Ramblers Ale Works brewery and taproom in Hawthorn, Victoria.
SEASONAL BREWING
Stacking up a business case At Rambler, the BrewStack lease-to-own cost of $1000 a week is equivalent to the revenue of one keg, and the system can brew 40 kegs per week, according to Spark Breweries & Distilleries
Tapping into the community What started out as a home brew club has evolved into a buzzing new venue, Ramblers Ale Works, in Hawthorn. THREE YEARS ago, a local social
uses pumps to move from bottom to top
community group in Hawthorn, Victoria
which is more efficient on space.”
brewed and drank together.
The Ramblers dining offering,
Fast forward three years, and some of the
meanwhile, takes the form of a food trailer
group members have decided to go pro with
which sells a variety of street food inspired
the creation of Ramblers Ale Works brewery
by the founders’ travels.
and taproom. The goal was to expand the community
“The members of our group have all loved
MD, Julian Sanders. In addition, a small brewer excise rebate of approximately $60 per keg can be gained by brewing rather than buying beer, he says. Another benefit for venues is that the beer from a BrewStack can be served fresh directly from tank to tap, which reduces floor area needed for room keg storage and creates theatre in the venue. Because the BrewStack tanks are stacked vertically, the floor area needed in which to brew is also reduced and the tanks look great from across the room, Sanders says. “Brewing gives a powerful edge in marketing to attract patrons. The ability to create new beers for the local market and to tie in with seasonal and
traveling and have brought back beer and
sporting fixtures provides a never-
connection the club offered – plus, they
food ideas from trips over the years,” Leslie
ending set of fresh interesting events,”
were making some pretty good beer, says
says. “A lot of these have also inspired our
Sanders says.
co-owner Ben Leslie.
brewing, so the name Ramblers reflects our
“We decided in 2019 we’d have a real crack at it, and in early 2020 we found a site
carefree leisurely travel pace.” According to Leslie, having the brewery
– in a former mechanics garage – so we got a
on display is a bonus, and the brews are
permit and opened the venue last year.”
also proving popular.
BrewStack has jacketed heating, digital control and is available in manual or automatic versions.
Leslie had hospitality and venue management experience, and co-owner
Hopping into winter
Ben Cumming is a research physicist-
In the lead up to winter, the brewers have
turned brewer.
created an Irish Red Ale called Auburn.
Rambler now has a 500L brewery and all
“It’s a rich, really balanced red ale which
of the beer that’s sold in the venue is made
has just come back on tap and uses
on site. To brew their beer, Rambler chose
New Zealand malt and English hops,”
BrewStack technology from Spark Breweries
Leslie says.
& Distilleries. “We were very intent on going for
A stout called Catch Yourself On was inspired by the Northern Irish saying.
something local to support Australian
“We cold-soaked the roasted barley to
designed technology, and one of the
make it more mellow and to bring out the
options was Spark,” Leslie says. “We
toasty flavours.”
wanted to keep the footprint as small
The brewers have just released Coco-
possible and Spark’s BrewStack was
coma, a Porter with hand-toasted coconut.
designed to be retrofitted into pubs.
While it is a dessert beer in style, instead
“It’s a really good design – instead of several vessels in daisy chain, BrewStack
18 | Australian Hotelier
of being sweet, it is a classically dry porter with a coconut finish at the end.
BrewStack tanks are stacked vertically so they take up less floor space.
