yum. Baltic porter: Like the Caribbean stout, this is a porter made with lager yeast. It’s a result of Baltic countries wanting to make dark beers, but only having cool climates and lager yeast at hand. It’s a delicious style that more brewers should make!
Philter’s Carribean Stout
“We’ve been unable to find any real difference between porter and stout except that stout was originally stronger”. He goes on to say, that seeing as that it’s no longer the case, then maybe there is no difference.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS Stouts and porters tend to be seen as big, flavourful and
Black IPA: All the dark malt character of porters and stouts, but loaded with modern hops to create citrus and chocolate combinations that may not work on paper but are incredible when done right.
“WE’VE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANY REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PORTER AND STOUT EXCEPT THAT STOUT WAS ORIGINALLY STRONGER.” MARTYN CORNELL, BEER WRITER
punchy, but it’s the minute differences that distinguish each of these brewer’s versions. For example, Fuss’s Caribbean Stout actually uses lager rather than ale yeast, because that’s how the style came about. When the British began sending beer over to the tropics during colonisation, they sent dark beer. As time went on, and lager became the most popular global beer style, locals still had a taste for dark beer, so stout began to be brewed with lager yeast. Like the Baltic porter (which also uses lager yeast), and the IPA, it’s a style that was born out of British colonial times. Hence the tropical designation refers to its history, rather than its flavour. Both Grifter and Foghorn use calcium carbonate to adjust the water profile in their stouts, however Grifter uses rolled oats for mouthfeel and only a small addition of bittering hops. Foghorn, on the other hand, uses a large amount of hops in its Sligo Extra Stout. The extra stout is a style that was also one that was exported by Britain, and Sherlock says it’s a great one for hopping up with modern US varieties; in this case Citra. While all of these have small differences, each of the four breweries interviewed for the story said one thing is crucial when making a stout or a porter: you should always want to have more than one and sessionability should always be on the brewer’s lips.
20 www.beerandbrewer.com
Modus Operandi’s Silent Knight Porter
We believe that craft beers deserve crafted glasses.
These are our CRAFT BEER glasses. The Spiegelau Craft Beer Glasses have been approved by an expert tasting panel of master brewers and industry professionals. Focusing on beer enjoyment, members of the tasting workshop tested multiple glass shapes to find the best glass for India Pale Ale, Stout, and American Wheat Beer. In the experts’ opinion, the custom-shaped glasses successfully deliver the complexity of aromas on the nose, while demonstrating the optimum beer texture, balance, and flavour intensity on the palate. Staying faithful to the spirit of Bavarian artisan craftsmanship, we have created these unique, functional glasses to bring out the best in complex craft beers.
The Craft Beer Range is available at David Jones, Myer and selected homewares stores or online at www.spiegelau.com.au
Enjoying a beer selection at The Taphouse in Darlinghurst, our Top Beer Venue for 2019
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
The esteemed panel Luke Robertson, Beer Writer, Ale of a Time Peter Mitcham, Beer Writer, Brews News Charlie Whitting, Editor, Beer & Brewer, and Assistant Editor, National Liquor News Liam Pereira, General Manager, Institute of Beer Will Ziebell, Senior Writer, The Crafty Pint
Australia’s 2019
Top 65 Beer Venues
BEER & BREWER’S LIST OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST VENUES FOR BEER IS BACK, AND THIS TIME WE’VE FINETUNED THE SELECTION FOR YOU
T
he beer venue scene in Australia
state capitals. The competition was so fierce
has perhaps never been stronger,
this year that the venues are not listed in order –
with places dedicated to serving
they are all spectacular places to enjoy beer
quality beers popping up in every
and hospitality.
state capital, as well as further afield in regional outposts. The
Many that are celebrated on one list also showcase qualities that would have made them at home on
venues available to us now are a diverse bunch,
another, and as a result, many were chosen in a
so this year, we’ve decided to change a few things
variety of categories. However, we have listed them
regarding the list.
only in the area in which they especially excelled.
Because of the varied style of beer venues out
However, five venues were deemed so impressive in
there now, we’ve created a series of smaller lists
so many categories that we have listed them opposite
that highlight and celebrate some of the traits that
as our panel’s overall favourites. It is here that you
our esteemed judging panel of 23 beer writers and
will find the top five beer venues in Australia.
industry experts has always looked for alongside a well-kept cellar. Our Top 65 Beer Venues have been split into six
It is important to stress this is a subjective list, so it is by no means exhaustive or definitive. Australia’s beer venue scene is so strong these
categories. Each category features nine venues
days that it is impossible to include everyone that
that excel in a particular facet of beer hospitality:
we love, and there were some incredibly difficult
beer range, community engagement, décor and
choices that had to be made.
beer garden, food, and staff and service. We also
So instead sit back with the magazine, go
have selected 15 regional venues that are flying
through this list and find the beer venue that
the flag of great beer beyond the walls of the
you’re going to visit next!
22 www.beerandbrewer.com
Ross Lewis, Editor, The Sip, Executive Officer, WA Brewers Association Pia Poynton, Beer Writer, Girl +Beer Tim Charody, The Beer Pilgrim Tina Panoutsos, Associate Director, Beer Knowledge, CUB Deborah Jackson, Editor, National Liquor News Brad Flowers, Owner, Hops and More Mike Cridge, Beer Writer, Craft Beer House Justin Fox, Bintani John Elliott, Chief Craft Beer Reviewer, Craft Beer Reviewer Michael Rodrigues, Managing Director Australia, Time Out Media Tam Allenby, Editor, BARS&clubs, and Assistant Editor, Beer & Brewer John Kruger, Beer Photographer Emily Lloyd-Tait, National Food & Drink Editor, Australia, Time Out Media Guy Southern, Contributor, The Crafty Pint Jono Outred, Contribtor, The Craft Pint Andy Young, Editor, The Shout Cameron Flett, Manager, Warners at the Bay Bottleshop Craig Hawtin-Butcher, Editor, Australian Hotelier
WINNER
TOP 65 BEER VENUES BEST BEER VENUE
The Panel’s Picks WHILE THE REST OF THE TOP 65 ARE RANKED IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, THESE FIVE VENUES SCORED HIGHLY IN NUMEROUS CATEGORIES AND WERE THE JUDGING PANEL’S OVERALL FAVOURITES. AND NONE SCORED MORE HIGHLY THAN THE TAPHOUSE IN DARLINGHURST, WHICH HAS TAKEN THE BEER & BREWER TOP SPOT BACK TO SYDNEY!
2019
The Taphouse
122 FLINDERS ST, DARLINGHURST NSW 2010 Taphousedarlo.com.au The title of Australia’s Top Beer Venue returns to Sydney, with Darlinghurst’s Taphouse taking huge amounts of plaudits from the judging panel. With a cosy, welcoming pub on the ground floor, a new bar Odd Culture with a peerless beer list on the next floor, and a terrace on the roof where you can sit and sip in the Sydney sunshine. It’s a worthy winner. “With its creaky wooden stairs twisting up three levels of dining and drinking spaces complete with cosy nooks, mood lighting and even a great little rooftop bar top settle in to, I’ve always been a big fan of the décor and vibes at the Local Taphouse. I usually come for the beer and food but stay for the ambiance.” Tim Charody, The Beer Pilgrim “It’s just always an excellent range in here and the beer is kept well and tastes good.” Andy Young, The Shout “Always has top notch staff and the team has expanded with some stellar beer staff behind the bar.” Liam Pereira, Institute of Beer
Bar Josephine
295 BARKLY ST, FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011 Facebook.com/ barjosephine295 “It’s welcoming, yet dark. The perfect place to hide out with a book (plenty of classics on the shelves), or poke around looking at the random art. The beer garden is a low key affair full of shade and sun. Plenty of dogs hanging out too. It feels like a space for everyone to relax. It’s where I want to hang out. Great taps that regularly change, lovely staff, and a fun place to make new friends at the bar.” Luke Robertson, Ale of a Time
Dutch Trading Co
243 ALBANY HWY, VICTORIA PARK WA 6100 Thedutchtradingco.com.au “A haven for those beers that are hard to obtain. Drinkers can be confident the overseas range at DTC arrives in good shape and is stored correctly. Its recent offerings from Boon in Belgium were a delight. Always a good mix of local and overseas brews.” Ross Lewis, The Sip and WA Brewers Association
Union Hotel
576 KING ST, NEWTOWN NSW 2042 Unionnewtown.com.au “There’s a rotating tap list, regular tap takeovers, hearty food, a cozy beer garden, friendly staff and a general pub vibe that makes you want to hang around. It might not be the newest or the shiniest, but I always come back to The Union.” Tam Allenby, Beer & Brewer, BARS&clubs
Bitter Phew
1/137 OXFORD ST, DARLINGHURST NSW 2010 Bitterphew.com “If I am looking for a great international beer range Bitter Phew is always one of my picks. It’s also one of the venues I always take beer fans from overseas. A world class beer venue that has a great mix of taps and an epic bottle list. Super keen staff and a new restaurant downstairs that combine to make an amazing venue.” Liam Pereira, Institute of Beer
WInter 2019 23
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
Petition Beer Corner
Beer range THESE 10 VENUES HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE QUALITY AND DIVERSITY OF THEIR BEER RANGE. IF YOU’RE LOOKING TRY A BROAD SELECTION OF BEERS, THESE ARE THE PLACES TO GO
STATE BUILDINGS, ST GEORGES TCE &, BARRACK ST, PERTH WA 6000 Petitionperth.com
“16 taps and an ever-rotating list of fantastic craft beers. They also have tap-takeovers and great food.” Mike Cridge, Craft Beer House
Royal Albert Mr West
106 NICHOLSON ST, FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011 Mrwest.com.au
Sweeney’s
236 CLARENCE ST, SYDNEY NSW 2000 Hotelsweeneys.com.au “Easily Sydney’s largest rotating craft beer tap selection with a different tap takeover every Friday only showcasing 100% independent brewers.” Brad Flowers, Hops and More
Earl of Leicester Hotel 85 LEICESTER ST, PARKSIDE SA 5063 Earl.com.au
The Rose Fitzroy 406 NAPIER ST, FITZROY VIC 3065 Therosefitzroy.com.au
Beer De Luxe
9 LIME ST, SYDNEY NSW 2000 Beerdeluxe.com.au/king-street-wharf
Welcome to Thornbury 520 HIGH ST, NORTHCOTE VIC 3070 Welcometothornbury.com
24 www.beerandbrewer.com
“Like entering a cave and finding a treasure of craft beer. Highly knowledgeable staff and a solid takeaway offering. The quality wooden bar and timber edge to the décor are reminiscent of a Wild West saloon. But there are no shoot-outs for the beer slingers.” Ross Lewis, The Sip
Carwyn Cellars
877 HIGH ST, THORNBURY VIC 3071 Carwyncellars.com.au “The extensive range of beers packed into every nook of the entrance to this inner-suburban institution is impressive enough. Walk through the glass doors to the bar area beyond and a whole new world of beer awaits. Taps representing an ever-changing array of beers from subtle refreshing lagers through to barrel-aged stouts with plenty in between, Carwyn Cellars also offers a function space, cosy nooks, a small but charming beer garden and a laid-back vibe in tune with the street outside. A dazzling calendar of special events, Style and Brewery Tap Takeovers, and Meet the Brewer nights are the cherry on top.” Peter Mitcham, Brews News
140 COMMONWEALTH ST, SURRY HILLS NSW 2010 Royalalberthotel.com.au “This is what a craft beer venue should be. A regularly changing menu, tap takeovers and beers changed for the seasons. A great beer venue.” Andy Young, The Shout “With a constantly rotating selection of interesting beers at this Surry Hills institution – all helpfully displayed on a screen plugged straight in to Untappd – it’s hard to look past the Royal Albert.” Tam Allenby, Beer & Brewer and BARS&Clubs
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
Community venues THE ON-TRADE IS ABOUT BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, AND THESE PLACES ARE REAL CHAMPIONS OF AND FOR THEIR LOCAL AREAS
Clancy’s, Fremantle
Dove and Olive
“This now sits as my favourite place to hit up when back in Perth. Everyone can come and go as you feel, great pick of WA’s best brews and plenty of room for the kids to burn off the energy.” Justin Fox, Bintani
“From local brewery tastings, to tap take overs, Craft Beer Fight Nights, trivia nights, community events and beer education evenings, The Dove & Olive seems to always have something on for local beer lovers and the community in general. As a venue it has become a meeting point and a real hub of beery entertainment. Great venue and great vibes always.” Tim Charody, The Beer Pilgrim
51 CANTONMENT ST, FREMANTLE WA 6160 Clancysfishpub.com.au/venues/fremantle
156 DEVONSHIRE ST, SURRY HILLS NSW 2010 Doveandolive.com.au
The Henson
91 ILLAWARRA RD, MARRICKVILLE NSW 2204 Thehenson.com.au “I don’t have kids, but if I did – and wanted to make sure they kept themselves busy while I enjoyed a few coldies – I’d take them, like countless parents do, to The Henson. Drop ’em off in the ball pit and you’re good to go.” Tam Allenby, Beer & Brewer and BARS&clubs
Netherworld
186 BRUNSWICK ST, FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD 4006 Netherworldarcade.com
The Fox Hotel
Beach Club Collaroy
“It’s one of Australia’s most inclusive venues. Regularly having events for the LGBTQI+ community, along with an awesome vegan and vegetarian menu, plus great beer and an awesome rooftop. Every suburb and town needs a pub like the Fox. Perfectly easy going, no matter who you are.” Luke Robertson, Ale of a Time
Henley Brook
Forest Lodge Hotel
Noble Hops
117 ARUNDEL ST, FOREST LODGE NSW 2037 Forestlodgehotel.com.au
125 REDFERN ST, REDFERN NSW 2016 Thenoblehops.com
“My local pub and a great family and community venue. There is always a heap of families having a meal together or University departments having drinks there.” Liam Pereira, Institute of Beer
“Noble Hops has a very strong events and education program.” Emily Lloyd-Tait, Time Out Media
351 WELLINGTON ST, COLLINGWOOD VIC 3066 Thefoxhotel.com.au
1058 PITTWATER RD, COLLAROY NSW 2097 Thebeachclub.com.au
9810 W SWAN RD, HENLEY BROOK WA 6055 Thehenleybrook.com.au
“As a proud Victorian I really should focus on the many great venues here at home. But when others are taking these leads and creating spaces as good as Netherworld then credit where credit is due. Combining great beer, friendly (if a little quirky) service and great beer food with a venue that spans both the video game arcades of my youth AND the fond familiarity of a family board game night needs no further words other than; “Go Directly to Netherworld. Do Not Pass ‘GO’!!” Peter Mitcham, Brews News
“This is one place I really enjoy taking my family to. Great range of craft beers on tap and plenty of space for the kids to run around.” Mike Cridge, Craft Beer House
WInter 2019 25
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
Décor and beer garden
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR AMAZING SURROUNDINGS IN WHICH TO ENJOY THE FINEST BEERS, THEN CHECK OUT THESE PLACES, WHICH OFFER SENSATIONAL DÉCOR, GLORIOUS BEER GARDENS OR BOTH!
Fat Bob’s Bar and Grill
80A COCHRANES RD, MOORABBIN VIC 3189 Fatbobs.com.au
Courthouse Hotel, Newtown
202 AUSTRALIA ST, NEWTOWN NSW 2042 Solotel.com.au/venue-details/ pub/courthouse-hotel
“Sometimes, the harder they are to find, the more joy there is in the discovery. Down a narrow lane, behind a non-descript factory, off a service lane, on a busy divided road, in a light industrial estate is Fat Bob’s Bar & Grill. But the destination is well worth the journey. A sensory assault of hustle and bustle built in layers of open-kitchen banter, a bar heaving with local independent beer and a blanket tapestry of brightly-lit vintage and modern signage is matched by the quality of the hand-made burgers.” Peter Mitcham, Brews News
Caboose
639 BEAUFORT ST, MOUNT LAWLEY WA 6050 Caboosebeer.com “With one of the longest sides of the venue able to open on to the street Caboose goes from a small to a decentsized venue. By being exposed to the outside Caboose seems to be immediately engaged with the surrounding entertainment district.” Ross Lewis, The Sip and WA Brewers Association
Great Northern Hotel
644 RATHDOWNE ST, CARLTON NORTH VIC 3054 Gnh.net.au “Is this the country’s biggest beer garden? Great vibe, great beers on tap, and plenty of sunny spots to settle in for a schooner or three.” Tam Allenby, Beer & Brewer, BARS&Clubs
Rose and Crown, Guildford
Public House, Petersham
“I might be biased as I live in Guildford but if I am to base this on beer garden then it is hard to pass this up. One of the best green spaces/beer gardens in Australia in my opinion.” Mike Cridge, Craft Beer House
“Woodfired pizza, a solid list of local beers, and one of the best beer gardens in Sydney in which to consume both? Sign me up.” Tam Allenby, Beer & Brewer, BARS&Clubs
105 SWAN ST, GUILDFORD WA 6055 Rosecrown.com.au
Frankie’s
50 HUNTER ST, SYDNEY NSW 2000 Frankiespizzabytheslice.com
26 www.beerandbrewer.com
292 STANMORE RD, PETERSHAM NSW 2049 Publicpetersham.com.au
Highway Hotel, North Plympton 290 ANZAC HWY, PLYMPTON SA 5038 Thehighway.com.au “Massive beer garden. It’s not new, but it’s still one of the best.” John Kruger, Beer Photographer
Durham Arms
2 JARDINE ST, KINGSTON ACT 2604 Thedurhampub.com.au
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
Best Food BEER AND FOOD MATCHING IS A GREAT WAY TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON, AND AT THESE VENUES YOU CAN BE ASSURED OF A GREAT BEER AND A GREAT FEED TOO
Franklin Hotel 92 FRANKLIN ST, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Thefranklinehotel.com.au
Bluebonnet
124-126 LYGON ST, BRUNSWICK EAST VIC 3057 Bluebonnetbbq.com.au “Following many years of pop-ups that saw the venue move across Melbourne, Bluebonnet now has a home in Brunswick East. It means if you like hearty meals and your meat cooked low-and-slow paired with a quality beer, Bluebonnet’s the spot for you.” Will Ziebell, Crafty Pint
Bloodhound Corner Bar and Kitchen 454 BRUNSWICK ST, FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD 4006 Bloodhoundcornerbar.com.au
Miss Katie’s Crab Shack
325 SMITH ST, FITZROY VIC 3065 Misskatiescrabshack.com
Unicorn Hotel
106 OXFORD ST, PADDINGTON NSW 2021 Theunicornhotel.com.au
Matilda 159
159 DOMAIN RD, SOUTH YARRA VIC 3141 Matilda159.com
Old Faithful
Catfish
86 KING ST, PERTH WA 6000 Oldfaithfulbar.com.au
30 GERTRUDE ST, FITZROY VIC 3065 Thecatfish.com.au
“One of the WA’s best bases for BBQ. Its lunch menu is particularly appetising for those with limited time. A beer, with a heavy emphasis on local product, and a sliced brisket sandwich for a reasonable price – and taste.” Ross Lewis, The Sip and WA Brewers Association
“The best cheesesteaks in the city. Meaty, cheesy, greasy and soft. A good range of hot sauces, vego options, and great chips. Exactly what you need for a night out.” Luke Robertson, Ale of a Time
Brand creation and packaging design for the drinks industry. Rear 52 Glasshouse Road Collingwood VIC 3066 Tel: 03 9495 6300 trish@designenergy.com.au
www.designenergy.com.au
Riverland, Melbourne FEDERATION WHARF 1-9, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 Riverlandbar.com
“The menu caters to plenty of tastes, including fussy eaters, with quick in-and-out snacks, wellexecuted pub faves and an outdoor BBQ with the best dogs in the CBD.” Peter Mitcham, Brews News
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
Best service KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HELPFUL STAFF ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A GOOD PUB EXPERIENCE, AND THESE PLACES KNOW HOW TO TREAT THEIR GUESTS
Strange Company 5 NAIRN ST, FREMANTLE WA 6160 Strangecompany.com.au
Si Paradiso
446 BEAUFORT ST, HIGHGATE WA 6003 Facebook.com/siparadiso
Thomas Olive
ABOVE ST CRISTPIN, 300 SMITH ST, COLLINGWOOD VIC 3066 Stcrispin.com.au
Refuge
5/50 SUBIACO SQUARE RD, SUBIACO WA 6008 Refugesmallbar.com.au
1219 HIGH ST, ARMADALE VIC 3143 Otterspromise.com “Dan and Soozi have helped Otter’s Promise become a local hangout for all of Armadale. Where there was no craft beer before, this duo had to work hard to win over the locals. And they do it every day by being welcoming and friendly. Plus they know their stuff.” Luke Robertson, Ale of a Time
Half Acre
112 MUNRO ST, SOUTH MELBOURNE VIC 3205 Halfacre.com.au
Otter’s Promise
West Thebby Social Club
53 SOUTH RD, THEBARTON SA 5031 Westthebbysocialclub. com.au “Great staff, good food all day, always changing beers, great music, different spaces, it’s all good! They love the beers, music and food as much as the punters. They’re honest and will even tell you if they don’t enjoy sours when asking for a recommendation.” John Kruger. Beer Photographer
Bucket Boys
GROUND FLOOR/300 ILLAWARRA RD, MARRICKVILLE NSW 2204 Bucketboys.com.au “The team at Bucket Boys have always had a great level of beer knowledge and have hosted some great educational events.” Liam Pereira, Institute of Beer
Local Taphouse, St Kilda
184 CARLISLE ST, ST KILDA EAST VIC 3183 Thelocal.com.au “Still a great base for craft beer knowledge and is very supportive of the brewing industry. Some of the biggest craft beer ideas this decade have emanated from the St Kilda brew haven.” Ross Lewis, The Sip and WA Brewers Association
28 www.beerandbrewer.com
Have you seen Beer & Brewer online?
For the latest news, upcoming events and happenings in the world of beer check out...
www.beerandbrewer.com
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
Best Regional Venues THERE ARE FANTASTIC BEER VENUES ALL ACROSS AUSTRALIA, AND THESE FINE ESTABLISHMENTS ARE FLYING THE FLAG IN REGIONAL TOWNS BEYOND THE STATE CAPITALS
Cambrian Hotel
200 ARNOLD ST, NORTH BENDIGO VIC 3550 Facebook.com/cambrianbendigo “Ardent supporters of local and independent craft beer, the Cambrian is a pub that does everything a good pub should and more. Family friendly, focused on quality food beer and wine, it’s not just the place every beer fan in Bendigo should visit but a reason to travel to the regional city too.” Will Ziebell, Crafty Pint
Earl of Spencer, Albany
60 EARL ST, ALBANY WA 6330 Facebook.com/ theearlofspencer
Swings Tap House, Dunsborough 85 BUSSELL HWY, MARGARET RIVER WA 6285 Swings.com.au
Welders Dog
37 DOWE STREET, TAMWORTH NSW 2340 Facebook.com/ weldersdogtamworth
Wye River Pub
19-21 GREAT OCEAN RD, WYE RIVER VIC 3221 Wyebeachhotel.com.au “Wye river has absolutely everything you need for a relaxing getaway - a beach, a pub and a general store. The fact that the beer list showcases the surf coast’s best brews makes this idyllic destination my pick to enjoy an arvo with friends, family and fantastic frothies.” Justin Fox, Bintani
Handlebar, Bendigo
73 MITCHELL ST, BENDIGO VIC 3550 Handlebarbendigo.com “This outdoor venue behind a café is community-owned. A whole lot of locals saw the space and thought it could be a good little bar. So they chipped in and bought it. Great taps, great tins and bottles and live music. Hard to beat.” Luke Robertson, Ale of a Time
Monkey Bar, Dubbo
24 WINGEWARRA ST, DUBBO NSW 2830 Themonkeybar.com.au “Owned and operated by married couple and self-confessed craft beer addicts Tim and Cass Smith. They have really showcased craft beer to the Bush.” Brad Flowers, Hops and More
30 www.beerandbrewer.com
Grain Store, Newcastle
64-66 SCOTT ST, NEWCASTLE EAST NSW 2300 Grainstorenewcastle.com.au “What stands out for me in this well laid-out, well-stocked craft beer venue is the food. From top-notch pizzas and burgers to chilli squid salad, perfectly done rib-eye steak, porter-beef ragout, smoked salmon fettuccini, jalapeño poppers, sticky pork belly bites and some of the best buffalo wings I’ve ever tasted, you’ll have plenty of delicious tucker in your belly to soak up all those IIPAs and imperial stouts.” Tim Charody, The Beer Pilgrim
TOP 65 BEER VENUES
Blind Monk, Newcastle
76 BEAUMONT ST, HAMILTON NSW 2303 Theblindmonk.com.au
Settlers Tavern, Margaret River 114 BUSSELL HWY, MARGARET RIVER WA 6285 Settlerstavern.com
Saint John Craft Beer Bar
133 ST JOHN ST, LAUNCESTON TAS 7250 Saintjohncraftbeer.com.au
Darleen’s Busselton
43 PRINCE ST, BUSSELTON WA 6280 Facebook.com/darleens.taphouse. busselton “The more people that are able to visit Darleen’s, the more I expect this to climb on the list.” Guy Southern, Crafty Pint
Fire Station, Busselton 68 QUEEN ST, BUSSELTON WA 6280 Firestation.bar
“There is a clash of worlds; an old depot for firefighters has been turned into a venue to showcase modern beers. A fine selection of product from across the country, with an emphasis on many of the local breweries in its region.” Ross Lewis, The Sip
The Goods Shed Wodonga
1/71 CHURCH ST, WODONGA VIC 3690 Thegoodsshedwodonga.com.au “Leading the renaissance is a smartly-outfitted good beer venue, The Goods Shed. A carefully curated beer list shows maturity beyond the experience of the owners, as smaller quantities and a constantly changing line-up provides interest and freshness, year-round. The food offering is every bit as good as the beer list and, as a result, The Goods Shed is swiftly making this new development the ‘right side of the tracks’.” Peter Mitcham, Brews News
WInter 2019 31
HOMEBREWING EQUIPMENT
Homebrew
FOR YOU
M
Steve (Hendo) Henderson of Rock Star Brewing Academy talks homebrewing at Grain & Grape’s System Wars event
HOMEBREWING EQUIPMENT COMES IN MANY SHAPES AND SIZES, SO WHAT DO BUDDING AND EXPERIENCED HOMEBREWERS ALIKE NEED TO KNOW, ASKS CHARLIE WHITTING?
any of us will
greater range of brewing kits and equipment
steer you onto the right path and ensure that
remember our
from which to choose. The craft brewing
you’re purchasing equipment that suits your
first homebrewing
movement has heightened everyone’s
individual needs and desires.
experience –
ambitions and technological developments
borrowing some
can now make the brewing process easier,
involvement quaffing beer? Then a simple
kit from friends
“Do you want to make low cost low
faster and less fiddly. So what are the
AMPI Plastic Fermenter and Extract brewing
or relatives, or cobbling together whatever
essential purchases for someone getting
might be for you,” says Dermott Dowling,
implements you could find to see if they
started and are there ways you can improvise
managing director of Beer Co. “Do you want
worked. We will thus most likely have had
with what you’ve already got?
to get into all-grain brewing and brew in a
rather different brewing experiences and
“Homebrewing can be as simple and as
bag (BIAB)? If so, an entry level all-grain
produced beers that varied greatly in quality.
complex as you like,” says Gary Staples,
brewing set-up like a Crown Urn and BIAB
The ‘right’ equipment can take many forms
director of Newera Brewing. “All you really
could be for you. Or do you want to mash and
depending on what kind of homebrew you’re
need is a fermenting vessel, some basic
ferment like a pro? If so, you might want a
setting out to achieve, but given the diversity
household items and a good quality kit beer.
single vessel automated brewing system like
in today’s marketplace and the innovations
It’s amazing how good these can be if you’re
the popular Grainfather with temperature
that are changing the way we brew, it’s worth
careful about how you use them.”
and mash control and Bluetooth wireless
examining what’s actually on the table.
Once you’ve considered what it is you
interactivity. We recommend new-to-all-
want to achieve, talk to experts about how
grain brewers buy individual components in
GETTING STARTED
you can best go about doing so. Homebrew
order of need and budget, and work towards a
For beginners looking to get into
shops, books and magazines, and online or
set-up for life.”
homebrewing, there has never been a
real-life homebrewing clubs can all help to
32 www.beerandbrewer.com
Regardless of the kit you choose, one of the
HOMEBREWING EQUIPMENT
Some additional bits of hombrewing kit to consider - A bench capper. Much safer than a hammer capper. - A second fermenter for bulk priming. Makes carbonation in bottles much more consistent. - A fridge for fermenting with a thermostat and heater. Being able to ferment at the appropriate temperature all year round is a great advantage. - A kegging system is the single thing that makes brewers stick to the hobby. It is so much quicker and easier than bottling and the beer is so much better as a result of being kept at an even temperature and with consistent carbonation. (Supplied by Grain and Grape) - A wort chiller: There’s nothing more tedious after a long brew day to have to muck about with icebaths or ‘no chill’ methods to wait for wort to cool to pitching temps. A simple copper coil hooked up to the garden hose can cool from boiling to around 24C in 15 minutes in winter. (SA Homebrew)
Grainfather homebrewing equipment from Brewmart
most important things you will purchase
USING IT PROPERLY
as a homebrewer is a collection of cleaning
When it comes to making your first or
and sterilisation products. Keeping your
your 101st brew, there are certain rules
equipment and environment clean is
of usage that will forever hold true and
more important than anything – possibly
certain problems that continue to bedevil
even than following the recipe! When it
even the most experienced homebrewer.
comes to cleaning products, it is worth
Homebrew shops and clubs can offer
knowing what’s actually in them. Check
advice and even demonstrations to help
the ingredients and talk to suppliers to
finetune any problems you might be
ensure you’re not using something that
having. That way you can ensure that
might have damaging effects further
you are not just using your equipment
down the line.
properly, but also that you understand
In addition to cleanliness,
how and whether it’s working. They can
temperature will have a huge effect
also teach you what can be done to fix
on how your finished products taste,
problems. The homebrewing community
so having equipment to maintain and
is an engaged and talkative one, so there
monitor temperature is also essential.
will always be someone to plug any gaps
“The biggest improvement that we think improves the quality of your beer
in knowledge or expertise. “The most common question we still
is a temperature controlled fermentation
get from brewers after 29 years is ‘has
space,” says Rowan Florence, team
my beer finished fermenting?’, usually
member at Brewmart Brewing Supplies.
followed by ‘it’s stopped fermenting’,”
“A second hand fridge and a temperature
says John Preston, founder of the Beer
controller is all you need to dial in exactly
& Brewer Award-winning Grain and
the right temperatures for lagers, ales and
Grape homebrew shop. “Being able to
everything in between. This is the easiest
use a hydrometer correctly fixes the
way to eradicate the typical off-flavours
problem and allows a brewer to judge
associated with bad homebrew and is
alcohol content. There’s lots of advice
the best way to ensure that all the time
for homebrewers available from your
you’ve spent hasn’t been for nothing. We
local homebrew shop, clubs, books and
wouldn’t even consider brewing without
internet forums. Brewing is for everyone
one and you shouldn’t either.”
– not just for the handy person.”
Homebrewing with Grainfather
WInter 2019 33
HOMEBREWING EQUIPMENT
brewery equipment sized perfectly for the home user at affordable prices. This means a new homebrewer can very affordably and simply order exactly what they need to make world class beers at home on their own highly functional home brewery.” The homebrewing landscape has changed considerably, with more people getting into it for a diversifying array of reasons. Some may spend years perfecting a single brew, while others may look to out-adventure those at the sharp end of the craft market. Some will have ambitions of turning pro, others will simply be looking for a weekend hobby. Whatever you’re brewing, there has never been a more advanced array of technology, guidance and support when it comes to Homebrewing equipment from Newera Brewing
Modern innovations and professional
equipment, so take a look at what’s out there and get stuck in.
“If you are thinking about taking the back
assistance have reduced the wide range of skills
off an advanced piece of brewing equipment
once required for homebrewing. But while you
to solder wires or drill holes, be careful you
may not need to have the complete skillset of
are qualified to make modifications,” says
a pro brewer, your approach to your brewing
Dowling. “The last thing you want to do to
equipment will still impact your finished
save a few $$$ is burn your house down when
products and your brewing experience overall.
a faulty switch sparks and find your home
Attention to detail and a willingness to try
insurance does not cover DIY wiring on DIY
your hand at anything are important attributes
homebrewing equipment.”
of the satisfied homebrewer. Checking your equipment for faults and building the
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
confidence to troubleshoot and fix problems
The craft beer boom has seen equipment
are part and parcel of the brewing experience.
manufacturers diversify their offer, making
“You really do need the can-do attitude
improvements to systems or developing
to ensure everything continues to work as
new bits of kit that are designed to make the
planned for every brew day and the time
homebrewing process simpler, faster or more
afterwards until it gets poured into that
easily controlled by those with overly loaded
glass,” says Nick Wiseman, sales manager
schedules. Not everyone has an empty garage
for Grainfather Queensland. “It’s like a car,
in which to brew, so more compact systems
you should be checking your oil levels, air
have been developed that allow people to brew
pressure and other parts for wear and tear
in their apartments. Brewing monitors allow
and road worthiness, and keep it (relatively)
people to check their beer wherever they are.
clean – same with brewing. Check that hoses
Some innovations can be seen as taking away
are tight, fittings are tight and clean as soon as
some of the core parts of what it means to be a
you can, so it not only takes less time (no one
homebrewer, but so many others can be a life-
likes cleaning a brewing system that has been
saver for beginners and veterans alike.
sitting out for a while that has caked on wort
“The quality of FWKs and the ease of all
and grain), but is then ready next time to use
grain turn-key homebrewery equipment is
straight away.”
taking over, allowing homebrewers to begin
However, it is also critical not to
making excellent quality beers with a higher
overestimate your DIY credentials when it
level of control than ever before,” says Daniel
comes to homebrewing equipment. There
Heiss, marketing manager for Keg King.
are electrical components involved in
“Coupled with innovative and time-saving
homebrewing that you should really be taking
products like the Fermentasaurus Unitanks,
to a professional if you’re not qualified to fix
homebrewing has now reached a level where
them yourself.
homebrewers can access purpose-built
34 www.beerandbrewer.com
Brewing with homebrew society Westgate Brewers
BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES 500L brewpub systems to 80hL custom production breweries Complete spirit distilling systems Easy to brew - make consistent high quality beer and spirits Contact us now for a how to guide! brett@sparkbrew.com www.sparkbrew.com
BREWING INGREDIENTS: GETTING CREATIVE
Beyond
THE CORE FOUR WHILE GABS IS A CELEBRATION OF THE WILD AND WACKY, THERE IS ALSO A HOST OF MORE MAINSTREAM INGREDIENTS THAT SIT BEYOND THE ‘CORE FOUR’, BUT NEVERTHELESS HAVE HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON BEER AND BREWING OVER THE YEARS AND CONTINUE TO DO SO
L
ast year (Winter 2018), we
“Generally, adjuncts like corn or rice have
price: it is easier to get hold of and a less
wrote about the creativity of
been used extensively as a cheaper source
expensive purchase. But there are other
GABS beers, where brewers
of carbohydrate/sugar for larger brewers,”
grains that brewers can use – in varying
go a little bit mad in a bid to
says Jordan Hynes, Bintani’s export logistics
quantities – that can add something to the
stretch what’s possible in the
specialist. “However, in the craft world we
flavour or texture of a beer, or indeed create
brewing world. Two issues later
are seeing brewers gravitate toward adjuncts
something entirely different. And there are
(Summer 2019), Beer & Brewer assistant editor
like oats, rye and triticale, looking for flavour
plenty to choose from.
Tam Allenby wrote about brewing’s four core
improvements or something to make their
ingredients – hops, malted barley, water and
beers stand out from the pack. For example,
used in brewing are malted rye, rolled or
yeast – and how they were evolving in their
rye malt, notoriously difficult to mash, is
flaked oats and flaked or rolled wheat, and,
own way to change the face of beer itself.
appearing commonly in IPAs giving a spicy/
of course, brewing sugars like dextrose and
peppery addition.”
candi syrup to boost ABV without boosting
However, there are ingredients that sit between these two camps, outside the scope
“The most prevalent adjuncts we see
body too much,” says Dermott Dowling,
the German Reinheitsgebot, but hardly likely
TRADITIONAL GRAINS
managing director of Beer Co. “At the other
to raise too many eyebrows at the bar.
Malted barley rightly stands as the pre-
end of the sugar spectrum, we are seeing a
eminent grain for brewing for a number
rise in the use of lactose in milk stouts and
ingredients come in the form of alternative
of reasons, whether it’s its supreme sugar
milkshake IPAs or pastry beers where brewers
grains, which are there to provide additional
content, its energic enzymes or its helpful
are looking for sweetness and mouthfeel
sugars for the yeasts to feast on to make
husks, all of which contribute to an easier
without fermentability. Some specialist
alcohol. But these ingredients also bring their
brewing experience. Barley’s other major
sugars like maple syrup and honey are also
own characteristics to the finished product.
advantage beyond its sugar content is its
being used by adventurous brewers.”
The most common additions to brewing
36 www.beerandbrewer.com
BREWING INGREDIENTS: GETTING CREATIVE
Voyager Craft Malt sells many different grains for brewing
What do these different ingredients bring to a beer?
Harvesting the crop with Voyager Craft Malt
Wheat: Wheat is predominantly used for head retention but also has the benefit of haze if you are on the haze train when used in high amounts. Large proportions of wheat also tend to give beer a certain lightness of mouthfeel along with a dash of refreshingly crisp acidity. Oats: Oats have found their way well outside oatmeal stout into a variety of styles from IPA and of course NEIPAs where they are often a staple ingredient at up to 10% addition rates. Oats impart a nutty taste and help again with head and mouthfeel giving a beer depth and body. Rye: Rye increases the complexity of beer flavour, giving a spicy quality and can lend a rounded, smooth mouthfeel. Rye sometimes adds a reddish tinge to beers in which it is used. Normally, only small quantities of malted rye are used in modern brewing of speciality beers. The usual proportion is about 10%–20% of the malt bill. Oysters: Oysters have been used in brewing for a while and are not as unknown or out there as some people might think. The saltiness of the oysters typically added late in the boil adds a nice balance to the sweet stout. (Provided by Beer Co)
WInter 2019 37
BREWING INGREDIENTS: GETTING CREATIVE
A beer paddle at Eden Brewery, NSW
The good news for brewers is that these alternative
Probably the biggest contribution of wheat though
grains can generally impart their characteristics even
would be the fuller mouth feel and longer lasting head
when used in smaller dosages. When one considers the
retention due to the added proteins.”
difficulties inherent in brewing something like oats – with its porridgy consistency slowing down the sparge
OTHER GRAINS
and making things considerably messier – this is quite
Beyond these classic alternatives, the endlessly inventive
the bonus.
brewing industry has been looking further afield for
“A brewer may only need to use 5-10% (up to 20%) in
ingredients, often for different reasons. The gluten-free
the total grist to achieve the desired flavour profiles for
market, which has grown strongly in Australia in recent
the particular style,” says Hynes. “Their usage is highly
years, has seen some brewers looking for their sugars
subjective and open to interpretation from brewer to
from non-grain sources. Stuart Whytcross, co-founder
brewer which I guess is what craft brewing is all about.”
and grain grower of Voyager Craft Malt, cites millet,
Perhaps the most identifiable alternative grains
sorghum and buckwheat as gluten-free options, but has
are wheat, oats and rye (see box out). Wheat beer has
also noted other, more outlandish options that are being
carved out an entire style of beer centred around its
used by modern brewers.
unique characteristics. At Eden Brewery in New South
“Triticale, Ethiopian black barley, sunflower seeds,
Wales’ Southern Highlands, around half the taps
teff, Australian native seeds and a range of smoke
might be pouring beers that are driven by wheat, the
malts are a few of the products we’ve been working on
‘personal favourite’ of the alternative grains for head
lately, and consumers are going to see more and more
brewer Jacob Newman because of what they can offer in
of these alternative grains finding their way into beers
terms of flavour and mouthfeel.
over the next few years,” he predicts. “The feedback
“A lot of people have had a bad experience when it
we’re getting from some brewers in relation to these
comes to wheat beers, I think old heffeweizens have
older grains (Ethiopian black barley, ancient tibent
unfortunately given them a bad name,” he explains.
purple hulless barley, clipper, chevallier, schooner)
“In my opinion wheat gives a much softer flavour,
and the amount of acres we are contracting to growers
like white bread or clean grain with a subtle sweet lift.
to plant I think it’s inevitable these grains are going to
38 www.beerandbrewer.com
More flavours from different grains Corn – Dry crisp finish, light colour and flavour Rice – Vanilla like characters, light colour, dry crisp finish Ethiopian Black Barley – Earthy nuttiness Triticale – Biscuit, enhanced body and viscosity (Provided by Voyager Craft Malt)
WHERE PAS SIO
N
MALT M
EE
TS
PRECISION
Signature Malt is a no-compromise malt designed from start to finish specifically for Australian craft breweries. It starts by selecting the best barley in the country from the best performing region. Brewers will enjoy benefits like: · TRACEABILITY · CONSISTENCY · PERFORMANCE · AVAILABILITY
Now available across Australia via Bintani Warehouses.
With 160 years of experience and malthouses in five states, Joe White is perfectly placed to bring the Signature Malt concept to life. They have the right facilities and personnel in position to turn Australia’s best barley into Australia’s best malt.
www.bintani.com.au/signaturemalt/
BREWING INGREDIENTS: GETTING CREATIVE Fruits and spices are increasingly used by craft brewers, but they have a considerable heritage in many brewing traditions. Craft brewers have been quick to utilise traditionally popular fruit varieties like cherries in their beers, but the desire to experiment and bring people things they’ve never tried before has widened the amount of options available exponentially. “Fruit is huge right now,” says Newman. “I can’t think of a beer style that hasn’t been given a chance to have fruit added to it. From pales to sours and even stouts, fruit and berries are everywhere. There’s a lot of variety than can be found down the fruit aisle of most produce stores, but there is also the fact that most beer styles lend themselves to fruit very well. With pale ales and sours dominating the market and with everyone trying to distinguish themselves as making the juiciest, fruitiest hopped beer, it’s no surprise fruit is playing such a big role.” While some fruits and spices will be used sparingly to bring hints of flavours that Examining the crop with The Welders Dog, NSW
complement the overall flavour of the beer, Newman believes that if you are going to use an unusual ingredient then it should feature
be more than just quirky one -offs and you’ll find brewers utilising these grains in varying proportions in a range of craft beers moving forward. I think the platform is really set for some of the nuances in these varieties to shine in the next stage of craft beer - which I think will be a more restrained take on the bigger beer styles (fewer double IIPAs and more altbier and pilsner).” It is important to research each of these new grains to ensure that you can brew successfully with them, but also so that they can complement the beer properly and get a
pretty strongly within the taste profile of the
Which added extras are suited to which beers? •W heat – German style wheat beers and white IPAs •O ats – stouts (nitro and imperial) and porters, Neipas, pale ales •R ye – amber ales and specialty Christmas ales • Lactose – milk stouts
chance to show their merits. After the hop
• Oysters – oyster stouts/porters
crazes of the last decades and the increased
(Provided by Bintani)
focus and experimentation around yeast in
beer. Striving for balance is one of the tenets of brewing, but there is something to be said for striving to bring as much flavour from unusual additions as possible. In South Australia, however, Alistair Turnbull, founder of Lobethal Bierhaus, believes that other additions should complement rather than dominate a “wellmade traditional ale”. However, with craft brewing now a global phenomenon, the world’s crops, fruits and spices are becoming available, and it is possible that some of these newer additions will sit alongside wheat, oats and rye as more standard additions. “The list of adjuncts is never ending,”
recent years, it is perhaps time for brewers
strains with a local farm. “The last 10 years
Turnbull concludes. “While it is probably fair
to give more consideration to the grains that
or so have seen a massive increase in our
to say the focus in craft brewing has generally
they are using, which could prompt another
knowledge of yeast and other microflora
been on hops since I began brewing 12 years
wave of creativity within the craft brewing
and as a result we are in peak mixed culture
ago, many brewers now use all sorts of spices,
world. Different grains could partner with
right now. My bet is that we are going to see
indigenous botanicals, cereals, honey, rose
certain hops in new and interesting ways,
the same thing happen to grain sometime in
petals, local fruits and fruit extracts, coffee,
further widening the scope for variety.
the next decade where we discover alternate
and even chocolate, not to mention a variety
grains and varieties of existing grains that
of different yeast strains. As boundaries are
offer a whole new take on things.”
continually explored it is inevitable that some
“The 90s and 2000s saw a huge focus on hops and provided us with all the awesome hop varieties we use today,” says Phil
of what are presently alternate ingredients
Stevens, head brewer at The Welders Dog
BEYOND GRAINS
will become standards, whether throughout
in regional New South Wales, who has been
Of course, there are also traditional brewing
our industry or simply by being unique to a
investigating the effect of terroir on barley
additions that don’t come in grain form.
beer style from a particular region.”
40 www.beerandbrewer.com
Brew your best batch every time! Test for 6 Key Factors
It’s in the Chemistry
• Total Hardness • Calcium Hardness
The BREWLAB® test kit for Home Brewers quantifies 6 important water test factors. Included is a digital pH meter for monitoring batches from start to finish. Experts agree water conditions affect your final product, so take the mystery out of making great beer. Trust LaMotte, the water analysis experts since 1919, to help you control your most important ingredient—water!
• Total Alkalinity • Sulfate • Chlorine • pH (Digital)
p 02 9624 8842 f 02 9674 5115 e sales@lamottepacific.com lamotte.com/brewlab For more information check out our website!
(Magnesium Hardness)
50+ tests for most factors! Digital pH Tester for unlimited pH tests!
Winter 2019 41
1. Prancing Pony Amber Ale Rich amber colour with lots of malt aroma. The style is based on ‘American Amber’, a malty amber ale with citrus and resinous hop characters. Designed to have good body yet light and easy with ‘long’ flavours and lingering late bitterness. This ale is hopped with American and Australian hops. The perfect ale to share with pasta and steak or hearty home-style cooked meals.
FOOD MATCH Pasta or steak ABV: 5% RRP: $22.50 to $24.50 Prancingponybrewery.com.au
42 www.beerandbrewer.com
2. Hop Nation The Buzz American Red The Buzz is a hop-inspired American red featuring all American hops – Amarillo, Simcoe, Mosaic – and boasting a big-ass malt profile. Layers of rounded red malt a generous slew of piney, spicy, and floral hoppy character. With a striking crimson colour, it’s a rich, flavour-filled red.
FOOD MATCH Gamey, slow-cooked meat, especially duck ABV: 6% RRP $5.50 a can, $19.95 per 4-pack Hopnation.com.au
3. Mornington Brown
4. Burnley Brewing Coffee Brown Ale
Mornington Brown is an Englishstyle brown ale, brewed using classic imported English ale malts. Our Brown displays all the wonderfully rich and toffee characters associated with these malts. Pouring a deep golden brown with hints of red, aromas of toffee, brown sugar and raisins greet the nose. The palate offers more toffee and raisins, with a supporting cast of chocolate and nuts. Rich, fullbodied, smooth and moreish.
Our smooth Coffee Brown Ale is produced in collaboration with These Days Coffee Roasting using single origin batchbrewed Ethoipian Yirgacheffe coffee beans. Canned with nitrogen for a cascading pour, creamy head and smooth mouthfeel, this beer presents notes of dark stone fruit from the coffee, balanced with sweet malt and full body thanks the addition of lactose.
FOOD MATCH
FOOD MATCH
Beef stew, slow-cooked red meat
Soft cheese
ABV: 5% RRP: $6 per can, $20 per 6-pack Mpbrew.com.au
ABV: 5.3% RRP: $24 for 4-pack Burnleybrewing.com.au
RED, AMBER AND BROWN ALE PROMTION
5. Exit Brewing Amber Trophy Winner at the 2017 AIBAs - Best Amber/Dark Ale. Aroma of citrus zest, pine and caramel. Flavours of caramel sweetness, with tropical fruit notes and balanced out with a good dose of bitterness. Amber is a great beer to food match with, as it is a balance of malt sweetness and hoppy bitterness
FOOD MATCH Salmon or grilled meats ABV: 5% RRP: $5 a can, $17.50 per 4-pack Exitbrewing.com
SHOT AT THE PUBLIC HOUSE PETERSHAM
6. Endeavour Amber Ale Creamy and indulgent, our distinctive copper-hued ale combines notes of chocolate, toffee and caramel with spiced fruit cake. The result is a wonderfully sweet palate, framed by a subtle bitterness from Topaz hops. The most complex of our beers, using six different malts, this rich beer really hits the mark. Each harvest release will gracefully continue to evolve in the bottle.
7. BentSpoke Red Nut A hoppy red IPA with piney, resiny hop aromas, Red Nut is characterised by its toffee, caramel malt flavours and balanced bitter finish. A blend of E.K.G, Mosaic, Citra and Fortnight hops add the BentSpoke hop character. Awarded Bronze in the World Beer Cup in 2018, Red Nut is enjoyed by beer lovers all over.
FOOD MATCH Spicy beef nachos
FOOD MATCH Smoked red meats, strong hard cheeses and chocolate desserts
8. Philter Red Here she is: our big, punchy Red Ale. Full of bold hop aromas, this beer is loaded with passionfruit, melon, citrus and even berry notes. A light crystal malt character and medium bitterness to finish make this a ripper of a session ale.
FOOD MATCH Spicy food or a hearty winter meal ABV: 4.8% RRP: $25 per 6-pack Philterbrewing.com
ABV: 7% RRP: $27 per 4-pack Bentspokebrewing.com.au
ABV: 5.2% RRP: $28.99 per 6-pack Endeavourbeer.com
WInter 2019 43
REGIONAL BREWERIES
F O S E R U S A E R T
SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN OUR SECOND INSTALMENT OF THE REGIONAL BREWERY SERIES, WE ARE IN THE REGIONS AROUND THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL OF ADELAIDE, TALKING TO BREWERS MAKING BEER IN ‘WINE COUNTRY’
T
he names of the wine
Pony Brewery. “There are special tables in
regions surrounding
the brewery always reserved for the locals
Adelaide roll off the
and we support local talent in visual arts,
tongue for anyone in the
music and, of course, the clubs and charities
wine game – Adelaide
around us. We employ local, and pretty
Hills, Barossa, McLaren
much all of our suppliers are locals.”
Vale, Clare Valley. But there are brewers
As well as forming bonds with locals,
in these regions that have been around
breweries here also collaborate with each
since the early days of the craft brewing
other to bolster each other’s success.
boom and beyond. Newer brewers are now
Forktree Brewing and Shifty Lizard have
making their home among the myriad
both utilised the facilities at Smiling
vineyards, which means that each of
Samoyed Brewing in McLaren Vale, while
the regions now boasts at least two
Steam Exchange Brewing sees much of its
craft breweries.
beer brewed at Lobethal Bierhaus. This collaborative approach also applies
REGIONAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
to the wineries for which these regions are
Regional breweries face many challenges –
major competitors, but Mary Goodieson,
transportation of equipment to the brewery
who founded Goodieson Brewery with her
and beer beyond, a smaller population size
husband Jeff in 2010, sees the fame in these
that limits the pool of potential customers
regional names as a huge boon.
not to mention staff members. But when it
justifiably famous. They could be seen as
“I think beer and wine tourism go hand
comes to the regions of South Australia, the
in hand, and don’t really see the wine
lifestyle that the area offers is well worth it.
tourism as a rival – without wine tourism
To this end, they have embedded themselves
there would be no beer tourism,” she says.
firmly into communities. “Our local community is our kingdom and
A rich and varied array of small road trips to be made out of Adelaide awaits you, each
we treat our local customers accordingly,”
bursting with fantastic breweries to sample
says Corinna Steeb, co-founder of Prancing
and enjoy! What are you waiting for?
44 www.beerandbrewer.com
Adelaide Hills PRANCING PONY BREWERY 42 Mount Barker Rd, Totness SA 5250 Prancing Pony Brewery was founded in 2011 by husband and wife Frank Samson and Corinna Steeb and a couple of friends. “Frank had been brewing beers since 1983, shortly after arriving in Australia from Germany,” says Steeb. “The home brewery became a garage brewery after I threw him out of the kitchen when he nearly burned the kitchen down. The name came after living in Ireland in the year 2000 and visiting the area where Tolkien got inspired to write the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Prancing Pony Inn is the only pub in the entire trilogy and is a perfect name for a brewer that lives on a property with ponies and donkeys and has a shed that looks like Middle Earth. “Close proximity and access to a transport hub for distribution and access to tourists and day-trippers from Adelaide makes this location ideal. We are a mere four minutes
from Hahndorf (500,000 visitors a year) and located in one of the most picturesque parts of SA. We live on a small farm and travelling time to the brewery is 10 minutes, so we have the best of everything around us.” “We are part of a number of beer trails in our region, we participate with regional events such as the Stirling Fringe or the Heysen Sculpture Fest and we promote our activities in tourism publications. We conduct brewery tours, beer and food matching, Oktoberfest celebrations and we love it if the bike riders stop by.”
Other stops: Gulf Brewery 81 Main Street, Hahndorf SA 5245
Left Barrel Brewery 2e/37 Onkaparinga Valley Rd, Balhannah SA 5242
Lobethal Bierhaus 3A Main St, Lobethal SA 5241
Mismatch Brewing Lot 100 Chambers Road, Hay Valley, SA, 5252
REGIONAL BREWERIES
Shifty Lizard Brewing Co
McLaren Vale SMILING SAMOYED BREWERY Hansen Street, Myponga SA 5202 Kate and Simon Henning started Smiling Samoyed Brewing officially in 2012 after homebrewing and visiting breweries in Europe over three months on their honeymoon. “Those two years between deciding that we wanted to own our brewery and actually starting it were also key to us defining what our brand would be and some of the key philosophies of the business – as was travelling around Europe visiting around 50 breweries and trying many, many more beers,” explains Kate Henning. “A factor in deciding to open seven days per week (from four days previously) was that the regional tourism organisation was expressing frustration that so many businesses in the area have one or two days per week off and that makes the experience for visitors to the area much less vibrant. We have definitely seen an increase in tourist traffic to our brewery bar now that we are open seven days per week which has been for over a year now. “I think that industry associations and setting up regions are really helpful to having a combined approach to beer tourism. Beer is different in that the raw ingredients aren’t grown where the production occurs and aren’t limited to rural areas, but the same style of cooperative marketing can really help to sell a region as being a great destination for beer tourism. While people might not travel very far to visit one brewery they are more likely to travel and stay in the area if there are a number of different breweries and experiences on offer in a region.”
Barossa Valley Brewing
Barossa Valley BAROSSA VALLEY BREWING 2A Murray St, Tanunda SA 5352 Barossa Valley Brewing founder Denham D’Silva developed his passion of craft beer at university in the USA in the 90s, but it wasn’t until 2005 that he decided to open his own brewery. “Access to a large market of craft beer drinkers is the main challenge,” he explains. “Distribution is harder and more expensive. Finally, our pool of skilled people is
smaller. The benefits, it’s a great place to live. The cost of living is also significantly lower than, say, Sydney, which is good when you’re living on a brewer wage. “The local community is critical. We try to incorporate flavours and draw inspiration for our beers from the community (Barossa Threesome, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Bacon, Coffee Chocolate Stout, Fortified Stout).” “We regularly do events in which we bring the
“Best of the Barossa” to a function. Our Beer v Wine dinners have us challenge five-star wineries to match local produce. Wine maker and brewer battle for the votes of the guest. We have also listened to locals and tourists. and put on live music every Saturday and Sunday as the community indicated there was no regular music venue in the area.”
Other stops: Greenock Brewers 9 Murray St, Greenock SA 5360
Other stops: Forktree Brewing 935 Forktree Rd, Carrickalinga SA 5204
Shifty Lizard Brewing Co 33 High St, Willunga SA 5172
Swell Brewing Co 168 Olivers Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Goodieson Brewery 194 Sand Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Smiling Samoyed Brewing
WInter 2019 45
A limited release from Pikes among the vines
REGIONAL BREWERIES
Clare Valley
And beyond
PIKES BEER COMPANY
Steam Exchange Brewery
Polish Hill River Road P.O. Box 54, Sevenhill, via Clare South Australia 5453
1 Cutting Rd, Goolwa SA 5214
While the Pike family had been brewing in Clare Valley since 1886, the business was sold off in the late 50s. Four years ago, however, a new microbrewery was built and beer has returned to the Pikes.
Meechi Brewing 1509 Langhorne Creek Rd, Langhorne Creek SA 5255
“It has all come full circle, and we are back in the beer game,” says Jamie Pike, sales and marketing manager of Pikes Brewing Co. “In regional areas, the idea of looking at one another as rivals is self-defeating. You must work with each other to build regional visitation together. Make a bigger pie, rather than try to take a bigger slice. Work with the wineries in your area, there are so many opportunities of collaboration. “We have been long time sponsors of the Min-Man (Mintaro Manoora) Football/Netball clubs, and have also supported an amazing local music camping festival Blenheimfest (which is having a break this year). We also support the Southern Flinders Rough Riders, a volunteer group of mountain bike enthusiasts who have built and maintain the amazing network of MTB Trails on Mt Remarkable in Melrose. The Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend is our largest regional event every year and was actually the first festival of its kind in Australia.”
Other stops: Clare Valley Brewing Co 22 Jeanneret Road, Sevenhill SA 5453 The Steam Exchange Brewery
46 www.beerandbrewer.com
Robe Town Brewing 97 Main South Eastern Rd, Robe SA 5276
Woolshed Brewing 65 Wilkinson Rd, Murtho SA 5340
Kangaroo Island Brewery 61 N Coast Rd, Kingscote SA 5223
Combining beer and whisky The Steam Exchange Brewery was founded in 2004 alongside the Fleurieu Distillery. While beer was the dominant product in the early years, earning several awards, brewing has now become more of an ancillary product for the distilling process and the making of whisky. “Since 2013 most of our brewing capacity is taken up with making wash for single malt whisky,” says co-founder Gareth Andrews. “These days, 95% of our output is whisky, we now make our range of Steam Exchange beers up at the Lobethal Bierhaus and only sell them from cellar door.”
Drunken Drone Brewery 1157 Elsegood Road, Kingscote SA 5223
Beer Garden Brewing 28 London St, Port Lincoln SA 5606
Available at all good liquor stores. 42 MOUNT BARKER RD TOTNESS SA 5250 (08) 8398 3881 PRANCINGPONYBREWERY.com.au
HOMEBREWER
48 49 50 52 54 56 60 61 62
GABS STARTED AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BREWERS TO TRY NEW RECIPES AND WORK WITH NEW INGREDIENTS AND HAS BECOME AN EXPERIMENTAL EXTRAVAGANZA.
Ed’s Letter Letters to Editor Q&A Jake’s Brew Log Bayside Brewers GABS Beers Recipe Recipe Level Up
Check out page 56 where Editor Chris Thomas looks at some GABS inspired beers.
Editor’s letter
Chris Thomas Homebrewer Editor chris@beerandbrewer.com
48 www.beerandbrewer.com
Winter and black beers. There’s a certain symmetry to it isn’t there. Whether it’s a porter or a stout, it will go beautifully with the cooler evenings. You’ll find recipes for both porter and stout, with a few recommendations for variations too. Winter is a great time to brew as you don’t have to wrestle the heat of summer. There’s also footy on telly to keep you company.
Just as well, as we have some creative recipes inspired by the Great Australian Beer Spectapular (GABS) to keep you busy. They’re not way out there off the charts mad brews, but brews with an essence of GABS inspiration to create something you want a whole batch of. Beyond that Andrew Childs provides the recipe for a collaboration Chur beer brewed
while in Australia for Good Beer Week – it’s US and NZ hopped up IPA. Technical Editor Jake Brandish provides an Oatmeal Stout recipe, while also looking at the various dark malts to influence your brews. Happy Brewing! Chris Thomas chris@homebrewer.com
Letters
WRITE IN FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! TELL US WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND BY EMAILING CHRIS@BEERANDBREWER.COM OR THROUGH OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS FACEBOOK.COM/ BEERANDBREWER OR WWW.TWITTER.COM/BEERANDBREWER HI CHRIS, HI THERE, I have been brewing for several years now, and took the all grain path of BIAB and no chill. I wanted to get your thoughts on a couple of things. Firstly, how long is too long to leave the wort before transferring it into the cube and being susceptible to bacteria? The purpose being to extend and play with hop aroma duration and also not having to deal with super hot wort. Finally, although I have not played around with starting gravity, I have been wondering if that is something that should be done before transferring to the cube, or should it be done when I’m about to start fermentation? Thanks for your insights. Cheers Col G’day Col, I am of the opinion that as long as you fill your cube hot (relatively straight off the boil) then you should be right for quite some time. This is, after all, how fresh wort kits are made. As long as your cube is mega clean, and filled hot, AND had all air removed. Squeeze the cube so the hot wort is overflowing slightly then slap the lid on. The issue arises when it is left un-fermented for a period of time. If you intend to experiment and play with hop additions and times, then make sure you remove as much of the cold break as possible as this will otherwise be taken up by the wort and give you flavour issues. Also, keeping hops in the wort for too long will give you a grassy and sometimes stale aroma and flavour - but that is the fun of experimenting, right! Starting gravity should definitely be looked at early on in the process as this will tell you if you have hit your figures and how efficient your process was, but if you find it is out and you want to adjust it prior to fermentation, make sure you dilute the wort with preboiled water to reduce the chance of nasties getting into your liquid gold. Cheers Jake
Just finished reading the latest issue of Beer & Brewer magazine (#48), just wanted to say I loved the article on the old beer mags, I found it very interesting to see how home brewing and the beer industry in general has evolved over the last few decades. I was wondering if Home Brewer would be able to do a feature at some point in the future on temperature control around fermentation, and the sorts or methods, processes, tools and equipment out there available for various home brew set-ups? I’ve recently relocated my homebrewing set up from the kitchen out to a new back shed (built with the intention of expanding my home-brew set-up), so it is the perfect opportunity to gear up with some new toys! Thanks Chris, keep up the great work on the mag, and looking forward to the next edition! Cheers Ian Cheers Ian – I think we should be able to take a look at this in a forthcoming issue. Good luck with the new set up!
Both letters printed have won a Brew Demon Conical Fermenter
Kit
The Editor’s Choice Letter has won an Ss Brewing Technologies/ New Era
Brewing 26.3 litre stainless fermenter. What sets the Brew
Bucket apart
are features such as stacking during ferment, the rotatable racking arm and ball valve spigot assembly. The BrewBucket’s conical bottom allows trub to settle nicely in a more concentrated space and has the effect of minimising the surface area of your beer that is in contact with the trub during ferment, which then minimises off flavours in your beer! RRP $269
Winter 2019 49
Q&A
All about Porter HOMEBREWING LEGEND JOHN PALMER RESPONDS TO YOUR QUESTIONS EACH ISSUE. HERE, PALMER LOOKS INTO ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE BEER STYLES: PORTER
QUESTION
that were kept on file in London by tax law.
flavour. You are probably wondering why it
I am keen to experiment with porter and
Porter was the first industrial beer – a
was made this way, and I don’t have a good
am looking for a base recipe which I can
beer brewed in large quantities and aged in
answer, other than it was invented before
then modify to turn into smoked porter or
large tuns at the brewery for 6 months to a
hydrometers, thermometers, and pale malt.
chocolate porter. Can you help me out please?
year before distribution, as opposed to the
As I was saying, brown malt is toasty, harsh
typical cask ales that were shipped to pubs
and astringent, but it makes a good tasting
ANSWER:
immediately after fermentation. The casks
beer. The secret is letting it age several
Ah, porter! One of my very favorite styles and
were filled, primed, and dry-hopped at the
months for the astringent polyphenols and
one of the first that got me involved in home
brewery and “conditioned” (matured and
tannins to settle out. And this is basically
brewing some thirty years ago. The history of
carbonated) in the cellar of the pub.
what the British brewers did in the 1800s
porter is filled with myths and hearsay. The
One of the hallmarks of porter has to
where they stored it in ever larger wooden
popular myth is that the beer was a blend of
do with the use of brown malt, malt that
tuns. Unfortunately, the failure of one or
three other beers of the time – this being the
was kilned over straw or wood, and later
more of these tuns was responsible for the
“three threads” story – but historian Ron
coke (purified coal) at a relatively high
London Beer Flood of 1814 in the Parish of St.
Pattinson can find no support for it in the
temperature. Brown malt is brown in color,
Giles. The first vat contained about 610,000
literature and brewing records of the time
50-75 Lovibond, and has a harsh toasty
liters and when it ruptured, it caused the
50 Home Brewer
Q&A
failure of a couple others, resulting in almost a million and a half litres of beer to flood the surrounding area. Tragically, many of the nearby homes contained basement apartments and a total of 8 people drowned. But I digress. With the invention of the hydrometer in the late 1700s, and its imposed regulatory use in 1818, pale malt started replacing brown malt in porter. This led to the use of other flavourings, such as licorice, and the invention of black patent malt in 1817, to recover some of the colour and flavour of the brown malt. All British beer was hopped at 4-8 grams per liter during this time to prevent beer spoilage. In fact, there is a paper from the Society of Chemical Industry of London from 1881 that discusses the economics of hops versus the German’s use of manufactured ice for the preservation of beer. But again, I digress. Porter is a lovely beer having toasty, roasty, and caramel flavours all wrapped up in a dry, medium-bodied beverage. The flavour balance is actually kind of hard to describe, so let me start by describing other styles. Pale ale made from pale ale malt has a slightly sweet malty flavour reminiscent of freshly baked crusty bread. Amber ale adds caramel malt at about 10% of the total grist to add rich sweet caramel tones to
Steampunk Porter: Extract with Specialty Grains Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.055 FG: 1.016 ABV: 5.3% IBU: 40 Volume: 21 litres
4.3kg Pale Ale malt
2.7kg Pale Ale Dried Malt Extract
450g Caramel malt (80L)
450g Caramel malt (80L)
450g Amber malt (30L)
450g Amber malt (30L)
450g Chocolate malt (350L)
450g Chocolate malt (350L)
150g Debittered Roasted malt (500L)
150g Debittered Roasted malt (500L)
adds another 10% of amber malts like Biscuit® or Victory®
Safale S-04 yeast
and a touch of chocolate malt (roast malt) for colour. The goal
sweetness of the beer. Stout by contrast is a predominately roasty beer (~10% roasted barley), with varying degrees of sweetness, but with an overall flavour that is similar to coffee. Porter falls in the middle of these styles. It is fair to say that it is a melding of malty, sweet caramel, toast, cocoa, and light coffee flavours. I have judged many porters in competition, and it is common to have several entries fall out of the style. Some are too sweet, some are too roasty, some are too toasty, and some are too hoppy – a good porter must be a harmonious blend of these characters. A basic porter is composed of 10% caramel malt, 10% toast malt, and 10% roast malt, but the roast malt needs to be chocolate malt instead of black malt or roasted barley. If you use black malt or roasted barley it becomes a stout, based on modern definitions of styles. The toasted malt can be brown malt, or it can be an amber malt like the Biscuit®. I recommend something like 80L for the caramel malt, or a blend of 80L and 120L. From here, you can add about 5% smoked malt for a smoked porter, or about 1-3% of Dutch process cocoa powder or chocolate syrup at the end of the boil for a chocolate porter. Don’t use chocolate candy bars because the cocoa butter will kill your head retention and oxidize quickly. Use the defatted cocoa powder for best results. Now for two words about hops: don’t turn your porter into a black IPA! You have brewed a wonderfully malty beer – let the malts shine – don’t cover them up with hop flavour! I strongly recommend that you only use a large single bittering addition,
OG: 1.055 FG: 1.016 ABV: 5.3% IBU: 40 Volume: 21 litres
Ingredients
25g Nugget hops (12%AA)
The use of about 3% roast malt adds some color and limits the
Expected Brew Figures
Ingredients
the beer. Brown ale backs off on the caramel to about 5% and
here is a slightly sweet, toasty, malty beer with a dry finish.
Steampunk Porter: All Grain (BIAB)
25g Nugget hops (12%AA) Safale S-04 yeast
Method Method 1. In a 15-20 litre pot, bring 11 litres to the boil 2. Dissolve 900g of the malt extract into the water while it is still cold, then heat the water to 60 -75°C 3. Steep the crushed specialty grains in a grain bag for 30 minutes, then remove 4. Add the hops (easiest to use a hop bag here that you can easily remove later) and bring to the boil for 60 minutes 5. Turn off the heat and add the remaining 1.8kg of malt extract. Stir to fully dissolve 6. Have three litres of cold water in your fermenter, then add the hot wort from your pot. Put on the lid with the airlock and allow it to cool to 19°C before pitching the yeast
1. Mash the grains at 69°C in a large grain bag for 60 minutes before removing them 2. Add the hops and bring to the boil for 60 minutes – no sparge required 3. Chill and transfer to the fermenter, aiming for 19°C. Pitch the yeast at 19°C 4. Fermentation is complete when the gravity is consistent over consecutive days and is at, or near 1.016 5. Bottle or keg and allow the flavours to mellow over a period of months before enjoying
7. Fermentation is complete when the gravity is consistent over consecutive days and is at, or near, 1.016 8. Bottle or keg and allow the flavours to mellow over a period of months before enjoying
somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-35 IBU. You want to balance the malt sweetness, not overwhelm it.
Winter 2019 51
JAKE’S BREW LOG
Back in Black
HOMEBREWER TECHNICAL EDITOR JAKE BRANDISH LOOKS AT STOUTS
A
dark beer is a wonderful
are directly linked to the brewing of porter
patients as it was believed to be high in Iron!
thing, and this time
in Industrial England in the early to mid
Stout was shipped from the UK to Ireland in
of year (or any time
1700s. As porters were gaining popularity
great quantities and it wasn’t long before it
really…) there is
with the use of readily available and cheap
was being brewed by Arthur Guinness at the
nothing better than
brown malts, brewers started using darker
St James Gate Brewery in Dublin. Guinness
sitting back with a
malts to make a different beer to porters,
was born, and has become one of the most
lovely rich stout. Stouts come with the old
and stouts were born. They were originally
globally recognisable beers. Not bad for a
saying ‘you either love them or hate them’,
termed ‘Stout Porters’. They are described
beer that has so many polarising appraisals!
with many put off by the black appearance.
as a ‘strong beer’, but really nowadays
When selling (Nail Brewing) beer many years
they are not that strong – in ABV anyway.
BREWDAY
ago, I used to love the challenge of getting a
The BJCP (www.bjcp.org) states the overall
Today we are brewing an oatmeal stout.
non-stout drinker to try our Oatmeal Stout,
impression of a Foreign Export Stout as
Oats make the perfect accompaniment to
which was amazing. My sales pitch was ‘do
‘A very dark, moderately strong, fairly
this rich roasted beer. They bring a smooth
you like chocolate? Try this smooth roasty
dry, stout with prominent roast flavours’.
and silky layer to the beer which softens the
chocolate beer, you will not be disappointed’.
There are, of course, other stouts (look up
roasted barley and crystal malts, and make
The amount of people who tried and said
Category 16 ‘Dark British Beer’ and Category
this a lovely smooth stout with a beautiful
‘wow, that is not as bad as it looks’ was
20 ‘American Porter and Stout’ for other
mouthfeel and creaminess. It is the best way
amazing. The style is not as strong, thick, or
variants) that we should mention like US
to get your mates who are not really stout
heavy as most people think, which tells you
Stout. The combination of rich roast bitter
fans to get into this wonderful style. Bear in
the appearance of the beer you are about to
malt with those US hops is amazing!
mind, the oats do not have any husk, so unless
drink is part of the experience! Most people
Stout in the early days was considered to
you are going to add some rice hulls (if you
who say they do not like dark beers or stouts
be a healthy drink, or tonic. In one variation,
are going to increase the oats, or if your rig
have more than likely never had one, or
the addition of lactose (milk sugar) gave
is prone to the dreaded ‘stuck mash’), start
maybe they’ve only tried Guinness. Dark,
the beer a sweetness, and milk stout was
your recirc and sparge cycle nice and gently.
rich, roasty, coffee, chocolatey, malty….
born. It was also termed as invalid stout as
If you are prone to low mash pH, keep a check
What is there not to like?!
it was said that it would be good for invalids
on this as the high amount of dark malts may
to drink due to its claimed health benefits.
tend to bring the pH down due their acidic
WHAT IS A STOUT?
Mothers were also encouraged to drink milk
nature. If you can adjust your water go ahead
Stouts go way back in brewing history, and
stout. It was even given to post-operative
and do so. If not, just crack on!
52 Home Brewer
The Recipe Oaty McStout Face Oatmeal Stout – All Grain Expected Brew Figures
Oaty McStout Face Oatmeal Stout – Extract with Specialty Grains Expected Brew Figures
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.013 ABV: 6.1% IBU: 28 Volume: 19 litres
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.013 ABV: 6.1% IBU: 28 Volume: 19 litres
Ingredients
Ingredients
4.5kg Pale Malt
4kg Pale Malt extract
350g Chocolate malt
350g Chocolate malt
300g Flaked or rolled oats
300g Flaked or rolled oats
260g Roasted Barley
260g Roasted Barley
250g Medium Crystal malt
250g Medium Crystal malt
26g Northdown hop pellets
26g Northdown hop pellets
Wyeast 1028 London Ale Yeast or similar. If using dry yeast use 2 packs
Wyeast 1028 London Ale Yeast or similar. If using dry yeast use 2 packs
Method
Method
1. Adjust brewing liquor to a ‘London’ profile if possible 2. Mash all grains at 67°C for 60 minutes 3. Sparge and transfer to kettle and bring to boil. Adjust sparge liquor to pH 5.4 if possible 4. Once boiling add all Northdown hops for a 60 minute boil 5. Transfer to the fermenter and cool to 18°C, then pitch yeast 6. If possible, slowly increase fermentation temp 1°C per day after fermentation starts to slow down. Stop at 21°C 7. Once gravity stabilises and is at or near 1.013, keg or bottle then enjoy with friends
1. Steep cracked grains in 2 litres of 67°C water for 60 mins, then drain 2. Slowly dissolve half of the extract in 8 litres of water along with the 2 litres of wort from mini mash and bring to the boil 3. Once boiling add all Northdown hops for a 60 minute boil 4. Stir in rest of extract at flame out 5. Transfer to the fermenter and top up with fresh water to 19 litres 6. When wort is stable at 18°C, pitch yeast and maintain temperature 7. If possible, slowly increase fermentation temperature 1°C per day after fermentation has slowed down, stopping at 21°C 8. Once gravity stabilises and is at or near 1.013, keg or bottle then enjoy with friends
Winter 2019 53
FEATURE
Resilience WHEN SIERRA NEVADA LAUNCHED THEIR CAMPFIRE RELIEF FUND, NO ONE FORESAW HOW WIDELY IT WOULD BE SUPPORTED. EVEN HOMEBREW CLUBS, LIKE MELBOURNE’S BAYSIDE BREWERS, PITCHED IN
T
he brewing community is generally a sharing, loving and happy place. At times it goes even further to become damn inspiring. Take Sierra Nevada and the bush fires that ravaged their home
territory of California in November last year. In 24 hours, more than 13,000 homes were destroyed.
More devastatingly, 85 people lost their lives. It was a tragedy that many Californians continue to live with everyday. It would be easy for an enormously successful brewery like Sierra Nevada to just worry about their bottom line. But that’s not how they operate. Despite being one of the most successful craft breweries in the world, Sierra Nevada have not lost touch with who they are and where they are from. About 50 Sierra Nevada employees lost their homes. In direct response to these fires, Sierra Nevada went on a fundraising campaign unlike any other. They publicly shared an IPA recipe and encouraged breweries around the world to brew this beer and donate all profits from it to the victims of the Californian fires. They also encouraged breweries to seek donated ingredients for this beer from local suppliers to help share the cost of making the brew. They called this campaign Resilience. Initially they were hopeful that about 200 breweries would sign up and contribute. So far over 1400 breweries from America and around the world have brewed Resilience IPA, all donating their proceeds to the Sierra Nevada Campfire Relief Fund.
THE BAYSIDE BREWERS It wasn’t just commercial breweries who felt compelled to give. The Bayside Brewers in Melbourne were touched by the fundraising effort and found a way to contribute themselves. Following the lead of the commercial breweries, they
54 Home Brewer
Bayside Brewers member Phil Britain stirring the Resilience IPA mash Bayside member Dan Eater enjoys a glass of Resilience
The Recipe This IPA uses both Cascade and Centennial at various times to create a beautiful IPA. A newworld hop bomb, rather it’s a more traditional American IPA. The sort that you can sip and feel pretty good about what you’ve made and the story behind it. Enjoy.
Resilience IPA – All Grain
Resilience IPA – Extract with specialty grains
Expected Brew Figures
Expected Brew Figures
OG: 1.065 FG: 1.016 ABV: 6.3% IBU: 64 Volume: 19 litres
OG: 1.065 FG: 1.016 ABV: 6.3% IBU: 64 Volume: 19 litres
Ingredients
Ingredients
5kg Barrett Burston Two-Row malt
3.4kg Pale Dry Malt Extract
567g Light Crystal malt
567g Light Crystal malt (cracked)
84g Centennial hops
84g Centennial hops
56g Cascade hops
56g Cascade hops
Safale US-05 yeast
Safale US-05 yeast
Brewing donated the crystal malt, Beerco
Method
Method
provided the bittering hops, while Grain & Grape donated the flavour and aroma hops, and
1. Mash the grains at 70°C for 60 minutes
Kegland donated all the cubes.
2. Mash out at 76°C for 10 minutes
1. Heat 6-8 litres of water in a large pot. When it reaches 75°C hold that temperature and steep the crystal malt (using a medium hop/ grain bag) for 20 minutes
Beerco post
sought ingredients from local homebrew shops. Cryer Malt donated the base malt, Clever
While they couldn’t bottle and sell their beer, they were able to make and sell fresh wort kits to raise funds. This is exactly what the did. They brewed over 900 litres on the club’s ‘Monster’ Brewing system and sold cubes to their club members so they are now drinking their own Resilience IPA. In the process, the Bayside Brewers raised AU$1200 and donated one hundred percent of that money to the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund. “By brewing this beer, with the help of our club sponsors, it shows that even in Melbourne Australia, our club cares about our brewing brothers and sisters in the USA,” said the club’s vice president Craig Ditcham. “By raising money for charity, we can feel good while drinking a glass of this IPA, and show the rest of Australia that we are an active, community minded club.” The selfless act of the Westside Brewers didn’t go unnoticed by Sierra Nevada, who responded directly to the Bayside Brewers. “We thank you for your support. Our community is blown away by the outpouring
3. Sparge and bring to the boil for 80 minutes, adding 28g Centennial hops for the duration of the boil 4. Add 28g of Centennial and 28g of Cascade with 15 minutes remaining in the boil 5. At flameout, stir the wort to cool slightly then add 14g of Centennial and 14g of Cascade for a 20 minute whirlpool 6. Chill to 15–16°C and transfer to your fermenter, then pitch the yeast and ferment at 15–16°C 7. Dry hop with 14g of Centennial and 14g of Cascade towards the end of active fermentation, when the SG is about 1.020–1.024 8. Let rest for 4 days or until fermentation is complete (gravity at or near 1.014 and consistent over consecutive days. Cold crash to drop the hops out of solution 9. Bottle or keg as usual, then raise a glass to Sierra Nevada and the Bayside Brewers
2. Remove crystal malt and stir in the Pale Dry Malt Extract as you begin to bring the water to the boil 3. Boil for 80 minutes, adding 28g Centennial hops at the start of the boil 4. Add 28g of Centennial and 28g of Cascade with 15 minutes remaining in the boil 5. At flameout, stir the wort to cool slightly then add 14g of Centennial and 14g of Cascade for a 20 minute whirlpool 6. Have 10-12 litres of cold water in your fermenter. Add your wort to your fermenter and stir through. Pitch the yeast when the temperature is 15–16°C and maintain this temperature throughout fermentation 7. Dry hop with 14g of Centennial and 14g of Cascade towards the end of active fermentation, when the SG is about 1.020–1.024 8. Let rest for 4 days or until fermentation is complete (gravity at or near 1.014 and consistent over consecutive days). Cold crash to drop the hops out of solution 9. Bottle or keg as usual, then raise a glass to Sierra Nevada and the Bayside Brewers
from the brewing community,” they wrote.
Winter 2019 55
FEATURE
Creative Brewing WITH GABS FEVER STILL AROUND, CHRIS THOMAS TAKES A LOOK AT HOW TO BALANCE YOUR BREWING CREATIVITY WITH A BEER THAT YOU CAN ENJOY FOR THE FULL BATCH
T
he Great Australian Beer
As a homebrewer it can be hard work drinking
throw in whatever takes your fancy to create
Spectapular (GABS) has
through 19-23 litres of these ambitious and
something that you have to cross your fingers
become an institution
creative beers.
and hope will be palatable. The pro brewers
in the beer landscape
These amazing brews are not just at GABS
who have made the amazing GABS creations
of Melbourne, Sydney,
either. I recently visited a bar in Melbourne
show more caution than you would expect.
Auckland and, more
and thoroughly enjoyed a tzatziki Berliner
They will change one thing at a time, rather
recently, Brisbane. It started as an opportunity
weiss. It was delicious, tart and refreshing.
than add anything and everything.
for brewers to try new recipes and work
Absolutely more-ish. Just not two pints
with new ingredients, and has become an
more-ish as I found out.
experimental extravaganza. GABS festival beers have been inspired by
Imagine 40+ 330ml bottles of your own
Underscore – To appreciate your beer and to still recognise it as a beer, you will be better off adding less to get notes rather
version of tzatziki Berliner weiss? Or perhaps
than bombarding your beer and assaulting
desserts, chocolate bars, cocktails and one-
even imagine having a full batch of Grilled
your senses. Coffee can be particularly
off key ingredients.
Pineapple Smoke NEIPA in the fridge!
difficult here, as can spices. When making
This year Big Shed Brewing Concern (SA)
a coffee-inspired beer, keep in mind that
have created a Tim Tam Slam, Bright Brewery
THE CHALLENGE
it is a beer first with coffee notes, not the
(Vic) have Off The Wagon Wheel, Aether
Creative homebrewers often face the
other way around. You can always add more
Brewing (QLD) have brewed a Bloody Mary
challenge of balancing their artistic drive
flavour (e.g. coffee or spice) to the fermenter
IPA and Eden Brewery (NSW) have made a
with a beer they can enjoy a batch of.
either during or post-fermentation if the
Grilled Pineapple Smoke NEIPA. On the specialty ingredient side of things, Hop Nation (Vic) chime in with a Cascara tea and honey NEIPA while Tooborac (Vic) finish
So how do we go about designing a beer
flavour profile is not as big as you’d like, but
that is creative and unique, but not off the
you can’t take out these flavours once they
charts wild?
are in.
Solid Base – Go with something that
Sense and Sensibility – Be sure to think
off the breakfast menu with a sweet coffee
you know already works. Hopefully you’ve
what flavours you’re seeking and the
stout with cocoa nibs.
already got a solid go-to beer; if not, your
ingredients to achieve this. Then consider
local homebrew shop will help out with
how you’re going to use them. Some tea-
creative and outrageous beers! And there’s
a solid base that will allow your creative
inspired recipes call for a 15 minute steep.
180 of them. It has the mouth watering for a
flair to shine. Aim to start your beer with
When was the last time you let your cuppa
taste. Maybe even a pot or pint.
a consistent base, hops and yeast that you
steep for 15 minutes? When steeped for this
know, and then follow your brewing process.
time, tea will carry unnecessary tannins
This way you know exactly the impact your
and an unpleasant bitter character. Treat
creative ingredient is having.
ingredients the way you normally would and
That’s a fair collection of amazingly
But as a homebrewer, do you want more than that? That’s one of the dilemmas of providing homebrew recipes for some of these treats.
56 Home Brewer
Little By Little – Don’t go all out and
in the case of tea, let it steep for 2-3 minutes.
The Recipes So let’s put this into practice to create some interesting, creative and imaginative beers that you will enjoy from start to finish.
The Breakfast Menu Coffee Stout – Concentrate with Specialty Grains This coffee stout will carry a smooth coffee flavour from the addition of whole coffee beans and the addition of lactose. Use beans from your favourite coffee shop and be sure to drop them in a bottle or two!
Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.056 FG: 1.014 ABV: 5.5% IBU: 54 Volume: 18 litres
Ingredients Can of Stout concentrate (we used Coopers Irish Stout for this brew) 1kg Light Dried Malt Extract (LDME)
Connecting family hop farms with the world’s finest brewers.
300g Lactose 300g Chocolate malt (cracked) 50g whole coffee beans Lallemand Nottingham yeast
Method 1. Bring 4-5 litres of water to 65-75°C and add the cracked grains (easiest in a small grain bag) for 30 minutes before removing them 2. Add the lactose and stir to dissolve it as you bring the liquid to the boil. Boil for 15 minutes
NOW PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY
3. Remove from the heat and transfer the liquid (wort) to the fermenter, then add the can of concentrate and the LDME and then stir to dissolve. 4. Top up with cold tap water to the 15 litre mark 5. Check the temperature and top up to the 18 litre mark with warm or cool water (refrigerated if necessary) to start the brew at 18°C- 20°C 6. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the liquid then fit the lid and aim to ferment at 18–20°C 7. On day 7, use a hop bag to add the whole coffee beans to the brew. Allow these to soak for 3 days before checking the specific gravity (SG). Your brew is ready to bottle when the specific gravity is consistent over consecutive days and it at, or near 1.014 8. Bottle or keg as normal and store your bottles out of direct sunlight at or above 18°C. You can drink these after 2-3 weeks, but the flavour will improve greatly over 8-12 weeks
CRYERMALT.COM.AU
YAKIMACHIEF.COM
FEATURE
Rooibus XPA – Extract recipe
Blood Orange IPA – All Grain
This is a lovely extra pale ale (XPA) on its own, but the addition of Rooibus tea gives it another dimension. Rooibus tea is a non-caffeinated herbal tea grown in the mountains of the Cederberg region in South Africa. It will add slightly nutty flavours, however if steeped for longer these will turn in to woody notes. This will make a refreshing and interesting spring beer.
Citrus has long been an interesting addition to beer. In more recent times it has been used to complement and accentuate modern hop characters in various takes on IPA – particularly NEIPA of late. You can use any citrus to get your desired flavour here. Grapefruit, mandarin, cumquat, yuzu, blood orange and regular oranges all bring different characters to the beer. This recipe is inspired by Brendan O’Sullivan, head brewer at 3 Ravens.
Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.061 FG: 1.012 ABV: 6.5% IBU: 60 Volume: 23 litres
Expected Brew Figures
1.3kg Golden Light Malt Extract
OG: 1.061 FG: 1.012 ABV: 6.5% IBU: 60 Volume: 23 litres
350g Dextrose
Expected Brew Figures OG: 1046 FG: 1010 IBU: 44 ABV: 4.4% Volume: 23 litres
Ingredients 3kg Light Dried Malt Extract (LDME) 250g Dried Wheat Extract 10g Warrior hops 10g Simcoe hops 35g Aramis hops 35g Mandarina Bavaria hops 4 heaped tbs Rooibus Tea Safale US-05 yeast
Ingredients 3.8kg Pilsner malt 1.5kg Vienna malt
125g Centennial hops
Wyeast 1318 Northwest Ale (or American Ale)
4. Add 10g of Simcoe Hops with 30 minutes remaining in the boil
2. Sparge at 78°C and bring to a boil
5. Add 15g of Aramis and 15g of Mandarina Bavaria with 15 minutes remaining
4. Add 40g Simcoe hops with 60 minutes
11. Bottle/keg as normal and enjoy
58 Home Brewer
Whirlfloc tablet Wyeast 1318 Northwest Ale (or American Ale)
2. Remove pot from heat, add extracts and dextrose and stir well, return to boil 3. Add 40g Simcoe hops and boil vigorously for 60 minutes
60g Simcoe hops
Method
10. Check your specific gravity after 7 days. Fermentation is complete when specific gravity is at or near 1.010 and is consistent over consecutive days
6 organic blood oranges (zest only)
6 organic blood oranges (zest only)
3. Add 10g of Warrior Hops and boil for 45 minutes
9. Maintain at a consistent 18-20°C for the duration of the ferment
150g Centennial Hops
1. Bring 6 litres of water to the boil
Yeast Nutrient
8. Strain into fermenter and use very chilled water to bring temperature down. When temperature is 18-20°C pitch the yeast
90g Simcoe hops
Method
Whirlfloc tablet
7. Add 4 heaped tablespoons of Rooibus Tea (preferably in a hop bag so you can remove it quickly and easily) and steep for 3 minutes
2.5kg Pilsen Light Malt Extract
350g Dextrin malt
1. Bring about 8 litres of water to the boil in a 12-15 litre pot
6. At flameout add 20g Aramis and 20g Mandarina Bavaria hops and rest for 5 minutes
Ingredients
350g Light Crystal malt
Method 2. Add the LDME and Dried Wheat Extract. Stir until clumps dissolve and foam settles
Blood Orange IPA – Extract Recipe
1. Mash at 68°C with mineral salts
3. Boil for 75 minutes
5. Add whirlfloc and 20g Simcoe hops with 10 minutes to go 6. Add blood orange zest (in a hop bag) and yeast nutrient with 5 minutes to go 7. Add 100g Centennial hops at flameout, create a whirlpool then rest, chill to 18°C, and transfer to fermenter (don’t add the zest to the fermenter) 8. Pitch both packs of yeast and ferment at 18°C 9. Dry hop with 25g Centennial hops when fermentation is complete, and about 3 days before you plan to rack/ keg/bottle
4. Add 50g Simcoe hops with 30 minutes to go 5. Add Whirlfloc and 100g Centennial hops with 15 minutes to go 6. Add blood orange zest (in a hop bag) and yeast nutrient with 5 minutes to go 7. When the 60 minutes is up, turn off the heat, create a whirlpool motion by stirring, then rest (about 10 minutes), chill (an ice bath works well) and transfer to fermenter (through a sieve if required) 8. Top up with clean, sterile water. When the temperature is 18°C, pitch both packs of yeast and ferment at 18°C. 9. Dry hop with 50g Centennial when fermentation is complete, and about 3 days before you plan to rack/keg/bottle
FEATURE
Winter Warmer – All Grain Like citrus, spice is a traditional addition to many beers. This recipe is inspired by one from John Palmer a couple of years back, but with some changes to give it a more malt driven backbone.
20g Ceylon Cinnamon stick
Expected Brew Figures
2. Sparge and bring to the boil
OG: 1.067 FG: 1.016 ABV: 5.4% IBU: 26 Volume: 23 litres
Ingredients 5kg American Ale malt 900g Munich malt 450g Dark Chocolate malt 450g Biscuit malt 450g Muscovado sugar 15g Mandarina Bavaria hops 15g Simcoe hops 50g Mandarin zest (approx. 6 mandarins)
Safale US-05
Method 1. Mash at 67°C and mash out at 76°C 3. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the both the Mandarina Bavaria and the Simcoe hops for the duration 4. After flameout add the mandarin peel and cinnamon in a mesh bag and steep for 30 minutes 5. Remove spices, whirlpool and chill to 17°C 6. Transfer to fermenter and pitch yeast. Ferment at 17°C 7. When gravity is at, or near 1.016 and is consistent over consecutive days, bottle or keg 8. Allow beer to mature for 8-12 weeks for best results
made to taste the world’s greatest
1800 119622
ingredients
orders@cryermalt.com.au
local & imported
cryermalt.com.au Winter 2019 59
RECIPE
The Recipe
Andrew Childs (the taller one!) and Chris Thomas brewing the Quite Hoppy IPA
Quite Hoppy IPA – All Grain
QUITE HOPPY IPA ANDREW CHILDS, HEAD BREWER OF BEHEMOTH (NZ) AND CHUR (AUS) WAS RECENTLY IN MELBOURNE FOR GOOD BEER WEEK AND WHILE HERE HE BREWED A SWEET COLLAB WITH CHRIS FROM CLUB BREWING & HOMEBREWER. HE WANTED TO SHARE THIS RECIPE WITH ALL OF YOU. IT’S QUITE HOPPY
T
his recipe has been a long time in the making. The idea was hatched for this collaboration between Chur and Club Brewing Co at least a couple of years ago. But then logisitics got in the way. Things like me not having
anytime to come over and help brew it. So here it is, aptly named Quite Hoppy IPA… because
it is actually quite hoppy! Brewed with a blend of New Zealand and America’s finest hops in Motueka and Citra this IPA comes in at a classy 6% ABV. Why classy? Because it’s big enough for the body to carry the hop onslaught, but not so massive that you can only have one at a time. We hope you enjoy brewing this quite hoppy beer as much as we enjoyed brewing it. Enjoy the awesome flavours and aromas of this Quite Hoppy IPA.
60 Home Brewer
Quite Hoppy IPA – Extract with Specialty Grains
Expected Brew Figures
Expected Brew Figures
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.014 ABV: 6% IBU: 66 Volume: 23 litres
OG: 1.060 FG: 1.014 ABV: 6% IBU: 66 Volume: 23 litres
Ingredients
Ingredients
5.85kg Pale Malt
4.2kg Light Dried Malt Extract (LDME)
150g Caramalt (15L)
150g Caramalt (15L)
150g Munich II
150g Munich II
20g Columbus hops (14%AA)
20g Columbus hops (14%AA)
300g Citra hops (12%AA)
300g Citra hops (12%AA)
150g Motueka hops (7%AA)
150g Motueka hops (7%AA)
0.3g Copperfloc
0.3g Copperfloc
2 packs of Safale US-05 Dry Yeast
2 packs of Safale US-05 Dry Yeast
Method
1. Add 6-8 litres of water in a large pot, then bring up to 70°C. Using a muslin sack, add all cracked grain for 30 minutes before removing the grains from the liquid
1. Mash all malts at 69°C 2. Sparge and bring to a boil 3. Boil for 90 minutes, adding Columbus hops at the start of the boil 4. Add 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go 5. At the end of the boil start a whirlpool then add 100g Citra and 50g Motueka 6. Cool to 20°C and pitch both pack of yeast 7. Ferment at 18°C
Method
2. Turn the heat back up and add half of your LDME, then stir it to dissolve as you bring it to the boil 3. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the Columbus hops for the duration 4. Add 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go 5. At flameout add rest of LDME slowly and stir to dissolve all lumps
8. Do a diacetyl rest at 22°C towards end of fermentation
6. After flameout, start a whirlpool then add 100g Citra and 50g Motueka
9. After fermentation dry hop with 200g Citra and 100g Motueka
7. Transfer to fermenter and top up with chilled water to reach 20°C then pitch both packs of yeast
10. Dry hop for 5 days then crash cool for a week
8. Ferment at 18°C
11. Bottle or keg as usual then enjoy with mates
9. Do a diacetyl rest at 22°C towards end of fermentation 10. After fermentation dry hop with 200g Citra and 100g Motueka 11. Dry hop for 5 days then crash cool for a week 12. Bottle or keg as usual then enjoy with mates
RECIPES
Ok, so winter is here. But that doesn’t mean the tropical-coconut-paradise-dream has to be over. This is a nod to that chocolate coconut bar (you know the one we mean), with some added coffee kick at the end. Pouring rich, dark and creamy, expect coffee aromas with toasted coconut and hints of chocolate. The medium bitterness and higher ABV can turn the chilliest winter into the most chill season of all.
Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.056 FG: 1.014 ABV: 5.8% IBU: 45 Volume: 21 Litres
Ingredients 1.7kg can of Thomas Coopers Devil’s Half Ruby Porter concentrate
Coopers Island Toasted Coconut Porter THE CREW AT COOPERS DIY HAVE CREATED THIS SMOOTH TOASTED COCONUT PORTER FOR OUR ENJOYMENT OVER THE WINTER MONTHS
1.5kg Light Dry Malt Extract (LDME) 300g Chocolate Malt Grains (cracked) 200g Dark Crystal Malt Grains (cracked) 25g Styrian Goldings Hop Pellets 250g Desiccated Coconut 11g Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast
Method 1. Bring 2-3 litres of water to 65-75°C and add the cracked grains (easiest in a small grain bag) for 30 minutes before removing them 2. Add 12g of the hops and boil for 10 minutes 3. Remove from the heat and add the remaining hops 4. Strain the cooled hop/malt liquid (wort) into your fermenter, then add the can of concentrate and the LDME and then stir to dissolve. 5. Top up with cold tap water to the 18 litre mark 6. Check the temperature and top up to the 21 litre mark with warm or cool water (refrigerated if necessary) to start the brew at 18°C- 20°C 7. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the liquid then fit the lid and aim to ferment at 18–20°C 8. On about day 3 after the foam (Krausen) has collapsed, lightly toast your desiccated coconut in a pan on a low heat, just until it is golden 9. Add the toasted coconut (in a large hop bag) to your fermenter and ferment for a further 4 days 10. On day 7 check the specific gravity (SG). Your brew is ready to bottle when the specific gravity is consistent over consecutive days and it at, or near 1.014 11. Bottle or keg as normal and store your bottles out of direct sunlight at or above 18°C. You can drink these after 2-3 weeks, but the flavour will improve greatly over 8-12 weeks
Winter 2019 61
EDUCATION – LEVEL UP TECHNICAL SECTION
The Dark Side of Adjuncts HOMEBREWER TECHNICAL EDITOR JAKE BRANDISH LOOKS INTO THE DARK SIDE OF BREWING
W
e recently celebrated International Star
A dark beer is a wonderful thing, perfect for a cold winter night, or
Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), so
a cool afternoon around the BBQ. Many people prefer to drink dark
what better time – other than a stout
beers in the cooler months, not me… I’ll take a dark beer any time!
edition of the mag I guess – to look at the
Darker malts bring a range of characteristics to the brew. What you
dark side of brewing. Today we are going to
will notice in all darker beers is that the amount of dark malt may not
look at the darker side of adjuncts.
be as high as you thought, with anywhere from 10 to 20% usually the percentage of the grain bill. If you are designing your own beer, you
DRINK IT IN
will need to decide what you want from your dark beer. Do you want
Drinking a beer is very much a multi-sensory experience. We use
just a little bit of colour or a full-on roasty taste? When designing your
all of our senses when pouring and taking the first sip of a beer. The
dark beer, use a style as a guideline (stout, porter, brown ale, etc.) and
appearance of the beer will draw you in immediately, so the topic of
make your own changes based on the basic requirements of that beer.
colour in beers is of great importance. Previously we have looked at
Also take into account that simply adding roasted barley to pale malt
how to build your own beer, which involves getting your head around
bill will result in quite a roasted bitter taste. Now, this may be exactly
the available ingredients and what it will bring to the brew. Dark
what you want, as in some stout recipes, but layering some smooth
malts are a great way to add another dimension to your beer, whether
toasty flavours underneath the roasted barley will give you a much
it be a little bit of colour, to full on roasty toasty characteristics. Dark
smoother and more complex malt palate.
malts range from crystal or amber malts right through to patent black or roasted barley. Let’s look at them and how easy it is to fall to the
THE NITTY GRITTY
dark side!
There are so many dark malts available, and the darker malts start at around 300 EBC and go beyond 1400 EBC. If you are not familiar with
DARK MATTER
the EBC (European Brewing Convention) colour spectrum analysis, get
There is nothing better than holding up your beer to the light and
on to a good brewing text or website. Most software programs such as
gazing into the darkness, and discussing the subtle hues that appear.
BeerSmith will have great colour functionality. Dark specialty malts
62 Home Brewer
are made by cranking up the kiln and giving the malt some extra time
high quality malts which are more than often the ‘go to’ malts
in the roaster whereby the heat reacts with amino acids and proteins,
for brewers, especially those producing German beers. The Carafa
producing melanoidins. This process is responsible for the browning
range is a range of roasted malt ranging from 800 through to 1500
that is found in heat applied to just about all foods – think about the
EBC. If used sparingly, they can bring a wonderful crimson hue.
more you leave your steak in the pan, the darker it gets and the more
Chocolate malts – These range from pale chocolate to dark chocolate
burnt it tastes. The maltster’s job is to make sure the malt does not go
(900 EBC), and also come in wheat and rye variants. Chocolate malt
up in flames by using a great deal of skill and training. It is quite an art
delivers a less harsh taste than roasted barley and if used properly will
being a maltster and they do not get the credit they deserve. Gradual
bring a coffee, smooth roastiness to the beer. Chocolate malt is said to be
temperature rises are often used, and also the close attention to the
the ‘porter’ malt, as it is a mild roast malt in comparison. If you have not
moisture level in the grain as it is being roasted.
brewed with a chocolate malt at some stage, then you need to!
Crystal or similar malts are very widely used to get some depth into a
Brown malt – A lovely mild brown malt giving mild cocoa
beer, but nowadays there are so many modern malts that offer so much
characteristics. It is also used to balance out darker malts but was used
more. Take for example some of the excellent malts from Gladfield
in much higher quantities in the past to produce brown ales.
Malt. Their Shepherds Delight malt taste notes on their website state “potent bready, raisin puree and cola flavours, with lingering fruity sweetness”. They also produce a Chocolate Rye malt, which states
Black (patent) malt – Another of the higher end roasted malts. Colour can be up to 1500 EBC. Roasted barley – Heavily roasted un-malted barley is up there with
“Richly roasted to bring a smooth espresso creaminess to your dark
the darkest of specialty malts. Deep roast coffee flavours are common
beers with a touch of rye spiciness. Beautiful in a porter or oatmeal
and this malt is used heavily in stouts (dry Irish). This malt will give
stout where the coffee spice character is particularly well matched
you deep dark colour and a bitter coffee taste.
with the roast malts. Adds a further level of complexity to Vienna in a Dunkel or even something a little uncommon to a mild or English
BREWING WITH DARK MALTS
brown”. I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering with the
When using dark specialty malts, bear in mind this will affect your head
thought of these wonderful malts in a beer!
retention. In fact, this is a pretty good way to tell what kind of malts have been used. If a beer has a tan head, it’s a pretty good indication
EXAMPLES
that black malts have been used. And remember, the darker the malt
Caramel/Crystal malts – These malts are made by keeping a high
the more burnt coffee taste you will get. Using more of a lighter roasted
amount of moisture in the grain and then ‘stewing’ it. The sugars are
malt may give you the same colour but a more smooth toffee, fudge,
caramelised into a dark bitter sweet crystal – hence the name. Use
toast flavour. Also bear in mind that all of these specialty malts will not
caution: using too much as it can easily dominate. They range in degree
contribute to your sugar to ethanol conversion. Colour can be added
of roast, and there are at least 3 or 4 variations from your home brew
without affecting the flavour by simply adding whole roasted or black
store ranging from 80 up to 240 EBC. Whilst not a very dark malt, it is
grain (not cracked or milled) to the mash. Also be aware that the pH of a
often used in conjunction with darker malts for a bit of balance.
dark malt is going to be lower than base malts, so watch your mash pH,
Carafa malts – I, II, III. – Carafa is a registered product to Weyermann Malts in Germany. They produce a broad range of
and don’t use too much! A little goes a long way. Get some dark heavy metal playing and get brewing!
#drinkholgate
have you tried our special releases? Winter 2019 63
TASTING BEER: TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Turbocharge your tastebuds
TAM ALLENBY CHATS TO THREE TOP BEER JUDGES TO FIND OUT IF THERE’S ANY INDUSTRY SECRETS OR TRICKS OF THE TRADE THAT AN ENTHUSIAST CAN APPLY WHEN TASTING AND ENJOYING BEER IN A MORE RECREATIONAL SETTING
I
f you’re reading this article, chances
that the average enthusiast doesn’t? What
trophy a beer show like the recent AIBAs, a
are you’re not one to down a
are they looking for? And does all that
beer will have scored very highly with a whole
whole beer without giving it a bit
judging affect how much they enjoy a beer
fleet of qualified judges, each with their own
of thought – well, not every time
when they’re not tasting professionally, in an
strengths and weaknesses when it comes to
anyway. It goes without saying that
award setting or otherwise?
perceiving aromas and tasting flavours (good
the flavour and aroma of a beer
and bad) in beer.
are probably very important to you; in other
THE EXPERTS
words, you’re a conscious beer drinker, who
For this article, Beer & Brewer reached out to
have acute sense of smell, taste and a feel
savours as they sip.
three beer industry figures who are regular
for style,” says Capaldo. But this is not just
judges on the awards circuit: Neal Cameron,
an innate skill; rather it’s something gained
Justin Fox and Michael Capaldo.
through countless hours of practice as well as
But what’s the difference between your average enthusiast – the Untappd-using, GABS-attending, craft beer aficionado – and
As they each explain, the formal judging
“Beer judges are like truffle hounds, we
formal sensory training.
the judges who make the hard decisions on
process involves many judges coming to a
the overall quality of a given beer, and make
collective decision about the given quality of
practice and hard work although it is very
the call on whether it’s worthy of an award,
a beer, by breaking it down to its constituent
difficult for people outside of the professional
from a bronze medal to a trophy?
parts: usually based on appearance, aroma,
arena to get access to training on recognising
flavour, technical quality and style. To win a
beer faults,” explains Cameron. “To be good
When they taste a beer, what do they do
64 www.beerandbrewer.com
“Like any skill, it’s 20% genetics and 80%
TASTING BEER: TRICKS OF THE TRADE
at fault recognition can take years of training
usually result from poor yeast management or
and it’s a skill that needs to be constantly
storage issues, and while there’s an exhaustive
worked on. If you consider that the human
list of reasons why any given beer might taste
olfactory system (aroma recognition) can
‘off’, there are a few usual suspects.
detect an unlimited amount of aromas,
“When yeast is managed poorly in the
getting your brain to put a label on each
brewery (it’s a fickle organism) you get
individual aroma that’s out there in the real
off flavours like diacetyl (butterscotch),
world is a tough skill to master.
acetaldehyde (emulsion paint or green apples)
“That sensation when you smell something
and various sulphur compounds – eggy
but can’t put a name to it? That’s incredibly
(hydrogen sulphide), sweetcorn (dimethyl
common, and fault recognition training is not
sulphide) and struck match (sulphitic).”
really training you to smell something – that’s
On the storage side of the spectrum,
easy and natural – it’s training you to single in
oxidation is the enemy – to rehash a regular
on a specific aroma and then be able to put a
topic raised in these pages, when beer is
name to it – two quite different skills.”
kept on warm shelves it very quickly loses its freshness and flavour expression and becomes
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
muted and ‘cardboardy’. This is why freshness
But what are beer judges looking for when it
and cold-storage are so vital to ensuring a beer
comes to identifying faults in a beer?
is enjoyed as the brewer’s intended.
In short, there are a number of flavours and
A lineup of beers to taste at the Indies
Making matters more complicated is the
aromas that are considered a fault when they
fact that every person’s palate perceives
cross a certain threshold; others that are only
different flavours at different concentrations
appropriate in small quantities in specific
– and that this difference in sensitivity
styles (like phenolics in a wheat beer), and
means one person can enjoy a beer that
others still that should never be present in a
another finds to be undrinkable due to
beer regardless of its style (like butyric acid,
perceived faults.
most often compared to baby vomit). As Cameron explains, common beer faults
Justin Fox, for example, says he finds it extremely difficult to identify diacetyl – one
WHICH FAULT DO YOU FIND THE MOST UNPLEASANT? Neal Cameron: “Perhaps the most unpleasant is a fault generated by bacteria common when producing a sour mash beer – the bacteria produces a chemical called butyric acid which genuinely smells like baby vomit – once you’ve smelled that in a beer you can never unsmell it.” Michael Capaldo: “Iso-valeric acid gets me a lot (cheesy, sweaty socks), and the old classics oxidation and diacetyl. But mercaptans, often described as smelling like a rubbish bin, are my most hated!” Justin Fox: “I back Neal up 100 percent, butyric acid. It’s vomit. The gut turns milk into butyric acid, it’s baby vomit basically, that’s exactly the smell.”
(l-r) Neal Cameron and Justin Fox get to work
WInter 2019 65
TASTING BEER: TRICKS OF THE TRADE
of the most common faults. “Coming to terms with that was pretty hard, but I’ve
kick off your perceptions of a beer’s aroma. “If you ask most people to identify aromas
time when assessing a beer is important. However, quite often your first impression is
known it for eight or nine years now,” he
in a beer, they go in for a pretty deep sniff –
says. “No matter what I do I just can’t smell
but the idea of the drive-by is that there’s a lot
“Clean glassware always helps!” adds
the stuff, even in a lab environment. On the
of compounds that can overwhelm the senses
Capaldo. “Having a cheat sheet of flavours
easier side for me is sulphur compounds, and
pretty quick; if you get a big whiff of them the
and faults can help too, but I find it best to tap
I’m also sensitive to metallic flavours.”
brain will switch off from receiving them as a
into your own knowledge and creativity so the
protection mechanism,” he explains.
outcomes you find haven’t been influenced by
Fox says that this is a really important part of judging: “You’ve got to walk in there and
“The little drive-by, quickly wafting it past
the right one.”
what is written down in front of you.”
know what you know, but also be aware of
your nose, involves more reflex than a deep
what you don’t know – that’s why there’s five
sniff. A little hint of something and the brain
are easily replicable by any recreational beer
of us on a table. You can know that you can
will jump to a memory, because all smells are
drinker, and while they should help you in
smell a fault, but you’ve also got to know the
memories and you can’t describe one without
analysing a beer beyond the simple question
thresholds at which you smell things, because
referencing a memory. You get a thought
of ‘do I like it’, there’s no silver bullet or
some of the faults – like low level DMS or
down on that and then you back for a bit of
magic technique that will negate the need to
diacetyl – are inevitable in some styles.”
deeper sniff, giving you two little shots.”
concentrate and listen closely to your senses
The ‘back of the hand’ technique is exactly
At the end of the day, all these techniques
when tasting a new beer.
INSIDER TRICKS
that: smelling the back of your hand in order
While it takes years to train your palate to
to “reset” your olfactory senses. “Probably
clear your head before you taste each beer,
the level of a qualified beer judge, we also
the most common smell you ever smell is
and allowing the beer in front of you to
asked each of the three if they had any
yourself – whether it be good or bad! – and
trigger a new thought and get the old one out
specific techniques or ‘insider tricks’ that
smelling the back of your hand like that will
of your head,” Fox concludes.
they find particularly useful when tasting in a
help you reset your senses and allow you
competition setting – and more importantly,
to go in to that beer again, letting that first
ANALYSIS VS ENJOYMENT
if they could share these secrets with Beer &
impulse fire again,” says Fox.
With so much energy dedicated to judging
Brewer readers. Justin Fox puts forward two techniques: the
“Understand your limitations and take
“The hardest thing is taking the time to
beer analytically – in effect, breaking
your time,” is Cameron’s advice. “Your brain
countless beers right down to their
‘drive-by’ and the ‘back of the hand’ sniff. The
puts over a great deal of processing power
constituent parts – it can understandably
first involves wafting the glass quickly past
to your various sense organs and beer is a
influence how judges enjoy drinking in a
your nose, rather than taking a deep inhale, to
complex product, so ensuring you take your
more recreational setting.
66 www.beerandbrewer.com
TASTING BEER: TRICKS OF THE TRADE
“I get easily and excessively irritated by poorly made beer and I’m afraid there’s still a fair bit out there,”
“But that’s also a good reason to make sure you’re buying fresh beers!”
says Cameron. “We’re in an exciting period of craft beer, but there’s a lot of inexperienced brewers out
TAKE HOME LESSONS
there who, with the very best will and intention, are
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that
going to struggle to produce a product that is worthy of
liking a beer and judging it are two separate things.
the high price tags commanded by craft beer.
“You can have a great beer that is well made, but you
“Conversely, of course, when you get the chance
might not like it,” reminds Cameron. “Conversely,
to try some of the hugely well-made products that
you might like a beer that is quite faulty – beer judging
are increasingly available it is a thing of great joy.”
is not about whether you like it or not!”
Fox agrees with Cameron’s assessment, and says
Overall, the difference is that an award-wining
that while beer judging does sometimes negatively
beer has reached a consensus from a panel of
impact his overall enjoyment of beer, it’s not
experts. It doesn’t mean, however, that you
necessarily the most in-your-face “bad beer faults”
shouldn’t listen to your gut instinct when tasting a
like butyric acid that are the biggest problem.
beer yourself – if you like it, you like it.
“I think if a beer is badly faulty then most people
“It’s all subjective – we’re all very different –
will find it unenjoyable,” he says. “It’s more those
but the truth comes out with a mass of numbers, I
unavoidable faults like oxidation and a beer showing
guess,” says Fox. “At the AIBAs, a winning beer has
some age.
seen a judge of six, then it’s gone to a table, it’s been
“When you really understand and learn the curve
the best of that table then it’s gone to another table.
of what oxidation does to a beer, moving from paper
And no matter what your skillset, you recognise it’s
through caramel to sherry, unfortunately if you drink
a fantastic beer – because the truth has come out
beer from even the best brewer in the country, if it’s
from all these opinions together.”
nearing the end of its shelf life – which the supply chain does to a lot of the beer in the country - it’s really
Images courtesy of the Independent Brewers Association
hard to look past, and ruins some great beers.
(IBA) and photographer Alexander Kesselaar
Michael Capaldo putting his beer knowledge to the test
Appearance is a factor when judging a beer
TURNING BEER JUDGING ON ITS HEAD The recent launch of the Drink Easy Awards, a new national drinks awards, has the potential to shake up the way drinks (including beer) are judged in Australia. While wine, spirits and beer shows often award gold/silver/bronze medals, trophies, or other endorsements that often end up embossed on the bottle, can or tap decal, the judging at the Drink Easy Awards will be “more egalitarian”. “It’s an award that does away with the old school mode of judging, instead pursuing a wide and inclusive community on what ‘drinks easy’; and where to find these drinks,” says cofounder Mike Bennie. At the launch of the awards in early May, Bennie specifically rallied against the “punitive” model of drinks judging, in which a beverage is broken down for its faults rather than built up for its positive traits. The team behind Drink Easy haven’t yet revealed exactly how they’ll be scoring or rating a beverage, but the ethos seems to be that a drink should be judged on whether it’s ‘delicious’ rather than fitting a preordained list of characteristics. Leading the judging of the beer and cider category will be Liam Pereira, a wellknown figure in Australian craft beer industry and a member of Beer & Brewer’s new tasting panel (p.72). Whether it sounds like your thing or not, the Drink Easy awards are definitely worth keeping an eye on.
WInter 2019 67
ENTERTAINING – FOOD
Chefs Eat Breakfast Too
TIRED OF DRY TOAST? BORED WITH SOGGY CEREAL? WANNA MAKE BREAKFAST LIKE THAT ‘SO HOT RIGHT NOW’ CAFÉ DOWN THE ROAD? WELL, YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE
G
oing to one of those trendy cafes on a Sunday morning is like the new Saturday night; in fact, there IS no going out on Saturday night anymore, ’cos if you sleep in and arrive at the local brekkie hotspot after 8.30 am, you’ll probably end up queuing for lunch! Who needs the hassle? Why not stay in those PJs and save that cash. Make your own Insta-worthy breakfast at home and dazzle friends and family with your new-found
breakfast skills. How? This book has all you need to start whipping up breakfasts to die for. Chef Darren Purchese has always loved breakfast and admits that it’s one of his favourite
meals of the day to eat and cook for. He’s cooked many breakfasts professionally in his time, from being brekkie chef at some of the top hotels in London to making omelettes en masse in France, to toasties here in Oz and lots more in between. It really is worth going that extra mile for what’s often referred to as the most important meal of the day. And, these days, there really are no rules about what you can eat: fish, meat, eggs, fruit, veg – even bressert (breakfast and dessert) is now a thing… So get your day off to a great start and who knows what you can achieve. Set that alarm and put the kettle on, get cracking (pun intended) and open up a new world of brekkie possibilities.
This is an edited extract from Chefs Eat Breakfast Too by Darren Purchese published by Hardie Grant Books (RRP $29.99) and is available where all good books are sold. Photographer: © Ari Hatzis, Elisa Watson
68 www.beerandbrewer.com
ENTERTAINING – FOOD
BREAKFAST TACOS Filled with chorizo, potato, capsicum (bell pepper) and scrambled egg, these are awesome for breakfast on the run. Simply load ’em and wrap ’em, then you’re good to go.
75 g (2½ oz) sour cream 1 handful fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped 8 corn tortillas
Prep time:
Recipe
15 minutes
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 5 minutes to soften. Drain and place on a baking tray with the capsicum pieces. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 25–30 minutes, shaking the tray every 10 minutes or so, until the potato is golden brown and the capsicum is starting to colour.
Keep the pan on a medium heat and add the eggs. Use a spatula to move the eggs back and forth gently; this is when you start to break down the eggs and mix the yolk into the white. You don’t want the eggs to cook too fast; if they are, take the pan off the heat for a few seconds. Keep moving the eggs with the spatula until they start to thicken and look like scrambled eggs. Add the sour cream and season to taste, then stir again before removing the pan from the heat. Stir in the chorizo and coriander.
Cut the casing from the chorizo and crumble the meat into a bowl with your fingers. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and cook the chorizo crumbs, stirring regularly, for a couple of minutes to release some of the
Spoon some roasted potato and capsicum into a tortilla and then spoon some scrambled egg over the top. Fill all of the tortillas and serve immediately, garnished with coriander leaves if you wish.
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients 2 King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm (½ in) dice 1 capsicum (bell pepper), seeded and cut into 1 cm (½ in) dice 60 ml (2 fl oz/½ cup) olive oil Salt flakes Freshly ground black pepper 1 fresh chorizo (about 180 g/6½ oz) 6 eggs, cracked into a bowl
fat. Continue to cook until the edges of the chorizo start to caramelise. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate, leaving the chorizo oil in the pan.
WInter 2019 69
ENTERTAINING – FOOD
CHICKEN + EGG RICE BOWL The kombu, bonito, mirin, sake, soy, shiso and sansho pepper used in this dish can all be found at your local Japanese or Asian supermarket (there is usually one close by, especially in large cities). All of these will add authentic flavour to your Japanese cooking. Mitsuba, which has a flavour similar to a mixture of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley and celery, may be harder to find because it’s seasonal; if you’re stuck, substitute with parsley.
Serves:
2 tablespoons sake
sunk to the bottom of the pan, the dashi is ready.
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
Place a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) over a bowl and ladle and strain the dashi into the bowl. Discard the muslin and bonito, and your dashi is ready to go. Dashi will last for up to 1 week in the fridge.
1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar ½ brown onion, sliced 1 tablespoon chopped mitsuba 2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed and sliced diagonally into 3 cm (1¼ in) pieces
2
4 eggs, lightly beaten cooked short-grain rice, to serve
Prep time:
Small red shiso leaves, to garnish
10 minutes (plus 1 hour soaking)
Sansho pepper, to garnish
Cook time:
Recipe
15 minutes
Ingredients Dashi 1.5 litres (51 fl oz/6 cups) water 10 g (¼ oz) kombu 40 g (1½ oz) dried bonito flakes 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) mirin
70 www.beerandbrewer.com
For the dashi, put the water and kombu in a saucepan and set aside to soak for 45–60 minutes at room temperature. Place the pan on the stove top and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then remove from the heat. Remove and discard the kombu. Leave the broth to cool for 5 minutes, then add the bonito flakes and leave to infuse. When the bonito flakes have
Measure out 280 ml (9½ fl oz) of dashi and pour it into a bowl. Add the mirin, sake, soy sauce and sugar and stir to combine. Put the onion, mitsuba, half of the spring onion and the chicken in a saucepan and pour in the dashi mixture. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 4–5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink. Remove the lid and pour in the egg, using chopsticks to gently move the egg around in the liquid. Keep the pan on the heat for a few minutes until the egg has just set. Divide the rice between two bowls and top with the chicken and egg mixture. Garnish with the remaining spring onion and the shiso leaves and sprinkle with sansho pepper. Serve immediately.
ENTERTAINING – FOOD
COFFEE + CACAO MAPLE GRANOLA CLUSTERS This granola contains coffee beans, which will get you up and buzzing along. The coffee beans need to be blitzed in the blender until coarse but fairly small; don’t leave them too big as they are very crunchy.
Makes: 2.5 kg (5½ lb)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients 60 g (2 oz/¾ cup) roasted coffee beans 50 g (1¾ oz) puffed quinoa 80 g (2¾ oz) cacao nibs 600 g (1 lb 5 oz/6 cups) rolled (porridge) oats 400 g (14 oz) mixed seeds, such as sesame, sunflower and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 100 g (3½ oz/²⁄³ cup) almonds, roughly chopped 100 g (3½ oz/²⁄³ cup) blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped 100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 150 g (5½ oz) unsalted butter 300 ml (10 fl oz) maple syrup 400 g (14 oz) mixed dried fruit, such as cranberries, apricots, sultanas (golden raisins) and currants, chopped 100 g (3½ oz/1¾ cups) flaked coconut 100 g (3½ oz) dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
Recipe Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line two 30 cm x 20 cm (12 in x 8 in) baking trays with baking paper. Coarsely blitz the coffee beans in a blender and transfer to a large bowl. Add the quinoa, cacao nibs, oats, seeds, nuts, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine well. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then pour in the maple syrup. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes before pouring onto the ingredients in the bowl. Mix well with a spoon or spatula (or use the paddle attachment from your electric mixer). Divide the mixture evenly between the two trays and spread it out to cover. Gently press down to compact (don’t pack the granola too tightly or the clusters will be too thick and hard to break up). Bake both trays in the oven for 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave to cool in the trays and then break the granola into pieces into a large container. Add the mixed dried fruit, coconut and chocolate and mix well. Store in a sealed container in the pantry for up to 1 month.
WInter 2019 71
T
his issue we’ve changed the entire set-up of our Tasting Notes pages. In May, a panel of experts gathered at Beer & Brewer Towers for a ‘formally informal’ beer tasting. Together they tasted beers from this issue’s seasonal focus – red, amber and brown ales – as well as a host of new releases. Please find this winter’s esteemed panelists below. Across the page you will find the Top Picks, the Panel’s 12 favourite beers and ciders. Beyond that, we have 40 more beers that the panel has tasted and reviewed. Also look out for the Seasonal Focus sticker that highlights the red, amber and brown ales that were our focus this issue.
The Brew Review WELCOME TO THE ALL-NEW, ‘FORMALLY INFORMAL’ BEER & BREWER TASTING PANEL
Cameron Flett
NSW Sales Manager, Capital Brewing Co
Manager, Warners at the Bay Bottle Shop
Rosemary Lilburne
Lou Dowling
Craft Beer & Cider Specialist, The Oak Barrel
Co-owner, PNV Merchants
Joe Wee
James Atkinson
Owner, Noble Hops
Beer Writer
Liam Pereira
Charlie Whitting
Venue and Events Manager, Batch Brewing
Editor, Beer & Brewer
O AS N
L
FO
72 www.beerandbrewer.com
Josh Quantrill
A
SE
The Panel
CUS
What’s our Seasonal Focus? This issue we zero in on Red, Amber and Brown Ales
TASTING
O AS N
Mountain Goat Rare Breed: Hello Humanoid Double IPA ABV: 7.5% Style: Double IPA The Rare Breed series is a chance for the brewers at Mountain Goat to get a little bit freaky, but in the case of Hello Humanoid at least, it’s not a case of throwing in everything but the kitchen sink and hoping for the best. This beer is much smarter than that, and impressed the judges with its excellent balance. Pouring with a medium haze, the liquid is copper in colour with an off-white head. The nose is reminiscent of dried apricots, with a little bit of grassy hops poking through too. Apricots turn into apricot jam on the palate, with a juicy but clean hop profile backed up by great carbonation; a solid bitterness lingers until it fades, leaving you no choice but to lift the glass to your mouth for another sip. Juicy hop aromatics, subtle malt sweetness, and balanced bitterness – what else do you need in a DIPA? FOOD MATCH: A handful of dried apricots Goatbeer.com.au
L
FO
A
SE
Panel’s Top Picks
CUS
Modus Operandi Born to Rum Porter
La Sirène Farmhouse Red
Willie Smith’s 2018 Methode Traditionnelle
ABV: 6.5% Style: Porter This limited release from Mona Vale hopheads Modus Operandi brewed for Good Beer Week 2019 pours an opaque black with a creamy brown head. Espresso, dark chocolate, and big toasty malt aromas – along with a touch of smoke – erupt from the glass, enticing you in for that first sip. From there, creamy chocolate segues into dark chocolate, coconut, rum and espresso bitterness on the palate. The finish is a perfect balance of dry and sweet palate weight. The panel was most impressed by the balance and finesse displayed by this porter, with malt toastiness, a gentle sweetness, and a touch of bitterness holding everything in check. If you can get your hands on one of these tallboys, do it – you won’t be disappointed. FOOD MATCH: Cheesecake with sharp raspberry coulis Mobrewing.com.au
ABV: 6.5% Style: Farmhouse Red Ale Victorian farmhouse experts La Sirène are up to their usual tricks with this cracking, funky red ale, which combines a bracing acidity with a bucketload of tarty fruits and subtle floral characters. Vibrant red in the glass with a very slight haze, the off-white head doesn’t hang around too long, but a sniff reveals loads of blackcurrant, cherry and plum aromatics. Taking a sip, a sharp acidic character is backed up by a generous mouthfeel, a balancing malt backbone, and tart berry and ripe cherry notes. A great example of the style, combining mouth-watering cherry sharpness and a beautiful horse blanket finish. La Sirène, you’ve done it again. FOOD MATCH: Sharp cheddar cheese and water crackers Lasirene.com.au
ABV: 8% Style: Cider There’s not many in the Australian cider scene that are as consistent (or as popular) as Willie Smith’s, with this vintage cider a prime example of just how the Huon Valley producer earned itself its stellar reputation. After popping the cork, the cider poured a clear yellow gold with a high effervescence, and many were quick to remark on the funkiness of the nose, with some pointing out a subtle rosemary or lavender aroma too. On the palate, the most common descriptor used was ‘dry’; in fact, “very dry”, “super dry” and “dry, dry, dry!!” were all evoked by the panel to summarise the mouthfeel, which also displayed a great textural warmth – thanks, in part, to the relatively high alcohol. “Regal in nature” was how one of our panelists summed up this truly delightful cider; let’s just say it’s best enjoyed in a Champagne flute. FOOD MATCH: Cheese or seafood – think of it as a Champagne Williesmiths.com.au
WInter 2019 73
TASTING
O AS N
L
FO
A
SE
Panel’s Top Picks
CUS
Holgate Brewhouse 600 Above Citrus Saison
Red Hill East Coast Session IPA
Pikes Beer Company Double IPA
BentSpoke Brewing Co Red Nut
ABV: 6.2% Style: Citrus Saison So named for the elevation above sea level of Holgate’s brewery in Woodend, Victoria, this saison also left our panelists feeling like they were up in the clouds. A fantastic, bright colour with an appealing bead and thick frothy head greets the lucky drinker. The phenolic clove and spice aromatics are perfectly to style, with loads of lavender and citrus hinting at the composition of this beer. The flavours are also classic saison, though the citrus fruit added to the brew may have played a part in upping the zestyness of flavours in 600 Above, remarked on by a few of the panel. “An example of saison that could be used as a measuring stick for the future,” wrote one panelist. “Offers everything promised and then some,” wrote another. Higher praise a brewer could hardly ask for. FOOD MATCH: Fresh crusty bread and a cheeseboard Holgatebrewhouse.com
ABV: 5.5% Style: Session IPA Mornington Peninsula brewery Red Hill launched two new beers in can earlier this year, and of the two – the other being the Two Bays Pale Ale – this one was the panel’s favourite. A vibrant and appealing shade of light gold in the glass, the nose on this ‘East Coast’ Session IPA is similarly pleasant, showcasing fresh grassy notes, citrus, and hints of pineapple, mango and tropical fruits. In terms of taste, a number of panelists remarked on the freshness of this beer, with the dominant hop characters still shining brightly through. Tropical and citrus juiciness is backed up by a reasonably firm hop bitterness and a touch of piney resin, but it’s by no means thick or overpowering – in fact, the beer finishes nice and clean, with an aftertaste that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Good for a session? You betcha. FOOD MATCH: A bag of salt and vinegar chips Redhillbrewery.com.au
ABV: 8.2% Style: Double IPA Pikes Beer Company, from the idyllic Clare Valley, are back with their popular DIPA again this year after first releasing the beer in September 2018. The first thing our panelists remarked on was the dark gold to hazy orange colour of this beer, which looked gorgeously enticing in the glass. From there, the nose presented those hallmark characteristics of a fresh, well-made double IPA: floral, passionfruit, stonefruit and mango aromas, which give way to a piney and resinous backbone. On the palate, the hop attack continues, with excellent bitterness balanced by a slight sweetness and all of the dank qualities you’d expect from an 8.2% ABV DIPA. Despite the intensity of the flavours, one panelist used to the word “soft” to describe the mouthfeel. In other words, it’s not a harsh beer; instead, it’s like floating on a hoppy, boozy cloud. Get this one when it’s fresh. FOOD MATCH: Soft chicken tacos with pineapple salsa Pikesbeercompany.com.au
ABV: 7% Style: Red IPA Since first being canned in March last year, BentSpoke’s Red Nut has become a firm fan favourite far from the boundaries of its Canberra brewpub. Ruby red in colour with a light haze, in visual terms at least, this redhead lives up to its name. On the nose, the hops strike first, but when you take a sip, the malt comes into play as well and lends a smooth and subtle caramel sweetness. After taking a few sips, we started to notice a very slight alcohol warmth too, reddening the cheeks and providing a gentle reminder that Red Nut packs a punch. Very well balanced, Red Nut’s big, piney hop character matches the malt backbone perfectly – but if we had to pick a side, we’d say that the hops just come out on top. With the winter chill starting to bite, satisfy your body’s cravings for warming, rounded flavours while also feeding that inner hophead. FOOD MATCH: Cheese toastie/ jaffle Bentspokebrewing.com.au
74 www.beerandbrewer.com
O AS N
L
FO
A
SE
TASTING
CUS
Bridge Road Brewers Posse Autumn Hazy Red Ale
Felons Brewing Co IPA
ABV: 6.2% Style: IPA Felons Brewing Co opened its ABV: 6% Style: Red NEIPA doors in November 2018 in The recently declared an idyllic location under the micronation of Brewland (Bridge Story Bridge on the banks of Road Brewers) has been a the Brisbane River, and quickly shining light on the Australian established a great reputation independent brewing scene since with Brisbane locals – but if the they opened in Beechworth over brewery’s packaged releases are a decade ago and with releases anything to go by, word is likely like this, it’s easy to see why. to spread even further. The broad Pouring a dark, hazy red in the hop bill of Hull Melon, Enigma, glass, aromatically, Posse is all NZ Rakau and US Mosaic is very about the balance between sweet evident on both the nose and malt and tropical fruitiness. These palate of this classic IPA, with characteristics carry through to the fruity, fresh passionfruit and the palate, where a restrained stonefruit aromas also indicating bitterness also enters the fray; a beer that has been kept very one panelist also remarked on a fresh. It’s a bright and zippy beer, “salted caramel earthiness” they with the tropical fruit flavours noticed in the beer. While a Red balanced by firm hop bitterness NEIPA sounds like a lot to handle, and a lingering finish that hangs this is a well balanced and highly around long after you’ve taken a enjoyable drop that would please sip. A better locally-brewed West both NEIPA nerds and fans of Coast IPA it would be hard to find. the somewhat less trendy red FOOD MATCH: Smoked meats ale style. With beers this good, Felonsbrewingco.com.au Brewland’s sovereignty is surely guaranteed for years to come. FOOD MATCH: Hot Indian curry Bridgeroadbrewers.com.au
Exit Brewing #019 Passionfruit Sour
Willie Smith’s 2018 Yarlington Mill
ABV: 4.4% Style: Fruited Sour Perhaps not the most appropriate beer for winter, this Passionfruit Sour from Dandenong South’s Exit Brewing has the middle of summer written all over it, thanks to its clean, naturally refreshing and cleansing nature. That doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyed year-round though – and if you manage to track down a can, you can expect a tasty little number that starts a little sweet, ramps up the tartness to a pleasingly lip-smacking intensity, and finishes dry. Aromatically there’s not a huge amount going on – perhaps a hint of grape, as well as a mild salinity and minerality reminiscent of a white wine – but a lightly fruited sour of this kind isn’t really about the complexity, is it? Chill the can, pop the tab, and wake your palate up with a spritzy can of sunshine. FOOD MATCH: Blue cheese and crackers Exitbrewing.com
ABV: 7% Style: Traditional Apple Cider Willie Smith’s responded to our request for their latest releases with gusto this edition, sending through a wide variety of vintage, champagne-corked bottles (as well as their regular canned options) for the winter tasting. From the cidery’s broad selection, the panel were most impressed by this 2018 Yarlington Mill cider – as well as the 2018 MT back on page 73. Pouring an appealing marmalade hue, a fleshy fruit character is evident on the nose, backed up by toffee apple and slight spicy aromas. The palate is more of the same, also lending a stewed apple quality that immediately brought to mind a classic Sunday roast. This is a gorgeous cider, the traditional Yarlington Mill apple variety also providing a drying tannic quality that increases its overall complexity, the warming flavours lingering on and on. FOOD MATCH: Roast pork with crackling Williesmiths.com.au
WInter 2019 75
O AS N
Feral Brewing Biggie Juice
ABV: 6.5% Style: IPA Pours a dark copper in the glass, with medium clarity, good head retention and sparkling carbonation. Grassy hops with a hint of pine on the nose. Overall, a well-balanced bitter IPA, older world in style with some light Crystal malt influence. Juicy tropical fruit to start with a piney resin undertone to balance, followed by an enjoyable lingering bitterness. FOOD MATCH: Cheeseburger Goatbeer.com.au
ABV: 6% Style: NEIPA The juicy haze of Feral’s popular Biggie Juice – now in cans! – immediately gives away its NEIPA underpinnings. It’s all about juice and fruit on the nose, with pineapple, mango and other tropical fruits all present. Fresh and fruity with a rich mouthfeel, there’s more piney resin in there than you might expect once you take a few sips. A very wellmade NEIPA, and a fine example of the style. FOOD MATCH: Schnitzel with lemon wedge Feralbrewing.com.au
Dainton Matchstyx Smoked Chilli Stout ABV: 6.7% Style: Chilli Stout Pours a borderline impenetrable black in the glass. Nose is reminiscent of milk chocolate with a subtle smoke and coffee notes coming through; the chilli isn’t that evident until you take a sip, which starts off similarly chocolatey before a subtle chilli note hits. The chilli almost acts as a foil to the chocolatey stout flavours, subbing in for hoppy bitterness in the palate cleansing department. A very nice beer. FOOD MATCH: On its own! Dainton.beer
Nomad Brewing Surfside Lager ABV: 5% Style: Lager Clear and pale, this extremely well-made lager displays slightly spicy, floral and subtle bubblegum aromas. It’s got great mouthfeel, low bitterness, and no faults at all to speak of. Described by one panelist as a “full smasher”, this is an easy drinker for a hot summer’s day, with a very clean, crisp and cleansing finish. FOOD MATCH: BBQ prawns Nomadbrewingco.com.au
ABV: 7.2% Style: Traditional Apple Cider Light copper to gold appearance with a medium haze, the nose is very fresh on this vintage cider – displaying an enticing, fruit-forward aroma. The flavours are evident of a nice, clean ferment, with the freshness of the nose carrying through to the palate. A nice and sessionable well-layered flavour profile, combining vibrant fruit characters with a bold tartness. FOOD MATCH: Penne carbonara Williesmiths.com.au
76 www.beerandbrewer.com
Pikes Beer Company Passionfruit Belgian Witbier ABV: 6% Style: Witbier There’s a lovely estery aroma, with bananas, orange, clove and bubblegum coming through too. Upon taking a sip, a Christmas spice flavour makes itself evident as well, with great carbonation lengthening the palate weight. A classic style, and while the passionfruit only adds a subtle influence, this is a solid example of a witbier. FOOD MATCH: Ceviche Pikesbeercompany. com.au
ABV: 5% Style: Brown Ale Perfect colour for the style with a beautiful, brown to deep red hue. Toasty malt aromas – and a hint of hop spiciness – jump out of the glass, along with hints of chocolate sweetness and caramel. The palate mirrors the nose, with light caramel and toasty malts combining to form a beer of medium sweetness, and a lingering bitterness that cleanses the palate for the next sip. A lovely light-bodied brown ale. FOOD MATCH: Bangers and mash Hickinbotham.biz
L
ABV: 4.5% Style: Pale Ale Pale and clear straw colour that is more reminiscent of a Euro lager, hinting at the lighter body which follows later. Fruity citrus aromas and a tiny bit of dank character are evident on the nose. This is a very sessionable little number, sprightly in flavour and with a nice restrained bitterness. Not overly complex but very drinkable. FOOD MATCH: Potato scallops Redhillbrewery.com.au
Willie Smith’s 2018 Kingston Black
Hix Brown Ale
O AS N
FO
Red Hill Two Bays Pale Ale
CUS
A
SE
Mountain Goat North Street IPA
L
FO
A
SE
TASTING
CUS
Little Bang Brewing IRA ABV: 6% Style: India Red Ale Pours a clear tan brown, with the malty, caramel, pine and cinnamon toast aromatics a delightful combination. Good, strong bitterness, a great malt character and a strong hop profile are all right on style, with the sweetness and hoppyness working in perfect tandem. If you’re a red ale fan, this one will not disappoint – delicious! FOOD MATCH: Beef Bourguignon pie Littlebang.com.au
Tumut River Brewing Co Portstar ABV: 5% Style: Smoked Porter An inviting smoky character peeks through on the nose, along with hints of coffee. Smoke, black coffee, dark chocolate and a charred wood character keep it interesting in the mouth, where the light texture belies the complexity of flavour on offer. A lovely smoky porter, with all the flavour in the world packed into its delicate body. FOOD MATCH: Grilled steak Trbc.com.au
SE
ABV: 6.3% Style: Saison Aromatically, Exit Brewing has crafted a beer with honey, floral, orange and earthy, estery notes on the nose. It displays a good body, and is reasonably fruity, with a long finish. The raspberries add a very subtle tart sweetness; otherwise, it’s true to style and an easy, pleasant drinking saison, with no faults to speak of. FOOD MATCH: Stinky cheese Exitbrewing.com
Wayward Brewing Red IPA
Wayward Brewing Funky Pineapple Hand Grenade
ABV: 6.5% Style: Saison Pours gold with a slight haze. Nice zesty, estery notes on the nose lead into a palate that almost hints at stewed fruit, or perhaps peach, followed by an alcohol warmth. It’s quite a busy beer, and thanks to the wild Brett yeast used to brew it, there’s a sour and funky element to cap things off as well. This is truly a feisty farmhouse ale. FOOD MATCH: Hard cheese Lasirene.com.au
ABV: 6.5% Style: Red IPA There’s good head and lacing in this dark red, clear beer from Sydney brewery Wayward. Nice floral hoppy notes come through on the nose, along with a sweetness reminiscent of glace cherries. On the palate, slightly bitter hops are followed and brightened by a malty sweetness, all wrapped up with a lengthy finish. FOOD MATCH: Lamb cutlets Waywardbrewing.com.au
Little Bang Schwang Tangerine Sour
Wayward Brewing Hopped Porter
Exit Brewing #021 SXPA
ABV: 6% Style: Porter An espresso browncoloured beer in the glass that hints at the aromas and flavours to follow. A coffee-led nose, roasty and soft. Intense in flavour, with a coffee roundness, the hops in this porter add a nice bitter and tannic quality. Not super full-bodied, it’s actually really easy to drink – share with a friend who says they don’t like dark beer to change their perception of what a porter can be. FOOD MATCH: Chocolate torte Waywardbrewing.com.au
ABV: 3.5% Style: Session XPA A delicious fruity nose, with prickly pear and tropical fruit aromas. The palate reminded one panelist of green mangos; others commented on the “hop bite” of a beer that sits firmly in the session category. An impressive amount of flavour has been packed into this beer, given its low ABV, combining tropical flavours with a balancing bitterness. FOOD MATCH: Fried calamari Exitbrewing.com
ABV: 6.5% Style: Brett IPA Medium gold in colour with a fluffy white head, this complex release from Wayward does what you expect – nicely combining a subtle Brett funk with a dank hop character. Aromas are reminiscent of citrus peel, mango and pineapple juice, while a clean citrus flavour profile marries well with a solid bitterness and Brett funk which bounce off one another. FOOD MATCH: Taleggio cheese Waywardbrewing.com.au
L
ABV: 5.4% Style: Cider Butterscotch, stewed fruit, peach and spice on the nose make for an appealing aroma, not to mention the lovely hazy gold hue that greets the drinker in the glass. Taste-wise, this cider displays a warm sweetness up front that rapidly gives way to a crisp, bone dry finish. Thoroughly moreish, it’s got a great texture and overall, is a highly enjoyable drop. FOOD MATCH: Roast pork Williesmiths.com.au
La Sirène Wild Saison
O AS N
FO
Willie Smith’s 2018 Traditional Cider Apple Blend
CUS
A
SE
ABV: 4.7% Style: Red Ale Bonehead’s red ale pours a deep ruby red and expresses a massive piney hop character – combined with dark caramel – on the nose. The palate displays a nice, dark and complex malt flavour with a medium hop bitterness. Overall, a solid red ale with a medium body that is very drinkable. FOOD MATCH: Shepherd’s pie Boneheadbrewing.com.au
Exit Brewing #020 Raspberry Saison
L
L
Bonehead Brewing Revered Ale
O AS N
FO
CUS
A
O AS N
FO
A
SE
TASTING
CUS
Prancing Pony India Red Ale ABV: 7.9% Style: India Red Ale Light red with a white, crisp head, this boozy little number from Prancing Pony immediately reveals a biscuit-like aroma. Upon taking a sip, there’s alcohol warmth to start that runs into a biscuitlike sweetness, as well as a solid bitterness for balance. A smooth drinking, well balanced beer, that utilises a lovely lingering bitterness to clean the palate and prepare you for the next sip. FOOD MATCH: Chilli con carne Prancingponybrewery. com.au
ABV: 3% Style: Kettle Sour Pours a very bright yellow, with no head to speak of. Lemon tart, passionfruit and citrus aromas combine on this tart, smashable little number. There’s clearly loads of fruit addition, with only a hint of its beer backbone – but that’s no bad thing, as even the packaging speaks to the fun, fruity sour within that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. FOOD MATCH: Lemon meringue pie Littlebang.com.au
WInter 2019 77
ABV: 6% Style: Red IPA Six Strings aren’t lying about the dark red – this pours a hazy, ruby brown colour that should have all red ale fans salivating. Displays an oaky and woody aroma, backed up by caramel, subtle chocolate and hints of raspberry. This is a complex beer; citrus hop notes are offset with deeper notes of wood, chocolate and dark fruit. Rounded and smooth. FOOD MATCH: Fresh cherries Sixstringbrewing.com. au/ex2
ABV: 5.2% Style: Amber Ale Caramel in colour, and similar caramel notes on the nose – with a hint of coffee and gingernut biscuit as well. Good malt flavours on the palate, with soft hints of stone fruit and melon, but perhaps a little thin in terms of its mouthfeel. It’s not overpowering though and goes down easily. FOOD MATCH: Roast dinner Goatbeer.com.au
ABV: 4.2% Style: Pale Ale Made using 100% Victorian ingredients, this pale ale from Bad Shepherd balances a fresh hop aroma with malty undertones, and a low-to-medium bitterness. Very bright clarity in the glass, there’s big tropical fruit aromas followed by a biscuit taste up-front when you take a sip. The same fruits that emerge on the nose come through on the palate a little later. A lovely, summery pale. FOOD MATCH: Garlic grilled prawns Badshepherd.com.au
78 www.beerandbrewer.com
SE
Bridge Road Brewers Celtic Red Ale ABV: 5.3% Style: Irish Red Ale Burnt plums, raisins and a roasted coffee aroma greet the drinker, preluding a dependable take on the Irish red ale style from Bridge Road. Displays a soft and light mouthfeel with a quality that reminded one panelist of rum and raisin – but none of the stickiness you might expect from this sort of flavour, the whole thing balanced by a slightly smoky hint. FOOD MATCH: Roast turkey sandwich Bridgeroadbrewers. com.au
O AS N
FO
CUS
La Sirène Farmhouse Noir ABV: 6% Style: Dark Saison While our panel enjoyed it, this beer offers an experience that would divide the masses. There’s a lot going on in the glass – from subtle phenolic and coffee aromas, to red sour cherry flavours that are also supported by a toasty, stout-like malt character – but together, it all seems to work. You’d need at least a second bottle to fully wrap your head around this extremely complex beer. FOOD MATCH: Black forest cake Lasirene.com.au
L
Bad Shepherd Victoria Pale Ale
ABV: 6.3% Style: Cider Pours a deep gold, with unripe strawberries, mango, apples and pears abounding on the nose. Round and soft texture in the mouth, with a natural fruit sweetness and a lightly tannic quality. Overall, this is a super enjoyable and beautifully balanced cider that lingers on the palate. FOOD MATCH: Pork terrine with cornichons Williesmiths.com.au
A
Mountain Goat Fancy Pants
ABV: 6.2% Style: Red IPA Presents a clear, hazeless but nonetheless rich amber to red colour in the glass. Pine, resin and slightly woody notes on the nose. While the ‘red’ holds the eye and the IPA elements hold the nose, the palate is a fight between the two, with malt sweetness perhaps succumbing slightly to a fairly loud bitterness. Nonetheless, this is a polished, well-balanced RIPA. FOOD MATCH: Fatty steak Blackhops.com.au
O AS N
FO
CUS
Willie Smith’s 2018 French Blend
L
L
SE
ABV: 4.8% Style: Pilsner Pours with a slight haze. Clean yeast characters come through on the nose, though one panelist detected very minor oxidation. A nice assertive bitterness, slightly peppery sweetness and a smooth mouthfeel make this a perfect beer to cut through fried food. A perfectly standard lager that is a great example of the style, with balanced flavours and good body. FOOD MATCH: Fish & chips Hemingwaysbrewery. com
Black Hops Code Red
A
A
O AS N
FO
Hemingway’s Brewery The Prospector Pilsner
CUS
SE
ABV: 6% Style: Wet Hop Ale This wet/fresh hop ale from Prickly Moses is tropical fruit salad in a glass. Pours a deep gold colour with fine, beaded carbonation and good head. Pineapple skin, mango, cumquat on the nose; excellent mouthfeel and body with flavours of bright mango, passionfruit and a pithy bitterness that linger long after you swallow. Thoroughly moreish. FOOD MATCH: Pavlova Pricklymoses.com.au
SE
Six Strings Dark Red IPA
L
L
Prickly Moses Harvest Ale 2019
O AS N
FO
CUS
A
O AS N
FO
A
SE
TASTING
CUS
2 Brother Grizz ABV: 5.7% Style: American Amber Ale Whiffs of stewed stone fruit and biscuity caramel aromas backed up with a strong, malt forward palate – but with not a lot going on in the hop department – make this a slightly unbalanced but very accessible and warming beer. FOOD MATCH: Salami and other cold cuts 2brothers.com.au
SE
Green Beacon 3 Bolt Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5% Style: Red IPA Dark red with a big tan head, Green Beacon’s RIPA displays huge malt aromas semi-balanced by piney hops. The flavour profile is almost port-like, with a big, bold malt character and a lot of booziness. The warming alcohol profile combines with a medium bitterness and a lovely red currant aroma that emerges as you dip your nose in the glass for each sip. FOOD MATCH: Beef ragu Greenbeacon.com.au
ABV: 4.2% Style: Pale Ale The nose tends towards caramel, apricot, sherbet and a hint of tropical fruit (mango and guava). Rounded mouthfeel, soft body and a light finish. This is a good beer, but perhaps could’ve been fresher – at no fault of the brewery. Hop aromas have dropped off slightly and it seems to have lost a bit of its punch, with the more malty flavours coming to the fore. FOOD MATCH: Salty beer nuts Greenbeacon.com.au
Hemingway’s Brewery Doug’s Courage XPA ABV: 5.6% Style: XPA Gold in colour with a fine head, this XPA all the way from Cairns brewery Hemingway’s is a quaffable little number. Pleasant biscuity malt is balanced by citrus hop notes and hints of mango. It’s very hopforward, with a strong grapefruit bitterness that split the panel on what exactly puts the ‘X’ in XPA. Style disputes aside, we can confirm its enjoyability. FOOD MATCH: BBQ ribs Hemingwaysbrewery. com
ABV: 7.2% Style: Cider While it’s a little thin on the palate compared to some of Willie Smith’s more complex ciders, Bone Dry displays some delicious fruit character while remaining (as the name would suggest) pretty damn dry. The nose is funky with notes of cinnamon and mulled wine. Be careful though; it’s an easy drinker, despite the sizeable 7.2% ABV. FOOD MATCH: Apple pie Williesmiths.com.au
ABV: 5% Style: Amber Ale Pours a hazy, rich, burnt orange hue – an altogether appealing colour in the glass. Overall, Exit Brewing’s Amber is an assertively hoppy amber ale, with piney hop aromas backed up by a slight candied citrus hit. Burnt caramel and coffee are evident on the palate, and it finishes nice and bitter. FOOD MATCH: Pizzas Exitbrewing.com
O AS N
Vale Tropic Ale ABV: 4.2% Style: Tropical Pale Ale An easy drinking, thirst quenching and thoroughly uncomplicated beer. Mango skins, mandarin, lemon and grapefruit aromatics are backed up by a similarly citrusy palate. Light mouthfeel, but good balance with a low bitterness and a soft finish. Don’t overthink it, just enjoy it. FOOD MATCH: Seafood Valebrewing.com.au
4 Pines Keller Door Honey Imperial Stout ABV: 9% Style: Imperial Stout A rich tan head emerges on top of a dark brown liquid, with a red hue when held to the light. The honey is evident on the nose; combined with the beer’s rich malt character, it’s reminiscent of treacle. Surprisingly given the rich nose and flavours, the mouthfeel isn’t over thick or roasty for an imperial stout – this Keller Door release from 4 Pines hides its not insignificant ABV very well. FOOD MATCH: Choc chip cookie 4pinesbeer.com.au
L
L
Exit Brewing Amber
ABV: 4.2% Style: XPA Contract brewed by Brick Lane Brewing for Coles Liquor, Tinnies’ Tropical XPA isn’t going to push any boundaries but is nonetheless light, drinkable and refreshing. Displaying a soft fruity palate, a tropical fruit bowl nose, but a fairly thin body and a low bitterness, it’s perfectly pleasant and unobtrusive. FOOD MATCH: Thai green curry Liquorland.com.au
FO
CUS
Willie Smith’s Bone Dry Cider
Tinnies Tropical XPA
A
O AS N
FO
A
SE
ABV: 4.2% Style: Gose The rose and hibiscus flowers added to this refreshingly tart gose from Bad Shepherd have resulted in a brilliantly red beer, attractive both in colour and flavour. While there’s not a huge amount going on aromatically, it nonetheless displays a slightly salty and slightly sweet flavour profile that balances itself very well. FOOD MATCH: Scallop ceviche Badshepherd.com.au
Green Beacon Red’s Dead
CUS
SE
Bad Shepherd Rose & Hibiscus Gose
O AS N
FO
CUS
L
L
FO
A
O AS N
A
SE
TASTING
CUS
Philter Red Session Ale ABV: 4.8% Style: Red Ale Reddish in colour, this is a hop-forward ale with plenty of grapefruit, citrus, and dried fruit on the nose and pine and grapefruit – with low sweetness – on the palate. Hops win over the malt, and there’s a low amount of bitterness. For a lower ABV red, it definitely earns its ‘Session’ label. FOOD MATCH: Gruyere Philterbrewing.com
WInter 2019 79
AUSTRALIA & NZ DIRECTORY
Australia & NZ Directory Breweries
QLD
NSW
THE MONK BREWERY & KITCHEN CRAFTY CONTRACTORS
AUSTRALIAN BREWERY 350 Annangrove Road, Rouse Hill NSW 2155 (02) 9679 4555 brewer@australianbrewery.com.au www.australianbrewery.com.au Cellar door open 10am-10pm daily
TEMPLE BREWING CO.
@TEMPLEBREWING
Tanunda SA, 5352 08 8563 0696 (option 2) Email: office@bvbeer.com.au www.facebook.com/ craftycontractors/ You bring passion. We provide expertise. The perfect partner to make your beer dreams a reality. Specialising in small batch craft brewing.
33 South Terrace, Fremantle WA 6160 (08) 9336 7666 beer@themonk.com.au Open every day 11:30am until late
NZ
WWW.TEMPLEBREWING.COM.AU
MOA BREWING COMPANY HAIRYMAN BREWERY Contract/Gypsy Services Unit 10, 12-14 Northumberland Road, Caringbah NSW 2229 (02) 9525 4050 info@hairyman.com.au www.hairyman.com.au
VIC
THE CRAFT & CO Brewery. Distillery. Eatery. Micro Dairy. Incorporating a craft brewery, distillery, eatery & micro-dairy onsite, there’s always things to drink, eat or shop for at The Craft & Co! 390 Smith St Collingwood (03) 9417-4755 info@thecraftandco.com.au www.thecraftandco.com.au
PRANCING PONY The Pony is an Experience. Based in the Adelaide Hills, watch the brewers at work as the brewhouse is in the middle of the brewery restaurant. We offer food matched or cooked with beers and with 16 beers on tap there is something for everybody. Join us for a brewery tour and check out our live entertainment. Come as you are, the brewery is family and dog friendly. Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays), call to book your table or brewery tour now. 08-8398 3881 or info@prancingponybrewery.com.au prancingponybrewery.com.au www.facebook.com/PrancingPonyBrewery twitter.com/prancingponysa www.instagram.com/prancingponybrewery
SA
WA
Jacksons Road, RD3 Blenheim Marlborough Tel: +64 3 572 5146 www.moabeer.com Visitors welcome Open 11am – 5pm or late, 7 days
Contract Brewing
GYPSY HUB Gypsy Hub a brand incubator working with brewers & distillers to bring their recipes to life on a commercial scale: -Planning & Logistics -Recipe Development -R&D -Onsite Packaging -Full Contract Brewing or Distilling -Gypsy Brewing or Distilling (03) 9924-4070 info@gypsyhub.com.au
COOPERS 461 South Road, Regency Park SA 5010 (08) 8440 1800 www.coopers.com.au Tours available 1pm Tuesday to Friday
80 www.beerandbrewer.com
COWARAMUP BREWING CO. North Treeton Road, Cowaramup WA 6284 (08) 9755 5822 www.cowaramupbrewing.com.au Tours available by appointment Open 7 days a week 11am – 6pm
SOUTHERN BAY CANNING NOW AVAILABLE We Contract Brew, Can, Bottle or Keg ALL Beverage Types www.SouthernBay.com.au Michael@SouthernBay.com.au Ph: 03 5248 5710
Distributors
Ingredients
Testing
BINTANI +61 3 8587 9888 sales@bintani.com.au www.bintani.com.au Connecting brewers and distillers to the world’s best ingredients Malt: Joe White, Best Malz, Simpsons Malt, Briess Yeast: Fermentis Hops: the best US HOPS, Charles Faram European hops Finings and brewing aids.
BEER IMPORTERS & DISTRIBUTORS Unit 5/20-28 Ricketty Street, Mascot NSW 2020 (02) 9667 3755 info@bidbeer.com www.bidbeer.com www.facebook.com/ BeerImportersDistributors Beers: Abita, Warsteiner, Greene King, Chimay, Duvel
HOP PRODUCT AUSTRALIA HOME MAKE IT WHOLESALE
Education
Love Brewing Beer? Find out more about our brewing qualifications.
BREWMAX Engineering better beer with the latest brewing equipment technologies Ph: (07) 3420 4943 Mob: 0412 720 606 brewmax@brewmax.net brewmax.net
+61 3 6282 2000 info@hops.com.au www.hops.com.au Hops: Ella, Enigma, Helga, Galaxy, Topaz, Vic Secret, International Hops, Advanced Products
NZ HOPS
FB*PROPAK
VIC
HOME MAKE IT
+64 3 544 8989 nzhops@nzhops.co.nz www.nzhops.co.nz
96 Chifley Drive, Preston. VIC 3072 (03) 9924 4050 info@fbpropak.com www.fbpropak.com Specialised team has more than 50 years of experience in providing various brewing equipment solutions, including turnkey breweries, bottling/ canning lines, filtration, tanks, labellers, pilot/custom breweries, refrigeration and much more
Homebrew Directory
Equipment
Home Make It’s new wholesale and trade division has been launched to help supply home and craft brewing businesses nationwide with quality, unique brewing supplies and equipment. Contact: Steve Lamberto Mobile 0412 865 783 Ph (03) 9924 4038 stevenl@homemakeit.com.au www.homemakeit.com.au/pages/ wholesale-trade
VINTESSENTIAL Australia-wide beer testing Ph: 1300 30 2242 for your free sample bottles and free transport to your nearest Vintessential laboratory. www.vintessential. com.au
Keg Leasing
4/158 Wellington Road, Clayton VIC 3168 265 Spring Street, Reservoir VIC 3073 (03) 9924-4030 info@homemakeit.com.au www.homemakeit.com.au Twitter: @HomeMakeIt Specialists in home brew, beverage and food making equipment and supplies. Shop in-store or online
and Sales KEG SERVICES – READY KEG +61 3 7066513 +61 9706 6513 lincoln@kegservices.com.au sales@kegservices.com.au
Insurance
www.central.op.ac.nz
VINIQUIP INTERNATIONAL Processing, Bottling and Packaging equipment Unit 4 Wineworks Complex 5 James Rochfort Place, Twyford (RD5) Hastings, New Zealand Tel: +64 6 8797799 Fax: +64 6 8794624 Mob: +64 21 588008 NZ Freephone: 0800 284647 AUSTRALIA Freephone: 1800 209370 www.viniquip.co.nz
INSURANCE HOUSE Tailored solutions for microbrewers 1300 305 834 www.insurancehouse.com.au
WInter 2019 81
A PINT WITH…
drinking old school beer like Reschs. So we took the tannic qualities of Cascade hops, and blended it with Galaxy and Vic Secret to create a new world Australian pale, Newtowner – which was originally supposed to be a one off! It was the first time the Courty ever poured Young Henrys and it sold through the whole batch in a week – we’d never seen anything like it before, and we decided we had to keep making it. It got to the point where, for over a year, we couldn’t make enough to service anyone outside of Newtown. Eventually we stuck in some new tanks which basically became the Newtowner tanks, and now 6570% of our business is that beer.
Oscar McMahon, YOUNG HENRYS
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE YOUNG HENRYS APPROACH TO BREWING? Our motto has always been ‘Serve the People’. We’re not trying to make beers that challenge people, or say “you don’t drink craft beer, you’re wrong”. We’ve always tried to make balanced beers – even our Summer Hop Ale isn’t that challenging; despite the fact it’s 55
WHILE THERE’S NO SET PATHWAY INTO CRAFT BEER, IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT OSCAR MCMAHON’S JOURNEY INTO THE INDUSTRY WAS A UNIQUE ONE. AFTER 13 YEARS OF HARD ROCKIN’ AS A BAND MEMBER OF THE HELL CITY GLAMOURS, MCMAHON OPENED YOUNG HENRYS WITH CO-FOUNDER RICHARD ADAMSON BACK IN 2012. WE CAUGHT UP FOR A CHAT ON THE BREWERY’S SEVENTH BIRTHDAY
IBU and 6% ABV, it’s quite easy drinking. Our core range is approachable and filled with beers you can drink more than one of. That’s been our focus; we go to pubs, and want to be able to drink a few at a time. Internally, we refer to our beers as ‘pub craft’. But having said that, we’ve got a team of 11 passionate brewers, who are constantly doing R&D batches of weird and wonderful things. This year we’ve started up a
THINKING BACK TO 2012 WHEN YOUNG HENRYS STARTED, HOW MUCH HAS THE BEER SCENE CHANGED?
HOW CENTRAL IS NEWTOWNER TO THE YOUNG HENRYS BRAND?
smaller series called Brewers B-Sides, where
I’d call it our flagship beer. Not only is it
release them in longnecks.
In 2012, if you wanted to go out and drink
after our hometown. When you think about
some good craft beers, you were going to the
Newtown there are certain things that spring
WHAT BEERS WOULD BE IN YOUR DREAM SIX-PACK?
Taphouse – that was pretty much it. If you
to mind: a set of values, an aesthetic, it’s
I’m going to have to put two Young Henrys
think about the pubs of the Inner West now,
loud, and in some ways Young Henrys reflects
beers in there: Newtowner, because it’s a
you can go to a normal pub and they’ll not
those values. However, Newtowner wasn’t
go-to for me and a beer I’m really proud of.
only have one craft beer on, you’ll have a
one of our first beers – our first beers were
The other is the Stayer mid, because it’s saving
selection of independent craft, and not just
Real Ale and Natural Lager.
our lives at events these days. Then I’ll have
the brew team come up with different ideas and
our biggest selling product, but it’s named
pale ale – there’s a sour on at the Courthouse
to say Chimay Grande Reserve, because it’s always been a beer my dad and I have bought
seen independent craft become adopted by
HOW DID NEWTOWNER COME ABOUT?
traditional-style pubs. Yeah, they’ll have a
We’d been operating for about a year and
Wood Pacific Ale: my wife and I were married
Carlton tap, or a Tooheys tap, but they’ll also
a half when the Newtown Chamber of
by Ross at Stone & Wood and we had that beer
have taps for beers from the local area because
Commerce hit us up and said: “Newtown
at our wedding. Then I’m gonna say Sierra
customers want that. Back then, even if you
is about to turn 150, would you guys like to
Nevada Pale; when I was on tour with my
went out to dinner at a nice restaurant, there’d
create a beer for its birthday?” So we had a
band in America many years ago, drinking
be this incredible wine list – but maybe one
look at what people were drinking in Newtown
Sierra was a huge beer moment for me. The
international and one domestic lager. These
and made a beer to suit their palates. People
last would have to be Guinness. It’s an old
days we’re so spoilt for choice.
were drinking pale ales, but people were also
favourite – not exactly craft, but hey!
at the moment, for example. We’ve basically
82 www.beerandbrewer.com
on special occasions to have together. Stone &
Alpha Canning Lines Weapons of Mass D I ST R I B U T I O N N OW I N AU ST R A L I A
ALPHA BEER CANNON SERIES Expandable 24 to 42 to 80 Cans Per Minute Can Beer, Wine, Cocktails, Coffee, Kombucha, CBD Drinks, Water • very low DO2 pickup
• Manual Depalletisers
• weighs every can prior to seamer (patented)
• Auto Depalletisers
• auto rejects low fills or missed lids
• Twist Rinsers
• the ‘revolver’ lid magazine • precision push button fill level control • servo drive seamer and filler technology
• Pack-off Tables • Labellers
• energy efficient burst rinse and dry technology
• Date Coders
• minimum footprint, maximum mobility
• Carrier Applicators
The Beer Cannon on Your Front Line = Profit on Your Bottom Line!
BELMORE PACKAGING T: 0427 770 108 E: BelmorePackaging@bigpond.com W: www.belmorepackaging.com