Beer & Brewer - Autumn 2016

PLUS! 3 MEATY DISHES TO MAKE | CANTILLON BREWERY | HOMEBREW LEGEND RANDY MOSHER

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INCLUDING

How to make them, where to buy them

Wonderful wheats

THE BIG FOUR… HOPS, MALT, YEAST & WATER

- What you need to know

BEERS & CIDERS

TASTED

ISSUE 36 AUTUMN 2016PRICE $9.95 (NZ $11.95)

HOW TO TASTE BEER LIKE A PRO

PART 2 OF OUR 101 BEERS TO TRY BEFORE YOU DIE see page 40

www.bintani.com.au

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Autumn Issue

If you’re anything like me, you have probably drunk your fair share of beer over the

years and feel you have a pretty good grasp on what you like and don’t like. But have

you ever sat down in a quiet place and properly appraised the beer you’re drinking?

Studied the appearance, aroma, taste and aftertaste? Whether there are any beer

faults present? Is it true to the style? Well if you haven’t, then you should give it

a go as it’s a great way to develop your palate and get a better understanding on

beer, what you like and why. In this edition, international beer judge, Ian Kingham,

explains how to taste beer like a pro, what beer faults to look out for and benchmark

beers to know (pg32).

We also take an in-depth look at the big four – hops, malt, yeast and water – to see

what’s on the horizon for these key brewing ingredients (pg24).

Jeremy Sambrooks delves into the fascinating world of wheat beers (pg16), while

the brewers give us the lowdown on their wheats and what foods to match with them

(pg22).

For those of you who love to travel, The Beer Pilgrim takes us inside Brussels’

famous Cantillon Brewery for an incredible insight into this Belgian master of lambic

beer, which is more than one century

old (pg64).

We also have the last instalment to

our ultimate beer bucket list, with the

final 51 of our 101 Beers To Try Before You

Die (pg40). We hope you’ve been ticking

them off as you go!

Finally, for the carnivores out there,

we have three meaty dishes from chef,

author and television presenter Ben

O’Donoghue’s latest book Ben’s Meat

Bible, with beer matches to boot (pg68).

As always, keep your feedback flowing

([email protected]).

This is your beer mag, so make it work

for you!

Cheers,

AnnettePLUS! 3 MEATY DISHES TO MAKE | CANTILLON BREWERY | HOMEBREW LEGEND RANDY MOSHER

ISSN 1834-5115

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INCLUDING


Wonderful wheats



BEERS & CIDERS

TASTED




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Autumn 2016 3

CONTENTS

inside...Autumn 2016

“I used to think lager was the hardest beer

to make…now I’ve changed my mind;

wheat beers are the hardest to brew as you really have to coax out the flavours you want”

– Brennan Fielding, Burleigh Brewing Co.

24

16HOMEBREWER46 Welcome

47 Letters

48 Q&A John Palmer looks at equipment for

all grain brewing

50 Recipes American wheat, dark lager and a

double IPA

54 Homebrewer Profile We drop in on a homebrewer who’s

notched up his 800th brew

56 Randy Mosher �Homebrewer technical editor Jake

Brandish chats with international

homebrew legend Randy Mosher

58 Collaboration Brew �Homebrewer editor Chris Thomas

teams up with the guys at NZ’s

Choice Bros for an Easter-themed

collaboration beer

60 Beer Education Homebrewer technical editor Jake

Brandish looks at how to get a

beerducation

62 Homebrew Club We check out the CQ Homebrewers

and get a Queensland lager recipe

to boot!

FEATURES16 Style Notes – Wheat Wheat, wit, weisse or weizen? No

matter which name they go by, these

are some of the most characterful

and refreshing beers in the world.

Jeremy Sambrooks delves into the

history of wheat beer

24 Brewing Ingredients It takes four ingredients to make

beer, but within those boundaries

new things are always happening.

Nick Connellan peers beyond the

horizon to see what’s next for

water, hops, malt and yeast

32 How to Taste Beer International beer judge, Ian

Kingham, explains how to taste

beer like a pro, what beer faults to

look out for and benchmark beers

to know

40 101 Beers – Part 2 The final 51 to tick off in our list of

101�Beers�To�Try�Before�You�Die�

64 Travel – Cantillon Brewery, Belgium

We take you into the world of

Brussels’ famous Cantillon Brewery,

the Belgian master of lambic beer

68 Entertaining – Food We have three meaty dishes

from chef, author and television

presenter, Ben O’Donoghue’s latest

book Ben’s�Meat�Bible sure to

please the carnivore in each of us

4 www.beerandbrewer.com

Go inside Brussels’

famous Cantillon Brewery

64

3268

REGULARS

3 Editor’s Letter

6 The Brew What’s happening and things to do

9 News The latest in Aus/NZ beer industry

12 Bits & Bobs

14 New Venue

72 Tasting Notes Ambers, reds, ciders and

new releases

78 Directory

82 A Pint With… Cicerone founder, Ray Daniels

Autumn 2016 5

THE BREW

The bar scene can be so niche with regards to what

is on offer in individual venues. Consumers can

easily find a local that focuses on specific wants,

needs and desires and have them met with surgical-

like precision. These haunts are part of our small

bar community, which means they can rely on a

smaller customer base to enjoy their specific offerings and be very

successful in doing so without having to bend to the drinking trends

of the masses. In Melbourne alone, we have places devoted to rum,

gin, European beer, American beer and venues serving exclusively

Australian products.

So how do you create a beer menu that will not only rile the

passions of the beer doyens, cater to mainstream drinkers but also

embrace the current beer trends and stay true to the venue’s vision?

Mission Statement

Firstly; you must have a very clear mission statement and vision of how

you would like your venue to be perceived, in turn this will dictate the

type of clientele that are attracted to your bar. You need to rally the

troops and have the staff on board to help communicate your vision and

passion to the consumer. In a lot of venues, you will also see a small

blurb in the front of the menu to help reiterate this perception.

Flavour

Secondly; it is important to make sure the menu is not only something

you are proud of, but also designed to work with the venue and its

guests. In my 17 years behind the bar, I have come to realise there is

one key factor when it comes to talking to guests about what they would

like to drink. You can discuss hop varieties, ferment times and yeast

strains, but when selling beer, the one language that is understood by

the novice and expert alike, is flavour. The beer list we have created

at Boilermaker House is broken into flavour camps so you won’t see

a ‘dark beer’ or ‘wheat beer’ section on our list per se. With so many

fantastic brews crossing over, you are seeing new categories being

created like black IPAs and super hopped wheat beers. This means

that menus have to evolve and by doing so, streamline the guests’

experience to ensure you get the right beer for the right person. This

approach works for us at Boilermaker House, as we have many guests

wanting to try something new and experimental and conversely, we

have drinkers new to the craft beer scene wanting to imbibe on a beer

with a flavour profile reminiscent to what they would usually drink.

Size Matters

Thirdly; didn’t think size matters? Well it does. At Boilermaker

House, we have 12 taps and a broad selection of packaged beers. Upon

opening, our packaged range was double what is is now, however

down the road we realised this wasn’t necessarily working. We have

since modified our list and feel that keeping less product on hand and

rotating through different beers more often is a better option for us.

This keeps our customers happy with a constant flow of new brews to

try, allows us to stay flexible and change our list efficiently to not only

meet our customers’ desires but also jump on any trends that pop up

over night. To give you an idea, recently Feral Brewing Company took

out Champion Craft Beer with its Watermelon Warhead. With the

press that was generated by this, the mainstream drinkers flocked in

over the following weeks wanting to try sour beers. By having a small

beer list, which is rotated regularly, we were able to stay on top of

this trend and also meet the demand with a number of sour options

available for the guests to explore during this time.

At the end of the day our guests want a great experience by

having a choice of beers both experimental and sessional all whilst

seeing individuality from venue-to-venue. To create the ultimate

list; find what is the right fit for you and always be open to listening

to what the customers want.

How to… craft a beer menu

GREG SANDERSON FROM MELBOURNE’S BOILERMAKER HOUSE EXPLAINS HOW HE CRAFTS HIS BEER LIST TO APPEAL TO THE GEEKS AND MAINSTREAM DRINKERS ALIKE

The taps at Boilermaker House

6 www.beerandbrewer.com6 www.beerandbrewer.com

There’s a grain of truth in every beerwww.cryermalt.co.nz [email protected] ph 0800 625833

Only the finest malt and brewing ingredients

www.cryermalt.com.au [email protected] ph 1800 119622

THE BREW

WHAT’S ON

Things to Do This Season

(1) GABS 2016 BEER CIDER FOOD FEST

Melbourne: 20-22 May, 2016 Sydney: 27-28 May, 2016 Auckland: 18 June, 2016

The GABS 2016 Beer Cider Food Fest is heading to New Zealand for the first time, with the organisers hoping to get 30,000 attendees across Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland.

GABS will be held in Melbourne 20-22 May, Sydney will have an extra day with the harbour city hosting the festival 27-28 May and the inaugural Auckland event taking place on 18 June at the ASB Showgrounds.

“The reason we used ‘Australasian’ in our name in the first place is because we always wanted to have a strong Kiwi contingent at the festival,” said GABS co-founder Guy Greenstone. “And after many trips to Beervana and NZ brewers also making their way over to GABS we’ve developed some great relationships and it just feels like the right next step.”

GABS will feature hundreds of beers including 120 exclusive ‘Festival Beers’ brewed specifically for the event, brewery stands, food vendors, beer and food experiences, educational seminars, fun activities and entertainment.

“As always there’ll be some new surprise elements,” Greenstone said of what to expect from GABS this year. “There’ll be more delicious food, over 120 Festival Beers across the three cities (including a whole bunch that will only be in NZ) plus dozens of brewery and industry stands where people get to meet the real people behind their great beers and ciders. More and new amazing entertainment which we’re ramping up a little plus cooking demonstrations, educational ‘Q&Ales’ panel discussions and just a whole heap of fun.”

GABS Melbourne will again be held at the Royal Exhibition Building and GABS Sydney at the Australian Technology Park.

For more information or to buy tickets, go to Gabsfestival.com.

(2) HIGH COUNTRY HOPS FESTIVALVictoria: 19 March, 2016

The second annual High Country

Hops festival, a celebration of

Victoria’s High Country Brewers

and the 2016 hop harvest, will be

held on 19 March in the grounds

of Bridge Road Brewers. The

festival brings together local

hop growers and like-minded

craft brewers, including the four

brewers of the High Country

Brewery Trail; Black Dog Brewery,

Bridge Road Brewers, Bright

Brewery and Sweetwater Brewing

Company. Rutherglen Brewery

will also have its beer on offer.

This family-friendly festival

is a celebration of hops, but also

features local food producers,

musicians, performers, children’s

activities and even a chance to try

your hand at some archery.

To find more information,

email ben@bridgeroadbrewers.

com.au.

(3) CANBERRA CRAFT BEER & CIDER FESTIVALCanberra: 19 March, 2016

The 9th annual Canberra Craft

Beer & Cider Festival will be held

on 19 March between 11am-6pm

at the Mercure Canberra. This

year, guests can enjoy more

than 80 beers and ciders, live

entertainment, beer and cider

food matching sessions, guest

speakers and a chance to meet

the brewers. Tickets are $15

pre-purchase (via Moshtix) or

$22 at the door (plus booking

fee). For more information, go to

Canberrabeerfest.com.au.

(4) THE GREAT KIWI BEER FESTIVALChristchurch: 2 April, 2016

The Great Kiwi Beer Festival

returns to Hagley Park in

Christchurch on 2 April for

its fifth year, with about 30

craft breweries and cider

producers taking part in the

day-long celebrations. The

festival will feature more

than 300 local, national

and international brews,

live performances, cooking

demonstrations, seminars,

brand experience areas, beer and

food matching and much more.

For more information, go to

Greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz.

(5) 2016 AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL BEER AWARDS (AIBA)Melbourne: Judging – 12-14 May

Presentation Dinner – 19 May

Exhibitor Tasting - 20 May

The AIBA is conducted by The

Royal Agricultural Society

of Victoria and is the largest

annual beer competition in the

world assessing both packaged

and draught beer across 18

categories. This year the awards

will also feature a New World

Pale Ale Trophy, recognising

brews distinguished by the

prominent use of New World

hops predominantly from

New Zealand and Australia, in

response to increased entries of

the style over the last few years.

The winners will be announced

at the presentation dinner on 19

May, followed by the Exhibitor

Tasting on 20 May. Rasv.com.au

(6) GOOD BEER WEEKVictoria: 13-22 May, 2016

Good Beer Week returns to

Melbourne for the sixth year for

a celebration of the local and

international craft beer scene.

The launch of the 2016 Official

Good Beer Week Program will

be held 18-19 March at a Gala

Showcase at Fitzroy Town Hall,

Fitzroy. For more information, go

to Goodbeerweek.com.au.

GABS 2016 is expected todraw more than 30,000people across three cities


Check out page 82 for our full interview with

Cicerone founder Ray Daniels

EDUCATION

NEW BEER EDUCATION INITIATIVE LAUNCHES

Australian craft beer industry heavyweights have joined forces to launch the Institute of Beer

(IOB), a new initiative that will focus on formal and informal beer education and consultancy.

The team behind IOB includes; managing director Peter Fullbrook who has a background

in business education; Neal Cameron who is master brewer at the Australian Brewery and

judges at major beer and cider shows; Dave Phillips who runs Dave’s Brewery Tours and has

excellent knowledge of the brewing industry and Ian Kingham who was previously in charge

of beer and spirits strategy at Woolworths and is also a prominent beer judge.

“So what that brings together is a range of expertise,” Fullbrook said.

“The way we’ve positioned the Institute of Beer is that we have three business streams,

the first one is education and there are two parts to education.

“One part is customised education so very specifically for the beer market here in

Australia. So for instance say a brewery comes to us and says their reps need to be trained

to be more effective in the market, they need to know their beers and their competitor

beers, we would customise an education program to suit. Cicerone will form part of that.

So we have customised education and we also have certification and exams and classic

education through Cicerone.

“So that’s the first stream of education, the second stream is education through

consultancy. Anything from deciding you’re going to make beer and set-up a brewery right

through to the sellers and marketers of a brewery. So in other words, anything from I want

to make beer, through to I’m now making money selling beer, is the consultancy offering.

“The third area is learning about beer through less formal education, which would be

things like beer events and beer evenings.

“So those are the three streams of Institute of Beer; formal education, consultancy and

less formal education through events.”

For part of the formal education, IOB has formed an agreement with Cicerone, the most

highly-recognised beer training programme in the world, certifying and educating beer

professionals in order to elevate the beer experience for consumers.

Based in the US, Cicerone founder Ray Daniels was in Australia last month finalising the

agreement with the IOB team and holding the first Certified Cicerone exams in Melbourne

and Sydney.

“These guys were sort of the first to call us and say, ‘Hey we would like to do this’. So

initially I came down last September to explore that, get to know them and I found a group

that I really liked. I think they have the right attitude and approach, good background and

experience, and they like what we do and want to work with our programme,” Daniels said.

The training programmes will be adapted slightly to suit the Australian beer landscape

so that things like beer style examples will be Australian not American. The IOB training

programmes have been divided into three distinct areas from beginner through to expert

level. For more information on IOB, call 02 8987 1908 or email [email protected].

(l-r) Institute of Beer (IOB) managingdirector Peter Fullbrook, Cicerone founder

Ray Daniels, Australian Brewery’s NealCameron and Dave Phillips from Dave’s

Brewery Tours at IOB headquarters

NEWS

CANNED BEER

MODUS OPERANDI’S CAN-DO ATTITUDEAustralian craft beer wonderkids, Modus Operandi from Sydney’s

Northern Beaches, are set to roll out new 500ml cans in late April,

courtesy of the team’s shiny new canning line. Famous for their

946ml CANimals, the team at Modus always planned on installing a

canning line but wanted to take their time and ensure beer quality

and consistency.

“For us the CANimals were never a mass distribution option, so

a canning line has always been on the cards but we resisted the

contract or ‘beer buyer’ route as we wanted to make sure that our

beer was solid, consistent and the way we wanted it and we could

make it in our own brewery to ensure consistency and quality,”

said co-founder Jaz Wearin. “And to be honest we were initially

very happy with the brewpub holy grail: kegs only. However, we had

always planned on distributing in cans due to their much kinder

touch on beer, the environment and distribution and we wanted to

do it our way: brewing and canning ourselves on the best canning

equipment we could afford and using our own in-house expertise.”

Keeping with the big can theme, the retail cans are 500ml and

adorned with the new MO logo.

“Four x 500ml cans gives you the full 2L per four-pack, old-school

style and doesn’t short change the savvy consumer in terms of

quantity to fit in with the ‘price point’ argument,” explained Wearin.

“I guess we said if we want to be crafty let’s not only play with the

design of the can but also release a sized can that we want to drink

from. Big cans baby…!”

Adding to its swag of awards, Modus Operandi was recently named

Australia’s Top New Brewer for 2015 by popular beer review website,

RateBeer, which tallied nearly one million reviews from 2015 to form

its RateBeer Best Awards.

It should not need repeating that Australia’s craft brewers operate within a heavily-regulated environment. Taxation, liquor licensing and local government regulations are as much a part of a brewer’s week as hops, water, malt and yeast.

A focus of the advocacy work carried out by the Craft Beer Industry Association (CBIA) on behalf of the industry has been around best practice liquor licensing for craft brewers. It should be of no surprise that in a country where we can’t even agree on the name of beer glasses from state-to-state there is little consistency in the style of licence available to craft brewers.

While no system is perfect, Victoria’s wine and beer producer’s licence is widely-regarded as Australia’s best. The licence allows for wholesale sales, off-premise sales from a cellar door, on-premise sales of both the producer’s products and those of other alcohol producers and, via a promotional event authorisation, the ability to sell beer at events such as farmers markets and festivals.

The CBIA believes strongly that these conditions should be a part of similar licences across Australia and has been advocating for them. We were successful in New South Wales in 2014 when the Baird Government amended the producer/wholesaler licence to allow for a ‘drink on-premise’ authorisation and sales at markets. These changes brought New South Wales’ licence in-line with Victoria’s.

In recent weeks you may have read of the legislation passed in Queensland, which will allow craft brewers to attend and sell beer at events such as farmers markets. The CBIA advocated for and welcomes these changes but recognises that more can be done to improve the Queensland licence conditions. For example, Queensland brewers are not allowed to sell a glass of beer for consumption on-premise to visitors at their cellar door unless they are having a meal.

There is work to be done in all states to improve the position of craft brewers. Tasmania does not have a dedicated licence type for producers and instead has a special licence that has different conditions placed on it for each applicant. In South Australia producers’ event endorsements are required for each and every event attended and Western Australia also has restrictions on what events a brewer can attend. The CBIA will be working with brewers in these states to lobby for change.

As an industry we accept that regulation will always be a part of doing business in an advanced economy but that regulation must balance the needs of society with those of small businesses looking to grow, employ more people and positively develop Australia’s drinking culture.

Turn to page 73 for our tasting note of Modus

Operandi Former Tenant Red IPA

The new-look 500ml cans from Modus Operandi

LIQUORLICENSING

CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (CBIA) EXECUTIVE OFFICER CHRIS MCNAMARA DISCUSSES LIQUOR LICENSING FOR CRAFT BREWERS


WINNER: BRONZE 2015

WINNER: TROPHY & GOLD 2015

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Please contact us for a free review of your brewery insurance and an alternative quote.

Phone: 1300 306 571Email: [email protected]

Web: www.midlandinsurance.com.au

“Excellence Through Professionalism”

COLLABORATION BEER

AWARD-WINNING BREWERS COMBINE TALENTS FOR AIBA BEER

The Australian International Beer Awards

(AIBA) collaborative beer for 2016 is underway,

with brewers from 4 Pines Brewing Company,

Thunder Road Brewing Company and Boatrocker

Brewing Company beginning the process earlier

this month at Boatrocker’s Braeside brewery.

The collaboration, in its fifth year, sees

brewers from 2015’s Champion Large, Medium

and Small Australian Breweries combine their

knowledge, skills and experience to create a

limited-edition beer, to be unveiled at the AIBA

Presentation Dinner in Melbourne on 19 May.

Speaking at the brew day, Matt Houghton,

head brewer and founder at Boatrocker said

about 1,600 litres of the yet-to-be-named amber

saison-style beer will be made available.

“The 2016 collaboration brew will use both French and

Belgian-style yeasts, malt from Cryermalt and HPA hops,” said

Houghton, last year’s recipient of the Champion Small Australian

Brewery Trophy.

Chris Willcock, chief brewer at 4 Pines, which

won Champion Large Australian Brewery in

2015, added the brew would have a nice and

balanced flavour to it, with the use of tangerine

peel and herbs bringing sweetness and texture

to the palate.

“With the attributes of sweeter layering,

spiciness and unique fruit tones with the use of

tangerine, the brew will be a dessert beer,” he said.

Marcus Cox, who is part of the collaborative

brew team for the second year running, after

Thunder Road’s successive wins of Champion

Medium Australian Brewery in 2014 and 2015,

said the brew did however alter slightly from

the original style.

“The collaborative brew is darker than a normal variety saison,

which is traditionally a pale ale,” said Cox at the mash-in.

The beer will be bottled in three weeks allowing for bottle

fermentation, with the naming of the ale and packaging design also

still to come.

Caption: (l-r) Thunder Road’s Marcus Cox, 4 Pines’ Chris Willcock and Boatrocker’s Matt Houghton at Boatrocker Brewery

Autumn 2016 11

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Luke warm beer getting you down? Not to fear, the Giant Beast will hold your beer! Extra big for extra insulation, with a handy hole for your own hand the Giant Beast holds standard-sized cans and stubbies. Makes ordinary stubby coolers look weak and unmanly. A great gag gift for any beer lover, the Giant Beast is made of foam and is easy to clean.

Yellowoctopus.com.au/the-beast-fist-stubby-holder

RRP: $32.99

1. FRIDAY BEERS NEVER LOOKED BETTER

Friday Beers delivers a different six-pack of craft beer and cider to your desk every Friday. There are no lock-in contracts or hidden fees, you can start and stop whenever you want. Each week the team at Friday Beers will pick a range of craft beers to try, delivered free with tasting notes for the Beer of the Week. Currently serving Brisbane, Friday Beers is set to open in Sydney 1 April and Melbourne soon after that.

Fridaybeers.com.au

RRP: $28

4


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THE DNA OF IPAHow to make them, where to buy them

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SUMMER BEERrecipes with a twist

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The Honeysuckle Hotel has a unique combination of heritage features and the latest in modern and stylish trends bringing together two beautiful styles into one spectacular venue with impressive harbour views and

waterfront dining. Our Bistro offers high quality, locally sourced food with professional and friendly service. With our excellent team of experienced and

passionate chefs we offer everything from weekly specials to our famous crispy skin barramundi.

Sunday Spit Roasts in the Beer GardenOur own custom made “Beer of Fortune” Beer Wheel

Now 14 beers on tapLive music 5 nights a weekCool, cosy, fun, functions

Gorgeous new heated and sprinklered Beer GardenExtreme love of craft beer (especially the local kind)

Royal Oak Hotel123 O’Connell St

North Adelaide, SA, 5006Tel: (08) 8267 2488

www.royaloakhotel.com.au

FREE EVENT SO BRING YOUR MATES AND JOIN US AT YOUR LOCAL FOR A FEW BREWS

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NEW BREWERY FOR WOLLONGONGFive Barrel Brewing officially opened in

Wollongong, NSW last month, with owner

and brewer Phillip O’Shea taking his love of

homebrewing to the next level.

“I’ve been homebrewing for a few years, and

treated it like a job,” O’Shea told Beer & Brewer.

“I brewed batches weekly and refined a

few recipes and experimented a lot with

different techniques. I love all sorts of beer,

from clean ales to stouts and sours, and

that’s what I love brewing.”

After six months searching for the right

location and about nine months tackling

the paperwork, regulations and fit-out, Five

Barrel Brewing is now open for business.

“I started thinking about a brewery a few

years ago after travelling around Europe

and seeing just how awesome the beer

culture was. I wanted to bring that back to

Wollongong and share an experience that is

still developing here,” O’Shea explained.

The core range covers a good spectrum of

styles with a Golden Ale, Pale Ale, ESB (Extra

Special Bitter) and a Hoppy Amber.

“I’ll aim to keep these on year-round and

have a few single keg batches that will only

be available in our taproom at the brewery,”

O’Shea said.

“My favourite session beer is the ESB, but

if I’m having one or two, it’ll be the Hoppy

Amber.

“The Golden and the Hoppy Amber are

definitely the most popular of the core range.

I’ve done a small batch of IPA and Oyster Stout,

which have proved to be really popular as well.”

O’Shea plans to keep pushing his

knowledge and experience with different

styles and ingredients, with the Oyster Stout

a good example of a fun and unique style that

he’ll tackle.

“I’ve acquired my first 2x 500L barrels (ex-

shiraz from the Hunter) and I’m sure I’ll add

to the collection over time,” he said.

“The first is for an Imperial Stout and the

second is for a Flemish Red, both of which I

hope to extract a bit of that rich fruit flavour

from the barrel.”

The brewery is restricted from preparing food

onsite but they have plenty of snacks like jerky

to help soak up the brews and for special events

they will get food trucks in to feed the masses.

Growler fills are welcomed in the taproom.

NEW VENUE

Five Barrel Brewing318 Keira Street, Wollongong NSW 2500Open: Mon-Fri 12-6pm and Sat-Sun 12-4pm

Inside the brewery at Five Barrel

Brewing

Five Barrel Brewing owner and brewer Phillip O’Shea

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Wheat, wit, weisse or weizen?NO MATTER WHICH NAME THEY GO BY, THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST CHARACTERFUL AND REFRESHING BEERS IN THE WORLD. JEREMY SAMBROOKS DELVES INTO THE TURBULENT HISTORY OF WHEAT BEER


WHEAT

The year is 2010 and I’m sitting in the

beer garden of the oldest brewery

in the world, Weihenstephan. The

autumn sun is shining, there’s a

cool breeze and in my hand is a tall,

curvy glass of the brewery’s most

popular product – a wheat beer called Weihenstephaner

Hefeweissbier – which while a pain to spell or

pronounce is an absolute joy to drink. Hazy, yellow

and topped with a mountain of soft-serve-like foam,

this unfiltered Bavarian-style wheat beer tastes of

soft, bready malt and cloves, with subtle notes of

sweet banana, vanilla and mixed spice. No fruit or

spices are added to the beer – its complexity comes

from the esters and phenols produced by the classic

Weihenstephan yeast strain.

Although beer can be brewed from almost any malted

grain, only barley has a structure that is ideal for

malting, mashing and brewing. Unlike barley, wheat

does not have a husk to provide a natural filter bed

for lautering and running off the sweet wort. For this

reason, most commercial wheat beers contain about

30 to 50 per cent malted barley. Wheat is also higher in

protein than barley, which contributes to foam stability

and increases a beer’s perceived body and mouthfeel.

The higher protein content of malted wheat also results

in haziness, which while unwanted in most beers, is

actually a desirable attribute in wheat beers.

Before we go any further, a line needs to be drawn to

determine when a beer is a wheat beer and when it is

just a beer that contains wheat. Many commercial beers

of various styles contain small amounts (often less

than five per cent) of wheat malt for head retention

rather than any flavour contribution. For the purpose of

this article, we will only consider beers typically made

with at least 30 per cent wheat and fermented using

cultured wheat yeast strains to be true wheat beers.

This eliminates a few ‘wheatish’ beer styles, including

Berliner weisse, Gose and Belgian lambic beers.

With this distinction made, there are 14 wheat beer

styles recognised by the Brewers Association (BA)

guidelines. Discussing all of these styles would be a

repetitive affair, as many are simply stronger, lighter,

darker or filtered versions of the same thing. After

trimming the fluff, we are left with six distinct wheat

beer styles; two from Germany, two from USA and one

each from Belgium and Poland.

WEISSE OR WEIZEN?German-style wheat beers are generally referred to as

either weissbier or weizenbier. Weissbier (pronounced

vice-beer) means ‘white beer’ in German and the name

derives from the whitish tinge imparted by pale malted

wheat and suspended yeast particles in the beer.

Weizenbier (pronounced veye-tssen-beer) is German for

wheat beer, although English-speaking countries often

“I USED TO THINK LAGER WAS THE HARDEST BEER TO MAKEBECAUSE LAGERS ARE COMPLETELY NAKED AND THERE ISNOWHERE TO HIDE. NOW I’VE CHANGED MY MIND; WHEATBEERS ARE THE HARDEST TO BREW AS YOU REALLY HAVE TOCOAX OUT THE FLAVOURS YOU WANT” – BRENNAN FIELDING,BURLEIGH BREWING CO.

IF YOU LIKE WHEAT BEERS

You might also like these beers:

Belgian blond ale: A slightly sweet, relatively strong golden ale with a subtle ester profile.

Belgian dubbel: A deep reddish, moderately strong, complex and malty Belgian ale.

Blonde ale: A fairly clean, easy-drinking and slightly malty beer, sometimes called golden ale.

Saison: A medium to strong ale with a spicy, yeast-derived flavour and a very dry finish.

Brennan Fielding from Burleigh Brewing Co. believes wheat beers

are the most difficult to brew

Autumn 2016 17

use the name hefeweizen (literally yeast wheat) due to

the beer’s cloudy, unfiltered appearance. Clear, filtered

examples of the beer use the name kristallweizen.

According to German law, all beer labelled weissbier

or weizenbier must be made with at least 50 per cent

malted wheat, although most Bavarian weizens contain

60 to 70 per cent, the rest being malted barley.

Burleigh HEF is a great Australian interpretation of

the hefeweizen style. Brennan Fielding, brewmaster

at Burleigh Brewing Co., shared, “I used to think

lager was the hardest beer to make because lagers are

completely naked and there is nowhere to hide. Now

I’ve changed my mind; wheat beers are the hardest to

brew as you really have to coax out the flavours you

want. It’s a far more complex process than simply

balancing esters and phenols, there are many factors –

such as oxygen, yeast cell count, temperature and time

– that can influence the flavours you are left with.”

Wearing a distinctive moustache on its bottle,

Burleigh HEF boasts a fine balance of the classic

hefeweizen flavours of banana and clove and has a

smooth, creamy mouthfeel.

Dunkelweizen is a dark version of the regular golden

yellow weissbier. It combines the banana, clove, vanilla

and spice notes of a pale hefeweizen, with greater malt

complexity, coming from the use of caramelised and

dark malts. Weizenbock is the name given to wheat

beers of bock strength – generally in excess of seven

per cent. These beers are most often brewed as a

stronger dunkelweizen, although paler examples exist.

The higher alcohol content of weizenbock typically

results in increased body, sweetness and a gentle

warming character.

Mash Brewing in Western Australia’s Swan Valley

brews a weizenbock, which goes by the name Invisible.

“We decided on the name because I left the wheat

malt out of it when I designed the beer,” says Charlie

Hodgson, head brewer at Mash. “I got so caught up in

layering malts for complexity and plain and simple

forgot to throw some in! Thankfully we made two tanks

of the beer and used wheat in the second.”

Hodgson put his signature on the Invisible

Weizenbock with a couple of very non-traditional

touches, the beer contains a small percentage of peat

smoked malt and is aged on oak chips.

FROM THE BRINK OF EXTINCTIONGrodziskie is a rare and unique pale wheat beer style

hailing from Poland and is brewed from 100 per cent

oak smoked malt. Until recently, Grodziskie was an

extinct beer style after the last brewery producing the

beer was shut down in 1993. In recent times, a number

of craft breweries have begun producing a Grodziskie,

including Cheeky Monkey in Margaret River, which put

one on as a seasonal release in 2015.

Witbier (white beer in Flemish) is yet another wheat

“WE SHIP ALL OF OUR DRAFT KEGS UPSIDE DOWN SO WHENTHEY GET TO THE RETAILER, THEY WILL STAND THE KEGUPRIGHT, ALLOWING THE YEAST TO EVENLY DISPERSE” – BEN DOBLER, WIDMER BROTHERS

FIVE WICKED WEIZENBIER FACTS1. Weizenbier was created by Bavarian brewmasters, who first made the beer in the

early 16th century in the Bavarian Forest, next to what is now the Czech Republic.

2. According to the Reinheitsgebot – commonly known as the German Beer Purity Law of 1516 – the only ingredients that could be used in the making of beer were water, barley and hops. While yeast had yet to be discovered, wheat was deliberately omitted to prevent competition with bakers, ensuring the affordability of bread.

3. From 1520-1872, weizenbier could only legally be brewed at breweries owned by the Bavarian royal family. In 1872, King Ludwig II discontinued brewing wheat beer and sold the exclusive right to brew weissbier to Georg Schneider, whose descendants today run the highly-successful Schneider Weisse brewery.

4. Most commercial German weizenbiers are bottle conditioned, although in keeping with the Reinheitsgebot, brewers don’t add sugar. Instead, actively fermenting wheat beer wort is added to the beer to provide the sugars required for secondary fermentation in a process called krausening.

5. The popularity of pale lager beers such as Pilsner and Munich helles resulted in a steep decline in demand for weissbier. Fortunately, consumer tastes shifted and by 1994, weizenbier overtook helles as the most popular beer style in Bavaria, a position it has held ever since.

POUR IT OUTA pint glass, or a tall half-litre mug will do in a pinch, but nothing beats a wheat beer served in an authentic weizen glass, like Spiegelau’s. These tall, thin-walled glasses showcase the beer’s colour, while the curvy shape balloons at the top provide enough room for the voluminous, fluffy head produced by most wheat beers. Whether or not to add a slice of lemon to a weizenbier (or orange to a witbier) is a personal choice, but purists should go without – these beers are tasty enough on their own and the addition of citrus has a negative effect on head retention.

Widmer Bros head brewer Ben Dobler

WHEAT


Autumn 2016 19

beer style that has made a comeback from the

brink of extinction. After enjoying popularity in

its home country of Belgium up until the 18th

century, the last witbier brewery in Hoegaarden

stopped brewing the beer in 1960. The fact that

witbier is quite popular today is largely thanks

to the efforts of a Belgian milkman-turned-

brewer by the name of Pierre Celis. Lamenting

the loss of his cherished witbier, Celis decided

to make his own, opening a brewery in 1966. The

popularity of Celis’ witbier sparked a revival of

the style in Belgium, which subsequently spread

throughout the beer drinking world. Unlike

German-style wheat beers, witbiers are spiced,

usually with coriander seed and orange peel.

Grand Ridge is one of Australia’s longest-

running craft breweries and its beer Natural

Blonde is an Australian-take on the Belgian

witbier style. Grand Ridge’s managing director,

Eric Walters, was happy to talk about the beer.

“We made this Belgian wheat very

specifically for the Australian palate,” says

Walters. “By backing off the spice a little it

becomes much more thirst-quenching and yet

still has tonnes of flavour to please the most

avid wheat beer enthusiast – perfect as the

first beer on a hot day. When we first started

creating a recipe for the Blonde in the 90s it was

a very unusual style in Australia. None of the

commercial witbiers you see today existed in

the Australian market. It’s great to see the style

has really taken off all over the world and is

now being appreciated by craft beer lovers and

everyday consumers alike.”

U-S-A, U-S-A!While American-style wheat beers haven’t really

taken off in Australia, a small number of beers

are looking to buck the trend. One of these is

Widmer Brothers Hefe – an American import

that sits somewhere between the American

wheat and hefeweizen styles.

“Widmer Brothers Hefe is an American-style

wheat beer with yeast,” says Ben Dobler, head

brewer at Widmer Brothers. “The yeast our

Hefe uses produces a cleaner ester profile than

traditional Bavarian hefeweizens, with hints of

bread, citrus and very subtle banana. We also

leave the beer unfiltered and rather cloudy. We

ship all of our draft kegs upside down so when

they get to the retailer, they will stand the keg

upright, allowing the yeast to evenly disperse.”

A Belgian-style ale from the US is Blue Moon

Belgian White, which is brewed with white

wheat and oats for a crisp, wheat finish that’s

complemented by a combination of orange peel

and coriander. Distributed in Australia by Coca-

Cola Amatil, the brewery launched its seasonal

Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat earlier this

year. The filtered wheat ale (5.2% ABV) has

flavours of orange blossom honey and orange peel

and has won a swag of awards in the US.

Another American craft brewing creation

is wheat wine – a beer style that can be best

described as wheat’s answer to barley wine.

Generally clear and gold to light brown in colour,

these sweet, malty ales are also very strong,

described by the BA as being typically 8.5 to 12.2

per cent alcohol-by-volume.

DRINK LOCALTry these eight local wheat beers:

1. Matilda Bay Redback A kristalweizen and arguably Australia’s first craft beer

2. Billabong Bavarian Wheat An award-winning, classic Bavarian weizen filtered clear

3. Burleigh HEF A traditionally-brewed hefeweizen that sports a moustache on its bottle

4. Moo Brew Hefeweizen A cloudy hefeweizen with the classic banana/clove yeast character

5. Feral White A true Belgian-style witbier, spiced with coriander seed and orange peel

6. Grand Ridge Natural Blonde This lightly spiced witbier is a great thirst quencher

7. White Rabbit White Ale A spicy witbier with added juniper berries for extra complexity

8. Mash Invisible A big, sweet weizenbock with notes of banana and soft, chocolaty malt

SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGSWith their low bitterness, malty sweetness, fruity esters and spicy phenols, it seems as though wheat beers were made to be paired with food. While they cover a wide spectrum of colours and flavours, one thing nearly all wheat beers have in common is lively carbonation, which makes them wonderful palate cleansers.

The lightest of the wheat beer styles, American wheat beers go well with fresh summer salads as they won’t overpower the delicate flavours of leafy greens and sprouts, yet can stand up to sharp vinaigrettes and creamy dressings.

For a Belgian witbier, the classic pairing is a dish of moules frites – mussels and fries. Take things up a notch by cooking the mussels in the beer, along with leeks, shallots, parsley and butter and serving with fresh lemon.

German-style wheat beers tend to be more robustly flavoured, enabling them to be served with heartier fare. It is a Bavarian specialty to serve hefeweizen with weisswurst (a white, finely textured veal and pork sausage) but they work just as well with shellfish due to their low bitterness and soft malt flavour. Darker, richer and sweeter, dunkelweizen and weizenbock can be matched with veal schnitzel, smoked gouda or for the daring, with sweet pancakes for breakfast!

WHEAT


Following in the footsteps of their hugely successful IPA glass collaboration, Spiegelau partnered with two of the leading Stout brewers in the United States, Left Hand Brewing Company from Colorado and Rogue Ales from Oregon, to create the ultimate glass for enjoying Stout.

This is our STOUT glass.After months of design and tasting workshops, during which hundreds of glass shapes were considered, the brewers ultimately and unanimously chose this glass as their favourite for the variety.

Expertly crafted, tested, and approved, the Spiegelau Stout glass accentuates the roasted malt, rich coffee and chocolate notes that define the Stout beer style, whilst maintaining the functional design characteristics for which Spiegelau beer glassware has become known.

The Beer Classics are available at David Jones, Myer and selected homewares stores or online at www.spiegelau.com.au

1. König Ludwig Weissbier

A traditional German wheat beer

brewed in Bavaria in accordance

with the purity law of 1516, König

Ludwig Weissbier depicts the

style well. The customary clove

and banana aroma is evident

although somewhat restrained

with some nice bready notes

also present. The palate is rich

and full, with good malt layering

and some banana and tropical

fruit character. Rich on the finish,

with good residual maltiness and

less dry than other conventional

styles of hefeweizen.

FOOD MATCH Beetroot and goats cheese salad

ABV: 5.5%

RRP: $5 per bottle (330ml)

Bidbeer.com

3. Erdinger Hefeweizen

Erdinger is the world’s most

popular wheat beer and

one of the few wheat beer

breweries that continue to use

the ‘Champagne method’ of

secondary fermentation in the

bottle/keg ensuring perfect

carbonation and an exceptionally

well-balanced beer. With a

distinctive bright golden colour

the flavour is mildly sweet

up front, with a good deal of

sensation from the carbonation.

The middle of the palate offers

spiced citrus notes and the finish

brings out a swirl of elegant hop

flavour.

FOOD MATCHDelicious with chicken or

veal schnitzel

ABV: 5.3%

RRP: $6.29 per bottle

(500ml)

Baw.com.au

2. Blue Moon Belgian White

A Belgian-style ale, Blue Moon

Belgian White is brewed with

white wheat and oats for a crisp,

wheat finish that’s perfectly

complemented by a combination

of orange peel and coriander. It’s

best served in a weiss glass with

an orange slice garnish to bring

out the subtle citrus aroma

and finish.

FOOD MATCH The beer’s light, spicy, citrus

flavours pair well with seafood

such as grilled prawns and Asian

dishes like pad Thai

ABV: 5.4%

Facebook.com/bluemoonaus

4. Burleigh Brewing HEF

Burleigh Brewing HEF boasts

the classic German wheat beer

characteristics of banana and

clove, rich flavours, a bright

white head and a smooth,

creamy texture. It is an unfiltered,

refreshing, flavour-filled beer

without being overpowering.

FOOD MATCHCheese, seafood or fruit chutney

ABV: 5%

RRP: $21-$22 per six-pack

(330ml)

Burleighbrewing.com.au

Wheat WITH THEIR LOW BITTERNESS, MALTY SWEETNESS,FRUITY ESTERS, SPICY PHENOLS AND LIVELYCARBONATION, WHEAT BEERS WERE SEEMINGLY MADETO BE PAIRED WITH FOOD. HERE ARE EIGHT TO TRYTHIS SEASON

1

2

3

4


WHEAT PROMOTION

5. Grand Ridge Natural Blonde

Natural Blonde is a classic

Belgian-style wheat beer. This

beer is naturally cloudy using

Australia’s premium wheat,

malt and coriander. A touch

of orange peel lets luscious

hints of citrus seep through the

head. A real chef’s beer, Grand

Ridge uses Natural Blonde at its

restaurant for incredibly light

and flavoursome batters and also

recommends using it to steam

mussels. This beer makes any

seafood work to perfection.

FOOD MATCHFresh, wild barramundi fillets

ABV: 4.5%

RRP: $18-20 per six-pack

(330ml)

Grand-ridge.com.au

7. Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen

Wheat beer usually prevails from

Bavaria however the Binding

Brewery in Frankfurt has its own

take on what a wheat beer should

taste like and Schöfferhofer

is now the most successful

wheat beer brand brewed

outside of Bavaria. Brewed with

additional hops to bring extra

bitterness, Schöfferhofer has

an unmistakable bright amber

haze with tangy fruit and spice

flavours delivering ultimate

thirst-quenching refreshment and

seems to be perfectly designed

for the Australian palate.

FOOD MATCHSkewered shrimp with rosemary

ABV: 5%

RRP: $5.50 per bottle (500ml)

Baw.com.au

6. Goodieson Wheat Beer

This German-style wheat beer

has a beautiful balance of banana

and clove aromas and flavours.

Slightly hazy with a golden colour

and a very low bitterness this

beer will leave the true wheat

beer lovers craving for another

glass. Gently shake the bottle

before opening and pour with at

least two distinctive pours. Pour

approximately three quarters of

the bottle, than swirl the bottle to

ensure the entire contents of the

bottle are poured into the glass.

FOOD MATCHThai, Malaysian, seafood or

just use it to make a fantastic

beer batter

ABV: 5.2%

RRP: $23 per six-pack

(330ml)

Goodiesonbrewery.com.au

8. Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat

Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat

is crafted with orange blossom

honey for a hint of sweetness and

a touch of orange peel for subtle

citrus notes. It’s a refreshing,

balanced taste that’s landed just

in time for the longer, warmer

days of the season.

FOOD MATCHGrilled summer barbeque meats

such as marinated chicken with

honey mustard sauce

ABV: 5.2%


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Autumn 2016 23

BREWING INGREDIENTS

It’s amazing what you can make with four ingredients. Apart

from obvious exceptions such as Belgian witbier or kriek

Lambic, nearly every style of beer out there consists of just

four things: water, hops, malt and yeast (and/or yeast-like

microbes).

And yet, after so many centuries of brewing, we’re still

finding ways to innovate. Hop farmers breed new varieties. Maltsters

refine their roasting techniques. Novel yeast strains are developed.

We caught up with a bunch of brewers and ingredient wholesalers to

see what’s next for drinkers.

HOPS“In many ways, the modern craft beer movement has been built

off the back of hops,” says Josh Uljans from Moon Dog Brewing in

Melbourne.

He’s right – the world-leading American craft beer scene is almost

synonymous with India pale ale (IPA), a beer style that emphasises

hops more than any other.

Hops add two things to a beer: bitterness and aroma. Often you’ll

hear brewers talk of ‘bittering’ hops, or those which are added into

the boil very early, to impart bitterness. Aroma hops are added

nearer the end, to give beer that fruity, tropical or pine nose so many

newcomers associate with craft beer. Dual purpose hops can be used

for both.

Over the past decade, we’ve seen brewers get more and more

heavy-handed with aroma hops, both to distinguish themselves

from other craft brewers and traditional mega-breweries. While that

practice won’t change any time soon, the product itself will.

Across the UK, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, well-

developed breeding programs have begun replicating the big, fruity

profiles pioneered in the States.

“We’re informed by what we think brewers want,” says Owen

Johnston of Hop Products Australia (HPA).

The company developed the proprietary Galaxy hop years back,

before following up with Ella, Summer, Topaz, Vic Secret and Enigma

– varieties which mostly mimic those big American flavours. 2016

was shaping up to be the year these locals really made a splash.

That is, until a huge storm ravaged HPA’s Victorian farm just before

Christmas, destroying an estimated 40 per cent of the crop at the site.

“We don’t have firm numbers yet,” Johnston says. “When it’s in,

The Big FourIT TAKES FOUR INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A BEER. BUT WITHIN THOSE BOUNDARIES, NEW THINGS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING. NICK CONNELLAN PEERS PAST THE HORIZON TO SEE WHAT’S NEXT FOR EACH INGREDIENT AND WHAT YOU’LL TASTE IN 2016 AND BEYOND


BREWING INGREDIENTS

and been dried and pressed into bales, then we’ll know

what we’ve got.”

Those figures won’t arrive until late March or early

April. The company has other farms in Tasmania and

New South Wales, but Vic Secret and Topaz are grown

exclusively in Victoria. Though HPA is doing its best to

fulfil contracts, it’s a real blow for the local industry.

Brewers can’t get enough of these varieties, especially

with their American counterparts becoming harder to

get. Sydney’s 4 Pines Brewing Company recently raised

the price of its Pale Ale kegs by $10, citing the cost of

American Citra hops.

“One of the things I’m excited about is seeing so many

great locally-produced varieties starting to become

prominent,” 4 Pines’ Chris Willcock says. “We’re

hopefully going to be using a lot more of these hops as

they establish themselves and become available.”

Similar things are happening in New Zealand.

Varieties such as Motueka and the intensely tropical

Nelson Sauvin are familiar to a lot of drinkers, but new

varieties such as Kohatu, Wai-iti and Rakau will start

to make an impact as well, says Sandy Ross of Hopco, a

major player in New Zealand hops. He has the highest

hopes for a new dual-purpose hop, Brooklyn.

“From the profile alone, I can safely say that it’s going

to be popular,” he says, referring to the specification

sheet, which lists qualities such as aroma (passionfruit,

grapefruit), acid content and oil content. After the March

harvest, there should be enough Brooklyn available to

make about one million stubbies of beer.

In the UK, the grapefruit-like Jester is doing well,

while the Germans have just released Huell Melon

(strawberries) and Mandarina Bavaria (spicy citrus),

two varieties bred to compete with the fruitier

American hops.

“They’re definitely more subtle than the US versions,

though,” says Phil Meddings, from major ingredient

supplier Bintani. “Over time I think people will start to

look for more delicate flavours in their beers.”

MALTWhen it comes to craft beer, most of us think about

the work brewers do. Less often, we think about the

supply chain strung out behind them. A brewer can

have high standards, but without the right suppliers,

the end product will suffer. As much as there’s been

a revolution in brewing, there’s also been a supplier

revolution, albeit one lagging slightly behind.

“Malt is a really traditional part of brewing, and

it’s been refined over many, many years,” Willcock

says. “There’s not really many ways barley can

be processed that haven’t been done already and

perfected by somebody.”

Most people agree with this stance and instead

talk about the increased emphasis on quality and

consistency. The malt market is less about new barley

“ONE OF THE THINGS I’M EXCITED ABOUT IS SEEING SO MANY GREAT LOCALLY-PRODUCED VARIETIES STARTING TO BECOME PROMINENT” – CHRIS WILLCOCK, 4 PINES

The global hop shortage is a major concern for the industry

Chris Willcock, 4 Pines

Autumn 2016 25

varieties and more about refining existing

techniques with the help of technology.

To make malt, farmers harvest barley and store

it in a silo. Maltsters then inspect the crop for

quality and insects before buying up an entire

year’s worth of grain and transferring it to their

own silo. When they’re ready to begin processing

a batch, they start by steeping it in water and

keeping a careful watch.

A 43 per cent moisture concentration is enough

to trick the barley into germinating, as if it had

been continually rained on. At that point, the

plant’s starches begin converting to simple sugars,

which yeast will eventually feed on to create

alcohol. Once the sugar concentration is right, the

maltster puts the barley in a kiln to remove the

moisture content and halt germination. Then it’s

ready for the brewer to use.

“The key thing is to make sure this giant batch,

which could be anywhere from 30 tonnes to 120

tonnes or even larger, is homogenous,” says

David Cryer, who has been selling malt since the

early ‘90s, through his company Cryermalt.

It’s this word – homogenous – that separates

a good maltster from an exceptional one.

Germinating barley was once rotated by rake, on a

floor. These days it’s stored in cavernous pits and

turned by huge mechanical blades to ensure every

grain in the batch develops at the same rate.

But even with this help, it’s an art to produce

consistent batches when you’re up against

seasonal variations.

“It’s about ensuring that the malt is within the

specification, despite the natural variables in the

raw materials,” Meddings says.

That means meeting numbers related to

moisture content, protein content, friability

(crumbliness), colour and more. Luckily, small-

scale craft maltings are on the way back, bringing

these exacting measures to the fore.

Kiwi outfit Gladfield Malt is one such maltster.

“We try and do malts that have never been done

before, to keep the edge for brewers,” says the

company’s Gabi Michael.

Gladfield makes Manuka Smoke, a wood-fired

malt used to produce local interpretations of the

smoky German rauchbier, and Shepherds Delight, a

malt developed with Mountain Goat that gives the

finished product a delightful red hue.

“The trend that we’re seeing in Australia is

lighter and lighter beers,” Michael says.

Like hops, malt has two gears. The sugary base

malt is like a cake – it provides a majority of the

body and alcohol in a beer. Specialty malts such as

Shepherds Delight are like the icing – they’re used

in low concentrations to add flavours such as coffee,

toffee, caramel and chocolate, and colours ranging

from pale gold to black. Specialty malts are most

keenly felt in malt-driven styles such as stout and

red ale. These are the exceptions, though.

“I always refer to malt as the canvas the brewer

can paint their beer upon using yeast and hops,”

Cryer says.

A talented brewer strikes the balance between

the two, playing the bready, biscuity, nutty

sweetness of malt against the bitterness of hops

BREWING INGREDIENTS

Harvesting underway at Gladfield Malt in New Zealand

“I ALWAYS REFER TO MALT AS THE CANVAS THE BREWERCAN PAINT THEIR BEER UPON USING YEAST AND HOPS” – DAVID CRYER, CRYERMALT


and embellishing with yeast. Despite popular perception,

you can’t judge a beer by its International Bittering Unit

(IBU) rating. A very high IBU can be offset by a sweeter

malt, making the beer seem far less bitter than it really is.

Despite the focus on refinement over trends,

Cryer reckons heritage malt varieties such as Golden

Promise, Barke, Hana and the revered Maris Otter

are on the way back. He compares them to heirloom

tomatoes, as opposed to the everyday tomatoes you

find at the supermarket.

“When I started selling malt back in ‘94, Maris Otter

was a very popular variety,” he says. “It’s coming back

again, because people can use these varieties to craft a

great marketing story.”

YEAST AND OTHER MICROBESThe importance of yeast is often overlooked by

non-brewers. As a yeast converts barley sugars to

alcohol, it also produces esters and phenols – aromatic

compounds with their own distinctive flavour profiles.

“I reckon yeast is probably the most exciting thing

in brewing, in terms of the flavours you can get out of

it,” Moon Dog’s Uljans says. “Not just that, but also

the texture of the beer. A lot of very well-known beer

styles are basically driven by a specific type of yeast.”

German hefeweizen is the most common example.

Its aromas of banana, bubblegum and cloves come from

a specific yeast, rather than malt or hops. Many of the

traditional Belgian styles owe their deep, stewed fruit

character to esters and phenols.

Historically, prized yeast strains have been

maintained by keeping a living sample and

continually feeding it. These days, things are far more

scientific, with new yeasts engineered in laboratories,

propagated, then cryo-packed or freeze-dried. Late last

year, US researchers invented a new method for cross-

breeding disparate species, which could open the door

for entirely new flavour profiles in beer.

That’s still a pipe-dream, though. For now, everyone

is talking about a strain of yeast called brettanomyces

(or just ‘brett’), and a bacteria named lactobacillus. The

former gives beer an incredibly distinctive taste –

tart, funky, barnyard and old blanket are all common

descriptors – which people either seem to love or hate.

The latter is the same bacteria that gives fermented

sourdough and yoghurt their tang. Together, these two

microbes produce sour beers styles such as lambic,

Gose and Berliner weisse. They’re what takes hold

when a brewing vessel is left open to the air, rather

than sterilised and sealed. Thus brettanomyces is

often referred to as ‘wild’ yeast, even though it

can be grown like

“I RECKON YEASTIS PROBABLY

THE MOSTEXCITING THINGIN BREWING, INTERMS OF THEFLAVOURS YOUCAN GET OUTOF IT” – JOSHULJANS, MOONDOG BREWING

BREWING INGREDIENTS

The harvest at HPA Image by Alastair Bett


BREWING INGREDIENTS

WHAT’S NEXT?NO ONE CAN REALLY SAY FOR SURE WHAT THE NEXT BIG THING IN BEER IS – BUT THERE ARE SOME STRONG INDICATIONS WHERE WE’RE HEADED

STYLEClean, low-hop lagers and Pilsners are on the way back. In part, this is being driven by intense competition in the hop market, but also by brewers’ desire to make something new (or classic, depending on your perspective). Already we’ve seen

this with Holgate’s Norton Lager, Moon Dog’s Love Tap Double Lager and Hawkers’ Pilsner. Expect to see a lot more of these easy-drinking styles in 2016.

The second one is sour beers – those produced with particular yeasts and bacteria to give a ripe, sourdough or yoghurt-like taste and aroma. For a while now they’ve been tipped as the next big thing, but not everyone is convinced.

“I think the sour thing is an emerging trend, but it’s still very niche,” says Bintani’s Meddings. He’s a stronger believer in the universal appeal of lagers and pilsners.

HOPSFor years, big, fruity American hops such as Simcoe, Amarillo and Citra have dominated. Recently they’ve become a victim of their own success.

“It’s a really competitive market for hops at the moment,” says 4 Pines’ Willcock. “It’s not easy to get your hands on some of these varieties, especially in large quantities.”

Sandy Ross from Hopco says that American growers are often reluctant to export when they know there’s a shortage at home.

This has seen some people return to older American varieties such as Cascade, Columbus and Centennial. In Australia and New Zealand, most brewers are turning to local interpretations of American hops. Galaxy was the earliest example of this, but it’s been joined by Topaz, Vic Secret, Ella and Enigma. You’ll taste more of these over the coming years, though there will be a shortage in 2016 due storm damage in Victoria.

“People really love those fruity beers, especially on a hot day,” says Michael Leslie of homebrew shop Grain & Grape. “It’s suited to our climate.”

Although fruit-driven hop, Summer, will be phased out in 2017.

In New Zealand, Nelson Sauvin and Motueka will continue to be a force, plus newer varieties like Kohatu, Wai-iti and Rakau. Ross is excited about a new variety called Brooklyn, with aromas of passionfruit and grapefruit. Abroad, the UK’s Jester and Germany’s Huell Melon and Mandarina Bavaria are three new varieties aiming to emulate American hops.

But even with all this new, targeted competition, the Americans will continue their own breeding programs and stay on top.

“I think the new one that’s going to be a mainstay and be quite prominent in the next few years is Mosaic,” Willcock says.

It’s featured in James Squire’s Hop Thief, among other local beers.

MALT“I think malt is the next big frontier,” says Mazen Hajjar of Melbourne’s Hawkers. A few people agree with this position, albeit more conservatively.

“Brewers are getting fussier and maltsters are getting better at producing high-quality, consistent malt,” Meddings says.

Products such as Gladfield’s Shepherds Delight and Best Malz’s Red X are examples of this.

David Cryer of Cryermalt thinks heritage varieties such as Golden Promise, Barke, Hana and Maris Otter are on the way back, mainly because they can be used to craft a compelling marketing campaign. Very important in today’s crowded market.

Autumn 2016 29

saccharomyces, the non-funky yeast most

brewers work with. Already, breweries such

as Tasmania’s Two Metre Tall and Victoria’s

Boatrocker have made a name with their

sour beers, but 2016 will see more and more

breweries enter this space.

WATERLike yeast, water is another ingredient that

deserves more attention. Historically, many

breweries and styles became famous purely

because of the unique make-up of their local

water. The obscure styles Gose (German) and

Grodziskie (Polish) were both invented with

the help of mildly salty water, for example.

However the English town of Burton-on-

Trent (modern day population 65,000) is the

best example of famous water. When a canal

was completed at the end of the 18th century,

it linked the town with the rest of the country.

The Brits promptly went mad for the local beer.

Why? The ancient deposits around Burton-

on-Trent have filtered through beds of gravel

and sand for aeons, picking up minerals along

the way. The water is endowed with massive

concentrations of calcium, magnesium and

sulphate, but low levels of salt and bicarbonate.

Its faint sulphurous odour is known as the

‘Burton Snatch’ and it is renowned for its

ability to make hops taste more vibrant.

A century ago, this water meant the tiny

Burton-on-Trent was home to 30 breweries.

That changed when ‘Burtonisation’, the

process of adding sulphate to water, was

invented in the late 1800s. This was just

the first step in wresting control of water

from nature. These days, most commercial

breweries purify their local supply using a

carbon filter and then adjust the mineral

content to suit their exact needs.

Of the four key minerals brewers manage,

calcium is the most desirable, as it affects all

beer styles. It controls acidity, encourages

yeast growth and generally improves the

clarity and quality of the finished beer.

Bicarbonate is the opposite. When

bicarbonate-rich water is used to brew

hoppy beers, the result is often harsh and

unpleasant. Unless they’re brewing dark

beers or stouts, most brewers remove excess

bicarbonate in their water supply.

Sulphate and chloride have less dramatic

effects, but generally work to emphasise the

bitterness and hoppiness of beers. They’re

prized for pale ales and avoided when

making dark beers.

BREWING INGREDIENTS

“I THINK MALT IS THE

NEXT BIG FRONTIER”

– MAZEN HAJJAR,

HAWKERS

Many breweries and styles have become

famous purely because of the unique make up

of the water used


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Autumn 2016 31

HOW TO TASTE BEER

To be a beer judge is easy, to be a good beer judge

requires many attributes, and to be a great one,

well that requires the judgement of others. While

most beer judges come from commercial brewing

backgrounds, it is not always the case, often

experiences in media, hospitality, commercial beer

operating or judging in other categories can be the path to becoming a

beer judge.

For good judging it is advantageous to possess a good palate,

an articulate vocabulary, a knowledge of brewing and process, a

sense of and respect for beer styles, a knowledge of ingredients,

an appreciation of broad culinary flavours, a calm temperament, a

respect for others and confidence in your own ability.

If you want to be a beer judge and this sounds like you then all

you need now is opportunity. The best opportunity comes through

understanding the calendar of judging events, preparation through

levels of accreditation or certification, finding a sponsor and being

prepared to learn as you go.

While being an accredited beer judge may sound great, it is more

a vocation of passion, with an upside in comradery, connection and

candour, and little if anything in monetary compensation. Pitfalls

are few, although a beer judge is susceptible to the embarrassing

position of spontaneously being made the centre of conversation

for instant experts, and a beer judge needs to manage warily the

beleaguering or belligerent interviewer, whom seem ever present at

any informal BBQ event.

While attention for those who like it is flattering, often

conversations which lean towards “How drunk do you get?”, “All

beer’s the same isn’t it?” and “How hard can it be?” seem to

dominate some people’s curiosity more than questions pertaining to

the nuances of skill, knowledge and passion, which truly inspires beer

judging as opposed to beer drinking.

HOW TO JUDGE YOUR OWN BEERAccredited judging may not be everyone’s brew but knowing some

simple pointers can help consumers with even the most basic level of

knowledge, learn to really appreciate their beers.

Three key criteria for being a beer judge (commercially or at home)

include; 1) The judging environment, 2) The art of appraisal and 3) The

knowledge of the judge.

1) THE JUDGING ENVIRONMENT

The more serious the judging, the more conservative the environment.

It can be said that ‘judging begins when beer’s best complements are

gone’. At some shows this means judging in solitude, with a white lab

coat and no beer conferencing during the delivery of beer (flights).

At home this can involve removing clutter, turning off any music

or distractions, choosing an area which is calm and removed from the

action of the house.

Beer should be served at its recommended temperature. Note

that an ice-cold beer creates an ice-cold palate. This is great for

refreshment but adds little to flavour tasting.

Taste Beer Like a ProINTERNATIONAL BEER JUDGE, IAN KINGHAM, TELLS US WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A JUDGE AND EXPLAINS HOW TO PROPERLY TASTE BEER

Image courtesy of Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show


HOW TO TASTE BEER

While discussion over beers is a wonderful social

pursuit, the greater the level of silence in judging the

greater the reduction in bias. If you are serious about

beers discuss them after all your notes have been

written. Body language plays a part in expression, so

keep your calm consistency if you want to get the most

out of sharing opinions.

Food has an effect on tastebuds and as such changes

the palate with beer. This can be advantageous for many

beers if enjoying with a meal but is not conducive to

judging a beer on its own merits. Socialise with food,

judge without.

Beers have varying alcohol levels and as such the

more tasted the greater the chance of alcohol influence

on the judging. Sharing sample sizes or sacrilegiously

dumping samples is one way of managing alcohol. Water

and dry biscuits between serves is helpful in pacing

consumption and choosing a moderate number to

compare has its merit.

Brand influence on consumers is one of the largest

investment streams in modern brewing. To judge a

beer accurately it is best not to know its packaging

and appraise the beer on its stylistic merit. Blocking

perceptions and pre-conceived ideas allows for free

flowing expression. An assistant pourer or the use of

brown paper bags as a shield is suggestible.

Natural light allows a beer to be seen in its best light,

although it is important not to stand a beer for too long

in direct sunlight as it can taint the flavour.

Sample management is of great importance, not

just in judging but in getting the most out of your beer

drinking experiences. Beer which is fresh, stored away

from heat and light, and drunk from a ‘beer clean’

glass has its best chance of being enjoyed the way the

brewer intended.

Record keeping is not the most sociable of pursuits but

if you wish to be serious in your approach record keeping,

reviews and comparisons are very helpful in corroborating

and collaborating your notes with that of others and

ensuring improved consistency in your judging.

(2) THE ART OF APPRAISAL

A common term used in hospitality is ‘people drink

with their eyes’, meaning the better the appearance

and presentation of a drink the greater the customer

experience. Beer is no exception, and as such beer is

judged on appearance.

To best appreciate beer, pour it into a glass and

begin your review. The pour should provide a good

head on the beer and should leave enough room in the

glass to successfully place and remove a nose without

getting it wet.

The appearance of a beer is broken into three

components: colour, carbonation and clarity. Each

distinctly covers indirect processes of brewing such as

quality of filtration, as well as providing a consumer

“WHEN IT COMES TO BEER YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN FORTHINKING THAT EVERYONE IS AN EXPERT. IT ISIMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU’VE DRIVENA LOT OF CARS, TRAVELLED MANY MILES OR SHARED ANENORMOUS AMOUNT OF DRIVING EXPERIENCES DOESN’TMAKE YOU A BETTER MECHANIC” – IAN KINGHAM

When appraising a beer the appearance is broken into three components: colour,

carbonation and clarity

Autumn 2016 33

lens on the beer. Give the beer a strong swirl to release aromas by

creating a rich head.

Next begins the true joy of beer, tasting, which first emanates from

aroma. A multitude of nut, herb and fruit aroma vary in intensity

across styles, complemented by differing degrees of caramelised malt

sugars, yeast characteristics and alcohol. As you experience the first

impressions of flavour be on the lookout for faults, these are critical in

establishing the true merits of beer.

Aroma consists of attributes assigned to core ingredients of beer.

Malt character, yeast character, hop aroma and finally fermentation

characteristics. The balance, intensity, pleasantry and subtlety of

each reveal ingredients in the beer, skills of the brewer and, most

importantly, a first introduction to the beer’s character. Again faults

in beer can be detected at this point of judging, these can include

sulphury, solvent, papery and plastic notes to mention a few.

The palate of a beer delivers the beer’s true value. A balance of

flavour is important and the common receptors in beer are sweet,

sour, bitter and salty. Heat (from alcohol), malt layering and

residual flavours may also be evident. As are descriptors such as

softness, acidity, oiliness, hardness and the compactness of the beer

flavours. The judging of the beer should include an evaluation of

the contribution made by malt, yeast, hops, water and importantly

fermentation and manufacturing characteristics. Note the balance of

each is critical for a good beer.

The final measure for beer is its aftertaste and this is the residual

finish of flavour after the beer has been swallowed. The aftertaste

allows for some impressionable input from a judge but also aids in

identifying faults or more positively, appreciating characteristics such

as maltiness or hoppiness.

Good questions to ask when appraising beer include “How would I

most enjoy this beer?”, “Would I have more than one?”, “Would I be

happy to share this beer with a friend?” and most importantly “Do I

personally like this beer?”

3) THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE JUDGE

When it comes to beer you can be forgiven for thinking that everyone

is an expert. It is important to note that just because you’ve driven

a lot of cars, travelled many miles or shared an enormous amount of

driving experiences doesn’t make you a better mechanic.

The best skill for being a great judge is from experience. The more

beers you try, the more books you read, the more brewers you speak

to and the more you can co-ordinate this information into some

resemblance of order, the better a judge you can become. Like singing

and music, the appreciation and feeling a judge gets from the palate

varies from individual to individual, some are in tune, some are not.

Before judging it is great to have some reference for classifying beer

and the best is a copy of beer guidelines such as the BJCP, which set

out criteria and classification of styles and include flavour profiles and

characteristics, which should or shouldn’t be present.

Reading brewer’s notes or descriptors on products can help with

identifying some flavour components in beer but be wary. Notes on

packaging are often more about marketing and what someone wants

to believe is in the beer, rather than the beer’s true taste.

By sharing judging experiences with others you can pick up some

different tips for what works for you. An example of a tip once shared

with me was “Make sure when you take the beer into your mouth that

you have a moment where you hold some of the liquid in your mouth and

breathe in”, this for me can help accentuate flavour in the beer, a tip I

continue to follow today.

A good way to find the best beers is to review medal-winning beers

by searching the respective websites of the major events. The more

frequently a beer wins medals and the more widely across different

events it wins medals then the more credible the beer.

Accreditation to support judging can be gained from studies in

beer judging, food pairing, fault training and more formally through

Cicerone programs such as ‘Beer Savvy’ and ‘Beer Cicerone’ (beer’s

answer to sommeliers of wine).

HOW TO TASTE BEER

It’s important to give the beer a strong swirl to release aromas when judging



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BEER FAULTSTHERE ARE A NUMBER OF BEER FAULTS TO BE AWARE OF WHEN JUDGING AND BREWING. BELOW IS A LIST OF BEER FAULT CHARACTERISTICS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FROM THE BJCP GUIDELINES 2015

AcetaldehydeCharacteristics: Fresh

cut green apples

Possible solutions:

Make sure fermentation

is vigorous using

healthy yeast. Allow

full attenuation. Leave

beer on yeast longer.

Oxygenate wort fully.

Try another yeast strain.

Make sure sufficient

yeast nutrients are

available. Let beer

age longer.

Light-struck Characteristics: Skunky,

catty

Possible solutions:

Don’t expose wort/beer

to sunlight after hops

have been added. Don’t

use clear or green glass

bottles. Avoid use of

cluster hops in late hop

additions.

Medicinal(chlorophenolic)

Characteristics:

Chloraseptic, medicine

cabinet

Possible solutions:

Avoid water with chlorine

or chloramines (use RO

water if necessary). Avoid

bleach sanitisers. Reduce

astringency/grain husk

sources. Avoid excessive

whole hop use. Check

for infection.

DMS (DimethylSulfide)

Characteristics:

Cooked corn

Possible solutions:

Use a long, rolling, open

boil. Reduce amount of

Pilsner malt. Cool quickly

before pitching yeast.

Check for infection. Make

sure you use a healthy,

vigorous yeast starter.

Metallic Characteristics: Iron,

copper, coins, blood

Possible solutions:

Check water for metallic

ions. Reduce water

salts. Check equipment

condition for rust. Make

sure stainless steel

equipment is properly

passivated. Fully rinse

sanitiser. Try using RO

water and add salts

as needed.

Solvent/Fusel Characteristics: Hot

burning on palate

Possible solutions:

Lower fermentation

temperature. Pitch a

sufficient quantity of

healthy, active yeast.

Check for infection. Try a

different yeast strain.

Sour/Acidic Characteristics: Lactic

acid, citric acid, sharp,

clean sourness

Possible solutions:

Check for infection.

Check yeast strain. Don’t

mash for long periods of

time at low temperatures.

Smoky(Phenolic)

Characteristics: Smoke-

like, charcoal, burnt

Possible solutions:

Check for scorched mash

or boil. Check excessive

use of dark malts. Check

for infection.

Sulfury Characteristics: Rotten

eggs, burning matches

Possible solutions:


Check water for

excessive sulfates. Check

yeast health. Check for

yeast autolysis (beer

left on yeast too long at

warm temperatures). Try

another yeast strain.

Vinegary Characteristics:

Acetic acid, vinegar-like

sourness

Possible solutions:


Check yeast strain. Check

for oxidation sources

(acetobacter is aerobic).

HOW TO TASTE BEER


HOW TO TASTE BEER

EsteryCharacteristics: Fruity

Possible solutions:

Lower fermentation

temperature. Try a

cleaner yeast strain.

Oxygenate wort

sufficiently. Reduce

original gravity. Check

hop variety for fruity

characteristics. Avoid

carrying over excessive

break into fermenter.

Pitch a sufficient quantity

of yeast. Bottle condition

and age beer longer at

cellar temperatures to

reduce esters.

Astringent Characteristics: Mouth-

puckering, lingering

harshness

Possible solutions:

Don’t oversparge. Don’t

overcrush grain. Don’t

boil grain. Don’t sparge

with water above 77°C.

Don’t sparge with water

with a high pH (over 6).

Use water with lower

sulfate content. Use less

dark grains. Use less

whole hops (especially

high-alpha hops or simply

large quantities of hops).

Avoid use of raw spices,

fruit pith and fruit skins.

Alcoholic/HotCharacteristics: Spicy,

vinous, warming from

ethanol and higher

alcohols

Possible solutions:

Lower fermentation

temperature. Use a less

attenuative yeast strain.

Check yeast health. Use

less fermentables. Use

less sugary adjuncts.

Check for possible

infection. Raise mash

temperature. Let beer

age longer before

consuming.

Grassy Characteristics: Fresh-

cut grass, green leaves

Possible solutions:

Lower fermentation

temperature. Try a

cleaner yeast strain.

Oxygenate wort

sufficiently. Reduce

original gravity. Check

hop variety for fruity

characteristics. Avoid

carrying over excessive

break into fermenter.

Pitch a sufficient quantity

of yeast). Bottle condition

and age beer longer at

cellar tempeatures.

DiacetylCharacteristics: Buttery,

butterscotch, popcorn

Possible solutions: Try

another yeast strain.

Oxygenate wort before

fermentation. Reduce

primary fermentation

temperature. Use a

warmer/longer secondary

fermentation. Use

healthy yeast in sufficient

quantity. Make sure

sufficient yeast nutrients

are available. Check for

infection. Allow beer to

rest on yeast until fully

attenuated. Don’t rack,

filter or fine too early.

Musty Characteristics: Stale,

mouldy, cellar-like

Possible solutions:

Avoid oxidation (see

oxidised). Check

sanitation. Avoid peat-

smoked malt. Check

water for freshness

and taste. Use fresh

ingredients (especially

malt and hops).

Oxidised Characteristics: Stale,

papery, cardboard

Possible solutions:

Check for oxygen being

introduced into beer

post-fermentation. Don’t

splash when racking/

bottling. Check caps and/

or keg seals for good fit.

Purge bottles/kegs with

CO2 prior to filling. Store

beer cool. Drink beer

when fresh.

Spicy (Phenolic) Characteristics: Clove,

pepper, vanilla, etc.

Possible solutions:

Use a different yeast

strain and/or hop variety.

Adjust fermentation

temperature (sometimes

higher, sometimes lower,

depending on yeast

strain and beer style).

Vegetal Characteristics:

Cooked, canned or rotten

vegetables (cabbage,

celery, onion, asparagus,

parsnip)

Possible solutions:

Encourage a fast,

vigorous fermentation

(use a healthy, active

starter to reduce lag

time; this is often due to

bacterial contamination

of wort before yeast

becomes established).

Check sanitation. Check

for aged, stale, or old

ingredients (especially

old liquid malt extract).

Yeasty Characteristics: Bready,

sulfury, yeast-like

Possible solutions:

Use a more flocculent

yeast strain. Allow

yeast sufficient time to

flocculate. Filter beer or

use clarifying agents.

Avoid carrying over as

much yeast. Age the

beer longer. Try another

yeast strain.

Autumn 2016 37

2015 Trophy Winning Australian BeersA GOOD WAY TO FIND THE BEST EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT BEER STYLES IS TO

REVIEW MEDAL-WINNING BEERS FROM MAJOR BEER EVENTS. BELOW IS A LIST OF SOME 2015 TROPHY WINNING AUSTRALIAN BEERS TO TRY

Beer Brewery Show AwardSimmy Minion Modus Operandi Brewing Co. CBIA Craft Beer Awards Champion Pale Ale

Napoleone Brewers American Pale Ale

Napoleone Brewers Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show Champion Pale/Golden Ale (Pack)

Murray’s Moon Boy Murray’s Craft Brewing Co. Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show Champion Pale/Golden Ale (Draught)

Eagle Bay Pale Ale Eagle Bay Brewing Co. Perth Royal Beer Show Champion American Style Pale Ale (Pack)

12 Paws Smiling Samoyed Brewery Royal Adelaide Beer Show Champion Australian Style Pale Ale

James Squire One Fifty Lashes Malt Shovel Brewery Perth Royal Beer Show Champion Australian Style Pale Ale (Pack)

Pirate Life Pale Ale Pirate Life Brewing Perth Royal Beer Show Champion American Style Pale Ale (Draught)

Hawthorn Pale Ale Hawthorn Brewing Company Royal Adelaide Beer Show Champion American Style Pale Ale

Little Creatures Pilsner Little Creatures Brewing CBIA Craft Beer Awards Champion Light Lager

Lovedale Lager Sydney Brewery Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show Champion Beer and Champion Lager – Pilsner Style (Draught)

Emu Export Lager Lion Nathan Perth Royal Beer Show Champion Australian Style Lager (Pack)

Mumme Returns Indian Ocean Brewing Co. Perth Royal Beer Show Champion Lager Draught – Other

West End Draught Lion Nathan Royal Adelaide Beer Show Champion Australian Style Lager

Vale Dark Vale Brewing Royal Adelaide Beer Show Champion Amber/Dark Lager

Hunter Bock Hunter Beer Co. CBIA Craft Beer Awards Champion Dark Lager

4 Pines Keller Door American Amber Ale

4 Pines Brewing Co. CBIA Craft Beer Awards Champion Amber/Dark Ale

Smiling Samoyed Dark Ale Smiling Samoyed Brewery Royal Adelaide Beer Show Champion Amber/Dark Ale

Sligo Extra Stout FogHorn Brewhouse CBIA Craft Beer Awards Champion Porter/Stout

Murray’s Wild Thing Murray’s Craft Brewing Co. Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show Champion Porter/Stout (Pack)

Silent Knight Porter Modus Operandi Brewing Co. Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show Champion Porter/Stout (Draught)

Return of the Dread Little Creatures Brewing Perth Royal Beer Show Champion Stout (Pack)

Flaming Lamington Nail Brewing Perth Royal Beer Show Champion Stout (Draught)

HOW TO TASTE BEER



HOW TO TASTE BEER

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Beer Brewery Show AwardGoodieson Stout Goodieson Brewery Royal Adelaide Beer

ShowChampion Stout

Pink Boots Society Victoria Cherry Saison

Two Birds Brewing CBIA Craft Beer Awards

Champion French/Belgian Style

Flat Rock Brew Café Barrel Aged French Sour

Flat Rock Brew Café Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show

Champion Specialty (Draught)

Watermelon Warhead Feral Brewing Co. CBIA Craft Beer Awards

Champion Beer

Duckstein Hefeweizen Duckstein Brewery Perth Royal Beer Show

Champion Wheat (Draught)

Matilda Bay Redback Original

Matilda Bay Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show

Champion Bottled Beer and Champion Wheat (Pack)

Billabong Wheat Billabong Brewing Perth Royal Beer Show

Champion Wheat (Pack)

3 Quarter Time Newstead Brewing Co. CBIA Craft Beer Awards

Champion Specialty Beer

Zoo Feeder IPA Modus Operandi Brewing Co.

CBIA Craft Beer Awards

Champion IPA

Windsor IPA Beeblebrox Beverages Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show

Champion Pale/Golden Ale (Draught)

Pirate Life IIPA Pirate Life Brewing Perth Royal Beer Show

Champion IPA (Pack)

Copy Cat Mash Brewing Perth Royal Beer Show

Champion IPA (Draught)

Prancing Pony India Red Ale

Prancing Pony Brewery

Royal Adelaide Beer Show

Champion IPA

Former Tenant Red IPA

Modus Operandi Brewing Co.

Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show

Champion Strong Beer (Draught)

Redoak Bitter Redoak Brewery Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show

Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer (Draught)

Gage Roads Pils 3.5 Gage Roads Brewing Co.

Perth Royal Beer Show

Champion Reduced Alcohol (Draught)

Yenda Red Australian Beer Company

Royal Adelaide Beer Show

Champion Reduced Alcohol

Purple Stain Mash Brewing Perth Royal Beer Show

Champion reduced Alcohol (Pack)

3 Ravens Dark 3 Ravens Brewery Perth Royal Beer Show

Champion Ale (Draught)

Seeing Double Brewboys Royal Adelaide Beer Show

Champion Ale - Other

“LIKE SINGING AND MUSIC, THE APPRECIATION AND FEELINGA JUDGE GETS FROM THE PALATE VARIES FROM INDIVIDUAL TOINDIVIDUAL, SOME ARE IN TUNE, SOME ARE NOT” – IAN KINGHAM

101 BEERS

THE FINAL INSTALMENT TO BEER�&�BREWER’S ULTIMATE BEER BUCKET LIST WITH THE LAST 51 OF OUR 101�BEERS�TO�TRY�BEFORE�YOU�DIE

101 Beers To Try Before You Die - Part 2

We hope you’ve been making your way

through the first half of our list of 101 Beers

To Try Before You Die from our Summer

Issue. With the selection of Australian and

international craft never looking healthier,

we wanted to put together a list of the

best beers you can drink. These ales and lagers range from those that

colour outside the lines to well-loved classics. We have tried to get a

good cross-section of styles and have also taken into account recent

award wins.

With so many incredible beers to choose from it was tough to whittle

it down to just 101, but here goes.


101 BEERS

Wild ThingImperial Stout

Murray’s Craft Brewing Co., Australia10% ABV, 330ml

Imperial stout

Jet black in colour, this

beer is full of intense

chocolate aromas that

lead to a full-bodied

chocolate, coffee, caramel

extravaganza. Aggressive

hop bitterness balances

the malt sweetness.

Black Lung IVMoon Dog Craft Brewery, Australia8.7% ABV, 330ml

Imperial stout

Aged in American oak

barrels, this peated stout

has intense flavours of

smoke, mocha, wood

and whisky. The rich,

satisfying mouthfeel

will leave you gasping

for more.

Lovedale LagerSydney Brewery, Australia4.7% ABV, 330ml

Lager

A traditional Munich-

style lager, Lovedale

Lager took home

Champion Draught Beer

at the 2015 Sydney Royal

Beer & Cider Show. An

impressive, well-crafted

lager by brewer Michael

Capaldo.

WeihenstephanerKorbinian

Weihenstephan Brewery, Germany7.4% ABV, 500ml

Dark doppelbock

A great example of a

dark doppelbock, this

full-bodied beer has

flavours of roasted nuts,

caramel and chocolate.

Brewed according to

centuries-old brewing

tradition on the

Weihenstephan Hill.

Pliny TheYounger

Russian River Brewing Co., USA10.25% ABV, on-tap

Imperial IPA

Pliny the Younger has

triple the amount of hops

as a standard IPA and is

dry hopped a whopping

four times! A very limited

release beer so get along

to the brewery’s pub the

first Friday of February to

try it.

Hitachino NestWhite Ale

Kiuchi Brewery, Japan5.5% ABV, 330ml

Witbier

This beer with the

characteristic cute owl

logo is great for the hot

Australian summer. Classic

witbier aromas lead to

refreshing flavours of

orange peel, clove, ginger

and coriander, with some

malt sweetness.

Milk and TwoSugars

BrewCult, Australia7.2% ABV, 500ml

Imperial milk stout

Winner of the Beer�&�

Brewer�People’s�Choice

at GABS last year,

Milk and Two Sugars

is crafted with 3,000

espresso shots, 120 litres

of cold drip coffee and

vanilla beans. Make mine

a double!

Chateau SourRedoak Brewery, Australia5% ABV, 330ml

Flanders red ale

Winner of Champion

Bottled Beer at the 2014

Sydney Royal Beer &

Cider Show and Supreme

Champion at the 2014

International Beer

Challenge. Distinct reddish

colour, gentle malt, no hop

bitterness, with a sour dry

finish.

Sprocket BentSpoke Brewing, Australia6.7% ABV, on-tap

& travellers

India pale ale

Crafted by the genius

that is Richard Watkins,

Sprocket is packed full

of tropical, citrus aromas

that do not disappoint on

the palate. A wonderfully,

well-balanced IPA.

Ann Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA6.5% ABV, 750ml

Barrel-aged saison

Hill Farmstead Brewery

was named 2015 Best

Brewery in the World

and Best Brewery in

the USA and Vermont

by RateBeer. Ann is the

French oak wine barrel

aged version of Anna, the

brewery’s honey saison.

Autumn 2016 41

ArmageddonI.P.A.

Epic Brewing Co., New Zealand6.66% ABV, 500ml

American IPA

This US-inspired IPA could

be to blame for the global

hop shortage. Packed full

of Cascade, Columbus,

Centennial and Simcoe

hops, this is a citrus,

grapefruit extravaganza! If

this is what Armageddon

looks like, bring it on.

Korben D IIPAAkasha Brewing Co., Australia 8.5% ABV, on-tap

Imperial IPA

Since leaving Riverside

last year, Dave Padden

has wasted no time

– setting up his own

brewery, Akasha, and

already carving out a cult

following for his beers like

summer seasonal Korben

D IIPA. More please!

Ramjet Boatrocker Brewery, Australia10.6% ABV, 330ml

Whisky barrel aged

imperial stout

Named People’s�Choice�

Best�Beer�at three

consecutive Good Beer

Week Gala Showcases, this

beer is fast developing a

cult following. Released in

seriously limited numbers,

do whatever you can to

get your hands on it!

Black Tokyo*Horizon

BrewDog, Nogne O and Mikkeller (collab), Scotland15.2% ABV, 330ml

Imperial stout

A three-way collaboration

bringing together the

forces of each brewery’s

powerhouse stouts,

Mikkeller’s Black,

Brewdog’s Tokyo and

Nøgne Ø’s Dark Horizon.

RodenbachGrand Cru

Rodenbach Brewery, Belgium6% ABV, 330ml

Flemish red-brown

Crafted with a blend of

one-third young beer and

two-thirds beer aged for

two years in oak vats,

Rodenbach Grand Cru

is a complex beer full of

fruity, wood and vinous

flavours.

Hedgerow 2015Van Dieman, Australia 6.6% ABV, 330ml

Barrel aged sour ale

An interesting, complex

sour from Tasmania.

Aromas of citrus and

malt sweetness lead to

funky Christmas cake

flavours of port, figs,

spices and malt.

Sunset Ale Two Birds Brewing, Australia4.6% ABV, 330ml

Red/amber ale

A well-balanced award-

winning beer, Sunset Ale

has tropical notes that

intertwine brilliantly

with toffee malts to

create a very drinkable,

flavoursome beer.

Black Malts &Body Salts

To Ol, Denmak9.9% ABV, 330ml

Black IIPA

To Øl brewers, Tobias

Emil Jensen and Tore

Gynther, like to colour

outside the lines. Infused

with French press coffee

this imperial black IPA

has hints of smoke, pine,

espresso and rich dark

chocolate.

Fuller’s ESB Fuller’s Brewery, UK5.9% ABV, 500ml

Extra special bitter

As English as fish ‘n’

chips and Her Royal

Highness, Fuller’s ESB

has a wonderful rich

mahogany appearance,

aromas of cherry,

caramel and orange,

and full bodied grassy,

peppery and citrus

flavours.

Day of The DeadGarage Project, New Zealand6.7% ABV, 650ml

Fruit and spice

While a beer brewed with

smoked chipotle chillis,

raw cocoa nibs, vanilla

and agave may not be

for everyone, this is an

interesting example of

the style from a world-

class brewer. Give it a go,

it may surprise you!

101 BEERS


Storm TrooperImperial Pilsner

Australian Brewery/Feral Brewing (collab), Australia 8.1% ABV, 355ml

Imperial Pilsner

Hop master Brendan

Varis and Pilsner prodigy

Neal Cameron have

joined forces to create

an imperial Pilsner, which

packs a punch at 8.1%

ABV.

GrapefruitSculpin

Ballast Point Brewing, USA7% ABV, 355ml

India pale ale

World famous for its

IPAs, Ballast Point has

added grapefruit in this

variety with the tartness

perfectly complementing

the citrus hop flavour.

Also check out the

Habanero Sculpin if you

like things spicy!

Rogue ChocolateStout

Rogue Ales, USA5.8% ABV, 650ml

American stout

Rogue has a great range

of beers and this is no

exception. Jet black

in colour, this is a true

chocoholic’s beer. Not

too sweet, it’s full of

rich chocolate, oat and

hop flavours.

Two Metre TallBarrel Aged SourCherry Ale

Two Metre Tall, Australia6.4% ABV, 750ml

Sour/wild ale

One of Australia’s

most exciting brewers,

Ashley Huntington was

experimenting with

sours years before they

gained the ever-growing

following they have

today.

Stone Beer Stone & Wood, Australia6.4% ABV, 500ml

Altbier

A favourite among the

Beer�&�Brewer�team,

Stone Beer is launched

in limited amounts at the

brewery’s annual Festival

of the Stone in May. The

2015 release used 11

different malts so we’re

excited to see what

2016 brings!

GreenTree House Brewing Co., USA7.5% ABV, 500ml

American IPA

Made with Australian

and American hops,

this bitter, citrus heavy

IPA showcases notes of

pineapple, tangerine and

orange rind. Named after

the initial batch in which

post boil the wort looked

green from so much hop

particles floating around.

The AbyssDeschutes Brewery, USA12.2%, 650ml

Imperial stout

At 12.2% ABV this is a

monster of a beer, with

masses of depth and

complexity. Alluring

flavours of vanilla,

molasses, liquorice

abound. Do yourself

a favour and head

down into the deep,

dark Abyss.

Bourbon CountyBrand Barleywine

Goose Island Beer Co., USA12.1% ABV, 500ml

Barleywine

Aged in the third-use

barrels that were home

to Kentucky bourbon and

then Bourbon County

Stout, this award-winning

traditional English-style

barleywine has flavours

of oak, vanilla, charcoal,

tobacco and spice.

Pirate Life IIPAPirate Life Brewing, Australia8.8% ABV, 500ml

Imperial IPA

Pirate Life burst onto the

Australian craft brewing

scene in a haze of hop

glory last year. It takes

balls to open with an

imperial IPA but that’s

just what brewers Red

and Jack did and it’s an

absolute cracker.

Moa ImperialStout

Moa Brewing Co., New Zealand10.2% ABV, 500ml

Imperial stout

Hopped to more than

100IBUs, this is not

your average imperial

stout. Aged with French

oak, this beer displays

rich coffee, mocha and

smoked oak flavours. A

great one to cellar and

watch it develop.

101 BEERS

Autumn 2016 43

MacBatchBatch Brewing Co., Australia7.4% ABV, 640ml

Scotch ale

Aged on oak for two

months, MacBatch

contains generous

amounts Gladfield Malt

creating delicious toffee

and caramel flavours

with hints of spice and

smoke to balance.

Beer GeekBreakfast

Mikkeller, Denmark7.5% ABV, 330ml

Oatmeal stout

The beer that kick-

started Mikkeller’s

international success,

Beer Geek Breakfast is

an oatmeal stout crafted

with French press coffee.

Flavours of smoke,

coffee, roasted malts and

dark chocolate abound.

ParabolaFirestone Walker Brewing Co., USA13.1% ABV, 650ml

Russian imperial stout

Often ranked among the

best beers in the world,

Parabola is a beer of dark

intensity. Aged for a year

in a blend of bourbon

barrels, this beast has

flavours of rich, chewy

roasted malts, charred

oak and vanilla.

KöstritzerSchwarzbier

Köstritzer Brewery, Germany4.8% ABV, 330ml

Black lager

The poster beer for how

looks can be deceiving.

Germany’s number

one black lager has a

distinctive dark almost

black appearance and

malty flavour but is light

and refreshing like

a lager.

Leipziger GoseBayerischer Bahnhof, Germany4.5% ABV, 330ml

German Gose

A reasonably rare style,

Gose is a good stepping

stone between regular

and mouth-puckering

sour beers. This example

has been brewed with the

addition of coriander, salt

and lactic acid, making

it salty, tart and very

quaffable.

Boris Feral Brewing Co., Australia9.1% ABV, 330ml

Russian imperial stout

Pouring jet black with a

rich, almost gelatinous

full body, Boris is

packed full of roasted

malt, coffee, chocolate,

caramel and raisin

flavours.

Old ChubOskar Blues Brewery, USA8% ABV, 355ml

Scotch ale

Bit of a malt head? Well

wrap your jaws around

this Scottish strong ale,

which is brewed with

masses of malted barley,

specialty grains and a

smidge of beechwood-

smoked malt. Packed

full of smoky coffee and

chocolate flavours.

God JulNogne O, Norway8.5% ABV, 330ml

American strong ale

Brewed for the

Christmas season, this

is a strong, dark, sweet

beer. Complex caramel

flavours intertwine with

notes of spice, ginger,

berries, peppermint,

chocolate and coffee. A

Christmas cracker!

Stone RuinationDouble IPA 2.0

Stone Brewing Co., USA8.5% ABV, 355ml

Double IPA

Dubbed ‘a liquid poem

to the glory of the hop’,

Stone Ruination IPA

was the first full-time

brewed and bottled West

Coast double IPA. The

2.0 squeezes as much

hop flavour and aroma

possible into one bottle.

Dinner Maine Beer Co., USA8.2% ABV, 500ml

Double IPA

With a rating of 100

by both BeerAdvocate�

and�RateBeer it is hard

to go past Maine’s first

double IPA, Dinner. Dry

hopped twice with more

than six pounds of hops

per barrel, this is a dry,

refreshing beer packed

full of flavour.

101 BEERS


TipopilsBirrificio Italiano, Italy5.2% ABV, 375ml

Pilsner

Citrus and grassy hop

aromas lead to flavours

of honey and cereal

topped with floral

hints of chamomile. A

clean, classic, beautiful

Pilsner that is incredibly

drinkable and perfect for

a hot Aussie summer.

Taddy PorterSamuel Smith Old Brewery, UK5% ABV, 550ml

Brewed with water

drawn from 85 feet

underground from a

well sunk in 1758 and

fermented in open

top vessels known

as ‘stone Yorkshire

squares’, this is a beer

that stood the test of

time for good reason.

Alaskan SmokedPorter

Alaskan Brewing Company, USA6.5% ABV, 650ml

Smoked porter

Known as ‘rauchbier’

in Germany, smoke-

flavoured beers were

virtually unknown in the

US until Alaskan Smoked

Porter was developed in

1988. Dark, robust and

smoky this beer may be

aged in the bottle.

The PilsnerAustralian Brewery 4.8% ABV, 355ml

Pilsner

Crafted by Pilsner pro

Neal Cameron, this

beer is brewed with

the palest Australian

malts and bags of NZ

and US hops. While it

errs to the bitter end

of the scale, it’s still

balanced and very

smashable.

Double SunshineIPA

Lawson’s Finest Liquids, USA8% ABV, 500ml

Double IPA

This beer can only be

described as hopilicious.

Big juicy American hops

with notes of grapefruit,

tangerine and melon

are supported perfectly

by the malt. Nice hop

bitterness at the end

makes this a true classic.

Rosé deGambrinus

Cantillon, Belgium5% ABV, 375ml

Lambic style – fruit

A wonderful example

of a traditional

raspberry lambic

(framboise), Rosé de

Gambrinus has an

aroma and flavour

of sour raspberries

with a dry, refreshing

finish.

Schneider WeisseTAP 6 UnserAventinus

Schneider Weisse, Germany8.2% ABV, 500ml

Wheat doppelbock

This multi award-winning

beer is often recognised

as a great example of this

style. Dark ruby in colour

this is a deep and complex

wheat doppelbock with

notes of bananas, raisins

and rich caramel.

Yenda RedAustralian Beer Co., Australia 3.5% ABV, 330ml

Reduced alcohol ale

Australia often

leads the way

when it comes to

mid-strength beers

due to the taxation

system and this is

a fine example of

the category. Full-

flavoured for the ABV.

Heady TopperThe Alchemist, USA8% ABV, 500ml

American double IPA

Small, family-run

brewery, The Alchemist,

specialises in fresh,

unfiltered IPA and is

focused on brewing one

beer perfectly – Heady

Topper. Hops take centre

stage here but without

any astringent bitterness.

WindjammerIPA

Green Beacon Brewing Co, Australia 6% ABV, 375ml

India pale ale

This beer is all about

the hops. This dry

hopped ale has

aromas of sweet

orange, spicy citrus

and resinous pine

that lead to a sweet

malt flavour.

101 BEERS

IgorRed Duck, Australia10% ABV, 500ml

Porter

At 10% ABV this

is a BIG beer. With

ingredients that

are more akin to a

chocolate brownie

recipe – Muscovado

sugar, molasses,

coffee and chocolate

– this beer is rich and

luscious.

Autumn 2016 45

This issue we welcome back Andrew Childs, who

is back brewing at Behemoth and contributing to

our magazine after a freak brewing accident in

New Zealand last November. And as always he’s

got something interesting for us in the form of the

double IPA he was making when the kettle burst,

spraying him with boiling wort (pg52). Glad to hear

you’re on the recovery mate!

We also have a feature on Randy Mosher, the man

who introduced many around the world to radical

brewing through his beer bible of the same name.

The recipe he provides hails back to when radical

didn’t just mean open slather (pg56).

We’re also rapt to be back with another

collaboration – this time with Choice Bros from

New Zealand and an Easter-themed beer (pg58).

Unfortunately it will only be released in NZ so

Australian brewers help yourself to the recipe for

Hop X Bun!

We drop in to help brew with a homebrewer who

has notched up his 800th brew (pg54), get a beer

education (pg60) and get our man John Palmer to

look into HERMS and RIMS systems (pg48).

Chris

Homebrewer editorChris ThomasHomebrewer�Editor�[email protected]

Check out page 58 for the full article on our collaboration brew with Choice Bros and more!

46 Welcome 47 Letters48 Q&A 50 Recipes for the season54 Homebrewer profile56 Randy Mosher58 Collaboration brew60 Beer education62 Homebrew club

“WITH ANY BEERS THAT ARE LOOSELY BASED ON A FOOD, MY FIRST RESEARCH POINT IS A COOKBOOK,” – KERRY GRAY, CHOICE BROS

Editor’s letterHOM

EBREWER

46 Home Brewer

DEAR BEER & BREWER,Your last few magazines have come at a

great time for me as I’ve been transitioning

from extract brewing to all grain brew in a

bag (BIAB). From your Autumn Issue (and

with the help of a mate) I’ve constructed a

counter-flow wort chiller (great time saver),

Winter Issue gave good information on the

all grain process and the Spring Issue has

encouraged me to do my first yeast starter in

a pale ale I brewed over the weekend.

As I was extract brewing previously,

my gear is very basic, consisting of a

modified 30L pot (I’ve added a ball valve for

recirculation purposes), which I use for both

mashing and boiling, the bag, a second 20L

pot where I carry out a rudimentary ‘dunk’

sparge and a gas burner.

I have some questions in relation to

brewhouse efficiency. With some help from

my local home brew guy and some trial and

error, I know that due to the basic nature of

my gear and the limitations that places on my

method, I can reasonably expect to achieve

around 65 per cent efficiency, albeit at the

sacrifice of a few litres on occasion (my last

brew hit the desired OG of 1.048 in a 25 litre

brew with my final volume at 21 litres).

Whilst I plan to eventually upgrade my

gear, it’s just not in the budget in the short

term. Without dropping big dollars on better

gear, are there any tricks/techniques that I

could try to improve my efficiency? Secondly,

I love looking through your recipes however

most don’t appear to give an efficiency

rating. Are they assumed to be at 100 per cent

(is that even achievable?) and by using some

brewing software can I adjust accordingly?

Cheers,

Scott Fraser

Hey Scott,

Glad to hear the articles are useful and you are

making the most of the mag!

Most recipes will have an assumed approximate

brewhouse efficiency of around 75 per cent

unless otherwise stated. Brewhouse efficiency is

the percentage or amount of extract that can be

expected from a given malt from your brewery

equipment and process. And no, 100 per cent is

not possible as there will always be some residual

sugars in the spent grain. An efficiency which is

too high will also mean higher levels of unwanted

astringency and tannins from the grain husk.

Whilst it is an important piece of information to

know when formulating and brewing recipes,

don’t get too hung up on this figure. A good way

to increase efficiency is to look at the size of grain

particle you are getting from the mill – and a

smaller particle will produce a better yield or

efficiency. Also look at the water to grain ratio

and aim for about 2.5 to 3 parts water to 1 part

grain. 65 per cent isn’t too bad for brew in a bag.

Look at your grain crush and amount of brewing

liquor. You can also give the bag a gentle squeeze

to get more wort but do not wring it dry! Software

programs are not expensive and will help you with

all these areas too. Get onto Brewsmith2 or similar.

Jake Brandish

Homebrewer technical editor

LettersWRITE IN FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! TELL US WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND BY EMAILING [email protected] OR THROUGH OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS FACEBOOK.COM/BEERANDBREWER OR WWW.TWITTER.COM/BEERANDBREWER

EDITOR’S CHOICE LETTERDear Beer�&�Brewer,

I would like to ask if you have

considered doing an article on the

different equipment used by the

hobby brewer for all grain brews?

I attended Beervana about

three years ago and attended Stu

McKinlay’s (Yeastie Boys) class. He

had a simple 3-tier system of chilly

bins and a boiling pot.

Having brewed average to slightly

above average extract brews for 30

years, I took the plunge. I bought a

tea urn (lauter tun), chilly bin (brew

pot) and a large pot (boiling kettle).

The results have been stunning and

my man cave is now visited by a

couple of neighbours regularly for

their favourite brew. I even won a first

in class at the national competition

last month.

My next question is where to from

here? I just love the Farra system, but

with the advent of the Grainmaster

and other single pot systems, should I

go there? Then of course we have the

master of them all – Blichmann.

I look forward to your reply,

hopefully in your magazine (yes I

have every issue).

Thank you,

Nigel

Thanks�for�your�query�Nigel�–�I�handed�

your�query�to�John�Palmer�who�has�

addressed�it�in�his�Q&A�on�page�48.�

Check�it�out.�And�enjoy�your�prize!

Both letters have won a copy of the Beer Buyer’s Guide Australia & New Zealand, valued

at $24.99.

The Editor’s Choice Letter has won an Ss Brewing

Technologies 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 Brew Bucket’s conical bottom allows trub to

settle out 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 2016 47

Q&A

Q: DEAR BEER & BREWER,I would like to ask if you have considered doing an article on the different

equipment used by the hobby brewer for all grain brews?

I attended Beervana about three years ago and attended Stu McKinlay’s (Yeastie

Boys) class. He had a simple 3-tier system of chilly bins and a boiling pot.

Having brewed average to slightly above average extract brews for 30 years, I

took the plunge. I bought a tea urn (lauter tun), chilly bin (brew pot) and a large

pot (boiling kettle). The results have been stunning and my man cave is now

visited by a couple of neighbours regularly for their favourite brew. I even won a

first in class at the national competition last month.

My next question is where to from here? I just love the Farra system, but with the

advent of the Grainmaster and other single pot systems, should I go there? Then of

course we have the master of them all – Blichmann.

I look forward to your reply, hopefully in your magazine (yes I have every issue).

Thank you,

Nigel

A: This is a question that many brewers ask themselves after several years

in the hobby, “How can I take this obsession to the next level?” For many

in the States, myself included, it is to be able to push a button and have the

mash be at our target temperature. The secret to unlimited brewing power is

control and for this we need to look into RIMS and HERMS set ups.

RIMS stands for Recirculating Infusion Mashing System and HERMS

stands for Heat Exchanger Recirculating Mash System. Notice that

recirculation is a key part of both of them. These methods both use a

wort pump to take the wort from the bottom of the mash through a heat

source and return it to the top of the mash. The pumped wort is heated

and gradually brings the entire mash to the set temperature as the wort

continually circulates.

A RIMS heater is typically a direct heat source, either an electric water

heater element, or a gas-fired burner. A HERMS uses a heat exchanger,

which is typically a copper coil that is placed in the hot water tank and the

wort is pumped through that. Both are very nifty systems, especially if you

buy fancy digital controllers that allow you to set a specific temperature,

which gives you documented evidence to show your mates that you planned

the whole thing.

Googling these acronyms will show you many sources for building or

buying RIMS and HERMS equipment. A word of warning, it can cost just

as much to build your own as it does to buy one, due to mistakes and time

spent; just saying.

As I mentioned earlier, there are three essential elements to one of these

systems: a pump, the heat source and the controller. The electric RIMS was

the original and it pumped the wort through a separate chamber containing

the 220V, high density water heater element. Later versions used water heater

gas valve assemblies to control gas flow to a burner under the mash tun. Both

RIMS, HERMS & Wheat

JOHN PALMER LOOKS AT HOW TO TAKE HOBBY BREWING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

HERMS coil in place in HLT

HERMS HLT set to 70°C

The HERMS set up

48 Home Brewer

types required a controller to monitor the temperature of the wort exiting

the heat chamber and to control the electricity or gas flow accordingly. Gas

systems use electric igniters or pilot lights to ignite the burner.

HERMS systems are a little different in that the hot water tank

is heated/controlled to the mash temperature, such that the wort

running through the coil and back to the mash tun is raised to the set

temperature in a non-scorchable way (which can happen in poorly

designed RIMS). The drawback to HERMS is that there can be a bit of

overshoot because of the thermal mass of the water in the hot liquor

tun (HLT). But, there are many ways to design these systems that can

alleviate that problem.

The most important consideration is: measure the wort temperature and

control the heating of the system at the point where the wort exits the heat

source. The reason is that you do not want the heated wort to rise above the

set temperature and denature the enzymes you intend to use! For example,

if you were controlling the heat supplied to the wort by sticking the

temperature probe in the middle of the mash, or worse yet in front of the

heat source, the controller can heat the wort well above the set temperature

as it attempts to bring the mash/cold wort to the set temperature.

Controlling the heat source by the wort exit temperature assures that the

wort is heated to the set temperature only and the constant recirculation

does the job of taking the grainbed to that temperature.

With a bit of internet research, time, and money (proportions may vary)

you can build a temperature control system for your mash that will result

in more consistent brewing of your favourite beers. Have fun!

Wheaties® Brown AleWheaties® is a popular breakfast cereal in the States, reputedly eaten by many star athletes. I’ve always enjoyed its hearty crisp flavour. I really like using a significant portion of wheat in pale ales, lagers and IPAs. Wheat doesn’t have as much residual sweetness as barley, so it makes the beer a bit drier and more refreshing while maintaining body and foam, which brewing with adjuncts like rice and corn can impact. The wheat and biscuit malt in this American brown ale recipe create a rich dry malt character without the burnt toast astringency that can plague some brown ales due to too much roast malt.

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1.065 FG: 1.016 ABV: 6.3% IBU: 50 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients4kg Pale Ale Malt

1.5kg Wheat Malt

500g Caramel 40L

250g Biscuit Malt

250g Chocolate Malt

25g Vic Secret (16%)

40g Willamette (5.2%)

40g Cascade (5.9%)

Safale US-05 or Wyeast 1056 American Ale

MethodMashing Schedule: We are using a step mash with this recipe, so get your RIMS or HERMS system ready. Increase in steps should be carried out over no more than 5 minutes per step. Don’t rush the steps, but conversely don’t take too long as you may produce the wrong type of wort. The benefit of step mashing is that the different temperature rests favour different enzymes, which will produce a particular type of enzyme activity and therefore sugar in the wort, rather than a single temperature infusion mash where a single temperature mash attempts to keep all the enzymes happy.

1. Water to grist ratio of 4 liters per kg (26 litres for this recipe)

2. Strike temperature of 54°C

3. First temperature rest at 50°C for 15 minutes (protein rest)

4. Raise temperature over 5 minutes to reach 65°C and do second temperature rest for 15 minutes (starch conversion)

5. Raise temperature over 5 minutes to reach 70°C and do third temperature rest for 15 minutes (mash out)

6. Sparge until SG is 1.056 and 26.5L

7. Add Vic Secret hops at beginning of boil

8. Add Willamette and Cascade at flame out and allow 10 minutes for whirlpool or rest to let hot break drop out

9. Chill to 19°C and pitch yeast

10. Bottle or keg as normal and enjoy!

RIMS element with manifold complete with

tri-clover fittings Image courtesy of Keg King

RIMS element in its manifold

Image courtesy of Keg King

Autumn 2016 49

Extract Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1.044 FG: 1.008 ABV: 4.2% IBU: 27.3 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients1.5kg Wheat Malt Extract

1.7kg Light Dry Malt extract

10g Dr Rudi Hops

50g Amarillo Hops

50g Cascade Hops

½ Whirlfloc Tablet

2 Mangrove Jack’s M44 US West Coast Yeast

Method1. In a 20L stock pot, heat up 15L of water,

add the light dry malt extract and bring to the boil

2. Start the 60 minute timer and add the Dr Rudi bittering hops

3. 10 minutes from end of boil add 30g Cascade and 30g Amarillo hops, as well as ½ whirlfloc tablet

4. At the 60 minute mark, add a further 10g each of Cascade and Amarillo Hops and remove from the heat source

5. Chill the beer as quickly as possible either with a drop in wort chiller or by putting the pot in a sink full of ice and water

6. Transfer to the fermenter, pitch both packs of yeast and ferment at 18-22°C for seven days

7. Add a further dry hop addition with 10g of both Cascade and Amarillo, and then allow to sit at 18°C for four-five days

8. Chill the beer to 2°C for two-three days then bottle or keg as normal

RECIPES

No Rulz Does WheatHOT WEATHER HERALDS THE ARRIVAL OF WHEAT BEER. THERE ARE TRADITIONAL WITS,

HEFEWEIZEN OR WEISSBIER BUT LET’S ALLOW MARTIN POTTER TO APPLY HIS NO RULZ TO THE NEW WORLD OF AMERICAN WHEATS

In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in demand for the post-modern era American-style wheat beers, which bring bolder flavours from

hops on an unmistakable wheat beer base. For grain brewers, you can make life easier at the mash tun by reducing the wheat to 25-30 per

cent and still have it sing to your tastebuds.

Hopping is a personal thing, but most American wheat beers are about enjoying the refreshing flavour rather than a one-hit session,

so I keep most of mine around the 20-30 IBU for the paler versions and up around the 40-50 IBU for darker versions.

All Grain Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1.048 FG: 1.008 ABV: 4.8% IBU: 28 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients3.75kg Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt 1.25kg Barrett Burston Wheat Malt 350g Rice Hulls (not needed for BIAB)14g Warrior Hops40g Cascade Hops40g Riwaka Hops Mangrove Jack’s M44 US West Coast Yeast at 18°C under temperature controlFinings

Method1. Mash in for beta glucanase rest 10 minutes at 45°C

2. Raise to 66°C for 40 minutes

3. Raise to 72°C for 30 minutes

4. Mash out at 76°C for 10 minutes, then sparge

5. Boil for 60 minutes, adding 14g of Warrior at the beginning

6. With 10 minutes left in the boil add 20g Cascade and 20g Riwaka hops

7. Whirlpool, then chill (or use a no-chill cube) and transfer to the fermenter

8. Pitch yeast and ferment at 18°C for seven days, before dry hopping with 20g Riwaka and 20g Cascade for four days

9. Rapidly chill to 2°C, add finings (as per product instructions) and hold for two days before transferring to kegs or bottling

Note:�Adding�150g�Roasted�Wheat�and�150g�Midnight�Wheat�will�make�a�dark�American�wheat,�which�lends�itself�to�higher�bitterness�(30-35�IBU)�along�with�a�larger�dry�hop�(Riwaka�and�Citra�make�a�great�combination).

Keep�an�eye�on�the�Mash�pH�as�it�can�get�low�quickly�and�you�may�need�to�buffer�with�some�carbonate�if�using�larger�amounts�of�dark�roasted�malts.�

Concentrate Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1.044 FG: 1.008 ABV: 4.4% IBU: 27 Volume: 23 litres

IngredientsMangrove Jack’s Traditional Series Blonde Lager Pouch

1.5kg Briess CBW Bavarian Wheat

Safale US-05

45g Azacca Hops

45g Cascade Hops

Method1. Steep 20g Azacca hops

and 20g Cascade hops in 500ml of boiling water, cover and stand for 10 minutes

2. Add to the fermenter, along with the malt extract from the kit and the extract. Add 5L of cold water and stir well. Keep adding cold tap water and stir well up to 23L

3. Pitch the yeast and ferment at 18-20°C

4. On day seven, add a further 25g Azacca and 25g Casacde into the fermenter and allow to sit at 18°C for a further four-five days

5. Chill the beer for two-three days, then transfer to your bottles or keg as usual

Hop Your Wheat – An American Wheat Beer

50 Home Brewer

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1.042 FG: 1.008 ABV: 5% IBU: 33 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients1.7kg Coopers Real Ale Brew Can

1.5kg Thomas Coopers Amber Malt Extract

200g Caramunich Grains

50g Spalt Hop Pellets

11g Lallemand Nottingham Dry Yeast

Method1. The day before: line a pot (at least

4 litres) with a mesh cleaning cloth (pulled straight from the pack), then add the cracked grain and 2 litres of cold water. Fit the lid and sit in the fridge for 24 hours

2. The following day, remove from the fridge then gather up the corners of the mesh cloth and lift, allowing the liquid to drain from the grains back into the pot

3. Place the strained liquid onto the stovetop and bring to the boil. Add 25g of Spalt hop pellets and allow to boil for 10 minutes

4. Remove from the heat and cool the liquid by placing the pot in a bath of cold water for about 15 minutes

5. Strain the liquid into your fermenter and add the brew can as well as the can of extract, then stir to dissolve

6. Top up with cold tap water to the 20 litre mark and stir thoroughly

7. Check the temperature and top up to the 23 litre mark with warm or cool water (refrigerated if necessary) to start the brew at 16-18°C

8. Sprinkle the dry yeast (including yeast from the brew can), fit the lid and aim to ferment at 16°C

9. At around day six of fermentation, add the remaining 25g of Spalt hop pellets in a hop bag

10. This brew may take longer to reach final gravity than a typical ale due to the lower fermentation temperature, but fermentation is finished once the specific gravity is stable over two days. It should finish around the 1.006-1.010 mark

11. Bottle the brew as normal and enjoy! It will benefit from two-three months in the bottle

RECIPES

Dass AltoIT’S NOT JUST THE LEAVES THAT CHANGE COLOUR IN AUTUMN – IT’S ALSO A TIME WHEN OUR BEERS CAN GO FROM GOLDEN TO DARK. THIS SIPPER FOR THE COOLER MONTHS IS ACCESSIBLE, BUT CHALLENGES A LITTLE MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE SUMMER QUAFFER

Dass Alto is a refreshing quasi dark lager, displaying a rocky off white head. It

presents like a cleaner version of an amber ale due to the low temperature

fermentation, but with noble hop character. It is at the dark end of the

northern German altbier-style (category 7.A. of the BJCP guidelines). Expect

biscuit and caramel aromas with subtle flowery, fruity and spicy hop notes. In

the glass it will have a medium bitterness, with smooth, sweet malt notes and

a clean hop finish.

Autumn 2016 51

RECIPES

In Ya Face Double IPA Clone ANDREW CHILDS OF BEHEMOTH BREWING COMPANY TALKS ABOUT THE BREWING ACCIDENT THAT LEFT HIM WITH BURNS TO 40 PER CENT OF HIS BODY AND HOW HE’S DETERMINED TO KEEPING BREWING THE BIG BEERS HE LOVES

This beer brings new

meaning to suffering for

your art. On 10 September,

2015 I was brewing this beer

with Jason Bathgate at 8

Wired Brewing. We were

adding a Columbus hop addition when the

kettle exploded and 1,500L of 101°C wort flew

out at us. We both received burns to around

40 per cent of our bodies. I was in hospital

for five weeks and Jason for seven weeks. We

both have to have about two years of everyday

scar management. Burns suck and we want

to thank the craft beer scene from both New

Zealand and Australia. You all rock!

Quite the opposite from putting me off

brewing, I am now even more determined to

make the flavourful beers that I love. In Ya

Face Double IPA is 9 per cent ABV and around

120 IBU. This beer is full of big bitter, fruity,

tropical and piny hops. But once you get over

the initial shock to the senses, it is a very

drinkable big beer. If you think it uses a lot

of hops then imagine how much we use on

4,800L. Someone once told me that with the

amount of dry hopping I use it is clear I used

to be a lawyer and not an accountant. I guess

they’re right!

All GrainExpected Brew FiguresOG: 1.078 FG: 1.010 ABV: 9% IBU: 120 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients5.75kg Weyermann Pale Malt

750g Weyermann Vienna Malt

400g Dextrose Sugar

50g Pacific Jade Hops

100g Columbus Hops

100g Simcoe Hops

100g Citra Hops

100g Amarillo Hops

100g Mosaic Hops

0.3g Copperfloc

4 Packets of Mangrove Jack’s M44 West Coast Ale Yeast

Method1. Mash all malts at 65°C

2. Sparge and bring to a boil

3. Boil for 90 minutes – add NZ Pacific Jade and dextrose sugar at the beginning of the boil

4. Add 50g of Columbus with 20 minutes left in the boil

5. Add 50g of Columbus and 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go

6. Add 50g of each Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo and Simcoe at flameout and whirlpool for 15 minutes

7. Cool to 20°C and pitch four packets of Mangrove Jack’s Yeast

8. Ferment at 19°C

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

10. Dry hop for five days at 20°C with 50g each of Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo and Simcoe

11. Bottle or keg as usual than enjoy with mates…and for Christ’s sake don’t burn yourself it really sucks!

ExtractExpected Brew FiguresOG: 1.079 FG: 1.012 ABV: Approx. 9% IBU: 120 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients5.5kg of Pale Malt Extract of your choice (use one that is light and very fermentable)

400g Dextrose Sugar

50g Pacific Jade Hops

100g Columbus Hops

100g Simcoe Hops

100g Citra Hops

100g Amarillo Hops

100g Mosaic Hops

0.3g Copperfloc

4 Packets of Mangrove Jack’s M44 West Coast Ale Yeast

Method1. Boil 8-10 litres of water in a large pot

2. Add all malt extracts and dextrose and stir

3. Boil for 90 minutes – add NZ Pacific Jade at the beginning of the boil

4. Add 50g of Columbus with 20 minutes left in the boil

5. Add 50g of Columbus and 0.3g of Copperfloc with 10 minutes to go

6. Add 50g of each Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo and Simcoe at flameout and whirlpool for 15 minutes

7. Strain wort into the fermenter and top up to 23 litres with very chilled sterile water to bring the temperature down to 20°C, than pitch four packets of Mangrove Jack’s Yeast

8. Ferment at 19°C

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

10. Dry hop for five days at 20°C with 50g each of Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo and Simcoe

11. Bottle or keg as usual than enjoy with mates…and for Christ’s sake don’t burn yourself it really sucks!

Andrew Childs recovering in hospital

52 Home Brewer

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HOMEBREWER PROFILE

800 brews is a lot in anyone’s language. Think about it

for a moment. That’s one brew every week for more

than 15 years. It’s a phenomenal achievement for any

hobbyist brewer. In fact, most professional brewers

take several years to hit the milestone.

Greg Ward, from Portland in south-west Victoria,

has spent most weekends throughout the past 22 years brewing his

way towards 800. Over the journey, he’s progressed from basic cans of

concentrate, to extract and now brew in a bag (BIAB). In the early days

Ward was prolific with the cans.

“I started out with kits at the insistence of my father after returning

broke from my honeymoon in the ‘90s,” explains Ward.

“I was up in the Mallee then and it was expensive to buy beer. The

heat meant that you could do two brews in a week.

“Storage and fermenting were always problem areas as up there you

could be in the mid-40s in summer and as low as minus seven in the

morning during winter. I used to just put the fermenter in a tin shed.

Now I know about temperature control, I can see why some of my

beers weren’t so great!”

His set up was uncomplicated then and it still is largely. Aside from

the Grainfather and urn, there’s no unnecessary bling in the shed.

There’s the basic homebrewing necessities, a couple of fridges (one

for fermenting and one for keeping the beers and hops cool), several

shelves for storing the many longnecks, a hand grain mill, an old mutt

and an overenthusiastic puppy. Understandably, Ward has ‘slowed’

his brewing since going BIAB.

“At present, I aim at one every week in winter but slow down over

summer as I only have one temp controlled area. Winter is a very

comfortable brewing time in my shed as the thick concrete slab

keeps the temp remarkably consistent and the coastal temp hardly

varies from min to max. Most of the time it sits at a perfect 18-

20°C!” he explains.

But how does one work out what to brew week-in, week-out, when

you’ve already made hundreds of different beers? Ward has a few go-

to recipes, including English ales (Old Speckled Hen, Fuller’s ESB) and

American pale ales and IPAs, but he also loves experimenting.

“I have a couple of base recipes, Australian Bitter and Californian

Common, which I use to brew back-to-back with different hops and

800 BrewsHOMEBREWER EDITOR CHRIS THOMAS CAUGHT UP WITH AVID HOME BREWER GREG WARD TO HELP HIM

CELEBRATE HIS IMPRESSIVE 800TH BREW MILESTONE

Greg Ward

54 Home Brewer

temperatures to see what the effects are,”

Ward says.

“Basically, I build up a ‘library’ of known

easy-drinking beers and a varied selection

of experimental ‘tasters’ – some of which

are more memorable than others!”

When needing some influence, Ward

seeks his recipes from a variety of sources.

“Your mag has been a great inspiration

as I moved from the basic kit & kilo, into

steeping grains in mini mashes, then

went into all-grain mode,” says Ward.

“Otherwise, Zymurgy website has been

an excellent site for clone recipes of well-

known US beers.”

This has led him to make a number

of ambitious brews, using cranberry,

pomegranate, coffee and fig, as well as tea.

“The Jasmine Dragon Saison (Issue 23)

from your mag would have to rate up there

with the most experimental – otherwise,

trying an 11kg Russian imperial stout on

the Grainfather system in a re-iterated

mash was a big challenge,” he adds.

This leaves us with perhaps the biggest

question of all – what does he do with all

of that booze?!

“I drink my share of it, but I also have

some mates who I share it with. This is a

never-ending circle as they also brew and

share theirs back!” he explained.

And I can attest to his generosity,

leaving our brewing session with several

longnecks from the shelves to sample.

The 800th BrewFor Greg Ward’s 800th brew we discussed the style and flavours he was interested in and then sourced this recipe for the occasion. The Manuka Smoked Malt makes up a fair piece of the malt bill and ensures a seriously smoky and delightful red ale

Red Smoke AleEstimated Brew FiguresOG: 1.055 Estimated FG: 1.012 ABV: 5.6% IBU: 36 Volume: 25 litres

Ingredients2.79kg American Ale Malt

1.55kg Manuka Smoked Malt

1.12kg Aurora Malt

0.37kg Red Back Malt

0.37kg Shepherds Delight Malt

36g Pacific Gem Hops

Wyeast 1084 Irish Red or Safale S-04 Yeast

Method1. Mash at 69°C


3. Boil for 60 minutes, adding 18g of Pacific Gem hops at the beginning of the boil

4. With 10 minutes remaining in the boil add the remaining 18g of Pacific Gem hops

5. Whirlpool for 15 minutes

6. Cool and pitch yeast, then ferment at 18°C

7. Bottle or keg once FG is about 1.012 and consistent for consecutive days

Recipe courtesy of Gladfield

Malts

Greg Ward’s Top Four1. Pliny The Elder clone from Vinnie Cilurzo’s recipe – AG hop monster

2. Fuller’s ESB – AG (very drinkable!)

3. Mick Morrow’s Doppelbock (extract/grain) – a wonderful beer!

4. Chilli beer – some loved it/many hated it! No head, highly carbonated, 40 chillies in the fermenter and a chilli in each bottle. Tabasco with bubbles – used the last bottle to share with my son on his 21st.

“I BUILD UP A ‘LIBRARY’ OFKNOWN EASY-DRINKING BEERSAND A VARIED SELECTION OFEXPERIMENTAL ‘TASTERS’ – SOMEOF WHICH ARE MORE MEMORABLE THAN OTHERS!” – GREG WARD

Ward’s home brewing system

Ward brewing his 800th beer

Autumn 2016 55

RADICAL BEERS

Randy Mosher BREWERS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE ADVENTUROUS THESE DAYS. SOME START THEIR FIRST BREWS WITH A TOASTED PEACH, BARREL-AGED SAISON FOR SACCHAROMYCES SAKE! WHEN THINKING ABOUT THESE ‘RADICAL’ BEERS, ONE NAME SPRINGS TO MIND – RANDY MOSHER. JAKE BRANDISH CATCHES UP WITH THE GREAT MAN FOR THE FIRST OF THIS TWO-PART PIECE

If you haven’t heard of Mosher, do yourself a favour and

head to your favourite source of reading material and invest

in his work. Most serious beer geeks with a few books in

their brewing library will more than likely have one of

his publications as he has written such classics as Radical

Brewing, The Brewer’s Companion and an absolute must for

any serious home brewer, Tasting Beer.

Recently, I had the honour of chatting with Mosher. I wanted to talk

to him regarding the current wave of radical brewers like Moon Dog

and Garage Project and get his take on where he sees brewing headed.

We also discussed the US craft beer scene and where he draws his

inspiration for certain brewing adjuncts.

Q WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO SINCE ANHC IN 2010?An awful lot. Since then, I’ve written two more books, Mastering

Homebrew and Beer For All Seasons, both of which came out early last

year. I did include a lot of international ideas and recipes based on my

travels, including that visit to Australia.

The other major change for me has been my involvement as a

partner in two brewing ventures in Chicago. One is called 5 Rabbit

Cerveceria, and is Latin in its thinking and presentation. The idea

for the project started when my partner had a revelation about how

vibrant and full of life everything else in Latin culture is, and how dull

and lifeless the commercial beers are.

The other brewery is called Forbidden Root. We call ourselves

‘botanic brewers’ and we try to incorporate lots of non-standard

ingredients. The project started as a mission to formulate a beer with

root beer flavour characteristics, and that led to a ginger beer and a

discussion of what the bigger idea was, and that ended up being the

botanic thing. We really focus on the ideas and flavours and then try

to build the rest of the beer around those rather than starting with a

style and warping it – although we do that sometimes as well.

Q YOU’RE MOST FAMOUS FOR YOUR BOOK RADICAL BREWING, WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF ‘RADICAL BREWING’?You could just as easily call it ‘creative brewing’. The idea is not to

be radical for the shock value or just to push limits, but to make a

deeply creative and meaningful artistic product that in some way

tells a story. It also means brewing with an eye to tradition without

being limited by it.

Q WHERE DO YOU GET INSPIRATION TO TRY SOMETHING IN A BEER?Everywhere. Sometimes it’s just discovering a particular ingredient,

sometimes it’s from old brewing books or from formularies for

things like bitters and liqueurs. Sometimes it’s from cuisine or a

particular dish. I like to go to ethnic markets and just grab anything

that looks unfamiliar.

Q WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A BREWER WHO WANTS TO TRY A FLAVOURING OR ADJUNCT AND DOESN’T KNOW WHERE TO START?Start with a big idea: a food, a culture, a historical era. If you’re

starting with an ingredient, think about how it is used outside of the

world of beer. Are there roasty or toasty elements common with it,

Randy Mosher

56 Home Brewer

Wattle Itbee? Roasted WattleseedBrown AleAll grain

Wattleseed comes from various species of the acacia tree. When roasted, it develops an intense, nutty aroma a little like dark-roasted peanut butter. The base beer is a creamy brown ale that shows off the wattleseed nicely and enhances its nutty character. For a variation, add 500gm of macadamia honey to the fermenter once the primary is winding down. The Fuller’s (London 1968) yeast accentuates the malt.

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1.050 FG: 1.013 ABV: 6% IBU: 18 Volume: 19L

Ingredients3.9kg Vienna Malt

910g Amber/Biscuit Malt

340g Caramel Malt (80L)

150g Black Malt

20g Galaxy Hops

14g Roasted Wattleseed

Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale or Safale 04 Yeast

Method1. Complete infusion mash for 60

minutes at 68°C then mash out

2. Bring to boil and add 12g Galaxy hops for the 60 minute boil

3. Add 8g Galaxy with 30 minutes left in the boil

4. Add 14g roasted wattleseed (in a hop sock) with 2 minutes left in the boil

5. Whirlpool then chill to 18°C before transferring to the fermenter

6. Ferment at 18-20°C until the gravity reading is stable at 1.013 or thereabouts for consecutive days

7. Bottle or keg as normal, then enjoy the roasted wattleseed character of this brown ale!

spice or sweetness? Beer is easy to base on

food recipes because there are so many food

flavours in beer. Once you have an idea, stick

to it and make all your decisions based on how

well it serves the concept.

If you’re really focused on an ingredient,

but have no idea what goes well with it, just

make up a tincture – I usually do either 1:5 or

1:10 by weight of ingredient to vodka. Let it

sit for a day or two and strain through a coffee

filter. Carry a little squeeze bottle around with

you and add it to every beer and see where the

magic happens. You’ll make all your friends

crazy, but what the hell.

Q HAVE YOU BREWED WITH ANY AUSSIE INGREDIENTS LIKE WATTLE SEED, LEMON MYRTLE OR RIVER MINT?I’ve done some homebrews with wattle seed

and really love its peanut buttery flavour

in a brown beer, but we’ve not yet used it

commercially. I’ve used pepperberries, but

we also use lemon myrtle for our ginger beer,

where it adds a super-clean lemon drop

top-note that supports the key lime that is

the secondary flavour in the beer after the

ginger. Just a side note: some of these exotic

ingredients are crazy expensive. Haven’t heard

of river mint. Tell me more.

Q WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE AUSSIE BREWING SCENE?It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Australia,

and I know the scene is evolving rapidly, as it

is everywhere. Of course, we only see mass-

produced beers like Foster’s over here, so I’m

not really in a position to comment.

We will continue our chat with Mosher in the

next issue.

Randy Mosher picking bog

myrtle

Mosher likes to experiement with a

range of adjuncts

Mosher believes in making a deeply creative product

Autumn 2016 57

COLLAB BREW

With a core range that includes a peanut

butter and raspberry English pale ale and an

imperial stout with spiced rum and cacao,

Choice Bros is one of New Zealand’s more

ambitious new breweries. Teaming up with

them to design an Easter-themed beer

meant we had to get creative. The Choice Bros boys were keen to do

pretty much anything, aside from sticking the Easter Bunny himself

in the brew! After a few emails back and forth we decided on a Hop X

Bun Amber Ale.

With the other collaborative brews we’ve done, we’ve been

physically involved in the brew day, however given Choice Bros are in

New Zealand we had to settle for a collaboratively developed recipe,

which was brewed by Choice Bros head bro and brewer, Kerry Gray.

ABOUT CHOICE BROSLike more and more breweries hitting the scene, Choice Bros gypsy

brew at a number of different venues.

“Choice Bros focuses on brewing interesting and balanced beers

that are usually a bit different than your standard offering,” says Gray.

While Gray is a self-confessed lover of hops, he likes the focus to be

on the other basic and more experimental ingredients such as yeast,

bacteria, malt, fruit and wood. This is one of the key factors that attracted

Homebrewer to seek out Choice Bros in the first place. A desire to

experiment and push the envelope. And the enthusiasm from Gray was

infectious. He’s a fun bloke to work with who is open to unique ideas.

“I was keen as!” says Gray. “Spices are very difficult to use in a beer

while maintaining balance and drinkability. It sounded like a

fun challenge!”

IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE HOMEBREWER HAS MADE A COLLABORATIVE BREW, SO WE THOUGHT IN THE LEAD UP TO EASTER IT WAS TIME TO GET BACK INTO IT. CHOCOLATE STOUTS AND PORTERS ARE AWESOME, BUT GIVEN WE ARE TEAMING UP WITH CHOICE BROS FROM NEW ZEALAND, THEY ARE PROBABLY A LITTLE MAINSTREAM, WRITES CHRIS THOMAS

Hop X Bun Amber Ale

Pushing the Boundaries“Possibly the craziest beer we made was for a Halloween homebrew competition,” Gray explained.

“Mike Pullin (head Bro and sales) suggested we use the Hannibal Lector quote ‘I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti’ as the idea for the beer.

“We brewed a rich porter and added a reduction of liver, blood sausage, fava beans, Chianti and spices. It smelt amazing – rich, meaty with red wine notes and spice.

“Trick or treat? Most definitely treat, but it still managed to scare the shit out of a few people.”

Brewing underway for Hop X Bun Amber Ale

Choice Bros head bro and brewer,

Kerry Gray


COLLAB BREW

Hop X Bun Amber Ale All GrainExpected Brew FiguresOG: 1.057 FG: 1.012 ABV: 5.8% IBU: 46 Volume: 19 litres

Ingredients 3.6kg American Ale Malt

500g Vienna Malt

250g Gladfield Aurora

250g Gladfield Redback

250g Gladfield Rye

170g Gladfield Shepherds Delight


30g Centennial Hops

40g Simcoe Hops

40g Citra Hops

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Allspice

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Cloves

25g of Sultanas or Raisins

1-2 Packets of US-05 Dry Yeast

*These are suggested amounts to start with;

spices are potent and can easily be overused

Method1. Mash at 67°C for 60 minutes


3. Boil for 60 minutes, adding 20g Pacific Gem hops at the beginning of the boil

4. With 20 minutes remaining in the boil add 30g Centennial hops as well as the fruit and spices (in a hop bag for ease of use)

5. With 10 minutes left in the boil add 40g Simcoe hops

6. If possible bring wort temperature below 70°C during whirlpool, before adding 40g Citra for 15 minutes; if not possible add the 40g Citra at flameout (preferably when temperature is less than 90°C)*

7. Cool and pitch yeast, then ferment at 18°C for approximately seven days


* Aroma oils in hops are volatile above

about 68°C; adding hops below 90°C reduces

additional bitterness

Hop X Bun Amber AleExtract with Specialty GrainsExpected Brew FiguresOG: 1.057 FG: 1.012 ABV: 5.8% IBU: 46 Volume: 19 litres

Ingredients1.7kg Light Liquid Extract

1.7kg Light Amber Extract

250g Gladfield Aurora

250g Gladfield Redback

250g Gladfield Rye

170g Gladfield Shepherds Delight


30g Centennial Hops

40g Simcoe Hops

40g Citra Hops

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Allspice

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Cloves

25g of Sultanas or Raisins

1-2 Packets of US-05 Dry Yeast

*These are suggested amounts to start with;

spices are potent and can easily be overused

Method1. Steep grains for at least 20 minutes in

about 6 litres of water at 67°C

2. Add to pot and stir in both liquid extracts, then bring to the boil

3. Boil for 60 minutes, adding 20g Pacific Gem hops at the beginning of the boil

4. With 20 minutes remaining in the boil add 30g Centennial hops as well as the fruit and spices (in a hop bag for ease of use)

5. With 10 minutes left in the boil at 40g Simcoe hops

6. Add 40g Citra hops at flameout and let rest for 10-15 minutes

7. Transfer to fermenter and top up to 19 litres using chilled sterilised water to bring down the temperature, aiming for 18-20°C

8. Pitch yeast, than ferment at 18°C for approximately seven days


COLLABORATING ON THE RECIPE“With any beers that are loosely based on a

food, my first research point is a cookbook,”

says Gray of the process.

After looking at the ingredients used

in various hot cross bun recipes we had to

consider which of these ingredients would

work effectively in the beer. Spices are a

great ingredient to use in specialty beers

but they need to be used sparingly – once

they’re in, they’re in. The flavours won’t

mellow or dissipate over time.

We focused on a number of specialty

malts which have fruit and berry

characteristics, similar to fruit contained in

the buns. The hops selected add more fruit

character, while the yeast also complements

this. We did initially consider going with a

Belgian yeast but this might have added too

much complexity.

While it’s still in the fermenter at time of

publishing, hopes are high for something

pretty special.

“Judging by the bag of fruit and spices

and the aroma coming off the wort, I believe

it will have a lovely spicy, fruity medley of

flavours in a solid amber ale,” predicts Gray.

While this beer will only be available in

New Zealand (aside from a few which I hope

make their way to my doorstep!), the recipe

is here for all of us to brew.

The beer is already displaying lots of fruit and spice aromas

Some of the hops, fruits and spices in

Hop X Bun Amber Ale

Autumn 2016 59

EDUCATION

Let’s face it…as a home brewer at some point most of

us have asked, ‘should I actually study my hobby on a

professional level?’ But first you should ask yourself

one very serious question, ‘Why?’

Why do you want to study brewing for two or four

years? Do you want to improve your home brewing to

uber geek levels or get into professional brewing? Do you want to start

your own brewing business?

When I first looked at getting formal brewing qualifications, there

were quite a few options and my choice was heavily dependent on

my time availability and the method of delivering the information to

me. I reduced my working hours so I could concentrate on my studies

with University of Ballarat (now Federation University) and have just

completed the four-year Postgraduate Diploma of Brewing.

Here is what I found the most appealing of the brew courses, but look

at ALL of them to decide which one best suits your needs. Don’t be afraid

to ask for help from local brewers or other victims…I mean people who

have studied brewing. Decide what your motivation is and what you are

willing to take on as once you have started you have to finish it!

BREW COURSESFederation University (VIC) offer a two-year Postgraduate Certificate

of Brewing and once completed a further two-year Postgraduate

Diploma of Brewing. The course is primarily online with a few

workshops, lab sessions and exams on campus at Ballarat, along with

quite a bit of ‘critical analysis’, at The Mallow Hotel. Under the very

knowledgeable and respected wing of associate professor Peter Aldred,

you will be taken through all areas of brewing from raw materials to

physics and engineering. Federation University also run week-long

short courses. The short course is basically a condensed version of

the four-year Diploma, so a lot of information in a short time and

obviously nowhere near as much detail.

TAFE SA (SA) offer four-week short courses (with a two-week

break in between). This course will give you a Certificate III in Food

Processing. TAFE SA also offer a preparation short course for the IBD

GCB (see below) so rather than being left to your own devices and

study at your own pace this two-week course will prepare you to sit

your IBD exams. Courses are on campus in Adelaide.

Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) based in London, offer

a General Certificate in Brewing (GCB) and a General Certificate in

Packaging (GCP). The IBD offer advanced courses depending on your

level of experience or how far you want to take your studies, right up

to Brewmaster level. These courses leave you to study at your own

pace and then apply to sit the exam when you are ready.

Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth has archived all Post

Graduate courses for the time being. ECU has a fully-functioning

Getting a BeerducationHOMEBREWER TECHNICAL EDITOR JAKE BRANDISH, WHO RECENTLY COMPLETED HIS POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA OF BREWING, REFLECTS ON HIS TIME STUDYING BEER

Fluid dynamics in the physics laboratory

60 Home Brewer

600L DME gas-fired brewery, which is now primarily being used for

research and test batches by local breweries. We will keep you posted

with any change to its program.

Siebel Institute based in Chicago Illinois, USA, offer online brewing

courses ranging from Advanced Homebrewing courses to the full

Master Brewer program. The Siebel Institute also provide analytical

services to the brewing industry.

UC Davis also offer online courses from short courses through

to the Professional Brewers Certificate Program. If you are lucky

enough to be accepted into UC Davis, you may even rub shoulders

with legendary professors Charlie Bamforth and Michael Lewis, both

of whom are industry legends and published authors on brewing

whose texts are used worldwide in beer courses. Charlie Bamforth’s

knowledge in the bio-chemistry of brewing and beer is unsurpassed,

leading to his nickname as The Pope of Foam.

Having just completed the four-year Post Graduate Diploma of

Brewing through the University of Ballarat (Federation Uni), I have

obviously gone through a brewing transformation from an average

home brewer to a commercial brewer. I thoroughly recommend

furthering your knowledge by doing one of these courses. Inside every

home brewer there is a massive beer nerd waiting to come out, so why

not introduce yourselves today! Good luck and happy studying!

CLUB PROFILE

CQ Homebrewers was started in April 2015 after inquiries at the local

homebrew shop and online forums revealed no local club and there

seemed to be very few all grain brewers in the region. After testing

the waters to see if anyone was interested through forum posts, the

club was launched as a Facebook group. We have slowly grown and

so far we have 34 members in the group. Our members hail from all

over Central Queensland including Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Moura and Gladstone.

As our club covers such a wide area the Facebook group page is where a lot of the

discussion happens, but we also aim to have monthly club brew days. We rotate

brewing duties between our members so we get to witness brewing on a different

system with its different processes; so far we have had extract, one vessel (1V), two

vessel (2V), brew in a bag (BIAB) and Grainfather brew days. Everyone who comes

along is encouraged to bring samples of their own homebrews for tasting and a great

day is the end result. Amazingly, before joining the club some of our members had

never had any other homebrewed beers except their own!

In October just gone, we held our first Oktoberfest. The majority of active club

members brewed German beers for the event and we drank a decocted dunkel, which

we brewed on our first club brew day. Even the non-home brewers who attended

left impressed with the selection and quality. Proving that brewing isn’t our only

speciality, we enjoyed smoked bratwurst, sauerkraut and fresh pretzels to round out

the German theme.

We have developed close relationships with other brew clubs in the wider Central

Queensland region such as Mackay and Districts (MAD) Homebrewers, the Emerald

Home Brewers and Fraser Coast Bayside Brewers. A club road trip to attend a

meeting in Emerald was one of the highlights this year and there are plans in place

to continue to attend other clubs’ events. Part of this alliance has been starting a

club war competition, with the first competition being an ‘All Aussie Ale (or Lager)’

where 100 per cent of the ingredients had to be Australian-grown/made. Judging has

yet to take place, but after the success of Emerald and Fraser Coast at the QHBC club

wars, we’re up against some strong competition! That’s one of the most enjoyable

aspects of being in a club though.

CQ HomebrewersHAILING FROM TOWNS AROUND THE CENTRAL QUEENSLAND COAST, THE CQ HOMEBREWERS ARE A NEW AND ENGAGING HOMEBREW CLUB. LINKING IN WITH NEIGHBOURING CLUBS AND RUNNING THEIR OWN EVENTS, THE CQ HOMEBREWERS HAVE AN EXCITING FUTURE, WRITES DAMIAN RIGBY

Getting the brew underway

CQ Homebrewers Josh and Gary on the first brew day

62 Home Brewer

STARTING BREWING DURING UNI DAYS FOR FINANCIAL REASONS IS A WELL-TRODDEN PATH, BUT INHERITING YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S HOMEBREW KIT IS SOMETHING ELSE! NICK KELLY SHARES HIS BREWING JOURNEY AND A FAVOURITE RECIPE WITH HOMEBREWER

You could say home brewing is in my genes. I inherited my grandmother’s homebrew kit and started making kit and kilo in first year Uni back in ‘95. Back then, it was all about bang for your buck, with the cheapest supermarket tin and 2kg of sugar my preferred recipe. Once I had a steady job, Coopers kits became my go-to and then I began experimenting with hop additions.

In 2011 I had a 6-month deployment with the Army and with my spare time I began researching how to brew all grain. On return, I was lucky enough to find both my local home brew shop and club (Righteous Brewers of Townsville) were there to answer my every question. I was always a fan of easy-drinking beer, but the club members opened my eyes to all sorts of styles that I now brew.

After changing jobs, I moved to Yeppoon and continued to brew, but really missed being in a club. I was contacted by Damian when he was starting CQ Homebrewers and jumped at the chance to join. We had the first club brew day at my place where we decocted a dunkel that we enjoyed at our inaugural Oktoberfest. The recipes I write are loosely based on style guidelines, but I mainly brew to my own taste.

Nick Kelly

Nick Kelly

QLD LagerThis is a simple, easy drinking summer beer that tastes great on a hot afternoon. Even though I love drinking many different styles of beer, I usually come back to this one every three or four brews. It’s also good to give to mates who don’t drink ‘homebrew’!

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1.045 FG: 1.010 ABV: 4.6% (4.9% if bottling) IBU: 21.1 Volume: 23 litres

Ingredients3.8kg Ale Malt

100g Crystal Malt (60L)

300g White Sugar

40g Cluster Hops (5.7%AA)

½ Whirlfloc Tablet

Saflager S-189 Lager Yeast

5g Gelatine

Method1. Preceding brew day, make up

a 2L yeast starter

2. Mash grain at 66°C for 60 minutes

3. Bring wort to a boil for 60 minutes. Stir in the sugar, and then add 25g Cluster hops

4. With 10 minutes remaining, add Whirlfloc and remaining 15g Cluster hops

5. Chill wort to 12°C and pitch decanted yeast starter

6. When beer has dropped to around 1.020, raise the temperature of the fermenter to 18°C and hold until fermentation is complete to remove any diacetyl

7. Chill beer to as close to 1-2°C as possible and hold for at least one week (the beer will improve the longer you leave it). Add fining with gelatine when it reaches its coldest temperature

8. Bottle or keg and enjoy!

Autumn 2016 63

TRAVEL – BELGIUM

Inside Cantillon TIM CHARODY, AKA THE�BEER�PILGRIM, TAKES US INTO THE WORLD OF BRUSSELS’ FAMOUS CANTILLON

BREWERY, THE BELGIAN MASTERS OF LAMBIC BEER

A wall of Cantillon Kreik at the brewery64 www.beerandbrewer.com

“It can only be made ‘ere. Simple as that! I tell you

why…look at this glass of lambic ‘ere. Inside are over

one hundred and twenty different strains of bacteria

and yeast, most only to be found ‘ere in the precious

air of le Senne Valley. You cannot make true lambic

anywhere else on earth!”

I was being schooled on the ancient style of Belgian

lambic deep in the cobweb-strewn belly of the Cantillon

Brewery in Brussels, and I have to say I was impressed.

As soon as I walked into this magnificent brewery

my brain started tingling with excitement…this is what

I have been searching for, this is what my pilgrimage

is all about! Most of the equipment around me was

more than one century old and is still used today

to brew the same style of beer as it did in 1900. The

brewery smelt musky and sour, undoubtedly from

the billions of microscopic residents clinging to every

object and riding on every waft of air, decades upon

decades of wild bacteria and yeast that would make

any conventional modern day brewer run and jump in

a pool of disinfectant. Here, however, it is an aroma

savoured with pride in an ancient style that has taken

the beer world by storm in recent years.

Just the name ‘Cantillon’ holds an almost god-like

air of respect amongst circles of beer-lovers around

the world. Top notch craft beer bars will boast bottles

of Cantillon on their top shelves and any true beer

lover worth his weight in malt will have at least one

empty bottle of Cantillon sitting proudly somewhere

prominent in their beer den (I even met one hard-core

Italian beer geek who had the logo tattooed on his

arm!). But why? Why all this international commotion

and obsession over one very small, musky old brewery

tucked away in a strange little backstreet of Brussels? I

was here to find out...

A STEP BACK IN TIMEAnd it didn’t take me long at all…I feel like I

understood as soon as I walked through the brewery

door. Very little, if anything, has changed in this

brewery for more than one century. It is brimming with

living, breathing, moving history that is compounded

in the delicious beers that emerge on the other side.

There are no modern shortcuts, each brew is aged

between one and three years and bottled by hand then

cellared for even longer. The hops are aged for three

years, the wooden barrels are still cleaned using an

old chain being tumbled around inside and like the

brewery, the final product really hasn’t changed at all

for more than one hundred years.

My awe-struck, jaw-dragging walk through Cantillon

started in the brewhouse where I was met by an almost

Leonardo da Vinci-esque room of wheels, cogs and

leather strapping linking up a web of mechanisms that

meandered above some old copper brewing kettles.

It is here where the wort (unfermented beer mixture)

“FROM START TO END, A BOTTLE OF CANTILLON

GUEUZE WILL TAKE MORE THAN FOUR YEARS TO

PRODUCE!” – TIM CHARODY, AKA THE BEER PILGRIM

The wort is spread out on a large shallow copper tub surrounded with open windows to achieve spontaneous fermentation

Little has changed in the cobweb-strewn brewery for more than a century

Autumn 2016 65

is brewed using a mixture of water, organically grown

wheat and barley malts. An addition of three-year-

aged hop flowers to the boil provides the natural

preservative quality of the hops without imparting

bitterness or hop flavour to the beer.

FERMENTATIONThe next step in the journey was the fermentation

room where the wort is spread out on a large shallow

copper tub surrounded with open windows. This is

the key to achieving spontaneous fermentation; by

allowing as much air to flow over the wort as possible,

the brewers are allowing the wort to be infected by a

huge variety of naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria

that live in the air of the Senne Valley. This is when the

magic occurs, the spontaneous, wild fermentation that

gives lambic beer its signature sour, funky flavour.

AGEINGAfter the beer has undergone a successful

fermentation, it is then barrelled for up to three years

in old oak or chestnut wood barrels that are themselves

sometimes more than one century old. Cantillon has

barrels crammed into literally every spare corner of the

brewery, some looking brand new while some look like

they have (and probably did) go through the wars!

THE BEERSBetween one and three years later, the beer is

transferred from the barrels into bottles. Straight

from the barrel we have beers such as the Grand Cru

Bruocsella, an unblended lambic beer aged for three

years in oak wood barrels, which has a dry, slightly

“VERY LITTLE, IF ANYTHING, HAS CHANGED IN THISBREWERY FOR MORE THAN ONE CENTURY. IT IS BRIMMINGWITH LIVING, BREATHING, MOVING HISTORY THAT ISCOMPOUNDED IN THE DELICIOUS BEERS THAT EMERGE ONTHE OTHER SIDE” – TIM CHARODY, AKA THE BEER PILGRIM

TRAVEL – BELGIUM

The front of Cantillon Brewery

One Italian beer geek likes Cantillon beers so much he got the logo tattooed onto his arm


GETTING THERESWISS International Airlines fly return from Sydney-Brussels from $1,790

www.swiss.com

GETTING AROUNDMy Tip: Get a Eurail Pass – it will give you complete freedom to jump on and off trains at your own leisure so you can let the good times roll!

www.raileurope.com.au

acidic flavour and an aroma of apple, roast bread

and honey.

The crown jewel of Cantillon however is its Gueuze,

which is essentially a blend of old (two-three years)

and young (one year) lambic beers. Once blended

by a team of master blenders, the Gueuze is bottled

and then cellared for another year while a secondary

fermentation takes place in the bottle. From start to

end, a bottle of Cantillon Gueuze will take more than

four years to produce!

At the end of my tour, I got to sample this

magnificent brew and it really did blow me away! The

Cantillon Gueuze is an incredibly multifaceted brew

that lends a medley of sour, zesty and floral notes

overlaying an amazing earthy funk. It is extremely

refreshing with an almost ‘squeaky’ tartness and

complexity that is hard to put your finger on. A

true masterpiece!

Aside from the Gueuze and Grand Cru lambics,

Cantillon also prides itself on producing seasonal

fruit beers such as Kriek (cherry lambic), Framboise

(raspberry lambic), Vigneronne (grape lambic), Fou’

Fonne (apricot lambic) and Faro beers.

I walked out of Cantillon having felt as though I had

truly experienced and savoured something special,

a place that has completely avoided the temptations

of modernisation and the short-cuts that come with

it. Instead of holding profit and efficiency as its most

important objective, for the family-run Cantillon

Brewery, it is still all about culture, dedication, art and

quality.

Photography by Tim Charody

TRAVEL – BELGIUM

Barrels being cleaned by the old chain-tumbling technique

An old beer filter from 1900 still in use at Cantillon

Autumn 2016 67

ENTERTAINING – FOOD

Ben’s Meat BibleWE HAVE THREE MEATY DISHES FROM CHEF, AUTHOR AND TELEVISION PRESENTER, BEN O’DONOGHUE’S LATEST BOOK BEN’S�MEAT�BIBLE�SURE TO PLEASE THE CARNIVORE IN EACH OF US

Taking his inspiration from around the

world, O’Donoghue brings together 130

recipes to appeal to meat lovers who

want unfussy, easy food that’s fresh,

seasonal and tastes great. Barbecue

enthusiasts are spoilt for choice,

but there are also lots of recipes for people who like to

experiment with other cooking methods.

With everything from comfort food greats like pulled

beef burgers and Southern fried chicken, to international

favourites like tonkotsu miso ramen and beef rendang,

Ben’s Meat Bible takes you way beyond the boring old ‘meat

and three veg’.

This is an edited extract from Ben’s�Meat�Bible by Ben O’Donoghue published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $39.95 and is available in stores nationally.


JAPANESE BRAISED WAGYU SHORT RIBSServes 4

Ingredients4 x 300g (10½ oz) wagyu beef short ribs

100ml (3½ fl oz) light soy sauce

3 spring onions (scallions), white parts only, chopped

3 dried shiitake mushrooms

3 garlic cloves

500ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) veal or beef stock

100g (3½ oz) unsalted butter, cubed

Ají Panca Sauce½ tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp fermented Korean chilli paste (available from Asian supermarkets)

60ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) rice vinegar

1 tsp sea salt flakes

1 tsp finely cracked black pepper

1 tbsp finely grated garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp sake

2 tbsp sunflower oil

To ServeCooked short-grain rice

Togarashi salt (see recipe below)

Shiso cress or watercress

Method1. Place the beef and soy

sauce in a large zip-lock bag. Transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least three hours or, ideally, overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 110°C (225°F). Remove the ribs from the marinade and place them in a flameproof casserole dish with the spring onion whites, mushrooms, garlic and stock. Cover with a sheet of baking paper, then with aluminium foil and finally seal with the lid. Place in the oven and allow to cook for four-five hours, or until the beef is very tender.

3. Meanwhile, make the ají panca sauce. Blend the

sauce ingredients together in a food processor and set aside.

4. Carefully remove the beef to a plate. Strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan and skim as much fat as possible from the surface. Place the pan with the cooking liquid over a medium heat and simmer, uncovered, to reduce the liquid by about half. Transfer the beef back into the casserole dish, along with the reduced liquor, and heat to a simmer on the stove top. Add the butter and use a spoon to baste the sauce continuously over the beef. The sauce should be thick and evenly glaze the ribs. Stir in the ají panca sauce and check the seasoning. Continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes, basting with the glaze frequently.

5. Serve with steamed rice sprinkled with togarashi salt and shiso cress or watercress.

TOGARASHI SALT

Makes about 200g (7oz)

Ingredients130g (4½ oz/1 cup) sea salt flakes

1 tbsp white sesame seeds

1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

1 sheet nori seaweed, toasted

1 large piece of dried tangerine peel (see note below)

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp black sesame seeds

1 tsp ground ginger

MethodCombine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend well, then transfer to a refillable salt grinder, where it will keep for up to one month.

Note:�dried�tangerine�peel�adds�a�unique�fruity�and�floral�note�to�this�salt.�It�is�available�from�Asian�supermarkets�or�specialist�stores.


NoteWagyu�short�ribs�are�available�from�specialty�butchers,�but�if�you�can’t�find�them,�use�the�more�affordable�alternative�of�grass-fed�beef�short�ribs.�If�you�have�time,�marinate�the�beef�the�night�before�you�want�to�cook�it�for�maximum�flavour.�Any�left-over�ají�panca�sauce�is�also�excellent�served�with�chargrilled�steak.

AN EASY MATCH

Match with an American red ale like Grand Ridge

Mirboo Madness (pg73)

Autumn 2016 69


CLASSIC ROAST PORKServes 6

This method of cooking is a little different and is more Asian in concept, as the pork is poached before it is roasted. Once roasted, the pork can be accompanied by a variety of flavours. For a traditional meal, roast your choice of veg in the same tray as the pork and serve with a great apple sauce, or jazz it up with Asian accompaniments or Mexican sides.

Ingredients1 x 2.5kg (5½ lb) pork belly

2 tbsp sea salt or flavoured salt (see recipe above)

Method1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Use a sharp knife to score the surface of the pork skin in a cross-

hatch pattern. Rub 1 tablespoon of the salt all over the pork, especially the skin and scoring. Place in a roasting tin and pour over enough water to submerge the pork fully. Cover with a snug-fitting piece of baking paper and a large piece of aluminium foil.

3. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours, until tender and soft. Carefully drain the water from the tin and set the pork aside to dry out and cool. Once cooled, generously season the skin with the remaining salt, rubbing it into the scoring well. Crank the oven up to 240°C (480°F), as you need to blast the pork with heat to start off the crackling.

4. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until the skin starts to bubble, then reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F) and continue to roast for a further 30 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

MEAT SALTMakes about 200g (7oz)

Ingredients130g (4½ oz/1 cup) sea salt flakes

1 tbsp celery salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp finely chopped rosemary

1 tsp finely chopped thyme

1 tsp finely chopped sage

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

Method1. Preheat the oven to 60°C

(140°F).

2. Combine the salts, pepper and herbs in a mortar and pestle and grind until you have a fine powder. Add the onion and garlic powders, paprika and cumin, and grind some more until completely combined.

3. Tip the mixture out onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and dry out in the oven for about six hours, or until the salt is completely dry. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray. Transfer to an airtight container where it will keep for up to a month, or store in a refillable salt grinder.

AN EASY MATCH

Match with a cider like Thatchers Gold English Cider

(pg74)


JAMAICAN BARBECUED GOAT LEG

Serves 6-8

Ingredients2 tbsp allspice berries

2 tbsp black peppercorns

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

4 garlic cloves, crushed

8cm (3¼ in) piece ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves

90g (3¼ oz/¾ cup) finely chopped spring onions (scallions)

60ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) honey

2 tsp salt

Drizzle of olive oil

Zest of 1 lime

1 x 2kg (4 lb 6 oz) boneless young goat leg

Method1. Blitz all the ingredients except the

goat in a food processor to make the marinade.

2. Place the goat leg into a large bowl, pour over the marinade and toss to coat completely.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or preferably overnight.

4. Remove from the refrigerator one hour before cooking.

5. Crank up the barbecue (or heat a chargrill pan). Remove the goat from the bowl, reserving the marinade, and cook for about 15 minutes over medium-high heat, until nicely browned. Move the goat onto the resting rack of the barbecue, close the lid and cook for 35-40 minutes, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade. This will give you medium-rare meat – ideal for goat. Alternatively, if using a chargrill pan, transfer the browned goat to an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

6. Transfer the goat to a platter and rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before serving.


Autumn 2016 71

AN EASY MATCHMatch with Two Birds

Sunset Ale (pg73)

Stef CollinsStefanie is the previous editor of Beer�&�Brewer and has gone on to work with a variety of Australian craft breweries and organise a beer festival. When she isn’t working with beer, she is writing about it, drinking it, or hoarding it in her three dedicated beer fridges.

Tina PanoutsosTina 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 TaylorHead 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.

Neal CameronComing 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.

Brian WatsonBrian is currently brewmaster at the Island Brewing Co. (Fiji Islands), working with DME Brewing Services in the Asia Pacific, and is founder and director at Good George Brewing, in Hamilton (NZ). Past chief judge at the NZ Beer Awards, current judge at the World Beer Cup (USA) and AIBA.

Graham WrightGraham 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-to-find whiskies.

Ian KinghamIan has judged at the Australian Craft Beer Awards, Royal Perth Beer Show and Sydney Royal Beer Competition. He has also completed courses in beer and food pairing and studied food science at UWS (with a major focus on brewing).

the panelTASTINGTHIS EDITION OUR TASTING PANEL FOCUSED ON

AMBER AND RED ALES, AS WELL AS THE LATEST

RELEASES. HERE ARE THE RESULTS


Two Birds Sunset Ale 4.6% ABV, 330ml

We have to accept that liking a

beer is easily influenced by the

brand and the story as well as

the actual beer itself so with Two

Birds we’re kind of happy before

the beer is even poured. A delight

therefore that they’re producing

some absolute cracking beers. The

Sunset Ale is a celebration of malt

with a rich melanoidin hit in aroma

and palate, balanced, smooth and

moreish with a complex reddish

hue worthy of an Olsen painting. If

the object of beer is to make you

happy, this one’s a little pink pill

for sure.

Style: Red ale

Glass: Schooner

Food Match: Something meaty

and seared

Twobirdsbrewing.com.au

Endeavour Reserve Amber Ale4.5% ABV, 330ml

The deep amber colour of the

beer is accentuated by the rich

creamy foam. Aromas of milk and

dark chocolate, almost malted

caramel milk notes provide a good

backdrop for the subtle spicy hop

notes. The palate realigns to an

initial hoppy character supported

by the toasted malt sweetness

providing a rich balance and finish.

Style: Amber ale

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: Grilled chicken

burgers with melted Gruyère

Endeavourbeer.com

Grand Ridge Mirboo Madness 6% ABV, 330ml

Great presentation and colour,

this is immediately appealing.

It is assertively hoppy, where

the complexity continues on

the palate, balanced by the

rich toasted malt notes. The

firm bitterness and dry hop

characteristics linger and build

with each mouthful but is well-

harmonised by the toffee like malt

sweetness.

Style: American red ale

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: Juicy, sticky, fall-off-

the-bone barbecue ribs

Grand-ridge.com.au

Harrington’s Breweries The Classy Red Session Red IPA4.8% ABV, 330ml

More copper than red, this session

IPA is a good example of the

style. Toasted, caramelised toffee

notes rise above the new world

hops to provide a balanced aroma

and similar transition of flavours

into the palate. The bitterness

is assertive and lingering with

each mouthful, accentuated by a

slightly thin palate overall.

Style: Session red IPA

Glass: Spiegelau IPA

Food Match: Warmed pita bread

with Middle Eastern dips

Harringtons.nz

Clare Valley Monkey’s Uncle 4.5% ABV, 330ml

Well, I’ll be…this was quite

pleasant. A good balance

of toasted malt and subtle

hop notes to provide enough

definition without being

overpowering. The nutty notes

are reminiscent of walnut shells

and the bitterness is moderate

(lower than expected) and

rounded. A clean beer, which

overall is a good example of

the style.

Style: American amber/ red ale

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: Honey soy chicken

on a bed of red rice

Clarevalleybrewing.com.au

Hawthorn Amber Ale4.7% ABV, 330ml

A deep amber colour provides a

hint of the flavours to come. The

aroma is a blend of chocolaty

caramel and toasted malt notes.

The earthiness of the hops blend

well with the malt flavours on

the palate and complement the

burnt caramel-like bitterness

in the finish. Dry hop character

is evident but not dominant

allowing the malt

to shine.

Style: English amber ale

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: Warmed figs

with creamy goats cheese and

prosciutto

Hawthornbrewing.com.au

Bootleg One Offs The Oaked Amber One4.5% ABV, 330ml

One to try while you can. An

outstanding balance of flavours,

texture, mouthfeel and finish. It

pours well, and the aroma entices

quickly with its subtle charred

oaky notes and hint of resinous

hop. A few seconds in and the

vanilla aroma surfaces and is

complemented by toasted malts.

Following through to the palate,

moderate bitterness to provide

balance. The finish is rounded and

smooth, making this a surprisingly

moreish beer.

Style: Amber ale

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: Quicke’s Clothbound

Cheddar with oatmeal crackers

Bootlegbrewery.com.au

Modus Operandi Former Tenant Red IPA 7.8% ABV, 946ml can

Imported head brewer DJ

McReady came from being the

development brewer for Oskar

Blues and importing this kind of

skill has ensured a rapid rise to

stardom for this still relatively

young brewery. DJ is not

scared of adding hops as this

intimidatingly-hopped IPA will

attest – his real skill however is

in making the rest of the beer a

happy place such that the hops

are brilliantly showcased and

are allowed to exude their spicy

and aromatic charm.

Style: American IPA

Glass: Half-pint

Food Match: Texas ribs and

buttered corn

Mobrewing.com.au

Autumn 2016 73

TASTING

Thomas Cooper’s Selection Celebration Ale 5.2% ABV, 355ml

A rich copper red colour and

beautifully thick beige foam

provide an enticing beer to

explore. The aroma was a complex

blend of tropical and stone fruit

hop notes, a citrus, grapefruit

note and subtle resinous hop

character. The fruit-driven hop

hit is balanced by a rich, nutty

malt character that complements

rather than stands out. The palate

is biscuity and rich, rounding out

the firm bitterness that although

lingers it is well-rounded and

harmonious.

Style: Hoppy ale

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: Slow-cooked lamb

roast with twice-cooked potatoes

Coopers.com.au

Wilde Gluten Free Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 330ml

Gluten free beers are not made of

barley so one should never expect

them to taste the same. Once

that hurdle has been jumped this

beer can be properly appreciated.

Wilde is super pale with a distinct

sweet malt extract nose and a

delicate and spicy hop aroma.

You may need a little genetic

encouragement to pick up this

beer but it comes in neck and

neck with many other day-to-day

quaffers.

Style: Gluten free pale ale

Glass: Schooner

Food Match: Chicken laksa

Wildebeer.com.au

Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat 5.2% ABV, 330ml

Good beer is made by happy

yeast. Unfortunately the natural

antiseptic properties of honey

have a tendency to put said yeast

in a bad mood. The more you add,

the more likely you are to bring

out some weirdness. Happily in

this instance a fair balance has

been struck, the thick sweet

honey character rests well with a

light summery ale and only a bare

hint of some sulphury stress notes

that blows off quickly.

Style: Honey wheat beer

Glass: Wheat beer

Food Match: Honey-drizzled

waffles


Little Creatures Original Pilsner 4.6% ABV, 330ml

If ever there was a beer

overshadowed by its massively

popular big brother, this is it. The

Little Creatures brewers clearly

know their job and whilst it will

never hit the popularity of the

Pale Ale, the Pilsner is arguably

nowadays the better beer. Delicate

fruity/spicy hop aroma as befits

a Pilsner and a wonderfully dry

palate that gives a gloriously high

drinkability. Rumour has it there’s

been some genuine German

influence at play lately in the LC

camp and it’s very easy to believe.

Style: German Pilsner

Glass: Pilsner flute

Food Match: Tempura prawns and

hand-cut chips

Littlecreatures.com.au

Moa Cherry Sour 2013 Vintage 5.9% ABV, 375ml

The souring process in beer is

often a highly complex one and

to do it well takes great skill and

experience – many current sours

show this to be true. But then

there’s Moa. A beguiling simplicity

in what they do; good beer + fruit

+ time and let nature take its

course. In the 2013 the fruit has

diminished but a lightening, clean

acidity and a structurally perfect

beer make for an experience that

puts many others to shame.

Style: Kriek

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Welsh rarebit made

with Brie

Moabeer.com

Wilde Gluten Free Raspberry Pale Ale 3% ABV, 330ml

Whilst it’s a little hard to imagine

many occasions when a gluten

free raspberry flavoured pale

ale is going to be the exact thing

that really hits the spot, this is

a surprisingly well-constructed

beer. Fresh raspberry aroma, clean

slightly bitter palate and heaps

of delicate acidity to balance the

malt sweetness instead of relying

on just the hops. A niche beer for

sure, but bravo for executing it

so well.

Style: Gluten free fruit beer

Glass: Wine glass

Food Match: Smashed avocado

on sourdough toast

Wildebeer.com.au

Thatchers Gold English Cider 4.8% ABV, 330ml

There’s been a big play in recent

times on producing extremely

pale, almost white ciders;

considered an indication of

purity and delicacy. Delicacy,

schmellacacy we say. Great ciders

around the world have a golden

hue as micro-oxidation helps to

break down tannins and acidity

in the apples to give flavour and

complexity. So there’s a clue in the

name of this cider and a delicate

oxidative colour is present with a

corresponding rich, cidery, warm

apple note.

Style: English cider

Glass: Half-pint

Food Match: Pork schnitzel with

apple coleslaw

Thatcherscider.co.uk

Riders Brewing Easy Rider Golden Ale 4.6% ABV, 330ml

A curious style the golden ale,

it’s not really defined anywhere

and so is entirely open to

interpretation. The Easy Rider

version is firmly leaning towards

a maltier summer ale. Whilst

there are US and Australian hops

listed, it’s the latter hop that

comes across straight away with

melon and pear very notable.

A dry, slightly coarse palate is

certainly refreshing but there’s a

bit of structure missing that might

elevate the whole thing.

Style: Golden ale

Glass: Schooner

Food Match: Honey-seared

salmon

Ridersbrewing.com.au


4 Pines Indian Summer Pale Ale 4.2% ABV, 375ml

4 Pines is second only to Coopers

now in volume produced for

the Australian market, hard to

believe for a company that has

only been around eight years and

started from a little brewery in

Manly. But it’s got there by doing

things in a quietly competent

manner. No surprises therefore

that this canned summer ale

does exactly what it says on the

label. A delicate pale ale, a good

hit of fruity hops and a very

pretty can that will be distributed

everywhere.

Style: Australian pale ale

Glass: Straight-sided half pint

Food Match: Chicken burger with

herb mayonnaise

4pinesbeer.com.au

Lord Nelson Seasonal Ale Double Nelson IPA5.4% ABV, 500ml

Deep amber colour, with a lightly

beige foam and fairly good

cling, this is a boldly hoppy beer.

Evident resinous hop notes of

pine and sandalwood pipe up

early followed by burnt caramel

in the background. The palate

is assertive on both bitterness

and bitter caramel/toffee

characteristics but well-balanced

for the intensity. It’s rounded and

quite moreish. A good beer to kick

back with.

Style: American pale ale


Food Match: Succulent pork

Lordnelsonbrewery.com

Endeavour Growers Pale Ale4.5% ABV, 330ml

A definite nod to the growers they

pay tribute to. A fine example of

the style, with evident tropical

fruit and sweet stone fruit notes

on the aroma that transition to

the palate. Supported by the

slight toffee notes on the palate, it

finishes with an assertive, mildly

lingering bitterness. A clean beer

that drinks well.

Style: Pale ale

Glass: Stemmed tulip

Food Match: Wood-fired pizza

topped with prosciutto, buffalo

mozzarella and baby basil leaves

Endeavourbeer.com

Two Metre Tall Derwent Aromatic Spelt Ale 5.9% ABV, 500ml

An even, dense yeast suspension

provides depth to the dark

straw colour and thick white

foam but also a mouthfeel

supported by the sour notes on

the palate. The spicy hop and

phenolic characteristics provide

a complex aroma that varies with

temperature and almost every

sip, hints of anise, bergamot and

a little sandalwood. The palate is

grippy and sharp to begin with

but evolves into a mouth-watering

sensation of flavours and a well-

integrated bitterness.

Style: Farmhouse sour ale

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: St Agur blue cheese

or a creamy Fromager d’Affinois

2mt.com.au

Matso’s Rare Release Ginger Barley Wine 11% ABV, 500ml

Sweeter than Willy Wonka’s late

night sugar rush highway but

there’s rum and spices and a

decent hit of ginger, although

more would be welcome to bite

through the intense sweetness. If

there’s a style of beer that holds

onto barrel-ageing well it’s a

barley wine although again, more

astringency and vanillin would be

welcome in this example. There’s

some of the complexity and silky

smoothness one would expect but

much of it is hidden by sugar

and spice and all things...well

you decide.

Style: Barrel-aged barley wine

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Tarte tatin

Matsos.com.au

Bridge Road Bling Bling Imperial IPA8.5% ABV, 330ml

Did they say hop bomb? Got that

right! Packed full of wet hop cone

notes, freshly cut grass, resinous

almost sandalwood aromas that

transition into the palate and

supported by rich malt flavours

that round out and integrate

the emphatic hop flavours.

The higher alcohol notes in the

aroma are evident after a little

while and together with the full

malt sweetness on the palate,

provide a warming, soothing and

balancing effect to the excessive

bitterness. A surprisingly moreish

beer that lingers beautifully.

Style: Imperial IPA


Food Match: Sticky beef cheek

burgers with melted Jarlsberg

Bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

Sierra Nevada Nooner Pilsner 5.2% ABV, 355ml

Appealing, enticing and it delivers

as promised. A very easy-drinking

Pilsner, kicking off with obvious

spicy hop notes and followed

through by a herbal, earthy hop

character. The palate is malty

and full, balanced by an assertive

yet rounded bitterness that

provides a cleansing, crisp finish.

A pleasingly easy Pilsner to drink

and sessionable with our without

food.

Style: German-style Pilsner

Glass: Pilsner

Food Match: Reuben on rye

Sierranevada.com

Moa Festive IPA (Belgian Edition) 6% ABV, 500ml

If it’s hops you’re after, then this

will provide! An appealing burnt

orange colour, good dense foam

and cling, this beer opens up to a

plethora of spice, floral and citrus

hop notes evident as the liquorice,

musk and grapefruit aromas come

through. The palate is assertively

bitter, firm and a slightly resinous

astringency across the mid-palate

with a peppery hop note lingering

warmly across the back. A full and

complex beer to savour.

Style: American-style IPA


Food Match: Rich, slow-cooked

beef ragu with fresh pasta

Moabeer.com

Autumn 2016 75

TASTING

Moa St Josephs Belgian Tripel 9.5% ABV, 500ml

This is dessert for the big

boys and girls. Full of banana

and pineapple esters, toffee,

caramelised butterscotch and

sweet candied fruit on the aroma.

The palate is warming, smooth

and luscious. Rich and malty, the

bitterness provides balance and

restores the sessionability of this

beer. A spicy character slowly

evolves to shift the interest as it

warms. An interesting, complex

yet harmonised beer.

Style: Belgian tripel

Glass: Large tulip

Food Match: Platter of cheese,

dried muscatels and quince paste

Moabeer.com

Grand Ridge Pale Ale 4.7% ABV, 330ml

Hailing from Mirboo North in

Victoria, Grand Ridge is one of

Australia’s longest-running craft

breweries. If you like Ella hops this

American-style pale ale is the beer

for you. Good weight on the palate

but you have to dig for the malt

over the perfumed hops. A nice

lingering, dry bitterness.

Style: Pale ale

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Duck pancakes

Grand-ridge.com.au

Grand Ridge Golden Ale 4.3% ABV, 330ml

A wheat and malt combo that

was supposed to be full of

galaxy hops. If it was there, I

couldn’t find it. Otherwise a

sweet malty entry then ends in

a very drying bitterness and the

colour is certainly golden with

a hint of cloudiness. The malt

comes across as duty but it is the

bitterness that lingers.

Style: Golden ale

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Spicy chicken wings

Grand-ridge.com.au

Golden Road Hefeweizen4.6% ABV, 355ml

Golden Road Brewing in

California has a distinct range

of canned craft beers. This

hefeweizen presents deep gold

in colour and has a snowy white

head. The aroma offers a hint of

clove and banana, at the lower

end for style, blending nicely

with some citrus notes. Medium

bodied, Golden Road, has some

good malt layering and is a

refreshing take on the traditional

German variety. Slightly tart

on the finish with a signature

dryness derived from wheat.

Style: Hefeweizen

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Pork medallions

Goldenroad.la

Bridge Road Hefeweizen 5% ABV, 330ml

Clean, fresh if a little simple, just

hits the nail on the head when it is

a warm summer’s day. Good head

retention, slight turbidity, subtle

flowery flavours ,with a hint of

sourness and the crunch of wheat.

Style: Hefeweizen

Glass: Spiegelau wheat

Food Match: Moules and frites


Bridge Road Little Bling 3.4% ABV, 330ml

Ah! Those famous blings and this

is their little sibling. Very cloudy,

almost opaque. Big hop lift on

the nose, medium weight on

the palate but very narrow and

long and the hops dominate the

flavours. You have to dig a bit for

the malt but overall a great beer

with lots of flavour for its ABV.

Style: Mid-strength IPA


Food Match: Spicy Mexican tacos


Napoleone American Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 330ml

Light copper in colour, good head

retention smelling of fresh hops.

Clean tasting but a tad light in

texture for an American IPA for

me. Loads of bitterness that was

a little out of whack with the dirty

malt flavours.

Style: Pale ale

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Roasted quail with

quinoa salad

Napoleone.com.au

Bridge Road Chevalier Bier de Garde7.5% ABV, 750mL

The biggest in the Chevalier range,

the Biere De Garde is loosely-

based on traditional Belgian and

French farmhouse ales. Rich

caramel in colour with a creamy

off-white head, the beer has

aromas of star anise, clove, dried

fruits and yeast-driven esters.

The palate has a full spectrum of

malty flavours with some residual

sweetness.

Style: Bière de Garde

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Roast quail with

potato gratin



TASTING

Big Job7.2% ABV, 500ml

Hailing from St Austell Brewery,

this double IPA is chock full of

hops. Golden in appearance with

a light lacy head. Spicy, herbal

aroma with great sensory layering

on the nose unveils a beer with

some surprise. The alcohol is

exceptionally well-concealed

and the excessive hopping adds

flavour without astringency. The

malt carry is good and the finish is

impressively light.

Style: Cornish double IPA

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Cornish pasty

Staustellbrewery.co.uk

Mountain Goat In-Breed The Naz6.5% ABV, 640ml

Mountain Goat has a solid

reputation in brewing seasonal

styles and experimental beers as

well as a good stable of regular

brews. The dark red-brown

appearance suggests rich malt

beneath a fawn head. An aroma of

stewed fruit complemented with

nut and biscuit malt. For style,

‘The Naz’ is more of an entry level

scotch ale, with the characteristics

of the style, light and sessionable,

without the deep richness akin to

many other scotch ales. Good malt

layering is evident and the alcohol

is well-held. A malty finish with

good nuttiness.

Style: Scotch ale

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Beef wellington

Goatbeer.com.au

The Fox Hop & Rye Lager4.8% ABV, 500ml

Rabbit & Spaghetti is the wine

brand of Adam Barton and now

an intriguing beer, a lager with a

real difference. The appearance

is deep gold with a firm white

head. Grassy aroma combining

bready rye and malt notes with

hop floral and spice additions.

Distinctly fresh, the beer is clean

and offers a well-made lager base

blended with a layering of nettle,

spicy hops and biscuit malt. The

finish is full and well-balanced with

lingering malt. A technically well-

made, excellent beer.

Style: Lager

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Spare ribs

Rabbitandspghettibrewing.com

La Goudale7.2% ABV, 500ml

La Goudale heralds from Les

Brasseurs de Gayant in France, a

significant commercial brewing

operation with broad global

distribution. The appearance is

a soft, golden honey, with light

lacy foam. On aroma there is a

pleasant yeasty note synonymous

with the style, coupled with some

grainy malt and light peppery

hop notes. The palate hides the

alcohol well and offers a blend of

herbaceous hops, honey-like malt

and soft stone fruit peachiness.

The finish is dry and has lingering

fruity tones.

Style: Bière de Garde

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Gorgonzola

Lagoudale.com

Hoegaarden Wit Blanche4.9% ABV, 330ml

A global beer, which strongly

optimises the style of a Belgian

wit. A cloudy lemon appearance

topped by a thick white head. The

citrusy lemon and orange aroma,

with coriander and a hint of white

pepper gives way to a refreshing

easy-drinking palate. Soft wheat

malt infused with citrus blends

well. The finish is clean and dry

with a light residual tartness.

Style: Wheat beer

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Barramundi

Hoegaarden.com

Two to the Valley IPA5.9% ABV, 330ml

Newstead Brewing Co. is a recent

revelation in Brisbane, with a short

history but a big reputation. Two

to the Valley IPA appears copper

in colour adorned with a creamy

tan head. The aroma has some

resinous pine notes and citrus

underpinned by biscuit maltiness.

The palate reflects the aroma,

with good hops leading from

a well-rounded malt base. It is

evident that balance, flavour and

style have had more consideration

than gratuitous hop bombing,

which gives excellent appeal and

drinkability. The moderate hop

finish rounds the beer nicely.

Style: IPA

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Duck pancakes

Newsteadbrewing.com.au

4 Pines Keller Door West Coast Red Rye IPA7.3% ABV, 500ml

4 Pines Brewing Co. has been

operating since 2008 and its

seasonal and experimental beers

are released under its Keller Door

brand. This brew was released in

September 2015. As expected,

it pours a deep red and has a

medium foam. Aromatically, it

offers some rich malt and caramel

integrated with bready character

and high hop notes. The palate

offers good malt layering and

grapefruit, gooseberry flavour is

evident. Well-balanced, the beer

finishes full and gruff, with some

nice alcohol warmth.

Style: IPA

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Braised lamb shanks

4pinesbeer.com.au

Proper Job5.5% ABV, 500ml

St Austell Brewery is based in

Cornwall, England and remains

an independent family business,

which dates back to 1851. Proper

Job unashamedly calls out

‘powerfully hopped’ on the label

and for an English-style beer

it is. Pouring bright gold in the

glass with low foam, the aroma

is peppery and herbal, with

clean malt character and a hint

of lychee. The taste of nettle

and hops is well-cushioned by

layered malt leaving a clean, soft

bitter finish.

Style: IPA

Glass: Tulip

Food Match: Roast lamb

Staustellbrewery.co.uk

Distributor: World Brands

BEER�&�BREWER�CONSULTING EDITOR IAN KINGHAM SHARES HIS NOTES ON EIGHT BEERS HE’S TASTED LATELY

Autumn 2016 77

AUSTRALIA & NZ DIRECTORY

Breweries

ACT

BENTSPOKE BREWING CO.38 Mort Street, Braddon ACT 2612 (02) 6257 5220 www.bentspokebrewing.com.au Open 11am to midnight every day

NSW

AUSTRALIAN BEER COMPANY1 Wakley Road, Yenda NSW 2681 1800 112 337 (8am-7pm EST, Mon-Fri) Follow us to find out more and share our passion for beer Facebook, Instagram: australianbeerco, Twitter: ausbeerco

AUSTRALIAN BREWERY350 Annangrove Road, Rouse Hill NSW 2155 (02) 9679 4555 [email protected] www.australianbrewery.com.au Cellar door open 10am-10pm daily

REDOAK BOUTIQUE BEER CAFÉ201 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000 (02) 9262 3303 [email protected] www.redoak.com.au Open: Mon-Sat 11am until late (lunch & dinner)

ST PETERS BREWERY15 May Street, St Peters NSW 2044 (02) 9519 0191 [email protected] www.stpetersbrewerysydney.com.au Beer: Green Star Lager, Killagh Stout, Cinnamon Girl & Ugly American Pale Ale

QLD

ARCHIVE BEER BOUTIQUEBISTRO100 Boundary Street, West End Brisbane QLD 4101 07 3844 3419 [email protected] www.archivebeerboutique.com.au Open Monday to Sunday 11am till late

BURLEIGH BREWING COMPANY2 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220 www.burleighbrewing.com.au Opening hours at Burleigh Brewing Brewery and Tap House are Wed and Thurs 3-6pm, Fri 3-8.30pm, Sun 2-6pm. Join the crew for tastings and takeaways, tours, live music, special events and other opportunities for spending time with the Burleigh Brewing crew – and their beer – in their new brewery. More information including events and tours, available on the website.

VIC

HOLGATE BREWHOUSE79 High Street, Woodend VIC 3442 (03) 5427 2510 www.holgatebrewhouse.com Open 7 Days from 12noon to late

NAPOLEONE BREWERY &CIDERHOUSE12 St Huberts Road, Coldstream VIC 3770 (03) 9739 0666 [email protected] www.napoleone.com.au Open 7 days from 10am

SOUTHERN BAY BREWING CO.80 Point Henry Road, Moolap VIC 3224 (03) 5248 5710 [email protected] www.SouthernBay.com.au

TWO BIRDS BREWING –BREWERY AND TASTING ROOM136 Hall Street, Spotswood VIC 3015 For current food and drink menu, opening hours and to book a brewery tour www.twobirdsbrewing.com.au

Australia & NZ Directory

Restaurant and MicrobreweryBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Craft Beer.

117-119 Princes Hwy, Sylvania, NSW

www.blackrockbrasserie.com.au 02 9522-5558

Fremantle & Geelong Breweries.

littlecreatures.com.au

LCR0016-B&B-DIR-0103 109.5x41.5 v5.indd 12/03/2016 4:19 pm


SA

COOPERS461 South Road, Regency Park SA 5010 (08) 8440 1800 www.coopers.com.au Tours available 1pm Tuesday to Friday

WA

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

THE MONK BREWERY & KITCHEN33 South Terrace, Fremantle WA 6160 (08) 9336 7666 [email protected] Open every day 11:30am until late

NZ

MOA BREWING COMPANYJacksons Road, RD3 Blenheim Marlborough Tel: +64 3 572 5146 www.moabeer.com Visitors welcome Open 11am – 5pm or late, 7 days

Cider

AUSTRALIAN BREWERY350 Annangrove Road, Rouse Hill NSW 2155 (02) 9679 4555 [email protected] www.australianbrewery.com.au Cellar door open 10am-10pm daily

Distributors

BEER IMPORTERS &DISTRIBUTORSUnit 5/20-28 Ricketty Street, Mascot NSW 2020 (02) 9667 3755 [email protected] www.bidbeer.com www.facebook.com/BeerImportersDistributors Beers: Abita, Warsteiner, Greene King, Chimay, Duvel

NORTHDOWN+61 432 829 921 [email protected] www.northdown.com.au Amager, Baird, Beer Here, Bone Yard, Croucher, Dainton, Dugges, Edge, Evil Twin, Golden Axe Cider, Kaiju!, Mikkeller, Moylans, Omnipollo, Red Duck, Stillwater Artisanal

THE BEVERAGE FOOD GROUP24-26 National Boulevard, Campbellfield VIC 3061 (03) 9924 4000 [email protected] www.thebeveragefoodgroup.com Importer and distributor for all food and beverage making equipment and supplies, including nano/home/pilot brewing products

Education

COSTANZO BREWINGCONSULTANTSMobile +61 (0)408 104 176 [email protected] www.costanzobrewing.com www.precisionbrewingsystems.com Brewing School & Craft Brewery Services Proven how to brew consistent beer courses in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Wellington and Singapore Start your microbrewery with a Masterbrewer We help you with accurate knowledge, getting started, design, procure, install & commission bespoke breweries, & provide lab, QC training

Equipment

DME BREWING SERVICESCanada [email protected] Aus/NZ Agent: Brian Watson www.contractbrewing.com www.facebook.com/dmebrewing

FB*PROPAK24-26 National Boulevard, Campbellfield VIC 3061 (03) 9924 4050 [email protected] www.fbpropak.com Twitter: @FB_PROPAK Specialised team has more than 40 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

RTO Code: 41026

Proud agents for

Meheen ManufacturingFilling & Carbonating Technologieswww.meheen.com

News FlashMeheen now builds apressure sensitive labellerwww.breowan.com

Australia +61 427 007 800New Zealand +64 274 874 783

[email protected]

Autumn 2016 79

AUSTRALIA & NZ DIRECTORY

Ingredients

BINTANI AUSTRALIA+61 3 9580 3566 [email protected] www.bintani.com.au Malt: Simpsons, Joe White, Global Malt, Best Malz, Briess Yeast: Fermentis Hops: Hop Products Australia, Charles Faram European Hops, Hop Union US Hops Enzymes and brewing aids

CRYER MALTAus: 1800-119-622 [email protected] www.cryermalt.co.nz Malt: Weyermann, Barrett Burston, Bairds, Thomas Fawcett, and Dingemans. Belgian Dark Candi Syrup Also suppliers of kegs, cleaners, sanitisers and brewing enzymes

HOPCO PTY LTD+61 03 62435960 [email protected] www.hopco.com.au Supply of hops and hop products Agents for Handtmann filtration and beer stabilisation equipment

NZ HOPS+64 3 544 8989 [email protected] www.nzhops.co.nz

Keg Leasing and Sales

KEG LEASE BINTANI AUSTRALIA+61 3 9580 3566 [email protected] www.bintani.com.au

READY KEG BINTANI AUSTRALIA+61 3 9580 3566 [email protected] www.bintani.com.au

Insurance

INSURANCE HOUSETailored solutions for microbrewers 1300 305 834 www.insurancehouse.com.au

Homebrew Directory

NSW

COUNTRY BREWERBathurst 231 Russell Street, Bathurst NSW 2795 ph: 02 6332 1422

Kingswood 218 Great Western HWY, Kingswood NSW 2747 ph: 02 4731 5444

Maitland 1/128 Melbourne Street, East Maitland NSW 2323 ph: 02 4933 0058

Port Macquarie 2/12 Jindalee Road, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 ph: 02 6581 0481

Prospect 4/22 Rowood Road, Prospect NSW 2148 ph: 02 9896 1366

Richmond Shop 13 ‘Orange Grove Mall’ 296 Windsor Street Richmond NSW 2753 ph: 02 4578 8345

Thornleigh 1/10 Chilvers Road, Thornleigh NSW 2120 ph: 02 9980 1399

Toormina 8/1 Hi Tech Drive, Toormina NSW 2452 ph: 02 6658 8397

Toukley 356b Main Road, Toukley NSW 2263 ph: 02 4396 6887

Young 45 Cloete St, Young NSW 2494 ph: 02 6382 3648

MATTY’S BREWING SUPPLIES16 Mortimer Place, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 0422 184 898 [email protected] www. mattysbrewingsupplies.com.au Beer, wine, spirits & ciders, Monthly Braumeister brewing demos

QLDBAYSIDE BREWING & HOMEGOURMET SUPPLIES8 Fifth Avenue, Sandgate Qld 07 3269 6797 www.baysidebrewing.com.au For all your DIY food and drink supplies and equipment

VIC

HOME MAKE IT 4/158 Wellington Road, Clayton VIC 3168 265 Spring Street, Reservoir VIC 3073 (03) 9924-4030 [email protected] www.homemakeit.com.au Twitter: @HomeMakeIt Specialists in home brew, beverage and food making equipment and supplies. Shop in-store or online

SA

COUNTRY BREWERClovelly Park 8/1240 –1242 South Road, Clovelly Park SA 5042 ph: 08 8177 1110

Kilburn Shop 7, 543 Churchill Road, Kilburn SA 5084 ph: 08 8260 2271

WA

BREWMART HOMEBREWSUPPLIES32 Railway Parade, Bayswater WA 6053 Phone (08) 9370 2484 [email protected] www.brewmart.com.au Facebook, Twitter


1. König Ludwig Weissbier

A traditional German wheat beer

brewed in Bavaria in accordance

with the purity law of 1516, König

Ludwig Weissbier depicts the

style well. The customary clove

and banana aroma is evident

although somewhat restrained

with some nice bready notes

also present. The palate is rich

and full, with good malt layering

and some banana and tropical

fruit character. Rich on the finish,

with good residual maltiness and

less dry than other conventional

styles of hefeweizen.

FOOD MATCH Beetroot and goats cheese salad

ABV: 5.5%

RRP: $5 per bottle (330ml)

Bidbeer.com

3. Erdinger Hefeweizen

Erdinger is the world’s most

popular wheat beer and

one of the few wheat beer

breweries that continue to use

the ‘Champagne method’ of

secondary fermentation in the

bottle/keg ensuring perfect

carbonation and an exceptionally

well-balanced beer. With a

distinctive bright golden colour

the flavour is mildly sweet

up front, with a good deal of

sensation from the carbonation.

The middle of the palate offers

spiced citrus notes and the finish

brings out a swirl of elegant hop

flavour.

FOOD MATCHDelicious with chicken or

veal schnitzel

ABV: 5.3%

RRP: $6.29 per bottle

(500ml)

Baw.com.au

2. Blue Moon Belgian White

A Belgian-style ale, Blue Moon

Belgian White is brewed with

white wheat and oats for a crisp,

wheat finish that’s perfectly

complemented by a combination

of orange peel and coriander. It’s

best served in a weiss glass with

an orange slice garnish to bring

out the subtle citrus aroma

and finish.

FOOD MATCH The beer’s light, spicy, citrus

flavours pair well with seafood

such as grilled prawns and Asian

dishes like pad Thai

ABV: 5.4%


4. Burleigh Brewing HEF

Burleigh Brewing HEF boasts

the classic German wheat beer

characteristics of banana and

clove, rich flavours, a bright

white head and a smooth,

creamy texture. It is an unfiltered,

refreshing, flavour-filled beer

without being overpowering.

FOOD MATCHCheese, seafood or fruit chutney

ABV: 5%

RRP: $21-$22 per six-pack

(330ml)

Burleighbrewing.com.au

WHEAT PROMOTION

5. Grand Ridge Natural Blonde

Natural Blonde is a classic

Belgian-style wheat beer. This

beer is naturally cloudy using

Australia’s premium wheat,

malt and coriander. A touch

of orange peel lets luscious

hints of citrus seep through the

head. A real chef’s beer, Grand

Ridge uses Natural Blonde at its

restaurant for incredibly light

and flavoursome batters and also

recommends using it to steam

mussels. This beer makes any

seafood work to perfection.

FOOD MATCHFresh, wild barramundi fillets

ABV: 4.5%

RRP: $18-20 per six-pack

(330ml)

Grand-ridge.com.au

7. Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen

Wheat beer usually prevails from

Bavaria however the Binding

Brewery in Frankfurt has its own

take on what a wheat beer should

taste like and Schöfferhofer

is now the most successful

wheat beer brand brewed

outside of Bavaria. Brewed with

additional hops to bring extra

bitterness, Schöfferhofer has

an unmistakable bright amber

haze with tangy fruit and spice

flavours delivering ultimate

thirst-quenching refreshment and

seems to be perfectly designed

for the Australian palate.

FOOD MATCHSkewered shrimp with rosemary

ABV: 5%

RRP: $5.50 per bottle (500ml)

Baw.com.au

6. Goodieson Wheat Beer

This German-style wheat beer

has a beautiful balance of banana

and clove aromas and flavours.

Slightly hazy with a golden colour

and a very low bitterness this

beer will leave the true wheat

beer lovers craving for another

glass. Gently shake the bottle

before opening and pour with at

least two distinctive pours. Pour

approximately three quarters of

the bottle, than swirl the bottle to

ensure the entire contents of the

bottle are poured into the glass.

FOOD MATCHThai, Malaysian, seafood or

just use it to make a fantastic

beer batter

ABV: 5.2%

RRP: $23 per six-pack

(330ml)

Goodiesonbrewery.com.au

8. Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat

Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat

is crafted with orange blossom

honey for a hint of sweetness and

a touch of orange peel for subtle

citrus notes. It’s a refreshing,

balanced taste that’s landed just

in time for the longer, warmer

days of the season.

FOOD MATCHGrilled summer barbeque meats

such as marinated chicken with

honey mustard sauce

ABV: 5.2%


Wheat WITH THEIR LOW BITTERNESS, MALTY SWEETNESS,FRUITY ESTERS, SPICY PHENOLS AND LIVELYCARBONATION, WHEAT BEERS WERE SEEMINGLY MADETO BE PAIRED WITH FOOD. HERE ARE EIGHT TO TRYTHIS SEASON

1

2

3

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67

8

22 www.beerandbrewer.com Autumn 2016 23


ISSN 1834-5115

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Wonderful wheats



BEERS & CIDERS

TASTED





ISSN 1834-5115

9 7 7 1 8 3 4 5 1 1 0 1 7

0 1


INCLUDING


Wonderful wheats



BEERS & CIDERS

TASTED




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BEER & BREWER PRINT + DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION BUNDLE

A PINT WITH…

Q WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO TEAM UP WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BEER TO BRING CICERONE TO AUSTRALIA?We have been promoting the program and

running exams in Canada for about three or

four years now and the UK for three years.

Canada obviously is very easy for us to travel

to, the UK is not too bad but coming down

here is obviously a much bigger commitment.

So from the beginning, I thought it would be

best to have a partner to work with down here.

These guys were sort of the first to call us and

say, ‘hey we would like to do this’. So initially I

came down last September to explore that, get

to know them and I found a group that I really

liked. I think they have the right attitude and

approach, good background and experience,

and they like what we do and want to work

with our program.

Q WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE CICERONE PROGRAM?Certainly the goal of the program is not to

make beer snobby. Cicerone should be guides

not gods. That’s what the word means; the

word means ‘guides’. So you’re not there to

impress people with your knowledge, you’re

not there to develop a fan club, you’re there

to help people understand and appreciate

beer, and understand and appreciate the beer

that they like to drink. So if you’re going to

introduce them to something new and they

enjoy it that’s great, but if you’re forcing new

things on them that they don’t care for then

that’s not acceptable.

Q TELL US ABOUT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CICERONE IN AUSTRALIA The first level of Certified Beer Server is

done online. We will get it adapted for the

Australian market both the exam and the

training materials. That will be available

soon, within the next few months.

The next level is Certified Cicerone [the

exams were held for the first time in Australia

in February] and we had five and five in both

Melbourne and Sydney sitting the exam.

That’s a very small exam for us these days

but that’s how we started out in the States

as well.

Q IS IT MOSTLY PEOPLE FROM BREWERIES AND CRAFT BEER BARS SITTING THE EXAMS? In the States we find people from all sectors

of the industry; breweries; wholesalers; sales

organisations; and retailers, both bars and

restaurants and off-premise as well.

Q IF YOU’RE A CONSUMER CAN YOU DO THE PROGRAM?Sure, we don’t discourage consumers from

doing it. We make clear to them that it’s a

professional credential so we’re going to

test on things that are not necessarily super

interesting. Unless you’re really a beer geek and

want to understand how draught systems work

and how beer can be ruined and all that stuff.

I think the Institute of Beer guys are going to

do some more consumer-orientated training

as well. Not so much as part of the Cicerone

curriculum but part of their overall offerings of

services and education around beer.

Q WHAT SORT OF TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE US AND HAVE YOU HAD TO ADAPT THE PROGRAM TO SUIT THESE? We haven’t reached the point yet where the

beer world has changed enough that we feel

the need to modify the program, but I expect

we probably will at some point. I may feel a

little sad when that happens mostly because

I think the program is fairly broad right

now and what I fear in the States is a sort of

narrowing of our interests in beer.

For me, as someone who got into beer

as a brewer and was all about discovering a

full range of different styles and tasting all

these different kinds of beers and flavours,

to see a beer culture that’s tending towards

a less adventurous, less broad expression of

flavour that’s a discouraging thing.

We haven’t gone all the way down that

road yet, but there is this sense, I mean

there are a lot of brewers in the States that

will tell you, ‘I have to make an IPA because

if I walk into a bar the first thing they say

is we’ll put your IPA on and if people like

it then maybe we’ll look at your other

beers’. So everyone has to make an IPA and

sometimes you walk into a bar, there are 12

taps and eight of them will be IPAs. So that’s

a bit depressing but hopefully we’ll shake

that off at some point.

Sours are emerging as a separate interest

and separate evolution. Part of sours is

barrel-aged beers in general. Actually lagers

are starting to emerge a bit as well, even

some of the big hop-driven powerhouse

breweries are making lagers, sometimes

hoppy lagers like Pilsners, but in other cases

nice malty middle-of-the-road lagers.

So there is that chink in the armour, that

move towards more drinkable beers and

I think a lot of the more senior members

of the craft beer industry in the States are

starting to feel like, ‘I can only drink so

many IPAs and can we get back to something

that’s a little more drinkable’.

Ray Daniels BEER�&�BREWER CAUGHT UP WITH CICERONE FOUNDER RAY DANIELS WHEN HE WAS IN THE COUNTRY FOR THE LAUNCH OF NEW AUSTRALIAN BEER EDUCATION INITIATIVE THE INSTITUTE OF BEER


W dmebrewing.com E [email protected] P 902.628.6900 facebook.com/DMEBrewingSolutions

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Beer & Brewer - Autumn 2016