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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 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

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A

EDITOR’S LETTER

PUBLISHED BY Food and Beverage Media 41 Bridge Road GLEBE NSW Australia 2037 Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419

Autumn Issue new year brings a new issue and what an issue we have in store for you!

Last year saw the number of craft breweries in Australia continue to soar and in the first few months of 2019, that growth has shown no signs of stopping! There are more beers and limited releases than we have time to drink, and the

initiatives of yesteryear are already bearing fruit as the industry seeks to improve and support the quality and diversity of the brewing scene.

So as we enter a new year, Beer & Brewer has set itself the challenge of launching some fantastic new content for you. First of all, we will be spending 2019 celebrating those breweries that operate beyond the state capitals in this nation’s vast regional areas, bringing craft beer to more isolated pockets of Australia and brewing closer to the elements and where the ingredients are actually grown. The Regional Breweries Series commences this issue in Victoria’s High Country on page 42.

We have also launched two features that stem from you – our readership. A Day in the Life lets you walk a mile in the shoes of someone in the brewing industry should you be thinking of joining it. This issue, we start with the brewers themselves on page 34. And for all you dog lovers out there, we’ve tracked down some of Australia’s most dog-friendly breweries (page 48).

In an issue full of experimentation, it seems only right for us to take a look at Sours (page 22), one of the most inventive brewing categories of the moment, as well as talking to hop growers (page 36) to find out what their longer term approaches have yielded. And just as the humble hop has a huge effect on the finished product, we’ll follow the journey a beer takes from brewery to drinker, looking at its delivery (page 58) all the way up to the glass into which it’s poured (page 28).

In addition to all of this, Homebrewer concludes its focus on water (page 66) and Chris Thomas delves back into his old homebrewing mags once more (page 74).

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

Front cover image credit: US Hop Harvest Image supplied by Bintani Australia and BSG HOPS

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AUTUMN 2019 3

CONTENTS

inside...

34

Autumn 2019

FEATURES 22 Sour Beers Luke Robertson delves into the endlessly inventive world of sour beers and goses as they continue to inspire and intrigue us

28 Glassware Our Tasting Panel always provides a glass recommendation because the shape of the glass has such an important effect on the taste of the beer. Tam Allenby investigates this further

34 A Day in the Life Ever wondered what a brewer’s standard day looks like? Check this out and wonder no further

HOMEBREWER 64 Welcome 65 Letters 66 Q&A John Palmer continues to expand upon his answers about water

68 Jake Brew Log Jake Brandish takes a look at sour beers with Otherside Brewing

70 ANHC Pairing Dinner Chris Thomas takes us through the pairing dinner at the Australian National Homebrew Conference

36 Hop Harvest The rockstar of the brewing world is a trend-driver, but what does it take to create the perfect hop?

Charlie Whitting takes a peek into the hop growers’ world

42 Regional Breweries The urban breweries have had their say, but what of those bringing beer to the regional craft enthusiast? In the first installment of this series, we travel to the Victoria’s High Country

48 Dog Friendly Breweries We explore Australian breweries that also welcome our furry friends

58 Delivery and Freshness A beer’s quality is not just down to the people who make it. Every step of its journey from fermenter to mouth can put it at risk

4 www.beerandbrewer.com

72 Recipes Andrew Childs explains the recipe behind Behemoth Brewing Company’s Freedom APA

73 Gladfield

Gladfield looks to create a redder

red ale

74 Old Homebrew mags Chris Thomas delves back into his archive of old homebrewing books and magazines in part 2

79 Coopers Coopers go wild with a recipe for Anarchy IPA

80 Level Up Building beer – What are the steps involved in designing your own beer?

“You’re always doing a couple of things at once and managing your time”

– Ashley Hazell, head of brewing at Colonial Leisure Group

48

36

REGULARS 6 The Brew The biggest events of the autumn

8 News All the latest news from the brewing world

14 World News 16 Bits and Bobs 18 New Venues 82 Entertaining – Food Celebrate the cuisine of Australia with the Australian Heritage Cookbook

86 Tasting Notes This autumn, the panel has turned their expert palates to pale ales, as well as a host of new beers from craft breweries across Australia and New Zealand

96 Directory 98 A Pint With…

Richard Watkins and Tracy Margrain, founders of BentSpoke

“IT GETS DOWN TO A MICROSCOPIC LEVEL. HOW DOES A HOP GROWING IN A DIFFERENT CONDITION ACTUALLY PRODUCE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CERTAIN TERPENE OR AN OIL?” – JUSTIN FOX, BINTANI

42

28

AUTUMN 2019 5

THE BREW

WHAT’S ON

Things to Do This Season GABS BEER, CIDER & FOOD FEST 2019

their one-off Festival Beers; collaborators include coffee roasters, tea houses, distillers, biscuit makers and even an American BBQ smokehouse.

Brisbane: Saturday 27 April Melbourne: Friday 17 – Sunday 19 May Sydney: Saturday 1 June Auckland: Saturday 29 June

Bacon, donuts, hemp flour, sake, rum, gin, Tim Tams, agave, and even edible green ants. If you’ve attended GABS before, you’ll know this isn’t a random list of foodstuffs – these are, in fact, just some of the exotic ingredients found among the many ‘Festival Beers & Ciders’ brewed especially for the 2019 edition of the beer festival juggernaut that is GABS. Renowned as one of the world’s leading beer festivals, GABS brings together the best breweries from Australian and New Zealand for a whirlwind celebration of craft beer and cider.

Also – and you may need to hold on to your hats Queensland readers – for the first time in history, GABS will be coming to Brisbane, and will be held at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in late April before rolling on to its usual host cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland.

GABS co-founder Steve Jeffares said it was

6 www.beerandbrewer.com

the right time to bring the iconic event to Queensland. “For us, GABS has always been about sharing our love of craft beer and cider with as many people as possible, so bringing the festival experience to Brisbane has long been on the agenda. We’re thrilled to now be able to make this a reality, and can’t wait to showcase the booming craft beer scene to Queenslanders in true GABS style!”

Collaboration is a particular focus for this year’s festival, with many brewers pairing up with other food and drink brands to develop

Of course, beer is only part of the equation at GABS, as it’s a spectacular event in and of itself. There’s circus and sideshow performers, panel discussions with industry leaders, cooking demos, beer hall games, and a giant Ferris Wheel. The list of food trucks and vendors is as deep and meaty as ever to ensure you don’t go hungry; there are boilermakers on offer at the Jameson Caskmates bar, “personalised and interactive wine labels” at the 19 Crimes Wine Bar, and a wonderland of cheeses at the Milawa Cheese hub. The popular Stomping Ground Silent Disco will also be back for 2019, and will be stepping up its game with the addition of a giant neon boom box truck.

“There’s so much going on at GABS, but at the end of the day, our goal is simple. We want everyone to experience just how fun the world of craft beer can be,” said Jeffares. “Wherever you are on your beer or cider journey, there’s something to amaze you at GABS”.

Gabsfestival.com

Hops growing in the High Country

Country Brewery Trail pour their wares along with a selection of leading local winemakers and distillers. Adding to the festivities this year are some special guests from further afield, including Wildflower from Sydney and Hop Nation from Melbourne. There’ll also be some ‘hopped up’ glamping packages set in the centre of Beechworth’s historic precinct.

Rounded out by carefully curated local food offerings and an eclectic, suitably festive musical soundtrack, it’s an epic way to spend a weekend.

Bridgeroadbrewers.com.au/events

FRESH HARVEST BEER FESTIVAL Sydney: 20 April

HIGH COUNTRY HOPS FESTIVAL Beechworth: 30-31 March

Bridge Road Brewers has announced the return of its popular High County Hops Festival, which will return for the fifth time in 2019. Over two days, Bridge Road’s brewery carpark in Beechworth comes to life, as the eight craft brewers of the region’s High

If last year’s inaugural event was anything to go by, attendees can expect a vibrant festival of hops and hoppy beers when The Cannery Rosebery – the home of Frenchies Bistro and Brewery – again plays host to the Fresh Harvest Beer Festival. Using freshly harvested ‘wet’ hops, 2018 saw many of Australia’s most popular independent breweries showcase their uniquely fresh creations, alongside food stalls, live brewing demos, music and a pumping after-party. With fresh hop beers still quite rare – providing a very

different taste to their dry-hopped siblings – it could be one of your only chances to try the fresher, oilier and more floral flavour and texture that wet hop beers are known for.

Instagram.com/freshharvestbeerfestival

GOOD BEER WEEK Melbourne: 10-19 May

Since launching in 2011, GBW has grown almost 500 percent in size to become the force that it is today, hosting more than 300 diverse and innovative events across Melbourne and Victoria and attracting roughly 75,000 attendees each year. In 2019, the week’s events will again be divided into four streams – Foodie, Beer Lover, Beer Geek and Good Times (as well as Beer School for education) – to make it easier for attendees to pick their choice of events, no matter what stage of their personal craft beer journey they are on. Also, just like in year’s past, the week will culminate with GABS Melbourne from 17-19 May, while the annual Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) will be presented on the evening of 16 May. Buckle up – it’s a solid week!

Goodbeerweek.com.au

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AUS & NZ NEWS

Trial for craft brewers to trade like small bars extended to Newcastle A NSW Government trial to allow craft brewers to trade like small bars has been extended north to the nearby city of Newcastle.

The trial, which began in Sydney’s inner west in September 2018, enables craft brewers to expand their business model and serve fullsize drinks, as opposed to just tastings.

Craft breweries in Newcastle can apply for the authorisation at no cost. Conditions include a patron limit of 100 and a requirement to have food available. The trial will run until September 2019.

Minister for Racing, Paul Toole, added that the trial is also available to producers of spirits, liqueurs and ciders.

“These small businesses are currently only allowed to offer tastings, unless they obtain a full ‘drink on premises’ authorisation that is not always well suited,” Mr Toole said.

“The new tailored licensing option will cut red tape and help create new business opportunities.”

Like small bars, craft breweries are considered low risk for alcoholrelated harm. The new authorisation with clear conditions will give certainty for businesses, as well as Liquor & Gaming NSW and police.

ENDEAVOUR AND BLACK HOPS LEAD CROWDFUNDING CHARGE Endeavour Brewing Co and

(l-r) Ben Kooyman, Dan Hastings and Andy Stewart of Endeavour Brewing Co

Black Hops Brewing are leading the way for brewery crowdfunding in Australia,

strategy for the company – wholesale, new venues and a production brewery.

Both breweries have

with both of them exceeding

offered investors added

their own minimum

incentives alongside

investment targets.

becoming shareholders,

Black Hops Brewing

such as merchandise and

raised $400,000 from

discounted and exclusive

544 investors. It took the

products.

brewery eight hours to raise

Crowdfunding has been

its $150,000 minimum.

prevalent in breweries

“It feels good,” says Dan

across the world, but these

Norris, who co-founded

were the first two breweries

Black Hops Brewing

to try it in Australia.

with Eddie Oldfield and

“I think it’s quite new

Michael McGovern in 2014.

here,” says Norris. “I’d seen

“Normally things don’t go exactly as you plan them, but in this

them in New Zealand and they went more the way ours went. It’s

case, it did go pretty much exactly the way we hoped it would go.”

not often that people get to invest in a good brand, particularly a

Black Hops Brewing is 95% complete on the build of its second brewery. The money raised is helping get that build over the line.

Endeavour Brewing Company raised 183% of its minimum

local brewery that they love going to. I was happy for ours to go the way I thought equity crowdfunding campaigns should go.”

“I think both us and Black Hop can certainly hold our heads

crowdfunding target, with shareholders coming from across

high,” says Kooyman. “It’s not just the money. The asset that we

Australia. New shareholders raised $558,100, while existing

have of over 600 shareholders around the country is really powerful

shareholders privately raised an additional $695,000. This will allow

for us and is something that we’ll treasure and keep happy in the

managing director Ben Kooyman to focus on the three pillars of

long term.”

8 www.beerandbrewer.com

INDEPENDENT BREWERS ASSOCIATION INDEPENDENT BREWERS ASSOCIATION CEO ALEXIS ROITMAN DISCUSSES A NATIONAL INDEPENDENT BREWING SURVEY It’s hard to believe that as an industry, independent brewing in Australia is only a decade old. Despite our relatively small size in comparison with the brewing multinationals, the growth in our industry is strong.

BALTER XPA RETAINS TITLE IN GABS HOTTEST 100 Balter’s XPA has retained its title in the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2018, which saw a record 31,000 beer lovers place more than 155,000 votes for their favourite craft beers of the year.

From a field comprising around 2,350 beers from more than 260 breweries, it was the Gold Coast brewery that claimed top spot for the second year running. Balter had two other beers named in the top 10, with its IIPA and IPA placing sixth and seventh respectively.

Balter’s IIPA was one of 21 beers released in the last 12 months to make the list, demonstrating the impact of a popular new release in the fast-paced craft beer scene. New England IPAs (NEIPAs) were also prevalent among the new entries, doubling their presence overall and claiming strong positions, such as Hop Nation’s Jedi Juice (#9), Dainton’s Blood Orange New England Rye IPA (#36) and CoConspirators’ Matriarch (#63).

Stone & Wood’s Pacific Ale once again took second place, the beer’s ninth consecutive podium finish over the years, making it the most loved beer in the poll’s history. Third place went once again to Crankshaft from BentSpoke, topping a charge of five beers from the Canberra brewery, all placing within the top quarter of the list.

Queensland showcased its huge strides in craft brewing, with 22 beers from nine breweries featured in the list, up from 15 beers from five breweries in 2017. While New South Wales maintained its overall presence in the list, with 26 beers from 13 breweries, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia all dropped representation from 2017.

Localism has been touted as an increasingly influential factor and the results backed that up, with this year’s list featuring the first brewery from Northern Territory – Darwin’s One Mile Brewery – with four beers. The Sunshine Coast also elevated its local brewing scene, getting Your Mates, 10 Toes and Brouhaha into the list. In addition, The Welder’s Dog from Armidale in regional NSW saw four of its beers in the list, including the first ever ginger beer to make the Hottest 100.

88% of the beer listed were made by independently owned breweries – up from 71% in 2017. Lion’s Furphy Refreshing Ale was the highest placed non-independent beer at #25 and was the only non-independent beer to improve its position on the previous year.

In contrast, Coopers, South Australia’s oldest family-owned brewery, saw its fortunes reversed, with its Sparkling Ale jumping from #97 in 2017 to #46 in 2018, the biggest jump of this year’s list. In addition, two other Coopers beers made it onto the list – Original Pale Ale came in at #17 and Session Ale at #22.

In the past three years a new independent brewery has opened, on average, every six days in Australia, and there are now 600+ independent brewers in operation. To the delight of Australians across the country, the IBA’s members are disrupting the traditional 20th century beer paradigm with a focus on quality and variety rather than quantity of consumption.

With both a NSW and a federal election scheduled for the first half of 2019, the IBA is working hard, advocating to the major parties in Sydney and Canberra on behalf of our members.

However Independent Brewing is an industry that crosses many portfolios. Two thirds of indie brewers are located in rural and regional areas of Australia, some are farm brewers themselves and so we have close ties to our colleagues in primary industries. Likewise, two thirds of the IBA’s members have taprooms where locals and visitors alike can sample the newest offerings.

Taprooms are the new cellar doors and they’re putting beer tourism well and truly on the radar.

Strong growth in manufacturing needs the guidance and support of all levels of government to deliver on the promise of positive economic and employment impacts.

We believe that 2018’s Queensland Craft Brewing Strategy is a good model for a NSW Indie Brewing Strategy, also having regard for the NSW Government’s support for the NSW Wine Industry in its 2017 MOU. However for a truly national approach, which successfully navigates growth and development in such a highly capital- and labour-intensive industry, independent brewers are seeking a 2019 National Independent Brewing Industry Strategy. We’re asking for a dedicated Minister to champion our industry across government and to support us through sustained growth and development as we move into the next exciting phase of our development.

AUTUMN 2019 9

AUS & NZ NEWS

Ellerslie Hop Australia officially reopens Ellerslie Hop Australia officially reopened on Thursday 7 February with a special event, attended by representatives from Coopers, Lion, CUB and the craft sector, as well as local members from the Rural City of Wangaratta and guests from across the world, including the UK, USA, Germany and New Zealand.

Following a devastating fire last year that destroyed much of the company’s infrastructure, Ellerslie Hop Australia set out to rebuild and managing director Greg Croke has been amazed at the support he has received from the brewing industry.

“It’s been quite an emotional rollercoaster and it’s been very humbling,” he said. “The satisfaction that everybody got last week when we were able to stand there and collectively say ‘we’ve done it’ I think everybody just took this big sigh of relief.”

Croke set the target of rebuilding Ellerslie in 330 days, but the team reached it in 309, an achievement he puts down to “the fact that everyone got on board”. The rebuild cost $10.5 million and now features a multitude of health and safety features, as well as a great deal of computer technology, safety switches and lock outs.

“There’s a lot of little luxury items we put in,” says Croke. “We know that it’s going to help us from a production point of view, from a cleanliness point of view, from a hygiene point of view.

“I can’t put into words the appreciation and gratitude that I have for everyone that worked on this and the brewing industry as a whole.

We work in a fantastic industry and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay the industry. I mean that.”

CLUB BREWING CO TO RE-BREW THREE MOST POPULAR BEERS After brewing 27 exclusive beers since beginning in December 2016, The Club Brewing Co team has committed to re-brew three of its most popular beers for the Autumn pack.

Club Brewing Co makes one-off collaborations with local and international breweries, including Lagunitas (US), Fuller’s (UK), Baird (Japan), Beer Here (Denmark) and Yeastie Boys (NZ). Locally, Club Brewing Co has worked with breweries like Mountain Goat, MoonDog and 3Ravens, as well as Pact, CoConspirators and Burnley.

An online poll was recently conducted for members to pick their three most popular beers, with IPAs dominating the top of the order.

The top three collaborative beers were the ones made with Lagunitas, Stone Brewing and Salt Brewery, with a Berliner weisse made with 3 Ravens, a mango and pineapple milkshake IPA made with Co-Conspirators and a Brut IPA made with Wolf of the Willows all narrowly missing out.

“The Club Brewing and Lagunitas collaboration from our winter pack last year came out comfortably in front,” says Chris Thomas, brewing manager at The Club Brewing Co. “It’s a West Coast IPA using half a dozen classic US hops and hint of rye malt.

“When we got Mitch on board he was still with Stone, and when he left he wasn’t sure if we would still be keen. We were still keen as – brewing with Mitch Steele isn’t something you get to do everyday.”

10 www.beerandbrewer.com

INDUSTRY ROUND-UP

AIBA INTRODUCES TWO NEW TROPHIES FOR 2019 Due to an increase in entries, the 2019 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) will see the introduction of two new trophies – Best Fruit Beer and Best Wood or Barrel-Aged Beer. Previously, Gold Medal winning Fruit Beer and Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beer entries would compete with entries from the Herb & Spice, Honey, Smoke, Chocolate & Gluten Free Beer classes for the Best Specialty Beer Trophy.

The two trophies and their classes are: Best Fruit Beer: 19A American-Style Fruit Beer, 19B Fruit Wheat Beer, 19C Belgian-Style Fruit Beer.

Best Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer: 20A Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber Beer, 20B Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark Beer, 20C Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, 20D Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer.

The Champion Trophies on offer include Champion Australian Beer, Champion International Beer, Champion Small, Medium and Large Australian Breweries, Champion Small, Medium and Large International Breweries, Australian Gypsy Brewer Award and the Gary Sheppard Award for Best New Exhibitor.

Entries are now open for the 2019 AIBAs and will close on Friday 22 March, with judging taking place from 8-10 May. The Awards Presentation will be held on Thursday 16 May.

Queensland government launches strategy to support craft brewing In December 2018, The Palaszczuk Government launched Australia’s first craft brewing strategy to support the industry’s rapid expansion.

“Over the last five years, craft brewing has been the fastest growing segment of the beer market – a trend that is continuing,” commented Cameron Dick, the minister for state development, manufacturing, infrastructure and planning. “Earlier this year, the Queensland independent brewing industry asked for our support to achieve their fullest potential, and we have taken their feedback on board.

“We have worked with key stakeholders from across industry and government departments to understand the industry’s challenges and opportunities. We acknowledge this is just the start, but it’s a positive step forward to maximise the sector’s growth.”

Craft beer production in Queensland’s 90 odd independent craft breweries is estimated to be worth around $62 million a year, and is still experiencing growth. The state’s market share of the sector in Australia has also risen by about 2.8 per cent from 2016 to 2017. The industry also employs over 1,700 people.

Nine actions have been identified to position the industry to capitalise on the opportunities available, including investigating the establishment of a ‘brewlab’ facility in Queensland, streamlining liquor licensing applications and promoting Queensland’s craft brewing capabilities and tourism opportunities.

12 www.beerandbrewer.com

Queensland’s craft brewing scene has seen enormous growth in recent years

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AUTUMN 2019  13

WORLD NEWS

World news

WHAT’S MAKING HEADLINES IN THE WORLD OF BEER?

14 www.beerandbrewer.com

Qatar

BEER PRICES SOAR The Gulf state of Qatar introduced a 100 percent tax on alcohol to see in the new year, with beer prices literally doubling as 2018 became 2019. The total cost for a 24-pack of beer in the country has risen to 384 riyals, equivalent to $141 AUD at the time of writing.

The tax is part of a levy on “health-damaging” goods, and while it is still legal to buy and drink alcohol in Qatar, doing so in public is against the law. Qatar will also host the World Cup in 2022, though organisers have said alcohol will be available during the tournament in “designated drinking areas”.

Thailand

USA

United Kingdom

Israel

VERMONT BREWERY NAMED WORLD’S BEST

FULLER’S SELLS TO ASAHI FOR £250M

‘BORDER BEER’ BREWED WITH GAZA WHEAT

Popular beer rating website RateBeer has named Hill Farmstead Brewery in Vermont as the world’s number one brewery for the fifth year running. The list, released in January each year, reflects the top performing breweries on the website, which aggregates reviews from millions of independent consumer and industry reviewers. More than 34,000 breweries worldwide are listed on the site. Rounding out the top three for 2019 were Russian River Brewing (California) in second and Trillium Brewing Company (Massachusetts) in third.

Fuller’s, most famous for brewing its flagship London Pride Ale, has accepted a whopping £250m offer for its entire drinks business from Asahi. The deal includes the Griffin Brewery on the banks of the Thames in West London, London Pride’s “spiritual home”. Asahi has said they will continue to brew beers at the Griffin Brewery, though some redundancies are expected. A spokesman for Fuller’s said the 174-year-old company will now focus on running its pubs and hotels instead – with Asahi to become a “key supplier” to Fuller’s pubs and hotels.

Israeli craft brewery Alexander Beer recently rolled out a new wheat beer made using wheat harvested from fields located in Israeli communities bordering Gaza. Since March 2018, over a thousand acres of wheat fields in the area have been destroyed by makeshift incendiary devices (usually burning kites and balloons) launched by Palestinians protesters. The ‘Otef Aza’ (Gaza Border) beer was brewed using wheat that survived the flames, with all profits going back to the Israeli farmers affected by the ongoing conflict.

Vietnam

Netherlands

BEER TRUCK FLIPS, LOCALS REJOICE

DOCTORS USE 15 BEERS TO SAVE MAN

IPA BREWED WITH OLD CHRISTMAS TREES

More than 80,000 cans of beer were spilled across a major road in the Thai city of Phuket in midJanuary, and bystanders were quick to start ‘helping’ with the clean-up. Video footage captured locals filling bags, bikes and cars with the cans, which were ejected from a lorry that overturned rounding a bend. Police launched an investigation into the alleged thefts, with four arrested. “They have admitted that they saw other people taking beer cans, so they did too,” said a local police chief.

“They say they have consumed the contents of all beer cans.”

A man dying from alcohol poisoning was saved after doctors pumped a total of 15 cans worth of beer into his body. Late last year, 48 year-old Nguyen Van Nhat was taken to hospital with methanol levels in his body reportedly 1,000 times over the recommended limit. The solution? Beer, and more specifically, the ethanol in it – which was used to slow the rate at which his liver processed the lethal dose of methanol.

Put simply, while his body was distracted breaking down beer, doctors had time to extract the methanol and save the man’s life.

Dutch brewery Lowlander Beer made headlines earlier this year when it announced it was brewing its 2019 Winter IPA with recycled Christmas trees.

The brewery partnered with Amsterdam Botanic Garden and restaurants – as well as appealing to local residents to donate their unwanted trees – to collect the roughly 600 kilograms of needles it needed to produce the beer. The resulting limited-edition 5% ABV white IPA (which was also brewed with juniper berries) was sold in roughly 700 bars, restaurants and retail outlets in northern Europe.

Canada

CATS EMPLOYED AT OTTAWA BREWERY TO HUNT MICE An Ottawa brewery has enlisted the help of a pair of cats to help manage its mice problem.

Beyond the Pale brewery is the first company to participate in the Ottawa Humane Society’s ‘working cat’ program, which pairs up feral cats (that aren’t suitable as pets) with local businesses that need help with a rodent problem. During the day, the cats live in an employees-only area of the brewery; at the end of the working day, the last employee to leave lets them out to start their nightly hunt.

AUTUMN 2019 15

BITS XXXXXXX & BOBS

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BITS BOBS STARWARD TWO-FOLD DOUBLE GRAIN AUSTRALIAN WHISKY Just across the road from Colonial Brewing Co’s Port Melbourne brewery, you’ll find Starward.

Two-Fold, the distillery’s newest whisky, has been described as a game changer for the whisky scene in Australia. Matured in Australian wine barrels and made using Australian wheat and malted barley, what really sets Two-Fold apart is its affordability, with most Australian whiskies on the pricier side. “We all have a ‘special occasion’ whisky cabinet which is over-flowing with options, but the ‘sharing cabinet’ is tightly curated,” says Starward founder David Vitale.

“We believe we have an opportunity to elbow out some space and create an alternative to the great whiskies from around the world with an Australian whisky, matured in Australian wine barrels”. An approachable, every-day whisky that sits somewhere on the lighter side of the flavour spectrum, Two-Fold can be enjoyed neat or on ice but is also perfect for mixing cocktails with at home.

Starward.com.au RRP $65

OVERBOARD DRY ICE 30L COOLER BAG Keeping your beers cold at the beach, while camping or on a boat usually involves lugging a heavy, unwieldy esky around with you too – but not anymore. Thanks to its foam core, Overboard’s Dry Ice Cooler Bag keeps your drinks ice cold for up to 24 hours, leaving plenty of time for activities. The bag also comes with an adjustable shoulder strap and a purge valve for flat pack storage when not in use. Also, there are no zips to jam or break – instead, the bag employs a waterproof roll-top sealing system.

Dryicecoolers.com.au RRP $99.95

16 www.beerandbrewer.com

BOTTLELOFT Now here’s something new: BottleLoft is the world’s first magnetic bottle hanger, designed to free up space in your fridge and as a side effect, impress your guests at parties.

The two-strip, impressively strong ‘neodymium’ magnet pack – which sticks to any spot thanks to a heavyduty, peel-and-stick adhesive – hangs six bottles, but you can buy additional pieces if you need more room. Still, with the rapid rise of cans, you might wonder if you’d ever actually get any use out of the BottleLoft. But fear not – there’s a can version currently in the funding stages on Kickstarter too.

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NEW VENUES

FEMALE-LED BREWERY REVAMPS PUB IN ADELAIDE CBD Sparkke Change Beverage Co opened the revamped Whitmore hotel in Adelaide’s CBD on International Women’s Day, Friday 8 March.

The venue, now called Sparkke at the Whitmore, is the first brewpub for the female-founded and led social enterprise. The venue has a lift for full wheelchair access, and features reclaimed and sustainable materials, and boutique and large function rooms. The renovation also revealed secrets up to 150 years old, including a shingle ceiling and a ‘pub within a pub’.

“We discovered an external wall inside the building, from its first life as the Queens Arms Tavern – licensed to Thomas Maslin in 1838, two years after Adelaide was colonised – that had been enveloped in a previous build,” explains general manager Alison James. “We have preserved several awesome historic finds, along with the building’s striking ironstone facade.”

The brewpub has a new two-vessel 800 litre nano brewery with 1,000 keg annual output.

“We estimate that we’ll consume about 600 of those in the pub and the balance will be sold wholesale to independent bars and restaurants,”

‘FURPHY HALL’ THE FIRST STAGE OF CREATURES’ GEELONG DEVELOPMENT

says Sparkke head brewer Agi Gajic. “Local and

In December 2018, the team at Little Creatures Brewery Geelong officially opened the

a meaty option – as well as offering cocktails in the

doors of its new event space, The Furphy Hall.

uplit downstairs bar beside Gajic’s brewery.

national collaboration is a big part of who we are and what we do – our 100 per cent natural beer, wine, cider and hard lemonade each raise funds and awareness for a dedicated cause.”

Sparkke at the Whitmore’s food menu has a sustainable focus and vegetarian base – always with

Nearly $80 million has been invested in the development and growth of the old Valley Mills site since Little Creatures Development took it over in 2013. This new space is the first part of a first stage of investment, worth an addition $1 million over the next three years.

The Furphy Hall plays host to comedy shows, live music, movies, markets and a variety of community events.

The Furphy Hall was designed in collaboration with local architect 3iD and features the building’s original high light-filled ceiling and a multi-purpose kitchen. Every effort has

Sparkke at the Whitmore 317 Morphett Street, Adelaide SA 5000

been made to celebrate the history of the original building. Furphy maintains a strong connection to the Geelong community, as a partner of Give Where You Live, Geelong Community Foundation and many other local not-for-profit groups. As Furphy’s presence is bolstered at Little Creatures, the site will be able to play an even bigger role in local fundraising efforts and supporting local community organisations and events.

The new venue is situated in a previously unused building in the middle of the site and can cater to approximately 150 people at a time.

Furphy Hall 221 Swanston St, Geelong VIC 3220

18 www.beerandbrewer.com

Agi Gajic

BOTANY GET ITS FIRST BREWERY AND TAPROOM One Drop Brewing Co, a new brewery and taproom, opened in the Sydney suburb of Botany in January 2019, after two and a half years of planning from husband and wife team Meg Barbic and Clay Grant.

The couple, who are long time locals to Botany, sold their house and went on to build the brewery in a converted warehouse.

“We chose Botany as it is our proud home, our roots, our community,” says Meg Barbic. “It is the perfect place. And what better time than to launch Botany’s first brewery than in the very year of Botany’s postcode: 2019.”

On a family trip to the Croatia last year visiting family, they met their head brewer – New Zealander Nick Calder-Scholes – who had been setting up and working at the Garden Brewery in Zagreb, following a stint at Fourpure Brewing in London.

“We got talking and what started as a 10 minute chat with Clay resulted in Nick getting on board, moving over and becoming our head brewer,” says Barbic.

“It’s very chilled out, very family friendly, very dog friendly,” says Barbic. “It’s in an industrial location,

One Drop Brewing Co

which is a nice juxtaposition.”

5 Erith Street, Botany NSW 2019

MALT SHOVEL TAPHOUSE EXTENDS TO OPEN IN ADELAIDE Adelaide’s Riverbank Precinct now has a new venue in the form of the Malt Shovel Taphouse.

The new craft beer bar and kitchen opened on 30 November, with 48 taps and a menu that heroes spit-roasted meats. The venue is operated by Adelaide Oval under a licence agreement with Lion Co. Among the rotating selection of 16 different beers on tap at the Taphouse will be “limited editions” such as a Malt Shovel Brewers XPA, a Panhead V, Malt Shovel Ditch Creeper NEIPA and Little Creatures XPA, as well as beers from its Eumundi, Kosciuszko, James Squire, White Rabbit, Furphy and Byron Bay breweries.

The new venue, which was previously Neon bar, includes a dedicated restaurant, a large outdoor riverside deck and special dog-friendly areas. It is located on Festival Drive under the Dunstan Playhouse and Adelaide Oval footbridge.

A matched food menu has been designed by the Taphouse’s head chef Kane Boase, who has previously worked at Adelaide venues such as 2KW, Fino Seppeltsfield and Botanic Restaurant.

“Malt Shovel Taphouse is more than just a taphouse – it’s bar and kitchen – a place for families, groups of friends, visitors to the Oval pre- and post-games and events, and an ideal spot to soak in the scenic views of the River Torrens,” says Alison Davis, the Taphouse’s venue manager. “We want to provide variety, new products, good service, a comfortable environment and a place for people to congregate and create memories.”

Malt Shovel Taphouse Adelaide Festival Centre, Festival Drive, Adeliade SA 5000

The Taphouse’s head chef Kane Boase

AUTUMN 2019 19

NEW VENUES

AUSTRALIA’S FIRST GLUTEN FREE TAPROOM COMES TO MORNINGTON PENINSULA Australia’s first dedicated gluten free taproom and brewery opened in Dromana on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula in December 2018.

The taproom launch marked a significant milestone for TWØBAYS Brewing Co, as it presents a new range of beer to Australia’s gluten free market.

The venue opened on Saturday 8 December with seven gluten free craft beers on tap and a range of gluten free wood-fired pizza.

“I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in 2015 and I thought I would never taste great beer again,” comments founder Richard Jeffares. “Three and a half years later, I am opening Australia’s first dedicated gluten free craft beer taproom so that people with gluten intolerances have the opportunity to enjoy a beer with family and friends once more.”

TWØBAYS founding head brewer Andrew Gow is from Mornington and has 20 years’ experience in brewing, including Mornington Peninsula Brewery and Mountain Goat, but this is his first venture

BRISBANE’S KANGAROO POINT GETS ITS SEA LEGS ON WITH NEW VENUE

with gluten free grains.

The venue offers an opportunity for patrons to enjoy a beer – or local cider or wine – next to the brewery’s stainless steel tanks while looking out on the Peninsula’s famous Arthur’s Seat. (l-r) Andrew Gow and Richard Jeffares

Sea Legs Brewing Co became Brisbane’s latest brewery when it opened its doors metres from Story Bridge at Kangaroo Point in late December 2018.

The venue will offer food in the form of hand-stretched pizzas, hand-brushed crispy fried chicken wings and drumettes, halloumi chips, build-your-own charcuterie and cheese boards, burgers and crispy fried bao, as well as vegetarian and gluten-friendly options and a hand-selected wine list.

Sea Legs Brewing Co is a 15 hectolitre brewery with a 9,000 litre fermenting capacity. It will be brewing a core range of five beers to begin with, including a Tropical Lager (4.3%), Dr Swift’s Golden Ale (4%), Sea Legs Pale Ale (5.6%), Breakaway IPA (7.5%) and Milk Stout (6.5%).

A 100 litre pilot brewery and two 100 litre fermenters will also be used for specialty, seasonal and experimental batch brews.

The idea started more than three years ago, when five engineering mates decided to open a brewery.

“It’s been a wild ride over the past three years and to finally be able to sit down in the brewery and enjoy our beers in Kangaroo Point is definitely a proud moment,” said co-owner Dave Machin in December. “We’ve had so much support from the neighbourhood – everyone for that matter – and we can’t wait to meet everyone inside the venue rather than on the footpath.”

Sea Legs Brewing Co

Two Bays Brewing Co

89 Main Street, Kangaroo Point QLD 4169

Unit 1, 2 Trewhitt Court, Dromana VIC 3936

20 www.beerandbrewer.com

DARLINGHURST TAPHOUSE OWNERS ACQUIRE THE OXFORD TAVERN In January 2019, James and Josh Thorpe of Thorpe Hospitality added a second venue to their portfolio, acquiring the Oxford Tavern in Petersham in Sydney’s inner west.

“The Oxford Tavern has been one of our favourite Inner West venues for a long time,” says James Thorpe. “The pub has a rich and colourful history in the area, and while we will be refreshing certain elements, it is really important to us that the pub retains its incredible charm.”

The Thorpes reopened The Oxford Tavern almost immediately after the acquisition, but are still working on renovations. They intend to build a microbrewery over the next 12 months.

INVEST with

“We will be after a very small system, probably 5-10 hec, a bunch of bright tanks (which will be mounted on the old stage the dancers used to dance on when it was a strip club), and oak barrels,” says James Thorpe.

“We’d love to brew our own beer for the pub – ridiculous, commercially unviable beers that are tasty and a lot of fun, everything from hazy to barrel-aged, sour and even smoked.

The brewing label we’ve launched is called The Oxford Brewing Racket.”

The Oxford Tavern will be focused exclusively on locally owned, independent breweries on tap, as well as introducing a wide range of craft options with a hyper local (within a 5km radius of the pub) focus. The Thorpes are also restoring the pub’s famous smoker barbecue, and will be offering The Taphouse’s Sunday roast with a barbecue twist.

“We really want The Oxford Tavern to be inclusive and open to all,” adds James Thorpe.

“The new Tavern will be a venue that doesn’t take itself too seriously – a fun, relaxing environment with fresh, local beer, great food and all-round good times for everyone.”

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The Oxford Tavern 1 New Canterbury Rd, Petersham NSW 2049

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SOUR BEERS

Sour beer is looking mighty

sweet

LUKE ROBERTSON DISCOVERS HOW SOUR BEERS HAVE GONE FROM A NICHE PRODUCT THROUGH TO AN ESSENTIAL PART OF A BREWERY’S PORTFOLIO AND A PLAYGROUND FOR CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

22 www.beerandbrewer.com

Image credit: Scott Geilston

SOUR BEERS

I

n 2019 it seems like every brewery is including at least one ‘sour’ beer in its line up. However, five or six years ago they were barely seen in Australia.

With their sudden popularity, we decided to ask some brewers why they make the styles and how they

Sour Beer Terminology

create them.

There are a number of methods used to create sour beers, and there are a number of beers considered to be sour beer, versus traditional ales and lagers. From Berliner weisse and gose, which take less than a

The wood-fired brewing kettle at Robe Town Brewery

couple of weeks to make, to barrelaged and wild-fermented wild ales and lambic-style beers that may take years.

Kettle sour: Using lactobacillus cultures to sour the mash, before it is boiled.

Currumbin Valley Brewing in Queensland opened its doors late last year. While it launched with a more traditional offering – a pale ale – its second beer was a Mango Sour with Lemon Myrtle. It uses lactobacillus culture to create sour flavours before the beer is boiled to kill off the bacteria while keeping its flavour. It’s what’s known as a ‘kettle sour’.

Co-founder Pete Wheldon says the plan for the brewery over the

Low tech brewing: an oak barrel mash tun at Robe Town

coming years is to have three distinct groups of beer. The first

been called a gimmick or a fad

group will be hoppy, but “clean”

in some beer circles, he firmly

(unsoured) beers. The second will

believes they have a place in the

with lots of great food, and really nice

be kettle sours, and the final group

wider drinking palate.

venues for people to go out,” he says.

will be barrel-aged and soured

“I see them as a palate cleanser,

unusual and diverse offerings.

“We’re pretty lucky in Wollongong

“Venues were always on board with

over time. The move from brewing

or a resetter. Like having a sorbet

the concept and punters were pretty

nomadically at other people’s

in between courses during a meal. I

keen on them as well.”

breweries to a farm-based brewery

don’t see them as a flippant trend –

“We’ve got a pretty adventurous

has sparked the team to explore

they’ve made their mark and they’ll

bunch down here, and we’ve seen a

more farmhouse traditions using

continue to do so.”

lot of sours being brewed in the States

fruit and herbs available at the

Almost 1,000 km south of

and people keep an eye on what’s

farm. Wheldon believes sour styles

Currumbin Valley is Wollongong

going on around the world, so when

are well suited to the climate in his

brewery Five Barrels. At the end

they pop up here people are pretty

brewery’s part of the world.

of last year, it released four kettle

keen to give them a go as well.”

“The subtropical climate really

sours, and four barrel-aged sours.

lends itself to those beers,” he says.

Philip O’Shea, owner and brewer,

and he says he has already refilled

“I know in Brisbane our beers are

says the styles have always been

the barrels for future releases.

selling really well. The Gold Coast

on the cards for Five Barrels. The

has a way to go but it feels like it’s

barrel-aged releases have been in

picking up.”

the works for two years, and O’Shea

MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SOUR A BEER

says he’s lucky to have a brewery in

One of the more esoteric breweries

an area where drinkers are open to

in Australia is Robe Town Brewery

Wheldon thinks that the styles are also here to stay. While it has

Sour mash: Letting the grain naturally sour with no intervention before it is boiled, killing the bacteria.

Mixed fermentation: A mixture of techniques, that usually include natural wild fermentation after the beer is boiled, alongside more traditional yeast sources or kettle souring.

Wild fermentation: Letting the elements and bacteria have free rein over the beer.

Koelschip/ coolship: A wide open shallow vat, used to cool the beer after it is boiled, and often used to encourage particular types bacteria and yeast to congregate.

The releases have been a success

AUTUMN 2019 23

SOUR BEERS

in South Australia. Owner and brewer Maris Bezaitis uses old wine barrels to ‘mash’ in (turn the grains into a gloopy porridge, which then becomes the beer) and filters the beer through hay and straw.

He uses a process known as ‘sour mash’ to create his soured beers.

Currumbin Valley brewers enjoy the fruits of their labours

Food

This method uses lactobacillus that lives naturally on the grain to create a sour profile, before it’s boiled.

“I just let it spontaneously sour with the bacteria that’s on the malt and in the barrels, that sort of thing,” he says. He also lets the wild yeast and bacteria floating around the environment do their thing to the beer as well. “We do open fermentation, so sometimes if it’s extended, we get a little bit of spontaneous fermentation from wild organisms.”

However, it’s not as easy as leaving it up to chance and hoping you get a beer that actually tastes good.

The brewing process at Currumbin Valley

“Sometimes things are out of your hands,” he adds. “There are ways to control it and rein it in, in case things haven’t gone to plan. Things like blending the soured mash extract with a non-soured wort.”

At Hop Nation in Victoria, the team have created a sub label, known as Site Fermentation Project, to distinguish between its two different sour approaches. Beers such as The Punch Mango Gose still sit under Hop Nation, while naturally soured and barrel-aged beers will sit under Site Fermentation Project. The Punch uses a lactobacillus culture, left overnight to sour the mash, then it is boiled and treated like a regular ale. For the Site beers, however, co-founders Duncan Gibson and Sam Hambour wanted to use their experience as winemakers to create more long term sours. “(With Site) we wanted to get back into something a little bit more winey,” Gibson says. “Sour beers are a medium point between beer and wine, using a lot of the same techniques, and a lot of the same yeast and bacteria attraction that happens in wine. We felt we could

24 www.beerandbrewer.com

(l-r) Peter Wheldon and Luke Ronalds of Currumbin Valley Brewing Measuring out carefully at Currumbin Valley

Sour styles have many food options.

Similar bacteria can be found in funky cheeses, sourdough bread, pickled vegetables and even yoghurt.

Those sorts of foods are a great pairing for most sour beers. However, with its tropical fruit flavours, Currumbin Valley Brewing’s Mango Sour with Lemon Myrtle is a great option to pair with a vegetable curry, says co-founder Pete Wheldon.

Less tropical is Robe Town’s Raw Sour. The unboiled beer uses the last runnings of another beer and is aged for up to a year in barrels.

Brewer Maris Bezaitis thinks some fatty or smoked fish is a great pairing. He says the beer is incredibly sour, so works really well to cut through fat and other strong flavours.

SUMMER 2018  25

SOUR BEERS

try and give more of a sense of place or a real house style to what we’re

Also Try

doing. In clean beers, it’s a recipe.

Once you’ve got it dialled in, it’s just smashing out a recipe. Whereas it’s

If you like sour beer, there are some other drinks that have similar flavours from fermentation without all the alcohol. Real versions are also full of healthy bacteria that are good for your gut.

more of an art with sours.”

Because the Site Fermentation Project is all about encouraging wild bacteria and yeast to do its thing, the team leave the barrels at a location separate to the main brewery. With these sorts of beers, there are always risks of cross contamination.

At Currumbin Valley, Wheldon puts his plans simply when it comes to having two separate souring methods.

“We’ll just have two sets of stuff and boil everything.”

Van Dieman Brewing’s Will Tatchell (credit: Scott Geilston)

NATURE VS NURTURE At Van Dieman Brewing in Tasmania, owner Will Tatchell uses wild bacteria and yeast and has a four point mantra that he makes his sour beers by: predict results, accept nature, expect failure, respect time.

“I work with nature as much as I possible can,” Tatchell explains.

“Sour beers inherently go where they want to go. We can manipulate

“THE NUANCES OF SOUR BEER, AND HOW THE ENVIRONMENT EFFECTS AND IMPACTS AND COERCES THE BEER, IS WHAT DREW ME INTO IT INITIALLY, BUT I JUST ENJOY DRINKING THEM. I ENJOY THE COMPLEXITY OVER OTHER BEER STYLES.” - WILL TATCHELL, VAN DIEMAN BREWING

them, we can coerce them in the direction we are after but in reality,

similar thing happening in America

just enjoy drinking them. I enjoy the

we are at the whim of whatever’s

at bourbon distilleries, who have

complexity over other beer styles.”

going to happen. That’s why I take

a large number of barrels outside

an artistic point of view rather than

under a sprinkler system.

a purely technical component.”

At Hop Nation, Gibson says it’s about the challenge of making the

At Five Barrels, O’Shea has also

beer and taking the drinker on a

had to dump beer. He says he wants

journey. He recalls a lady coming

beers using yeast, malt, water and

to have “a little bit of control”

in wanting to drink VB, and him

hops all grown or found on the

while also giving “a bit of control to

thinking “screw it” and giving her a

farm, and with that comes a lot of

the elements”.

barrel aged sour beer to taste.

roughly 15-20% of his beer to not

WHY?

the rest of the night!

turn out as expected, or not to meet

As mentioned, these beers can

his standards. There’s even the

take longer, and be less predictable

good way to do it, you can have your

possibility of a barrel stave drying

than the more common ale and

minor differences but being sterile

out and causing contamination or

lager styles. So why would brewers

and adding hops at certain times

loss of beer. With time constraints

ever want to make them? For

and fermenting at this temperature

(the brewery is on a working farm

Tatchell, he enjoys exploring the

gets you a result, whereas with sour

after all) and lack of space, he has

link between beer as an agricultural

beer there is hundreds of ways that

to store some barrels outside in

product and the farm itself.

can get you a good result.”

Tatchell is increasingly brewing

unpredictability. He says he expects

the elements, which opens them

“She was smashing pints of it for

“The nuances of sour beer, and

“Making clean beers, there is a

O’Shea sums up his approach

up to further risk. To mitigate that,

how the environment affects and

simply: “You don’t want to

he’s using a sprinkler to irrigate

impacts and coerces the beer, is

be turning out the same stuff

the barrels twice a day. He’s seen a

what drew me into it initially, but I

everyone else is.”

26 www.beerandbrewer.com

Kombucha: It seems like there is Kombucha on every corner and in every café these days. Some bars in Melbourne even have it on tap. This is a sweet, fermented tea-based drink and is made to encourage acetobacter (think vinegar) and lactobacillus (bacteria found in many sour beers) for sourness.

Water Kefir: Kefir is another lactobacillusbased drink, often made with milk. Now some producers are creating flavoured, waterbased Kefir.

It has bright, effervescent carbonation, and a dry, gentle sour finish.

Tepache: Easily made at home, Tepache uses the natural yeast and bacteria on pineapple skins to create fermentation. The skins are left in sugar and water for roughly a week, to create a funky fruit drink.

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GLASSWARE

Keepin’ it glassy EVERYONE KNOWS THAT POURING A BEER FROM THE CAN OR BOTTLE INTO A GLASS RESULTS IN A BETTER DRINKING EXPERIENCE. BUT WITH MORE INTEREST IN CRAFT BEER THAN EVER, AND WITH A NUMBER OF GLASSWARE MANUFACTURERS RELEASING STYLESPECIFIC RANGES, TAM ALLENBY REVISITED THE TOPIC AND SPOKE TO SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S TOP BEER AND DINING VENUES TO GET THEIR TAKE

L

et’s face it: if a beer is good, and

A REFRESHER: WHY?

you drink it directly from the can or

In short, the reasons for beer-specific glassware

bottle, you’re probably still going to

can be rounded down to two things: enhancing the

enjoy it. But with brewers putting so

drinking experience and tradition.

much effort into crafting the most delicious beers they possibly can,

there’s something to be said for going the extra

importance of glassware was built into his beer

mile and making sure that their beer is presented

philosophy from the very beginning. His eyes were

in its most elevated form. And also, if you’re going

opened on a trip to Germany, where he noticed that

to drop your hard earned cash on a crafty drop,

even the smallest town brewery had its very own

don’t you want to get the most out of it?

glassware. And as he explains, it’s about more than

This is where glassware can play a pivotal role in heightening your overall beer drinking experience.

28 www.beerandbrewer.com

For Cameron James, co-founder of Southern Highlands Brewing Company (SHBC), the

simply tradition.

“That’s when I started to realise that there’s

GLASSWARE

it: it’s the presentation, the visuals, the

THE CORRECT GLASS FOR THE CORRECT BEER

carbonation, the foam, aroma, lacing,” he

Venues like SHBC Taphouse in Moss Vale,

told Beer & Brewer. “All that kind of stuff is

which is home to a full-service kitchen,

important in the whole experience and it

are also perfectly placed to understand the

makes a difference.

importance of the overall dining experience,

more to the experience than just drinking

“Some are designed to enhance the aroma – like an IPA glass – while others are designed to

and how glassware fits into that equation.

At the SHBC Taphouse, beers are served in

constrict at the top to increase head formation.

eight different glasses, from three different

Others bulb out at the top so you get more

manufacturers: Bar Station, Arcoroc and Luigi

visual carbonation; if it’s an effervescent beer

Bormioli. And with nine taps pouring at any

you want to see that action, but for lower

one time, there’s almost a different glass for

carbonated ales its not about that, it’s more

every beer in the SHBC range. “When we first

about the drinking experience. For those, you

opened we had a full day training session for

just want a nice tight foamy head.”

all our staff – taking them through why we

Alan Elder, director of sales at glass

use different glassware, the correct way to

manufacturer Spiegelau, is similarly

pour, and the standards of presentation for

passionate about the importance of

each style of beer,” explains James.

glassware. “We don’t drink wine from the

Another beer venue with a distinct

bottle so why should we drink beer from the

culinary thread – and an appreciation for fine

bottle?” he asks.

glassware – is Frenchies Bistro & Brewery

“Aroma dictates taste. Aroma comes from

in Sydney. Co-founder and brewer Vincent

the head that is formed when we pour a beer

de Soyres says “we put a lot of effort into

into a glass. If we drink a beer directly from

making beers that look, smell and taste

the can or the bottle we are consuming the

good” and that “the quality of the glassware

CO2 directly into our stomachs instead of

is just as important as the quality of the

allowing the CO2 to create a head on the beer

ingredients, the process and packaging”.

in a glass. In doing this, we not only miss out

In addition to ‘organoleptic’ considerations

of the aroma and flavour of the beer but it

of look, smell and taste, de Soyres also

also causes bloating.”

points to the impact of ergonomics on beer

So, if you have the means to buy the right

Luigi Bormioli IPA glass at SHBC

perception. “The way one can hold a glass has

glassware, it certainly makes the whole

an impact on the drinking experience,” he

experience that little bit more special.

explains. “And so does the thickness of the glass – the feel of thin glass and thick glass

To chill or not to chill

on the corner of the lips is very different.”

Spiegelau – in conjunction with an “expert tasting panel of master brewers and industry

A glass for every beer at SHBC

professionals” – has developed total of

Walk into any Aussie pub and order a

five craft beer glasses to date: IPA, Stout,

beer, and you’ll no doubt see the

American Wheat Beer/Witbier, Barrel Aged

bartender reach into the fridge for a

and most recently a Pilsner glass. Each

chilled schooner glass – it’s so normal

features a laser cut rim, which supposedly

most wouldn’t even question it. For

allow beer to flow smoothly onto the palate to

macro-produced lager, sure; colder

enhance taste and mouthfeel.

is probably better. But with so much

“Focusing on beer enjoyment, members

consideration paid to flavour and

of the tasting workshop tested multiple

aroma in the craft world, many have

glass shapes to find the best glass for each

questioned what serving an aromatic

particular style of beer,” explains Elder.

ale in a borderline-frozen glass does

Perhaps the most unique is Spiegelau’s

for the overall experience. While there’s

IPA glass, which was introduced in 2013

nothing as refreshing as an icy cold beer

and developed in collaboration with two of

on a hot day, you’re probably not getting

the leading IPA brewers in the US – Sam

the fullest flavour with a chilled glass;

Calagione of Dogfish Head and Ken Grossman

pouring into a dry, room temperature

of Sierra Nevada.

glass should lead to the best results.

“The final glass was considered the best to showcase the complex and alluring aromatic

Choices galore at SHBC

AUTUMN 2019 29

GLASSWARE

Spiegelau’s Craft Beer Tasting Kit includes (l-r) an IPA, Wheat and Stout specific glass

profiles of American ‘hop-forward’ IPA beers, preserve

Shifting perceptions Down Under “I think most people come into the Taphouse with a reasonably open mind about craft beer being different, and if it appears different then there might be a reason,” explains Cameron James from Southern Highlands Brewing Company. “But some people still say ‘jeez that’s a lot of head’ – and we’ll have to tell them that it’s actually a hefeweizen and its supposed to be that thick. Mind you, if someone got a British hand pulled red ale and it had an enormous head on it then that would be wrong as well.

“99 percent of the public don’t question it, but every now and then you get someone who will say there’s too much head or not enough, and then we have to explain tradition and style. But we have posters on the wall, and a little beer menu which is explains these things in detail. The first page in our menu talks about our philosophy on beer and brewing, and if they actually read it, they’re well informed before they order!”

a frothy head, enhance taste and mouthfeel, and present a comfortably wide opening for the drinker to savour each beer,” Elder says.

At Frenchies, the team make use of the Rastal range of beer glasses – namely the 330ml TeKu and 475ml Craft Master One models. As de Soyres explains, “they’re complementary and fit well with our bistro atmosphere”, and he even points to the TeKu as a factor in the brewery’s quality control.

“The TeKu has been recognised internationally as one of the best all-rounder beer glasses... it exposes the strength and weakness in a beer, which is both rewarding and uncompromising. It pushes us to always produce the best beer possible!”

Pouring into Rastal TeKu glasses at Frenchies

SO FRESH AND SO CLEAN Of course, no matter how expensive the glass or

Frenchies-branded Rastal Craft Master One

how precious the crystal, you’ve got to make sure that it’s clean.

“If your glass is dirty it is not just the impact the contaminant itself can have on the flavour of the beer,” explains Elder from Spiegelau. “The dirt on the inside wall of the glass will create bubbles and the beer will not grip the wall of the glass. This means that the head will not form properly or last as long. Spiegelau glasses are certified as dishwasher safe and we recommend that you use a dishwasher.”

De Soyres agrees, saying that a dirty glass can impact clarity, head retention and perceived carbonation, and lead to aroma confusions and unwanted flavours.

And at SHBC, James explains that clean glassware is “something we’re pretty pedantic about”.

“Our cleaning routine is that every glass gets a deep clean once a week, which is a soak in a bleach-based

30 www.beerandbrewer.com

GLASSWARE

A window into the haze craze While every well-educated beer lover has known for some time that beer is best enjoyed from the glass, in recent years, the rise of the NEIPA and the ‘haze craze’ has left social media (and in particular, Instagram) awash with photos of cloudy orange beer, most often pictured in a tulip or IPA glass with the empty can sitting next to it. This begs the question: how much of NEIPA’s success can be attributed to its photogenic appearance – and, by extension, how many have gone out and bought themselves a nice set of glassware in search of some Instagram likes?

powder,” he explains. “Then they get rinsed, scrubbed and go through the glass washer.

“Even if you get a glass that’s appears clean to the eye but isn’t ‘beer clean’, you’ll see bubbles sticking to the wall of the glass. We just don’t allow it – if we see that on the floor or while pouring, we just get a new glass and serve it again.”

THE COSTS While not prohibitive, the cost of style-specific and good quality glassware is nonetheless higher than it is for more standard options.

For the home buyer, a set of three or four Spiegelau Craft Beer Glasses sells online for around $40 to $60, depending on glass styles and the number of glasses included in the pack. At the Taphouse in Moss Vale, James buys his glasses in

Frenchies are big fans of the Rastal TeKu glass

“I STARTED TO REALISE THAT THERE’S MORE THE EXPERIENCE THAN JUST DRINKING IT; IT’S THE PRESENTATION, THE VISUALS, THE CARBONATION, THE FOAM, AROMA, LACING. ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF IS IMPORTANT IN THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.” – CAMERON JAMES, CO-FOUNDER, SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS BREWING COMPANY

bulk (i.e. cartons of 48), bringing the cost down to “roughly between two and six bucks each”.

The Rastal glasses that Frenchies use are even pricier. “Our glasses cost us between $10 and $15 each,” de Soyres explains. “They are expensive in Australia because they are not readily available and importing them is far more expensive than the other brands who have distribution down here – but we are prepared to spend that much to get the best experience for our customers.”

JUST ENJOY IT! Finally, a reminder: beer is fun, and while it can be rewarding and more than worthwhile to get the most out of your crafty drop with a shiny set of glassware, don’t be ‘that guy’.

“I find if I’m at home I’ll use a glass, but if I’m at someone else’s place I’m not that bothered,” concludes James from SHBC. “I’m not snobby on that front, and will happily drink from the can or the bottle if that’s the go for the day!”

32 www.beerandbrewer.com

A pint, anyone?

The curious case of Heady Topper Ironically, one of the world’s most famous and sought-after IPAs, The Alchemist Heady Topper, comes with the words “Drink From The Can!” emblazoned prominently around its top. Many have argued that this is simply clever marketing, distinguishing The Alchemist from other breweries by going against a key beer world orthodoxy, but owner John Kimmich has argued pouring the beer into a glass lets the CO2, aroma, hop essence and oils “escape”, when they’d be better preserved inside the can.

Another take on this is that Heady Topper grew in popularity far before the rise of the NEIPA and the hazy IPA, and that people simply weren’t ready to see that much cloudiness in their beer; leaving it inside the can meant people could focus on the flavour rather than the colour.

Nonetheless, even in 2019, the can still comes inscribed with those controversial words...

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

A DAY IN THE LIFE

A day in the life of…

a pro brewer WHAT IS IT LIKE TO SPEND A DAY AS A BREWER? WE ASKED SOME OF THEM TO TAKE US THROUGH A DAY IN THEIR LIFE

Ashley Hazell, head of brewing at Colonial Leisure Group

A

few months ago, we received an email from a reader who was considering a role in the brewing industry and was keen to find out more about what it all entailed. So we asked some brewers to take us through their average day.

The first thing we discovered is that there is no

such thing as an average day for a brewer. There is always something different going on, and inevitably something unexpected will happen that needs immediate attention. In the view of Ashley Hazell, head of brewing at Colonial Leisure Group, it is all about time management.

“You’re always doing a couple of things at once and managing your time,” he says. “Most things you do in a brewery you’re sort of waiting for. In the brewhouse if you mash in, you’ve got an hour before you can do anything to that batch, so you’re preparing for the next one. You might go away and weigh the next malt grist or if it’s brewing once, you’ll be the one doing the gravities and the filtrations as well because there isn’t much physical work to do during these steps. You try to do as much as you can at once. It’s about managing your time.”

Brewing is a process and thus brewers expect to start each day diving in at whatever stage of that process the beer is at – or even at two different stages on two different batches. This can mean starting a cycle from scratch or arriving at a point when there is nothing that actually needs doing to the batch. However, even then there are checks to be done on pH and gravity, equipment that needs to be cleaned, faults to be fixed and damages to be repaired.

Brewing might appear to involve a lot of waiting for the equipment and ingredients to do their thing, but actually a brewer’s work is never done, especially in a smaller operation. Beyond that, there is always the chance that something could go wrong and when this happens, the usefulness of skills outside brewing can become enormously apparent.

34 www.beerandbrewer.com

Your toughest day?

Matt Ives, Holgate Brewhouse: “My toughest day would have been back in my early days, prior to the new brewery facility being spoken of let alone built. We would, on occasion, run the undersized six head bottle filler for a 9-10 hour stretch, cramping the only open space while running fresh grain past for the afternoon brew and squirrelling the spent grain into the lab space – all to the deafening whine of the centrifuge, that at the time was literally placed at the beating heart of the production space. Luckily the expletives were drowned out by the fuge and/ or speakers lifting our moods with the soothing sounds of Toto’s Africa. Often on repeat.”

Kingsley Brooks, Feral Brewing: “My most challenging day at the brewery was when I got burnt while working in the cellar. I was hot rinsing a tank and got covered in hot water on the right side of my body. Everything anyone ever told you about burns is true. Definitely the worse pain I have experienced. It was a tough few weeks and going into hospital every few days to get the dressings changed is something I won’t forget in a hurry. But in trying to take the best out of every situation I know I was very lucky it wasn’t worse and I more greatly appreciate the importance of safety. Feral too, and later CCA, have always had a focus on OH&S, however since my accident have taken further steps to look after staff.”

A DAY IN THE LIFE

The highlights of the day?

Matt Ives, Holgate Brewhouse: “The highlights for me are book-ended and both involve consumption. The first coffee for the day tells me the mashin, bottling setup or whatever I am tasked for that day has run smoothly enough that I can spare 10 minutes to prep a flat white.

In a similar fashion, the knock off at the end of shift means that I haven’t dropped the ball for the remainder of the day, and I can reward my hard work with some well-earned sherbet.”

Kingsley Brooks, Feral Brewing: “My favourite part of the brew week is when we do team tastings on a Friday. The five brewers sit around and taste what we have packaged that week along with retention stock and also some of our competitors’ beer. It’s a lot of fun and it’s amazing how much my palate has developed in the last two years. We will also do off flavour training at different thresholds to see how acute everyone’s sense of smell/taste is.”

“There are systems, but it’s when things go outside those systems that’s usually when I get involved in the day to day, if something is horribly broken and we need everyone on deck to troubleshoot,” says Hazell. “I hired a plumber a few months ago which was probably one of the best things I ever did.”

In recent years, brewing has evolved from more than a hobby into a considerably desirable career choice. More and more universities are offering qualifications that cater for the increasing number of people looking to get into the industry. Hazell can see why: it’s a fun industry, even if it is a lot of hard work. However, before you start writing out applications to your local brewery, he has two key pieces of advice: “It’s not going to be as much fun as it seems at first. You have to put in the hard yards, you have to do the hours, do the hard work to get recognised in the industry to be able to get into a job where you’re going to have enough influence in the brewery to do the fun stuff, which is designing beers.

“The other thing is you’ve got to have something to offer because it’s a very complex industry. Running a brewery and dealing with the challenges that are thrown at you day to day is very challenging and you’ve got to learn a lot. I’ve been in the game for 14 years now and I learn every single day and still have a lot to learn. For someone to teach you that, you have to have something to offer them as well.

“If you’ve got a trade or a background that’s relevant, it’s going to make it a lot easier to get into the industry. Or go and do some studying. Show your potential employer that you care, that you’re willing to back yourself, to perform in the industry rather than ‘hey I want a job, can you teach me everything you know and in return I’ll try not to fuck it up’.”

An average brew day with Murray Robinson, brewer at 3 Ravens 8am: Arrive at work and start mashing in as soon as possible. This includes ensuring the correct grain is ready to go based on the recipe card and brew schedule, checking the temperature of the grain to determine the strike temperature of the mash, and ensure my mash salts are ready to go. Mashing in takes about an hour depending on the recipe and needs to be constantly monitored as it goes in to ensure homogeneity and that the water going in is at a constant correct temperature. I also use mash in time to do any minor tank jobs which includes yeasting off tanks that have finished fermentation and checking the gravities, pH and VDK of any actively fermenting tanks.

9am: Once the mash-in is complete I check the volume of the mash, the temperature and the pH. Keeping records of every piece of information as we go is very important for brewing consistent beer and troubleshooting later if we need to. Once that is done I clean out the mill room, vacuuming up all the dust and lose grain, then load up the room for the next brew day. This is also a good time to check on what deliveries or pickups I can expect for the day and plan accordingly. The mash rest takes 45 minutes at the end of which I will start recirculating the mash.

10am: Once the mash recirc is running nice and clear (roughly 20 minutes) I will get the lauter started (running the wort to the kettle) and check the gravity and pH of the first runnings. Once the speed of the lauter and sparge water is dialled in, it runs fairly well by itself so this frees up some time for other jobs. The most important being that the tank I am brewing into is cleaned and sanitised and the transfer lines that will run from the kettle through our heat exchange and to the fermenter are also cleaned, sanitised and ready.

12pm: At the end of lauter, we start to homogenise the kettle and clean out the mash tun. Cleaning out the mash tun is a fairly physical job involving scrapping out all the grain and rounds of cleaning of hot flushes, caustic foaming and high pressure rinses. I am also getting out a sample from the kettle, cooling it down and checking the specifications to ensure it is in line with the recipe.

1pm: Boiling kicks off usually around this time and I need to ensure all kettle additions are ready to go. I’m usually still doing rounds of cleaning on the mash tun during this time.

2pm: Once the boil is finished we need to top up in the kettle to get the correct volume for our correct starting gravity. Most of our beers also receive the bulk of their hops during the whirlpool and at different temperatures so the kettle may need to be recirculated through the heat exchange to bring it down from boiling to 95 or 90°C. This ensures good flavour extraction from the whirlpool hops with low utilisation (or bittering). Once the hops are in, the kettle is whirlpooled for 10 minutes and then allowed to stand for a further 10 minutes to allow solids to form into a cone at the bottom of the kettle. After this we are good to start transferring into the fermenter. During transfer we need to get other products into the tank; some beers are dry hopped at this point, some beers require the addition of brewers clarex or fermenter antifoam and as the wort is going in all beers require the yeast to be pitched.

3pm: Once the transfer is done, the lines are flushed with hot water and recirculated with caustic, the kettle is emptied and rounds of hot water, caustic and high pressure cleaning ensues, and the wort that is in tank is sampled to make sure it fits the specifications. Cleaning the kettle, lines, packing down and cleaning down the brewery floor takes all up about an hour.

4pm: Brewery day done!

AUTUMN 2019 35

HOP HARVEST

Shoots for the stars HOPS ARE THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT INGREDIENT IN BREWING, WITH MANY VARIETIES NOW HOUSEHOLD NAMES. CHARLIE WHITTING INVESTIGATES WHAT GOES INTO THE HOP GROWING PROCESS

36  www.beerandbrewer.com

HOP HARVEST

A

s I sit writing this feature, the hop harvest season in Australia is just about to begin.

Over the next months, hop growers across

the country will be checking their hops with fingers, noses, eyes and ears to determine whether they’re ready for picking. First year hops will likely be picked by hand, while older plants will have their bines cut down two to three feet above the ground.

Certain crops will have thrived, others will have suffered through extreme weather conditions, disease or infestations. Some hops will have been grown to meet trenddriven demands, others as part of decadeslong experiments to cross breed and create new varieties. Some will prove unpalatable to modern tastes, some might be the next bright young thing that will dominate hoppy beers for the next 12 months. But while this period is one of frenetic activity, the year leading up to it will have seen enormous amounts of work going on behind the scenes.

“As with any agricultural crop, the year of a hop grower is dictated by the conditions of the growing season,” says Owen Johnston, sales and marketing manager at Hop Products Australia. “But hops are a perennial crop, which means they live in the ground year round and grow on an annual cycle.

This cycle consists of nine stages of principal growth: sprouting; leaf development; formation of side shoots; elongation of bines; inflorescence emergence; flowering; development of cones; maturity of cones; and senescence (entry into dormancy).”

Hop Products Australia, which recently planted the first 50 hectares at its new farm in Victoria’s Buffalo River Valley as part of a $35 million expansion project, is aiming to increase its total hop production by 50% over six years, as demand for hops continues to grow in the brewing world.

CREATING THE NEXT ‘BIG’ HOP The long-term planning of hop growing stands in stark relief to the craft brewing world, where new styles are appearing every year. Hop growers are continuously experimenting and looking to create new hops, but it is a decades-long process, full of trial and error as they seek a balance between commercial viability, resistance to disease and flavour. In the eyes of Jon Burridge, Bintani harvester (Credit: Brewers Supply Group (BSG) INC.)

AUTUMN 2019 37

HOP HARVEST

Results of the Brewers Association 2018 Hop Survey Most popular hops in 2013/14 Cascade Centennial Simcoe Chinook CTZ Amarillo Crystal Willamette Citra Saaz (Cz)

Most popular hops in 2014/15 Cascade Centennial Chinook Simcoe Citra Hall Mitt (Ger) Amarillo Crystal Magnum (Ger) CTZ

Most popular hops in 2015/15 Cascade Centennial Chinook Simcoe Citra Amarillo Mosaic Crystal Hall Mitt (Ger) CTZ

Most popular hops in 2016/17 Cascade Centennial Chinook Simcoe Crystal Citra Nugget Amarillo Mosaic Magnum (Ger)

Most popular hops in 2017/18 Cascade Centennial Citra Mosaic Simcoe Chinook Amarillo CTZ Crystal El Dorado

Hop bines at Ryefield manager of Hopco, the current ‘rockstar’

hemisphere hops traditionally struggle here,

hops are Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka, Mosaic,

so we take something from our library and

Simcoe and Citra, and there are other strains

then we cross breed with some of those,

he expects to grow in popularity.

trying to create something that’s robust.

“From New Zealand, HORT 9909 and HORT

can make a hop that smells of watermelon

brewing trials exceeded high expectations,”

but if I can’t get the yield on it, the price

he explains. “From the US, Zappa has just

becomes prohibitive. It’s a bit of a balancing

made an appearance in a Sierra Nevada beer

act. It takes about seven or eight years to get

and I would expect it to be popular.”

to that stage. All the planets have to align.”

For Greg Croke, managing director of

The harvest in the United States took

Ellerslie Hop Products, the past 12 months

place in September and the feeling among

have been doubly challenging, since

growers was positive. The acreage dedicated

Ellerslie’s hop facility was completely

to hop growing has increased in recent years,

destroyed by a fire last year. Since then,

following a shortage that saw the price of

Croke and his team have been rebuilding,

hops sky rocket, and after a strong harvest,

as well as ensuring that the year’s harvest

American growers expect to see hops volumes

is ready for his customers. The support

grow. Justin Fox, head of sales, products

from brewers, contractors and the local

and development at Bintani, was at the Hop

community has been ‘humbling’ for Croke

Growers Conference in Monterey, USA, and

and he believes that his hops are coming

saw the launch of new hops that might be

along well. He had developed a new Pandora

huge names in coming years. Sometimes,

variety, but after it was burnt to a crisp last

hop growers will pull something out of the

year, it remains in its experimental stage.

bag that brewers have never seen before, but

“We select males and we look at the

equally the zeitgeist might turn and breathe

characteristics of the plant as it’s going,” says Croke, describing the development

life into a previously unpopular variety.

“We have to trust the breeders over

of new hops. “We select what we think is

there a little bit,” Fox explains. “They’re

a strong characteristic in the plant, then

picking these new hops to launch because

we start to propagate out and capture the

they see the flavours work and it can take

seed. We then work that up to what we’re

the industry a little while to work out how

trying to achieve with aroma, which is the

to effectively use those hops in their beers.

touchstone at the moment. At the same

We’re definitely seeing a shift away from the

time you have to be making them more

key three or four hops that have dominated

robust and drought-tolerant.

for the last couple of years because it can

“It’s also about developing varieties that can stand the heat in this area. Northern

38 www.beerandbrewer.com

“They have to be commercially viable. We

4337 cannot be released quickly enough after

become a bit one dimensional if you’re just presenting the same flavour profile.

WHERE PAS SIO

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EE

TS

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HOP HARVEST

Rocky Ridge Brewing in WA grows its own hops. Managing director and founder Hamish Coates explains the challenges:

New hops being planted at Hop Products Australia

“One of the craziest ones we’re seeing at

“We compost all our hops from last year,”

the moment is El Dorado. A couple of years

he says. “Nothing goes to waste. It will break

ago, we were struggling to move a couple

down over a 12 to 18-month period and then

of hundred kilos in a year. It was a change

we put that back into the soil. We used to put

of beer styles. Everyone putting out these

it in a bonfire and burn it. We’ve got to get

hazy beers, were looking for that real juice

smarter and I’m proud to say that we have a

factor. They discovered that El Dorado can

policy in place to look after that type of stuff.

complement and work to provide that. It’s

We have a duty of care. The brewing industry

one of the biggest hops in demand now.”

as a whole gets it.”

THE CHALLENGES OF HOP GROWING

hop harvests, but growers – particularly in the

While experimentation can produce wondrous

effects the local environment can have on the

new hops, the ultimate challenge is to grow

same hop species. The idea of terroir is well

them in sufficient quantities to meet the

documented when it comes to grapes, but hops

demand of a hop-hungry industry. And with

are now starting to get the same treatment,

climate change and other factors coming into

with people writing papers on the effects of

play, this can be a challenging ask. Ryefield

different regions on oil presentation.

Weather and climate have a huge effect on

Hops, which is entering its third season this year, had a good 2018, with Saaz especially

States – are now starting to look at what other

“They’re starting to look at how those hops perform differently in beers,” says

impressive in yield and quality, but some harvests weren’t as positive.

“We did have two exceptions – a twospotted spider mite attack on a row of Fuggles and an extreme weather event at harvest with exceptionally hot winds and temperature which resulted in a loss of approximately a quarter of our crop,” says Jade McManus, co-owner of Ryefield Hops. “The risk to us is extreme weather events which will get more frequent and more intense with climate change. We are hopefully going to be part of a research opportunity that a local producers association is offering where the farm will have a climate change risk assessment undertaken and actions outlined.”

At Ellerslie, Croke has noticed that the harvests are coming earlier, and the company is investing in systems that have the next generations of hop growers, not just the next generation of hops, in mind.

40 www.beerandbrewer.com

Hops growing at Mitta Mitta

“It’s great and the biggest challenge both at once. This year we have had to source other Australian grown hops to supplement our own, as demand for our beers rose sharply (while we only have one hop harvest).

“We are working to increase the size of our yard over the next 18 months, with a new nursery currently installed and approximately 10 hectares to go to trellis in March. Advantages include lessened transport costs, ability to brew super fresh wet hop beers during our harvest window, control over our own ‘Beer-Chain’ and it’s also awesome fun.

“Challenges include seasonality (which is a huge part of all of our products), pests, disease, climate (and climate change), time constraints/energy to put into the hop yard.”

Other breweries that grow their own hops: Red Hill Brewery, Victoria Mitta Mitta Brewing, Victoria Van Dieman Brewing, Tasmania

Amongst the bines at Rocky Ridge

HOP HARVEST

“WE’RE DEFINITELY SEEING A SHIFT AWAY FROM THE KEY THREE OR FOUR HOPS THAT HAVE DOMINATED FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS” – JUSTIN FOX, BINTANI Fox. “They’ve each had a different set of sunlight, water and soil conditions and wind through the year. It gets down to a microscopic level. How does a hop growing in a different condition actually produce a little bit more of a certain terpene or an oil? Then you start to delve into the microbiology of yeast and hops interacting – does that oil allow the yeast to go down a different pathway that creates a different flavour compound or a different ester?”

FRESH IS BEST? Our Delivery and Freshness feature (page 58) is titled Fresh is Best, because it’s generally a good rule of thumb when it comes to drinking beer. But the same is no longer being said about hops. With the vast majority of brewers now using hop pellets, these flavours can be transported and stored in better condition. And as certain hops garner cult status or particular appeal, brewers are increasingly happy to buy an older hop that is the variety they want, rather than gravitate to whatever’s fresh off the shelf.

“Two years ago, when I was selling a one-year-old crop, people were saying ‘nah, give me something different’,” says Fox. “Now, they’re like, ‘oh great, you’ve got a bit of Galaxy from 2017 left. Send it on out’. There’s a lot more trust in the science of brewing, as all the craft brewers are looking at consistency and quality and not just the fact that they’re craft and different every time.”

This approach has also influenced the contracts between brewers and growers. Whereas a few years back, having your contracts set up a few years into the future was essential to ensure that you got the hops you needed, these days a more flexible approach is being taken by some brewers.

“Security and can be good when shortages occur, however you’re locked in with minimal flexibility,” says Burridge.

“We see more breweries favouring an allocation system that allows flexibility and growth without constraint.”

“It’s important for brewers to have discussions with their local sales representatives to identify a suitable supplier,” adds Johnston. “This might be determined by the range of hop varieties available, confidence in the chain of custody or even price. It is very simple for our sales representative to set up a contract that reflects the brewer’s specific needs.”

AUTUMN 2019 41

REGIONAL BREWERIES

Heading to the High Country IN THE FIRST OF OUR REGIONAL BREWERIES SERIES, WE HEAD TO THE HIGH COUNTRY TO TALK TO THE BREWERS CHANGING LIVES IN NORTH EAST VICTORIA

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REGIONAL BREWERIES

T

he state capitals are awash with craft breweries visited and beloved by the thousands, if not millions who live there. But there is so much happening beyond the urban sprawl. Away from the major hubs and population

clusters, craft breweries across Australia have been providing jobs, investment and increasingly tourism to their area and their local communities, not to mention fresh beer! We at Beer & Brewer want to celebrate these areas and, as such, have launched our Regional Breweries Series, which will run in every issue this year.

For our inaugural feature, we are in Victoria’s High Country and its environs, three hours’ drive north east of Melbourne near the NSW border. Also serviced by Albury Airport, this was gold rush country a century ago and the hideout of bushranger Ned Kelly. Here you will find historic towns and awe-inspiring views amid Victoria’s highest mountains and largest lakes. Riddled with hiking, driving, cycling and running trails, the High Country also offers watersports in summer and skiing in winter. This is the place to find high quality food, wine and increasingly beer – which is what we’re here for!

The local population is well served by a fraternity of breweries who are seeking not only to bring the region to the rest of Australia, but also bring the rest of Australia to the High Country. So, why have the local brewers chosen this part of the country to open their breweries?

A RURAL AFFAIR Many of the brewers in the High Country were born or bred here, while others came seeking an escape from urban life in Melbourne. But none have anything other than love for the calmer but no less breathtaking lifestyle available in the hills. Ben Kraus returned from Melbourne to his parents’ home in Beechworth with his wife Maria and all their life savings in 2004 to set up Bridge Road Brewers in their garage. He’s not looked back since.

“There are no traffic lights in Beechworth, everything we need in day-to-day life is within a five-minute drive or a 10-minute walk,” he says. “We have a beautiful town with a great hospitality offering, a large lake 500m from the brewery, the ski fields one and a half hours away, and I have more options to ride a bike than I have time to do so.”

This part of the world is considerably agricultural, which is great news for brewers looking for malted barley and hops straight from source. In an age when the provenance of ingredients is placed on a pedestal, being able to visit the fields where your brewing ingredients are growing is not just a marketing bonus, it’s an incredibly opportunity to forge relationships and get what you need right where it’s grown.

“We are lucky to establish good relationships with

Breweries in the High Country and beyond Bandicoot Brewing 100 Northern Hwy, Echuca VIC 3564 Black Dog Brewery 339 Booth Rd, Taminick VIC 3675 Billson’s Brewery 29 Last St, Beechworth VIC 3747 Blizzard Brewing Company LOT 5 Cattle Pen Dr, Dinner Plain VIC 3898 Bridge Road Brewers 50 Ford St, Beechworth VIC 3747 Bright Brewery 121 Great Alpine Rd, Bright VIC 3741 Buffalo Brewery Boorhaman Hotel, Boorhaman VIC 3678 Byramine Homestead and Brewery 1436 Murray Valley Hwy, Burramine VIC 3730 Cheeky Peak Brewery 1/67 Wigg St, Wodonga VIC 3690 King River Brewing 4515 Wangaratta-Whitfield Rd, Whitfield VIC 3733 Malt Shed Brewery 8/10 Tone Rd, Wangaratta VIC 3677 Mitta Mitta Brewing 1639 Mitta N Rd, Mitta Mitta VIC 3701 Mt Hotham Brewery 1 Great Alpine Rd, Hotham Heights VIC 3741 Rutherglen Brewery 121C Main St, Rutherglen VIC 3685 Social Bandit Brewing Co 223 Mt Buller Rd, Mansfield VIC 3722 Sweetwater Brewing Company 211 Kiewa Valley Highway, Tawonga South VIC 3698 Thirsty Crow 153 Fitzmaurice St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Tooborac Hotel and Brewery 5115 Northern Hwy, Tooborac VIC 3522 Two Pot Brewing Co 30 High St, Yackandandah VIC 3749 Wrong Side Brewing 5953 Eildon-Jamieson Rd, Jamieson VIC 3723

local suppliers and when it comes to wet hop or hop

AUTUMN 2019 43

REGIONAL BREWERIES

A return to history A hundred years ago almost every Australian town would have had its own brewery, and some of the modern craft iterations have not forgotten their history.

“The first Bright Brewery was founded during the Gold Rush in 1876,” says Scott Brandon, founder of Bright Brewery in Bright. “It won numerous awards and was famous for its ale, porter and fruit cordials, and operated until 1916 when it had to close its doors. You can see the remains of that old brewery around the corner on Mountbatten Ave, as part of the Bright Big4 Holiday Park.”

“Billson’s Brewery was established by Englishman George Billson in 1865.

Despite an incredibly rich history, the business stopped producing beer over 60 years ago,” says Nathan Cowan, founder of Billson’s Brewery.

“My mum found the property online. My partner Felicity and I were blown away by the potential and wanted to raise a family in the country. When we purchased the property in September 2017, the business was unprofitably producing cordial and the building was in desperate need of repairs.

We’ve been manically working ever since to restore the building & brand to its former glory.”

44 www.beerandbrewer.com

Billson’s Brewery has recently been rebuilt harvest time, it’s only a short 20min drive to pick

is a considerable challenge. On top of that,

them up,” says Grant Jones, who founded Malt

getting the beers you’ve made beyond regional

Shed Brewery in the Rural City of Wangaratta

towns and into larger marketplaces many miles

with Andrew Bett and Mathew Saunders in 2017,

away can be prohibitively expensive. And that’s

having decided that their hometown needed its own

before you have to consider that where there

brewery. “Nothing’s fresher than picking up your

are fewer customers, there are also fewer head

hops in the morning and [having them] in the brew

brewers, marketers, engineers, salespeople

by the afternoon – now that’s true fresh hop beer.”

and the rest of the staff you need to build your

“The only real challenge is the cost of freight, however the benefits far outweigh the challenges,”

business and keep it running smoothly.

“There are some unique challenges to operating

says Nathan Cowan, founder of Billson’s Brewery

a regional brewery,” says Scott Brandon, founder

also in Beechworth. “Our regional base allows

of Bright Brewery. “Logistics is the obvious one –

us better access to fresh, local produce and

with freight and specialist equipment, etc., being

ingredients such as hops. Being in a tourist town

harder to come by. Attracting staff, particularly in

means that visitation to our brewery is consistent

management roles, can also be a challenge, though

and relatively easy to predict.”

our beautiful location and our commitment to staff

However, while the ingredients for brewing

wellbeing and work-life balance help counteract

might be close at hand, there are also

that. And obviously our local market is much

considerable challenges living and brewing such

smaller than it would be if we were located in a

a distance away from urban centres. Getting

major city, so we need to adapt our marketing and

brewing equipment delivered to you, for example,

wholesale approach to account for that.”

REGIONAL BREWERIES

Growing local with Mitta Mitta Brewing In 2012, Timothy Cabelka and Alec Pennington moved from the Mornington Peninsula to the Mitta Valley with their partners and children. There, they built a ¼ acre hop field, planning Saaz, Mt Hood and Super Alpha hops. Over the next five to six years, they hand-built Mitta Mitta Brewing and in 2017 they brewed their first beer.

Felicity Cottrill and Nathan Cowan of Billson’s Brewery

(l-r) Timothy Cabelka and Alec Pennington from Mitta Mitta Brewing The brewers of the High Country Brewery Trail

“We have adequate space on the property to grow enough hops to meet the brewery’s current needs, with room to expand hop production as the brewery expands,” says Cabelka. “It is a real benefit to be able to produce two of the major components of our beer, as we source ground water from the land as well. The majority of the malt we use comes from Voyager Craft Malt in the Riverina area of southern NSW, which is fairly local.

“Mitta Mitta is located an hour away from Albury/Wodonga on the Omeo Hwy, in the foot hills of Mt Bogong. We get to enjoy amazingly beautiful surrounds on the edge of pure wilderness. We have been able to create a really relaxed, comfortable space where visitors can enjoy amazing views of Mt Bogong whilst sampling the beers and tasty food.”

AUTUMN 2019 45

REGIONAL BREWERIES

Above the snowline with Blizzard Brewing Blizzard Brewing Company founder Mark Hubbard hails from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where there is a strong craft beer tradition and a long history of breweries being located at altitude in ski resorts.

As a passionate skier, hiker and cyclist, Mark was drawn to the High Country where the only thing needed to make the Alpine experience complete was a brewery above the snowline. So Blizzard Brewing was born.

At an altitude of 1,550 meters, Blizzard Brewing Company brews with fresh snow-melt fed spring water sourced from underground aquifers. Located in the Victorian Alps at Dinner Plain, it is 10km from the ski lifts at Mt Hotham, and 50 meters from the Cobungra ski lift.

“There is another reason for situating a craft brewery in Victoria’s High Country – the water,” Hubbard explains. “At Blizzard, today’s powder is tomorrow’s beer.

Basically, we brew with snow-melt. Fresh, pure Victorian Alps spring water, sourced from the high altitude aquifers of Dinner Plain. Water is the main ingredient in beer, and ours is the purest available.”

Blizzard Brewing’s Mark Hubbard in the snow

Blizzard Brewing’s taproom

CELEBRATING LOCALS

outside tourist seasons, they rely on the local

The people of the High Country are as proud

community, and it is important to repay that

of their home as anyone, and it is no surprise

faith. Many breweries in the High Country are

to see that many of the breweries here are

significantly engaged with local events, clubs

named for their local town or have beer names

and associations, becoming as much a part of

laden with local links. This approach grounds

the fabric of that society as the footy team or

the brewery in its location and can do more

the local pub.

to spread the word about the area than a

sponsors the local footy team, Bridge Road

amounts to draw tourists to the High Country,

provides six-pack prizes for weekly raffles,

but it’s now the turn of breweries to fuel ‘beer

while Bright is a sponsor of dozens of local

tourism’ to these places.

events, including the Bright Football and

“We’re huge advocates of the High Country

Netball Club, Alpine Cycling Club, Bright P-12

– our location, Beechworth, features strongly

College, Bright Mountain Film Tour, Mountain

through our branding, communications and

Bike Australian National Championships and

marketing,” says Kraus. “We directly attend

Bright Autumn Festival, “among many others”.

around 50 events each year, the majority out-

“We hold a number of events throughout

of-region. These events give us an opportunity

the year in our beer garden,” says Pete

to represent not only our beer but our region.

Martin, head brewer at Tooborac Brewery.

“Breweries offer new and exciting

“Tooby Blues over the Australia Day long

reasons for people to travel to regional

weekend is a blues music festival that is held

areas. They generally attract a different

across three nearby venues, all in Tooborac.

demographic to areas that may already have

Oktooberfest is our take on Oktoberfest, and

wine tourism, giving regional communities

Tooby Booby is a beer festival aimed at raising

further opportunity to cater for and benefit

money for Breast Cancer.”

from these new markets. I believe ensuring

In the US, hyper-localisation has been cited

a brewery is offering a clear alternative

as a major trend in brewing, as people seek

direction to the wine industry is key in being

not to conquer the nation or state with their

able to boost or add more to the tourism

product, but instead become deeply ingrained

offering in regional areas.”

within the local area.

However, the local community is more than just a name. For breweries to survive

46 www.beerandbrewer.com

Malt Shed has Friday community nights and

tourist guide. Australian wine has done huge

“Part of the character, culture and history of any place is a result of the colourful local

REGIONAL BREWERIES

population,” says Nathan Munt, who, having fallen in love with North East Victoria, set up King River Brewing with

Bridge Road’s Beechworth Pale Ale came fifth in the GABS Hottest 100

his wife in his father-in-law’s old tobacco farm in the King Valley. “To us, they embody everything we do. Wherever we can we sponsor events, sporting clubs and raffles and look for ways of being involved in community events.

“King Valley has a very small population numbering in the 100s and without increasing support from the local community it would be hard to keep things running over the quiet periods. We provide a wonderful taproom experience and help with cross-promotion of local businesses through the local King Valley Tourism Association. We are also helping our region by being part of the wonderful High Country Brewery Trail, whose members all boast a great brewery experience and are deeply in love with the High Country.”

The community of High Country brewers has also become a support system in its own right, with Malt Shed gypsy brewing at Social Bandit and Bridge Road hosting the High Country Hops Festival to celebrate all of the region’s beers and breweries. The High Country Brewery Trail has seen great collaboration within the brewing fraternity, which has in turn made the destination even more worthwhile. So if you’re in Victoria, see if you can make the trip up to see them and sample some of Australia’s greatest beers made from hops and barley grown only a few miles down the road.

Darker Days 2018 at Bright Brewery

Some dates for your diary High Country Hops Festival 30-31 March, Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth Darker Days 22 June, Bright Brewery, Bright Feast High Country 3-19 May, High Country Bright Autumn Festival 26 April to 5 May, Bright

AUTUMN 2019 47

DOG FRIENDLY BREWERIES

Wagging his ale!

AUSTRALIANS HAVE A LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH BEER AND DOGS, AND MANY BREWERIES ARE BRINGING THESE TWO FRIENDSHIPS TOGETHER TO CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMUNITY

C

raft breweries are no longer just places where people make fantastic beer. Increasingly, they are hospitality venues where people can get the freshest brews straight from the source. A craft brewery is now a place where beer lovers gather to drink, eat and socialise, all while supporting a local business. And

where people gather, they often bring their dogs with them. Breweries from Smiling Samoyed in the craft sector to Iron Jack in the mainstream have linked their pooches with their pints.

However, while it’s not too much effort for a brewery to accept dogs’ presence in their venues, there is much to be said for throwing down a full-on welcome, which several breweries around Australia have done. In this feature we will shine a light some of Australia’s most dog-friendly breweries and find out what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. If there are any breweries out there that you think we’ve missed, do get in touch and let us know and we shall investigate it in another issue.

48 www.beerandbrewer.com

Wayward Brewing Co, NSW “We have a drinking station for dogs, as well as doggie biscuits available at the bar, which are handmade with our spent grain,” says Peter Philip, founder of Wayward Brewing Company. “We have our Dogs of Wayward wall filled with photos of dogs from Instagram posted with the hashtag #dogsofwayward.

“We also sell Wayward dog collars and travel bowls so our furry friends can rep their favourite brewery. We had our inaugural Dogs of Wayward Takeover event last year, which will be coming back around again this April, complete with doggie beer on tap and merchandise donations to charity.

“We have run a couple of very successful events dedicated to dogs, with doggie beer on tap and prizes for best dressed dog, that prove it’s good for business too.”

DOG FRIENDLY BREWERIES

The Grifter Brewing Co, NSW “I guess it brings a bit of a sense of community...

Dogs are a man’s best friend right!?” says Matt King, co-founder of Grifter Brewing Co. “It instantly makes the bar a bit of a ‘happy place’ when there are a few dogs getting about. It’s a great vibe.

“We offer complimentary dog treats and have water bowls scattered around the venue. We also take polaroids of all the pooches that roll through the brewery and have a bit of a collection tacked onto the wall now which is pretty fun.”

Capital Brewing Co, ACT “People are emotionally attached to their dogs, so when you say, ‘your dog is welcome here’, you end up with patrons feeling more emotionally attached to your venue,” says Dan Watters, marketing, events and community manager at Capital Brewing. “We make our now famous Dog Beer (a non-alcoholic bone broth with some extra goodies for a healthy coat).

“We have water bowls in the beer garden. Dogs are allowed inside the tap room. And our staff are really friendly towards dogs. We regularly post pics of dogs at the Taproom on our social channels along with messaging that dogs are welcome. We’ve got a dedicated instagram account @capital_canines and a #dosgofcapital.”

Akasha Brewing, NSW “We always have fresh water available for the doggos, and Freshwater Pale Ale for the owners,” says Grace Fowler, brewer at Akasha Brewing. “We also have treats behind the bar for good girls and boys, including some very special ones hand-made by my mum that use spent grain.

“We had a dog party at the brewery on International Dog Day and it was packed!

Not just the regulars as well, we had people from all over Sydney bringing their pups in it was awesome. We also had a bunch of locals who don’t have dogs come in just for a chance to pat some pouches.”

AUTUMN 2019 49

DOG FRIENDLY BREWERIES

The Beerfarm, WA “We wouldn’t be much of a farm if we didn’t have a couple dogs running around the paddocks and encourage customers to let their dogs do so,” says Jake Pearce, founder of the Beerfarm.

“When it comes to service areas, we ask that dogs be kept on leads but they’re not excluded to outside. Our inside area and upstairs are also dog friendly.

“We even held an amateur dog show at Clancys Freo recently and made a dog friendly beer (Beer wort blended with a bone broth) that we had on tap for pooches that day.

“People love that we accomodate dogs and have water bowls and poo bags available (in case they’ve forgotten) especially that dogs are allowed inside.”

Woolshed Brewery, SA “Wilkadene Woolshed brewery is set on many acres of riverfront land which is a wonderful playground for dogs,” says Sarah Freeman, owner of Woolshed Brewery. “We have plenty of water bowls out for the dogs, as well as dog waste bags to clean up any mess. We have two brewery dogs ourselves and understand how memorable it is when you are able to take them away with you or to a venue.

“People are blown away that they are able to bring their dog into our brewery and sit out looking over the river. We are also pet friendly across all of our accommodation which includes three houseboats and a cottage.”

Smiling Samoyed, SA “We encourage guests to make reservations including their dog in the information provided. Water bowls are provided around the venue,” says Kate Henning, ‘pack leader’ at Smiling Samoyed Brewery. “We have also participated in ‘Pets at the Pub’ run by the RSPCA South Australia. We have also been involved with events at Sweet Amber supporting pet related charities and the Inglewood Inn Dog Christmas Party last year.

“We also have two beers named after dearly departed brewery dogs – ‘Poppet’ (dec’d 2014) and ‘Coops’ (dec’d 2017) – Cooper having been named after another brewery before we had our own brewery made naming that beer a little delicate!

“Hoppy (the dog) has her own Instagram and Facebook pages and regularly features on the official Smiling Samoyed social media as well.”

50 www.beerandbrewer.com

Temple Brewing, VIC “There is water provided, adequate shade and places to sit in our lovely beer garden for both dog and owner,” says Jia Liang Lee, marketing and sales executive at Temple Brewing. “We host pet adoption drives and promote the bar and restaurant through our social media. We upload plenty of pictures of dogs that come and visit us.”

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1. Kaiju! Krush Tropical Ale Kaiju Krush Tropical Ale has a super-clean malt profile that allows the shipload of juicy tropical fruit flavours to arrive on the desert island of your palate unhindered. And it comes in a can, so after you Krush it, you can Krush it.

FOOD MATCH: Anything salty or with loads of umami ABV: 4.7% RRP: $5 per can, $24 per six pack Kaijubeer.com.au

2. L a Sirène Urban Pale The Urban Pale is a farmhouse pale ale blending American and New Zealand hops with locally malted Australian malts. Expect up-front tropical and citrusy hop aromatics which then give way to a trademark signature house yeast character that ranges from tropical fruits when young to barnyard funk when aged. It delivers a rollercoaster ride of hop character interplaying with yeast-forward traits. Expect a long length in the flavour with a rounded mouthfeel that finishes dry and refreshingly hop-forward.

FOOD MATCH: Vietnamese roll ABV: 5.2% RRP: $5 per can, $25 per case of 24 Lasirene.com.au

52 www.beerandbrewer.com

3. West City Brewing Footscray Ale This is a take on the classic pale ale. Loads of aromatic American hops nestled up against the highest quality New Zealand malts. A biscuity, balanced malt backbone that leads to a bold citrus and stone fruit aroma, with a lingering grassy bitterness. A beer punching well above its ABV.

4. Coopers Original Pale Ale

FOOD MATCH:

The beer that started the generation of pale ale drinkers, Coopers Original Pale Ale is now available in cans. This flavoursome ale has subtle fruity and floral characteristics balanced with a crisp bitterness.

Coopers’ unique flavour and cloudy appearance derives from our unique brewing method of top fermentation followed by natural conditioning.

Salty fried food, spicy Thai, Indian or Mexican dishes

FOOD MATCH:

ABV: 4.3% RRP: $24 per six pack Grand-ridge.com.au

Fish and chips or spicy Asian ABV: 4.5% RRP: $20 per six pack, $55 per carton Coopers.com.au

PALE ALE PROMOTION

5. Six Strings Tropical Pale Ale Recognised in the Australian International Beer Awards with a gold medal, this New Worldstyle pale is the easy going surf rock of pale ales. With a melody of fresh hop character led

by El Dorado and Cascade hops, the tropical flavours and aromas of pineapple, passionfruit and citrus are subtle but inviting.

The lingering tropical hop and mellow malt flavours give a smooth, refreshing, not overly bitter finish, making it easy drinking and perfect for chilled out days.

FOOD MATCH: Spicy Asian dishes, fish and chips or seafood ABV: 4.2% RRP $22.99 per six pack Sixstringbrewing.com.au

6. Stomping Ground Gipps St Pale Ale Voted 2018 ‘Australian Beer of the Year’ by leading beer podcast Ale of a Time, this Indies gold medal winning pale ale is a real crowd pleaser – popular with everyday punters and craft beer lovers alike. Named after the Collingwood street Stomping Ground calls home, Gipps St is full of tropical fruit American hop character and serious personality. Tropical, pine and tangerine notes.

FOOD MATCH: Pizza or burgers ABV: 5.2% RRP: $23.99 per six pack, $73.99 per carton Stompingground.beer

7. Feral Hop Hog Get a good whiff of this Feral Brewing Co beast that explodes with pine and citrus flavours, and massive hop aromas, rounded out with a solid malt backbone. A farmload of American hops makes Hop Hog a uniquely Feral brew…and just a little fruity.

FOOD MATCH: Slow cooked beef brisket or trusted pork ABV: 5.8% RRP: $19.99-$21.99 per four pack Feralbrewing.com.au

8. Blasta Brewing Grimster Rocks Mosaic Highly rated and trophy winning, Grimster has become our top seller.

This APA is led by the wonderful Mosaic hop. The three hop combo has a slightly dank, delightfully fruity aroma followed by juicy passionfruit, melon and luscious tropical flavours all wrapped up with a slightly caramel base.

FOOD MATCH: Fish dishes, cheeses, slow cooked lamb and fried foods ABV: 5.4% RRP: $20 per four pack Blastabrewing.com

9. Urban Alley Pale Ale Urban Ale is brewed with a combination of American and Australian hops, dry hopped with a classic European variety that adds dimension to its signature flavour. Vienna malt brings honey and graham cracker notes while Australian wheat provides a more relaxed mouthfeel. Fermented colder than a typical ale, with classic Americanstyle ale yeast resulting in a crisp, clean finish.

FOOD MATCH: Chilli chicken with Kewpie mayo ABV: 4.5% RRP: $5 per can, $22 per six pack Urbanalley.com.au

SHOT AT THE GREENWOOD HOTEL, NORTH SYDNEY

AUTUMN 2019 53

9. Southern Highlands Original Brewer Cameron James was inspired by the style of pale ale that originated the craft beer revolution in California in the 1970s. The Original presents with firm grapefruit bitterness combining with mild malt flavours.

The slightly cloudy appearance is thanks to a generous addition of late hops providing citrus aromas.

Pours with a tight white head.

10. Panhead Quickchange XPA XPA means Extra Pale, a product of Quickchange’s lighter malt base.

That delicate colour though is undercut by a glorious hit of alpha oils from Nelson Sauvin, Citra and Mosaic hops. Sometimes you don’t want a pale ale that flays your mouth raw and works your liver to a standstill. Sometimes a few luscious notes of mango, guava, lychee and pineapple can be just the thing.

FOOD MATCH: Paired at the Taphouse in Moss Vale with barbecued meats and pate ABV: 4.5% RRP: $25 per four pack Southernhighlandsbrewing.com.au

54 www.beerandbrewer.com

11. Young Henrys Newtowner Blending English and Australian malts and adding three types of local hops, the Newtowner is a well-balanced, Aussie pale ale with a fruity aroma and hint of bitterness. Winner of ALIA’s Best Indie Craft Beer, Runner up Best Draught Beer and coming in fourth place in GABS Hottest 100 in 2018, the Newtowner is a nod to the suburb from which it emerged.

FOOD MATCH: FOOD MATCH: Grilled chicken on the BBQ ABV: 4.6% RRP: $23.90 per six pack, $73.90 per carton Panheadcustomales.com

12. Pirate Life Pale Ale The brief Pirate Life gave themselves for their flagship beer was that it should be able to be sent to any bar in San Diego and to stand proudly alongside the many great pales produced in, and around, the west coast of the US. The schematic for a West Coast Pale Ale is bucket loads of big Mosaic and Cascade hops, full malty backbone and a characterful yeast. That is what this pale ale is all about. Enjoy as fresh as possible.

Mates and a charcuterie board ABV: 4.8% RRP: $20 per six pack Younghenrys.com

FOOD MATCH: Burgers, beef brisket, fried chicken ABV: 5.4% RRP: $5 per can, $23 per six pack Piratelife.com.au

PALE ALE PROMOTION

13. Green Beacon 3 Bolt 3 Bolt is an easy drinking American style pale ale, perfect for any occasion. The aromas and flavours of passionfruit, mango and fresh citrus result in a flavoursome beer, that’s extremely sessionable. 3 Bolt offers a subtle hop bitterness that is perfectly balanced with hints of malt sweetness and a refreshingly dry finish.

FOOD MATCH: Fish and chips ABV: 4.5% RRP: $17 per four pack Greenbeacon.com.au

14. Tinnies Pale Ale A hop-driven pale ale with stone fruit, pine and citrus characters.

Light amber in colour with a slight haze. A good balance of bitterness, biscuity malt with slight caramel flavours, backed up with stone fruit, pine and citrus characters.

FOOD MATCH: Italian or BBQ meats ABV: 4.9% RRP: $57.99 per carton Tinniesbeer.com

15. BentSpoke Barley Griffin Pale Ale An easy drinking Canberra pale ale with subtle hop aromas.

Cloudy but fine and completely sessionable at 4.2%, the Barley Griffin is a brew for any occasion. The blend of Ekunot and Mosaic hops bring a balance of soft tropical fruit notes while delivering a refreshing, slightly bitter finish. Awarded Gold in the International Brewing Awards for 2017, this pale ale never goes out of style.

FOOD MATCH: Pan-fried Barramundi served on a fresh garden salad ABV: 4.2% RRP: $4 per can, $19 per four pack, $77 per 24 pack Bentspokebrewing.com.au

16. Bad Shepherd Victoria Pale Ale The Victoria Pale Ale is perhaps Australia’s only truly local beer.

Brewed in Melbourne with carefully selected Victorian malt and hops, Melbourne water and in a rare and exclusive treat, a 100 year-old Victorian made yeast. It’s a crisp, easy drinking session pale with tropical aromas delivered by the all Victorian hops.

FOOD MATCH: Seafood, Thai curries, light game meats, chicken ABV: 4.2% RRP: $4.40 per can, $23 per six pack, $80 per case Badshepherd.com.au

AUTUMN 2019 55

17. Lord Nelson Three Sheets Pale Ale One of the original Australian craft pale ales, now in its 33rd year of brewing, Three Sheets Pale is the firm house favourite and benchmark brew at The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel. An ale with fresh lifted floral and citrus aromas and a balanced malty dry finish, The Lord is excited to announce Three Sheets will also hit the can in 2019. Watch for it in all fine bottleshops, bars and restaurants throughout Oz!

18. Murray’s Angry Man Pale Ale Australian, English and German malts balance the huge citrus/pine hop aroma and flavour strongly influenced by generous use of US Centennial and New Zealand Motueka and Pacifica hops.

A brilliant light-golden colour, Murray’s Angry Man Pale Ale has a full-bodied finish and complex character. This is well balanced with biscuity/toffee flavours from selected caramalts.

Fresh seafood, chilli and spice ABV: 4.9% RRP: $23.90 per six pack or $79.99 per case Lordnelsonbrewery.com

56 www.beerandbrewer.com

A US-style pale ale created with all Australian ingredients. Caramalt gives the body some sweetness and biscuit flavour which balances out the pine and bitter notes from the Vic Secret and Cascade hops. Pours a golden copper, like sunshine on a cloudy day (yeah, we stole that line). It’s a citrus punch that keeps going until the final siren.

Curry ABV: 4.8% RRP: $22 per six pack Murraysbrewingco.com.au

20. Pikes Pale Ale Brewed using the finest Australian malt and hops, Pikes Pale Ale is perfect for those hot summer nights. Light in colour and lightly bittered, this soft sessionable beer provides the base to showcase tropical fruit and citrus aromas using all Aussie hops Vic Secret and Ella late in the boil and in the dry hop.

FOOD MATCH: Fish tacos

FOOD MATCH: FOOD MATCH:

FOOD MATCH:

19. Hawthorn First Bounce Pale Ale

Sweet and spicy barbecue salmon ABV: 4.7% RRP: $21.99 per six pack Hawthornbrewing.com.au

ABV: 4% RRP: $21 per six pack or $70 per carton of 24 Pikesbeercompany.com.au

PALE ALE PROMOTION

21. Mornington Pale Mornington Pale is an Americanstyle pale ale, pouring a cloudy golden yellow with a tightly packed white head. Pale has both citrus and passion fruit aromas, showcasing American hops added late in the brewing process. A light smooth palate, aided by the generous addition of wheat malts, moderate bitterness and carbonation make for a flavoursome and sessional ale.

22. Holgate Mt Macedon Pale Ale Australian Ale and Vienna malts give this beer a delicate caramel malt flavour. The malts are balanced by light hop character and tropical fruit aromas from a variety of Australian hops including Topaz, Galaxy, Cascade and Ella. The result is a pale ale of broad appeal which is, like the mountain, a local landmark.

FOOD MATCH: Cheese, pizza, Mexican

FOOD MATCH: Fish and chips, burgers or BBQ ABV: 4.9% RRP: $22 per six pack Mpbrew.com.au

ABV: 4.5% RRP: $19.99 per six pack Holgatebrewhouse.com.au

23. Bridge Road Beechworth Pale Ale

24. Mountain Goat Pale Ale

It’s been quite a journey for Beechworth Pale Ale. Chances are if you ask an Australian brewer what their benchmark pale is, the answer will be Bridge Road’s.

Meticulously tweaked from season to season, this is a pitch perfect example of the modern style. From its humble beginnings in his Dad’s shed, Ben Kraus has created an enduring Australian craft classic, all the while remaining fiercely independent and family owned.

Well-balanced and extremely drinkable, this hop-driven, American inspired pale ale is full of stonefruit, pine and citrus characters. With an all-US hop line up, Mountain Goat’s Pale Ale is bursting with stonefruit, pine and citrus characters on the nose, which makes way for a clean, dry and fruity palate. Well balanced and extremely drinkable, this hopdriven, American inspired pale ale is a great choice for any occasion.

FOOD MATCH:

FOOD MATCH:

Southern style BBQ and spicy dishes

Chicken or sticky ribs

ABV: 4.8% RRP: $21 per six pack, $75 per case Bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

ABV: 5.2% RRP: $22.99 per six pack Goatbeer.com.au

AUTUMN 2019 57

DELIVERY AND FRESHNESS

Fresh is best!

IT’S NOT JUST THE BREWER WHO DETERMINES HOW A BEER WILL TASTE. CHARLIE WHITTING TRACES HOW BEER CAN BE LOOKED AFTER AT EVERY STEP OF ITS JOURNEY FROM BREW TO YOU

58 www.beerandbrewer.com

DELIVERY AND FRESHNESS

M

ost beers, unlike their counterparts in the wine and spirit worlds, are not meant for ageing. True

there are stouts and sours that will mature and develop over months or years if stored properly. However, the overwhelming demand is for hoppier beers, and these have a limited shelf life before those hop flavours fade and the taste deteriorates, with on-trend NEIPAs at particular risk.

Additionally, in an age that celebrates beers without chemicals and preservatives, shelf lives can drop even further, although there are now calls from some in the industry to consider pasteurisation for the sake of exports and consistency. So how can craft brewers seek to continue their expansion across Australia and beyond while still maintaining the integrity and quality of the product once it leaves the brewery floor?

TRANSPORTATION For any brewer looking to get their beers beyond their local neighbourhood the sheer

Pouring fresh beer at Akasha

“TREAT YOUR BEER LIKE MILK – PROPER TRANSPORT, STORAGE TEMPERATURES AND ROTATION OF STOCK.” – JOEL BERESFORD, THE DUTCH TRADING COMPANY

geographical challenge can be overwhelming.

Bernd Pazold, manager of alcohol import and distribution company Beach Avenue Wholesalers, cites the need for “multiple branches in different states” to maintain control. Coupled with Australia’s famous heat, these distances mean that delivering beer in its freshest format is a considerable challenge. Refrigerated transport is possible, but it can be prohibitively expensive.

“It’s expensive to run refrigeration within the vehicle and the warehouse,” says David Sadler, client manager at Peter Sadler Removals and Logistics, which warehouses and transports beer. “You lose vehicle space capacity and weight capacity. Alcohol logistics is difficult whether it’s being delivered ambient or refrigerated. Add into this traffic congestion via population growth, chain of responsibility imperatives, etc. and it becomes a highly specialised skill to be able to achieve delivery in full and on time across multiple drops and SKUs for multiple organisations.”

Andy Harris, owner of Motus Transport, a beer and cider warehouse and transport company, works to keep beer on the road as little as possible. He uses insulated trucks instead of refrigerated ones, allowing him to deliver more beers with each trip from

Global Brands Liquor loading a truck

AUTUMN 2019 59

DELIVERY AND FRESHNESS

Cold beers at Dutch Trading Co

Packaging cans at Akasha

THE STATS The Akasha canning line

refrigerated warehouse to refrigerated cellar.

And, with the growing demand for craft beer, particularly from regional towns, his drivers are making more and more trips.

“Refrigeration is a lot heavier and I’d

63.5 Kg Weight of majority of kegs

by road. And while the demand for craft beer is increasing, there are also many challenges facing freight companies before refrigeration can even be contemplated.

“Freight is one of our major challenges in the

rather deliver more boxes,” he says. “For us

decade ahead due to congestion on roads/lack of

it’s about finding carriers that will take cold

planning by government, increased regulations,

pallets those ways as well. At the moment

and a scarcity of qualified people,” says Martin

we have an overnight carrier and they do an

O’Mara, CEO of Global Brands Liquor, a liquor

ambient run. We try to pack as late as we can

wholesaler in northern NSW. “We can certainly

and then go out, but we’re looking for the best

learn from advances made in Europe and the

option, which is cold the whole way through.

We’ve been chatting with brewers about collaborations and some regional venues will do a collaborative pallet which really helps.”

There is an element of chicken and egg when it comes to delivering chilled craft beer. The expense can be prohibitive, but to

15 Kg Average weight of cartons of bottles (Provided by David Sadler Removals and Logistics)

establish a great enough demand that might

built vehicles used and new lifting technology for delivery of goods.”

Sadler cites the benefits of automation and tracking, which allow movements to be tracked in real time, “which means the level of exposure to ambient conditions becomes less and less year on year”.

pay for that expense, you have to get your

collaboratively, shipping their beers together

beer over there for drinkers to try, and it has

and sharing the burden of cost.

to arrive in top condition, which is expensive,

USA especially [the] different types of purpose-

“That works out to under $400 a pallet,”

Much has been written about the growing popularity of cans over bottles for beer, and while they enjoy advantages around aesthetics,

explains founder Richard Fletcher. “And that’s

protection from sunlight and recyclability, it is

a nearly 1.8m tall pallet. It is relatively cost

also their weight and shape that make them a

overland to get to clients across Australia,

effective and it only adds four or five days

more popular option for brewers. Lighter than

others are exploring the ocean as a viable

to the transport time. I think the brewing

bottles, cans can be more efficiently packed,

highway. Six Tanks Brewing in Darwin, for

industry is the most collaborative industry I’ve

ensuring that you get more beer on the pallet

example, finds it easier to get beers from

ever come across. It’s just a case of knowing

but still keep weights low.

California than from Canberra. Then there’s

who wants to ship and coordinating everyone

Blue Freight, which transports craft beer

with the containers to get them there.”

and so on.

While most brewers send their beers

via Australia’s coastal shipping routes.

However, not every coastal city has a coastal

“Cans [are] much easier by 1,000% in my opinion,” says O’Mara. “But if moving volumes, kegs can be very efficient with the

The route is slightly slower, but it is also

shipping route, and not every Australian lives

right delivery vehicle and a delivery friendly

cheaper, with the option for brewers to work

on the beach, so it is still often necessary to go

loading dock at the customer end.”

60 www.beerandbrewer.com

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DELIVERY AND FRESHNESS

Storing kegs at Peter Sadler Removals and Logistics

ONCE IT ARRIVES Of course, once the beer reaches its destination, whether that’s a pub, a bottleshop or even someone’s home, it is still at risk of mismanagement. Containers can be left outside to boil in the midday sun rather than being brought into somewhere and refrigerated immediately. Stories abound of kegs left out in the street and popping in the heat. If the beer has been lovingly made and carefully transported, then it behoves the people at its final destination to look after it with the same reverence.

Some companies have trained their teams to make sure that the product gets put into cold storage on arrival, no matter what, while education among staff members and venue owners is also often required to hammer home the importance of cold storage.

“Treat your beer like milk – proper

Logistical steps from Akasha Brewing “An extensive laboratory in-house, testing the beer at various stages in the process to ensure there is very little oxygen uptake in the final cans or kegs.

“We place Canned On and Best Before dates on every can to ensure the consumer has the ability to ensure the cans they are buying are fresh.

“All our beer is packaged cold and then kept in a cold storage facility until delivery.

“Our beer is delivered directly from the cold storage facility to our customer. If the delivery is long distance, we also ensure the delivery is made on a refrigerated truck.

“We work with our customers to ensure they understand the importance of cold storage. We insist on cold storage where possible, as well as only stocking a limited amount of stock to ensure turnover is rapid and always fresh.”

transport, storage temperatures and

in Perth. “Also hold distributors more

it is not just your reputation on the line – it’s the brewery’s as well.

“There’s nothing sexy about it but managing stock levels, sales projections and brewing schedules is the best way to ensure the beer you are making is being drunk as soon as possible,” says Brook Hornung, brand marketing manager at Moon Dog Craft Brewery. “Having cold storage for our beer also helps fight off the effects of aging.”

A major consideration when it comes to stock rotation, however, surrounds Best Before dates.

“People are becoming more aware of Best Before dates, but one of the infuriating things in the industry is there’s no real consistency how Best Before dates are handled,” says Richard Kelsey, director of Beer Cartel. “Some are legislated. If a beer is going deteriorate over the course of two years then you have to

rotation of stock,” says Joel Beresford, co-founder of The Dutch Trading Company

you’re serving something substandard then

apply a BBD to it. It you think it has a shelf empty those 10 kegs before they go off.

“Order smaller quantities, more regularly

life of over two years without any reduction in the quality of the product you don’t have to.

accountable for the condition of the beer

to ensure stock does not sit in storage for

“But people have put three months, six

you purchase. You pay a premium for good

long periods of time,” says Pazold. “Our

months, nine months, 12 months dates and

craft beers, so that’s what you should get.”

product is additionally made to order – our

there are lots of different things in Brisbane.

suppliers do not hold premade stock, they

It is becoming a bit of a minefield from a

prepare our orders freshly and to demand.”

retailer and consumer perspective. If the

Another critical consideration when it comes to keeping beer fresh is throughput and stock rotation. An understanding of

It can seem laborious to rearrange your

breweries are able to put the ‘Packaged On’

throughput is also important when it comes

fridge and put the newest arrivals right at

and BBD then we can start to get a bit of a

to ordering the right volumes. There is no

the back, but it is essential. Pouring off beer

sense of what the BBD duration is. I think

benefit for a pub to have 10 taps if they can’t

away may feel like a colossal waste, but if

that will definitely play a big role.”

62 www.beerandbrewer.com

DELIVERY AND FRESHNESS

DELIVERING THE PERFECT PINT After brewing, transporting and storing beer, the final stage of the process is its delivery to the consumer. A bottleshop should display its beer in a fridge; we should keep our beers somewhere cool and shaded. In pubs, there are four key rules, in the eyes of James Thorpe, coowner of The Taphouse in Darlinghurst – clean glasses, clean beer lines, lots of head and constant beer testing.

“A lot of venues go with a ‘cold as possible’ approach, primarily because as beer warms up it becomes harder to pour,” he explains. “But you want lots of head because the head is where a lot of the aroma is. We clean our lines after every single keg – at maximum every week and a half. When we put in Odd Culture, we spent a bit of money getting a glasswasher that deep cleans the glasses every time it runs so they pop out so clean they don’t need to be polished ever.

“You need to be trying your beer out of the taps. If a venue’s not cleaning the lines or storing kegs properly or maybe you’ve accidently delivered an old keg, you’ll know as soon as you taste it. It’s better than selling a whole keg to a bunch of new customers who now think that you make shit beer because some mistake has been made in the supply chain.”

The IBA’s ‘Best Before’ Labelling Guidelines Best Before Date (standard 1.2.5) The label on a beer must include its Best Before Date, unless the best-before date of the beer is more than two years away.

The best-before date is the date at which the beer will remain fully marketable and will retain any specific qualities for which express or implied claims have been made.

The best-before date must use the words ‘Best Before’, accompanied by the date or a reference to where the date is located in the label. For example: “For Best Before, see bottom of can”.

The best-before date must be clearly legible and indelible on all saleable units.

The IBA also recommends that you include a ‘packed on’ date to provide additional information to consumers. Note that a ‘packed on’ date is not a valid substitute for a bestbefore date.

mad

Loading up a shipping crate with Blue Freight

the world’s

greatest

local & imported malts

about

MALT

1800 119622 sales@cryermalt.com.au cryermalt.com.au

AUTUMN 2019 63

HOMEBREWER

64 65 66 68 70 72 73 74 79 80

“I WAS INSPIRED BY THE FIRST GREEN SHOOTS OF “BOUTIQUE BEER”, AS IT WAS CALLED, AND BY BEER WRITERS LIKE MICHAEL JACKSON AND CHARLIE PAPAZIAN” WILLIE SIMPSON

Welcome Letters Q&A Jake’s Brew Log ANHC Beer and Food Matching Andrew Childs Gladfield Recipe Old Home Mags Coopers Recipe Education

Check out page 70 for all the details from the Pairing Dinner at the Australian National Homebrew Conference

Editor’s letter

Chris Thomas Homebrewer Editor chris@beerandbrewer.com

64 www.beerandbrewer.com

Summer has come and gone but before you let your brewing enthusiasm go into hibernation, have a flick through Homebrewer’s pages to arouse that passion.

We have a tasty recipe by commercial brewer Andrew Childs with his Freedom APA. In contrast, Coopers have provided the more aggressively labelled Anarchy IPA. We have a look at two of the beers from the Australian National Homebrew Conference Pairing Dinner, with a Belgian Pale Ale

and a Manuka Smoked Rauchbier.

These are two hugely rewarding beers that I will comfortably recommend you explore.

Technical Editor Jake Brandish shows us how to sour like a pro and how to build your own recipes.

Both essential reads.

And while you’ve got your brew on, our feature article this issue takes a look back at Australia’s beer scene in the late 80s and early 90s through the eyes of the three beer magazines of the

time. There’s even a Q&A with the legendary Willie Simpson and a couple of recipes as well.

And of course, John Palmer finishes his Q&A on water.

Finally, Gladfield show us how to take advantage of their Shepherds Delight malt to make the perfect red ale.

Happy brewing and cheers, Chris chris@beerandbrewer.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 CHRIS,

HI HOMEBREWER,

I’ve been reading these great magazines since the early days and absolutely love them!!

I often read the mag from back to front and in doing so, I realised something unusual so I thought I’d point it out to the team.

In the 2018 winter edition there is an article with great depth on aspects of yeast management. It explains the importance of pitching a re-hydrated active yeast slurry to create better results. I’ve learned to practise several of these methods with great results over the years.

On the previous page though, is the Coopers Dark Monk recipe and it instructs the brewer to use dry yeast. All my dry yeast usage instructs to re-hydrate yet the Dark Monk recipe says to sprinkle onto the wort.

I’ve often questioned why a recipe would advise to sprinkle yeast as opposed to rehydrate, other than sheer convenience?

Hope this helps all lovers of better brewing techniques in the future.

I’ve had a few milk stouts recently - a couple of months ago at Stomping Ground and another recently from Black Brewing Co. in my beer advent calendar.

I must admit to being quite taken with the style - I have always enjoyed a sweet stout and the milk stout adds another dimension - so I want to have a go brewing this at home.

Any chance you could do a feature on milk stouts or sweet stouts in general?

I have been an avid reader of the magazine for a long time now and really enjoy making up some of the wonderful recipes.

I wonder if you could quickly explain something that may help all of us amateurs: when would you use rye, when would you use wheat, etc., etc.?

Choosing the right base is critical but which style needs which additional malts?

Here’s to better brewing!

Cheers Anthony

Thanks!

Stewart Buckle in Stewart, because Porters and Stouts are the feature style of our next issue. We’ll be sure to do a milk stout or sweet stout for you.

Thanks.

Rick Hopefully our feature on building recipes in Level Up can help you some here Rick. Cheers!

Both letters printed have won a Brew Demon Conical

Fermenter Kit The Editor’s Choice Letter has won

You raise an excellent point here, Anthony, and in doing so have come to the correct conclusion. While rehydrating yeast is the best method if it can be done properly, most homebrewers will simply sprinkle the dry yeast on. Something that will surprise many homebrewers is that many commercial brewers still sprinkle the dry yeast onto the wort (albeit, a much bigger block of dried yeast!). Much of it comes down to preference.

The Dark Monk is an introductory DIY recipe and so sprinkling is the preferred method there.

I appreciate the query and be sure to hydrate or sprinkle according to your preference!

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

AUTUMN 2019 65

Q&A

Water

HOMEBREWING LEGEND JOHN PALMER RESPONDS TO YOUR QUESTIONS EACH ISSUE. HERE, PALMER COMPLETES HIS ANALYSIS OF WATER AND INTRODUCES US TO THE BREWCUBE

C

ontinued from Issue 47…

The second most common water question I get is: “I want to brew (this style). What should my water profile be?” The answer to this question can

in two ways: the first is the sulfate to chloride ratio to accentuate the flavour balance of the beer, and the second is the total amount of seasoning, what I call the mineral structure.

Sulfate acts to accentuate the hop character and dryness of the beer,

be complicated because it depends on what ions

and chloride acts to accentuate the malt character of the beer, making

your water has to begin with. You need to know six

it rounder, sweeter, and fuller. Sulfate does not increase the bitterness

things: Calcium, Magnesium, Total Alkalinity, Sulfate, Chloride, and

units of the beer, nor does it increase the magnitude of the perceived

Sodium. The water pH is not important. If you have low mineral water,

bitterness. What it does is change the way the bitterness is perceived

with all concentrations less than 50, then you can easily add different

– sharp and fast, or broad and lingering. Higher sulfate (greater

salts to the water to achieve a water profile that is appropriate for the

than 100 ppm) dries out the bitterness, making it more assertive but

beer and will enhance the beer flavour. If you have high hardness,

fading quickly, leaving the drinker ready for more. Low sulfate leaves

that is usually good; nearly every beer style can be brewed with high

the bitterness softer but more lingering, the bitterness of the beer

hardness water. The problem is having high alkalinity water, which is

gradually covering the palate.

only suitable for dark beers. Brewing pale beers with high alkalinity

Calcium sulfate (gypsum) is commonly used to accentuate the

water results in dull malt flavours and coarse hop flavours. High

hop character of an India pale ale (IPA), making the bitterness more

alkalinity often requires calcium salt additions to raise the hardness

assertive and the beer drier. Calcium chloride on the other hand,

and may require acidification of the water to neutralise the alkalinity

accentuates the malt character of the beer, making the malt flavour

in order to brew amber or pale beers.

fuller and rounder. The summary of these effects is typically referred

The big question though is, “How do I adjust my water to brew

to as the sulfate to chloride ratio, and it is a handy concept to use for

different styles of beer? There are two reasons to adjust brewing

quickly identifying whether you are promoting a malty, balanced,

water: first, and most importantly, to affect the mash and wort pH,

or hoppy beer character. However, the ratio is not independent of

which can affect mash conversion, yield, and flavour, and second to

the actual concentrations. A 400:100 ppm ratio is a very different

season the beer flavour.

character than a 40:10 ratio. In fact, it could be argued that 40:10 is

The mineral profile of the water seasons the beer in exactly the same way that salt seasons your food. The minerals season the beer

66 Home Brewer

below perception threshold, coming in at what is generally considered to be a low concentration.

Q&A

The other effect of water mineral profile on beer flavour is mineral structure. Mineral structure describes how much structure is supporting the flavours of the beer, whether the flavours are perceived as soft, medium, or firm. In other words, it is the difference between light seasoning (French cooking) and heavy seasoning (Cajun cooking). An example of this character is the differences between Bohemian Pilsener, German Pilsner, and Dortmunder Export styles.

The ingredients between the styles are all very similar: Pilsner malt, noble hops, and lager yeast. But consider the flavour differences of the styles. Bohemian Pilsener is a rich, malty beer backed by a large, soft bitterness; no sharp edges. It has a smooth finish that is balanced between the malt and hops. German Pilsner is crisper and has a more bitter, hop-forward character, followed by a clean maltiness and dry finish. Dortmunder Export is a robust beer that balances a rich malt character and firm, dry bitterness. It tastes like a bigger beer than the first two styles. However, the recipes for these three styles are very similar: original gravity about 1.050, Pilsner base malt, noble hops, and a lager yeast strain.

The combination of these three water effects is how you adjust water for beer style. The beer style is described by three parameters: beer colour, flavour balance, and structure. The brewing water for that style is then described by three corresponding factors: residual alkalinity, sulfate to chloride ratio, and calcium concentration, respectively. For example, if the beer style was a pale malty lager, the “pale” row on the cube corresponds to a residual alkalinity suggestion of -100 ppm as calcium carbonate. The “malty” parameter corresponds to a suggested sulfate to chloride ratio of 0.5:1, meaning that the chloride ion concentration should be roughly twice that of sulfate. The next decision would be to decide how much mineral structure the beer should have. Should it be a soft beer, like a Bohemian Pilsener, or a Kolsch? Or should it be a bit more assertive, like a Munich Helles? A softer character would correspond to the suggested minimum calcium level of 50 ppm. A more assertive malty structure would correspond to a suggested calcium level of 100 ppm. The purpose of the cube is not to dictate Figure 1:

what water compositions should be used for the various styles; rather it is to help the brewer understand how water adjustment works as a system to enhance the style. Brewing software can help work out a specific water composition that would meet the suggested guidelines, and how to build that water profile from the local water or from distilled water.

In closing, I want you to understand that brewing is like cooking; there is no magic recipe, there is no secret ingredient. You adjust pH and seasoning to your taste. The Brew Cube is a tool to help you better understand how water parameters correspond to beer style. Water adjustment is important but it is not critical. Almost any water will make good beer but understanding water and water adjustment will allow you to make great beer.

Figure 1: The Brew Cube. Define the beer style by three parameters: Colour, Flavour Balance, and Structure. These beer parameters correspond to three water parameters: Residual Alkalinity, Sulfate to Chloride Ratio, and Calcium content. Use brewing water software to help create a water profile using salt and acid additions to meet these guidelines.

For more explanation about water adjustment, check out the water chapters in the new edition of How To Brew (4th ed., 2017).

AUTUMN 2019 67

JAKE’S BREW LOG

A tasting paddle at Otherside Brewing (WA)

Sour power OUR RESIDENT TECHNICAL EDITOR JAKE BRANDISH LOOKS AT SOUR BEERS AND HELPS OUT WITH A RECIPE FROM A PRO BREWER

S

ours are the new thing, but

all the pleasant characters of the wonderful

they are not so new. Sours

bugs that may be found in oak barrels

have been around since

(Brettanomyces, lactobacillus).

the beginning of brewing

In general, a sour beer usually presents as

- thousands of years! Wild

an acidic and tart beer where lactobacillus,

yeast and airborne bacteria

brettanomyces, and pediococus are the main

would inoculate the wort and magically produce

culprits. Lacto and brett can be added by the

a wonderful (and sometimes not so wonderful)

brewer or introduced by natural souring of the

alcoholic and carbonated drink. These days,

mash or the wort. Lactobacillus is the bacteria

particular yeast and bacteria strains will help us

associated with the souring of milk. Sours

make a great sour beer with a little more control.

can be subtle and slightly tart, to downright

We are in such a flourishing brewing

mouth puckering.

environment right now where brewers are trying all sorts of ways to produce new beers to

TO SOUR OR NOT TO SOUR

keep their business going, and probably more

Care must be taken when souring, as the

so because the brewer loves a good sour beer!

organisms can very easily and happily live in your fermenter or brewing vessels and laugh at

PUCKER UP

you when you try to bomb them with cleaning

A well brewed sour beer is a wonderful thing.

and sanitising solution. Some brewers have a

It adds such complexity and depth to the beer.

separate fermenter if they sour regularly.

The imagination wanders back to a time when

When making a sour beer, make sure you

there was no such thing as adding yeast to

can check and change your pH. Get a good

the wort, instead nature inoculated it with

pH meter, and try not to use the dip strips as

whatever was floating past in the air.

they are nowhere near as accurate, and get

If you are new to sours, do yourself a favour

some food grade phosphoric or lactic acid and

and go to your local good bottle shop and get

a syringe as you will only need to add minute

a few Rodenbachs and work your way up to a

quantities to adjust pH.

Gueze! Ever wanted a beer that tastes like horse

Highly hopped beers or big bold beers tend

blanket or barnyard funk? The answer is SHUT

not to finish up so well with souring, so select

UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

a style that will let the bugs shine through and

Rodenbach is a beautiful deep red ale with

68 Home Brewer

not be lost in a ton of hops.

How to sour Souring can occur in a few different ways. While commercial brewers have their own methods, home brewers can take inspiration from them, and what used to happen in the years gone past.

Here are some easy ways to sour a beer: Kettle souring is a relatively simple way to sour wort. Conduct a normal mash and run off into the kettle omitting any hop additions. Boil the wort for 15 minutes to sterilise, then cool down to about 40°C and add some food grade acid to reduce the wort down to a pH of around 4.5.

You can then add something such as yoghurt or lactobacillus to bring the pH down further to about 3.5. You can then boil again to include any hop additions. The bugs required can also be found in some dietary supplements such as IBS tablets.

Mash souring is conducted by preparing a small amount of mash and letting nature take its course and then adding it back to the main mash. This may be done a few days prior to brew day. Methods include adding Lactobacillus, to even chucking a handful of grain in to the mash to let the Lactobacillus in the husk do its thing as the bacteria required to do the job is found in the husk.

JAKE’S BREW LOG

The recipe For this recipe, I went to visit my mate Rhys Lopez from Otherside Brewing. I recently had their Red Creaming Sour and it is awesome. It was intended to be their GABS entry but it didn’t make it in time. Rhys recommends doing a normal mash regime and keeping all the hops out of the wort until the souring process is complete. Rhys tells me they have invested in a dedicated brewhouse vessel for the sole purpose of souring.

The batch was completely sold out in two days, so I thought I would find out what all the fuss was about. It is a beautifully balanced, slightly sour red ale with all the elements of Red Creaming soda. Rhys was kind enough to share this recipe with us.

Brewer’s Notes: This golden sour ale can either be made as per the recipe or without the final additions for the Red Creaming soda element. Water is quite crucial with a sour, so try and hit 110ppm CaCl (Calcium Chloride) and 55ppm CaSo (Calcium Sulphate) if you are using RO (Reverse Osmosis) water. If you can’t alter your water, don’t worry about this and just get brewing! Rhys uses live yoghurt to introduce lactobacillus to the wort, and has had great success with it. Rhys bases this recipe around 78% efficiency.

Otherside Brewery and Brewhouse, Myaree (WA)

Red Creaming Sour – All Grain recipe Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.050 FG: 1.012 ABV: 5.7% IBU: 8 Volume: 20 litres

Ingredients 3.5kg Pale malt 400g Cara-red 300g Simpsons DRC (or dark Crystal) 125g Caramunich II 50g Wai-iti hops 2kg frozen raspberries 2 tbs vanilla extract 1 tbs rosewater Belle Saison yeast

Method 1. Mash 66.5°C for 60 minutes 2. Raise to 76°C 3. Lauter and boil for 15 minutes, adding lactic or phosphoric acid until pH <4.5. Usually about 1ml per 20 litres per 0.1 of pH to drop 4. Reduce to 40°C, purge O with CO , and add 2tbs live yoghurt 2

2

5. Cover with cling film, check in every day until pH <3.5 6. Bring to boil 7. Add 10g Wai-iti for 60 minutes boil 8. Add 40g Wai-iti at flameout 9. Transfer to fermenter, ferment with Belle Saison yeast at 18°C until beer is stable for 2 days 10. Towards end of ferment add 2kg frozen raspberries, 2tbs vanilla extract, 1tbs rosewater A tasty glass of Red Creaming Sour fresh in the brewery

11. Keg or bottle as usual

AUTUMN 2019 69

FEATURE

Pairing dinner

T

he recent Australian National Homebrew

THE PAIRING DINNER AT THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL HOMEBREW CONFERENCE IS THE MARQUEE EVENT FOR MANY. FIVE AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION HOMEBREWERS ARE INVITED TO BREW, THEN PRESENT THEIR BEER TO THE 200+ ATTENDEES AT THE DINNER

Main was charcoal glazed lamb rump, white onion puree, heirloom

Conference in Melbourne included a four-course

carrots, pomme maxim and sauce perigord. This was matched with

dinner, expertly paired with beers by some of

the most ambitious beer of the night, a Manuka Rauchbier.

Australia’s best amateur home brewers.

Held on the Saturday evening, the dinner matches four courses with four beers.

This year’s menu started with three canapes paired with a Flanders

Red Ale skillfully brewed by Dion Barlin and Stuart Upwin from Sydney. At just 5.5% ABV, the Flanders Red had fruit notes with a solid sour finish.

Next was one of our feature brewers, Stephen ‘Lawfo’ Lawford,

While a smoky beer is hardly going to raise eyebrows at such an event, when it’s brewed with 100% Manuka smoked pilsner malt it will! Before tasting, I was questioning how this beer could be palatable. Recollections of Yeastie Boys Rex Attitude had my stomach cramping in anticipation.

All for nothing though because this beer works and it is amazing.

(In fact, I’ve got a batch brewing in the fermenter as I write!)

Dessert was perhaps the best pairing of the night. Braden Jackman

whose Belgian Pale Ale was paired with cured Hiramasa kingfish,

from The Melbourne Brewers brewed a classic Munich Dunkel to

goats cheese cigar and pickled beetroot for entrée.

pair with a trio of desserts, which included the standout dish of the

The food and beer were of the highest standard.

70 Home Brewer

evening - candied walnut crunch with cinnamon ice cream.

FEATURE

STEPHEN LAWFORD’S PARLITE MONK BELGIAN PALE ALE Stephen ‘Lawfo’ Lawford is a three time ACT brewing champion with a passion for brewing to style and entering competitions to obtain constructive and objective feedback on his beer.

Looking to improve his brewing and to better understand all the beer styles, he became a BJCP-certified judge and took on the challenge of brewing every AABC style to a 105+ point level in competition; so far 68 styles have been completed with only 41 more to go.

Lawfo has been Education & Competition Secretary for the Canberra Brewers, with a highlight being the Competition Secretary for the Nationals at ANHC 4 back in 2014.

Lawfo’s Parlite Monk Belgian pale has a smooth malty character of biscuit, light toast and caramel that

Parlite Monk Belgian Pale Ale Recipe Expected Brew Figures

Expected Brew Figures

OG: 1.051 FG: 1.006 ABV: 5.9% IBU: 25.5 Volume: 20.5 Litres

OG: 1.080 FG: 1.016 ABV: 8.4% IBU: ~30 Volume: 20 litres

Ingredients

Ingredients

4.15kg Bohemian Pilsner malt

7.4kg Gladfield Manuka Smoked Malt

200g Biscuit malt

22g Chinook hops (13%AA)

200g Crystal 60L malt

Wyeast 2633 Oktoberfest Lager Blend Yeast (2 litre starter prepared the day before)

200g Vienna malt

is complemented by the medium fruit and light pepper

25g Midnight Wheat

yeast character and the low spicy, earthy flavour and

17g Magnum hops

bitterness from the hops.

12g East Kent Goldings

The toasty and biscuit flavours along with the ester profile, lends this style to be not only a great pairing with

0.50 tsp Whirlfloc

food but also a great beer to cook with as well. Lawfo

1 tsp Yeast Nutrient

recommends poaching snapper, steaming mussels in it,

2 packs of Whitle Labs Monastery Ale (WLP500) yeast

or doing beer braised lamb shanks.

While the beer has done well for Lawfo in competitions over the years, he modified his recipe slightly as it was being paired with the cured fish for the entrée. He

Method 1. Mash in at 65°C for 60 minutes

mashed it at a lower temperature to give it a little lighter

2. Sparge and bring to the boil

body and dryer finish.

3. Boil for 90 minutes

PAUL RECK’S STRONG MANUKA RAUCHBIER Paul Reck was motivated to start brewing three years ago after being inspired by the can do attitude of Tasmania’s whiskey distillers. Reck enjoys experimenting with a variety of ingredients and styles – from sours to stouts, hoppy to hefes.

He was encouraged to enter some beers into the 2017 State Amateur Brewers Show of South Australia

1. The day before brew day make a 2 litre yeast starter 2. Mash the grains for one hour at 65°C 3. Mash out at 75°C 4. Bring to the boil and add the Chinook hops for the duration of the 90 minute boil 5. Chill to 10°C and transfer to the fermenter before pitching yeast starter 6. Ferment at 10°C for 14 days, then allow to free rise to 16°C for a two day diacetyl rest.

5. Add 0.5 tsp Whirlfloc & 1 tsp of yeast nutrient with 15 minutes remaining in the boil

7. Slowly decrease the temperature by 2°C per day for 8 days until it’s at 1°C.

6. Add 12g East Kent Goldings at flame out

8. Rack and lager for 1 month at 1°C before bottling or kegging (if kegging you can rack straight into your corny keg and lager in that for a month before carbonating to 2.4 volumes of CO2 and serving)

7. Chill to 18°C and pitch both pack of yeast

doesn’t brew to style. Reck was stunned to win Best Brewer in Show with three golds and four bronze. His

9. Bottle or keg as normal and enjoy

blackberry Berliner weisse went on to take out the gold at

Method

4. Add 17g Magnum with 60 minutes remaining in the boil

8. Ferment at 18°C for 3 days, then increase the temperature by 1°C each day until you hit 24°C

(SABSOSA) but held little hope of success given he

Strong Manuka Rauchbier Recipe

9. Enjoy with friends, especially as the cooler months approach!

the Australian Amateur Brewers Championship (AABC).

Reck was inspired to brew this beer for a mate who had been asking him to up the proportion of smoked grain in his smoky beers. As his birthday was approaching, Reck decided it was time and devised this recipe. While the 100% Manuka Smoked malt bill is both unique and ambitious, the end result is a big rich, complex and full bodied lager. The floral, sweet smoke doesn’t overwhelm the beer but complements the malt backbone.

Reck thought the smoked beer would be perfect for the pairing dinner because, “Let’s face it, smoked beer tastes like bacon and bacon pairs with anything.” Cheers to that!

AUTUMN 2019 71

RECIPE

Freedom APA

PRO BREWER, REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR AND HOP LOVER ANDREW CHILDS SHARES ANOTHER OF HIS BEHEMOTH BREWING COMPANY (NZ) / CHUR (AUS) RECIPES FOR YOU TO BREW AND ENJOY AT HOME. Tastes like Freedom! We decided to add another American Pale Ale to our

Freedom APA – Extract recipe

core range. We did this because we love the big stone fruit and tropical characters from the hops with a lower ABV than our favourite IPAs. This is more something that we want to drink a six-pack of. So why not bring out the big guns of Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe over a medium malt base and just something that screams drink me. Freedom never tasted so good!

Freedom APA - All Grain recipe Expected Brew Figures

Method

OG: 1.056 FG: 1.014 ABV: 5.6% IBU: 45 Volume: 23 litres

1. Mash all malts at 69°C

Ingredients

4. Add 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go

5kg Pale Ale Malt 200g Weyermann Munich 2 150g Cara-Pils 150g Bairds Caramalt

2. Sparge and bring to a boil 3. Boil for 90 minutes, adding Columbus hops at the start of the boil

5. At the end of the boil start a whirlpool then add 40g Citra, 40g Mosaic and 20g Simcoe

5g Columbus

6. Cool to 20°C and pitch both pack of yeast

120g Citra

7. Ferment at 18°C

120g Mosaic

8. Do a diacetyl rest at 22°C towards end of fermentation

60g Simcoe 0.3g Copperfloc 2 packs of Safale US-05 Dry Yeast

9. After fermentation dry hop with 80g Mosaic, 80g Citra and 40g Simcoe 10. Dry hop for 5 days then crash cool for a week 11. Bottle or keg as usual then enjoy with mates

72 Home Brewer

Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.055 FG: 1.014 ABV: 5.6% IBU: 45 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients 4.4kg Pale malt extract 200g Weyermann Munich 2 150g Cara-Pils 150g Bairds Caramalt 5g Columbus 120g Citra 120g Mosaic 60g Simcoe

4. Boil for 90 minutes, adding the Columbus hops at the start of the boil 5. Add 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go 6. At the end of the boil start a whirlpool then add 40g Citra, 40g Mosaic and 20g Simcoe 7. Transfer to fermenter and top up with chilled water to reach 20°C then pitch both packs of yeast 8. Ferment at 18°C 9. Do a diacetyl rest at 22°C towards end of fermentation

2 packs of Safale US-05 Dry Yeast

10. After fermentation add use a hop bag to dry hop with 80g Mosaic, 80g Citra and 40g Simcoe

Method

11. Dry hop for 5 days then crash cool for a week

0.3g Copperfloc

1. Boil 6-8 litres of water in a large pot 2. Add malt extract and stir to dissolve 3. Add all grain (cracked) to a muslin sack in 70°C water for 30 minutes, then take out of the wort

12. Bottle or keg as usual then enjoy with mates!

RECIPE

The Recipe This is a New Zealand take on a hearty English red ale. The hops will add a light, fresh nose however this beer is a malt showcase. Note that the mash run off will look very dark red until the sparging water dilutes the colour by quite a few shades.

Expected Brew Figures

Achieving the Perfect Red NEW ZEALAND MALTSTERS GLADFIELD ARE GAINING QUITE A REPUTATION FOR THE QUALITY OF THEIR MALTS AMONG BOTH COMMERCIAL BREWERS AND HOMEBREWERS. ONE OF THE MALTS FOR WHICH THEY ARE BEST KNOWN IS SHEPHERDS DELIGHT. CHRIS THOMAS EXPLORES A TECHNIQUE TO GET REDDER RED!

T

o brew a beer that turns out red

Shepherds Delight gives a bright, clean hue that

is tricky. The red shade of beer

we’re all seeking.

is very narrow, one shade lighter is brown and one shade darker is also brown.

Red IPA is very much a

happening beer of the last few years and without doubt Shepherds Delight has been a key to the red colour of many in both Australia and New Zealand.

While the malt does not carry a strong flavour, it does have a lingering fruity sweetness. If used

They suggest that the perfect red beer base for flavour, extract and colour is the following: • Gladfield Ale Malt 37% • Gladfield Vienna Malt 30% • Gladfield Aurora Malt 22% • Gladfield RedBack Malt 11% With a single infusion mash at 65°C this base will give a gravity of about 1.060.

This can be used as the base for any red beer,

in too high a percentage it can lead to bitterness

even red saisons and lagers – all you need to do is to

in the final beer. The recommendation is for

change your water treatment, your hops and yeast.

Shepherds Delight to make up 10% or less of the

No Sheperds Delight yet though?

malt bill.

To get the red colour we’re aiming for, add some

Let’s remember that this malt is very much about the colour though, so we won’t overuse it here.

Gladfield have experimented with their other

Shepherds Delight late in the mash.

So let’s take the base from above and add just 5% of Shepherds Delight malt 10 minutes before recirculation (or just the end of the mash if you’re

red malts, Aurora and RedBack, to come up

doing Brew In a Bag) which will give an excellent

with the perfect base recipe so the addition of

colour without additional flavour.

OG: 1.061 FG: 1.014 ABV: 6.2% IBU: 25 Volume: 25 litres

Ingredients 2.5kg Gladfield Ale malt 2.0kg Gladfield Vienna malt 1.4kg Gladfield Aurora malt 550g Gladfield RedBack malt 350g Gladfield Shepherds Delight malt 20g Pacific Gem 30g Pacifica Lallemand London ESB yeast

Method 1. Mash at 67°C for 60 minutes 2. 10 minutes before the end of the mash add 350g Shepherds Delight Malt 3. Sparge then bring to the boil for 60 minutes, adding the Pacific Gem at the start of the boil 4. With 15 minutes remaining in the boil add 15g Pacifica 5. With 5 minutes remaining in the boil add another 15g of Pacifica 6. Whirlpool, chill to 20°C and transfer to fermenter 7. Pitch yeast and ferment at 18°C until the gravity is stable for consecutive days at or around 1.014 8. Bottle or keg as normal. If bottling, allow to condition for 8-12 weeks before pouring into a glass to appreciate the colour (and of course the flavour)!

AUTUMN 2019 73

FEATURE

74â&#x20AC;&#x192; Home Brewer

FEATURE

Old beer mags IN THE LATE 80S AND EARLY 90S THERE WAS A MINI-BOOM OF BEER MAGAZINES IN AUSTRALIA. THE COUNT WENT FROM ZERO TO THREE IN A MATTER OF YEARS. CHRIS THOMAS LOOKS BACK AT THE CONTENT, THE IDENTITIES AND THE BEER OF THE TIME

R

Colorado IPA – Concentrate Recipe This is our interpretation of Charlie Papazian’s Colorado India Pale Ale from 1989, as published in Australian Beer Magazine Number 1. He described his version as having “A caramel-like smoothness that is pungently balanced with the addition of extra hops in the boil. A wonderfully assertive pale ale.”

Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.056 FG: 1.012 ABV: 5.8% IBU: 23 Volume: 15 litres

Ingredients 3.2kg Light Dry Malt Extract (LDME)

ecently I came across

and Victoria Bitter. Market share around the

some old Australian beer

country was dominated even more so then than

900g Crystal malt (cracked)

magazines at a swap meet.

now by CUB 48.3%; Bond Brewing 42%; South

85g Fuggles hops

I didn’t bother negotiating

Australian Brewing 6.1%; Tasmanian Brewing

28g Cascade hops

on a price – I paid what

2.1% and Coopers 1.1%. Imports and boutiques

was asked and tucked them

made up just 0.4% of the market!

2 x Safale US-05 yeast

under my arm. A flick through showed me how

Power’s Bitter also launched around this

much has changed and how much has stayed

time, much to the satisfaction of Queenslanders

the same in the beer industry of Australia.

who felt betrayed by the Bond Corporation

There were three magazines and to the

for taking the brewing of their beloved XXXX

best knowledge of one of the key figures of

interstate. Interestingly, Power Brewing

the time, Willie Simpson, all co-existed for a

Company built the brewery in Yatala (QLD),

period of time.

which was subsequently taken over by CUB.

Those who have maintained an interest in

Issue two of The Great Australian Beer Guide

the industry over the past few decades, will

found editor Willie Simpson hosting an

undoubtedly remember The Great Australian

esteemed panel including Chuck Hahn as they

Beer Guide, Australian Home Brewer and

tasted their way through Australia’s lagers. I’d

Australian Beer.

challenge anyone to find a less rewarding task.

The late 80s and early 90s were an interesting

Victoria Bitter and Crown Lager shared the

time in the Australian beer scene. John Elliot

honours. VB was described as having “Strong

(CUB) and Alan Bond (Bond Brewing) were

yeasty nose, malty character, slightly perfumey,

battling it out for territory in the commercial

sweet finish, clean, medium bitterness”. Swan

lager world, Foster’s Lager was Australia’s

Premium was just a point off in third place and

best selling beer with a massive 16.2% of the

was adjudged to have a “Greenish hue, resinous

national market, Phil Sexton’s Matilda Bay was

nose, buttery, low bitterness, slight caramel

creating a buzz off the back of Red Back (when

flavour, sweet, fatty acids”.

was the last time you had one?!), ‘boutique

Dry lagers were also coming into vogue, with

breweries’ of varying quality were opening and

offerings from Castlemaine, Grolsch, Tooheys

closing and European beers such as Stella Artois

and Swan. This is a trend that never really

and Heineken were arriving on our shores.

went away, rather it just gets re-badged every

Unsurprisingly, excise tax was a topic of fierce debate then as it still is now!

few years. Hahn Super Dry, Tooheys Extra Dry and of course Carlton Dry are mainstays on our market now.

THE BIG BREWERIES It was a time when the three best selling beers in

BOUTIQUE BREWERIES

Australia were Foster’s Lager, Carlton Draught

Perhaps the most interesting article in the

Method 1. Steep the crystal malt at 70°C for 30 minutes in 6 litres of water 2. Strain the grain and transfer the liquid to a larger pot 3. Add half of the LDME as you bring the liquid to the boil 4. At the beginning of the 60 minute boil, add 70g of Fuggles hops 5. With 20 minutes remaining in the boil, add the remainder of the LDME and stir in 6. With 15 minutes remaining add 15g Fuggles hops 7. With 2 minutes remaining add 28g Cascade hops 8. In your sterilised fermenter have 9 litres of very cold water 9. Strain liquid from the pot (wort) into your fermenter and put the lid on.

10. When the fermenter temperature is 18-20°C, pitch both packs of yeast 11. Ferment at 18-20°C for 7-10 days.

Fermentation is complete when the gravity is at or near 1.012 and is consistent over consecutive days 12. Bottle or keg as normal and enjoy your late 80s IPA!

AUTUMN 2019 75

FEATURE

stack of magazines was a six-page Q&A between Willie Simpson and Phil

time. When was the last time you flicked over the page and found a

Sexton. Sexton is a pivotal figure in Australian craft beer history. For those

sky blue advertisement of a pack of Winnie Blues?! Thankfully, we are

unfamiliar with his resume, Sexton was brewmaster at Swan Brewing

not exposed to this now, but it does take you straight back to the time.

in WA, and co-founder of Matilda Bay and then Little Creatures. He also

Bottle shapes and sizes that we are accustomed to changed. Foster’s

played a significant hand in Little Creatures’ offshoot White Rabbit.

used to come in the same bottle as VB, while Cascade and Swan both had a

Simpson’s interview with Sexton explored the development

stubby body and a thin neck to their 345ml bottles. Coopers, though were

of Matilda Bay’s Red Back and the significant gamble he took in launching a craft brewery in Australia and then Australia’s first pubbrewery at the legendary Sail & Anchor in Fremantle.

Simpson questioned the involvement of CUB in Matilda Bay, who at

the biggest surprise with a ring pull cap, atop a grenade shaped stubbie.

The Australian cricket team were busy promoting XXXX at home and abroad. Remember the ‘I can feel a XXXX coming on’ with Alan Border? Or ‘Big Merv’ with froth on the moustache?

the time had a 21% stake in the business. Interestingly, Bond Brewing also had a stake with 6% in Matilda Bay. Sexton was adamant that the

HOME BREW

involvement of CUB would not affect Matilda Bay’s independence.

All three of the magazine featured homebrew tips and recipes.

“It’s a strategic stake as it is enough to ward off other big buyers, yet enhances our independence,” he said at the time.

“They (CUB) help us stay independent which I think is very

The Great Australian Beer Guide largely stayed away from making your own as they launched Australian Home Brewer as its sister publication. Australian Beer on the other hand, edited by Willie

important for the market in the medium term. You see we’re only

Simpson, featured some very interesting recipes and articles on

effective while we’re independent.”

homebrewing.

While readers will take this on with a wry smile, thinking back to

Cans of concentrate were king and many pages were dedicated

some of Matilda Bay’s most recent offerings such as Minimum Chips,

to evaluating and reviewing different cans of concentrate.

The Ducks and now Frothy. That said, the arrangement did solve some

Unsurprisingly, Coopers was the favoured brand.

key issues facing Sexton.

Australian Home Brewer featured articles by respected Australian

“…it was great to slot our Special Beer Company into Elders distribution because in one hit we overcame all the problems facing the small brewer: distribution, capital and independence.”

Beyond Matilda Bay, other small breweries were opening their doors,

authors Mike Rodgers-Wilson and Laurie Strachan, both of whom have published their own books on the topic.

Yeasts and yeast cultures were explored and Wyeast Liquid Yeast Cultures were becoming available.

however there was growing concern over the quality of the beer. The

While basic pale ale and lager recipes were the norm, Australian Home

financial side of boutique breweries was also of growing concern as

Brewer also provided recipes for bitter, bock, stout and Munich lager.

many opened and closed. Unfortunately, this trend continues with many

Their Guinness clone is worth the effort.

broken hearts and dreams amongst the plethora of craft breweries today.

Australian Beer featured a special from Charlie Papazian in its first issue. He looked at the American beer scene and provided recipes for

THE ADVERTISEMENTS

Colorado India Pale Ale, Armenian Imperial Stout and Cherries in the

Of as much interest as the articles, were the advertisements of the

Snow Lager.

76 Home Brewer

FEATURE

“UNSURPRISINGLY, EXCISE TAX WAS A TOPIC OF FIERCE DEBATE THEN AS IT STILL IS NOW!”

Dry Irish Stout – All Grain recipe Australian Home Brewer featured a prize-winning recipe for a dry Irish Stout. It was inspired by home brewer, Robert Freshwater, who was “…determined to find a recipe that would satisfy my desire for a Guinness with less damage to the hip pocket nerve”. Here’s our simplified adaptation of his recipe.

Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.042 FG: 1.010 ABV: 4.2% IBU: 40 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients 3.6kg Pale malt 550g Flaked barley 600g Roast barley

The Recipe Seven Sheds Paradise Pale – All Grain We first published this recipe back in 2015 but thought we’d put it up again as it is a real treat. Simpson says “Paradise Pale is a hoppy summer ale. The medium bitterness is balanced with bags of hoppy aroma and flavour derived from the flowers we add to the hop back. Our set-up allows us to continuously add fresh hop flowers while the wort is running off from the kettle to the heat exchanger.”

Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.046 FG: 1.009 ABV: 5% IBU: 25-27 Volume: 20 litres

Ingredients 2.75kg Simpson Golden Promise

30g Pride of Ringwood hops

625g Joe White Malted Wheat

15g Cluster hops

500g Joe White Pale Munich

15g Goldings hops

23g Fuggle pellets

1 Whirlfloc tablet

18g Styrian Golding pellets

Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale or Safale S-04 yeast

25g Motueka flowers

Method

Safale US-O4 Yeast

1. If using Wyeast, pop the pack and allow it to expand while brewing

Method

2. Mash grains at 67°C for 60 minutes 3. Mash out at 75°C, then sparge and boil 4. Add the Pride of Ringwood and Cluster hops for the full 60 minute boil

4g Brewbrite

1. Mash at 67°C 2. Sparge 3. Add Fuggle Hops once elements are covered 4. Boil for 90 minutes

5. With 15 minutes remaining in the boil, add the Whirlfloc tablet

5. Add Styrian Golding Hops and Brewbrite with 10 minutes remaining in the boil

6. With 2 minutes remaining add the Goldings hops

6. Add Motueka Hop Flowers in hop back (or in kettle after flame out)

7. Whirlpool for 10 minutes then chill to 18-20°C

7. Cool and pitch yeast

8. Transfer to fermenter and pitch yeast 9. Ferment at about 18°C until gravity is consistent over consecutive days

8. Ferment at 18-20°C until the gravity is about 1.009 and is consistent for consecutive days.

9. Enjoy with some old beer mags!

10. Bottle or keg as preferred – I suggest priming as per 375ml bottle in a 500ml bottle for a smoother and less carbonated stout.

AUTUMN 2019 77

FEATURE

Q&A with Willie Simpson Willie Simpson has been a key figure of the Australian home brew scene for decades. At different times, he was the editor of both The Great Australian Beer Guide and Australian Beer. Together we look back on the beer scene in the late 80s and early 90s.

HOMEBREWER (HB): I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS A SELECTION OF AUSTRALIAN BEER MAGAZINES FROM THE 90S - AUSTRALIAN HOMEBREWER, AUSTRALIAN BEER MAGAZINE AND THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BEER GUIDE. WERE ALL OF THESE MAGAZINES IN CIRCULATION AT THE SAME TIME? Willie Simpson (WS): From memory, yes, around 1988-91.

HB: YOU WERE THE EDITOR OF AUSTRALIAN BEER MAGAZINE. WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BEGIN THE MAGAZINE?

HB: TELL US ABOUT THE HOPS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME AND HOW THESE INFLUENCED THE BEERS PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO MAKE. WS: Liquid hop extract was commonly used in the early 80s and most flowers and pellets were poorly kept by home brew shops.

WS: I was way ahead of my time! But I guess I was inspired by the first

By the early 90s my local homebrew shop (Eastern Suburbs

green shoots of “boutique beer”, as it was called, and by beer writers

Brewmaker) had a reasonable range of English, Euro, NZ and

like Michael Jackson and Charlie Papazian.

US hop pellets available. Home brewers were still, mainly, trying to replicate classic beer styles rather than explore the

HB: WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THE AUSTRALIAN BEER LANDSCAPE AT THAT TIME?

experimental path.

WS: In the early 80s I poured beer at a suburban bowling club where New, and Reschs. Punters were loyal to their own state’s beers back

HB: WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAJOR CHANGES TO HOMEBREWING THAT YOU HAVE SEEN SINCE YOUR TIME WITH AUSTRALIAN BEER MAGAZINE?

then, but within a few years that was starting to break down with

WS: The arrival of liquid yeast cultures (around 1990) was a pretty

buy-outs from the likes of Bond Brewing and CUB. Coopers was one

big deal and improved the quality of most homebrew overnight.

of the few choices outside the mainstream.

The dried yeasts available at the time were fairly basic, all-round

there were five beers on tap: Toohey’s Old and New, Tooth’s Old and

performers which is why many of us “borrowed” Mr Cooper’s yeast

HB: YOU DEDICATED 10 PAGES OF YOUR DEBUT ISSUE TO HOME BREWING WITH LAURIE STRACHAN AS THE HOMEBREWER EDITOR. TELL US ABOUT LAURIE AND HOW YOU IDENTIFIED HIM FOR THE ROLE.

from their ales. Obviously, the quality of commercial dried yeast

WS: Laurie was writing about beer before me, so it wasn’t long before

time to jump into mash brewing.

has improved dramatically since those dim, dark days.

Around the same time, various brewing toys and equipment were being brought in from the US (I still own the round orange eski which served as my mash tun from about 1994 onwards). It was an exciting

our paths crossed. He was also a pioneer mash home brewer.

HB: THE RECIPES WERE CREATIVE AND MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE AMBITIOUS FOR THE TIME WITH A COLORADO IPA, ARMENIAN IMPERIAL STOUT, CHERRY LAGER AND SPECIAL BITTER. DID YOU GET LETTERS REQUESTING A RECIPE FOR A GENERIC AUSTRALIAN LAGER OR WERE THEY A BREATH OF FRESH AIR GIVEN WHAT WAS COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AT THE TIME?

HB: HOW LONG DID AUSTRALIAN BEER MAGAZINE OPERATE FOR AND WHAT CAUSED IT TO FINISH? WS: A couple of years. High production costs (pre-digital) and a recession killed it off.

HB: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH BEER NOW IN 2019.

WS: We’ve just celebrated 10 years at Seven Sheds Brewery here in north-west Tasmania. I stopped writing about beer about five years

WS: Well, those recipes were lifted from Papazian’s “bible”. Most

ago and am now the “village brewer”. More correctly, I’m the head

home brewers I knew were more likely to embrace Coopers’ cloudy

brewer and co-owner and trying to do less on the production side,

ales and the like, rather than attempt to clone Toohey’s or VB.

more on the tourism, marketing and sales areas.

78 Home Brewer

RECIPES

The undercurrent of this strong malt base is met in equal measure with bold hop flavours and aromas. Expect an undertone of citrus, lychee and tropical fruits, followed closely by light malty sweetness on the tongue, before a defiantly smooth yet bitter finish.

Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.055 FG: 1.014 ABV: 5.7% IBU: 40 Volume: 22 litres

Ingredients 1.7kg Coopers Australian Pale Ale can of concentrate 1.5kg Thomas Coopers Light Malt Extract 500g Coopers Light Dry Malt 250g Crystal malt (cracked) 25g Chinook hops 25g Simcoe hops 25g Cascade hops Safale US-05 Dry Yeast

Anarchy

IPA THE CREW AT COOPERS DIY MARRY TRADITIONAL ENGLISH AND AUSTRALIAN MALTS WITH A FRUIT SALAD OF US HOPS IN THIS ANARCHISTIC TAKE ON INDIA PALE ALE

Method 1. The day before brew day, soak the cracked crystal malt grain in a small mesh bag in a pot with about 3 litres of cold water. Fit the lid and sit it in the fridge overnight (If the grains have not already been cracked, place them in a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag and crack them using a rolling pin) 2. On brew day lift the mesh bag with grains out of the pot and allow the liquid to drain out before discarding the grains 3. Place the strained liquid onto the stovetop, then add half of the Light Dry Malt and stir to dissolve 4. Bring to the boil, then add the Chinook Hop Pellets and boil for 30 minutes, before removing from the heat 5. Cool the liquid by placing the pot in a bath of cold water for about 15mins 6. Add the Australian Pale Ale can of concentrate, the liquid malt extract, the remaining light dry malt and the cooled hop and grain liquid to your fermenter. Stir to dissolve.

Don’t be concerned if lumps of Light Dry Malt persist as they will dissolve over the course of several hours 7. Top up with cold tap water to 20 litres and stir thoroughly 8. Check the temperature and top up to 22 litres with warm or cool water (refrigerated if necessary) to start the brew at 18°C 9. Sprinkle the Safale US-05 Dry Yeast then fit the lid and place the fermenter in a location out of direct sunlight.

Ferment at 18-20°C 10. On day 6, add the Simcoe and Cascade hops (preferably in a hop bag) and leave for the remainder of fermentation 11. On day 9 check the specific gravity (SG). The brew is ready once the specific gravity has stabilised over a couple of days and is about 1.012-1.015 12. Bottle or keg as normal. If bottling, allow your beer to bottle condition out of direct sunlight. For best results condition for 8-12 weeks.

AUTUMN 2019 79

EDUCATION | LEVEL UP TECHNICAL SECTION

Building beer

HOMEBREWER TECHNICAL EDITOR JAKE BRANDISH TALKS ABOUT WHAT IS INVOLVED IN DESIGNING YOUR OWN BREW.

B

rewing beer is awesome.

INGREDIENTS

Substituting yeast is a great place to start if

What is even more awesome

So, you have decided to build a beer. Is there

you want to change up your favourite brew.

is coming up with your

a specific ingredient you want to incorporate

OWN beer. Following a

in a beer? Want some Belgian funk for that

grasp on the characteristics of the different

recipe and making beer

pale ale? The term ‘adjunct’ is used for any

elements and individual ingredients.

from scratch is a very

addition to the brew that is outside the

Building a beer requires a pretty good

satisfying pastime. Most of us will grab a

regular fermentables and will add flavour or

TWEAKING

recipe from our favourite magazine (let’s say

aroma to the brew, and adding adjuncts is a

You should really try a recipe a few times first

from an awesome mag like…ummm I don’t

great way to change things up.

before you start to tweak things if you are

know… Beer & Brewer perhaps?) and follow it

If you are anything like me, you follow a

through, knowing it is a tried and tested way

recipe a few times, then you start to throw in

simple recipe such as a pale ale with the

to produce a beer. How do those recipes come

some biscuit or black malt, or some different

intention of making a few substitutions on

to life in the first place, and what does the

hops, or try a different yeast strain. Yeast is

the malt or hop bill. Look at the different

brewer need to know to design that beer in

such a huge part of your brew, which gives

ingredients already listed and see what

the first place? Well, let’s look at that now.

each beer style its unique characteristics.

you could substitute. Start with something

80 Home Brewer

new to building beer. Begin with a relatively

EDUCATION | LEVEL UP TECHNICAL SECTION

relatively similar, like changing hops or perhaps add a late hop addition.

Compare what the difference was to the original beer and go from there. Then do another malt substitution or even add a small amount of darker malts to change the colour of your brew. You could even add some fruit or other elements to your beer, which in many cases takes it to a new level.

Try and think of the good matches that you see in food, such as chocolate and raspberry, peaches and cream, beer and anything, and try to use that approach with your beer additions. Before long, you will be starting from the ground up and developing your very own brew rather than simply following recipes. The key is to try not to go too wild on the first few brews!

THE BASICS When building your beer, keep in mind the basics of almost all beers. The No.1 rule is to keep a high percentage of base malt otherwise you will end up with a beer that may be out of balance. This is where the beer will get most of its sugar conversion to alcohol. It can range anywhere from 80% to around the 90-95% ratio.

Even changing your base malt could be a great way to start. The difference between ale or pale malt, and a floor malted malt like Marris Otter or Golden Promise will be astounding. You could even split the base malt up and turn the pale ale malt addition into 75% base malt of your choice, and 25% Munich malt. Munich malt is great for adding some colour to your beer and extra malty and bread-like characteristics.

Vienna malt is also another great addition to your base malt bill for extra depth to the beer. Research what you are going to use to make sure you don’t overdo it – or underdo it for that matter.

KEEPING TRACK Make sure you are keeping track of your changes so you can do direct comparisons and you can re-produce the beer if you like the change. If you are not using any record keeping, get on to it as simply doing this can lift your brewing to the next level.

It can be as simple as an exercise book where you take notes, but software programs are readily available these days to make your job easy, and they especially are useful for seeing what your beer may turn out like. BeerSmith has a great user interface where you can see gravities, colour, bitterness, attenuation, etc so it is invaluable as a tool for better beer formulation.

“BUILDING A BEER REQUIRES A PRETTY GOOD GRASP ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND INDIVIDUAL INGREDIENTS”

MORE READING There are plenty of books around that will guide you on your path to building beer, but one of the most awesome ones is by Randy Mosher – Radical Brewing. Randy is a great bloke and has a wealth of knowledge in the use and addition of extra ingredients. Radical Brewing takes you through additions, how to use them, what to use, and what to expect in the finished beer.

Another great book is Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels. Ray is brewing royalty, and he has so much information about building beers. This book contains tables, charts, suggestions, and pretty much goes through every element of the beer to help to come up with your ingredients.

Podcasts are also a great way to hear what other brewers are doing and a great source of inspiration.

Happy brewing, and don’t forget to let us know how your beer building goes!

Cheers!

AUTUMN 2019 81

ENTERTAINING – FOOD

Australian Heritage Cookbook THIS COOKBOOK TAKES AUSTRALIA AS THE INSPIRATION FOR ITS 150 RECIPES, WHETHER IT’S THE LAND, SEA OR NEW CULTURAL CUISINES

A

ustralians are fortunate in so many ways. Indeed, to be a cook in this wonderful country is both a privilege

and a pleasure. The abundance of natural good food makes the Australian food industry one of the most self-sufficient in the world. There are plentiful supplies of meat, grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy produce and seafood available throughout the year. Furthermore, there is an excellent wine industry, which produces world-class quality wines and liqueurs, not to mention the brewing industry too!

The beautifully illustrated Australian Heritage Cookbook caters for every occasion: from spontaneous entertaining and family cooking to extravagant dinner parties.

Australians love to entertain and our marvellous climate lends itself perfectly to both casual and formal entertaining.

This is an edited extract from Australian Heritage Cookbook published by New Holland Publishers. It has been available in flexi format from all good bookstores or online since December 2018 (RRP $39.99).

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ENTERTAINING FEATURE – FOOD

BARBECUE MEATBALL SKEWERS Serves 2-4 30-45 minutes Ingredients Oil, for cooking 1 onion, finely diced 500g beef mince 1 egg 2 bacon rashers, finely diced 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 garlic clove, crushed 50g panko breadcrumbs Salt and black pepper, to season

Recipe If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 20 minutes.

Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and the onion then cook until the onion is soft and golden.

Combine with the remaining ingredients, ensuring that it is well combined, then roll into golf size balls.

Place four balls on each skewer. Place the skewers on a medium–high barbecue flatplate and cook for 8–12 minutes or until golden brown, turning every few minutes to brown all sides.

Serve with salad and coleslaw.

AUTUMN 2019 83

ENTERTAINING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FOOD

LOBSTER MORNAY Serves 2 30-45 minutes

Recipe

Ingredients

Reserve the shells. In a saucepan, place the milk, bay leaf, onion and peppercorns. Heat slowly to boiling point. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain.

1 medium lobster, cooked and halved 1 & 1/4 cups milk 1 bay leaf 1 small onion, chopped 5 black peppercorns 30g butter 2 tablespoons plain flour 60ml cream 60g tasty cheese, grated salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon butter, extra 60g fresh breadcrumbs

www.beerandbrewer.com 84â&#x20AC;&#x192; www.beerandbrewer.com

Remove the lobster meat from the shells and cut into bite-size pieces.

In a pan, heat the butter, and remove from the heat. Stir in the flour and blend, gradually adding the strained milk. Return the pan to the heat, and stir constantly until the sauce boils and thickens. Simmer the sauce for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the cream, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir the sauce until cheese melts, then add the lobster.

Divide the mixture between the shells. Melt the extra butter in a small pan, add two-thirds of the breadcrumbs, and stir to combine.

Scatter the remaining breadcrumbs over the lobster and brown under a hot grill.

ENTERTAINING FEATURE – FOOD

LAMB RIBS Serves 2 4.5 hours (plus marinating time) Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper 1kg lamb ribs, cut into 4 rib segments 2 cups woodchips, soaked in water (applewood is best for smoking lamb, or cherrywood if you can get it)

Recipe Combine the oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread mixture evenly over lamb ribs so that the whole surface is coated.

Wrap lamb in cling film and let sit for an hour in the fridge.

Prepare your barbeque, light the coals and get the heat to 110°C. Place a water filled drip tray next to the coals and place the cooking rack on top.

Place the lamb ribs on the cooking rack away from the direct heat of the coals.

Drop a handful of woodchips over the coals and place the lid on.

Cook the ribs for 4 hours, making sure the temperature stays at 110°C. Remove lid and add a handful of woodchips to the hot coals every hour or so, replacing lid after each addition.

After 4 hours, move each rack of ribs over the coals and cook for 2 minutes a side, uncovered. This will burn most of the fat from the ribs. Remove the ribs and wrap in foil, allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

AUTUMN 2019 85

THIS EDITION, OUR TASTING PANEL TACKLED PALE ALES AND THE LATEST NEW RELEASES AND CIDERS. HERE ARE THE RESULTS

TASTING the panel

Tina Panoutsos Tina started working for CUB in 1989 as a Quality Assurance Chemist. She currently holds the position of CUB’s sensory manager. Her focus is to improve all aspects of beer and cider education as well as support CUB brewing sites through improved sensory data.

Bill Taylor

Neal Cameron

Justin Fox

Head brewer for Lion Nathan, Bill Taylor has more than 30 years’ experience in brewing and the beer industry.

An international beer judge, Bill is a past president of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and a founding member of the NSW Brewers Guild.

Coming from starting William Bull Brewery for De Bortoli Wines, Neal Cameron is currently head brewer at The Australian Brewery. He is a beer and cider judge, a committee member for NSW Brewers Guild and a regular contributor to Beer & Brewer Magazine.

With more than a decade of brewing across Australia on kits ranging from 600 to 140,000 litres, Justin has recently joined the Bintani family to head their service, sales, and product development. He is passionate about helping brewers innovate and develop technically as the industry continues to grow.

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Michael Capaldo

Graham Wright

Alexis Roitman

With over a decade in the brewing industry, including eight years at Sydney/Lovedale Brewery, Michael has completed a Post Grad in Brewing from ECU and judged at many of the top beer awards. He also sits on the IBA awards technical panel and is the NSW, QLD & ACT sales rep for Hop Products Australia.

Graham has had a full and varied life that has generally revolved around alcohol. With a background in retailing, he’s currently an auctioneer at Oddbins Wine Auctions and is a director of The Odd Whisky Coy, Australia’s only specialist importer of fine, rare and hard-tofind whiskies.

Alexis is the CEO of the IBA, with more than 15 years’ experience in industry advocacy.

She began home brewing in 2012 and obtained her BJCP judging accreditation in 2015. She’s a huge admirer of saisons and sours, and is excited to see Brut IPAs catching on with beer drinkers.

TASTING

Blackman’s Local Standard Ale

Ballistic Signature EXPA

The Welder’s Dog Australian Wheat Ale

3.9% ABV, 330ml can A stellar example of why Australian session ales are taking over. Pale and lean, crisp and clean, the lightest sweet malt note fades to a super dry finish. The hops mainly provide a mild savoury bitterness, without much aroma and a slight noble grassy flavour. Way better than anything truly ‘standard’. Slip this to your second cousin who says he won’t drink that fancy craft beer.

Style: Session ale Glass: From the can at a backyard cricket match Food match: Sushi Blackmansbrewery.com.au

5.5% ABV, 375ml can Pale, clear as day and tasty as all get out, this full-flavoured collaboration between Brisbane’s Ballistic and Bintani showcases the single origin Joe White Signature Malt. It’s extremely well balanced, using Loral hops for a subtle floral note on the nose, with the full, clean flavour and faintly nutty sweetness of the malt countered by an Amarillo bitterness, pitch-perfect at 32 IBU. Seems bigger than 5.5% ABV. In a word: moreish.

Style: XPA Glass: Rastal IPA Food match: Stir fried teriyaki beef Ballisticbeer.com.au

4.5% ABV, 355ml can A great example of how a wellbrewed beer lets the ingredients shine through. It’s a light, bright pale ale style beer but the characteristic orangey, spicy almost medicinal character of Topaz hops is vibrant and highly engaging. It’s a perfect summer beer, the well attenuated body and almost acidic character is a delight and will make a warm summer’s day even brighter.

Style: Wheat ale/Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Chicken schnitzel Theweldersdog.com.au

Malt Shed Lager Del Rio

Jetty Road Pale Ale

Ballistic Hazy IPL

Beach Beer Bondi

4.8% ABV, 375ml can Beers from the Mornington Peninsula have a reputation to uphold and this one does it admirably. Subtlety is everything. It pours a clean, slightly hazy pale, with a very mild fragrance from a Mosaic/ Simcoe dry hop. The fruity hop flavours are evenly matched with the malt base and there’s just enough bitterness on the finish to keep you coming back for more. Simple.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Souvlaki Jettyroad.com.au

6% ABV, 375ml can Is that the Indiana Jones theme tune? A beautifully hazy, juicy pour with the slightest exotic whiff of mango and citrus, this is notionally an IPL, but can 19 IBU be imperial? Maybe it’s an imperial haze, because a truckload of oats lends a pillowy mouthfeel and brief head retention while a riot of US/NZ hops brings on the flavours of the Pacific. Delicious and very approachable if it’s your first hazy adventure.

Style: Lager Glass: Stemless white wine glass Food match: Greek salad Ballisticbeer.com.au

4.7% ABV, 375ml can Very pale amber, slight haze, lively bead and a good head. Looks attractive. To the nose: nice big fresh hop lift of passionfruit, pineapple matching up well with crisp maltiness. You’ve got me.

Then the taste: It’s all mid palate but a good mix of crisp malt, mild bittering, with just enough alcohol along and fresh hoppiness. What I like is that all the flavours are kept in check. So great balance.

And the finish? Lingering, dry, crisp bitterness. Overall, highly enjoyable. And a special mention for the packaging: simple and eye catching. Nice one!

Style: Pale ale Glass: Tall pilsner glass Food Match: Classic Bondi fish and chips Benbucklerbrewery.com.au

4.7% ABV, 355ml can It’s certainly not a Mexican style lager as the name would suggest – there’s too much going on for that. There’s heaps of yeast character, pear drops, apple and fruit esters that are more characteristic of an aggressively brewed Australian lager. It’s also fairly full-bodied which balances these bigger flavours out quite nicely. If you’re not looking for something clean and dry in your lager then this might just be the one for you.

Style: Australian lager Glass: Schooner Food match: Pastrami sandwich with pickles Maltshedbrewery.com.au

Blasta Brewing Grimster Rocks Mosaic Pale Ale 5.4% ABV, 375ml can A pale ale that’s dark in colour, without too much haze.

Mosaic aromas burst out, understandable given that it’s the dominant hop. There are aromas of boiled sweets, passionfruit and grape, and it tastes like it smells. Plenty of hoppiness and bitterness, but this isn’t all that crisp. It’s almost IPA-esque. Caramelised tastes linger in this dank, fruity beer.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Game pie Blastabrewing.com

AUTUMN 2019 87

TASTING

Wolf of the Willows Pils 4.5% ABV, 355ml can Pours a pale straw colour with a quickly dissipating head.

After a sniff and a sip, it’s clear there’s more to this beer in the mouth than there is on the nose. It smells like a traditional pilsner, but the palate reveals more character, with hints of citrus and lemongrass – a fresh, summer palate, with a light floral character. A rounded bitterness gives way to a dry, crisp finish.

Style: Australian pilsner Glass: Pilsner Food match: Pig on the spit Wolfofthewillows.com.au

Nomad Supersonic Gold Rush DIPA

Burleigh Mid-Tide

7.8% ABV, 500ml can Big, bold and, well, not as bitter as you might expect.

What comes through loud and clear is the heady 7.8% ABV and the deep, rich malt base.

The hops are in the aroma and flavour – El Dorado, Citra and Vic Secret – bolstered by the desert lime. This DIPA is less than balanced: it lacks the solid bitter finish the malt bill and style requires, leaving an overegged booziness. Still, it would work as a communal late-night sipper.

Style: Double IPA Glass: IPA glass Food match: Cigar Nomadbrewingco.com.au

3% ABV, 375ml can Quite beautiful in its gossamer lightness. It starts with a delicate floral, malty scent but the flavour fades all too quickly, with barely a hint of malty sweetness, bereft of bitterness. It’s that lack of finishing bitterness – seemingly untouched by hops – that makes the malt follow-through a little saccharine, a little watery. A fragile, pale liquid not quite of this world.

Style: Session beer Glass: Stemless white wine glass Food match: The scent of freshly picked flowers from an afternoon’s gardening Burleighbrewing.com.au

Red Hill Kolsch Golden Ale

Stomping Ground Piney Dancer

Ballistic Australian Psycho IPA

5% ABV, 330ml Pale, almost translucent yellow with a decent haze and a tight head. The aroma is light and fresh – almost appley or grapey, and very floral – with fresh lemons coming through as well.

The taste is clean, with some restrained bitterness and some decent body from the wheat, as well as a tingling effervescence.

The bitterness lingers a little after swallowing, tempting you back for another sip.

Style: Kolsch Glass: Stange Food match: Smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel Redhillbrewery.com.au

6.1% ABV, 355ml can A beer that is almost highlighter yellow in appearance, with a strong head and limited haze.

You don’t need to put your nose in the glass to smell the pineapple coming through. The smell swamps your tastebuds, before bitterness and dryness rises from the background, with an almost tart sourness coming right at the end. This is fresh and candied at the start and very dry by the end.

Style: IPA Glass: Tulip Food match: Hawaiian pizza Stompingground.beer

6.5% ABV, 375ml can Ballistic have quickly earned a reputation for big hop profiles over balanced malt, and their core IPA delivers on all fronts.

Stone fruit and a blend of berry notes dominate, Enigma fronting as the leading influencer. There is plenty of malt complexity, but the usual Ballistic aggression on bitterness carries it well, and as usual delivers something that feels familiar while sitting outside the box. Cameos of English malt and American yeast make this multicultural psycho one to be hunted not feared, whilst enjoyed outside of the Galaxy!

Style: IPA Glass: Snifter Food match: Snag in bread Ballisticbeer.com.au

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Ballistic Sleep When You’re Dead Grapefruit IPA 7.5% ABV, 375ml can This beer has it all – a bold visual and aromatic impact leads into a ripping IPA that brings fruit and hops seamlessly together. The cans feature a “dead by” date, an eight-week target to push through the supply chain and ensure people are drinking this as fresh as can be. At five weeks this can was still singing! The high ABV was well hidden, and I’d have loved to follow this beer with a couple more. Whilst it may already be “dead” come print, I’d jump on any future release!

Style: Fruit IPA Glass: Spiegelau IPA Food match: Grapefruit yoghurt cake Ballisticbeer.com.au

Jetty Road Draught 4.4% ABV, 375ml can The latest can release from the Mornington Peninsula brewers sees them expand their core with a branch into the difficult world of craft lagers.

The draught is a simple brew, and therein lies its beauty. A background smattering of grassy and light tropical fruit gives you all you need to balance a typical Australian lager malt profile.

Bitterness and body both fall smack in the sweet spot before a spotless finish. This is one can that just about anybody will pick up and enjoy.

Style: Australian lager Glass: Schooner Food match: Meat pie Jettyroad.com.au

Aether Brewing Pit Stop Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 375ml can There’s plenty of head and haze in this bright, golden beer.

Fruity hop aromas like juicy mango, pineapple and passion fruit dominate the nose. On the palate, there is a fruity sweetness at the start which is balanced by a bitter punch which lingers for a long time. Surprisingly rich. It’s a beer that raises the question: where do pale ales end and session IPAs begin?

Style: Pale ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Chicken parma Aetherbrewing.com.au

Jetty Road IPA 5.8% ABV, 375ml can Instantly aromatic as the can is cracked, throwing grapefruit, lychee and guava right up one’s nose. The hop selection brings complexity and impact beyond the market trend with stone fruit, mango and honey dew all in the mix. A light malt body is complementary, quickly cutting a moderate bitterness to leave a very sessionable IPA. A marriage of flavour amongst simplicity is becoming a signature of Jetty Road beers, and this one is well worth experiencing.

Style: American IPA Glass: Spiegelau IPA Food match: Miso chicken wings Jettyroad.com.au

Colonial Pale Ale

Burnley Brewing Nitro Coffee Brown

Tinnies Pale Ale

5.3% ABV, 440ml can Pouring this beer is half the fun, with an upturned can essential but potentially messy! Have your pint glass ready for this one.

There’s lots of nitro and flecks of white can be seen in this cafetière coffee dark beer. The smell is a huge espresso martini hit, but the taste is lighter than that. This isn’t a heavy beer, but there are lactose flavours that make one think of a milk stout.

There’s a dryish finish.

Style: Coffee brown ale Glass: Pint Food match: Beef pie Burnleybrewing.com.au

4.9% ABV, 375ml can This pale orange beer has been brewed by Brick Lane Brewing for Coles. With a very slight haze, this beer is pleasantly hopped with a solid but restrained juicy hit on the nose.

On the palate, the balance is certainly hoppy, with a whisper of bitterness in the aftertaste.

This is a clean, crisp and refreshing beer that eases you in gently. A sessionable starter.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Salt and vinegar chips Tinniesbeer.com

Colonial Brewing Co Bertie Cider

Deep Creek Lagerita Lime Sour

Southern Highlands American Pale Ale

4.6% ABV, 375ml can A spotless bright straw in the glass and a sprightly carbonation draw instant intrigue. The aroma is quite bold, throwing forth woody apple notes (down the semi-bruised line), backed up with drabs of white grape and sherbet. It’s quite lean on palate flavour, a smidge of apple pie before with a bone-dry finish, surely aimed at pleasing those looking for a couple of drinks rather than an ideal food match.

Style: Dry cider Glass: Pint Food match: A second cider Colonialbrewingco.com.au

3.8% ABV, 330ml can With a champion international brewery gong still ringing in their ears, this brew comes with a certain excitement. As expected, it’s bone dry with plenty of lime, yet the beer provides more than the usual lime-doused lager. The acidity is balanced and enjoyable, giving a blend of zippy tartness and palate depth, without the overpowering stickiness that can so quickly detract from the style. It does all it proclaims. A refreshing and enjoyable lime sour!

Style: Sour fruit lager Glass: Martini Food match: Tacos Dcbrewing.co.nz

4.5% ABV, 440ml can High country meets high can as this 440ml American pale brings some frothy goodness down to sea level. The hops take a little while to shine, bringing grapefruit and pine as the beer opens up a bit, backed up with a little apricot. There is plenty of malt flavour to enjoy. A medium attenuation yields caramel malt amongst a medium and wellbalanced bitterness. A grassy and fruity hop profile pokes out again on the back palate and leaves a nice linger on the tongue.

Style: American pale ale Glass: Snifter Food match: Butterfly lamb Southernhighlandsbrewing. com.au

4.4% ABV, 375ml can If you want a beer that has one foot firmly in Australian brewing traditions and one foot in the crafty ‘now’, this is it.

It’s a faultlessly balanced pale, full of flavour and completely refreshing. It starts with a perfectly fruity aroma, a firm malty backbone despite the slim 4.4% ABV and the solid, bitter finish you associate with Aussie beers. NEIPA’d out? Recalibrate with this.

Style: Pale ale Glass: From the wide-mouthed can Food match: Pan seared scallops Colonialbrewingco.com.au

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TASTING

Little Creatures XPA 4.9% ABV, 330ml The industry is definitely turning full circle when the 21-year strong pioneering brewery that is Little Creatures releases a new core range beer that is following a trend, not setting one. Combining three of the biggest hops on the market – Mosaic, Citra and Galaxy – puts this one in a very familiar territory for beer drinkers, albeit quite subdued in hop profile considering hops are their forte.

It’s a clean brew that will be enjoyed with smiles all year long.

Style: XPA Glass: Pint Food match: Zucchini pizza Littlecreatures.com.au

Hemingway’s Tunnel 10 4.2% ABV, 355ml can A lovely head and charismatic nose greet the drinker in what is a beautifully fashioned European lager. The hops are soft on the bitterness, yet a complementary lingering hop flavour caresses the beer and leaves a lovely citrusy note in the retro palate.

This is the perfect far north Queensland quencher!

Style: Pilsner Glass: Pilsner glass Food match: Grilled barra with butter and lemon sauce Hemingwaysbrewery.com

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Hemingway’s Pitchfork Betty’s

Modus Operandi Tropic Haze Unfiltered Pale

5.1% ABV, 375ml can A zippy mix of fruity hops jumps forth, pineapple dominating over sherbet-like passionfruit. A light malt profile carries a hint of sweetness that quickly yields to an assertive bitterness, making Betty one of the bolder pale ales available on the market. The aggression isn’t overwhelming – in fact, it’s quite welcoming, perfect for a hot summer’s day for those who are looking for a little more than a cookie-cutter pale. With their Cairns brewery now online, expect to see more of these tasty cans making their way south.

Style: American pale ale Glass: Snifter Food match: Jalapeño chicken burger Hemingwaysbrewery.com.au

5% ABV, 500ml can A cloudy, hoppy beer from Modus Operandi with an ABV of only 5%? Do go on… Aromaticswise, the smell is familiar, reminiscent of a NEIPA with its fruit salad characteristics.

But the palate is clean, fresh and fruity, avoiding any hint of cloying sweetness. There’s a nice effervescence that pulls at your tongue, demanding a second sip and refreshing the palate each time. Really well balanced, Tropic Haze is another winner from the team at Modus.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Pavlova Mobrewing.com.au

Blackmans Sea Spray IPA

Urban Alley Brewery Summer Kiwi Sour

5.8% ABV, 330ml can If you are looking for a truly individual IPA look no further!

Brewed with local seawater, this beer provides both a salty crispness and the slight malt sweetness that are not usually associated with hoppy beers, The hop character has lovely spicy and pine notes that complement the unusually flavour paradigm nicely – this one is certainly worth a try!

Style: IPA Glass: Stange Food match: Grilled lobster with garlic and sage butter Blackmansbrewery.com.au

3.5% ABV, 375ml can There’s plenty of haze in this pale-yellow beer, and lots of sour and lactic notes on the nose – that are certainly more reminiscent of lime than the kiwi fruit on the label. The taste leaves the tongue fizzing; it’s a properly sour sour beer. The aftertaste is clean and crisp, and while it works fine as a simple kettle sour, the kiwi fruit seems rather lost. Perhaps a little onenote, but nonetheless tasty.

Style: Sour ale Glass: Champagne flute Food match: Prawns with aioli Urbanalley.com.au

4 Pines Kiwi Brut IPA 7% ABV, 500ml bottle Clear as crystal, with no haze at all, this latest interpretation of the new Brut IPA style is golden straw in colour. On the nose, there’s plenty of pineapple, but also Sauvignon Blanc aromas of old grass cuttings and gooseberries – are there Nelson Sauvin hops here? It’s sweet and fruity on the palate, with the bitterness held back until you swallow and a wave rises up from the back of the throat before falling back once more.

Style: Brut IPA Glass: Wine glass Food match: Roast chicken 4pinesbeer.com.au

Ballistic Oaked XPA 5.8% ABV, 375ml can One of the top breweries in the country has done it again with this character packed Oaked XPA. A complex variety of vanilla, wood and mid-level hop transpire through the glass to give the drinker a wonderful paradigm of complexity and balance. A great example of oak and beer without the funk.

Style: XPA Glass: Oversized thistle Food match: Smoked brisket roll with slaw and hot sauce Ballisticbeer.com.au

Deep Creek Steam Funk Black Doris Berliner

Burnley Brewing Pale Ale

Holgate Mt Macedon Pale Ale

Kaiju! Krush Tropical Ale

4.5% ABV, 440ml can A distinctive ruby in the glass, the black in the title clearly lends more to addition of Black Doris plums than hue. The acidity hits the spot, albeit in a slightly one-dimensional capacity. True to style on palate, it’s both a tart and dry beer, with a zippy supportive carbonation that carries any reminiscent body off the tongue.

Style: Berliner weisse Glass: Goblet Food match: Chinese smashed cucumbers (yep) Dcbrewing.co.nz

5.2% ABV, 440ml can There’s not too much haze or head to this pale-yellow beer.

The aromas are floral with a growing smell of pineapple and passionfruit; for fans of Stone & Wood’s Pacific Ale, the aromas will be familiar, with Galaxy seemingly at the forefront of the hop bill, and a very light malt body. Unlike the all-conquering yellow labeled beer from Byron Bay though, there’s a bracing bitterness too, and a floral burst that lingers at the end.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Fish and chips Burnleybrewing.com.au

4.5% ABV, 330ml bottle This pale ale features a nice head, with a dark yellow beer beneath. There’s a slight resinous hit on the nose, alongside citrus aromas of grapefruit and Seville orange zest and pith. The beer is very dry on the palate with a good bang of bitterness. A malt backbone wrapped in a hoppy taste of grapefruit skin and orange peel. The bitterness at the end invites a second sip.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Honey glazed ham Holgatebrewhouse.com.au

4.7% ABV, 375ml can It sure is tropical, and we’ve noticed it changes from batch to batch – but in a “here guys, here’s some other tropical flavours we can get from hops” kind of way, rather than any variation in brewing process. We wrote a quick list including lychee, mango, pineapple, melon and a big whack of passionfruit at the end. We’re pretty sure there’s more to find, but with a big tasting list ahead of us, we got out while the going was good. In days gone by, this would be considered an extreme beer, now it’s just a great one.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Bacon pizza with pineapple on the side (in the glass) Kaijubeer.com.au

Bridge Road Brewers Africola Chinotto Saison

Deep Creek Droptop Chardonnay Brut IPA

Bridge Road Brewers Beechworth Pale Ale

The Welder’s Dog Pea Blossom Lemonade

6.9% ABV, 440ml can The grape juice component is evident in the crystal-clear appearance, and the aromas of dried apricot and geraniums lead you through to a complex flavour of chardonnay juice and a dry malt character that leaves a pleasant and lingering taste of pine nuts and wattle seed. A nice balance for a very difficult beer to brew.

Style: Brut IPA Glass: Stange Food match: A big pot of NZ mussels cooked in the same beer!

Dcbrewing.co.nz

4.8% ABV, 330ml bottle The High Country’s brewery’s flagship beer, this is rich orange in colour and rich orange in aroma also – think marmalade fruitcake. There are also bitter, hoppy notes on the nose, but you get a medium malty hit on the first sip which provides good body and mouthfeel. A biscuity flavour with stone fruits, pear and a little spice. This is a well-made and well-balanced beer that, in terms of flavour, punches well above its ABV. Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Thai curry Bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

4.2% ABV, 355ml can Pea blossom in drinks is really a thing – who knew? Those clever chaps at Welder’s Dog have created something that is not only pretty as a picture, it’s purple! But it is engaging and interesting enough to make even some jaded beer tasters take note. It’s a sweet, alcoholic RTDstyle product, sure, but there’s some interesting Kool Aid-y flavours, complex botanicals and the alcohol creates more depth of flavour. Fun. Style: Alcoholic lemonade Glass: Highball Food match: Use for a gin fizz instead of the fizzy water Theweldersdog.com.au

5% ABV, 330ml This chinotto saison delivers exactly what it says on the bottle. Yellow straw in appearance with plenty of haze, the fruity, yeasty esters come through on the nose with orange, peaches and lemon leaves supporting. A first sip brings tastes of kumquat and dried apricot, with cinnamon spice at the end. Given the culinary link with the restaurant Africola, it’s no surprise that this beer would work exceptionally well alongside quality food.

Style: Saison Glass: Wine glass Food match: Burratta with fresh woodfired bread Bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

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TASTING

The Welder’s Dog Farmhouse Ginger Beer

Nomad Jetlag Fingerlime IPA

4.1% ABV, 355ml can Farmhouse Ginger Beer pours with a light pale straw, soft hazy appearance and lasting foam.

A freshly grated ginger note balances the funky, farmhouse aroma resulting from housecultured fermentation. There’s a good amount of ginger to prickle the nose and leave a wellintegrated ginger heat in the finish that ends with a slight sourness.

The sweetness is subdued and allows the spice to linger without overwhelming. If you’re not familiar with farmhouselike horsey aromas, you will be pleasantly surprised by the taste.

Style: Ginger beer Glass: Nonic Food match: Pork steam buns Theweldersdog.com.au

6% ABV, 330ml can This ale’s deep amber colour with a good head and lively bead certainly did draw me in. But the nose really sealed it. Loads of lifted new world hops, clean with loads of sweet malt – a classic new world IPA profile. And then the palate just left a smile on my face. Great balance and length, soft creamy malt start, then the bitterness and flavouring hops kick in and in the background there’s just a fine hint of dried lime fruit flavours. And the alcohol just supports all these textures and flavours. Great stuff!

Style: IPA Glass: Wide bodied tulip glass Food Match: Grilled snapper fillets Nomadbrewingco.com.au

Prancing Pony XPA

Burleigh Brewing Twisted Palm Tropical Pale Ale

4.1% ABV, 330ml Visually appealing and aromatically enticing. The tropical fruit notes sing through the subtle malty character and follows through to the palate with balance and longevity. A light malty, slightly biscuity sweetness rounds out a light resinous, rounded hop bitterness.

A great example of this style and a consistent, quality performer.

Delicious and moreish.

Style: Session pale ale Glass: Large tulip Food match: Charcuterie board Prancingponybrewery.com.au

92 www.beerandbrewer.com

4.2% ABV, 330ml The tropical fruit hop character in this beer tends towards overripe fruit than passionfruit or summer fruit. There’s a great balance of malty and slight citrus hop notes on the palate, but the finish is a little dull with a cloying malt sweetness that could be a result of the subdued carbonation.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Nonic Food match: Grilled whiting, chunky chips and a wedge of lemon Burleighbrewing.com.au

Aether Brewing Written In The Stars Sour Boysenberry Double IPA 8.8% ABV, 375ml can This is just crazy, one for the beer aficionados and alcoholic heroes. It’s confronting, it assaults the palate, is quite overpowering and it’s hazy. And this ale’s extraordinary amount of flavour just lingers and lingers and lingers. Rest assured, you won’t get rid of them in a hurry.

So here we go with a descriptor: massive hops, massive sourness, dosed up with raspberry cordial with a battery acid finish.

Style: Double IPA Glass: Leffe style glass Food Match: Sweet fruit pie with a thick crust and loads of cream Aetherbrewing.com.au

Aether Brewing Gluten Free Ginger Beerd 4.3% ABV, 375ml can Kapow! This is a grownup’s ginger beer. Massive fresh ginger flavour both on the nose and on the palate. It’s long and firey with a big sweet middle palate and that ginger just hangs around. Certainly the best ginger beer I have ever tried.

Style: Ginger beer Glass: Straight sided English pint Food Match: Vietnamese crispy spicy beef, and don’t hold back on the chilli!

Aetherbrewing.com.au

Little Rivers Pale Ale

Malt Shed Pale Ale

4.8% ABV, 330ml A light citrus hop aroma and mild malty palate provides a very drinkable pale ale. Hop notes become a little musty as the beer warms slightly but a good moderate and rounded bitterness balances the sweetness. The dry finish provides a moreish note and had us return for another sip.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Thin crust vegetarian pizza Littlerivers.com.au

5% ABV, 355ml can The burnt orange colour is complemented by a dense beige foam, opening up to a lightly caramelised, toasted malt and prominent citrus hop aroma. A burst of fresh tropical fruit notes follows through to the palate and lingers with a firm bitterness. A hint of dull, papery-like notes on the finish become a little more obvious as the beer warms, but it’s still quite drinkable.

Style: American pale ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Buffalo wings Maltshedbrewery.com.au

Pioneer Brewing Harvest Ale 3.7% ABV, 375ml can A smooth, easy drinking and well-integrated pale ale. Hop aroma is slightly grassy with a hint of citrus and fruity notes.

The palate provides an upfront sweetness that balances a moderate bitterness, but it finishes a little short for this style. Still, very drinkable.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Chilli-dusted wedges with sour cream and guacamole Pioneerbrewing.com.au

Meechi Pale Ale Batch 0007 5.5% ABV, 330ml Golden straw colour, low head but with a lively bead. Smells like a grist mill, very mild hop flavours while the palate is soft and gentle, quite frothy, maybe slightly over gassed. Lingering dry citrus hop flavour. Not the most exciting beer on earth but a safe round for a wide variety of friends.

Style: Pale ale Glass: South Aussie pint glass Food Match: Cheese platter Meechibrewing.com.au

Stockade 8bit IPA 6.5% ABV, 330ml This is a dark golden beer, very hazy and orange. The smell has all the dankness you’d expect from a West Coast IPA – it’s very hop-forward with a decent alcohol punch and lots of tropical guava, passionfruit and hints of stonefruit. There’s a decent caramel-like malt sweetness on the palate to balance things out, but overall this is a hoppy, fruity, dank beer, with a bitterness that lingers in the cheeks.

Style: IPA Glass: Spiegelau IPA Food match: Cheeseburger Stockadebrewco.com.au

Wayward Passionista Passionfruit and Yuzu Berliner Weisse 3.8% ABV, 750ml A riff on the Camperdown brewery’s most famous beer – the artist formerly known as Sourpuss – with the addition of passionfruit and yuzu rather than raspberry, this Berliner Weisse from Wayward is a delight. Extremely drinkable, it’s clearly been released for summer, and would be perfect for aperitif-style sharing preBBQ. There’s a nice zing and zestiness to it, and in a word, it’s tangy. As far as fruited sours go, this one’s a winner.

Style: Berliner weisse Glass: Champagne flute Food match: Salt and pepper squid Waywardbrewing.com.au

Pioneer Brewing Amber Ale 5.6%, 375ml can Pours beautifully with a decent foam that sits above a rich and dark caramel-coloured amber ale. Luscious caramelised and toasted malt notes are evident in aroma and taste, and are well balanced by a slightly resinous hop bitterness that is rounded and well-integrated with a toffee-like malt sweetness.

Style: Amber ale Glass: Large tulip Food match: Slow smoked beef ribs Pioneerbrewing.com.au

Little Rivers Ryed the Tide 6% ABV, 500ml can This limited release Rye IPA (end of 2018), is certainly hazy with a light foam that dissipates quickly. A lighter than expected hop aroma provides a mix of tropical and citrus notes with a background of caramelised malt.

These characteristics follow through to the palate where the malt tends to dominate a little more, although a rounded bitterness and slight spicy/ peppery note provides a lingering finish.

Style: Rye IPA Glass: IPA Food match: Reuben sandwich Littlerivers.com.au

Aether Brewing Roughneck Strong Pale Ale 5.8% ABV, 375ml can Now let’s do the check off.

Colour: good mid amber, tick.

Good head and small lively bead, tick. Big nose of fat maltiness, citrus hop flavours with a vague hint of smoked oysters and wood smoke. Tick for the intrigue. And then the taste: massive in all departments, malt, hops, bitterness and that hint of smoke. Another tick. But the hops really show up at the end, and they just hang around.

Could be contentious, but the hop heads should love it.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food Match: Grilled sardines on fresh sour dough Aetherbrewing.com.au

Urban Alley Urban Ale 4.5% ABV, 375ml can The beer formerly known as Once Bitter Urban Ale has undergone a rebrand, in line with the overhaul of the brewery – now known as Urban Alley. The beer itself is the same – expect a more traditional but still citrusy pale ale nose, with a little bit of malty sweetness poking through too. It’s crisp and clean, with the malt giving way to a little bit of citrus on the palate as well as the nose. There’s not a lot of bitterness to speak of, making it an inoffensive and smashable medium-to-light pale ale.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Schooner Food match: Steak sandwich Urbanalley.com.au

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TASTING

Deep Creek Aloha Guava Passionfruit Sour 4.5% ABV, 440ml can We in Oz have been exposed to a range of German-style sours from this Auckland crew and frankly, outside Deutschland itself, nobody does it better. This Tiki quencher pours a brilliant pale haze with the frothiest of heads and a staggeringly fresh Passiona aroma. Crucially, it delivers an acidity that goes just a touch further than others, with deft fruit additions that marry so well with a kettle sour.

Refreshingly good.

Style: Sour Glass: Berliner Weisse glass with a sprig of mint Food match: A slice of cheesecake Dcbrewing.co.nz

Panhead Quickchange XPA 4.6% ABV, 330ml can Another killer hoppy beer from a Kiwi brewery, though this particular one is brewed for the Australian market at the Malt Shovel Brewery in Camperdown, Sydney. Panhead’s XPA is very aromatic with strong floral and grapefruit aromas. Palate-wise it’s a pretty straightforward XPA, with low malt impact that allows the hops to shine; tropical fruit flavours of mango, pineapple and guava are balanced by a moderate bitterness. Yum. Style: XPA Glass: Tulip Food match: Chicken schnitzel burger Panheadcustomales.com

BentSpoke Easy 3.2% ABV, 375ml can A hazy straw-coloured beer meets the eye as a new world light beer should! The low ABV is well balanced by the slightly dank nose that throws a complex citrus hop character. The malt profile is light and dry, with grapefruit and tangelo caressing the palate. A wonderful example of what a great craft light beer should taste like.

Style: Session ale Glass: 1 litre German stein!

Food match: Tempura prawns Bentspokebrewing.com.au

Balter Hazy IPA

Burnley Brewing Lager

Stone & Wood X

6% ABV, 500ml can The latest ‘big beer, big can’ from Balter lives up to its hazy name – it’s almost impenetrable, with a vibrant head and a luminous yellow glow. The first smell is an explosion of hops coming from all directions – dank and tropical, juicy and bitter all at the same time. The mouthfeel is smooth, almost creamy, and there are notes of overripe banana in there as well.

The bitterness adds a delightful complexity above dank, tropical and marmalade flavours, and also takes it out of simply NEIPA territory. A short finish, but the dryness lingers.

Style: IPA Glass: Spiegelau IPA Food match: Fruit salad Balter.com.au

5.6% ABV, 440ml can Peachy orange in colour, and almost IPA-like in appearance, Burnley’s Lager presents with a slight haze. The aroma is beer – that’s not a slight, it just smells familiar, with a slight marmalade or apricot edge poking through as well. The taste is bitter and biscuity, almost like a ginger nut biscuit. There’s alcohol warmth there too; overall, it’s a wholesome beer with a richer malt body, rather than a refreshing one. A ‘beer’ beer very well executed.

Style: Lager Glass: Schooner Food match: Beer nuts Burnleybrewing.com.au

10% ABV, 750ml bottle Made to celebrate Stone & Wood’s 10th anniversary, this is a heavy imperial stout, with a chocolate-coloured head and a dark black colour. The nose is awash with rum and raisin and burnt oak from the barrels it’s been aged in. There’s coconut and coffee as well. This is a big beer. The first taste is very savoury, with lots of umami. A wave of bitterness and alcohol warmth follows. This is a savoury black forest gateau – a fireside beer if ever there was one.

Style: Barrel aged imperial stout Glass: Tulip Food match: Very dark chocolate Stoneandwood.com.au

94 www.beerandbrewer.com

Wolf of the Willows Homage IPA 6.0% ABV, 355ml can As the name suggests, this beer pays respect to the big, bold and old school West Coast IPA. Given the haziness of IPA in recent times, it was almost surprising to see such clarity in the glass. What followed was a piney and resinous nose with a touch of stonefruit and hints of raisin. Full of big flavours, it actually tastes bigger than its 6% ABV, with the dank flavours and aggressive bitterness profile edging it into DIPA territory.

Style: West Coast IPA Glass: Spiegelau IPA Food match: Nacho cheese Doritos Wolfofthewillows.com.au

BentSpoke Barley Griffin 4.2% 375ml can A hazy beer with a bright straw colour, Barley Griffin features a hoppy blend of tropical pineapple, slightly resinous pine and a bit of grassiness on the nose. There’s an almost chalky, biscuity malt backbone with a dry bitterness on the palate, and the aftertaste is plenty juicy.

This isn’t an aggressive beer but is certainly a craft crowd pleaser, ticking a lot of boxes.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Fish and chips Bentspokebrewing.com.au

Stockade Hop Splicer XPA 4.4% ABV, 330ml Bright and golden in appearance with a lot of haze, this beer throws zingy grapefruit at your nostrils right from the off.

Watermelon and boiled sweets are also present in the crisp aroma. The taste is fresh and fruity, with more grapefruit and mango. There is the right amount of bitterness to balance the malt and leave a relatively dry aftertaste. It would taste even better in the pool on a hot day.

Style: XPA Glass: Schooner Food match: Italian antipasto board Stockadebrewco.com.au

Burnley Brewing Pils 4.5% ABV, 440ml can Very pale, with a slight haze. The aroma features floral notes and fruitiness that is reminiscent of honeydew melon and citrus.

You can tell there’s no Saaz hops in this one, with Burnley opting for the all-American combo of Chinook, Centennial, Cascade and Amarillo, which lend a bitterness that partially overrides most of the malty sweetness. It’s very sessionable, crisp, dry and citrusy. Slips down easily but lingers a while too.

Delicious.

Style: Pilsner Glass: Pilsner Food match: Whitebait Burnleybrewing.com.au

Stockade 16bit DIPA

Malt Shed Dark Mild

9% ABV, 330ml This takes the 8bit IPA and just cranks up the volume to 11 (or is it 16?). A dark orange, hazy beer, the 16bit hits you with a resinous blast to the nose. A first, rich sip reveals more of the same, with some tropical fruit coming through in the second wave. There is bitterness that builds in the cheeks and an alcohol warmth – you can almost smell the hops in the field – and a larger sweetness at the front than in its little brother 8bit.

Style: Double IPA Glass: Spiegelau IPA Food match: Meatlovers pizza Stockadebrewco.com.au

5% ABV, 355ml can Rich dark chocolate in colour with a light foam and good cling in the glass. A raisin and chocolate note pops on initial smell followed through by a slight mocha note. The robust, roasted malt notes, along with the slightly ashen sourness are well balanced and not harsh in the finish, considering the low alcohol. The finish is short but relatively cleansing.

Style: English mild ale Glass: Large tulip Food match: Sticky date with vanilla bean ice cream Maltshedbrewery.com.au

Red Hill Christmas 2018 Belgian Abbey Ale

Endeavour Citrus Pale Ale

8.3% ABV, 330ml Rich burnt orange to the eye, Red Hill’s Christmas ale presents with a slight funkiness on the nose. The Belgian yeast is playing its magic right from the start. The taste is fresh and spicy – Christmas spices like clove and cinnamon – along with sultanas. The mouthfeel is smooth and the alcohol provides extra warmth. The perfect beer to leave in the cellar until Christmas in July.

Style: Belgian abbey ale Glass: Goblet Food match: Christmas cake Redhillbrewery.com.au

4.5% ABV, 375ml can Citrus pale is a great way to describe this beer, as it is bursting with character reminiscent of dried orange peel, mandarin pith and tangelo.

The lovely golden/light amber colour greets the eye and the malt base is smooth and entirely complimentary of the hop character. Though an easy drinking beer, this beer is full of character and would be loved by drinkers of all style inclinations.

Style: Pale ale Glass: Pilsner glass Food match: Slow cooked ribs with a honey and beer glaze Endeavourbeer.com

Wolf of the Willows Pacific Sour

Colonial IPA

4.1% ABV, 355ml can The first thing we notice upon pouring this mildly cloudy yellow beer is the funk – the aroma rises from the glass, and if you’re into that kind of thing, it smells delicious. Hints of lemon rind, pineapple and guava poke through as well, providing an entrée to the first sip. Funky, fruity and tart, the mouthfeel is also quite rounded, displaying great balance. Delicious.

Style: Sour ale Glass: Tulip Food match: Chicken fajitas Wolfofthewillows.com.au

6.5% ABV, 375ml can A wonderful yellow hop haze greets the drinker in the glass, indicating a serious amount of hops have been used, and the beer doesn’t disappoint!

A tropical aroma of pineapple, mango and guava meet the nose and persist all the way through to the retro palate. The bitterness is evenly balanced and though hop character abounds, malt balance is still achieved. Overall, this is an excellent beer.

Style: IPA Glass: Weizen glass Food match: Royale with cheese Colonialbrewing.com.au

AUTUMN 2019 95

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

96 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: YCHHOPS 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

AUTUMN 2019 97

A PINT WITH…

Richard Watkins and Tracy Margrain BENTSPOKE CANBERRA BREWERY BENTSPOKE IS GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH, RECENTLY TAKING HOME THIRD PLACE IN THE ANNUAL GABS HOTTEST 100 CRAFT BEERS FOR ITS CRANKSHAFT IPA. WE SAT DOWN WITH OWNERS RICHARD WATKINS AND TRACY MARGRAIN TO GET THE LOWDOWN ON THEIR SECRET TO SUCCESS. CRANKSHAFT RECENTLY PLACED THIRD IN THE GABS HOTTEST 100 – WHY DO YOU THINK THIS BEER IN PARTICULAR HAS RESONATED SO MUCH WITH AUSSIE BEER DRINKERS? RW: Australia is going through the same phase as the US did five years ago. Right now, it’s all about the hops. Australian beer

CANBERRA PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, WITH 11 SPOTS SHARED BETWEEN YOU GUYS AND CAPITAL. HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THIS SUCCESS? THE ACT CERTAINLY SEEMS TO BE PUNCHING ABOVE ITS WEIGHT…

moment our time is focused on the famous

RW: Having the most restaurants per capita

RW: When I started brewing in 1994 there

in Australia helps; Canberrans love going out

were five small breweries in Australia and

RW: Yes definitely, we were all a little

and trying something new and good quality.

now there are over 600! So the landscape has

nervous before the top 30 got announced!

So, when it comes to beer, we feel Canberrans

changed a lot, and consumer choices have

We think beer drinkers are very discerning

really know what quality beer is. Canberrans

really contributed to this growth.

and really know what quality beers are.

are also very parochial and really support

TM: I think consumers really do understand

BentSpoke has benefited from this.

their own local businesses.

what independence means and what it stands

HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR CHANCES OF GOING ONE OR EVEN TWO SPOTS BETTER IN THE COUNTDOWN WITH CRANKSHAFT NEXT YEAR?

WHAT DOES 2019 (AND BEYOND) HOLD FOR BENTSPOKE? DO YOU HAVE ANY EXCITING PLANS THAT YOU CAN SHARE?

local, drink local.

RW: Look, we are just trying to keep

RW: We think too many breweries focus on

RW: The top two [Balter XPA and Stone &

on producing good quality beer. We are

competing in their own market against their

Wood Pacific Ale] have so much more reach,

reinvesting where possible in our quality

fellow independent craft breweries, where the

we are growing, but it just depends where we

control systems, and we will definitely have

real fight is with the multinational mainstream

are next year with our penetration.

new beers coming out this year. But at the

brewers and that 95 percent of the market.

drinkers are liking well-made, drinkable, hop-forward beers.

BEYOND CRANKSHAFT, BENTSPOKE HAD FIVE MORE BEERS IN THE TOP 25 TOO, A STELLAR RESULT. WERE YOU SURPRISED WITH THIS LEVEL OF SUCCESS IN 2018?

orange can!

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR WAYS THAT THE CRAFT BEER SCENE HAS DEVELOPED IN AUSTRALIA IN RECENT YEARS?

for. Consumers are really trending to think

98 www.beerandbrewer.com

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?

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 40 to 72+ Cans Per Minute • 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

Supplying, installing and engineering breweries and packaging lines since 1968.

- Ask us about your brewery or packaging equipment needs...big or small -

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