The Good Life
Advertising enquiries: adcopy@echo.net.au | 6684 1777 Editorial enquiries: goodlife@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au/good-life
Stone & Wood celebrates Pops’ 70th birthday Stone & Wood brewer reaches milestone Neil Whitton has been brewing beer for more than 45 years, and was celebrated recently when the crew dropped tools and closed laptops to celebrate what they called ‘a legend who inspires, coaches, makes us laugh and…reminds us to have a beer at 3pm each afternoon’. They raised glasses of ‘Saison du Pops’, a Pilot Batch beer brewed exclusively for Neils’s 70th birthday. Known to many as ‘Pops’ he epitomises the spirit of a village brewer, is a true advocate of good beer and proof that age really is just a number. ‘Behind many of Australia’s greatest beers, Neil’s dedication, his passion and countless hours on the brew tower have contributed to this country’s craft beer revolution!’, they said. The Echo thought he sounded like an interesting character and Vivienne Pearson asked ‘Pops’ for a few reflections on an industry that’s changed a lot in 45 years…
On the 70th birthday celebration: ‘I walked into a surprise birthday celebration. I wasn’t expecting it; they caught me on the hop. I opened the door and there were about 60–70 people there and I knew I’d been got. I got the surprise of my life! I felt a bit embarrassed and humbled and pleased at the same time’, said Pops.
On the specially brewed birthday beer: ‘A couple of months back, the head brewer, Caolan, very sneakily asked me about my favourite beer. I like a lot of beer – I may even change my mind now and again – but at the time I said a Saison. Saison is a beer from France-Belgium that goes back a few centuries (when I was a little kid!) when the water wasn’t fit to drink so beer was a safe way of consuming liquid. The famer would brew it up with whatever he had in his larder at the time – herbs and spices, whatever hops were available. ‘Lo and behold, it was a Saison that was in the glasses at the birthday celebration. It tasted delicious! The first one didn’t even touch the sides. ‘It is designed to be very refreshing. I enjoyed another one on the weekend watching the footy. ‘It was made at seven per cent alcohol – a reasonably high alcohol content for a beer – in honour of my being 70. ‘This gives me the incentive to last another 10 years so I go up to eight per cent for my 80th!’
On working at Stone & Wood: ‘I’ve been with Stone & Wood for two and a half years. I’ve had a long association with the owners – Ross and Jamie – I knew them in Melbourne at Matilda Bay Brewing Company. ‘They made the journey up to start Stone & Wood without me, but the offer was there. ‘I was 67 when I moved up – it was a decent thing of them to take me on at that age. ‘I work in safety as well as mentoring the young brewers. We have 23 brewers, mostly youngsters; some have experience, a lot haven’t. They’re all fantastic. ‘Stone & Wood is a great place to work. The philosophy they have in terms of sustainability and how they look after their employees is great; everything about them is very special. ‘This is an industry of young people – I’m the only ancient person – but I still have good physical fitness. ‘Occasionally, when they are short staffed, I’ll go up and man the
A food story brew tower. ‘I will probably end my working life at Stone & Wood but I have no plans at this stage. It’s a lot of fun working there. ‘Being an ex-Melbourne boy, I’m very much enjoying the northern rivers - it’s a little piece of paradise.
Story and photos by Vivienne Pearson
‘I like the idea of my food being a story, as it’s not all from one region,’ says Jacqui Lanauze. ‘I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from my travels.’ Jacqui’s travels have taken her all the way from the isolation of a pin-sized-dot island off Neil Whitton ‘Pops’ the east coast of New Zealand, On his career in beer via global travels, to the bright (over 45 years): lights of Sydney (where she ‘I’ve been everywhere, man. Most places I’ve worked have closed catered for fashion shoots) and Pictured top: Jacqui now to the quaint beauty of down – Fortitude Valley in Brisbane, Cairns, a few places in Lanauze with her Food Newrybar. Melbourne. Story van. Food Story is Jacqui’s food ‘When I started, there was a multitude of breweries – about 40 Pictured centre: Quesadilla around Australia – but there was no craft beer, so breweries were van, operating from the and grapefruit and front garden of Newrybar owned mainly by the larger companies. Most of the places I’ve strawberry spritzer. worked don’t still exist. The big companies closed down smaller, Merchants. The white pressedPictured bottom: Food story tin-decorated van blends in less efficient plants. perfectly with the white-picket- spritzer ‘I got into craft beer around 2000. It was a struggle for the few fence aesthetic of the village. companies that were there. The craft beer industry started Jacqui pumps out amazingly tasty and eclectic dishes from her gaining impetus from 2008 and it’s just gone gangbusters since then. Since then number of breweries has increased dramatically small workspace. I tried the Quesadilla – a grilled tortilla with smoky lime chicken (tofu also available), roast corn, black bean – I think there are around 240–250 around Australia. and jalapeño salsa, topped with coriander and chipotle sour ‘I used to know everyone in the brewery scene; now it’s just cream and served with sweet potato crisps. about impossible. ‘I put my own twist on everything,’ she says. ‘I use wholefoods, ‘The beer industry is a good thing to be in. Normal beer sales local produce where I can, native flavours at times, and aim for are staying static; they’re flat-lining. The craft industry is going wholesome, delicious global flavours.’ upwards. ‘As a nation, we’re enjoying a revolution with food and wine, and An experienced chef, Jacqui likes to add variety to her menu – for the benefit of both her customers and herself. So, in addition now beer. to two regular dishes (including the quesadilla) for those who ‘With food, as a kid it was all chops and three veg. There wasn’t return wanting more, she offers a ‘phantom dish’ – one that the influence of overseas that there are now. Then it happened changes daily. On the day I visited, the phantom was a grilled with wine – there were only very standard wines when I was turkey, lemon myrtle and kale burger. younger, and now there is a huge variety. Also regularly changing is Jacqui’s drink offering – a spritzer. ‘The same thing has now happened with beer. A lot of places The grapefruit, lemon, strawberry and mint version and was a now match food with beer, delightfully refreshing partner which is a great experience. to my perfectly spicy quesadilla. ‘People have got used to, and Food Story is directly across the now demand something more road from Harvest but there interesting with better quality. is no rivalry between the two. And they are prepared to pay ‘We offer different things; we more for it.’ complement each other,’ says Thanks Pops. Jacqui. ‘All the businesses here have a village focus, we all support each other.’ With great food, rustic seating available next to the van and the gardens still delightful (despite receiving a hammering of golf-ball-sized hail a couple of weeks ago) Food Story offers every day a great addition to the village of Newrybar. Food Story: Outside Newrybar Merchants. Thurs– Sun 10.00am–2.30pm. Cash every Wednesday night only. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-/dairy-free options always available. PS: Thanks to Alessandra, a Open daily for lunch from 11.30 am reader who suggested we write Open nightly (excluding Mondays) from 5.30pm about Food Story. Do you have Catering for functions up to 160 people a favourite food place you’d like to see us cover? If so, email MULLUMBIMBY RSL DINING ROOMS goodlife@echo.net.au. 6684 2533 58 DALLEY STREET
Old school taste Old school prices Old school friendly
Lunches $9.00 Chicken Schnitzel
$10.00
26 October 4, 2017 The Byron Shire Echo
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo