Beer & Brewer Magazine Issue 28 Autumn 2014

Yes, we

!!!CanCanCanAMBER ALE

Chuck Hahn explains the style

PLUs! aZTeC sTaTs n RYe wHIsKY n awaRds n sYdneY BReweRIes

BOnUs 2 x CARTONS OF CRABBIE’S NEW GINGER BEER FLAVOURS. $130 VALUE!

n see page 7 in Homebrewer for details Australian residents only (excl. NT)

IssUe 28 AuTumN 2014 PRICe $9.95 (NZ $11.95)

48Beers & ciders TAsTedA u s T r A l i A & n e w z e A l A n d

HAMBURGERS!Beers and burgers: best combo ever

DRAUGHT BEER Our Reader

survey Results

ENGLISH CIDER a look behind this very British drink

FRee CARTON x2 OF KOSCIUSZKO PALE ALE WORTH $60!is

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SCOTCH ALEThe devonshire Tea

of the Beer world

GREAT CRAIC!st Pat’s day in the

emerald Isle

START YOUR ENGINESV8 supercars

season Preview

A u s T r A l i A & n e w z e A l A n d

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emerald Isle

GREAT CRAIC!st Pat’s day in the

emerald Isleemerald Isle

PLUs! sensaTIOnaL adeLaIde n wHIsKY: ORIGIns OF TasTe n aUTUMn FaRe

CeLeBRITY PaCKed!Rick stein, Charlie Pickering

& James Courtney $8.9

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BREWING BREWING TO PAY TAxESTHe sTIFLInG eFFeCT OF eXCIse TaX On OUR CRaFT BReweRs.

ISSUE SIxTEEN AUTUMN 2011

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we’ve been drinking tinnies for decades -

but why is there a sudden resurgence

in canned beer? i

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CCA REPRESENTATIVE,OR TO PLACE AN ORDER CALL THE CCA ORDER HOTLINE ON 1800 11 BEER (2337).

KMC Y

MELISSA HUNT BELLA SUFFERINI

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COVERCanning

COVERCanning

www.beerandbrewer.com 4544 www.beerandbrewer.com

Yes,

With the US craft beer scene going positively nuts over beer in cans, and a resurgence in popularity of the humble Aussie “tinny”, Gregor stronach takes a look at canning...

!!!we

CanCanCan44

Yes, we

!!!CanCanCanAMBER ALE

Chuck Hahn

explains the style

PLUs! aZTeC sTaTs n RYe wHIsKY n awaRds n sYdneY BReweRIes

BOnUs 2 x CARTONS OF CRABBIE’S NEW GINGER BEER FLAVOURS. $130 VALUE!

n see page 7

in Homebrewer

for details Australian residents only

(excl. NT)IssUe 28 AUTUmN 2014

PRICe $9.95 (NZ $11.95)

48Beers & ciders tasted

a u s t r a l i a & n e w z e a l a n d

HAMBURGERS!

Beers and burgers:

best combo ever

DRAUGHT BEER Our Reader

survey Results

ENGLISH CIDER

a look behind this

very British drink

FRee CARTON x2 OF KOSCIUSZKO PALE ALE WORTH $60!

is

su

e

si

Xt

ee

n

au

tu

mn

2

01

1

n see page 59 for details Australian residents

only (excl. NT)

SCOTCH ALEThe devonshire Tea

of the Beer world

GREAT CRAIC!

st Pat’s day in the

emerald Isle

START YOUR

ENGINESV8 supercars

season Preview

a u s t r a l i a & n e w z e a l a n d

211

emerald IsleGREAT CRAIC!

st Pat’s day in the

emerald Isleemerald Isle

PLUs! sensaTIOnaL adeLaIde n wHIsKY: ORIGIns OF TasTe n aUTUMn FaReCeLeBRITY PaCKed!

Rick stein, Charlie Pickering

& James Courtney

$8.9

5(in

c.G

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nz

$9.9

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BREWING TO PAY TAxES

Rick stein, Charlie Pickering

& James Courtney

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BREWING BREWING TO PAY TAxESTHe sTIFLInG

eFFeCT OF

eXCIse TaX

On OUR CRaFT BReweRs.

ISSUE SIxTEEN

AUTUMN 2011

www.BeerandBrewer.com

9 771834 511017

01ISSN 1834-5115

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www.BeerandBrewer.com

®

we’ve been drinking

tinnies for decades -

but why is there

a sudden resurgence

in canned beer?

is

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ut

um

n 2

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being craft beer (local), 24% is craft beer (imported), 18% is commercial lager (including Mid-Strength), 11% is premium international.

If a pub is serving only commercial lager, then it is missing out on the craft beer drinkers, who are located all over Australia, in metro and regional areas.

Thomson says of Barscan’s sample size of 300 venues across Australia 45% have one craft beer on tap, and 67% have one cider on tap. Given most craft beer consumers are demanding four or more different craft beers per month, representing 50 per year, unless venues that do have one craft tap that they rotate four times a month, the selection is not being offered to meet demand. At the tip

of iceberg in relation to venues specialising in craft beer, The Albion Hotel in Newcastle (NSW) is an example worth noting, as they have sold 500 different beers in one year over 2012/13. The Sail & Anchor hotel sells around 200 different beers over a year, from its 43 taps, with only 5-6 taps changed per week.

RegulaR and guest tapsThere is a need for regulars and guest taps to facilitate the demand from craft beer drinkers. Peter Bottcher Venue Manager of The Sail & Anchor (WA) says to get the balance right between guest taps and permanent ranged beers, “brewers deserve some financial stability - and venues need to be able to build a relationship with brewers. This won’t happen without permanent taps. Consumers need some consistency in product, not all beers can be one-off brews, brewers need the chance to perfect a brew over time”. Bottcher continues on when considering a mix of beers to put on tap, “there needs to be a balance of differing styles and producers. A balance between interesting beer (crazy styles, one-offs and rare imports) as well a good quality, local, fresh beer. The imports are fun and get the beer geeks attention, however local and fresh is vitally important.”

Some examples of how pubs can incorporate craft beer into their bank of taps and provide a point of difference to other venues and off-premise, include:

HouSe BeerS These beers can be exclusively brewed for

the venue, or rebranded from the brewery to the venue brand, so as to be a regular beer that provides a point of difference. examples include Feral Brewing (WA) brew

Craft Beer may best be defined by the use of traditional or innovative ingredients that focus on flavour with the intention to be different to commercial lager.

According to Tina Panoutsos, Sensory Manager at CUB, flavour in beer is made up of 40% palate (taste and mouthfeel) and 60% aroma. Craft beer can generally be said its most beer other than commercial lager, as commercial lager: 90% of beer sold in Australia and craft beer

is a point of difference to this Focuses on taste and mouthfeel and not

aroma May not be using traditional ingredients Production is far greater than craft brewers.

If a brewer is not classified as small, or

independent, then they may not be a craft brewer per se - however, they can still brew craft beer, provided traditional ingredients and brewing techniques are used. Most craft brewers tend to brew ales, as ales and ale yeast provide a more full-flavoured experience. Also, ales ferment and condition faster, allowing them to be released to market a lot sooner.

tRend #2 – RepeRtoiRe dRinkeRs – Craft Beer drinkers demand 2-4 different Brands per Month

Craft beer is growing at approximately 20% year on year according to Andrew Thomson from Barscan, driven by consumers’ educated palates. This awareness of flavour is coming about from consumers travelling overseas, immigration into Australia and increased choice at the bottleshop and pub for various local and imported beers.

58% of the 380 respondents say they drink four or more different brands of beer per month. It is said by some that the repertoire is more like eight different beers per month, however not so specifically for pubs, where choice is around 20% of the selection in bottleshops, due mainly to space restrictions.

While 90% of beer consumed in Australia is lager (90% in the uSA and 80% in the uK), this statistic is the opposite for survey respondents, with 87% of respondents drink

a beer specifically for the Sail & Anchor Hotel (WA) as well as redoak (NSW) have one of their beers rebranded as opera Ale at opera Bar (NSW).

exCluSIVeS A beer that is exclusively available on

draught only, not available in packaged format in bottleshops. Coca-Cola Amatil have a range called Alehouse, which brews different styles of beers only available in draught format so that pubs can choose which beer they sell to match their customer demographics, and providing a point of difference.

CollABorATIoNS Similar to house beers and exclusives,

the venue(s) and the brewer collaborate together in recipe development, branding and marketing of the beer that is exclusive to a specific venue or venues. The venue staff can even attend the brewery to help brew the batch! Bridge road Brewers (Vic) produced a bar series in collaboration with 10 of Australia’s leading craft beer venues on the east coast, with another bar series brewed in collaboration with the west coast venues.

Reader survey

BEER TALK

32 www.beerandbrewer.com

Reader survey

BEER TALK

Craft beer for example attracts a 20% price premium which has led to a 1.6% growth in value in the three months to January 2014, according to Barscan.

Draught beer in the uK and Australia makes up nearly 50% of the total beer market, while in the uSA it is only 10%. It appears in the uSA most beer is consumed at home, with 53% of beer sold via cans and 37% in bottles (Brewers Association uSA). Craft beer as a total share of volume is approximately 2% in Australia and 2.5% in the uSA. In the uK the category of craft beer has only very recently become apparent, with 8.3% of total beer volume being draught Cask Ale (thereby 18% of total draught beer volume), which could be likened to Craft Beer, as an indication of how consumers appreciate flavour in beer.

According to Bart Watson, staff economist at the Brewers Association, Craft Beer in the uSA makes up 6.5% of total beer volume to 2012, of which 37.4% is draught, 60.5% is bottles and 2.1% is cans. The draught component equates

to 2.5% of total beer volume, and 25% of total draught beer volume. Whereas in Australia draught craft beer is approximately 2% of the total beer volume (with total craft being 4% of total beer volume), which is 4% of total draught beer volume (craft is 5% of total value of draught beer, Barscan).If one wanted to speculate on the amount of growth left for craft beer on draught in Australia, it would range from 25% growth (based on uSA numbers) to 325% growth (based on uK numbers). looking at the potential for some venues that specialize in craft beer, while Barscan says the average revenue of craft beer in a venue is 5% of total draught beer revenue, at The Sail & Anchor


Draught beer has come a long way from the 6 o’clock swill in the WWI and WWII eras and beer poured ‘off the

wood’ at The Breakfast Creek Hotel (it still does today). These days, we’re seeing cold beer poured from glycol systems with so much available for publicans to choose from.

TRendsMost people know that draught beer volumes in pubs are on the decline, and have been for some time now, particularly in the uK (down 6.5% year to 2012, British Beer & Pubs Association, uK) and Australia (down 2.2% last three months to January 2014, Barscan), while in the uSA draught beer is up 1% over the last 10 years to 2012 (Brewers Association, uSA).

tRend #1 – pReMiuMisation – Consumers are drinking less and spending MoreWhile we are seeing people drinking less beer, they are spending more, thanks to premiumisation, where consumers are trading up from commercial lager to premium international brands, premium local brands and craft beer (both local and imported).

CRAFT BEER IS GROWING AT OVER 20% IN PUBS.”

david Lipman conducted a Reader Survey on Draught Beer in February 2014, receiving 400 responses, so as to better understand consumer demand in pubs and their knowledge of draught beer, which led to the question - is consumer demand being met by supply in pubs? Here are the results...

DRAUGHT BEER – 3 TRENDS, 3 INSIGHTS, 3 INNOVATIONS

Hotel (WA) where draught beer represents 60% of total liquor revenue, three quarters of that (45%) is from draught craft beer, representing nine times the average value of draught craft beer sales in Barscan venues.

CRaft BeeRThe category of Craft Beer came from the uSA and the Brewers Association define a craft brewer as: Small – 3% of total production, 6 million

barrels or less produced per annum, which is equivalent to 715 million litres; Independent – less than 25% owned by a

non-craft brewer; and Traditional – a majority of production

is beer and uses traditional or innovative ingredients in the brewing and fermentation.

The Brewers Association don’t actually define craft beer and there is debate as to what is a craft beer. The size isn’t applicable in Australia given Coopers for example produces around 10% of the stipulated ‘small’

production and Coopers is Australia’s largest independent brewery. The independent point is the most debated point, largely due to the acquisition of craft brewers by non-craft brewers. However, if they retain the same brewing techniques, philosophy and ingredients, should they be removed from a craft brewer status, and be penalised for successfully increasing production or being owned by a non-craft brewer? Craft beer produced by non-independent craft brewers in Australia accounts for around 3% of the total volume of beer, while craft beer produced by independent brewers accounts for 0.5-1% of the total volume of beer in Australia.

PUBS NEED ROTATING TAPS AS CONSUMERS DEMAND 2-4 DIFFERENT BEERS PER MONTH.”

American troops at The Breakfast Creek Hotel (Qld).

The Grain Store Craft Beer Café, Newcastle (NSW).

32

Beer talk10 NEWS AND

AWARDS Winners of 2013 Beer & Brewer Awards NZ, and more.

14 B&B UPDATE

Everything you need to know about your world of beer.

20 BEER & CIDER SALES STATS

24 MICROBREWERY PROFILE

Meet the team behind Queensland’s Beard and Brau.

28 STYLE NOTES

Dr Chuck Hahn steps us through the finer points of Amber Ales.

32 DRAUGHT BEER

A comprehensive wrap up of what’s happening on tap.

traveller

54 WEEKEND AWAY

Get the lowdown on what’s on offer around Ol’ Sydney town.

58BREWERY DIRECTORY

60 BREWERY TOUR

A look inside the monolith that is the Asahi Premium Beverages plant in Victoria.

61 EVENTS CALENDAR

62 VENUE REVIEWS

Gourmet

64 BEERS & BURGERS

Three of the best burgers in Victoria, plus a killer recipe from Sydney’s Goodtime Burgers - and beer!

the fridGe

68 TOP 10 FOR AUTUMN

Ian Kingham’s best brews for you to try as things cool down this Autumn.

71 STAFF PICK A fond farewell from

outgoing Beer & Brewer Publisher, David Lipman.

72 TASTING NOTES

Want a handle on how things taste? Our expert panel spills the beans on a bunch of new brews and ciders.

FREE CRABBIE’S GINGER BEER OFFER2013 B&B NZ AWARDS RESULTSAMBER ALESDRAUGHT BEER SURVEY RESULTSENGLISH CIDERS CRAFT BEER IN CANSWEEKEND IN SYDNEYBREWERY TOUR - ASAHI, VIC.BEERS AND BURGERSTOP 10 TASTING NOTES

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32 DRAUGHT BEER

David Lipman analyses the results of the 2014 B&B Draught Beer Survey, with some very interesting conclusions.

40 ENGLISH CIDER

An in-depth look at the history and current affairs that are driving this rapidly expanding beverage segment.

44 BEER IN CANS This issue, we

take a look at the rising number of brewers opting to bring their brews to market in cans.

gOuRmETxxxxxxxxx

gOuRmETautumn Recipes

gOuRmET


BURGERS AND BEERS

THe InKeRMan HOTeL, sT KILdaThe Inkerman burger is the perfect example of this: a no frills, classic Australian burger. The patty is a classic beef one, blanketed in melted cheese with a hint of lettuce as a nod to the health conscious. A couple of slices of tomato, with an egg to give it that true Australian feel, along with grilled onions. It is served with fat Aussie pub-style chips for extra authenticity. This is almost an ‘official’ Australian burger and it’s so good that, while you wash it down with a pint, you won’t even realise that your dog came in fourth!

BeeR MaTCHesMatilda Bay (Vic) Fat Yak 4.7%Stoke (NZ) Amber Ale 4.5%BrewDog 5am Saint Amber Ale 5%

Three burger-loving Victorians set out to find the best burgers in Victoria, and the result is The Burger Book. We spoke to author ethan Jenkins, and got three of his favourites.

BURGERS AND BEERS

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Publisher’s Farewell

After 28 issues I bid you farewell, as Publisher and Founder, and thank all

and sundry for the support and contributions since May 2007.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the past seven years I have devoted to the magazine and all the people and readers I have met. The decision to move on is based around my growing

family’s needs, with my second son due later this year. I’m excited about my next challenge although I will still be publishing books focusing on beer and cider, so you haven’t heard the last from me! This autumn edition is packed with great content including the increasing focus on canning craft beer, our draught beer reader survey results, with the need for pubs to meet repertoire drinker demand for craft beer. Chuck Hahn has written the Style Notes on Amber Ale, a style he can be heralded for introducing into Australia. There is a feature from NZ Beer Writer of the Year, Michael Donaldson. Finally I encourage readers to keep emailing feedback and attending events and for the industry to get behind the magazine with updates on new releases and events, and sending beer/cider samples, plus advertising in the mag no matter the size - it all helps.

Cheers,David - [email protected], 0415 081 285, @DLipman_Beer


contributors

Michael DonalDsonA journalist for 25 years, mainly in sport, Michael Donaldson is the author of Beer Nation – the art and heart of Kiwi beer. He writes a regular beer column in the Sunday Star-Times, New Zealand’s only national newspaper, where he is also the editor. Brewers Guild of NZ, NZ Beer Writer of the Year 2013. See page 22.

neil MillerNeil is a beer writer who combines a strong knowledge of beer with extensive research, interview skills, a passable palate, pop culture references and a dry wit. Neil’s work has also appeared in Cuisine, The Dominion Post, Dish, BEER and The Wellingtonian.See pages 18, 31, 53.

DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any losses due to the use of material in this magazine. Copyright 2012 by Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior permission of Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd. Selected images copyright Getty Images, iStockphoto, 123rf.com. All rights reserved.

PRIVACY NOTICEThis issue of Beer & Brewer Magazine may contain offers, competitions or surveys which require you to provide information about yourself if you choose to enter or take part in them (Reader Offer). If you provide information about yourself to Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd, Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd will use this information to provide you with the products or services you have requested, and may supply your information to contractors that help Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd to do this. Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd will also use your information to inform you of other Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd publications, products, services and events. Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd may also give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers and that are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, we may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you about other products, services or events or to give to other organisations that may use it for this purpose. If you would like to gain access to the information Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd holds about you, please contact Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd Privacy Officer at Beer & Brewer Media Pty Ltd Publishing, 41 Bridge Rd Glebe NSW 2037.

Cover main photo: istockphoto.comHomebrewer main photo: istockphoto.comCover Amber Ale photo: Endeavour Vintage Beer.

Editor David [email protected]

Deputy Editor Gregor Stronach

Art Director Jenny Cowan

Consulting Editor Ian Kingham

NZ Editor-at-Large Neil [email protected]

Photography iStockphoto.com, David Lipman

Valued ContributorsJames Adams, Neal Cameron, Michael Donaldson, Dr Chuck Hahn,

Michael Jordan, Ian Kingham, John Kruger, David Lipman, Neil Miller, Tina Panoutsos, Jeremy Sambrooks, Gregor Stronach,

Bill Taylor, Sadhbh Warren, Brian Watson, Graham Wright.

Ad Design Matt BurnsAccounts Isha Kalia

Publisher David Lipman [email protected], 0415 081 285

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Audit figure 6525 per issue, April 1 – September 30, 2008

BELL Award, Highly Commended, Best Consumer Magazine Launch 2007, Best Consumer Magazine Cover 2008

Nominated, Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards 2010, Best Drink Magazine, Best Food and/or Drink Section in a Magazine

gregor stronachOne of the original members of the Chaser team, Gregor is the Deputy Editor of Beer & Brewer, with a deep and abiding passion for craft beer and whisky. Actually, mostly whisky. But beer is good, too. Especially beer that’s been aged in whisky barrels. Or made with peat-smoked malt. Does anyone read these panels? If so, I’m trapped in the office! Send whisky!See pages 14, 26, 43, 44, 54, 60.

chuck hahnDr Charles (Chuck) Hahn is the brewmaster for Malt Shovel and Hahn. He started at Coors in Colorado in 1971, coming to Australia in ‘81 with Tooths and Reschs, spent ‘84-’87 in NZ with Lion, returning to Sydney in ‘88 to build the Hahn Brewing Company. In ‘99, he started James Squire at the Malt Shovel Brewery and Kosciuszko Brewery in ‘09. See page 28.

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Feedbackyour shoutLetters to the Editor


"What is ‘Craft’ Beer?”i read your emails regularly and brew all-grain beer at home, i try nearly every new beer that comes out etc, so i think i know a little bit about beer.

i note that your email carries an advert for James squire so i understand you may not be able to be honest in your opinions about what is Craft Beer as you need income form the advertisers. 150 Lashes is available in lots of pubs around tamworth (i live nearby). it’s probably available right across australia (?) in my opinion, beer brewed at that scale is not “Craft Beer”.

Little Creatures is big too, and whilst i don’t think you could call Little Creatures craft beer anymore, their occasional special brews do fall into that category as far as i’m concerned

i think craft beer is the beer that is brewed for people who like ‘real’ beer, brewed in small batches, the beer that brewers like to drink (i.e. not tooheys New, XXXX, Crown Lager, James squire) i don’t think size is that important (w.r.t. what is craft beer…) i call Murray's craft beer because shawn really knows how to brew a

editor’s Pick

Bonus carton of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $65.00 for 3 year subscriptions 8 x Bottles of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $56.00 for 2 year subscriptions

Australian rates: 3 years $79.99 | 2 years $54.99 | 1 year $29.99See page 7 in Homebrewer for details. Australian residents (excl NT) only. Tel: 1800 651 422 | www.beerandbrewer.com | Offer ends June 24, 2014.

SUBSCRIBE & RECEIVE BONUS CARTON OF CRABBIE’S NEW FLAVOURS. $65.00 VALUE

Each letter printed this issue has won a copy of the Beer Buyer’s Guide Australia & New Zealand, valued at $24.99, and jam-packed with everything you could ever need to know about beer.

The Editor’s Choice letter below has also scored a copy of Keith M. Deutsher’s remarkable and comprehensive Breweries of Australia: A History, valued at $39.95.

Join us online at www.facebook.com/beerandbrewer, www.twitter.com/beerandbrewer, or on our forums at www.beerandbrewer.com/forum and tell us your thoughts!

We’ll publish the best letters and posts right here and send you a prize.

The delicious history of

seasonal brews

FREE 2 X CARTONS OF DOS EQUIS LAGER. $100 VALUE!!!

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0 4

0% ABV

THE WINNERS!

Results wrap-up of

the 2013 B&B Awards

IS

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MICROBREWERY

PROFILEBootleg in WA

SLOW BOAT TO BRISTOL

Cruising UK canals

in search of a beer

FESTIVE BEERS

Everything you always

wanted to know about

alcohol-free beer, but were

too afraid to drink...

The delicious history

of seasonal brews

IS THIS BEER

OR BLASPHEMY?

47BEERS & CIDERS TASTED

PLUS! CIDER (PART II) BEER IN THE USA PERTH AZTEC STATS

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beer. Craft Beer is promoted at things like Bitter & twisted at Maitland Gaol. i didn’t see tooheys or James squire there but i tried beer from Murray's, six string and lots of others. You can go to events like that and talk to brewers. if you can chat to the person who brews the beer - it must be craft beer

if you see a ute with a beer sticker on the back – that beer is not craft beer

if you walk into a pub and see lots of taps you don’t recognise – that’s probably craft beer

if you go to a brewery and the owner is there making beer – that’s craft beer

if the beer label has a bar code on it – its most likely not craft beer (unless it’s a special brew from someone like Little Creatures – they’re a craft brewery that got big because they do what they do very well)

Cheers – i’m going home to have one of my craft beers

GLEn TurnErnSW

Thanks for your letter, Glen - it's one of those issues that seems destined to be debated for years to come... hopefully over a few beers! - Ed.

a WOrD Or tWO ON eXCiseDear editor - i'm writing very quickly to say thanks for putting together such an interesting magazine, and to put my two cents worth in about the ridiculous excise situation on australian brewers.

it's not hard to see that even just a few tiny changes to the way excise is handled by the australian Government would radically change how level the playing field is between the various elements of the australian brewing, winemaking and liquor industries.

the level of excise paid by brewers, in particular, is bordering on lunacy - it's a wonder that anybody goes into the business at all, when such a huge percentage of their hard work ends up straight in the coffers of the government, instead of being available for the brewers to grow their business, spend time innovating and brewing more new and exciting beers for us all to try.

even worse is the archaic method of determining the excise, based solely on the volume of the vessel the beer is packed in by the brewer. On what basis was it determined that if the beer went into a sub-50L keg, it should attract more excise? it makes absolutely no sense to me at all - especially when you consider that the answer is so blindingly obvious, it's staring the government's bean-counters right in the face.

surely a system of excise based on the volume produced (and not how it's packaged), and the alcohol content by volume, would be a much fairer - and simpler - system for brewers to follow.

it would free up a lot of the tedious paperwork, even the playing field for the smaller guys in the industry and allow them to get on with the work they so clearly love to do - making damn fine beers for the rest of us to enjoy.OSCAr DE COSTAPEnrITH, nSW

Thanks for your letter, Oscar. The industry is crying out for excise reform, and we reckon you're pretty much 100% correct as well. Here's hoping that someone will see some sense in the government and start looking at the problem in a more serious manner. There must be someone in the public service that likes good beer...

hOW GOOD is Beer?i'm writing to share my thoughts on what's been an amazing summer for beer in australia.

it really did seem like every time i turned around, there was another big beer festival on, or my local was having a tap takeover, or there would be a new beer being launched by my

POiNt Of OrDer!

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your shoutLetters to the Editor

favourite brewers - or, even better, by a brewery I'd never even heard of before.

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, we didn't have a lot of beers to choose from in the suburbs. You either drank VB, New or - God help us - bourbon and coke at the local pub. If you asked for something else, you'd end up in a scrap in the carpark. Which is why it's been such a great time in the past few years, seeing the Australian craft beer scene almost literally explode, with so many new brews pouring all around the country.

There's nothing quite like the journey of discovery you get when you walk into a good craft beer pub, and see the unfamiliar taps... It really is a good time to be alive.PEtEr GouLdFItZroY, VIC

Couldn't agree more, Peter - it really is exciting to see so many great new beers on the market every week. - Ed.

HOW TO BE A BREWER?Hi. I'm interested in becoming a brewer, but I'm not 100% sure where to start.

I keep hearing different ideas from all the people that I talk to - some of them tell me to start off with some homebrewing, while other people tell me that I should do a course somewhere.

I don't want to take any shortcuts at all - but I

am keen to get into brewing full time as quickly as possible. Do you have any advice?SIMoN SChuStErSYdNEY, NSW

thanks for your letter, Simon. Straight up, there's no one single way to get into brewing full time, but there are a number of different options available to you to explore. the first, and perhaps the most obvious, is to start homebrewing to get a feel for what you're getting yourself into. the best way to start that is to head to your local homebrew shop (take a look at our homebrewer section of the magazine for some ideas on where they are) and start asking questions.

Another option is to undertake a brewing course - and there are a number of those available, ranging from private courses through to university postgraduate diplomas.

the last option is to start knocking on doors and asking if you can help out at some of the smaller breweries. offer your time up for free, just to get a feel for how it all operates, and see what happens. But be prepared to do a lot of cleaning and scrubbing equipment.

WHY CAN'T I FIND THAT BEER? I've been reading Beer & Brewer for a few years now, and one of my favourite parts of the magazine is the Tasting Notes section, where you highlight all the new beers on the market.

The only problem I have with it is that it's often quite hard to find those beers. Either my local bottle shop doesn't stock them, or if it's something new on tap, my local pub doesn't stock it. And by the time I get to the craft beer pub a few suburbs over, all the guys with the big beards and peaked caps have scoffed it all, leaving none for the rest of us. How does someone who doesn't have time to get to the pub every night get to taste all these new beers? They all sound so amazing, and I'm getting a bit peeved that there never seems to be enough to go around.AdrIAN BLAKENEYGLEBE, NSW

Adrian - there are a couple of factors at play here, but the main one is that a lot of the craft beers that arrive at any given time are not produced in the kinds of quantities that beer lovers - and even the brewers themselves - would consider to be adequate. Most craft and microbreweries operate on a small scale, which means that the beers will always be a bit scarce.

Your best bet is to figure out which of the breweries you like the look of, and pay close attention to their website, twitter feed or Facebook page - that's where a lot of them announce their new brews, and where they're going to be available.

Also, most venues will announce when they're getting new brews in, again either on their own website or through social media.

Good luck in the hunt!

Beer & Brewer online – latest blogs and news from www.beerandbrewer.comSign up to our free weekly e-newsletter, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook, to keep up to date on the latest news, or participate in the forums.

Blog – Gregor Stronach, deputy Editor LESSoNS IN LIFEOne of the things I’ve really loved about working on Beer & Brewer over the past four years has been the amount of learning I’ve be able to do. When I started with the magazine, I knew a little bit about beer, and a lot about whisky – and nothing about cider.

Four years down the track, my cider knowledge is still a bit shaky (but I promise to fix that soon…), my beer knowledge has improved to the point where I’ve had a pretty good success rate picking hop varieties from finished beers, and I’ve delved even further into the world of whisky.

I’ve been helped along by a number of amazing people – whose knowledge of these things still far out-strips my own – through one-on-one chats, and through attending events designed to help people to discover the best of their favourite beverages.

That’s why I was really pleased to see that a number of venues around Australia are really getting on board with the idea of helping to educate their punters. A recent addition to that

line up is The Wild Rover in Sydney, a great little bar with a phenomenal craft beer selection and a very tidy range of whiskies as well.

The crew there have kicked off a new initiative called the Campbell Corner Whisky Co-operative, with guided whisky tastings featuring some of the giants of the industry. Last week, punters were treated to a barrage of information by Douglas Cooke, representing Glendronach distillery. Cooke talked us through the basics and intricacies of the different age expressions of Glendronach, at the same time providing an excellent run down of the whisky scene in Scotland. It was a great night – and fulfilled precisely the needs of anyone wanting to know more about their favourite drink.

I learnt a lot, made some great new whisky-loving friends, and went home a happy man. You can’t ask for more than that – and it’s brilliant to see venues taking precisely this sort of initiative to help us all get the most from what we’re drinking.

Blog – Neil Miller NZ Editor-at-LargethrEE FACES oF BrEWErY ACQuISItIoNSBig breweries buying little breweries has been a global trend for decades and, in terms of beer quality, the results have generally been pretty awful. While not quite on the same scale as Britain or America, it is happening in

New Zealand. Recent events have made me reflect on brewery sales and acquisitions in New Zealand, particularly how differently they all turned out.

The highest profile purchase was undoubtedly Lion’s buyout of former Champion Brewery of New Zealand Emerson’s Brewing Company. For NZ$8m, Lion completely bought out one of the country’s most respected breweries and one which was at the vanguard of the craft beer revolution. However, the senior staff at Emerson’s negotiated a three year contract which gives them effective creative control over their beers – it is the same brewers in the same brewery making the same beers with the same branding.

The main difference is the vastly expanded distribution network. Emerson’s beers are now available in a huge number of venues, including many which had no craft beers before. Currently, this seems like a textbook example of how to conduct an acquisition – craft beer quality with mainstream brewery distribution and marketing support. The challenge will be when the contract runs out in 2015. The best description of the situation I heard was “I will keep drinking Emerson’s Bookbinder until it begins tasting like Lion Bookkeeper.” I still wish I’d said that.

Another major acquisition was Independent Liquor (through the Boundary Road label)

BB2814_p006-009 - GS_JC.indd 8 9/04/2014 12:10:32 AM

9

purchasing the multi-generational Founder’s Brewery in Nelson. The Duncan family has been brewing for six generations and, to some surprise (including mine), sold their family run, organic, vegan and kosher brewery to the multi-national corporation. While the family is still involved it is not nearly to the same extent as before. Most of the brewing is now done off site (a bit like symbolic Monteith’s West Coast brewery) and while Founder’s are still making several of their original beers there has been a reworking of the range and a complete and quite radical rebranding.

Like Emerson’s, Founder’s benefits from increased production and a vastly expanded distribution network but, to be honest, the flavours are a bit more restrained though the brews were heading that way before the sale. Founder’s is now more consistent and accessible, but it has moved significantly away from the original points of difference – family, local and organic.

On the other side of the coin is the Cock & Bull range of beers, then brewed by Steam for the chain of Cock & Bull pubs in Auckland and Hamilton. It was initially reported that the Nourish Group bought the chain though they later denied any involvement. The new owners, whoever they are, not only changed the English themed Cock & Bull pubs to cookie cutter Irish bars (under the Doolan Brothers

brand) but they abolished the Cock & Bull house beers.

These beers were contract brewed by Steam Brewing Company, including Monk’s Habit, probably New Zealand’s most medalled beer and a personal favourite, and Fuggles, a regular winner at the NZ Beer Awards. Worse, the new bars seem to have signed a new, presumably exclusive, contract with brewing giant Lion. It is hard to tell though because their website makes absolutely no references to beer, though there are plenty of posts about joker poker, free Wi-Fi, bingo and assorted miscellany.

This acquisition saw the demise of an entire range of award winning beers and the current owners don’t seem to care in the least. I recognise that craft brewers work hard for years and deserve a payout – no one begrudges Richard Emerson or the Duncan family their success – but some sales are better structured than others when it comes to the quality of beer.

News – YOUNG HENRYS CONQUERS THE UK Richard Adamson and the team at Young Henrys are celebrating a huge win, following the announcement the Young Henrys Real Ale has won the Gold Medal for best overall beer at the highly prestigious JD Wetherspoons’ Spring 2014 Real Ale Festival in the UK.

The Real Ale was also judged to be best in class, by a panel of experts that included

members of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), respected UK brewers and suppliers, and representatives of JD Wetherspoons, a British pub chain with more than 900 outlets.

The team describes the Real Ale as “a modern twist on the English Best Bitter made with new varietal Australian hops. As you’d want from the style, it’s a fairly low alcohol beer at 4 per cent ABV, with fairly low carbonation and a long, smooth bitterness. That bitterness comes from the all-Australian hops – Galaxy, Stella and Topaz – which also add a bit of a citrus kick. The beer is served as both standard tap pour and traditional hand pump.

MORNING PENINSULA BREWERY GETS CANNINGThe Mornington Peninsula Brewery has launched its first canned beer, called Pale Can. The launch is the product of a recently acquired and installed canning line – making Mornington Peninsula Brewery only the second microbrewery in Australia to have its own, on-site canning facility.

Matt Bebe - Managing Director, Mornington Peninsula Brewery, explains their decision to put in their own canning line as a conscious decision to take a risk, but one that will hopefully pay dividends in raising the profile of craft beer in Australia.“We saw the US beer market is flourishing with cans over there, and figured that it was working well in the US for a reason,” Matt says.

Web site News

BEER TALK

- See more at: http://www.beerandbrewer.com/_blog/News/post/mornington-peninsula-launches-pale-can/#sthash.waNUKrwd.dpuf

BB2814_p006-009 - GS_JC_v3.indd 9 10/04/2014 11:33:17 AM


beer talkBeer & Brewer Awards

Sail & Anchor’s Ian Kingham with David Cryer of Cryermalt

Here are the NZ results 100% decided by readers votes on the best beer venues, beers and brewers from the 2013 poll. The Beer & Brewer Awards are currently under review, with the magazine determined results left out on this occasion. Stay tuned for when voting and dates are announced for the 2014 Awards at www.beerandbrewerawards.com.au.

Beer & Brewer people’s choice AwArds NZ results

Best Beer Venue Overall1. Sprig & Fern, Milton Street, Nelson2. Sprig & Fern, Tinakori Rd, Thorndon3. HashigoZakeBest Beer (Local)1. Stoke Bomber Bohemian Ale2. Sprig & Fern Tasman Reserve Lager3. Sprig & Fern PilsnerBrewer of the Year (over 30 years of age)1. Tracy Banner, Sprig & Fern Brewery2. Sam Wilson, McCashin’s Brewery3. Andy Deuchars, RenaissanceYoung Brewer of the Year (30 years and under) 1. Shigeo Takagi, Funk Estate2. Matt Duncan, Founders Brewery3. Matt Warner and Matt K, ParrotdogBeertender of the Year1. Scott Bradley, Rythym & Brown, Nelson2. Andrew Cole, Moutere Inn; Dylan Jauslin,

Golding’s Free Dive; Hayley Jane Wakeford, Sprig & Fern; Pip Honeychurch, The Portsider; Daniel Hargreaves, Little Beer Quarter

Best Beer List (On-Premise only) 1. HashigoZake2. Malthouse3. PomeroysBest Small Bar/Pub (less 150 patrons)1. Sprig & Fern, Milton Street2. Brothers Beer, Auckland and Sprig & Fern

Tinakori Rd, Thorndon3. HashigoZake, Wellington and Rhythm and

Brown, NelsonBest Large Bar/Pub (more 150 patrons)1. Cassel and Sons Brewery, Christchurch and

The Freehouse, Nelson 2. Galbraiths Alehouse, Auckland3. Dodson Street Beer Garden, Blenheim and

Fork & Brewer, WellingtonBest Brew Bar/Pub 1. Fork & Brewer, Wellington2. Sprig & Fern, Milton St Nelson3. Brothers Beer, AucklandBest Specialty (Themed) Beer Venue 1. Pomeroys, Christchurch 2. Three Lamps, Ponsonby Auckland3. Cock & Bull, HamiltonBest Cellar Door (Microbrewery, Brew Bar/Pub)1. Garage Project, Wellington2. McCashin’s Brewery Cafe Bar & Bottlestore,

Nelson3. Galbraiths Alehouse, Auckland and ParrotDog,

Wellington

Best Restaurant/Café 1. Dodson Street Beer Garden, Blenheim2. The Hop Garden, Wellington3. Moutere Inn, Upper Moutere and Pomeroys,

ChristchurchBest Bottleshop (less 200 beers) 1. Glengarrys, Ponsonby Rd, Auckland2. The Hamilton Wine Company, Victoria Street,

HamiltonBest Bottleshop (more 200 beers) 1. Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington2. Fresh Choice, Collingwood Street Nelson3. The Village Winery, Auckland and Liquorland

Mount MaunganuiBest Cider (Local) 1. Sprig & Fern 3 Berry Cider2. Peckhams Cider3. Rochdale Cider, McCashin’s/HancocksBest Supplier 1. New Zealand Hops, NelsonBest Web Site (Brewery/Retailer) 1. www.beercellar.co.nz2. www.haurakihomebrew.co.nz3. www.tuatarabrewery.co.nzBest Online Retailer 1. www.beercellar.co.nz2. www.cultbeerstore.co.nz3. www.brewshop.co.nz and www.glengarrys.co.nzBest E-Newsletter (Brewery/Retailer) 1. www.beercellar.co.nz2. www.glengarrys.co.nz and

www.hashigozake.co.nz3. www.moutereinn.co.nzBest Advertising Promotion/Offer/GWP1. Tui Yeah Right, Billboards NationwideBest Microbrewery/Beer Company 2. Sprig & Fern Brewery, Richmond3. 8 Wired and ParrotDog4. McCashin’s Brewery and Garage ProjectBest Beer Distributor 1. HashigoZake2. BeerNZ3. HancocksBest Home Brew Shop 1. Hauraki Home Brew2. Brewers Coop, Auckland3. The Brewhouse, Wellington and Your Shout,

Linwood Best Beer Event 1. Beervana, Wellington2. Marchfest, Founders Park Nelson3. Great Kiwi Beer Fetsival, Christchurch and

NZ Beer Festival, The Cloud Auckland

Brewer of the Year – Tracy Banner, Sprig & Fern.

Best Large Bar/Pub-Cassel & Sons.

Best Venue Overall - Sprig & Fern, Milton St Nelson.

Best Restaurant-Dodson Street Beer Garden.

Best Beer Event-Beervana.

Best Cellar Door-Garage Project.

BB2814_p010 v2 - GS_JC v3_r1.indd 10 29/04/2014 11:27:54 AM

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Awards

BEER TALK

Trophies - CommerCial seCTion The ediTh Cowan UniversiTy Trophy For BesT lager paCkagedWayward Brewing Company (Wayward Devil’s Advocate Eisbock)

The Cryer malT Trophy For BesT lager draUghT The Australian Brewery (The Dark Lager)

The Beer and Brewer magazine Trophy For BesT ale paCkagedFeral Brewing Co (Hop Hog)

The Beer and BeeF ClUB oF perTh Trophy For BesT ale draUghTFeral Brewing Co (Hop Hog)

The ediTh Cowan UniversiTy Trophy For BesT sToUT paCkagedBush Shack Brewery (The Chefs Wicked Chocolate Beer)

The hopCo Trophy For BesT sToUT draUghTNail Brewing Australia (Nail Stout)

The lion Trophy For BesT redUCed alCohol paCkagedGage Roads Brewing Co Ltd (Pils 3.5)

The ClanCy’s Fish pUB FremanTle Trophy For BesT redUCed alCohol draUghTRedoak Boutique Beer (Redoak Bitter)

The pall aUsTralia Trophy For BesT wheaT Beer paCkagedMatilda Bay Brewing Company (Redback Original)

The Cryer malT Trophy For BesT wheaT Beer draUghTRedoak Boutique Beer (Redoakweizendoppelbock)

Perth royal Beer Show

speCial - Trophies The hopCo Trophy For BesT CommerCial BreweryRedoak Boutique Beer

The sail and anChor Trophy For BesT wa BreweryIndian Ocean Brewing Company

The Beer and BeeF ClUB oF perTh Trophy For BesT CommerCial Beer oF The showRedoak Boutique Beer (Redoakweizendoppelbock)

The premier’s Trophy (on BehalF oF The governmenT oF wesTern aUsTralia) For BesT wesTern aUsTralian Beer oF The show Feral Brewing Co (Hop Hog)

The James sqUire Trophy For BesT amaTeUr BrewerBrian Fitzgerald

The BrewmarT Trophy For BesT amaTeUr Beer oF The showJeremy Sambrooks (Rapid Fire Weizenbock)

The 2013 Perth Royal Beer Show has been run and won in WA, with a number of big names and new names all making waves at the hotly-contested event. A total of 22 trophies were awarded across a range of categories, recognising both commercial and amateur brewers from around Australia.

The major winners were: Trophies - amaTeUr seCTion The royal agriCUlTUral soCieTy oF wa Trophy For BesT lagerTerry Stainton (Old Smokey)

The BrewmarT Trophy For BesT aleBrian Fitzgerald (Farmhouse Red)

The Beer and BeeF ClUB oF perTh Trophy For BesT sToUTDavid Allsworth (Byford Black Oatmeal)

The Beer and Brewer magazine Trophy For BesT redUCed alCoholMatt Marinich (Easy Vader)

The royal agriCUlTUral soCieTy oF wa Trophy For BesT wheaT BeerJeremy Sambrooks (Rapid Fire Weizenbock)

Trophy - paCkaging and design The menu magazine Trophy For Best packaging and designMatso’s Broome Brewery (Matso’s Chilli Beer)

dave Brough (indian ocean Brewing) and pete Bottcher

(sail & anchor).

will irving and Brendan varis (right) Feral Brewing.

david hollyoak (redoak) and sandy ross (hopco).

BB2814_p012 v2.indd 12 10/04/2014 1:30:45 PM

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What’s Brewing

beer talk

NSWYoung Henrys head brewer Richard Adamson accepted an invitation to head to England and brew for the JD Wetherspoon’s International Real Ale Festival, and brought home the Gold Medal for the event. It was Richard’s third trip to the festival.

The festival featured ten brewers, invited from around the world to travel to England and brew their beer with local breweries. This year saw Richard team up with the Banks Brewery in Wolverhampton to produce Young Henrys Real Ale “specifically for cask conditioning, that will go to more than 900 JD Wetherspoons pubs across the United Kingdom.”

Richard isn’t the only antipodean brewer heading to the festival, however. New Zealand brewers The Yeastie Boys also went across for the festival, and lined up to brew their Gunnamatta Earl Grey IPA at the Adnams Brewery in Southwold, Suffolk.

Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) Management broke the news with brewery staff, that the Central Coast located brewery, one hour north of Sydney, was going to close down.

The brewery is well known as the home of Bluetongue, launched by a team of passionate beer lovers and businessman in 2001, with John Singleton buying a stake in 2005, then in 2007 was acquired by Pacific Beverages

and then in December 2011 acquired by SAB Miller. The brewery today brews Bluetongue along with being the site for brewing under license of Peroni, Miller Chill and Miller Genuine Draft, all SAB Miller brands.

According to our meticulous research, 536 people have gone into space in the history of humankind. But having such a small target market hasn’t stopped the good folks at 4 Pines and Vostok have successfully tested the next step towards being able to enjoy a beer in space – from a bottle, and not one of those squeezy plastic bags that astronauts have to contend with in zero gravity.

The Vostok Space Beer project took to the skies once again, to test out ‘The Device from Down Under’ – a gizmo designed to ensure that beers can be drunk straight from the bottle in micro- and zero-gravity.

Obviously, we’re not scientists – so the low-tech explanation of the Device is this: it’s an insert that pops into a bottle, which “takes advantage of surface tension to wick the liquid from the bottom of the bottle to the top”. Like all good science-type stuff, it sounds deceptively simple…

The end result, creators Jaron Mitchell (4 Pines) and Jason Held (Saber Astronautics) hope, will be a commercially viable thingamajig that will allow future space tourists and astronauts to enjoy a refreshing beverage while hurtling through space at roughly 28,000 km/h.

A joint venture between Casella and Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) called The Australian Beer Co. has been launched, with an eye on taking on some of the biggest players in the nation’s beer and cider markets.

At launch, the line up includes newly created and locally produced brands; Pressman’s Original Australian Cider and the Australian Beer Company Alehouse, as well as ARVO Premium Lager, launched by Casella in 2012.

The partnership will be run from the Casella brewery in Griffith, led by General Manager Derek O’Donnell. Casella is no stranger to

high volume production, with the company’s flagship [yellowtail] wine brand recently celebrating its billionth (yes… that’s billion, with a B) bottle of wine produced.

Hot on the heels of that announcement came the news that one of the biggest brands in American beer is headed downunder, following the launch of Coors in Australia by Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA), which has inked an exclusive agreement to distribute the Molson Coors range in Oz.

Brett Vye, Chief Commercial Officer for Molson Coors International, said “This is a market that we’ve always thought was a great fit for our beers. Our initial focus will be on Coors and Blue Moon Belgian White, but there are plenty of supplementary brands that could be introduced in time.”

The Australian Brewery has announced the winner of its “Name the Beer” competition, with local Sunil Bahkri taking out the chance to name the new drop, and have a hand in its creation.

The new brew will be called “The Rebel Rouser”, named for the Castle Hill Rebellion that occurred on 4 March, 1804, which saw an uprising from a group of Irish convicts against the British colonial authority.

The beer is described as delivering “a punching crafty flavour as well as a crisp and refreshing taste you would expect from the Australian Brewery. However, you’ll also detect a full-flavoured Amber Lager balanced out with a hint of biscuity malt to finish.”

The beer will be stocked in a range of bottle shops and bars in the Hills District of Sydney, including on tap at the Australian Brewery, the Hillside Hotel and the Bella Vista Hotel.

Sydney’s northern beaches suburb of Brookvale will soon be home to a brand new brewing project, the brainchild of ExperienceIt beer lovers Johnny and Kerrie Latta, Leonardo Di Vincenzo, from Italy’s leading craft brewery, Birra Del Borgo, and Paolo Bertani.

They’re calling the new venture Nomad Brewing Co, a tip of the hat to the lifestyle they’ve all led over the years they have spent travelling the world in search of the best beers they could find, or make.

In a statement released recently, it is made abundantly clear that this won’t simply be Leonardo brewing his Italian beers in Sydney – the idea behind the project is to develop something unique, drawing on the skills and knowledge that the team has developed over their years in the industry. Nomad has engaged the services of Brooks Caretta, who has spent years brewing around the world, including as brewmaster at the Birreria projects for Eataly New York, and Eataly Rome.

Beer & BreWer Update Beer & Brewer reports

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BB2814_p014-019 v3-GS_JC.indd 14 9/04/2014 9:08:19 PM


What’s Brewing

BEER TALK

VICJayne Lewis and Danielle Allen, the team behind Two Birds Brewing, have announced that their long search for a brewery to call their own has finally come to an end. Two Birds Brewing will set up shop in Melbourne’s inner-west, with the first beers to flow from the new

set up ‘sometime in 2014’. It’s been a little over two years since the

pair went into business together, after Jayne left her gig with Mountain Goat to team up with Danielle. Since then, the pair had been on the hunt for a suitable site to set up their own brewery, settling on a location in Spotswood.

“We’ve proven to ourselves that a real demand exists for our product,” said Danielle. “We’ve always had the end game of owning our own brewery in mind and we’ve worked hard over the last few years to ensure that we built a solid foundation for our business, because we’re here to stay. We’ve definitely taken the “one-step-at-a-time” approach, so we’ve had to be patient, but it has been worth the wait.” The new brewery will consist of a brand-new 18hL 2 vessel DME Brewhouse, which is on its way to Melbourne from Canada, and will provide enough volume to service the growing demand for Two Birds beers for the east coast of Australia. The west coast market will continue to be looked after through the existing contract brewing arrangements with Gage Roads Brewing in WA.

Temple Brewing has announced the departure of Brewmaster and Co-Founder Ron Feruglio. In a joint statement, published on the Temple Brewing Co website, Ron said “I have achieved everything I set out to achieve with Temple. Whilst Temple will always be a part of me, the time is right for me to move on to new adventures and pursue more exciting endeavours.

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Sunil Bahkri, all smiles after winning the Australian Brewery ‘Name the Beer’ competition.

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What’s Brewing

beer talk

“I’d like to personally thank everyone who has supported me over the years and has bought and enjoyed my beers. I’ve still got a lot of ideas to develop and recipes to brew, and I think my best is yet to come. I thank Renata and the team at Temple and wish them all the best and every success moving on, but I look forward to the new opportunities, challenges and adventures that will be in my own future.”

Melbourne’s vibrant craft beer scene has a new player on the field, as Make Beer - a nano-brewery operating under the watchful eyes of partners Daniel Hall (ex Moon Dog) and Steven Germain (Phoenix Beers) - launched its first-ever brew. If the description of their first beer is anything to go by, Daniel and Steven should have a pub-full of curious punters on the doorstep. Called Deep Steep, Make Beer is labelling the brew as a ‘chamomile infused hop ale’, which they say straddles the line between a Pale Ale and an IPA, with the aroma and flavour of chamomile worked into the beer.

Make Beer describes itself as an experimental brewing project, rather than a bricks-and-mortar brewing operation. They will be specialising in 50-100 litre batches, with a focus on the kind of one-off releases that the early days of craft brewing were famous for.

West Australian craft brewing powerhouse Little Creatures has opened up a brand-new, $60 million facility in Geelong, Victoria. The brewery is the third in the Lion-owned Little Creatures portfolio, and will double the brewing capacity of the brand, serving up an expected 1.25 million cartons of beer for the east coast of Australia in its first 12 months.

The Geelong facility joins the original brewery in Fremantle and the Healesville site, which is home to White Rabbit and Pipsqueak cider, also part of the Little Creatures family.

Alongside the brewing operation, the new

Geelong facility will also house a hospitality venue - the fourth for Little Creatures in Victoria. The venue will offer the complete range of Little Creatures products matched to a menu with a focus on share plates. The venue will also offer space for local artists to show their work, and there are plans afoot for an artisan’s market to launch at the site in February 2014.

The brewery has been built using state-of-the-art German technology and features a number of environmental initiatives such as waste heat collection and a carbon dioxide recycling system. It also has a combined heat and power plant installed on site, which will eventually be used to create electricity, using the excess energy as a heat source in the brewing process.

Melbourne brewing brothers Callum and Nat Reeves have enjoyed solid success with their initial brews under the Monster Mash label. However, with success comes getting noticed – and the pair have received a ‘cease and desist’ letter from Monster Energy Drinks. Rather than enter into a lengthy, tedious (and expensive) legal battle to use the name, the boys have decided to change the brewery name to KAIJU! – it’s Japanese for ‘Monster’. Look out for their new labels, and a new IPA called Metamorphosis.

SABy John KrügerSouth Australia is buzzing with beer activity as the weather heats up. Prominent craft beer supporting bottle shops are trying to out-do each other and the Highway Hotel is doing all they can to lead the way. They now have 353 craft beers in the bottle shop, an increase of 43% in the last 9 months, with new lines arriving every fortnight. They’ve also run their second annual Craft Beer Festival which was held April 5th and 6th.

Clare Valley Brewing Co have finally commenced brewing with 3 quality beers, an Amber, Stout and a cracking APA as well as a grape cider. Their cellar door is now running in Auburn in the Clare Valley which has a cool retro vibe and the all important tasting paddle available as well as bottled beers available for takeaway. Local Clare venues have embraced the new beers as well as Adelaide hotels like the Wright Street hotel and The Kings.

Big Shed Brewing have been wading through red tape and have finally started brewing their own beers as well as brewing locally for Gypsy brewers Mismatch Brewing Co. There’s a huge gap for contract labels to be made locally in South Australia so there’s sure to be plenty of new and exciting brews to come out of Big Shed Brewing in Royal Park, which is only 15 minutes from the city. This is huge news for SA brewers looking for a local facility to produce fresh batches of beer.

SA’s centre of the beer universe, The Wheatsheaf Hotel are close to starting their own brewery on site and everyone awaits in anticipation for the first full scale brews to be available in their front bar. Fresh beer will be kegged and poured three ways through normal draught, hand pump and through the “Glasshopper” filled with all sorts of unusual options, be it fresh local fruit or a burst of whole cone hops. There’s still installation and some red tape to clear up but owner and brewer-to-be Jade Flavell has already been seen embracing her new hop back. They hope to be running the system by the end of the year.

Coopers Brewery has entered the cider market in Australia, inking a deal with English manufacturers, Thatchers Cider. The deal will see Coopers taking on responsibility for kegging draught Thatchers Gold at its brewery in Regency Park, and distributing it nationally to the on-premise market through its Premium Beverages arm.

“We expect Thatchers Gold will have a major impact on the draught cider market in Australia,” said Dr Tim Cooper, Managing Director of Coopers. “It is highly regarded as one of the world’s best ciders and is a great fit within our portfolio of quality beers. We are determined to establish Thatchers Gold as a premium brand in the growing Australian cider market.”

The agreement, which was signed late in

The Wheatsheaf Hotel.

Two Birds Brewing finally have a brewery to call their own.

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beer talkWhat’s Brewing

2013, marks the end of a three-year search by Coopers to find the right partner to enter the cider market in Australia.

“Chairman Glenn Cooper and I met Martin Thatcher and his team in the UK and felt an immediate affinity with them,”

Dr Cooper said. “Thatchers is a fourth generation family business that produces premium quality products. It has been growing rapidly in the past 20 years and the fit seemed right. We are extremely excited about the possibilities.”

“There are so many synergies between Thatchers and Coopers that I’m absolutely convinced this has always been a partnership just waiting to happen,” said Martin Thatcher, Managing Director of Thatchers. “Both companies share

similar values of heritage, family history, quality and most importantly a deep rooted care for their business and their customers.”

It’s also been a bumper year for the South Australian brewery, with sales surging past the 70 million litre mark for the first time in the company’s 150 year history. The figure marks an increase in volume of 4.7% over the 2012 results, when Coopers sold 68.8 million litres for the year.

For the number crunchers among us, the stats breakdown is interesting: South Australia is still the major market for Coopers, swallowing 26.9% of the total sales for the company, followed by New South Wales at 26.0%. The big increases in volume came from the smaller end of the market for Coopers – Victorian consumption leapt 15.4%, with Queensland (12.1%) and Western Australia (9.4%) following close behind. Overall, Coopers represents 4.5% of the entire Australian market

.QLDThe Fortitude Brewing Company has announced that it will take over the nearby MT Brewery at Mt Tambourine, allowing them to

expand production and make the move into the packaged beer market.

It’s a big step for the Queensland brewers, and will set Fortitude up as the fourth-largest brewing operation in the state – not a bad effort, considering Fortitude Brewing and “little brother” label Noisy Minor were only launched in 2012.

The ‘new’ premises is a 24-hectolitre, full production brewery, which will house the bulk of the Fortitude Brewing work, with the existing 5-hectolitre brewery being put to use working on the Noisy Minor side of the coin.

TASLark Distillery has acquired Old Hobart Distillery and the Overeem brand, in a deal that will see both brands continue to operate as separate entities in the marketplace, but with Overeem as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lark.

The move signals a couple of fundamental shifts in the Hobart whisky scene, with Bill and Lyn Lark, as well as Casey Overeem, moving into new hands-off roles with their respective distilleries.

The move is a natural progression for Bill and Lyn, who sold a large part of their business

ion for Bill and Lyn, who sold a large part of their business

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What’s Brewing

beer talk

while listening to live music from local artists. Buses to and from the festival depart from and return to Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup and Margaret River. For more details, visit the festival’s website.

Two new Western Australian breweries opened for business in the later part of last year. Naked Monkey Brewing Company is headed by friends Jon Goodgame and Paul Gasmier (formerly brewer at Sail & Anchor and head brewer at Duckstein and Gage Roads). So far Naked Monkey has released one beer – the 4.7% Red Session Ale, which can be found on tap at Clancy’s City Beach, Fremantle and Dunsborough as well as Bad Apples Bar, The Wine Store and Barque Restaurant. Three more brews are planned for 2014, including two seasonal brews and one to add to their permanent lineup. While currently commuting to WA’s Margaret River region to brew, the Naked Monkey team is looking, in the near future, at setting up its own City brewery, complete with bar and restaurant.

Bickley Valley Brewery is the project of Brad Harris – who has previously worked as head brewer at Elmars in the Valley for six years. The 20 hectolitre brewery has been designed and built by Harris himself and is currently used to produce two beers: Bickley Valley Kolsch and American Pale Ale, although more beers will be released soon. Strictly a production brewery, you can currently find Bickley Valley’s beers on tap at Clancy’s Canning Bridge, High Wycombe Tavern and The Lesmurdie Club, as well as on the Pegas for growler sales at Cellarbrations Carlisle.

Finally, after four years of lobbying, Beaten Track Brewery has had a major victory in the fight to serve full glasses at their Kalgoorlie-Boulder premises. WA liquor laws currently dictate that without a tavern licence, Beaten Track (and other breweries holding a producers licence) can only serve 100mL tastings. On the other hand, wineries have no such restrictions. Submissions made by Beaten Track’s owner and brewer, Nick Galton-Fenzi, Billabong Brewing’s owner Alan Proctor, the Western Australian Brewers Association and others have been taken into consideration in a recent review of the Liquor Control Act. The committee responsible for the review agreed that it is not ‘appropriate’ or ‘justifiable’ to distinguish between beer and wine producers, recommending that the Act be amended to allow breweries to sell their product for consumption on-site. It seems that commonsense has prevailed at last, although it will be several months before the reviews are put into practice.

NZBy Neil Miller

Post-modern” craft brewers the Yeastie Boys have received one of only ten worldwide invites to brew their distinctly offbeat Gunnamatta earl grey tea India Pale Ale for the prestigious JD Wetherspoon’s International Real Ale Festival in Britain. They will brew at the famous Adnams Brewery and, in one day, will brew more Gunnamatta than they do over an entire year in New Zealand. The resulting beer will be served in 850 pubs across England during the two week festival in April. While overseas, the Yeastie Boys will look into the possibilities of contract brewing their regular beers in the United Kingdom or Belgium, for distribution across Europe.

The date for New Zealand’s premiere beer festival has been set. The 13th annual Beervana will be held on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd August 2014 at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington. There will be more than 200 craft beers available over four sessions and a range of presentations, workshops and seminars.

Following the passing of new restrictive liquor laws, the Brewers Guild of NZ and the Brewers Association jointly hosted a free industry workshop to assist people hosting beer events to fully comply with the tougher Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act. The audience included organisers of small scale tastings

to a “syndicate of investors”, most of whom are based in Hobart. That sale has allowed Bill and Lyn to step back, Lyn in a non-Executive role on the board and Bill acting as Lark Global Brand Ambassador. On the Overeem side of the deal, Casey Overeem is moving into “semi-retirement”, and will focus on quality control and brand ambassadorship for Overeem.

The team from Willie Smiths has announced that its latest development, The Apple Shed, has been officially opened to the public. The Apple Shed occupies a refurbished apple packing shed on the Smith family’s orchard in Grove, Tasmania, and will house a museum, a providore-style shop stocking the best of the Huon Valley produce and a “simple menu” developed using regional and seasonal produce, and designed to accompany the Willie Smiths cider range.

The new facility will form a major part of the Tasmanian Cider Trail, a major initiative of government and business in Tassie. The Apple Shed was developed at a cost of more than $450,000, including a State Government grant of $150,000. The Federal Government has committed $60,000 to the development of a cider trail through the $100 million forestry peace deal funding and the Willie Smiths team is confident The Apple Shed will play a key role in attracting visitors to the Huon Valley.

WABy Jeremy Sambrooks

Starting with a bit of sad news that slipped under the radar, after less than five years in operation, the Ferguson Valley’s Wild Bull Brewery has closed its doors. Owners Paul and Michelle Bevin announced the closure on social media last year, which leaves Moody Cow as the only brewery in the Ferguson Valley.

The South West Craft Beer Festival is back again, but this time at a brand new venue. Moving from its original home of Palandri Estate in Margaret River, the 2014 festival will be held at the Old Broadwater Farm in Busselton. As in previous years, festival goers will be able to sample the regions finest brews

Enjoying a quiet beer at Feral.

WABy Jeremy Sambrooks

Naked Monkey could be in their way to a city venue.

Beaten Track - finally able to offer punters more than 100ml at a time.

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and major beer festivals. A key outcome of the Wellington workshop was the identification of key issues for hosts and the development of workable solutions to them. The workshop included presentations from the Ministry of Justice, the Police, the Health Promotion Agency (formerly ALAC), the Advertising Standards Authority, a Liquor Licensing Inspector, and Beervana’s David Cryer.

American craft beer circles have been abuzz at confirmation that Greg Koch from Stone Brewing, a high profile brewer and commentator, will take a four-month mini-sabbatical where he will travel and drink, but not make any beer or answer any emails. New Zealand is on his declared itinerary (as is Australia) and, while his plans remain secret, at least one massive Stone tap takeover is expected in Wellington, possibly the largest ever seen in New Zealand.

The very picturesque Queenstown hosted the inaugural Heartland Beer Festival. Twenty seven craft brewers signed up to the event, exceeding the organiser’s expectations of around 20. There were more than 150 different beers and ciders available, plus stalls, hearty food, master classes, a home brew contest judged by professional brewers, and a hot dog eating competition adjudicated by comedian Leigh Hart.

Influential magazine Metro has identified its annual ten hottest restaurant trends in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Under the heading “Craft Beer Takes Off”, Metro said “Treating beer as an afterthought is so 2012. Now, any bar or eatery worth its salt knows its English Porters from its Indian Pale Ales — and can explain the difference, in layman’s terms.” It specifically mentioned Brothers Beer, Sprig & Fern, Vulture’s Lane, Three Lamps and The Crown.

One of New Zealand’s oldest breweries has been given a $40 million facelift by Lion New Zealand. Speight’s brewery, which has been in Dunedin for 137 years, has had the royal treatment by Lion, in an 18-month long project to redevelop the heritage site. The catalyst for work starting was the loss of a brewery to the Canterbury earthquake in 2011.

A large chunk of the $40 million cost was spent on seismic strengthening of the site, with New Zealand still prone to earthquakes. Part of the site has been kept in original condition, and will be preserved as a museum, catering to the 30,000 tourists that visit the brewery every year. The rest of the plant has been upgraded, resulting in a brewing capacity of 24 million litres a year.

ASIABy Michael Jordan

Born in late 2013 out of a desire to brew distinctive, Young Master Ales is aiming to make world-class beers locally for the Hong Kong market. They are brewing a wide range of ales from Hong Kong Black to Cha Cha Soba Ale

Beaten TrackNSW

Young Henrys – www.younghenrys.com4 Pines – www.4pines.com.au

The Australian Brewery – www.australianbrewery.com.au

Nomad Brewing Co – www.nomadsbrewing.com.au

VICTwo Birds Brewing Co

– www.twobirdsbrewing.com.auTemple Brewing

– www.templebrewing.com.auMake Beer – www.wemakebeer.com.au

La Sirene – www.lasirene.com.auLittle Creatures

– www.littlecreatures.com.au

SAHighway Hotel – www.thehighway.com.au

Clare Valley Brewing Co – www.clarevalleybrewing.com.au

Big Shed Brewing – www.bigshedbrewing.com.au

The Wheatsheaf Hotel – www.wheatsheefhotel.com.auCoopers – www.coopers.com.au

QLDFortitude Brewing Company

– www.fortitudebrewing.com.au

TASLark Distillery – www.larkdistillery.com.auWillie Smiths – www.williesmiths.com.au

WASouth West Craft Beer Festival

– www.swbeerfest.com.auBeaten Track Brewery

- www.beatentrackbrewery.com.auMoody Cow Brewery

- www.moodycow.com.au

NZBeervana – www.beervana.co.nz

Heartland Beer Festival- www.heartlandbeerfestival.co.nz/

Metro Magazine – www.metroeats.co.nzYeastie Boys – www.yeastieboys.co.nz

using locally sourced organic buckwheat. All their beers are unfiltered and unpasteurized to provide freshly brewed beer. Their beers can be found on draft in the Hong Kong market or you can visit their 10 Bbl brewery in Ap Lei Chau.

Shanghai Beer Week kicks off on Friday, 23 May - 1 June, 2014. It’s China’s original beer week, now in its third year, New for 2014 is a China Craft Beer Festival. The grand finale will be the Sinan Mansions Beer Festival on May 31 and June 1 at the Sinan Mansions Complex near Fuxing Park.

Thailand’s beer lovers are celebrating the opening of Danish beer bar Mikkeller’s new Bangko outlet, featuring 30 taps and a specialised bottle selection from around the world.

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

beer talkAztec Sales Stats

AuStrAliAn Beer nAtionAl top eleven 1 victoria Bitter 2 XXXX Gold 3 Corona Extra 4 Carlton Draught 5 Carlton Dry 6 tooheys New 7 tooheys extra Dry 8 Carlton Mid Strength 9 Crown lager 10 Coopers pale Ale 11 Hahn Super Dry

AuStrAliAn CiDernAtionAl top ten 1 Strongbow 2 rekorderlig 3 Somersby 4 tooheys 5 seeds 5 Bulmers 6 Monteith’s 7 Mercury 8 Magners 9 Kopparberg10 Matilda Bay Dirty Granny

internAtionAl Beertop ten 1 Corona Extra 2 Heineken Lager 3 Stella Artois 4 peroni Nastro Azzurro 5 Becks 6 Budweiser 7 Miller Chill 8 Asahi Super Dry 9 Miller Genuine Draught10 Carlsberg Lager

nSW 1 James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale 2 James Squire The Chancer Golden Ale 3 little Creatures Pale Ale 4 Matilda Bay Fat Yak Pale Ale 5 James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale 6 4 pines Pale Ale 7 little Creatures Bright Ale 8 lord nelson Three Sheets 9 James Squire Four Wives Pilsener 10 White rabbit Dark Ale

viC 1 little Creatures Pale Ale 2 Matilda Bay Fat Yak Pale Ale 3 James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale 4 James Squire The Chancer Golden Ale 5 James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale 6 little Creatures Bright Ale 7 Mountain Goat Steam Ale 8 White rabbit Dark Ale 9 White rabbit White Ale 10 Matilda Bay Beez Neez Honey Wheat

QlD 1 James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale 2 James Squire The Chancer Golden Ale 3 Matilda Bay Fat Yak Pale Ale 4 little Creatures Pale Ale 5 James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale 6 Stone&Wood Pacific Ale 7 little Creatures Rogers’ 8 Burleigh 28 Pale Ale 9 little Creatures Bright Ale 10 Hoegaarden White

SA 1 James Squire The Chancer Golden Ale 2 Coopers Dark Ale 3 James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale 4 little Creatures Pale Ale 5 Mclaren vale Ale 6 Matilda Bay Fat Yak Pale Ale 7 James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale 8 Southwark Old Stout 9 Coopers Vintage Ale 10 Mclaren vale IPA

WA 1 James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale 2 little Creatures Pale Ale 3 James Squire The Chancer Golden Ale 4 little Creatures Rogers’ 5 Matso’s Mango Beer 6 Matilda Bay Fat Yak Pale Ale 7 little Creatures Bright Ale 8 James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale 9 Hoegaarden White 10 Matilda Bay Redback

tAS 1 James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale 2 James Squire The Chancer Golden Ale 3 little Creatures Pale Ale 4 James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale 5 Boags Wizard Smith Ale 6 Matilda Bay Fat Yak Pale Ale 7 James Squire Four Wives Pilsener 8 little Creatures Bright Ale 9 White rabbit Dark Ale 10 Gage roads Atomic Pale Ale

CrAft Beer(inCluDinG CuB AnD lion)

For more informationplease visit Aztec.com.au

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The power of visual information at your fingertips Download Aztec Mobile fromGoogle Play or the Apple App Store today

Scan the product barcode to track:

9 Sales and pricing

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Aztec SAleS StAtS

BB2814_p020-021v2 - GS.indd 20 4/04/2014 4:14:21 PM

Each issue Beer & Brewer gets

the latest sales statistics direct from Aztec for off-premise

sales in Australia, with market

share and category trends to follow in future issues.

For more informationplease visit Aztec.com.au

Aztec Mobile

9 Results of promotions

The power of visual information at your fingertips Download Aztec Mobile fromGoogle Play or the Apple App Store today

Scan the product barcode to track:

9 Sales and pricing

9 New product launches 9 Product distribution

NSW 1 4 Pines Pale Ale 2 Lord Nelson Three Sheets 3 Stone&Wood Pacific Ale 4 4 Pines Kolsch 5 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 6 McLaren Vale Ale 7 Mountain Goat Steam Ale 8 Matso’s Mango Beer 9 Monteith’s Golden Lager 10 Monteith’s Black VIC 1 Mountain Goat Steam Ale 2 Stone&Wood Pacific Ale 3 4 Pines Pale Ale 4 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5 Mountain Goat Hightail Ale 6 Monteith’s Golden Lager 7 Hawthorn Pale Ale 8 Matso’s Mango Beer 9 4 Pines Kolsch10 Monteith’s Black QLD 1 Stone&Wood Pacific Ale 2 Burleigh 28 Pale Ale 3 4 Pines Pale Ale 4 Burleigh My Wife’s Bitter 5 Monteith’s Golden Lager 6 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 7 Matso’s Mango Beer 8 Monteith’s Black 9 Burleigh Hefeweizen Wheat Beer10 Byron Bay Pale Lager

SA 1 McLaren Vale Ale 2 McLaren Vale IPA 3 McLaren Vale Lager 4 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5 McLaren Vale Dark 6 Matso’s Mango Beer 7 Monteith’s Golden Lager 8 Feral Hop Hog IPA 9 Mountain Goat Steam Ale 10 Wahoo Premium Ale

WA 1 Matso’s Mango Beer 2 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 3 Weihenstephaner Hefeweiss Dark 4 Feral Hop Hog IPA 5 Matso’s Pearlers Pale Ale 6 Wahoo Premium Ale 7 Weihenstephaner Kristall 8 Weihenstephaner Pilsner 9 Monteith’s Black10 Matso’s Smokey Bishop Ale TAS 1 Moo Brew Pilsner 2 Moo Brew Pale Ale 3 Monteith’s Black 4 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5 Monteith’s Golden Lager 6 Ironhouse Pale Ale 7 Obrien Premium Lager 8 McLaren Vale Ale 9 4 Pines Pale Ale 10 Moo Brew Wheat Beer

CrAFT BEEr (ExCLuDING CuB AND LION)

beer talkAztec Sales Stats

Aztec SAleS StAtS

BB2814_p020-021v2 - GS.indd 21 4/04/2014 4:15:00 PM

I f Morton Coutts was still alive – he died aged exactly 100 a few years ago, working until the last day of his life –

he’d probably win it himself every year.Coutts was the son and grandson of brewers

and inherited a post-Depression career with Dominion Breweries, one of New Zealand’s

BEER TALKFeature

At the annual New Zealand Brewers Guild Awards, one of the most coveted prizes is the Morton Coutts Trophy for Innovation. Michael Donaldson explains.

The MorTon CouTTs Trophy for InnovaTIon

big two. Coutts, if he hadn’t been born into brewing would probably have won a Nobel Prize for science, or cured cancer.

Nothing less than a genius, he invented his own X-ray machine when he was a boy (this at a time when then technology was still being refined) and X-rayed the family cat.

He built a radio transmitter and during World War One used it to contact London. “I was the first person to send a signal past the equator,” he claimed late in life. He did experimental television broadcasts and sent signals to the moon to measure the distance to the moon from Earth.

But his lasting legacy is a brewing technique called Continuous Fermentation, which, simplisticly involves flowing wort through a series of tanks where it meets yeast that is continuously recycled to meet the beer at the appropriate stage of fermentation. It’s so efficient the machine needs to be cleaned only

once a year and beer is continuously produced.

The method, used for the first time in 1958, is still used at DB to this day and while other breweries around the world have tried to develop the same technology none have been able to make as well as Coutts did.

Coutts’ inventive spirit lives on in modern Kiwi brewers, with new techniques, off-centre views and stubborn determination the underlying characteristics of an industry that produces some of the most imaginative brews you can hope to wrap your lips around.

A recent winner of the Morton Coutts trophy was Yeastie Boys, two blokes by the name of Stu McKinlay and Sam Possenniskie. Stu was a great home brewer who got tired of his mates drinking all his beer for free and figured it was possible to make a buck out of this caper, so he and Sam approached Steve Nally of Invercargill Brewery with the aim of producing a batch of commercial beer without having to invest their lives or give up their jobs.

“There was no business plan, simply a desire to brew 50 times what I could brew on my deck. Sam and I were always searching for something new, so why not make it ourselves, the beers we wished someone else would,” McKinlay says.

Morton Coutts in 1961, the father of continuous fermentation.

The canvas-draped courtyard at The Mussel Inn.


CouTTs’ InvenTIve spIrIT lIves on In Modern KIwI brewers.”

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Another brewery to take inspiration from history is the Mussel Inn, based in the hippie-centric resort area of Golden Bay at the top of the South Island. Inspired by the story of the first beer made in New Zealand by explorer Captain Cook, who used leaves and bark to flavour molasses in order to ward of scurvy, Mussel Inn uses the leaves of the native Manuka tree in their Captain Cooker to create a beer with hints of Turkish Delight.

The preparedness of Kiwi brewers to take a chance is no more evident than in Epic’s Coffee and Fig Imperial Oatmeal Stout, a beer born of random partnership thrown up by Wellington’s annual Beervana festival. To drive media interest, festival organisers a few years ago partnered writers and brewers. Luke Nicholas and Kelly Ryan, of Epic, joined forces with Victoria Wells from Dish magazine to make an experimental beer using a sticky mess of figs caramelised in stout malt. That the beer, three years later and with some refinements, is commercially available and something of a hit is testament to the Kiwi spirit of creativity, experimentation and dedication to great flavours.

And what beers! Pot Kettle Black, their first effort, set the benchmark for hoppy Porters but their true creativity has been revealed in Rex Attitude, the beer that’s made with 100 per cent peated malt and tastes like whisky, and Gunnamatta, the Earl Grey tea-infused IPA named after an instrumental track by Paul Kelly.

“We’ve probably done it all wrong, according to the experts of beer and business,” McKinlay reflects, “but we’ve always started things by first asking ‘why not?” And, in our world, ‘Rheinheitsgebot’ is not a valid answer. Our minds are more open now than they were when we started.”

SMALL MARKET, BIG BEERSOne of the beauties of New Zealand is its small population, says leading brewer Kelly Ryan. The small market is a disincentive for those hoping to make a quick buck from cheaply made beer, leaving room for “the people who love making interesting beers”. And in a small population, Ryan says, “one voice can be heard – whether that’s politically or by making a beer with a whole lot of Earl Grey tea in it.”

One relatively small voice that’s been shouting loud for a year or so is Garage Project. Brewer Pete Gillespie had worked at the Malt Shovel Brewery in Sydney and when he came home he hooked up with a friend of his brother’s, Jos Ruffel, who was working in the online gaming industry.

They got noticed when they set up an ambitious plan to brew 24 beers in 24 weeks, each 50-litre batch going on tap mid-week at Wellington’s cult bar Hashigo Zake. The following they developed drew investors and within a year they had a small brewery up and running.

These guys constantly push the limits of what’s possible in beer, drawing on ideas from modern cuisine to create flavour packages, or in the case of their stunning Red Rocks Reserve, going back to ancient methods – in this instance, dropping super-heated volcanic rocks into a kettle to create the most sensational visual sight and a lustrously caramelised beer.

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... gives your beer special taste and color,without burnt flavor !

For more informationplease contact :

e-mail: [email protected]

Our Wholesaler inAustralia and New Zealand:

Cryer Malt AustraliaPhone: 1800 119 622 · Fax: +61 3 9923 6412

e-mail: [email protected]

Cryer Malt New ZealandPhone: 0800 MALTED (625833)

Fax: + 64 9 353 1632e-mail: [email protected]

www.cryermalt.co.nz

Malt Extract:BAVARIAN PILSNER

BAVARIAN HEFEWEIZENMUNICH AMBER VIENNA RED

BAVARIAN DUNKELBAVARIAN MAIBOCK BAMBERG RAUCH

MUNICH OCTOBER BEER

Caramelized Malt :CARAFOAM®, CARAHELL®, CARAMUNICH®, CARAAROMA®, CARAAMBER®, CARARED®, CARAWHEAT®, CARARYE®

and CARAFA® are registered trademarks for Mich. Weyermann® Specialty Malting Company, Bamberg

CARAFOAM® CARAHELL® CARAMUNICH®

CARAAROMA® CARAAMBER® CARARED®

CARAWHEAT® CARARYE® CARAFA®

CARAFA® SPECIAL(roasted malt from dehusked barley, gives the beer a smooth taste without burnt flavor)

Our brew and special maltsare also available in certified

organic quality!

A full line of superb quality2-row Bavarian Malts including :

BOHEMIAN PILSNER MALTPILSNER MALT VIENNA MALT

MUNICH MALT PALE ALE MALTSMOKED MALT MELANOIDIN MALT

ACIDULATED MALTCARAMEL WHEAT MALT

CHOCOLATE SPELT MALTRYE MALT: ROASTED - CARAMELIZED

WHEAT MALT: PALE - DARK - ROASTED

Where the magic happens at Garage Project.

Epic beers from Epic Brewery.

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxMicrobrewery Profile

BEER TALK

HOW DID YOU GUYS GET STARTED IN THE BREWING INDUSTRY?When Tanya (Tan) realised “you can make your own beer!” (Futurama quote!), Chris (Fish) bought Tan a homebrew kit as a present when we started dating around 15 years ago. Add 10 years of fun brewing times, experience in food, wine and beverage manufacturing industries and study, a brewery was purchased on our honeymoon, on a dodgy internet connection in the Cook Islands. Now the bank has our soul…..

WHAT SORT OF BUSINESS DO YOU RUN?After many years brewing from an industrial shed in Adelaide we have had a tree change and are now a farmhouse producing brewery. We are now brewing beers at a volume and style which are suited to our surroundings and resources on a small rural property in Tamborine Qld. We are looking forward to extending our collaborative experience into propagation of our own grown ingredients

from other local farms. Yes, satellite hops, barley and herb farms, back to when the ingredients came from farms local to the brewery, the philosophy of from the farm, back to the farm and prosperity to the community.

WHAT EQUIPMENT ARE YOU CURRENTLY RUNNING IN THE BREWERY?We ripped out an old school infusion mash system from a pub in the US made by the Brew Pub Company (now defunct), it seemed to be the trend in the US in 2007. “A brewery in working order”, yeah well we have all heard that sales pitch from the used car sales person… Luckily Fish’s many years working in food and beverage as an engineer came in handy. Fish and his bro were happy as pigs in it, fixing, blowing up stuff, fixing again and improving the system.

WHAT IS THE BREWERY’S CAPACITY IN HECTOLITRES AND HOW MUCH HAVE YOU EXPANDED?

We brew double batches into 8 US BBL fermenters (800L) and are pretty much always brewing as often as we can. We have dabbled having the regular brews contracted during the move from Adelaide to Queensland, with admittedly not the success and quality we had hoped. So we are back to the farm focussing only on brewing out of our brew house. Capacity when brewing hard could see around 70,000 L p.a. – not much really but we are in a drought hey!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU GUYS WHEN CREATING RECIPES?Tan wakes up after dreaming concepts (yeah we dream about new beers), we respect the traditions of beer and the many years of Brewers and knowledge that has come before us and take inspiration from old school beer styles. Locally grown ingredients also hold fascination as this is traditionally how beer was made, from whatever you could lay your hands on. Fish is looking forward to brewing with the local stinging nettle grown down by the Albert River, myrtle and heather found in Tamborine.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST SELLERS AND OLD FAVOURITES?Red Tail (Amber Ale), a brew that had its origins from our home brewing days, totally

It took a tree change from the suburbs of Adelaide to the lush surrounds of Tamborine, QLD, for these two brewers to find the perfect spot to make the beers they love. Head Brewer Chris Herring answers Beer & Brewer’s questions…

BEARD & BRAU FARMHOUSE BREWERY

A tranquil setting at Albert River,Tamborine Village.

Tanya and Chris ‘Fish’ Herring, the brains behind Beard and Brau.

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Microbrewery Profile

BBER TALK

inspired by hoppy flavours from and iconic an craft brewery James Squire’s Golden Ale & Amber Ale but always respecting old English Ales body and mouth feel.

Favourite brews would have to be Trios Monts which has inspired our foray into the Farmhouse brew – Bon Chiens. Followed by Rogue’s Noir Dirtoir (GYO) an inspirational beer which took us from some depressive moments from our own recent local council battles to gaining approvals to have and develop the farmhouse brewery on our property on the Albert River, Tamborine.

ARE YOU WORKING ON ANY LIMITED RELEASES OR HAD ANY ON THE MARKET RECENTLY?The ‘High Brau’ range of brews are of limited seasonal and sporadic release. The most recent in the range is the Indian Mastiff Ale (IPA), a collaborative brew with our besty Nathan from the Earl of Leicester Hotel in Adelaide.

WHAT SORT OF REACTION DO YOU GET TO YOUR LIMITED RELEASES?The seasonal specialities tend to sell out very quickly, often before they have left the fermenter. A lot of publicans trust that the beer we make is quality and will put in an order before trying the beer. Twitter and apps like Untappd helps to keep track of how the punters

feel. The social media excitement of our recent four legged mower (Victa the miniature Goat) seems to have gained lots of retweets and favourites…he is very cute…

WHERE CAN BEER FANS FIND YOUR BREWS?We have a few loyal locations around Australia. Predominantly tap beers, we are popping up in bars around the place and are building a fan base in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Always on tap at our original home Earl of Leicester and now the recent local the Bearded Dragon in

HOBBIES – WHAT ARE THEY? I THINK WE DO SLEEp OCCASIONALLY... AND THEN WE DREAM BEER. ”

Tamborine, with brews distributed by Boutique Beverage Distributors in VIC. Check our website for stockist details.

DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OUT-SIDE OF BEER? WHAT ARE THEY?Hobbies – what are they? Tan likes to squeeze in a bit of her true talent painting (check out the painting for the IMA at the Earl of Leicester), Fish is a Rural Fire Service volunteer. With a farm, dogs, sheep, goat, full time work and a brewery coupled with the occasional QLD natural disaster, I think we do sleep occasionally.., and then we dream beer.

Eat grass, get paid

in beer. Perfect.

Beard & Brau Farmhouse Brewery – Tamborine Village Qldwww.beardandbrau.com.aue: [email protected]: @beardandbrauBrewer/Owner - Chris Herring & Tanya Harlow

The Brewhouse and Fermenters.

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Beer Club

BEER TALK

The Beer hunTers South east of Brisbane, a hunt is underway – as the Beer Hunters gather for one of their regular meetings to sample, discover and yarn about the beers they love the most. Gregor Stronach chats with Peter Blackwell…

In the Queensland suburbs around Brisbane, a group of brew-loving citizens have formed The Beer Hunters, a loose collective

that is dedicated to finding the best beers they can, and learning as much about our favourite brews as humanly possible.

Most recently, the Beer Hunters gathered for a tasting night at The Victoria Point Tavern, for an evening of beer tasting, with matching food. We’ll let Beer Hunter Peter Blackwell tell the story in his own words:

“The night was organised by Chris, the manager of Dan Murphy’s, Victoria Point. The Tavern in Victoria Point was the venue on Thursday 14 November. Eighteen beer lovers turned up for what was a very enjoyable and informative evening.

The tasting was in three flights, with each flight consisting of eight beers. The first was a selection of Pale Ales, which got the evening off to a great start. All eight beers were top class, and included Little Creatures Pale Ale, Sail & Anchor Monkeys Fist Pale Ale, Stone and Wood Pacific Ale and our American friends Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. These beers were perfectly matched to Chilli

and Lime prawns, which were kindly supplied by the Chef at Graziers Restaurant.

A selection of wheat beers in the second flight matched to the Chef’s Sweet Spiced Pork was a real treat. We sampled some old favourites and a few new brews, including Hoegaarden, Mont Blanc Blond and Burleigh Brewing HEF, to name a few. The line up for

the second flight really highlighted the class of beers available in that particular variety.

Flight Three was a selection of dark ales – the perfect way to end an evening of tasting. There were rumblings from a few of the club members, who thought serving the beer at a slightly warmer temperature would have released stronger flavours… but, in the end, the beers were all solidly enjoyed.

there is a lot more to enjoying a beer or three than opening a coldie ...”

There’s nothing quite so happy as a Hunter returning, trophy in hand.

The flight included Murray’s, Dark Knight Porter, Chimay Blue, La Trappe Quadruple and Old Tom with Chocolate, (as a side note, I reckon a nice slice of chocolate cake would go well with Old Tom.) Graziers Chef once again provided a food match of Beef Stroganoff to match these top brews.

Chris and Fraser ran an Informative and very enjoyable Master Class. We were all made aware that there is a lot more to enjoying a beer or three than opening a coldie and swigging from a can or bottle. Pouring a beer into a quality glass so that the appearance, aroma and taste can be appreciated to their full is the ultimate way to enjoy our favourite beer.”

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Froth/Trivia

BEER TALK

1 Which New Zealand craft brewery has been invited to brew for the prestigious JD Wetherspoon International Real Ale Festival?

2 What is the name of the first commercial beer produced by the Behemoth Brewing Company?

3 When will the 13th annual Beervana be held in Wellington?

4 What are the new default closing times for New Zealand on-licences and off-licences?

5 Which New Zealand brewery uses only cans and kegs – no bottles?

6 Which UK cider company has teamed up with Coopers?

7 Which iconic craft beer brand in NSW was recently closed down?

8 Which craft brewers recently announced a new brewery in Victoria?

9 Which US city is regarded as the birthplace of American beer?

trivia teasers!Think you’re a beer expert? Try these ten trivia teasers to see where you really stand.

Good news for those of you who believe that the human race is doomed to be wiped out by nuclear missiles… the beer will probably survive the blast.

We all know that beer is inherently tough. It’s tough to make, some of them are tough to drink - and

many of us secretly believe that drinking beer somehow imbues us with some of the toughness each and every glass or bottle carries with it.

But precisely how tough is beer? Well... let’s just say that in the event of a nuclear holocaust, provided you manage to survive, you’ll be very pleased to know that the beer you’ve got in your fridge will probably fare better than you.

We know this because of part of the United States’ Nuclear Defence Agency’s “Operation Teapot” - which sought to find out what would happen to the world if it suddenly started raining enriched uranium and massive explosions.

Project 32.2a, specifically, looked at what would happen to beer (and soft drink) if it were subjected to a nuclear blast - ostensibly to find out what survivors of a nuclear conflict would be able to drink if the water supply was irradiated. The results of that project were startling: provided the beer was more than 1270 feet (about 400 metres) away from Ground Zero, and the bottles weren’t hit by flying debris, then the beer inside would be perfectly safe to drink - and wouldn’t even taste funky, either.

So in the event of a nuclear war, we suggest the following procedure: stack all your bottled beer around you to form a makeshift bunker, and sit inside drinking beer until everything’s okay again. Simple!

10 What percentage of beer sold in Australia in 2010-11 was full strength?

Answers 1 The Yeastie Boys. 2 Chur Pale Ale. 3 22-23 August. 4 On-licence 4am. Off-licence 11pm. 5. Hot Water Brewery (Coromandel). 6 Thatchers. 7 Bluetongue. 8 Two Birds Brewing. 9 Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 10 82.5%.

frothWHAM!WHAM!

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Style Notes

BEER TALK


and Porters, even these richer brews were also sometimes referred to as Brown Ales.

As far back as 1720, due to some Brown Ales and Stouts being considered too heavy, a mixture of aged strong ale, Mild Ale and Stout, which was called three-threads, was mixed up by the publican. This later became known as Porter, as it was demanded by the porters from the London produce markets. These dark beers were consumed mostly in the London area due to the mineral profile of the water being ideally suited for the brewing of dark beers and due to the needs of the labouring class for a heavier, dark beer that provided sustenance and nutrition.

Developing an amber aleTwo styles of Brown Ale developed in England: Southern or London Brown Ale and Northern or Newcastle Brown Ale. The London Brown was dark brown in colour, sweet on the palate with malt sweetness and caramel notes and with low hop character. The Newcastle Brown Ale was an amber reddish brown colour with medium roast notes and medium hop character. This ale seemed highly drinkable and even today ‘Newky Brown” from Scottish and Newcastle Brewery (in the clear bottle) remains one of the top selling bottled ales

James Squire Nine Tales Amber Ale is perhaps the most well-known Amber Ale in Australia, but it was not always that way.

The origin of Amber Ale dates back to early English brewing heritage so it was logical that this style of ale would be the first brewed by the Malt Shovel Brewery in late 1998 in honour of James Squire, Australia’s first brewer. James Squire would have brewed similar style ales in colonial Australia in the early 1800’s. We looked at his original recipes, and he would have brewed a thick Brown Ale, rich in alcohol, served warm, cloudy and flat. We quickly realised that such a beer style would have been difficult to sell, as the average Australian beer consumer in the late 1990’s was just starting to wake up to the enjoyable pleasures of craft beer with rich roasted malt and generous hop characters. We needed something distinctive in presentation, aroma and flavour, but drinkable and highly satisfying. Amber Ale seemed to satisfy all of that.

english brown aleThe earliest of the English beers were brown in colour. Since they were brewed with malts that were brown and smoky from being kilned over a wood fire, the resultant ales were both brown and smoky. This smoky characteristic was initially a desired character that was only eliminated when malt kilning was switched from wood to coke or coal. However, brown malts have been used in brewing in England for over eight hundred years. The terms Mild and Brown have been used for many years to describe English beers. Since large amounts of brown malt were used in the brewing of Stouts

Dr Chuck Hahn explains the history of Amber Ale, and how he developed his own recipe to create one of Australia’s best-known beers.

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The late Michael Jackson, AKA The Beer Hunter, inside the Malt Shovel Brewery with Chuck Hahn.

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first five years, we used a body label that had six different stories of the history of James Squire. These labels were collated so that in one six pack, one had a good chance of getting at least four of these stories. Squires Amber Ale remained our biggest seller for the first

eight years, so the recipe must have been appropriate to lead out the craft beer revolution in Australia.

Squires Amber Ale was more amber copper in colour than Coopers Sparkling Ale and much less dark brown than Tooheys Old. It was medium bodied with creamy malt flavours and a slight nutty finish with a citrus edge. Its rich creamy head and distinctive colour set it aside

in the UK. We determined that we needed a similar style of ale, but with increased hop character and less sweetness so as to greater refresh the palate for increased drinkability. Both Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale and the classic Timothy Taylor Landlord Ale had further influences on our brewing recipe.

A long look at what was available in the USA in 1998 indicated good acceptance of American Brown Ales with the leaders such as Brooklyn Brown Ale, Pete’s Wicked Ale and 90 Shilling Ale from Odells Brewery. However, even more character was evident in New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale with interesting late hop notes. Then and even now, Fat Tire Amber Ale remains the biggest seller from New Belgium Brewing Co. in Colorado.

We determined we could brew an acceptable Brown Ale with subtle late hop notes that would satisfy our UK connection, be distinctive in flavour and presentation, and be approachable and drinkable. After a few brewing trials, we released James Squire Original Amber Ale in late 1998 in kegs and in 345ml embossed brown bottles. For the

from all the mild flavoured and light coloured lagers of the day. These features enabled us as brewers to walk into any pub and immediately determine who were enjoying our ales and to engage them. This was very important in developing our market awareness.

This robust ale went along with the developing beer and food programs. The rich crystal malt character hooked in well with the caramelised meat flavours and complements them. One of the best matches is lamb chops with mint jelly and Amber Ale. There is no need for a nice Shiraz if Amber Ale is available.

Amber Ale ChArACteristiCsIn most beer competitions, the Amber Ale style comes under the English or American style Brown Ale categories. However, at the GABF, there is a category for American-style Amber/Red Ale. However, that category specifies much higher hop bitterness (25-45 BU’s) and character than is apparent in the Squires Amber Ale. Most popular categories in these competitions are usually the Pale Ale or the India Pale Ale groups

The malt bill for our Amber Ale is similar to those for the English Brown Ales and Mild Ales. Most breweries would use 10-20% crystal malt with the balance being pale malt. In addition, for greater fermentability (and greater drinkability), 10-20% cane sugar might be incorporated into the brew (added at the kettle). Good craft brewing does not necessitate always using 100% malted barley or always using 100% imported malts. We have been extremely satisfied with the quality of malts that we purchase from the local Joe White Malting Company. Our crystal malt comes from Ballarat and our pale and Munich malts from Tamworth.

Pioneering CrAft beerHopping is important in order to provide the appropriate balance for the malt sweetness from the crystal malts. Squires Amber Ale uses Super Pride of Ringwood as the bittering hop at the start of boil and Tassie Willamette as the late hop at the end of boil. Willamette is an English Fuggle descendent so we can respect that English heritage as we try to do in most James Squire brews. Willamette hops were originally grown near Portland, Oregon, in the Willamette valley but are now available from Bushy Park in Tasmania. Late hopping with this hop produces a slight grapefruit hop aroma which balances out nicely with the crystal malt sweetness and nuttiness.

Style Notes

beer talk


In thIs, they recall the old wassaIlIng tradItIon of cups and punches, possets and syllabubs.”

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White Malting Company. Our crystal malt comes from Ballarat and our pale and Munich malts from Tamworth.

BB2814_p028-031 v2.indd 29 4/04/2014 12:18:25 PM

beer talkStyle Notes

James Squire Original Amber Ale, now called Squires Nine Tale Amber Ale, pioneered craft beer acceptance across Australia. All of our ingredients were sourced from Australia, and the ale quickly became widely accepted as an authentic link back to colonial brewing with the Squires stories. In 1998/99, we were up against a totally lager dominated beer market; Coopers Ales and Tooheys Old Black Ale were the only ales really available to the tap beer market. Pale Ales were just starting to become popular through the efforts of Little Creatures Brewery in WA and a number of the other smaller craft breweries across the country. Holgate and Mountain Goat released Pale Ales and Brown Ales. The revolution of flavour in craft beers was just beginning, and the Squires brews had a lot to do in getting it started. And in the end, the result is more enjoyment for those beer drinkers that taste and savour those distinctive flavours and aroma.


Once famous for our Sparkling Ales, Amber Ales and Porters, the industrialisation of the New

Zealand brewing industry saw production switch almost exclusively to lager. Many of these lagers were amber, sweet and drunk very cold. However, craft brewers are increasingly producing balanced, flavoursome Amber Ales showcasing the traditional caramel/chocolate, orange/tangelo, spicy/grassy notes.

The modern benchmark is Mac’s Sassy Red. Created at the now closed Wellington waterfront brewery, Sassy Red dominated its category at the New Zealand Beer Awards for half a decade and is still in production. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Limburg Rosie’s Red which veteran connoisseurs still rave about. Founder’s have been making their Red Head ale for many years from an old recipe. After being bought out by Boundary Road, Red Head has been renamed and repackaged as 1903 Amber Ale though the taste remains the same.

Newer craft brewers are embracing the style and putting their own spin on it. Notable examples include the biscuity

Kiwis growing taste for the amber.

KiwiS growiNg taSte for the amber.

amber aleS iN auStralia2 brothers (Vic) Grizz 5.7%badlands (NSW) Mild 3.5%

barons (NSW) Black Wattle Original Ale 5.2%beard & brau (Qld) Red Tail 5.1%

bootleg (WA) Tom’s Amber Ale 4%brewboys (SA) Maiden Ale 4.9%buckley’s (Vic) Original Ale 4.5%

Coldwater Creek (Vic) American Pale Ale 5.1%

Dolphin (Vic) Amber Ale 4%endeavour (NSW) Reserve Amber Ale

2013 5.2%forrest (Vic) Amber Ale 4.2%

fusion (NSW) Prime 4.9%grumpy’s (SA) Roger And Out 4.3%

hawthorn (Vic) Amber Ale 4.7%illawarra (NSW) Rust 5.1%

James Squire (NSW) Nine Tails Amber Ale 5%little Creatures (WA) Rogers’ 3.8%

mountain goat (Vic) Hightail Ale 4.5%mountain goat (Vic) Rare Breed Fancy Pants

Amber Ale 5.2% red Duck (Vic) Amber Ale 4.9%rusty water (Vic) Amber Ale 6%

Sail & anchor (WA) Boa’s Bind Amber Ale 5%Savarain (Vic) Amber Ale 4.6%

Steamrail (Vic) Lucky Amber Amber Ale 4.5%

three troupers (Vic) Amber Ale 4.5%tooborac (Vic) Woodcutters Amber Ale 5.3%

two metre tall (Tas) Forester Bitter Amber Ale 5.3%

Van Dieman (Tas) Jacobs Ladder 4.2%Zierholz (ACT) Amber Ale 4.9%

Need More Kegs? Grow with Keg Lease

The benefits of keg rental…

– Protect your working capital with no up-front outlay

– Its quick! Kegs can be despatched from our warehouse immediately

– Match your packaging cost with growth in beer volumes

About the kegs…

– Kegs are made in Germany by Franke

– 50Lt DIN and EURO kegs are available with A-Type (flat) or D-Type (well) valves

If you’d like a quote or more information…

German quality kegs from Franke

Manage your cash flow

Invest in product rather than packaging

Contact our Asia-Pacificdistributor, Bintani Australia:

T: +61 (0) 3 9580 3566E: [email protected]

A look inside the brewery at the Malt Shovel Brewery,

Camperdown, NSW.

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Raindogs Apothecary Amber Ale, the dark, fruity Golden Eagle Apache Amber and the US-inspired Dale’s American Amber. A collaboration amber ale produced by the Beer

Baroness and Epic Brewing Company, Lady Danger, has proved particularly popular with female drinkers with both the name and flavour finding favour.

Reacting to consumer demand for bigger, stronger and often hoppier beers, several brewers have “super-sized” their Amber Ales. These more



Many of the country’s most famous amber beers are lagers – the ubiquitous New Zealand Draught style. neil miller looks at craft brewers making proper Amber Ales.

style notes

beer talk

8 Wired Brewery – www.8wired.co.nz DB – www.db.co.nz Garage Project – www.garageproject.co.nz Golden Bear Brewing - www.goldenbearbrewing.com/ Hallertau Brew Bar – www.hallertau.co.nz Invercargill Brewery – www.invercargillbrewery.co.nzLiberty Brewing – www.libertybrewing.co.nz/Moa Brewing – www.moabeer.com Yeastie Boys – www.yeastieboys.co.nz

Need More Kegs? Grow with Keg Lease

The benefits of keg rental…

– Protect your working capital with no up-front outlay

– Its quick! Kegs can be despatched from our warehouse immediately

– Match your packaging cost with growth in beer volumes

About the kegs…





Manage your cash flow

Invest in product rather than packaging



muscular interpretations include the hoppy, tropical fruit Yeastie Boys Hud-a-wa’ Strong, the punchy ParrotDog BloodHound and the big but beautifully balanced 8 Wired Tall Poppy.

Others have gone in the opposite direction, embracing the balance and subtlety that Amber Ales have long been known for. The more mainstream examples include Hawke’s Bay Independent Brewing Amber and Stoke Amber. Ones to look out for include Good George Amber with its bold caramel flavours

...amber ales ... the traditional caramel/chocolate, orange/tangelo, spicy/grassy notes.”

and the sessionable Northend Amber which draws inspiration from what brewer Kieran Haslett-Moore describes as the “much maligned” Mild and “old school” American Amber styles.

Scott’s Brewing Company also produces a very rare Gluten Free Amber Ale as part of their core range. Overall, Kiwi Amber Ales are expected to steadily increase in popularity as winter comes and the Pale Ale obsession perhaps finally reaches its peak.

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Reader Survey

BEER TALK


Craft beer for example attracts a 20% price premium which has led to a 1.6% growth in value in the three months to January 2014, according to Barscan.

Draught beer in the UK and Australia makes up nearly 50% of the total beer market, while in the USA it is only 10%. It appears in the USA most beer is consumed at home, with 53% of beer sold via cans and 37% in bottles (Brewers Association USA). Craft beer as a total share of volume is approximately 2% in Australia and 2.5% in the USA. In the UK the category of craft beer has only very recently become apparent, with 8.3% of total beer volume being draught Cask Ale (thereby 18% of total draught beer volume), which could be likened to Craft Beer, as an indication of how consumers appreciate flavour in beer.

According to Bart Watson, staff economist at the Brewers Association, Craft Beer in the USA makes up 6.5% of total beer volume to 2012, of which 37.4% is draught, 60.5% is bottles and 2.1% is cans. The draught component equates

to 2.5% of total beer volume, and 25% of total draught beer volume. Whereas in Australia draught craft beer is approximately 2% of the total beer volume (with total craft being 4% of total beer volume), which is 4% of total draught beer volume (craft is 5% of total value of draught beer, Barscan).If one wanted to speculate on the amount of growth left for craft beer on draught in Australia, it would range from 25% growth (based on USA numbers) to 325% growth (based on UK numbers). Looking at the potential for some venues that specialize in craft beer, while Barscan says the average revenue of craft beer in a venue is 5% of total draught beer revenue, at The Sail & Anchor

Draught beer has come a long way from the 6 o’clock swill in the WWI and WWII eras and beer poured ‘off the

wood’ at The Breakfast Creek Hotel (it still does today). These days, we’re seeing cold beer poured from glycol systems with so much available for publicans to choose from.

TRendSMost people know that draught beer volumes in pubs are on the decline, and have been for some time now, particularly in the UK (down 6.5% year to 2012, British Beer & Pubs Association, UK) and Australia (down 2.2% last three months to January 2014, Barscan), while in the USA draught beer is up 1% over the last 10 years to 2012 (Brewers Association, USA).

Trend #1 – PremiumisaTion – Consumers are drinking Less and spending moreWhile we are seeing people drinking less beer, they are spending more, thanks to premiumisation, where consumers are trading up from commercial lager to premium international brands, premium local brands and craft beer (both local and imported).

CRAFT BEER IS GROWING AT OVER 20% IN PUBS.”

david Lipman conducted a Reader Survey on Draught Beer in February 2014, receiving 400 responses, so as to better understand consumer demand in pubs and their knowledge of draught beer, which led to the question - is consumer demand being met by supply in pubs? Here are the results...

DRAUGhT BEER – 3 TRENDS, 3 INSIGhTS, 3 INNOVATIONS

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Hotel (WA) where draught beer represents 60% of total liquor revenue, three quarters of that (45%) is from draught craft beer, representing nine times the average value of draught craft beer sales in Barscan venues.

CrafT BeerThe category of Craft Beer came from the USA and the Brewers Association define a craft brewer as: Small – 3% of total production, 6 million

barrels or less produced per annum, which is equivalent to 715 million litres; Independent – less than 25% owned by a

non-craft brewer; and Traditional – a majority of production

is beer and uses traditional or innovative ingredients in the brewing and fermentation.

The Brewers Association don’t actually define craft beer and there is debate as to what is a craft beer. The size isn’t applicable in Australia given Coopers for example produces around 10% of the stipulated ‘small’

production and Coopers is Australia’s largest independent brewery. The independent point is the most debated point, largely due to the acquisition of craft brewers by non-craft brewers. However, if they retain the same brewing techniques, philosophy and ingredients, should they be removed from a craft brewer status, and be penalised for successfully increasing production or being owned by a non-craft brewer? Craft beer produced by non-independent craft brewers in Australia accounts for around 3% of the total volume of beer, while craft beer produced by independent brewers accounts for 0.5-1% of the total volume of beer in Australia.

Small– 3% of total production, 6 million

American troops at The Breakfast Creek Hotel (Qld).

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being craft beer (local), 24% is craft beer (imported), 18% is commercial lager (including Mid-Strength), 11% is premium international.

If a pub is serving only commercial lager, then it is missing out on the craft beer drinkers, who are located all over Australia, in metro and regional areas.

Thomson says of Barscan’s sample size of 300 venues across Australia 45% have one craft beer on tap, and 67% have one cider on tap. Given most craft beer consumers are demanding four or more different craft beers per month, representing 50 per year, unless venues that do have one craft tap that they rotate four times a month, the selection is not being offered to meet demand. At the tip

of iceberg in relation to venues specialising in craft beer, The Albion Hotel in Newcastle (NSW) is an example worth noting, as they have sold 500 different beers in one year over 2012/13. The Sail & Anchor hotel sells around 200 different beers over a year, from its 43 taps, with only 5-6 taps changed per week.

RegulaR and guest tapsThere is a need for regulars and guest taps to facilitate the demand from craft beer drinkers. Peter Bottcher Venue Manager of The Sail & Anchor (WA) says to get the balance right between guest taps and permanent ranged beers, “brewers deserve some financial stability - and venues need to be able to build a relationship with brewers. This won’t happen without permanent taps. Consumers need some consistency in product, not all beers can be one-off brews, brewers need the chance to perfect a brew over time”. Bottcher continues on when considering a mix of beers to put on tap, “there needs to be a balance of differing styles and producers. A balance between interesting beer (crazy styles, one-offs and rare imports) as well a good quality, local, fresh beer. The imports are fun and get the beer geeks attention, however local and fresh is vitally important.”

Some examples of how pubs can incorporate craft beer into their bank of taps and provide a point of difference to other venues and off-premise, include:

HouSe BeerS These beers can be exclusively brewed for

the venue, or rebranded from the brewery to the venue brand, so as to be a regular beer that provides a point of difference. examples include Feral Brewing (WA) brew

Craft Beer may best be defined by the use of traditional or innovative ingredients that focus on flavour with the intention to be different to commercial lager.

According to Tina Panoutsos, Sensory Manager at CUB, flavour in beer is made up of 40% palate (taste and mouthfeel) and 60% aroma. Craft beer can generally be said its most beer other than commercial lager, as commercial lager: 90% of beer sold in Australia and craft beer

is a point of difference to this Focuses on taste and mouthfeel and not

aroma May not be using traditional ingredients Production is far greater than craft brewers.

If a brewer is not classified as small, or

independent, then they may not be a craft brewer per se - however, they can still brew craft beer, provided traditional ingredients and brewing techniques are used. Most craft brewers tend to brew ales, as ales and ale yeast provide a more full-flavoured experience. Also, ales ferment and condition faster, allowing them to be released to market a lot sooner.

tRend #2 – RepeRtoiRe dRinkeRs – Craft Beer drinkers demand 2-4 different Brands per Month

Craft beer is growing at approximately 20% year on year according to Andrew Thomson from Barscan, driven by consumers’ educated palates. This awareness of flavour is coming about from consumers travelling overseas, immigration into Australia and increased choice at the bottleshop and pub for various local and imported beers.

58% of the 380 respondents say they drink four or more different brands of beer per month. It is said by some that the repertoire is more like eight different beers per month, however not so specifically for pubs, where choice is around 20% of the selection in bottleshops, due mainly to space restrictions.

While 90% of beer consumed in Australia is lager (90% in the uSA and 80% in the uK), this statistic is the opposite for survey respondents, with 87% of respondents drink

a beer specifically for the Sail & Anchor Hotel (WA) as well as redoak (NSW) have one of their beers rebranded as opera Ale at opera Bar (NSW).

exCluSIVeS A beer that is exclusively available on

draught only, not available in packaged format in bottleshops. Coca-Cola Amatil have a range called Alehouse, which brews different styles of beers only available in draught format so that pubs can choose which beer they sell to match their customer demographics, and providing a point of difference.

CollABorATIoNS Similar to house beers and exclusives,

the venue(s) and the brewer collaborate together in recipe development, branding and marketing of the beer that is exclusive to a specific venue or venues. The venue staff can even attend the brewery to help brew the batch! Bridge road Brewers (Vic) produced a bar series in collaboration with 10 of Australia’s leading craft beer venues on the east coast, with another bar series brewed in collaboration with the west coast venues.

Caption here please Gregor.

Reader Survey

beer talk


PUBS NEED ROTATING TAPS AS CONSUMERS DEMAND 2-4 DIFFERENT BEERS PER MONTH.”

The Grain Store Craft Beer Café, Newcastle (NSW).

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four times a month to gauge customer feedback on their tastes and preferences.

Commercial lager, mainstream cider, small producer cider, mid-strength, low alcohol and premium imported categories of beer and cider also fared well in responses. This makes up the eight taps, if there needed to be a perfect mix, and any additional taps will allow for more craft or other categories of beers the venues customers prefer.

Trend #3 – Pale Ale is the Most Consumed Style of Craft BeerSurvey respondents were asked what styles of draught beer they drink most at the pubs and collectively Pale Ale dominated the responses, with 37% being for India Pale Ale (IPA) as the most popular sub-style, then 23% for Australian Pale Ale and 12% for American Pale Ale. If a venue is thinking of what craft beer to put on tap, Pale Ale is a good start, or an IPA to be more specific.

Bottcher from The Sail & Anchor (WA) says that the trend is not all about Pale Ales. Over the past year he has seen “craft brewers pushing out a lot more Summer Golden Ales…as a step away from big and bold beers and dragging people away from macro lager in a less challenging way”.

One way some venues decide on selection is as Brad Flowers of craft beer distributor Hops and More (NSW) says, “venues allocate me a tap and say send me 5 or 20 kegs each month of specific brands or whatever you like, as long as it’s new, fresh and interesting”. Flowers confirms the craft beer demand by stating “I can send an email in the middle of the night to venues, informing them of a new release (from a reputable craft beer brand) and within 10-20 minutes my supply is sold out, from venues ordering one keg here and there”.

The PerfeCT TAP BAnk MixWhen survey respondents were asked if a venue had 10 taps, what beers should be on tap, 99% of responses were for Craft Beer (local) and 67% for Craft Beer (imported). Therefore given craft beer drinkers are spread all over the country, every venue should try at least one craft beer tap, and try rotating this tap two to

beer talkReader Survey

TAP TAkeOverS A craze that is very popular at the moment

is craft brewers and distributors taking over as many taps as possible in a venue usually for a week. The brewer will usually supply one or two kegs of each of their core range, plus limited releases and may even brew a new beer especially for the tap takeover. These events are great Pr and provide pub customers with the opportunity to taste all the beers from a given brand in the one place at the one time, or over the course of a week. The venue may also run a beer dinner, meet the brewer tasting and other events to tie with the tap takeover.

SeleCTionThe average number of taps in a venue is eight. There are over 100 styles of beer, more than 3000 different beers and over 200 beer brands in Australia to choose from. With so much beer available, how do pubs decide on the perfect selection?

“Given the top three tap beer brands in an average bar of eight taps drive in excess of 70% of beer sales, replacing a key seller with a another brand is likely to hinder sales and profitability,” says Thomson of Barscan. “Craft beer has a higher propensity to do well in bistros, restaurants bars and general bars compared to public and sports bars”.

tray of 8 beer glasses belongs to insight 1.JC 2 beers belong to glasswear_JC

If a pub haS 10 tapS, what Should be on tap?

There are over 3000 beers available for pubs to sell.


DraughtBeerSurvey

19/35

99.37% 314

66.77% 211

45.57% 144

34.49% 109

46.20% 146

38.29% 121

1.58% 5

Q15Ifapubhas10taps,whatshouldbeontap?

Answered:316 Skipped:59

CraftBeer

(Local)

CraftBeer

(Imported)

Commercial

Lager

Premium

Imported

Mid-Strength

LowAlcohol

NoAlcohol

Cider

(Mainstream)

Cider(Local

smallproducer)

Rum

Wine

Other

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

AnswerChoices Responses

CraftBeer(Local)

CraftBeer(Imported)

CommercialLager

PremiumImported

Mid-Strength

LowAlcohol

NoAlcohol

Craft beer (local)

Craft beer (Imported)

Commercial lager

premium Imported

Mid-Strength

low alcohol

no alcohol

Cider (Mainstream)

Cider (local small producer)

Rum

wine

other

lager

pilsner

Golden ale

pale ale

australian ale

India pale ale

american pale ale

amber ale

hefeweizen (German)

witbier (belgian)

porter or Stout

what Style of dRauGht beeR do you dRInk MoSt at a pub?

BB2814_p032-038_GS_JC_v8.indd 34 8/04/2014 11:42:47 AM


Reader Survey

beer talk

Tasting Paddle at The Monk, Fremantle (WA).

InSIghtSInsIght #1 – Consumers Want to try something new, Weeklysurvey results: 80% want to try a new beer at the pub 56% would like a free taste of a new beer 40% say tap handles and fonts influence

their buying decision 32% visit the pub 1-2 times a week

These results cement the importance of offering customers new beers per month, particularly on a weekly basis, given a third

of respondents are going to the pub once a week to drink draught beer. Some venues offer tasting paddles so the customer can sample the range, rather than a free “try before you buy”. An example is $10 for four tasters, or $20 for four tasters with four paired tapas dishes.

InsIght #2 – Craft in Itself Doesn’t Deliver venue Credibility

There are many factors in craft beer to ensure customers consume it as the brewer intended. These centre around quality of product, as craft beer doesn’t tend to be pasteurized, or have preservatives added, so it needs to be sold ideally in a week once tapped. This leads to the need to keep the craft beer refrigerated and away from heat and sunlight.

stoCk turnoverBarscan report that only 75% of a 50 litre keg are sold per tap, per venue, per week. This means beer is sitting in the keg, quickly

going stale. This isn’t a good story for the flavour of craft beer as a point of difference to commercial lager. Plus a tap isn’t really paying its way with less than one keg sold per week. If a craft beer isn’t selling one keg per week it is a good indicator to try a different craft beer – however, some would say a craft beer needs a month or more to prove itself in a given venue.

exCIse tax on 30 lItre kegsIf craft beer was packaged in a 30 litre keg the problem of stock turnover is solved, however craft brewers have to pay 40% more excise by volume because the beer is packaged in a container less than 48.5 litres. Peak industry bodies are actively lobbying Treasury, but there is still a lot of work to do on this front to reform the excise structure so that it is levied on volume and ABV only.

glassWare71% of survey respondents want to drink from glassware that suits the style of beer. Pint glasses (568mL) were the most popular with 40% of responses, followed by Tulip glasses (400mL) with 28% of responses. Obviously as space is a premium venues cannot store multiple beer glass styles however the Pint and Tulip are highly recommended as the minimum to suit all beer styles, with the Pint for session and full strength beers and Tulip for higher cost

per serve or ABV beers, thereby increasing the Gross Profit (GP) on price per serve.

If a venue is pouring a Strong Belgian Ale with 7-9% ABV in a Pint glass, the price per serve may scare off customers, or lead to faster intoxication. Abbey Ales are typically served in Chalice / Goblet style glasses however as a one size fits all, the Tulip glass gives these beers more elegance and class than a Pint glass. If a sessional Pale Ale is served in a Tulip glass, then the venue is not maximising volume per serve or price per serve, although GP would be higher.

PourIng BeerCredibility in a venue serving craft beer extends to the handling of glassware when pouring the beer. There seems to be a habit of some bar staff to let beer pour into the drip tray before filling up the glass, wasting beer. If the reason is a foamy beer, then a two pour may be needed, or troubleshooting is needed with the glycol, gas, beer system, keg temperature in the cellar and so on. When you see bar staff pouring a beer and holding the glass at the top where your mouth goes, say something. When the tip of the tap spout is dunked into the head of the beer, ask for a re-pour.

staff knoWleDge / servICe / amBIenCeWhen survey respondents were asked what attributes (listing as many as they liked) are most important to them in a pub, 68% of respondents said Service, 66% said Ambience and 53% said Staff Knowledge. With over 100 styles of craft beer, and over 3000 different beers available, staff need to be well trained and passionate about the specific styles and beers served at the venue.

Beer lInes anD Draught Beer CleanlInessWhen beer lines are not cleaned weekly, the beer left in the line will taste stale and sediment from the keg builds up, negatively affecting the flavour. It’s also important to soak deconstructed parts monthly to remove bacteria and keep odorous items such as food and perfume away from semipermeable beer lines as they absorb these odours, affecting the flavour. Replace O-Rings and washers before breaking for preventative maintenance.

According to Julia Herz, Craft Beer Program Director at the Brewers Association (USA), “We are seeing innovation in beer line cleaning, advancement of stainless as the norm - no more brass parts that can corrode and influence flavour - different laws in different states on line cleaning, growlers growing like gangbusters, the beer clean glass rinser (as seen in the Belgian Beer Cafes in Australia) as a common feature of many draught bars and more”.

80% OF CRAFT BEER DRINKERS WANT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW AT THE PUB, WEEKLY.”

Draught Beer Management and Service helps venue creditability - in this instance not the correct way with hand at top of the glass and tap spout in the beer foam.

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BEER TALKReader Survey

When beer is tapped venues need to ensure the beer is tasted and smelt for quality. It is recommended that the cellarperson and beer buyer undertake taste training from the supplier to understand beer faults and what characteristics these faults have. That way the venue can send back any infected or flawed beer before it is served to the public. A good source of information is How to Brew, by John Palmer.

StorageIt’s important for venues to ask suppliers how has the craft beer been handled from the brewery door in transit to the distributor and in transit again to the venue. It is then important for the venue to store the kegs in cold storage.

Brad Flowers from Hops and More is now storing kegs in refrigerated containers within Warehousing and Distribution Services in Auburn, Sydney. In a venue where cold storage for untapped beers is not possible, then it’s imperative the keg is stored in a cool dark place out of direct sunlight.

InSIght #3 – how to Increase Venue PatronageSurvey respondents were asked what will make them visit a pub more often.

Make Craft Beer More AffordableSurprisingly survey respondents want craft beer to more affordable, when it was thought that craft beer drinkers were happy to pay a premium for more flavour in beer. Not so for a majority unfortunately, which puts more pressure on brewers and/or venues to cut costs or improve economies of scale, which basically needs increased production and sales, leading to a catch 22, if prices are cut now, then the volume is not there to make it possible. Consumers need to demand craft beer at their local pub and thereby help sales grow then economies of scale will help craft beer become more affordable across the board.

According to Roger Putman, Editor of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD) Brewer & Distiller magazine,“In the UK 60% of drinkers are willing to pay more for quality, although 52% say the price is important.”

Improve Selection of Beer (76% Craft Beer)Quite simply a venue can increase its patronage by embracing craft beer and ensuring they start serving craft beer if not already. If already serving craft beer, it’s then a matter of offering

at least 2-4 different brands per month either rotating the same tap, or additional taps.

Beer Events, Better Food, PromotionsSurvey respondents want to be given reasons or occasions to visit a pub more often, such as 29% wanting a better food menu and 18% wanting more beer dinners/lunches. A good option is to suggest beer and food pairings on the bistro menu to help/guide customers in beer choice. As mentioned previously, offer a tasting paddle of say four beers, paired with four tapas size dishes for $20. The Redoak Boutique Beer Café in Sydney does this superbly. If a venue’s drinks

list has 50 wines and 5 beers (sometimes all lagers), that is an opportunity to embrace craft beer into the venue.Venues getting involved with Craft Beer Weeks is a great way to entice new customers into venues. 31% want more beer of the month promotions, 28% want a Meet the Brewer or Brand Ambassador Tasting Event, 25% want growler sales for takeaway beer.

InnovatIonSInnoVatIon #1 – growlerS: Formatshome ConSumPtIonIt’s interesting to note that only 10% of total beer volume in the USA is draught beer, with most beer being consumed at home or events. If consumers want to drink draught beer at home, then one container that is taking the USA and Australia by storm is Growlers. These tend to be 1.89 - 2 litres in volume, and glass bottles, taking many shaped formats. Growlers help pubs can embrace the home drinker by offering them the ability to buy draught beer from the pub to consume at home. The repertoire drinker looking for 2-4 different brands per month can be catered for, from either an existing tap, or dedicated tap for Growler fills.

exCISe/lICenSeSIn Australia use of Growlers in pubs is only seen in a handful of venues, due to excise

trend #2 – rePertoIre drInkerS – Craft Beer




About the kegs…



– 30Lt and 10Lt kegs are also in stock and available (they’re very beautiful)


Kegs are available NOW when you need them

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distributor, Bintani Australia:T: +61 (0) 3 9580 356 6 E : [email protected]


About the kegs…


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GROWLERS HELP PUBS EMBRACE THE HOME DRINKER.”

2 growler images belong to Innovation - growlers_JC

Tasting Board at Redoak Boutique Beer

Café, Sydney (NSW).

Growler fill station at Celebrations Carlisle (WA).

BB2814_p032-038_GS_JC_v8.indd 36 8/04/2014 11:45:43 AM

Beer TalkReader Survey

home. Bottcher also says that storage is also a reason for not offering Growlers and it’s a matter for management to see the benefits from a retail perspective.

QualityOxygen is not good for beer quality and is in contact with beer as soon as the beer gets poured into the Growler, unless the beer is overpoured so it spills out of the top, pushing the oxygen out. It comes into contact again every time it’s poured into a glass. It’s best to consume a Growler within 48 hours of purchase to minimise oxidation and the beer

going flat. There are various accessories available and in the pipeline (such as a TapIt Cap in the USA) which turns the Growler into a mini keg to stop oxidation.

innovation #1 cont’d – Growlers: dispensePubs may not have a spare tap to offer craft beer and hence fill Growlers, therefore may consider installing a Growler station in a retail space, or at the end of the bar.

innovation #2 – one way & Keg rentalsone way KeGsBrewers have the challenge of minimizing freighting empty kegs all over the country and venues have the challenge of storing empty kegs while waiting to be picked up and returned to the supplier. One solution is one-way kegs, however the Craft Beer Industry Association (CBIA) issued a statement in January 2014 stating that “most steel kegs have maximum operating pressures of 415 to 500kpa, however, plastic kegs and some other one way kegs have




About the kegs…







distributor, Bintani Australia:T: +61 (0) 3 9580 356 6 E : [email protected]


About the kegs…


– 50Lt DIN and EURO kegs are available with A-Type

valves





Readykeg - Simply the fastest

smart draft 2 objects belong to Innovation 3_C

requirements. If a venue dispenses beer into a growler from a 30 litre keg, then no excise is payable from the venue as the brewer has already paid the higher rate of excise. But if a venue pours beer into a growler from a 50 litre keg, then as the brewer has paid 40% less excise by volume, then the venue will be the one that pays for the remaining excise. Venues are required to apply for a license to dispense beer into growlers.

Beer JuG?Bottcher from the Sail & Anchor Hotel (WA) sites one reason for not going ahead with Growlers to-date due to the possibility of customers treating the Growler like a beer jug and ordering it at the discounted price to consume on-premise rather than for takeaway.

storaGe/retailMark Mead of Warners at the Bay Pub and Bottleshop (NSW) says they don’t offer Growlers at their pub, as they already do at the adjoining bottleshop. Space is a premium in the pub, and they want to keep people inside the pub as much as possible rather than encouraging them to leave via taking a Growler

Growler fill station at Warners at the Bay (NSW).

BB2814_p032-038_GS_JC_v8.indd 37 8/04/2014 11:46:33 AM


Reader Survey

BEER TALK

maximum working pressures of 300 to 350kpa. Most Australian beer systems are

designed to have 400kpa pressure relief valves to

protect the keg from exploding.”

“The CBIA strongly recommends setting gas pressure relief systems at 300kpa. This reduced gas pressure relief will enable any keg type to dispense and will ensure that pressure relief will occur at or before maximum working pressure.”

Keg LeasingBintani have opened a Keg Leasing division to allow brewers to lease kegs over a one, two or three year term, to allow them to better afford a fleet of stainless steel kegs from Germany manufacturer FRANKE. This way a more realistic quantity of kegs can be used by the brewer. “It is very difficult to approximate as there are many variables however it is common that for every local tap serving their beer, the craft brewer will need 4 to 6 kegs as a minimum,” says Phil Meddings of Bintani. “This will increase where the venue’s turnover is high and where the distribution lead time is long.”

Keg RentaLsOne innovation that helps venues remove empty kegs from their venues is the Kegstar model, which has a distribution deal with Bevchain who already have an established logistics network set up in picking up kegs for the major brewers. Kegstar has an App and 1300 number for venues to call, when kegs are ready to be picked up. The brewers pay a cost--per-keg for a given period of time. This model is used in the USA.

RefeRenceS:Aztec.

Barscan.Beer & Brewer magazine Draught Beer

Reader Survey Results, February/March 2014. 400 responses received.

Beer Institute, USA.Brewers Association, USA.

British Beer & Pub Association, UK.craft Beer Industry Association (CBIA).

Institute of Brewing & Distilling, UK.national Measurement Institute,

Australian Government.

innovation #3 – aLteRnative Dispense options With the biggest challenge of craft brewers in pubs being getting their beer on tap, due to pubs not having available taps to offer, one solution is for brewers to purchase standalone draught beer systems to essentially buy themselves a tap in a pub, costing around $750-$3000 each. These smartDRAFT units come from Brewtique, and are ideal for venues with limited space which can be treated like an espresso machine, which can sit on the edge of the bar, next to the cash register, or on the bar top as a beer on promotion, and even to dispense growlers, or for beer sales representatives to use for sampling to potential pub customers.

Hopinator, such as infusing a cider with fresh slices of apples. Aussie Beer Tubes are the suppliers of these beer tubes, which are also being used for premixed cocktails (party tubes) and other beverages.

Cask Ale is seeing a resurgence in Australia as draught beer in pubs, requiring a beer engine to dispense the beer via hand pump. This beer requires a cellarman with experience in secondary fermentation to look after the beer prior being served to the public.

SuMMARy Consumers are drinking less, but spending

more – more on craft beer, premium local and premium imported Craft Beer is growing at 20% in pubs Craft Beer Consumers are located all over

Australia Craft Beer Drinkers demand 2-4 different

brands on tap per month.

innovation #3 cont’D – aLteRnative Dispense options – Hopinator’s, Beer tubes, Beer enginesOne of the most visually pleasing dispense innovations is the Hopinator, also known as a Randall, Glasshopper or Hoperandus. This is not a new innovation, having been pioneered by Richard Watkins, about 10 years ago, now Head Brewer at Bentspoke Brewing in Canberra.

The Hopinator allows beer to flow through it on its way to the tap, infusing the beer with whatever ingredients the brewer or publican decides to put in the vessel! The picture provided shows truffles, cumquats and much more infused into a beer sitting on the bar at the Wig and Pen Tavern & Brewery (ACT).

Beer Tubes are a fairly new innovation in Australia, over the last three years, acting like a glorified beer jug, about 3 litres volume, filling at the bar and taking it to the customers table for the guests to pour themselves. They provide a great opportunity to treat them like a

One Of the mOst visually pleasing dispense innOvatiOns is the hOpinatOr.”

The Hoperandus at the Wig and Pen Tavern & Brewery (ACT).

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ciderEnglish Cider

The production of cider in England is said to be steeped in rich heritage and history. It is believed the Norman Conquest of

1066 revolutionised apple growing in England with the introduction of cider making. The Normans introduced new apple varieties and cider making techniques, which the English studied and mastered. By 1230, records show that cider presses were being used as a source of income, and in 1275 cider was being sold to the public. In the 14th Century, children were baptised in cider due to it being so much cleaner than water. It has also been documented that Captain Cook requested cider on board his ship to help prevent his crew succumbing


to scurvy. During the 17th Century, cider popularity grew rapidly, overtaking wine as drink of choice amongst royalty and gentry, and by the 18th Century cider was being used as wages for thirsty farm workers. Ciders popularity was at an all-time high during the mid 1800’s, with vast planting’s of cider apples throughout Somerset, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Devon. Sparkling cider was also developed during this period, with even famous French Champagne producer Dom Perignon learning the art of bottle carbonation. At the turn of the century, cider was being approached more scientifically, with research into grafting apples and efficient production techniques but its popularity and quality declined. During the 20th century, cider made a miraculous comeback, with popularity surging again especially from 1970 onwards. The thirst for highly mass produced, industrial cider was to kick start the industry once again. Today cider popularity in England is rivalling its ales, with the larger brands, but also smaller Farmhouse cider producers once again rising in popularity and respect. Of all apples growing in England today, 45 per cent are used for cider with over 365 cider apple varieties used, and over 6 million hectolitres produced annually.

The GianTsEngland is home to some of the largest brands of cider in the world, who are mass produced and distributed worldwide. These larger brands somewhat typify the perception of modern English cider, and many are produced with large quantities of Chinese concentrate – not English apples. Brewing giant Heineken currently owns five of the top ten UK cider brands in terms of revenue in the UK. One brand in Heineken’s portfolio which is considered the global heavy hitter of cider is Strongbow which was first produced by Bulmers in 1970. Strongbow which is considered the ‘classic’ English

2000px-Flag_of_England.svg.png (PNG Image, 2000 × 1200 pixels) - Sca... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/be/Flag_of_England.s...

1 of 1 3/03/2014 11:59 AM

Cider enGlish James Adams looks at the history of English Cider and the differing styles and types giving consumers more choice than ever.

label currently holds a staggering unbeaten 32 per cent market share in the UK, and 15 per cent globally. Bulmers was first produced in 1887 in the county of Herefordshire, West England. Today, the Bulmers brand owned by Heineken is one of the world’s largest, and is responsible for also producing the Scrumpy Jacks and Woodpecker brands. Strongbow and Bulmers are currently brewed under licence and distributed in Australian by Carlton and United Breweries, and also now produce a fruit cider range. Gaymers Cider first produced in 1770, is considered the second largest cider brand in the UK. In 2009, Gaymers was bought by Irish company C & C Group PLC and now crush 30,000 tonnes of apples annually out of their Shepton Mallet facility in Somerset. The Gaymers brand has recently begun to be imported and distributed into Australia by Barcardi-Lion, with their new flavoured cider range.

The independenTsAlthough England is awash with mass produced industrial cider, larger yet still independent cider producers are still flourishing. Thatchers, based at Sandford in Somerset was established in 1904. Today Thatchers pride themselves on the fact they use real English apples and pears, processing approximately 25,000 tonnes per year. With a capacity to ferment up to one million litres, the brand is continually growing. So much so, independent South Australian brewer Coopers are now be bottling and kegging Thatchers Gold cider in Australia for local distribution. Westons founded in 1878, is another independent cider producer, hailing out of Much Marcle in Herefordshire. Westons produce a vast array of cider styles and are

The Old Spot Inn, Dursley, UK.

The London Eye.

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currently imported and distributed into Australia by World

Brands Australia who are owned by H.Westons

and Sons Ltd. To put thing to perspective, Westons only holds

approximately 3.4 per cent of the UK cider share, compared to Strongbow’s

32 per cent as stated. This demonstrates the grand scale of market share larger, mass produced cider holds in the UK.

Finally, we can’t forget the true cider custodians who are the farm producers of traditionally made cider. Scattered throughout the western and south western countryside, small cider makers who produce only smaller amounts of Cider and Perry compared to the big giants, master their craft in old wood

barns in historic oak casks. Typically labelled ‘Farmhouse’, these ciders are traditional, authentic, handmade and almost never consistent year by year. Although rarely available in Australia, such producers consist of Gwatkins, Oliver’s, Burrow Hill, Hogan and Once Upon A Tree. With an influx of foreign ciders labels from giant companies such as Stella who produce the Stella Cidre, Carlsberg - Somersby Cider and Molson-Coors - Carling Cider, cider integrity and authenticity is in danger of becoming a lost art in England. It is these smaller English brands who are trying to keep cider honest and true.

English CidEr CharaCtEristiCsSo what can you expect from an English cider? Most use traditional cider apples which fall into four categories of sweet, bittersweet, sharp and bittersharp. These categories all have various levels of tannins and acidity, and are skilfully blended together by the Cider Maker. More mainstream English cider, such as Strongbow is generally filtered bright, artificially sweetened and carbonated with a typical alcohol of around 5 to 6 per cent. Very little in terms of depth of flavour, texture and authenticity is seen in this style of cider as dessert apples are most commonly used. Being mass produced means the cider goes through large industrial processes such as filtration, pasteurisation, use of preservatives and rehydration of concentrate to keep up with demand. In the end, the quality and originality of the cider is lost, but the purpose built drinkability and appeal is enough to keep many consumers continually drinking these very accessible ciders.


More traditional English cider made by independent and boutique producers in the West Country of England instinctively and skilfully retain the essence of the apple. Only 100 per cent cider apples with varieties such as the Kingston Black, Michelin, Yarlington Mill, Bulmers Norman and Somerset Red Streak are used. Traditional production techniques such as wild fermentation, barrel aging, keeving, natural settling and natural carbonation are carried out to produce a cider with extreme depth of rich flavour, darker colour, fuller mouth feel, texture and complexity. Although many of these ciders are filtered bright, they still retain such purity and authenticity with alcohol levels ranging from 5 to 8 per cent.

Scrumpy is the true quintessential English cider. Made in the counties of Somerset,

Herefordshire, Devon and Gloucestershire, this style is made to be raw and rustic yet show large levels of complexity and traditionalism. Scrumpy can be made with either apples or perry pears and characteristically contains large tannins, very high alcohols, a cloudy appearance and no carbonation. This style is vastly different to more commercial cider, but is a style for the true cider lover and mostly produced by smaller boutique makers.

Of all applEs grOwing in England tOday, 45 pEr CEnt arE usEd fOr CidEr... ”

CidEr

The source of all that cidery goodness... Apples.

English Cider

cider

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PerryComing from Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, traditional Perry is also made in England using Perry Pears such as Blakeney Red, Gin and Yellow Huffcap. Traditional Perry, which is made with the same techniques as apple cider is rich, juicy,

delicate, often a little sweet and quite tannic. However, Perry Pears are in very short supply due to a decline of popularity over 70 years ago, resulting in a large Perry pear orchard pull. Today, Perry’s sales in the UK only equate to around 5.5 per cent of cider, but its popularity is currently climbing fast once again. Like apple cider, the large producers are making lifeless concentrate or dessert pear examples targeted towards female consumers.

With the lack of Perry pears, these new wave ‘Pear Ciders’ lack the charm and personality of traditional Perry but again, possess high levels of drinkability.

English cider has definitely had its share of up’s and downs over its long and celebrated history. The differing styles and types are

giving consumers more choice than ever. With the popularity of cider skyrocketing in Australia, be prepared to see more English styled cider hit our shores in the near future. Traditional English styled cider is also being produced very well, albeit by only a select few producers, in Australia and New Zealand too. This trend will continue to grow in years to come as more cider apples are planted and become available.

ScrumPy iS the true quinteSSential engliSh cider. ”

The Old Brewery, Greenwich.

Ready to be turned into cider. Yum!

DistributorsWorld brands Australia

– www.wbaustralia.com.au

The beer and Cider Company –www.beerandcider.com.au

bacardi-Lion – www.bacardilion.com.au

Phoenix beers – www.phoenixbeers.com.au

Coopers – www.coopers.com.au

beer importers and Distributors – www.bidbeer.com

Carlton and united breweries – www.cub.com.au

AustrALiAn/nZ/EngLish CiDEr MAkErssmall Acres Cyder

– www.smallacrescyder.com.au

Daylesford Cider Company – www.daylesfordcider.com.au

henry of harcourt – www.henrycider.com

red sails Cider – www.redsails.com.au

Wilmot hills – www.wilmothills.com

Zeffer (nZ) – www.zeffer.co.nz

Peckhams Cider (nZ) – www.peckhams.co.nz

English Cider

Cider

BB2814_p040-042 v3_JC-GS.indd 42 8/04/2014 10:16:39 PM

It’s a Rye smIle

Tasmania’s full of quiet achievers, and Peter Bignell’s list of achievements is breathtaking – not least of which is his aged rye whisky. By Gregor Stronach.

News

Whisky

I like surprises – I really, really do. So it was

something of a pleasant shock when I discovered that Peter Bignell, a true Renaissance man from Kempton, Tasmania, had very quietly released his first batch of aged rye whisky from Belgrove Distillery.

Peter’s story is an interesting one – a committed environmentalist, he travels about the place collecting used cooking oil from a handful of local café’s, which he turns into biodiesel to run the Belgrove farm. Everything from his vehicles, to his home power and central heating – and even the 500-litre copper still – is enviro-friendly.

In fact, even the still is something quite unique. Modelled on one of Bill Lark’s early stills, Peter built it himself.

Keeping with his vision of sustainable practices, the next thing that sets Peter’s whisky apart from the rest is that it is a complete paddock to barrel operation. All of the rye used to make the whisky is grown, malted, milled, mashed, fermented and distilled right there on the farm.

The only other Australian whisky maker doing that is down the road a spell at Redlands – and between them, they are two of only three (that I can remember) paddock to barrel producers in the world.

The whisky is made using 100% rye, which will make it a lot dryer than most of the North American rye’s you might be familiar with, which often use corn in the recipe to sweeten the mix, giving it a more bourbon-like flavour.

While it’s very easy to get wrapped up in the legend of the man behind the whisky, the proof – of course – is in the pudding. And right off the bat, I reckon it’s safe to say that Peter’s rye whisky is among the best I’ve ever tasted.

From the bottle, it’s a wonderful pale gold colour, with an immediately familiar rich, grassy aroma that speaks volumes about the rye it contains. Beyond the grassiness, there are some really interesting herbaceous top notes, that for the next few passes remain tantalisingly difficult to pin down – the closest I could come was that it was like a bouquet of the fresh herbs used in pickling, but all with the wonderful earthiness that comes from freshly crushed leaves.

On the palate, it really is smooth – almost deceptively so. The initial burst of heat tempers very quickly, giving way to an excitingly dry combination of black bread and herbs, with a slightly peppery note towards the end of a good, strong finish.

Peter Bignell’s life has been about bucking trends, and by taking on the challenge of producing a rye in a marketplace dominated by malt whisky, he’s certainly set himself another challenge – but it’s one that he’s risen to strongly, and I reckon his rye whisky is a real winner.

Peter in the rye with his whisky.

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Yes,

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With the US craft beer scene going positively nuts over beer in cans, and a resurgence in popularity of the humble Aussie “tinny”, Gregor Stronach takes a look at canning...

!!!we

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A freshly packed pallet of cans at the Australian Brewery & Hotel, NSW

To have a tinnie at the end of a day’s work is about as Australian as you can get – and for the past few generations,

those tinnies have been ubiquitous. All the major brewers around the country have been packaging their beer in both glass and aluminium for decades – and the sight of an esky full to the brim with ice cold cans of beer is recognised as one of the greatest sights on earth on a summer’s day.

In recent years, though, the humble aluminium can has started to make its way

beyond the sole domain of the big brewers, and enter the craftier end of the market as well. I recall a number of raised eyebrows when Mountain Goat debuted its first brew in a tin, and it seems like it’s likely to catch on even further than that.

But the humble tinnie – as Aussie as it is – doesn’t have its roots in Australia. To understand it, we need to look back to the 1930s, and look to a company called American Can to find the origins.

A brief history.When American Can debuted its patented Vinylite product – which was the plastic stuff used to line the inside of a can to stop the liquid seeping out, and stop the metal tainting the product inside as well – it was a stroke of absolute genius, except that it didn’t work very well.

For decades, whenever beer was put into a can, the beer came out the far end of the process with a distinct metallic tinge. And for anyone who loved their beer, it simply didn’t

make sense to put that beer into a container that would alter the flavour.

Yes, there are some beers from around the world that might have had their flavour improved somewhat… but let’s not dwell on that for too long, shall we? Besides – beer had been put into glass bottles for centuries, so why mess with a good thing?

It wasn’t until the boffins came up with a proper, impermeable coating for the cans that beer in a tin really took off. By reducing the metallic tinge, the beer became more palatable.

The major players in the US all took to canning their beers, and the rest is history.

the “Modern” erAFast forward to the early 2000s, when craft beer was surging in the US. By then, Australian drinkers were well used to the idea of getting their beer in a can, thanks to the major producers opting to provide consumers with the choice of buying their beer in a bottle or in a can. And, for the most part, consumers couldn’t tell the difference between them at a flavour level.

But it wasn’t until more recently that the smaller breweries started to look at canning as an option – and a second canning surge began in the US. Indeed, according to “The only canned beer database on the web” at www.craftcans.com, there are some 1406 craft beers, representing 94 different styles from 390 brewers currently available in cans in the United States.

Everything from the South Dakota-based Crow Peak Brewing Co 11th Hour IPA to Florida’s 7venth Sun brewery’s Wolfman’s

Berliner is listed on the site… and that database bears witness to the popularity of craft beer in a can in the United States.

But closer to home, and the list of craft beers in cans is very short – but growing.

One of the first cabs off the rank in terms of craft beer in cans came from Coopers – Dr Tim’s Traditional Ale, which emerged in 2004. Developed by Managing Director and Head Brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, it is the product of a lengthy period of experimentation that saw the Coopers team produce a specially-designed vessel that would allow for secondary fermentation in the can itself.

It also meant that Coopers had to breed a new strain of yeast – one that provided the right amount of conditioning without giving off too much carbon dioxide, lest the structural integrity of the can give way.

That was followed by another brew from the Coopers team, Coopers Clear – a low-carb, American Pale Lager style beer that was made available in “Euro-sleek” 355ml cans.

At the time, Glenn Cooper said “We see Coopers Clear as the next generation in Coopers products. We are excited to offer something that is new, yet will remain with Coopers’ tradition of quality, allowing us to cater for a broader range of drinkers.”

Coopers Light and Coopers Mild Ale are all available in cans as well.

LeAding the chArge…In late 2013, Mountain Goat Beer caused a bit of a stir when it released its first brew in a can, the Summer Ale. To many, it was the first ‘real’ craft beer in a can in Australia, and it was an instant sensation.

At the time, the team at Mountain Goat explained that they had been looking at getting at least one of their beers into a can for a few years before biting the bullet, and pushing ahead with the plan. They approached Independent Distillers, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Japanese brewing giant Asahi, and had the beer brewed onsite and put through the phenomenally large

cLoser to hoMe, And the List of crAft beers in cAns is very short – but growing.”

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Canning

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canning line at the Laverton plant.

The canning line at Laverton is a far cry from anything that a smaller brewery could ever hope to afford – it’s a multi-million dollar system that is used to can everything from beer, to RTDs and soft drinks, churning out a mind-numbing 1000 cans every minute – and on a round-the-clock operation like that one, we’re looking

at nearly 1.5 million cans in a 24 hour period. The success of the Mountain Goat Summer

Ale in a can has led the team to announce that a second canned beer has been launched under the Mountain Goat label – the Fancy Pants Amber Ale. It’s been canned in the same 375ml format aluminium packaging that the Summer Ale used to get to market.

The AusTrAliAn BreweryStepping forward to 2013, and we saw a major investment from The Australian Brewery, where head brewer Neal Cameron had made

the decision to put a canning line in – making his brewery the first microbrewery in Australia to have its own line. The system in place at The Australian Brewery was supplied by Cask, based in Calgary, Canada.

When I visited Neal Cameron’s operation in north-western Sydney, Neal was positively evangelistic about putting his brewery’s beer into cans – largely on the basis that canning his beers removed two of the major obstacles for palatability and longevity: light, and oxygen.

The light component – specifically UV light – is hugely problematic for

beers. When the UV light passes through a beer, it sets off a reaction in the hop and sulphur compounds in the bottle. I’m reliably informed that the energy from the UV light effects the acids, transforming them into 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol. For those of us who aren’t scientists, the light makes the beer stink and taste funny – hence the term ‘skunked’.

The oxygen issue occurs when a beer is exposed to too much oxygen post-packaging – which can happen during the bottling process. This leads to oxidation, which in turn leads to the beer going very stale, very quickly. The result can be disastrous for the brewery, and for

The liTTle Big guysPutting beer in a can has a tendency to be a polarising topic of debate. When the decision for Malt Shovel Brewery to can its Golden Ale – which, at the time, was only available on Qantas flights where bottled beer wasn’t an option – head brewer Chuck Hahn told Beer & Brewer that he still firmly believed that “all craft beer should always be placed into bottles — and brown bottles at that”.

“Cans just don’t carry that premium image that we would always seek for our beers,” Chuck continued. “Though a number of craft brewers in the USA are going all cans and are

attempting to change that ‘less than premium’ image that cans seem to carry.”

That was in 2010, and since then James Squire Golden Ale in cans was made briefly available to the public, but has since been discontinued.


neAl wAs posiTively evAngelisTic ABouT puTTing his Brewery’s Beer inTo cAns.”

The canning line in full swing at the Australian Brewery & Hotel

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Let’s be honest Australia, as a country you’re doing OK. And us Kiwis are smart enough to know that we’d do OK if we’re over here with you guys, who to be fair, were actually doing OK without us.

We love Melbourne, we love Perth, we love Sydney and there’s so many of us up in Brisbane the state slogan is now “Queensland, beautiful one day, over run with Kiwis the next”. In fact the only place we’re not sold on is Canberra, which is probably why your government there spent three million dollars on New Zealand television asking “Where the bloody hell are ya?” Which we never got to see as we were already living in Bondi.

Luckily, becoming Australian is not that difficult for us either. We all grew up with Scott and Charlene, we know the correct procedure for eating a Tim Tam, most of us can tell you who the original singer for Acca Dacca was and everyone over the age of 30 knows the answer to the question ”David Boon. Sydney to London. How many?” Our Prime Ministers pretend to like each other too, which is nice, and best of all we can get on the dole straight away.

Sure, there’s some parts of Australian culture we can’t quite get our heads around. Burt Newton is a complete mystery to us, we can’t tell who’s a Skip and who isn’t, and have a suspicion that Kath and Kim is actually a documentary series. But generally we’re happy to be here, and generally most of you accept us, even though the line “Welcome to Australia, we’re glad you’re here and so are the sheep back in New Zealand” does wear a bit thin after a while.

There are some things from home we miss though and unsurprisingly decent beer is one of them. Thankfully one of our most famous exports is Moa Beer.

Moa Beer is to us what Vegemite is to you guys - except you’re not allowed to give it to kids - and most Kiwis have a few bottles of it hidden somewhere. We enter it in all the beer competitions around the world and it keeps winning medals (so other beer companies get a bit dark whenever Moa is mentioned) but best of all it’s now available over here in Australia.

Well, actually it’s been here for a while but we’ve only just got around to telling you because sometimes us Kiwis aren’t very good at getting our act together. But you probably alreadyknew that anyway.

COVERCanning

Ideal palate cleansers: Fresh crusty


the consumer – if you’ve ever had a crook beer, you’ll know why.

Neal pointed out that the canning line in place at his brewery reduces both of those factors to virtually nil, ensuring that the precious cargo inside the can will be fresher for a lot longer, and can survive better during transportation as well, when external temperatures might otherwise not be optimal.

Neal was also quick to point out that the savings in terms of packaging when using cans was quite impressive. Where an empty glass bottle will weigh roughly 210g, an empty aluminium can tips the scales at a very modest 16g. That alone tallies up to a 42% saving in weight and materials for packaging the beer – which in turn ends up saving the brewery a nice chunk of change in storage and distribution costs.

Mornington PeninsulaThe most recent entrant to the canning line story is Mornington Peninsula Brewery, where the team has recently installed a brand-new unit to handle releasing a selection of their

brews in cans.Matt Bebe - Managing Director, Mornington

Peninsula Brewery, explains their decision to put in their own canning line as a conscious decision to take a risk, but one that will hopefully pay dividends in raising the profile of craft beer in Australia.

“We saw the US beer market is flourishing with cans over there, and figured that it was working well in the US for a reason,” Matt says. “But the other big reason we went with a can for our Pale Ale is that we believe that there are a lot of people who won’t move away from drinking canned beer… which means that they are unlikely to try a craft beer.”

It wasn’t a decision that was made lightly, and it took the shareholders in the brewery some time to agree before the team at Mornington Peninsula approached Wild Goose Canning, based in Boulder Colorado, to purchase the line.

The Wild Goose Canning setup in the Mornington Peninsula Brewery is a relatively simple two-head filler system, which is capable

of filling around 27 cans per minute, which works out to be about a pallet of beer every hour.

Matt says the brewery went with a 330ml can - developed with the assistance of Visy - for a couple of reasons - the main one being that a 330ml can is about the same volume as most of the bottled craft beer on offer. At the time of writing, two complete canning runs had been done - with every drop selling out in under two weeks.

The canning system at Mornington Peninsula Brewery is scalable, with the option of bolting on additional pairs of filler heads - which would lead to an increase in volume. However, Matt points out that while the brewery has nine different beers on offer in its core range, it is highly unlikely that we’ll see more than a handful of those ever finding their way into a can.

“We are the second microbrewery in Australia to put in our own canning line, and we’re very proud of the fact that we’re helping to lead the industry,” Matt says. “We’re receiving great feedback about the beer - especially in terms of people who like to attend events, or go camping… places where glass bottles aren’t allowed, or where canned beer is

preferable to glass. Cans are easier to transport, they’re easier to dispose of and they are 100 percent recyclable.”

However, Matt agrees that beer in cans isn’t going to mean that craft beer will no longer be sold in bottles. “There is still, obviously, going to be a market for craft beer in bottles. At the very least, I can’t see restaurants

wanting to serve beer in cans – they will probably always prefer to have their beer in bottles for the table.”

the Cons of CanningOf course, wherever you have an upside to an issue, there are some downsides. The canning line at The Australian Brewery can push through around 3500 litres of beer in a solid day’s work – about a third of the volume of some bottling lines. The canning line at Mornington Peninsula Brewery is a bit faster, capable of around 4300 litres of beer in an eight-hour work day.

Compare that to a modern bottling line, and there is a big difference. For a microbrewery-scale bottling line, like the one installed at the Mildura Brewery, it’s not uncommon to see up to 3000 bottles coming off the line every hour.

Time concerns aside, perhaps the biggest issue is the packaging itself. For a beer can to be branded, it needs to be printed – and printing a shipment of beer cans is a massive investment.

The economy of scale that needs to be overcome is the hardest part, Matt Bebe says. The minimum order for printed aluminium cans – i.e., cans adorned with the brewery logo, the name of the beer and all of the other legally required information – is 100,000. It’s a huge investment, and one of the factors that has traditionally kept smaller breweries out of the canned beer market.

Neal Cameron agrees. When we visited his brewery, he said pretty much the same thing. At that phase of his set up, Neal was using plain cans, creatively packaged into four-packs to allow consumers to find the beer that they wanted. Since that time, Neal has invested in having the cans printed and branded, with four distinct products coming to market in the slimline, 355ml cans – three beers, and the Australian Brewery Fresh Press Cider.

we believe that there are a lot of PeoPle who won’t Move away froM drinking Canned beer.”

Craft brewers in the US are embrac-ing metal packaging: whether it bethe big players like Boston Beer

Company, which launched the ‘SamCan’ for its flagship Samuel Adams brandearlier this year (The Canmaker, October2013), or pioneers in the segment, such asColorado-based Oskar Blues, which hasused metal packaging exclusively for itssingle-serve products since 2002.

One of the latest US craft brewers tofill its beers into metal packaging is Port-land, Oregon-based Base Camp Brewing.But, instead of focusing on cans, the com-pany is packaging its brews in 22ozimpact-extruded aluminium bottles sup-plied by Exal.

“The decision to use aluminium bottleswas an easy one,” explains Justin Fay,brewmaster and owner at Base Camp.“They are just by far a better packagethan glass bottles in every aspect. Also,they fit in our backpacks for adventures!”Having opened the brewery in November2012, Fay estimates Base Camp will brewabout 3,000 hectolitres in its first year.“We are a production brewery with anemphasis on lager beers,” he says.

“We have a four vessel 28hl brewhouse,a number of vertical cylindroconical fer-menters and a number of horizontal lay-ering vessels.”

To bottle its beers, the company uses afilling and capping system from fellow UScompany Meheen Manufacturing, whichis based about three hours drive away inPasco, Washington. The counter-pressurefilling system, which is called Merlin, isthe brainchild of Dave Meheen, presidentof the packaging machinery supplier.

“A key benefit of this system is that itoffers three filling modes: Evac/Purge,Purge or Double Evac,” explains Meheen.“This gives brewers or beverage compa-nies a good deal of flexibility.

“In addition, the machine is relativelylow-cost compared to our competitors, ispowered by compressed air, which elimi-nates conveyors, motors, drives, bearingsand other wear and maintenance compo-nents, has a small footprint of 36 by 60inches, and is set on casters so that it canbe moved on the production floor.”

According to Meheen, the fillingmachine is also completely computerautomated, allowing an operator to con-nect directly to the dispensing tank, elim-inating the need for a pressure bowl foundon other counter-pressure machines.Patented ‘long tube’ technology is addi-tionally said to reduce turbulence andexposure to the internal atmospherewhile filling.

The Evac/Purge system at Base Campoperates at about 30 bottles per minute,filling three of the company’s beers: In-

US craft brewer Base Camp is packaging its beers in aluminium bottles as it believes they offer clear advantages over glass. Tom Woerndl reports

NOVEMBER ● THE CANMAKER © 2013 Sayers Publishing Group 45

BOTTLE FILLING

▲

US craft brewer Base Camp uses a system fromMeheen Manufacturing for

filling 22oz aluminium bottlessupplied by Exal

Base Camp for bottles

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The business end of a Meheen aluminium bottling line

BB2814_p044-053 -GS_JC_v5.indd 50 8/04/2014 8:10:43 PM

The high quality female cones of the world-renowned Saazer hop (Humulus lupulus) are what make Budêjovický

Budvar such a real treasure. They’re what give our beer its unique, smooth and slightly hoppy character that your

can appreciate every time you drink our beer.

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Female, natural and gorgeous.The Cider side of ThingsObviously, it’s not just beer that has been arriving in cans in recent times – and The Australian Brewery is also packaging its Fresh Press Cider in cans as well, making use of the canning line they have installed in the premises.

Cider in cans is not quite as contentious as beers in cans – yet there are still only a handful of players in the cider market that are canning their product.

South Australian-based Three Oaks Cider has had its Original variant available in a 375mL can since 2011 – targeting the picnic, BBQ and festival crowds specifically.

Another cidermaker to get on the canning bandwagon is Coldstream. Based in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, their cider is on the market in 330mL cans as well.

Wrapping upAs always in the beer industry, the rumour mill is working overtime – and at the time of writing, we have unconfirmed reports of at least three of Australia’s craft brewers looking seriously at releasing a canned product before the end of 2014.

Whether they are going to be packaged under license, or the breweries are going to go the whole hog and install their own canning line remains to be seen – but the gut feeling we have is that Australia won’t be lagging too far behind the United States brewing scene for too much longer, and that we’ll be seeing many, many more of our favourite beers appearing in cans in the coming years.

ColleCtiblesOne of the things that many Australians love about beer in cans is the collectibility of the end product – and there are some truly amazing beer can collections around Australia.

One of the largest belongs to a chap by the name of Des Whelband, whose Ipswich home is the stuff of legend among beer can collectors – largely due to the fact that he’s got close to 10,000 cans.

Des started his collection almost by accident, some 34 years ago – and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. And while most of Des’ collection consists of international beer cans, it’s not because he likes them more… it’s just that Australian beer cans don’t tend to change too much, and we don’t do the kind of special edition cans that are the bread and butter of a collector.

Avid can collector Des Whelband with a handful of his collection.

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COVERCanning

2014

The third largest brewery in New Zealand, Independent, started canning some of their Boundary Road range in mid-

2013 following a “Blind Taste Test” campaign designed to “knock down can naysayers.” Traditionally, most craft brewers had chosen bottles over cans, usually because of cost (packaging and plant) and, frankly, perceptions about the quality of canned beer.

However, the Sawmill brewery in Leigh was canning all their products way before it was fashionable. In 2004 their brewery was churning out four packs of canned beer aimed at trampers and holidaymakers. They subsequently switched dramatically to swing top bottle before bringing back silver cans for Sawmill Pilsner late last year.

The only Kiwi brewery to use only cans – no bottles – is Hot Water Brewing in the picturesque Coromandel. Owner and brewer Dave Kurth says he is “all about cans and they are all I’m going to use.” His passion started at Maui Brewing (Hawaii) when they were beginning to can. “I love cans because they are light, transportable and a good environmental choice. They are a better package for taking beer to the things I like to do, like go to the beach or go out fishing,” Kurth explains.

A small but growing number of New Zealand craft brewers are selling their beers in cans. Neil Miller examines the revitalisation of canned beer.

However, with more brewers looking to cans, the future of the can collectors of Australia is looking like it might be a whole lot brighter – and a lot more Aussie as well.

AluMiNiuM BottlesWith aluminium cans becoming a craze in Australia & New Zealand, there is another option for brewers to consider when looking at aluminium packaging - aluminium bottles.

Andrew Larsen, local agent for Meheen Manufacturing (USA), currently supplies the largest number of glass bottle packaging lines in Australia, and now offer brewers a packaging line that accommodates aluminium bottles – which Larsen says is as a big a craze worldwide as is currently for cans.

“From a packaging point of view, the beauty of the bottle is it takes brewers a lot less time to get a crown seal cap on the aluminium bottle, than the lid of an aluminium can, therefore reducing dissolved oxygen (DO) in the product, giving a better quality packed product,” he said.

For more information on aluminium bottles, head to www.meheen.com

the “No GlAss” poliCyAnyone that’s been to any sort of festival in recent times will probably have noticed that a ‘no glass’ policy is pretty much the norm, right across the board. That, of course, has led to a number of beers turning up in cans specifically to assist in getting beers and ciders into the hands of festival-goers around the country.

But it’s not just festivals that enforce a no-glass policy. Many campgrounds or other recreational areas are declaring themselves ‘no glass zones’ – which means that most of Australia’s craft beers simply aren’t available on-site.

Similarly, many workplaces are very strict about glass on the premises – and nowhere is this more evident than in the mining industry in Western Australia. With a huge fly-in, fly-out workforce, and an understandable thirst for beer at the end of a day in the mines, the industry has enforced a very strict ‘no glass’ policy.

That was one of the major motivating factors for WA brewery Matso’s to repackage its ginger beer into 330mL cans, paving the way for its products to get into the hands of the miners who were after something different from the usual tinned lagers.

The ground-breaking Meheen aluminium bottling setup.

A number of brands are now opting for aluminium bottles.

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be recycled to a higher degree and we can fit more beer on a pallet,” says Ruffell. “Plus they look great, you get a different sensory experience and there is something fun about them.” After investing in a new canning plant, Ruffell says Garage Project is “committing pretty heavily to cans – it will be our standard. Personally, I believe 2014 will be the year of the can in Australia and New Zealand.”

The trend is steadily growing. Moa Brewing are producing aluminium bottles for Air NZ flights and will begin canning shortly. Christchurch’s Three Boys Brewery has also invested in a new canning system while Harrington’s plan for a huge canning system in their new brewery has unfortunately been delayed. More brewers are expressing an interest.

Andrew Childs from Behemoth Brewing Company has just released his first bottled beer but says canning is already a goal.

NZ BreweriesBoundary road www.boundaryroadbrewery.co.nz Garage Project Brewery www.garageproject.co.nz Hot water Brewing www.hotwaterbrewingco.com Moa Brewing - www.moabeer.com sawmill Brewery - www.sawmillcafe.co.nz/brewery.html Three Boys www.threeboysbrewery.co.nz

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Hot Water also sells six packs using an innovative, reusable holder from America. Kurth says it is “much better than the old seagull killers, means the cans can go straight into ice or the chilly bin, and we don’t need extra cardboard packaging.” The only downside of cans he sees is that some local bars and cafes have “turned down cans as not being ‘cool enough.’”

Wellington’s Garage Project has released eight of their beers in cans but founder Jos Ruffell says “if we knew starting up what we knew now, we would have probably bought a canning machine over a bottling machine. It’s an elegantly simple process.” Ruffell notes they have always been very interested in canning, particularly after several great drinking experiences in the States.

“Cans make very good sense - no chance of light strike, can

“Cans keep the beer better and cool down quicker. They are lighter, environmentally friendly and just look cooler. Cans are the whole package,” Childs says.

Canning

BEER TALK

Could Be THe Year of THe CaN iN NZ Caption here please Gregor.

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product through the taps. The Lord brews six mainstay Ales, including the Quayle Ale, a cracking Summer Ale that’s perfect for the warmer months.

Try not to get too Three Sheeted yourself, however, for this is just the first stop in The Rocks. Down the road is the Belgian Beer Café – Heritage and the excellent Harts Pub. This cosy but contemporary heritage-listed pub is the spiritual home of Rocks Brewing Co, which now has a brand-new facility in Alexandria. The new brewery bar in Alexandria offers up a great selection of American-style cuisine, matched to the range of beers produced on-site in the brewery.

Rocks Brewing kegged its first brew, an Irish style Red Ale called The Boxer, in September 2008 and, according to director Mark Fethers, it was no quick process. “It took 16 versions to get it quite right, unlike our Porter, The Butcher, which took two versions. We knew exactly what we were after for the Porter, which definitely helps!”

The firsT beer – or was iT? It’s doubtful that Sydney’s first colonists enjoyed such salubrious treats or excellent selection of beer. If you decide on a

TravellerWeekend Away


sYDNEYThis issue, we take to the streets of Sydney to explore the rapidly expanding world of beer in Australia’s most famous city. Words by Sadhbh Warren and Gregor Stronach.

breweries will get to. But, with planning, it’s possible to design a visit that samples Sydney’s many delights and many of its brews. Start where the city started, in The Rocks.

This is the oldest part of Sydney; originally a warren of laneways where criminality and debauchery would abound. These days, the criminality has gone – although a glance at some of the prices may make you think otherwise – but up-market debauchery remains with many restaurants and bars serving up sumptuous indulgences.

The Rocks is home to some of Sydney’s most noted attractions: the weekend markets, the Sydney Observatory and the infamous but expensive bridge climb. If your budget or vertigo won’t allow for that, an alternative is the nearby Pylon Lookout, which gets a family of four almost as high over The Rocks for less than $30. The Rocks has it all: shopping, eating, culture and, of course, lots and lots of beer.

LorDs, BoxErs aND ButchErs A natural starting point for beer historians is The Rocks’ oldest licensed hotel and Australia’s oldest brew-pub, Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel. This stately pub combines colonial grandeur with a no-nonsense attitude to serving up great beer. You can contemplate the fermenting brews through the glass walls before requesting some of the finished

You’d think four tonnes of beer would be enough. But in September 1768, just a month after the Endeavour set sail for

Sydney, Captain Cook’s vessel was nearly dry. He noted, “Served wine to the ship’s company, the beer being all expended to two casks which I wanted to keep some time longer.”

Sydney seems determined to ensure the beer never runs out again. The city’s passion for brewing is as inexhaustible as it seems inescapable when you realise the sheer scale that even quite a small sampling of local

Casual outdoor dining at The Australian Heritage Hotel at the Rocks.

The iconic Lord Nelson Hotel and Brewery in The Rocks

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postprandial stroll (or, realistically, waddle) swing through the Domain and the Botanic Gardens. You’ll find free outdoor events in the area in summer, from Opera in the Domain to Tropfest, but the gardens are well worth visiting all year round. And you’re still not that far from a beer.

Watch out for the plaque near the Rose Garden Pavilion that marks the spot where John Boston is claimed to have brewed Sydney’s first beer in 1796. We say ‘claimed’ because while Boston is heralded as establishing Australia’s first licensed brewery in 1795, called Boston’s Mill, James Squire is Australia’s first known brewer, brewing as early as 1789, and selling beer to NSW Corps from 1793.

There’s no doubt that Squire’s name is more recognisable, thanks to the Malt Shovel Brewery, which immortalised his chicken-stealing, lothario lifestyle with a range of excellent beers. Malt Shovel also makes seasonal brews under the aptly-named Mad Brewers label, such as the 2014 release, Garden de Paradisi, which is available along with other Malt Shovel brews at the brewers’ recommended venue, the Marly Bar in Newtown.

If you’re out that way. Be sure to start sampling some of the best new venues to hit the inner west, as Sydney’s small bar scene starts to get cracking. Principle among those are the Hive Bar in Erskineville, which offers up a relaxed and super-friendly environment, alongside a great beer list and superb cocktails, as well as great food. Sunday afternoons are the best time to go, for a post-weekend wind-down.

For something a little more raucous, try Mary’s in Newtown. A converted two-story warehouse space, it’s the go-to place in the inner west for the best burgers in town, and a proper selection of local craft beers – including the unmistakable offerings from Young Henry’s. Try the Mary Burger with a Young Henry’s Newtowner – and don’t forget your big beards and trucker caps. Also in Newtown very worthy of a visit is the craft beer mecca The Union Hotel, and craft beer restaurant Bloodwood.

Down the road towards Enmore is the Midnight Special, a tiny place with a big heart. Jostle up to the bar among the very friendly locals, or get lucky and snag a small booth to sample a really good beer list, and

Weekend Away

traveller

hear tunes from some of Sydney’s rock elite as they bring their vinyl collection in to keep the punters amused.

Also in Enmore, tucked away in a tiny industrial estate, is the home of Young Henrys. It’s a working brewery with a handful of long tables nestled up to a bar, where tastings, pints and growlers are on offer. It can be a bit difficult to find, but it’s worth the hunt to try Richard Adamson and the rest of the YH crew’s core and seasonal ranges.

The CenTre of TownCloser to the Sydney CBD is the almost-too-hip suburb of Surry Hills, home to some of Sydney’s best beer pubs and bars. A Mecca for chaps who like their beards long and their beers unique is the Royal Albert Hotel, the site of frequent tap takeovers from some of Australia’s most interesting breweries. It’s also known for its food, with a burger bar inside and a phenomenal dumpling restaurant out the back. Get there early – it fills up quickly most nights of the week.

Down the street and around a few corners, and you’ll find the Wild Rover, one of the most exciting new venues in Sydney. Creatively inspired to be a place of comfort, and staffed by experienced and passionate people who really know their craft, it’s a must-do for anyone seeking out a brilliant beer list, or something unusual from the whisky roster. The house-made sausage rolls are to die for.

Across the centre of town is Redoak Boutique Beer Café, Australia’s most awarded brewery – and home to the 2013 Brewer of the Year, David Hollyoak. It brews more than 40 premium beers, including a magnificent IPA and David’s All Day Breakfast, brewed with a special ingredient: Weetbix!

Redoak runs beer-appreciation classes, serving a four-course degustation with six

matching beers. The team in the kitchen isn’t afraid to push the envelope on what food goes with a brew or even contains a brew. The kitchen is open for lunch from Mondays to Saturdays and beer-appreciation classes are held on the first Saturday of the month ($85 per person). Bookings essential.

Across the street from Redoak is The Baxter Inn, a recreated speakeasy-style whisky joint with hundreds of whiskies to choose from. There are absolutely no signs outside the venue at all – but it’s not hard to find. Just look for the streams of people walking into or out of an otherwise unmarked tunnel between two buildings near Redoak.

Another of Sydney’s CBD basement joints is Grandma’s, an unashamedly kitsch little place that serves up a great range of ‘new


Brewers at Young Henrys, Newtown.

The upstairs bar at Hart’s Pub, The Rocks.

Inside the Malt Shovel Brewery, Camperdown.

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travellerWeekend Away

In the line up of craft beers, Victorian brewers are making some of Australia’s, and the world’s, best brews. As a matter of national pride,

support your local brewer and hunt down a real craft beer.

Victorian Craft Beer Real Beer from Real Brewers

Bridge Road BrewersBrewery/Beer/Dining/AccommodationThe Old Coach House, Ford St, BeechworthPh: 03 5728 2703www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.auOpen 7 days from 11am

Holgate BrewhouseBrewery, Bar, Restaurant& Boutique AccommodationPh: (03) 5427 2510www.holgatebrewhouse.comOpen 7 Days Mountain Goat Brewery80 North Street, RichmondTel: (03) 9428 1180www.goatbeer.com.auTours: Wed 5-8pm. Open: Fri 5-12am The 3 RavensBrewing Company1 Theobald St. ThornburyDirect to Public Sales (mob: 0438 RAVENS)www.3ravens.com.auOpen Fridays from 2pm

Bellarine Brewing Company2270 Portarlington Road, BellarinePh: (03) 5259 3310www.bellarinebrewingcompany.com.auDaily 11am – 4pm (Cellar Door / Tastings)Brewery Tours by appointment

White Rabbit Brewery316 Maroondah Hwy, HealesvillePh: (03) 5962 6516www.whiterabbitbeer.com.auOpen 11am-5pm 7 daysFridays till 9pm

world’ themed cocktails, with a heavy lean towards island culture and – of course – rum.

For the real night owls, the centre of Sydney is now a bit of a ghost town, with 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks – but the place to be when the lockout hits is Frankie’s Pizza, on Hunter Street. Walk through the doors, and it’s wall-to-wall young folk in a pizza shop. Walk through the door by the counter and it’s a craft beer and top-shelf liquor joint, with cranking music, pinball machines and frequent VIP visitors.

Down on King Street Wharf, the King Street Brewhouse serves 17 local craft and imported beers on tap, and excellent food, making this one of the most pleasant outdoor venues in Sydney. Nearby, in Darling Harbour, The Pumphouse stocks more than 100 local and imported beers, plus its own house beers, including the tasty Thunderbolt Strong Ale.

From the city, it’s a short hop out towards the iconic SCG – a trip that will conveniently deliver you at the front door of the Local Taphouse in Darlinghurst, which boasts 20 beer taps with a changing selection and some great grub. They’re the perfect spots for post-game analysis after visiting the SCG or SFS.

A Beer worth the BoAt trip If it’s a typical Sydney experience you want, you’ll need to get out on the harbour. There are plenty of options for visitors: take a cruise, catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo, or to Manly – a very popular destination since the first ferry ran in 1855. Manly is known for surfing and beaches, but even if the weather isn’t warm, it’s still worth the ferry trip.

You can fill your stomach at the Manly Food and Wine Festival in June, or fill your ears at the Manly Jazz Festival in October. And all year round you’ll find it worthwhile visiting the Bavarian Beer Café (one of seven venues across Sydney) or the 4 Pines Brewery. Just minutes from the wharf, 4 Pines has rapidly become a local favourite with its tasty menu, cosy atmosphere and regular live entertainment.

Out in the suburbs to the west of Sydney, in Parramatta you’ll find Riverside Brewing with a cellar door open 2-6pm Fridays and 12-4pm Saturdays to taste their flavoursome range via Growler fills or tastings. At the famous Paddy’s Markets in Flemington you’ll find Paddy’s Brewery. Try Paddy’s Award Winning Pilsner,

or take on the Fat Arsed Bastard. It’s well worth the trip out, but if you’re worried that you may not want to leave, Paddy’s even does accommodation.

In Rouse Hill you’ll find the Australian Hotel & Brewery, which opened in 2009 with the aim of providing both great beers and a spot to socialise. The Australian’s best offerings are the Extra Hoppy Ale and the Pale Ale – although all of the AB’s seasonal brews are worth hunting down.

Whether you’re in Sydney to find a good beer, or you’re a local, you’re in for a treat – the growth of the scene in Sydney has been phenomenal, and it’s only getting better.

A lunch and a pint at 4 Pines, Manly.

Pulling steins at the Bavarian Beer Cafe

Inside the Australian Hotel & Brewery, Rouse Hill.

The King Street Brewhouse.

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4 Pines Brewing Company29/43-45 East Esplanade, Manly(02) 9976 2300www.4pinesbeer.com.au

Balmain Brewing Companywww.balmainbrewingcompany.com.au

Barons Brewingwww.baronsbrewing.com

Brewtopiawww.brewtopia.com.au

Brothers Inkwww.skinnyblonde.com.au

Doctor’s Orders Brewingwww.doctorsordersbrewing.com

Fusion Brewingwww.fusionbrewing.com.au

Ekim Brewing Cowww.ekimbrewing.com.au

Endeavour True Vintage Beerwww.endeavourbeer.com

Happy Goblin Brewery11/1 Marina Cl, Mt Kuringaiwww.happygoblin.com.au

Harts Pub (Rocks Brewing Co.)176 Cumberland St, The Rocks(02) 9251 6030 www.hartspub.com

John Boston Premium Beverageswww.johnboston.com.au

Malt Shovel Brewery (James Squire and Mad Brewers)Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Camperdown (02) 9519 3579www.malt-shovel.com.au

NSW

BREWERIES & BEER companIESPaddy’s Brewery at the Markets Hotel268 Parramatta Rd, Flemington (02) 9764 3500 www.paddysbrewery.com

Redoak Boutique Beer Café201 Clarence St, Sydney(02) 9262 3303www.redoak.com.au

Schwartz Brewery Hotel40/44 Wentworth Ave, Sydney(02) 8262 8877www.schwartzbrewery.com

St Arnouwww.st-arnou.com.au

St Peters Brewery15 May St, St Peters(02) 9519 0191

The Australian Hotel & Brewery350 Annangrove Rd, Rouse Hill(02) 9679 4555www.australianhoteland brewery.com.au

The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel19 Kent St, The Rocks(02) 9251 4044 www.lordnelsonbrewery.com

Tooheys Brewery29 Nyrang Ave, Lidcombewww.lion-nathan.com.au

Underground BrewingGottie’s Woodfired Pizzeria and RestaurantErskine Park Shopping Centre Swallow Drive, Erskine Park (02) 9670 1800

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NSW_Sydney_FINAL.indd 49 7/9/2011 10:21:29 PM

Weekend Away

traveller

In the line up of craft beers, Victorian brewers are making some of Australia’s, and the world’s, best brews. As a matter of national pride,

support your local brewer and hunt down a real craft beer.

Victorian Craft Beer Real Beer from Real Brewers

Bridge Road BrewersBrewery/Beer/Dining/AccommodationThe Old Coach House, Ford St, BeechworthPh: 03 5728 2703www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.auOpen 7 days from 11am

Holgate BrewhouseBrewery, Bar, Restaurant& Boutique AccommodationPh: (03) 5427 2510www.holgatebrewhouse.comOpen 7 Days Mountain Goat Brewery80 North Street, RichmondTel: (03) 9428 1180www.goatbeer.com.auTours: Wed 5-8pm. Open: Fri 5-12am The 3 RavensBrewing Company1 Theobald St. ThornburyDirect to Public Sales (mob: 0438 RAVENS)www.3ravens.com.auOpen Fridays from 2pm

Bellarine Brewing Company2270 Portarlington Road, BellarinePh: (03) 5259 3310www.bellarinebrewingcompany.com.auDaily 11am – 4pm (Cellar Door / Tastings)Brewery Tours by appointment

White Rabbit Brewery316 Maroondah Hwy, HealesvillePh: (03) 5962 6516www.whiterabbitbeer.com.auOpen 11am-5pm 7 daysFridays till 9pm

LINKS4 Pines – www.4pinesbeer.com.au AustrAliAn Hotel & Brewery – www.australianbrewery.com.au BAvAriAn Bier CAfé – www.bavarianbiercafe.com tHe BAxter inn – www.thebaxterinn.comfrAnkie’s PizzA – www.frankiespizzabytheslice.com GrAndmA’s BAr – www.grandmasbarsydney.com.auHArts PuB – www.hartspub.comHeritAGe BelGiAn Beer CAfé - www.heritagebarandrestaurant.com.autHe Hive BAr – www.thehivebar.com.aukinG street BrewHouse – www.kingstbrewhouse.com.au tHe loCAl tAPHouse – www.thelocal.com.au/syd/tHe lord nelson Brewery Hotel - www.lordnelsonbrewery.commAlt sHovel Brewery – www.jamessquire.com.autHe midniGHt sPeCiAl – www.themidnightspecial.com.auPAddy’s Brewery – www.marketshotel.com.autHe PumPHouse – www.pumphousebar.com.auredoAk Boutique Beer CAfé – www.redoak.com.au roCks BrewinG Co – www.rocksbrewing.comriverside BrewinG Co – www.riversidebrewing.comyounG Henrys newtown Brewery – www.younghenrys.com

Head brewer Dave Padden at Riverside Brewing.

RiveRside BRewing CO

What about a mention of the pub that Mary met Fred in the slip in bar. Surely worth a mention. JC

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www.glassislife.com

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY1 Wig and Pen, CBD2 Zierholz, Fyshwick3 U-Brew It(BC) 1842 Beer, FyshwickNEW SOUTH WALES1 Lion-Nathan, Tooheys, Lidcombe2 Lord Nelson, The Rocks3 Scharer’s, Picton (BC)4 Malt Shovel, Camperdown5 Old Goulburn Brewery6 Ironbark, Tamworth7 St Peters Brewery8 Paddy’s, Flemington9 Bluetongue, Warnervale10 Hunter Beer Co., Nulkaba11 Redoak, CBD12 King St Brewhouse13 Dennis Beer Co, Newcastle14 Brew Pack, Smeaton Grange15 Sydney Brewhouse, CBD 16 Murray’s, Port Stephens17 Illawarra Brewing Co, North Wollongong18 Happy Goblin, Mt Kuringai19 William Bull, Bilbul20 Little Brewing Co, The, Port Macquarie22 Mudgee Brewing Co.23 Infusion Bar & Bistro24 Stone & Wood, Byron Bay25 4 Pines, Manly26 Byron Bay Premium Brewery27 Dalgety Brewing Company, Dalgety28 Mountain Ridge Brewery, Shoalhaven Heads29 Australian Hotel & Brewery Rouse Hill30 Kosciuszko Brewing Company, Jindabyne31 Fishrock Brewery, Mittagong32 U-Brew It, Tweed Heads33 U-Brew It, West Gosford34 U-Brew It , Wollongong35 U-Brew It, Wyong36 U-Brew It, Hunter37 The Beer Factory, Seven Hills38 The Beer Factory, Wollongong39 Thirsty Crow, Wagga Wagga40 Black Duck Brewery, Herons Creek42 Underground Brewing, Erskine Park43 Badlands Brewery (BC)44 Rocks Brewing Co, Harts Pub, The Rocks45 Bluetongue Brewery Café, Pokolbin46 Murray’s At Manly47 Riverside Brewing Co, Parramatta48 Young Henrys, Newtown49 Casella Brewery, Griffith50 Hop Dog Beer Works, South Nowra51 Brewpack, Smeaton52 Central Ranges Brewing Company53 Steel River Brewery54 The Beer Shed55 Pickled Pig Brewery, Tweed Heads56 Rebel Ant, Tamworth57 Fish River Valley Brewing, Bathurst58 Six String Brewing Co, Erina59 The Grifter, Newtown60 Willie the Boatman, Tempe(BC) Dennis Beer Co(BC) Wayward Brewing Co(BC) Mad Koala Brewery(BC) Doctor’s Orders Brewing(BC) Balmain Brewing Company(BC) Snowy Mountains Brewery(BC) Fusion Brewing(BC) Brewtopia(BC) Bowral Brewing Company(BC) Barons Brewing Company(BC) Brothers Ink (BC) Longboard Brewing Company(BC) Lovells(BC) Endeavour True Vintage Beer(BC) Ekim Brewing Co.(BC) Koala Beer/Burragumbilli(BC) St Arnou(BC) Dad & Dave’s BrewingQUEENSLAND1 Castlemaine Perkins (Lion), Milton2 CUB, Yatala3 Sunshine Coast, Kunda Park4 International Hotel5 The Brewery, Townsville6 Burleigh Brewing Co.7 Blue Sky, Cairns8 Mt Tamborine Brewing Co.9 Brewhouse Brisbane, Woolloongabba10 Castle Glen Brewery11 U-Brew It, Varsity Lakes12 U-Brew It, Portsmith13 U-Brew It, Warana14 U-Brew It, Nerang

15 Brew By U, Underwood16 Brew By U, Brendale17 Brew By U, Labrodoor18 Brew By U, Clontarf19 Brew By U, Townsville20 Brew4U, Boondall21 Brew4U, Wacol22 Brew4U, Deception Bay23 Brew4U, Toowoomba24 Brew4U, Woolloongabba25 Brew4U, Cleveland26 4 Hearts Brewing, Ipswich27 Bacchus Brewing Co., Capalaba29 Granite Belt Brewery30 Spring Hill Craft Brewery31 Green Beacon32 Red Bay, Cleveland33 BrewBake, Woombye(BC) Norfolk Island Brewing CompanySOUTH AUSTRALIA1 Coopers, Regency Park2 Lion Nathan, Southwark3 Port Dock, Port Adelaide4 Grumpy’s Brewhaus, Verdun5 Holdfast Hotel, Glenelg6 Smiling Samoyed Brewery, Myponga7 Barossa Brewing, Greenock8 Gulf Brewery, Hackham9 Knappstein Enterprise, Clare10 Steam Exchange, Goolwa11 Campus Brewery, Regency Park TAFE12 Lobethal Bierhaus13 Woolshed Brewery Renmark14 Brewboys Croydon Park15 McLaren Vale Beer Company, Willunga16 Goodieson Brewery McLaren Vale17 Beard & Brau19 Boars Rock Winery20 Pikes Beer Company21 Pepperjack of Barossa22 U-Brew It, Parra Hills23 U Brew Here, Lonsdale24 Barossa Valley Brewing, Lyndoch26 Clare Valley Brewing Co27 Myponga Brewery28 South Australian Brewing Co29 Thorogoods Cider30 Prancing Pony, Adelaide Hills31 Ekhidna, McLaren Vale32 Baxters Boutique Brewery, Adelaide(BC) Swell Brewing Company(BC) Boar’s Rock Beer(BC) Swanky Beer(BC) Island BrewTASMANIA1 Cascade, South Hobart2 James Boag’s, Launceston3 Moorilla, Berridale4 Two Metre Tall, New Norfolk5 Iron House, White Sands Estate6 Seven Sheds, Railton7 Van Dieman Brewing, Evandale8 Tavener’s Brewery Launceston9 The Squires Bounty10 Morrison Brewery11 Taverner’s Boutique Brewery12 Wineglass Bay Brewing(BC) Tasmanian Chilli Beer CompanyVICTORIA1 CUB, Abbotsford2 Grand Ridge, Mirboo North3 Southern Bay, Moolap5 Buffalo Brewery, Boorham6 Holgate Brewhouse, Woodend7 Jamieson Brewery, Jamieson8 James Squire Brewhouse, Portland Hotel, CBD9 Ballarat University Brewery11 Buckley’s Beers, Healesville12 Independent Distillers, Laverton13 Three Ravens, Thornbury14 Lone Hand, Cassilis15 Mildura Theatre Brewery16 Mountain Goat, Richmond18 Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth19 Red Hill Brewery20 Bright Brewery21 O’Briens Brewery, Ballarat22 2 Brothers, Moorabbin23 Otway Estate, Barongarook24 Coldstream Brewery, Coldstream(BC) The Flying Horse, Warrnambool27 Sweetwater, Mt Beauty28 White Rabbit, Healesville29 Savaraln Brewery, Sale31 Tooborac Hotel, Heathcote32 Hargreaves Hill Brewing Company, Yarra Glen33 True South, Black Rock

34 Coldwater Creek Tavern & Microbrewery, Doveton 36 Hickinbotham Winery and Brewery37 Red Duck, Camperdown38 Avonmore Estate39 Bellarine Brewing Co, Bellarine41 Harcourt Valley Brewing Company (BC)42 U-Brew It, Keilor Park43 U-Brew It, Wodonga44 The Brew Barn 45 Brew 4 U, Geelong South46 Barleycorn Brewers, Oakleigh47 Forrest Brewing, Forrest48 Kooinda Boutique Brewery49 Mornington Peninsula Brewery, Mornington50 Thunder Road Brewing Co, Brunswick51 Bullant Brewery, Bruthan52 Moon Dog, Abbortsford53 True Brew54 Matilda Bay Port Melbourne Brewery55 Temple Brewery & Brasserie, Brunswick56 Dolphin Brewery, Daylesford57 Black Heart Brewery, Brighton58 Cavalier Brewery, Brunswick59 Black Dog Brewery, Taminick60 Beechworth Brewery61 Beechworth Cider62 Boynton’s Brewing Company63 Mount Markey Winery and Microbrewery64 Napoleone & Co, Coldstream65 Rusty Water Brewery66 Wooden Spoon Brewing67 Two Wives Brewery, Bellarine68 Napoleone Brewers, Yarra Valley69 The Public Brewery, Croydon(BC) Sideshow Brewers(BC) Purrumbete Brewing Company(BC) King Valley Brewery(BC) Broo Bee(BC) Three Troupers Brewery(BC) Hawthorn Brewing Company(BC) Boatrocker Brewing Company(BC) PI55 Brew Company(BC) Effen Enterprises (BC) Sundance Brewing International(BC) Two Birds Brewing, MelbourneWESTERN AUSTRALIA3 Last Drop, Canning Vale4 Bootleg Brewery, Wilyabrup5 Matso’s, Broome6 Bush Shack, Yallingup7 Little Creatures, Fremantle8 Edith Cowan University9 Feral, Baskerville10 Ironbark, Caversham11 Blackwood Valley & The Cidery, Bridgetown12 Colonial, Margaret River13 Elmar’s, Henley Brook14 Gage Roads, Palmyra16 Tanglehead, Albany17 Occy’s, Vasse18 Mash, Henley Brook19 Indian Ocean, Mindarie20 Cowaramup Brewing, Cowaramup21 Billabong, Myaree22 The Monk, Fremantle23 Wild Bull Brewery, Ferguson24 Brew 42, Allanson25 Duckstein, Wilyabrup26 The Old Brewery, Perth27 Mash, Bunbury28 Old Coast Road, Myalup29 Duckstein Brewery, Swan Valley30 Blacksalt Brewery North Fremantle32 Moody Cow Brewery Ferguson Valley34 U-Brew It, Canningvale35 U-Brew It, Joondalup37 U-Brew It, Midvale39 U-Brew It, Rockingham40 U-Brew It, Webberton41 Brews R Us, Greenwood42 Eagle Bay Brewing Co, Eagle Bay43 Brew ‘N’ Bottle45 The Grove Vineyard Brewery, Willyabrup46 Boston Brewery47 Cheeky Monkey Brewery & Cidery, Margaret River48 Beaten Track Brewery, Boulder49 Cape Bouvard Winery and Brewery50 Denmark Brews & Ales51 Elephant Rock Cidery 52 Margaret River Ale Company53 Old Swan Brewery

54 The Generous Squire55 Nail Brewing CompanyNEW ZEALAND NORTH ISLAND1.1 Lion-Nathan, Auckland1.2 DB, Waitemata, Auckland1.3 Steam Brewing, Auckland1.4 Independent, Auckland1.5 Hallertau, Auckland1.6 Galbraith’s Alehouse, Auckland3 Roosters Brew House, Hastings4.1 Croucher, Rotorua5 Waiheke Island Microbrewery6 Sawmill, Leigh7 Brewhaus Frings, Whangerei8 Sunshine Brewery, Gisborne9 The Filter Room, Hawkes Bay, Napier11 Peak, Masterton13 DB, Tui, Mangatainoka14 Tuatara, Waikanae15 Mike’s Organic Brewery, Urenui16 Aoteoroa, Kawerau17 Brewers Bar, Mt Maunganui19 Coromandal Brewing Company20 Rogue Brewery, Taupo21 Kaimai Brewing Company, Mount Manganui, Tauranga (BC)22 Scott’s Brewing23 Cassels & Sons, Christchurch24 St Katherines Brewing, Auckland (BC)25 Epic Brewing Company, Auckland (BC)26 Island Bay Brewing, Wellington (BC)27 BREW, Rotorua (BC)28 Shunters Yard Brewing, Matangi (BC)30 Zeelandt Brewery (BC)31 Garage Project32 Kereru Brewing Company33 Fork and Brewer34 Deep Creek35 The Brewery Britomart36 Dallow’s at Sale Street37 ParrotDog39 Shakespeare Tavern40 Good George Brewing, Hamilton41 Fat Monk Brewing Company, Hastings(BC) Liberty Brewing Company, Karaka, New Plymouth(BC) Yeastie Boys(BC) 666 Brewing, Auckland(BC) Bennett’s Beer(BC) Ben Middlemiss Brewing Co, Auckland(BC) Valkyrie Brewing Co, AucklandNEW ZEALAND SOUTH ISLAND1.1 The Twisted Hop, Christchurch1.2 Wigram, Christchurch1.3 Matson’s, Christchurch1.4 Harrington’s, Christchurch1.5 Three Boys, Christchurch2.1 Lion-Nathan, Speights2.2 Emerson, Dunedin2.3 Green Man, Dunedin2.4 McDuff’s, Dunedin2.5 Meenans, Dunedin3.1 Founders, Nelson3.2 Nelson Bays Brewery3.3 Lighthouse, Nelson4.1 Moa, Blenheim4.2 Renaissance, Blenheim4.3 Pink Elephant, Blenheim5 Kaiapoi Brewing Co.6 Brew Moon, Amberley7 DB, Mainland8 Invercargill Brewery9 Dux de Lux, Queenstown10 Wanaka Beerworks11 DB, Monteith’s, Greymouth12 West Coast, Westport13 Mussel Inn, Onekaka14 Arrow Brewing Company, Arrowtown15 Townshend Brewery, Upper Moutere16 Golden Bear Brewing17 Monkey Wizard Brewery18 Totara Brewing Co.19 Sprig & Fern Brewery, Richmond20 McCashin’s Brewery21 Green Fern Brewery22 Boundary Road Brewery, Red Hill23 8 Wired, Blenheim (BC)24 Dead Good Beers (BC)25 Ad Lib Brewing26 Twisted Hop27 Four Avenues Brewing Company, Christchurch(BC) Golden Ticket Brewing, Christchurch(BC) AdLib Brewing, Christchurch

LOOKING FOR A BREWERY’S CONTACT

DETAILS? REFER TO THE BREWING

DIRECTORY IN THE CLASSIFIEDS SECTION OF THE MAGAZINE

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Makers of memorable, endlessly recyclable glass packaging.

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ed28-map.indd 31 1/04/2014 11:08 pm


xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

through the process and emerge full of beer. The rest is entirely computer-controlled, and it’s a technical marvel. I could have stood there all day and watched it do its thing…

Emerging from the packaging area, the tour then walked through the ready stock warehouse – roughly the size of two football fields, it was stacked floor-to-ceiling with goods ready to be trucked out. It looked exactly like the closing scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark – boxes and

boxes, as far as the eye could see – and that was only a few days worth of stock.

But even as we walked through the warehoused stock, I couldn’t stop thinking about the kegging line – and how much that sort of innovation could change our industry.

We all knew it would happen one day – robots have taken over a brewery. Gregor Stronach investigates.


It’s not often that a brewery can reduce even the staunchest man to a wide-eyed child, filled with a sense of awe and wonder. But

a recent trip down to Melbourne to have a poke around the Laverton headquarters of Asahi Premium Beverages was enough to leave me shaking my head in amazement.

The first thing that struck me was the sheer scale of the operation. The phrase ‘industrial scale’ barely does this place any justice at all. It is absolutely massive – and just when I thought

I’d seen it all, the tour would turn a corner and there was even more space, filled to the ceiling with crates and crates of drinks – or, even better, some of the most high-tech bottling, canning and kegging equipment known to man.

The brewery, where a number of beers – including the newly-acquired Cricketers Arms brand – is overseen by master brewer Dermot O’Donnell, who has been working with CA’s former owner Paul Scott to get the Cricketer’s Arms range of craft beers to market on a much larger scale. It is a very impressive setup, with an enormous amount of infrastructure in place to handle the volume of brewing required to keep everything ticking over.

We moved on from there to the bottling and canning lines, which are on a scale that almost defies description. Capable of churning through up to 1000 bottles or cans every minute, the line is just a rattling, clanking blur, punctuated by an extremely occasional pop or hiss as one of the receptacles decides that it wants out of the process and makes a leap over the side to the hard concrete floor.

The machinery is overseen by a team of engineers, who wait patiently for the precise moments that they’re needed, and then spring into action to adjust the lines for the next run, or in the rare event that there’s some sort of stoppage that needs to be fixed.

Arguably, however, the single most impressive thing in the whole place is the new kegging line. It’s a lot slower than the bottling or canning lines, but what it lacks in speed, it makes up for by the fact that it is dominated by a massive robotic arm that does all the heavy lifting and stacking of the kegs, with an eerie precision.

It’s a mesmerising piece of gear – and having it on the packing floor has reduced the number of people required to run the kegging line from around eight or nine, to just one. And the only human input required is forklifting pallets of empty kegs to the front of the machine, and then removing them when they’ve been

the single most impressive thing in the whole place is the new kegging line.”

Japanese robots and beer

Asahi Premium Beverages50 Swann DriveLaverton VICwww.asahibeer.com.auTours are not offered to the public.

xxxxxxxxxBrewery Tour

TRaveLLeR

Possibly the coolest thing you will ever see in a brewery.

They don’t do things by halves here...

It’s like something out of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

BB2814_p060 - GS_JC.indd 60 10/04/2014 10:43:08 AM


“Grain to Glass”“Grain to Glass”

CRYER MALTWe pride ourselves on supplying the best malt available for

the Australasian craft and premium brewing sector.

Discover Cryer Malt at: www.cryermalt.co.nzAustralia: 1800 119 622 | [email protected]

New Zealand: 0800 625 833 | [email protected]

From Australia to the UK; We supply the best ingredients and brewing equipment so you can craft the perfect premium beer.

Brands we supply include;

BB_Issue23_CryerMalt.indd 1 29/10/12 5:54 AM









Calendar of Events

traveller









APRIL27 STARTING A MICROBREWERY INFO SESSION: SYdNEYKing Street BrewhouseKing Street Wharf/22 The Promenade Sydney NSWwww.beverageandbrewingconsult-ing.com

28 APRIL - 2 MAY AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL BEER AWARdS - JUdGINGMelbourne, VICwww.rasv.com.au/Events/AIBA_Home/

MAY16 - 18 CLARE VALLEY GOURMET WEEKENd Clare Valley, SAwww.clarevalleywinemakers.com.au/gourmet.php

17- 25 GOOd BEER WEEK 2014 All over Melbourne, VICwww.goodbeerweek.com.au

21-22 AUSTRALIAN CRAFT BREWERS CONFERENCE Melbourne, VICwww.australiancraftbeer.org.au

22 AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL BEER AWARdS - PRESENTATION dINNERPeninsula, Shed 14, Central Pier, 161 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, VICwww.rasv.com.au/Events/AIBA_Home/

Email [email protected] to list your upcoming event here in the

next issue. deadline for Issue 29 – Winter 2014 is 1st June, 2014

Include the event name, address, contact details and any cost of entry.

24-26 GREAT AUSTRALASIAN BEER SpecTAPularRoyal Exhibition HallMelbourne, VICwww.gabsfestival.com.au

30 SYdNEY CRAFT BEER WEEK APPLICATIONS CLOSE Applications for Sydney Craft Beer Week events close.www.sydneycraftbeerweek.com

JUNE13-14 WhISKY LIVE,SYdNEY WESTParramatta Town Hall, 182 Church St, Parramatta NSW 2150www.whiskylive.com.au

20-21 WhISKY LIVE,SYdNEY EASTThe Entertainment Quarter122 Lang Road, Moore Park NSW 2010www.whiskylive.com.au

JULY14 - 16 2014 ROYAL AdELAIdE BEER AWARdS JUdGING BEGINSAdelaide, SAwww.theshow.com.au

14 - 16 2014 ROYAL AdELAIdE BEER AWARdS PRESENTATION NIGhTAdelaide, SAwww.theshow.com.au

It keeps getting bigger and better – Whisky Live, 2013.

Head Judge for AIBA 2014, Warren Pawsey, Head Brewer, Little Creatures.

Hot Poker Beer served at Beervana, 2013.

18-19 WhISKY LIVE,MELBOURNESt Kilda Town Hall99A Carlisle St. St Kilda 3182, Melbourne, VICwww.whiskylive.com.au

21 SYdNEY CRAFT BEER WEEK PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTSydney, NSWwww.sydneycraftbeerweek.com

30-31 WhISKY LIVE, CANBERRAUniversity of Canberra - Refectory Kirinari St Bruce, ACT 2617www.whiskylive.com.au

AUGUST22-23 WhISKY LIVE,BRISBANEThe Tara Ballroom175 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane QLD 4000,www.whiskylive.com.au

22-23 BEERVANA (NZ)Westpac Stadium, Wellington147 Waterloo Quay, Wellingtonwww.beervana.co.nz

SEPTEMBER20 - 5 OCTOBER OKTOBERFEST 2014Munich, Germanywww.oktoberfest.de/en/

OCTOBER18-25 SYdNEY CRAFT BEER WEEKAll over Sydney.www.sydneycraftbeerweek.com

EVENTS 2014The launch of the Great Australian Beer Festival, Geelong

BB2814_p061_v3_GS.indd 61 10/04/2014 3:53:07 PM


Venue ReViewsBaRs, PuBs, RestauRants and Bottle shoPs

NSWThe Wild RoveRRecently celebrating its first birthday, The Wild Rover is one of those places that is very hard to forget. From the solid brass bar and exposed brickwork to the (phenomenal) beer list displayed on an old-school Sydney train schedule, this is most definitely a bar to hit up when you’re in need of good company, super-friendly and knowledgeable staff and arguably the best sausage rolls in Sydney. Keep an eye out for their regular Campbell Corner Whisk(e)y Cooperative tasting nights, or just drop in for a lazy Sunday evening tipple and enjoy the live music upstairs. Check your ego at the door – everyone else does, which makes it a very friendly spot for a quiet drink. Oh – and there’s no sign. Just a big wooden door. You can’t miss it.

The Wild Rover75 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW 2010Phone: (02) 9280 2235www.thewildrover.com.au

Reviews

traveller

WA The Sail & anchoR The Sail & Anchor is arguably the birthplace of craft beer in Australia and despite no longer brewing on site, the Sail is still all about the beer. With three bars, 38 cold taps, three beer engines, a hopinator, a revolving list of draught offerings and a growing list of bottled beers and ciders, there’s always something new to try. The Sail also boasts a full service restaurant, alfresco dinning and a host of private function options for your next big event. Beer enthusiasts look forward to regular events and month long showcases at the Sail, such as USApril, ‘Hey Brew’ NZ Craft Beer Month, Night of the Barrels and various meet the brewer events.

The Sail & Anchor64 South TerraceFremantle WA 6160Phone: (08) 9431 1666www.sailandanchor.com.au

Sail and Anchor beer

The Dove and Olive in Surry Hills.

Three Lamps Bar

The dove and oliveIt’s deep in the heart of Surry Hills Hipster territory, but the Dove and Olive is far more than a sleeve-tattoo and ‘beer you’ve never heard of’ destination. That’s not to say that the beer list isn’t eerily impressive… but it’s also approachable, with plenty of help on hand from the bar staff who really know their gear. Front and centre are two of the biggest characters on the Sydney beer scene, Wombat and Grub, who regularly lead the charge into the beer unknown – and the Craft Beer Fight Club is always a night to remember.

NZThRee lampS BaR & eaTeRyNestled in the fashionable Auckland suburb of Ponsonby, Three Lamps opened in April 2013. Located in a beautiful old building which looks more like a bank or a library than a bar, there are over 200 beers available including an ever-rotating range of house beer and craft beer taps, and 100 bottled beers at $9. Food is a feature with shared plates (including gourmet sliders) and a full menu featuring seafood, juicy burgers and the famous lamb done three ways. Three Lamps caters for functions and operates a Beer Club which regularly hosts brewers and beer launches..

Three Lamps Bar & Eatery1-3 St Mary’s Rd, Ponsonby, AucklandPhone: (09) 376 6092www.threelamps.co.nz

The Dove and Olive156 Devonshire StreetSurry Hills, NSW, 2010Phone: 02 9699 6001www.doveandolive.com.au

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29 BEERS ON TAPHUGE CRAFT RANGE

SEASONAL & LIMITED RELEASESBEERS WITH HISTORYBEER DEGUSTATIONS

SPECIAL EVENTS DEDICATED CIDER BAR

9 CIDERS ON TAPwww.youngandjacksons.com.au

Honeysuckle Hotel is a premier bar and function venue located on the beautiful Newcastle harbour.

With stunning water views, state of the art facilities and historical design.

17 Tap Beers and a huge craft beer range both on tap and bottled.

The Honeysuckle Hotel offers great food, great atmosphere and fantastic location.

Lee Wharf C, Honeysuckle Drive Newcastle, NSW, 2300 Tel: (02) 4929 1499 www.honeysucklehotel.com.au

Loving craft creations 12 rotational taps Funky functions Brand new heated Beer Garden Live music 4 nights

The Stone Corner Hotel was first established in 1888, the Heritage Charm of the Stone Corner Hotel is felt right from the moment that you enter this beautifully renovated Landmark.

346 Logan Rd Stones Corner, QLD, 4120 Tel: (07) 3397 3727 www.stonescornerhotel.com.au

14 Craft Beers on Tap Tasting Paddles Seasonal Beer Taps Food to compliment the Beer Meet the Brewer nights Beer Tasting Evenings Alfresco Dining SoloistRoyal Oak Hotel

123 O’Connell St North Adelaide, SA, 5006 Tel: (08) 8267 2488 www.royaloakhotel.com.au

ALH_fullpage_Issue25_r1.indd 1 14/05/13 6:22 AMBB_Issue25_GBV.indd 81 14/05/13 8:01 AM

gourmetxxxxxxxxx

gourmetAutumn Recipes

gourmet


Burgers and Beers

The InkeRmAn hoTel, ST kIldAThe Inkerman burger is the perfect example of this: a no frills, classic Australian burger. The patty is a classic beef one, blanketed in melted cheese with a hint of lettuce as a nod to the health conscious. A couple of slices of tomato, with an egg to give it that true Australian feel, along with grilled onions. It is served with fat Aussie pub-style chips for extra authenticity.

This is almost an ‘official’ Australian burger and it’s so good that, while you wash it down with a pint, you won’t even realise that your dog came in fourth!

BeeR mATcheSMatilda Bay (Vic) Fat Yak 4.7%Stoke (NZ) Amber Ale 4.5%BrewDog 5am Saint Amber Ale 5%

Three burger-loving Victorians set out to find the best burgers in Victoria, and the result is The Burger Book. We spoke to author ethan Jenkins, and got three of his favourites.

Burgers and Beers

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gourmet

BeeR mAtchesEndeavour (NSW) Reserve Amber Ale 2013 5.2%Dale’s (NZ) American Amber Ale 5.4%Baird (Japan) Red Rose Amber Ale 5.5%

BeeR mAtchesSail & Anchor (WA) Boa’s Bind Amber Ale 5%Mac’s (NZ) Sassy Red 4.5%Peroni (Italy) NastroAzzuro 5.1%

the tRunk DineR, melBouRne cBDTwo main burgers are on offer for lunch: the Diner Burger, a 175 gram deliciously seasoned and freshly-ground wagyu beef patty served on a brioche bun with baby cos lettuce, thick cut tomato, house-made pickles and a choice of cheeses; and the Super-Size burger. This is perfectly described on the menu as “…like when Mario becomes Big Mario”. It is the same as the Diner Burger only double everything!

The great thing about Trunk’s burgers is that you have the option to add extras to these two burger options: three cheeses (cheddar, Gruyere and Monteray Jack), jalapenos, bacon, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and guacamole.

WAysiDe inn, south melBouRneLabelled as a cheeseburger, almost does not do this burger justice. It is more than just a cheeseburger. It has softly smoked bacon that is cooked nice and crispy giving it a real smoky edge. Yes, it is also lathered in a blanket of melted cheese that engulfs the bacon and the patty. It has perfectly cut lettuce leaves and a slice of tomato atop the patty and bacon. However, it is the bed that this burger sits on that gives it a real kick. A pillow-topped mattress of shredded beetroot relish and mustard provide the moisture and sauce for this perfectly cooked beef patty. Order it medium rare to get the extra love that this place affords its steaks, only to be translated into a burger. Served on a brioche bun that is lightly toasted to get that nice buttery caramelisation and you have yourself a high-class burger.

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gourmetxxxxxxxxx


gourmet


The Juicy Lucy BurgerServeS 1

IngRedIentsBun from local baker NeusHousemade tomato chutneyCoral lettuceSliced tomatoSliced Spanish onionSalt & pepperCheese stuffed wagyu pattieAioli

Method1. GoodTime Burgers use Tajima Wagyu mince for the Juicy Lucy. Chef Matt Fitzgerald weighs out 2 x 125 g balls of mince, gently flatten down between a sheet of go-between till 5mm thick. 2. Place one pattie on the go-between, place a slice of cheddar in the middle, then a tablespoon of grated mozzarella on top. Place the second pattie on top of the cheese, then fold over the go-between to cover.3. Working his way around the pattie, Matt squeezes in the edges to seal the cheese inside the two patties. He then places down on the bench, and with his hands, pats the sides of the patties all the way around to smooth over, returning to a round shape. 4. Lastly, give the pattie a gentle push down as well so it is not to high. The finished and ready to grill Juicy Lucy pattie should be approx 3cm high.

The ‘JUICY Lucy’

Director of Eastern Hotels Group, Andrew Lazarus was conducting thorough research into the world’s best

burgers when he came across a burger that oozed cheese when you took a bite into the pattie. When he delved a little further he found out that it was aptly named the ‘Juicy Lucy’. Following this discovery GoodTime Burgers began an extensive ‘Juicy Lucy’ testing period where they tweaked the recipe numerous times until the perfect cheese oozing burger was created. It’s this final delicious, decadent and ultimate burger creation that graces the GoodTime Burgers current menu today.

From Sydney’s goodtime Burgers comes this heart-stopping creation.

Dessert

BeeR MAtchesJames Squire (NSW) Nine Tails Amber Ale 5%Hawkes Bay (NZ) Amber Ale Cuisine 4%North Coast (USA) Red Seal Amber Ale 5.5%

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GOOD BEER VENUES Beer & Brewer promotion

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AUD$24.99 / NZD$26.99

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following Tasting Notes are from our expert panel of Beer Judges and only include those products deemed to be of a minimum bronze-medal standard. Brewers and importers are encouraged to email [email protected] to arrange delivery of products for possible inclusion in future issues. Check our website or see our Bottlos to Trust for where to buy these products.

THE TASTING PANEL

Editor’s Choice Top 10 for Autumn

To track these down, see our Bottlos to Trust on pages 77.

beer buyers guide


bill TaylorHead Brewer for Lion Nathan, Bill Taylor has over 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 magazine.

briaN WaTsoNBrian is currentlyBrewmaster at theIsland BrewingCo. (Fiji Islands),working withDME BrewingServices in theAsia Pacific, andis founder andDirector at GoodGeorge Brewing,in Hamilton (NZ).Past Chief JudgeNZ Beer Awards,current judge atthe World BeerCup (USA) & AIBA(Vic).

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

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).

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.

1 LONGBOARD PALE ALE 4.5% ABV 330ML Named in accordance with the lifestyle and

not the work associated with its location of origin, Wollongong, an industrial city approximately an hour south of Sydney, on the Coast. Longboard Pale Ale is gold in colour with a strong white head. A soft malty nose gives way to a very easy drinking, Australian Pale Ale. A great entry level Pale Ale, with nice dryness on the finish, well balanced with a good light pale malt character on the palate.

GLASS: Tulip. FOOD MATCH: Calamari. WEBSITE: www.longboardbeer.com

2 MILDURA ASTOR ALE 4.5% ABV 330ML Aptly named after the historic Astor theatre,

Mildura, which has been converted into the brewery from which this beer hails. The label offers synergy with the buildings facade and the beer colour conveys a golden era with its bright gold complexion. The firm white head releases a lovely malty nose and rests upon a fine example of Australian Pale Ale. Astor has good malt body and the use of galaxy hops blends some nice refreshing fruit notes to the finish.

GLASS: Tulip. FOOD MATCH: Fettucine Carbonara. WEBSITE: www.mildurabrewery.com.au.

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the fridge


Editor’s Choice Top 10 for Autumn

beer buyers guide3 John KEpplEr’s IrIsh CIdEr 4.5% ABV

568ml Spritely, medium gold in colour, with high

carbonation. Keppler’s offers little on the aroma, with a hint of honey present. The palate is soft, with good balance and a gentle mouth feel. Medium dry on the finish with a subtle lingering apple note.

A soft, very sessionable cider which loses some of its flavour character when served on ice, best served cool without.

GlAss: Tulip. Food mAtCh: Bratwurst sausages.. WEBsItE: www.keplersirishcider.com

7 JAChmAnn pInK lAdy smAll BAtCh CIdEr 5.0% ABV 500ml

A traditional wine maker’s cider from a James Halliday 4 star winery in the McLaren Vale, South Australia. Jachmann is champagne in colour, with a lovely pinkish hue and light carbonation. Aromatically the cider offers a clean appley tone with a hint of white peach. Uncomplicated, and beautifully dry, the cider shows a little of the fruit character, and a lot of the technical quality. Easy drinking and well matched to style.

GlAss: Tulip. Food mAtCh: Pork Loin Chops. WEBsItE: www.haselgrove.com.au

5 lIttlE BrEWInG WICKEd ElF KolsCh 4.9% ABV 330ml Brewed in the picturesque town of Port

Macquarie, approximately four hours north of Sydney, Wicked Elf iconography can be likened to many a symbolic, all natural, Belgian Ale. Light gold in colour with a thick, foamy head, Wicked Elf Kolsch has the sweet malty, lemony nose of a Summer Ale. Pleasingly, this sample has all the refreshment of the style as well some light vinous notes. GlAss: Tulip.

Food mAtCh: Prawns and Lightly seared Scallops.

WEBsItE: www.thelittlebrewingcompany.com.au

9 BrIdGEport hop CzAr 7.5% ABV 330ml Bridgeport brewery (est.1984) is often

purported to be the brewery that first launched craft beer in America with its American Pale Ale. Located in Portland, Oregon, Bridgeport Brewery’s Hop Czar is every bit of a king of hops beer. Brown gold in colour, with a thick lacy head, it has a big hoppy aroma, rich in mineral content and some oily, kerosene like quality. The palate offers rich layering, with four hops and a rich malt bill to carry. The beer holds its alcohol well, showcases the hops brilliantly and delivers a nice dry, complex finish. GlAss: Tulip/Goblet. Food mAtCh: Beef Madras. WEBsItE: www.trumer-australia.com

4 nAIl AlE 4.7% ABV 330ml Nail brewery is renowned as one of

Australia’s premier breweries for award winning Stouts, which often overshadow the well brewed Nail Ale. Darker in colour for the style, Nail Australian Pale Ale pours deep gold and has a strong white head. A rich malty nose, with a hint of good honey offers a full taste profile. While the malt layering is the lead character, some minerally hop notes remain on the finish, balancing the richness well and leaving some residual spiciness. GlAss: Tulip.

Food mAtCh: Honey Prawns. WEBsItE: www.nailbrewing.com.au

8 BAtloW Cloudy CIdEr 4.2% ABV 330ml Batlow cider hails from the town of the

same name in the traditional fruit growing area of Southern, New South Wales. A co-operative, value added product symbolic of the areas history and resolve. Cloudy lemon in appearance, with a strong, snow white head, Batlow cloudy offers a pleasant sweet sulphur on the aroma balanced with a strong culinary apple smell. The flavour is strong in apple, with some appealing, light bruised effect and a hint of parched oak like character on the finish. Dry and desirable with good apple expression.

GlAss: Tulip. Food mAtCh: Roastpork. WEBsItE: www.batlowcider.com.au

6 trAdItIonAl sCottIsh WIllIAm WAllACE AlE 4.5% ABV 330ml

Famous for brewing Scottish real ales, cask conditioned ales, coffee beer and whiskey ales, Traditional Scottish is based in Stirling, Scotland. While this beer offers full rich character, a proud head and the colour of a red beard, one could be forgiven for expecting a higher alcohol content. Rich and malty, with good caramel and bread notes, it finishes well with a brown sugary sweetness and some cereal graininess. GlAss: Tulip. Food mAtCh: Braised lamb shanks.

WEBsItE: www.traditionalscottishales.com

10 CAstlE GlEn BrEWEry GrAnItE AlE 5.8% ABV 500ml

Castle Glen Brewery is in Thulimbah QLD, in the Granite Belt region. Granite Ale is amber in colour, dusky in appearance and has a tan head. A new world Belgian style beer, it has a sour plum aroma with depth of flavour resembling prune and raisin, with a hint of cinnamon. Light malt layering brings great balance and sweetness to the sour lactic character. Dry on the finish and light subtlety of flavours highlights the beer as an easy drinking, entry level sour. GlAss: Goblet. Food mAtCh: Selection of cured meats. WEBsItE: www.castleglenaustralia.com.au

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Buyer’s Guide

the fridge

AUD$24.99 / NZD$26.99

Availiable from Dan Murphy’s, leading bookstores, newsagents, liquor

stores, homebrew shops and www.beerbuyersguide.com.au

BB_BooksStrip_Issue28.indd 1 31/03/2014 7:38 pm

New releases

wHaT’s HOT OFF THe DOCKsTillwaTer arTisaNal ales (Usa)

Cellar DOOr 6.6% ABV 24 x 355ml Style: Belgian White AleexisTeNT 7.4% ABV 24 x 355ml Style: Belgian Dark Ale a saisON DarKly 8.0% ABV 12 x 375ml Style: Spiced Dark SaisonFOlKlOre 8.4% ABV 12 x 750ml Style: Foreign StoutAvailability: TBCContact: www.northdown.com.au

amagerBrygHUs (DeNmarK)NO riCe & CUrry 5.0% ABV 12 x 500ml Style: India Pale Lager

HrPaPsO iN BlaCK 5.5% ABV 12 x 500ml Style: Black IPAKaaaD 6.0% ABV 12 x 500ml Style: IPACaNaDiaN wiNTer 6.5% ABV 12 x 500ml Style: Spiced Strong AlesmOKiNg sCOTsmaN 10.2% ABV 12 x 500ml Style: Scotch AleDOUBle BlaCK masH 12.0% ABV 12 x 500ml Style: Imperial StoutContact: www.northdown.com.au

evil TwiN BrewiNg (DeNmarK)HiPsTer ale (Cans) – ameriCaN Pale ale 5.5% ABV 355ml Can Style: American Pale AleJUsTiN BlaBer – BerliNer weisse4.5% 660mL Style: Berliner Weisse

lOw liFe PilsNer 5.5% ABV 355mL Style: PilsnerFemme FaTale yUzU BreTT iPa 6.0% ABV 650mL Style: Brett IPAJOey PePPer BelgiaN BlONDe 7.0% ABV 650mL Style: Belgian Blonde Ale eveN mOre JesUs – imPerial sTOUT 12.0% ABV 660mL Style: Imperial Stout lil ‘B imPerial POrTer 11.5% ABV 355mL Style: Imperial PorterRRP: POA Availabilty: TBCContact: www.northdown.com.au

eCUssON (FraNCe)BrUT Dry CiDre 5% ABV 750ml & 330ml Style: CiderRRP: $11.95 / 750mL - $4 / 330mLDOUx sweeT CiDre 2.5% ABV 750ml & 330ml Style: CiderRRP: $11.95 / 750mL - $4 / 330mLContact: www.baw.com.au

aUsTraliaGage Roads Brewing Co (WA) Rapid Fire IPA 6.3% ABV 640mLStyle: American IPARRP: $9Availability: NationalContact: www.gageroads.com.au

Beard & Brau (QLD) Indian Mastiff Ale 8% ABV 500mL & KegStyle: IPARRP: TBAAvailability: Limited QLD, VIC & SAContact: www.beardandbrau.com.au

The Mansfield Brewing Co (VIC) Pale Ale 4.9% ABV 330mLStyle: Pale AleRRP: TBCAvailability: LimitedContact: www.mansfieldbrewery.com.au

3 Ravens Brewing Company (VIC)3 Ravens Golden 4.5% ABV 330mLStyle: AltbierRRP: $20 per six pack3 Ravens English 4.5% ABV 330mLStyle: Extra Special Bitter RRP: $20 per six pack3 Ravens White 4.5% ABV 330mLStyle: Witbier RRP: $20 per six packRRP: $22 per six packAvailability: Dan Murphys NationallyContact: www.3ravens.com.au

Mash Brewing (WA) Illustrated Ales SeriesChallenger 5.8% 330mL

Style: English IPA RRP: $16 per 4 pack

Russel 4.5%ABV 330mLStyle: American Amber Ale RRP $14.5 per 4 packAvailability: Dan Murphys NationallyContact: www.mashbrewing.com.au

Granite Belt (QLD) IRA 5.2% ABV 500mLStyle: Irish Red AleRRP: TBCAvailabilty: TBCContact: www.granitebeltbrewery.com.au

Bridge Road Brewers (VIC)Aurora Borealis 2 14.9% ABV 330mLStyle: Belgian TripelRRP: 1 x 330ml: $15, 6 x330ml $90Availability: Strictly limitedContact: www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

Longboard (NSW) Pale Ale 4.8% ABV 330mLStyle: Australian Pale AleRRP: $4.50 / 330mLAvailability: TBCContact: www.longboardbeer.com

Edge Brewing Project (VIC) Cool Hops 4.6% ABV 330mL, 30L, 50LStyle: Pale LagerRRP: TBCAvailability: TBCContact: www.northdown.com.au

Kaiju(VIC) Metamorphosis IPA 6.7% ABV 500mL, 50LStyle: IPA RRP: TBC

Availability: TBCContact: www.northdown.com.au

Red Duck Microbrewery (VIC)Saison Bee Farmhouse Honey Ale 5.2% ABV 500mLStyle: Honey AleSuper Nova - Single Hop IPA 7.5% ABV 500mLStyle: Pale AlePale Rider American Ale 5.6% ABV 30LStyle: American Pale AleSaison 6.2% ABV 30LStyle: Saison RRP: POAAvailability: TBCContact: www.northdown.com.au

Barossa Valley Brewing (SA)CanisMajoris Imperial IPA 8.8% ABVStyle: Imperial IPABarossa Threesome Hefeweizen with Riesling and Semillon addition 5% ABVStyle: HefeweizenImperial Stout 7% ABVStyle: Sweet StoutRRP: TBCAvailability: Selected South Australian Independent RetailersContact: www.bvbeer.com.au

CiDerThe Hills Cider Company (NSW)

Limited Release Apple and Pomegranate 6% ABV 50LStyle: CiderRRP: $295 +GSTAvailability: LimitedContact: www.thehillscidercompany.com.au

Mansfield Pale Ale.

Beer from the High Country

now sold here.

330ml4.9% alc/vol

approx 1.3 standard drinks

BREWING COMPANY

The

PALE ALE

Mansfield

“...if you can dream it, you can do it” ~ Walt Disney

Stillwater CollabBrew day pencilled in with Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisanal, Baltimore, USA on Friday 23rd May. Definitely going to be an Artisanal brew. A real Artisanal brew. Exciting.

EventsLook out for Red Duck at nifty small festivals and events around Victoria. We support small community festivals that put money back into the community, and larger festivals that put a bit of money back into Red Duck...!

Winter is approaching soon, so the events season is also getting closer to finishing. Hurry up and get out whilst you can:

Sunday 23rd March - Lara FestivalSunday April 6th - Anderson’s Mill FestivalSat + Sun May 3+4 - Grampians Grape Escape

GOOD BEER WEEKSaturday May 17 and 24th we have our ALL IN!GBW mega tastings at Red Duck. As many beers to taste as we can find, a few barrel samplings, some museum beauties, much talk about beer and gourment food from Basilio Artisan bakery.

May 22nd, the Royal Red Duck dinner, our only GBW metro appearance, apart from GABs. We don’t do many, by choice that is. Royal Hotel, Clifton Hill got in first this year.

Places limited: Book tickets at https://www.goodbeerweek.com.au/

GABsWe will be putting on FORSAKEN a 6.1% Red Saison or possibly its a Japanese Brown.. brewed with black rice, red rice, white rice, malts, dark malts, roast wattleseeds and Nori seaweed, then fermented with a special Sake yeast.

And new to the GABs cask bar this year, we will showcase Dereck Hales’ “Secret Squirel” Hazelnut brown ale, which was the Champion brew from last years VicBrew.

Cellar Door Open Red Duck Cellar Door in Ballarat. We usually have about 30+ different beers available, to taste, drink or take away.Open Mon to Friday when we are here brewing and bottling, and open Saturdays 11 to 3. We stay open later if there are Red Duck lovers still here enjoying themselves...Food: BYO or order in, we don’t mind.Sometimes its quiet, sometimes its chaos!we never know if there will be 2, 20 or more... just roll with it!

Autumn2014

Beers ProgressIt has been a busy start to the year, March already...Since Christmas we have released these beers:

Supa Nova IPA, Sour Chips, Ginger Frog, Groak, Saison, Saison Bee, Burton. All in 500ml bottles, and tasting notes on the new website!

Supa Nova and Hop Shark launch on tap Supa Nova will be on tap for the first time ever at the ALEHOUSE Projects HopFest #5, from March 26th. there are only 3 kegs, so get in quick.

Also on tap at HopFest #5 for the first time is our new regular HOP SHARK, a highly hopped American amber ale, that is sooo sessionable. our notes say “with the bite of a Wobbegong, not a Great White, which is the whole point!”

Regular Shake UpFrom 8 to 6, a few mergers and a few shufflings. New thinking and new packaging has encouraged us to change our regular range of ales from 8 to 6. K2 and Overland have become Kolsch. Pale Rider and Hoppy Amber have become Hop Shark.We added 1851 Golden Ale late last year, and Bengal, our much loved Brit styled IPA will be moving to seasonal Limited Release, and thus will come out in 500ml bottles.

All the regulars will stay in 330ml bottles, so you can pick up a six-pack (or a case) of your favourite session ducks.

All our limiteds are now being bottled in 500mls. More to enjoy if you find one, but it does mean that there are less bottles per brew to go around.

New brews brewingComing soon: Bobcat batch#2 (by popular demand)

The Little Braggot - blend of a ”small table beer” and a Chamomile Methgyln.About 7% av, light and enchanting.

Igor, the humpbacked porter - an Imperial Porter with added molasses, dark, muscovado and panela sugars, as well as coffee and chocolate. Brewed using Sticklebract hops. 10% av, batch 1 being bottled soon, batch 2 going into oak for 6 months.

Loch Ness being bottled soon after 6 month aging in Whisky barrels, and the barrels will be filled with Loch Ness Monster for 6 months.

Tiger Mountain - an intensely espresso’d ESB with Tiger Mountain coffee.

Also rumoured to be brewing soon: Saison #3, Sexy Thing #2, Ragnarok #2. And Poco Peco, a Colombian inspired brew with single estate coffee, and a few other ingredients, maybe guava, tamarillo and corn.

Brew day = Open dayDereck Hales, VicBrew returning Champion and mega AleStar, will be brewing at Red Duck on Saturday April 12th. Come along and enjoy a few ales and watch the show!

Tweeting @redduckbeer1 Regular taps now on at The

Mallow, Irish Murphy’s Ballarat and The Avoca Hotel

Etra text for Australia please cut gregor

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Greg Koch (owner Stone Brewing) with Aussie and

Kiwi industry at CBC San Diego 2012.

As the Beer & Brewer team bid David Lipman a very fond farewell, we gave him one last tilt at the fridge at Dan Murphy’s. Here are David’s choices, matched to the experiences he’s had over the years...

DaviD Lipman pubLisher, Beer & Brewer

The fridgeEditor’s Pick

BBQ or Hot Dog BeerI started a hot dog stand in Big White Ski Resort Canada in 2003 called Dave’s Dogs, with the slogan ‘get a dog up ya!’ They had 10 toppings, including onions marinated in honey and garlic (the secret ingredient), ketchup, mayonnaise, banana peppers, relish, bacon bits, cheese, and I think are the best in the world!My pick: James Squire Nine Tails Amber Ale 5% ABV 345mL.

Collaboration BeerI brewed my first beer (800L) for the Beer & Brewer Awards & Conference (BBAC) in 2013, at St Peters Brewery (NSW), with the recipe developed by Birbeck’s Brewing (SA), from reader survey results. Collaboration beers are very popular these days amongst craft brewers.My pick: Sail & Anchor The Bloke Red Ale 6% ABV 640mL.

English BeerMy passion for beer started at The White Horse on Parson’s Green in London, as a cellarman. Looking after Real Ales taught me that so-called “warm beer” is full-flavoured and a real beer experience.My pick: Timothy Taylor’s Landlord Strong Pale Ale 4.1% ABV 500mL.

Celebration BeerThe issue parties where subscribers, readers and industry could bring along friends and drink free all night were a real highlight and great atmosphere, right from our first issue party at Deus ex Machina in Camperdown (Sydney), to Wagga Wagga, Fremantle, Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Christchurch and many more...My pick: Coopers Thomas Cooper’s Selection Celebration Ale 5.2% ABV 355mL.

Oktoberfest BierI went to Oktobefest in Munich in 2001 and don’t remember much, and went again in 2013 and remember everything! I also was very fortunate to visit the Erdinger Brewery, and met the owner Mr Werner Brombach.My pick: Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen 5% ABV 500mL.

Dinner BeerPutting together the Beer & Brewer birthday dinners were a real highlight of my time at B&B, getting all the brewers together and ensuring the guests were treated to exceptional beer and food pairings.My pick: Matilda Bay Brewer’s Briefcase 8 x 330mL.

Books BeerI plan on publishing more books in the coming years, and the Beer Buyers’ Guide has come up really well. On the cover is a chalice of Westmalle Dubbel, my favourite beer in the world, which wasn’t available at Dan’s, so I went for another great Belgian Dubbel Brown Ale…My pick: Chimay Red 7% ABV 330mL.

beers i chose anD why…


Issue 20 party at Thirsty Crow (Wagga Wagga).

Issue 24 Dinner at The Earl of Leicester Hotel (SA).

Oktoberfest Spatan Beer Hall, Munich 2013.

Issue 21 5th bday dinner, East Village Hotel (Balmain).

Winding down after Taste of Melbourne 2013.

Enjoying a quiet beer at the Issue 22 dinner, Brisbane.

Labelling the BBAC Beer at

St Peters Brewery (Sydney).

Issue 1 launch Deus ex Machina (Sydney).

Issue23 dinner Sail and Anchor WA.

Erdinger Brewery Tour 2013.

Mag 1st Bithday cake by planet cake.

Issue10 party Wig & Pen ACT.

Sending beer over to London for IBC 2009.

Whitehorse on Parson’s

Green (London).

Issue 1 launch Deus ex Machina (Sydney).

BB2814_p071_GS_JC v2 Davids captions - GS_JC.indd 71 9/04/2014 5:43:58 PM

THE FRIDGExxxxxxxxxTasting Notes

NEW BEERS – NEW BREWERIESNEW VENUES – LATEST EVENTSLATEST BEER & BREWERY NEWS

CELEBRATING ALL THINGS BEER IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALANDwww.beerandbrewer.com

JOIN OUR MAILING LISTFREE WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER

BB_Issue24_eNews.indd 1 7/02/13 12:40 PM

Prickly Moses otway stout, 5.0% aBV, 300MlOtway estate brewery is in an area famous for high rainfall, rainforest surroundings and beautiful scenery, a natural wonderland. While the brewery is well regarded for a range of beers this Stout stands tall for its excellent coffee expression. Deep dark brown in appearance with good roast malt aroma and some soft coffee notes. Otway Stout offers medium body with some light malt layering. Good roasted malt is accentuated by lovely, complex coffee character and finishes soft with a lingering ice coffee espresso taste. Style: Stout. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Dark Chocolate.Website: www.otwayestate.com.au

rehn Bier XsB, 5.3% aBV, 500MlRehn Bier hails from the nano brewery in the Barossa Valley which prides itself on small localised production and a sales distribution channel of local farmers markets. Rehn XSB is based on the traditional English style and pours dark brown to copper in the glass. Low in carbonation, the beer is murky which can be akin to style. A nutty nose with some stewed fruit character including the scent of sultana and prunes. The palate delivers some good malt layering, medium to rich with the taste of winter, stone fruits and some late dry bitterness on the finish well balanced by rich residual English malt. Style: Extra Special Bitter. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Lamb Casserole.Website: www.rehnbier.com.au

hoPDog Beerworks horns uP rye iPa, 5.8% aBV, 330 Ml Tonnes of citrus and American hops on the nose, beer looks a big murky but we'll let the Rye off for that. A very well balanced highly drinkable body, the rye gives a slightly dry and acidic balance to the plenty of sugar left after fermentation, there's a spicy palate too that's not just the hops. Highly interesting.Style: Rye IPA. Glass: Schooner. Food Match: Spiced roast pork belly and roast vegetables.Website: www.hopdog.com.au

2 x Bonus cartons of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $130.00 for 3 year renewalsBonus carton of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $65.00 for 2 year renewals8 x Bottles of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $56.00 for 1 year renewals

Australian rates: 3 years $79.99 | 2 years $54.99 | 1 year $29.99

RENEW & RECEIVE 2 X BONUS CARTONS OF CRABBIE’S NEW FLAVOUR. $130.00 VALUESee page 7 in Homebrewer for details. Australian residents (excl NT) only. Tel: 1800 651 422 | www.beerandbrewer.com | Offer ends June 24, 2014.

MuDgee Brewing co, sMokey reD, 5.1% aBV, 640MlBrewed in the style of German Rauchbier, to impart a smoke flavour by using malted barley that has been dried over an open flame. Smokey Red uses Amarillo hops to provide the hoppiness of an IPA with smoky finish often associated with a fine whiskey. It presents a firm beige foam that leaves behind an appealing lace. An almost peaty aroma and a slightly dry, ashen finish are distinctly characteristic. A firm bitterness is lingers in the palate and blends well with the smoky notes. Style: German Rauchbier. Glass: Tulip. Food match: An array of fine cheeses, dried fruit and nuts. Website: www.mudgeebrewing.com.au

gage roaDs Brewing co, PuMPkin ale, 5% aBV, 640MlFrom the west coast's Gage Roads Brewing Co, limited edition Pumpkin Ale displays all that would be expected from a pumpkin brewed beer. Using real pumpkin along with a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger (traditional to this style of beer), this ale delivers a sweet, roasted pumpkin character that is full, malty and a little spicy. The nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger are very subtle yet complement and balance the sweetness from the pumpkin. An interesting seasonal brew that is rich and mouth filling. Style: American Pumpkin Ale. Glass: Pint. Food match: Pumpkin pie.Website: www.gageroads.com.au

BriDge roaD Brewers single hoP galaXy iPa, 4.8%aBV, 330MlBridge Road brewery is based in Beechworth in NW Victoria, recognised as part of the rebellious country of the infamous Ned Kelly, well depicted by the stamped lids on the bottles and the labels on the beer. Single Hop Galaxy showcases the Australian Galaxy hop variety synonymous with its fruity character. A highly carbonated brew, pouring a cloudy, light amber in the glass. An aroma of tropical fruit with some good fresh grassy notes is present. The palate offers rich malt well balanced with heavy fruity, grassy character and has a low bitter finish. Style: India Pale. Ale. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Chicken satay. Website: www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

AustralianBeer >>

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the fridgeTasting Notes

Tooborac HoTel & brewery blacksmiTH's PorTer, 5.5% abV, 330mlSituated in Victoria's mid west, the Tooborac Hotel is a great country hotel and brewery positioned between Heathcote and Seymour, just south of Bendigo. Blacksmith's Porter captures the heritage of its name and aptly describes this modern day dark craft. Deep brown to black in appearance with a thick tan head. A sweetish malt, soft chocolate nose lends itself to a well balanced, light malt layered beer with some soft chocolate notes and a light dry smoky finish. Style: Porter. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Smoked Kransky.Website: www.tooborachotel.com.au

NEW BEERS – NEW BREWERIESNEW VENUES – LATEST EVENTSLATEST BEER & BREWERY NEWS

CELEBRATING ALL THINGS BEER IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALANDwww.beerandbrewer.com

JOIN OUR MAILING LISTFREE WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER

BB_Issue24_eNews.indd 1 7/02/13 12:40 PM

redoak biTTer, 3.5% abV, 330mlRedoak is Australia's most awarded brewery, and is well represented by the Redoak restaurant in Sydney. Having won extensive and various awards, David Hollyoak must have been quite chuffed to win World's Best Bitter, in 2009, with his Australian made example of the traditional English style. Bronze in colour with a firm white head the beer has appeal on the eye. Caramel and light, malty biscuit notes are evident on the aroma. Rich layered malt in excellent balance showcases the skill of the brewer. Soft on the finish with some nice residual, sweet, biscuity, bready malt character. Style: English Bitter. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Bangers and Mash.Website: www.redoak.com.au

sail & ancHor THe bloke, 6.0% abV, 640mlInspired by the Sail and Anchor hotel in the 80s, the nephew of Karl Strauss (America's godfather of beer) opened his own in San Diego, called the Karl Strauss brewery. This is a collaborative brew named in honour of the Bloke, Karl Strauss. Rich red in colour, with medium level carbonation, The Bloke offers little on aroma, just a hint of caramelised malt. Drinkability is high, with simple malt layering on the palate. A good entry level ale, well balanced and uncomplicated for style. A soft finish with some residual malt lingering. Style: Red Ale. Glass: Tulip.Food Match: Irish Stew.Website: www.facebook.com/sailandanchor

2 x Bonus cartons of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $130.00 for 3 year renewalsBonus carton of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $65.00 for 2 year renewals8 x Bottles of Crabbie’s New Flavours, RRP $56.00 for 1 year renewals

Australian rates: 3 years $79.99 | 2 years $54.99 | 1 year $29.99

See page 7 in Homebrewer for details. Australian residents (excl NT) only. Tel: 1800 651 422 | www.beerandbrewer.com | Offer ends May 25, 2014.

RENEW & RECEIVE 2 X BONUS CARTONS OF CRABBIE’S NEW FLAVOUR. $130.00 VALUE

AustralianBeer >>

birbeck's THe mercHanT, 7.2% abV, 330mlBrewed in South Australia, as a brewer's expression of beers relating to the era of merchant sailors, The Merchant is described as a colonial Pale Ale on the label. Cloudy, dull, pale gold in appearance, Birbeck's has a strong white head. Alcohol toffee notes are evident as are spicy herbal tips, a hint of sweet floral aroma and light yeast character. Well integrated, the beer holds its alcohol well and has good expressions of spicy, herbaceous hop character and is well supported with a strong pale malt bill. Warm and minerally on the finish with good grassiness. Style: India Pale Ale (Imperial). Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Lamb Satay.Website: www.birbeck's.com.au

endeaVour Grower's briGHT ale VinTaGe beer, 4.2% abV, 330mlEndeavour brewery is based in Canyonleigh, NSW and prides itself on producing annual vintages, as expressions of the best ingredients of the season, accepting that variation occurs from one agricultural cycle to the next. Bright and spritely in colour, with good carbonation and a finely laced head. Grower's has a very fresh, clean, slightly grainy nose. The palate is sweet and light, offering a lovely expression of pale malt and some subtle sweet grainy notes. The finish is clean and expresses the soft malt exceptionally well. Style: Bright Ale. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Lemon Pepper Squid. Website: www.endeavourbeer.com

monTeiTH's double HoPPed iPa, 7.5% abV, 500mlWhen a beer pours as this does, it's an invitation that can't be knocked back. The anticipation that this is going to pack a punch is met with a hint of hesitation if you're not an avid IPA drinker accustomed to these levels of hopping and bitterness. Bold may be understatement, but it is definitely beautiful. The dry hopping is elegantly balanced by the firm malt flavour and sweet mid palate that is held together by the warmth offered from a 7.5% alcohol beer. It rolls off the tongue, leaving a clean firm bitterness without being overly sharp or harsh. Glass: Stemmed Glass. Style: IPA Food match: Dry aged Prime Rib Eye, Grain. Website: www.monteiths.co.nz

New ZealandBeer >>

BB2814_p072-075 v3-GS_JC.indd 73 8/04/2014 7:22:54 PM

Tasting Notes

the fridge

AvAilAble on iTunes (iPhone And iPAd) And GooGle PlAy (Android).search for beer & brewer in the App store.

6 months subscription (2 issues) Aud$8.49


back issues (4 issues) Aud$11.49

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MissinG bACK issues?Make your collection of beer & brewer magazine a complete set today! (back issues $7.95 each)Tel: 1800 651 422 | www.beerandbrewer.com

BB_Issue28_BackIssue.indd 1 9/03/2014 8:27 pm

Ballast Point Big EyE india PalE alE, 7%aBV, 355mlThis American craft beer smacks of hops. American Columbus and Centennial varieties give the beer it's big earthy aroma, complemented by the scent of bready, toasty, oily tones. Deep gold in colour with good clarity and a strong white head. The palate is very rich with good malt layering and resinous residual hop character making the beer complex and compelling. Slightly short on the finish for such a big hopped beer, with some nice late warmth and oily malt sweetness in the after taste. If you love big hopped beers, this example exemplifies big hops well balanced. Style: American India Pale Ale. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Mixed. Grill. Distributor: www.pinnacleliquor.com

amBarnEgra, 4.8% aBV, 330mlBrewed by La Zaragoza brewery in Spain, AmbarNegra is a popular Dark Lager which has been a style brewed since 1901. Deep brown in colour with a tinge of bronze and a strong tan head. AmbarNegra offers little in aroma with a slight hint of toasted malt and fruit hop evident. Easy drinking with some sweet caramalt and crystal malty character. Slightly toasty with a pleasant, sweet brown bready finish.Style: Dark LagerGlass: PilsnerFood Match: Spicy marinaded chicken wingsWebsite: www.cervezasambar.comDistributor: www.broadwayliquor.com.au

Fruli strawBErry BEEr, 4.1% aBV, 330mlBrewed in Ghent, this traditional Belgian Beer is 70% wheat, and well balanced with fruit. A strong white head and a beautiful strawberry blush complexion make this beer almost too attractive to drink. A strawberry nose is evident and is well integrated with the malt aroma. Dry on the finish with some residual sweetness the beer is true to style and well balanced. Style: Fruit Beer. Glass: Flute. Food Match: Fruit tart.Website: www.fruli.be/#/australasiaDistributor: www.wbaustralia.com.au

mission BrEwEry amBEr alE, 5.4% aBV, 330ml Actually a Dusseldorf style Alt which wouldn't be considered a common style in Australia unless we opened the style wide and admitted Tooheys Old - your call. There's sweet caramel malt with a smokey toffee aroma and palate and not a huge hop character to detract – imagine a cold pommy bonfire night with sticky parkin, cinder toffee and very muted fireworks. An analogy that will mean nothing to 20 million Australians – good memories though.Style: Dusseldorf Alt. Glass: Half pint. Food Match: Venison sausages in a sourdough roll. Distributor: www.bravogroup.com.au

riVErwEst stEin BEEr, 330ml, 6% aBVThe label rather leads one to believe this is a beer made the dangerous way with red-hot rocks being thrown in the kettle. Not so. It's an Amber Lager made to be drunk from a stein. There is however a perfumed sugary nose, caramelly marshmallow palate and more than a suggestion of burnt sugar but we may have to admit this may be the remnants of auto-suggestion. A fine bead and plenty fizz leads one to assume bottle carbonation however it's not particularly clean or aromatic, with a slightly woody back palate. Style: Amber Lager. Glass: Pilsner Glass. Food Match: Pork in Hoisin sauce. Distributor: www.bravogroup.com.au

rEd HorsE BEEr 7.0%aBV, 330mlBrewed as a sponsorship beer for Muziklaban, band competition since 1999. Red Horse is a strong lager brewed in the Philippines by the powerhouse brewer San Miguel. A fashionable, bright gold in colour with a low foam. Sweet malt, honey and alcohol rise from the beer giving way to a clean, easy drinking palate. The beer has sweet malt, hiding the higher alcohol well and finishes with a residual stickiness and some pleasant palate warmth.Style: LagerGlass: TulipFood Match: Honey PrawnsWebsite: www.sanmiguelbeerinternational.com

Imports >>

BB2814_p072-075 v6.indd 74 10/04/2014 7:15:37 PM

Tasting Notes

the fridge

AvAilAble on iTunes (iPhone And iPAd) And GooGle PlAy (Android).search for beer & brewer in the App store.



back issues (4 issues) Aud$11.49

BB_Issue24_BBAp.indd 1 8/02/13 7:18 PM

MissinG bACK issues?Make your collection of beer & brewer magazine a complete set today! (back issues $7.95 each)Tel: 1800 651 422 | www.beerandbrewer.com

BB_Issue28_BackIssue.indd 1 9/03/2014 8:27 pm

Mike's Hard LeMonade, 5.0% aBV, 330MLEstablished in 1999 in Canada, Mike's Hard Lemonade has been a phenomenal success. Malt beverage base, flavoured with lemon, Mike's pours cloudy in the glass with medium carbonation. Good citric notes and fresh lemon aroma. Bitter lemon on the palate with a fresh and flavoured lemon combination finishing slightly tart with some residual to balance. Style: Lemon Malt Beverage Glass: Tulip Food Match: Polenta ChickenWebsite: www.mikeshard.com

nortH Coast Brewing red seaL aLe, 5.5% aBV, 355MLBrewed by North Coast Brewing Company, in Fort Bragg, California, Red Seal Ale is an American Red Ale, with lovely copper - red colouring and a full head. Caramel, US hops and some light grainy notes reach the nose. Enticing on the palate, with malt layering well balanced aside resinous hop oils adding intrigue and interest. The malt and hop character integration is excellent and makes for a complex Red Ale, with a warm, earthy, bread like, rich finish. Style: Red Ale. Glass: Tulip. Food Match: Spicy Chicken Wings.Website: www.northcoastbrewing.comDistributor: www.palaisimports.com.au

keLLy BrotHers sparkLing Cider, 7.0% aBV, 330MLKelly Brothers cider is made in Wonga Park, Victoria, nestled in the Yarra Valley, an area more synonymous with wine than cider. A lovely, technical cider made on site utilising a rack and cloth press and fresh local fruit. Opaque in the glass, with a light spritz and shallow white head. Light apple aroma offsets the estery alcohol nose. Very, subtle in expression, with drops of apple well integrated into this dry, clean finishing cider.Style: Sparkling Apple CiderGlass: TulipFood Match: Pork BellyWebsite:www.kellybrothers.com.au

kirin Fuji appLe & ginger Cider, 4.0% aBV, 500MLProduced in Australia under licence for Kirin Brewery, Japan, by Lion Australia. With distinctively Japanese cues, the anticipation of oriental characteristics don't disappoint upon opening a bottle. On pouring into the glass, a clean, vibrant and golden colour is immediately evident. A large bubbled foam slowly dissipates allowing the clean, fresh aroma of ginger to gently waft up. Unmistakable apple notes complement the ginger and neither flavour dominates in aroma or taste, blending harmoniously to deliver a clean, refreshing finish. Style: Flavoured Cider. Glass: Fine glass tumbler. Food match: range of sashimi or sushi. Website: http://www.kirincider.com.au/

CHeeky rasCaL appLe, 7.5% aLC/VoL, 330MLRebello Wines on the Mornington Peninsula, are proud of their strong heritage in fruit and agriculture. With a passion for freshness, Cheeky Rascal Apple is a clean, crisp cider. Using the best in-season green apples, it opens up with well ripened apple aroma. A hint of green apple acidity is followed by a definite firm dryness and tart finish. It presents with a bright pale, almost translucent golden hue and sparkling beads of bubbles. Slightly astringent notes provide a linger finish on the palate. Style: Apple Cider. Glass: Tulip. Food match: Pulled pork burger with sweet apple chutney. Website: http://rebellowines.com.au/cheeky_rascal_cider

rekorderLig appLe guaVa Cider, 4.0% aBV, 500MLWith four generations of cider brewing, Swedish Rekorderlig is well positioned to offer a range of enticing ciders. The flavour of the cider certainly delivers on expectation. If you have enjoyed the exotic nature of a guava, you'll recognise the aroma as soon as the cap is removed. As the cider is poured a delicate stream of bubbles fill the glass and create a quick foaming froth. The colour is reminiscent of a ripe guava freshly sliced open to expose its distinctive pink flesh. Sweet in aroma and taste, it tingles the palate and finishes quickly. Style: Fruit cider. Glass: Flute. Food match: Tropical fruit salad or even a pork terrine. Website: www.ccamatil.com.au

Cider >>

BB2814_p072-075 v6.indd 75 10/04/2014 7:16:12 PM

$17.99 Per 6-PackAvailability: National.Contact: www.coopers.com.au

$64.99 Per CartonAvailability: Nationally Dan Murphy’s and BWS. Contact: www.facebook.com/CrabbiesAustralia

$14.99 Per 4-PackAvailability: Available in draught only in outlets Nationally Contact: www.matildabay.com.au

$16.99 Per 4-PackAvailability: National.Contact: www.moabeer.com

$19.99 Per 6-PackAvailability: Good independents and on premise from late April early May Contact: www.bidbeer.com

BEER & BREWER PROMOTION

RECOMMENDEDTHIS ISSUE…FOR THE BEER LOVER, HOMEBREWER OR READER THAT IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW TO TRY, HERE ARE SOME NEW RELEASES, NEW PRODUCTS AND ADVERTISED PRODUCTS THAT BEER & BREWER RECOMMENDS FOR YOU TO EXPERIENCE …

AMBER ALE PILSNER GINGER BEER

LAGER

NEW PRODUCT IPA

$13.50 1.5kg CanisterAvailability: National.Contact: Bintani Australia, Tel: + 61 (0)3 9580 3566, www.bintani.com.au

HOMEBREWBriess CBW Liquid Malt ExtractAvailable in liquid or dried form, Briess CBW brewer’s grade pure malt extracts are exceptionally full flavoured and consistent. The high levels of fermentability and FAN are achieved through a multiple step infusion brewing process in the state-of-the-art 500-barrel Briess brewhouse. For recipes and more information visit www.brewingwithbriess.com or talk to your favourite home brew shop.

Abita Amber 4.5% ABV 355mLAmber is a Munich style lager brewed with pale and caramel malts and German Perle hops. It has a smooth, malty, slightly caramel flavour and a rich amber colour. Abita Amber was the first beer offered by the brewery and continues to be our leading seller. Amber is Abita’s most versatile beer for pairing with food. It has been voted “best beer” in numerous New Orleans reader polls and is used frequently in recipes of great Louisiana chefs.

Coopers Artisan Reserve Pilsner 5.5% ABV 355mLAn unpasteurised lager with the freshest taste possible. Being an authentic Pilsner, two of the four hop varieties used are Hallertau Tradition and Hallertau Hersbrucker from Bavaria, whilst the other two remain a secret. Appetisingly soft and creamy head, initial taste of freshly cut citrus, lime and orange peel, followed by the crisp, clean palate with balanced malt character.

Budejovickj Budvar 5% ABV 330mLThis Czech premium lager is an honoured guest all over the world! Honoured especially due to its unchanging permanent high quality. This is achieved by the Brewery consistently observing traditional brewing procedures proven over centuries and by carefully selecting only the best quality ingredients.

Little Ripper Sparkling Lager, 4.7% ABV DraughtInspired by the Vienna Pale style this beer delivers exceptional balance and crispness. The malt driven sweetness is well balanced by the late hopping process used in late fermentation. The Pacifica hop used, produces a light hoppy

aroma and tropical fruit esters. We think it’s a Little Ripper, particularly for the Aussie Summer.

Crabbie’s Strawberry & Lime Alcoholic Ginger Beer 4% ABV 500mLClear, sparkling pink liquid. Sweet and refreshing, clean strawberry notes are backed up by a warming but not too spicy ginger finish with a hint of lime.

Moa Methode 5.0% ABV 330mLMoa Methode is a natural Pilsner style lager brewed using Champagne yeast. A late throw of Pacifica and Motueka hops creates herbaceous and tropical aromas with a high bitterness, balanced by a relatively full mouth-feel. Finishing with a dry and malty spiciness, this is a great beer to pair up with seafood or chicken dishes.

Holsten 0.0% ABV 330mLHolsten 0.0%. Refreshing pilsner flavour with an alcohol content of 0.0%. Fully imported and brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516 (www.holstenzero.com/about/the-reinheitsgebot). Brewed using traditional Pilsner brewing methods, Holsten 0.0% is bottom fermented and generously hopped for full flavour. Bright gold in colour, with a lingering lacy white head, characteristic hop driven bitterness and a refreshingly clean finish typical of Premium Pilsner beers.

$9.99 6-PackAvailability: Woolworths. Store locator and buy online at www.holstenzero.comContact: 1300 046 578

ALCOHOL FREEMountain Goat India Pale Ale6.2% ABV 330mLThis is a hop-driven, malty ale with strong bitterness and spicy fruit aromas thanks to a good dose of Citra and Galaxy hops. It’s a tough nut, but loveable all the same. 65 IBU.

Gage Roads Rapid Fire IPA 6.3% ABV 640mLBrewed in collaboration with WA amateur brewing wunderkind Jeremy Sambrooks,Rapid Fire is a recreation of his winning beer from the 2013 Fremantle Beer Fest Homebrew Challenge. This is a liquid tribute to US hops: Amarillo, Centennial, Columbus, & Simcoe in almost twice the volume of any beer we’ve brewed before. All the hallmarks are here: big citrus, floral, and fruity aroma, piny resin character, and arresting bitterness that the quintessential US IPA is famous for.

DME CraftBrew SystemsDME CraftBrew Systems are designed to meet theperformance, flexibility and budgetary requirements of the most passionate brewer. Available in 5, 7 and 10bbl size, this line is built on the foundation of DME’s quality and proven brewhouse efficiencies, while offering you a hands on and straightforward approach to making great beer.

$5 Per Bottle, $17 4-PackAvailability: National.Contact: www.goatbeer.com.au

$9 Per BottleAvailability: Early May, BWS, Dan Murphy’s, selected independents, tapsContact www.gageroads.com.au

Contact: [email protected] | www.dmebrewing.ca

WITBIER Blue Moon 5.4% ABV 355mLThe flavour starts crisp and ends with a coriander and orange spiciness. The Valencia orange peel gives a subtle sweetness to the beer.

$19.00 Per 6-Pack Availability: National.Contact: CCA – 1800 11 BEER (2337)

$14.95 Per 6-PackAvailability: National.Contact: www.baw.com.au or Tel: (03) 8791 1400

INTERNATIONAL BEER SHOP 69 McCourt Street West Leederville | WA | 6007 T: (08) 9381 1202 E: [email protected] W: www.internationalbeershop.com.au

The International Beer Shop is Australia’s premier beer store, ranging

over 900 quality beers and ciders.

10% OFFPRESENT THIS VOUCHER FOR 10% OFF

ANY MIXED 4 OR MORE BEERS OR CIDERS. Valid until 30/06/14.

Voted

Best Beer Shop

in Australia

by Ratebeer.com

2012

BB_Issue28_Bottlos_IBS.indd 1 6/04/2014 5:39 pm

- Over 1000 Craft beers

- 4 Tap Growler Filling

Station

- Over 600 Boutique

Spirits

- Specialty Local &

Imported Wines

www.maneliquor.com - 08 94783676

237 Great Eastern Hwy, Ascot WA

FINALIST FINALIST FINALIST

Beer SpecialistsOver 800 Beers, Open 7 Days

169-171 The Mall, LeuraTel: (02) 4784 1122 • Fax: (02) 4784 1981

[email protected] • www.leuracellars.com.auwww.facebook.com/LeuraCellars • @leuracellars twitter

Trading hours 10am to 8pm • 7 days a week

More than 250 beersfrom over 30 countries.

Every Dan Murphy’s store sells over 250 beers from at least 120 brands. These range from local favourites to exceptional Craft and premium International beers. And just like our wines and spirits, every beer in every store is backed by our Lowest Liquor Price Guarantee.

*Conditions apply, visit www.danmurphys.com.au for details.

Dans_Issue28_1-4.indd 1 6/04/2014 5:44 pm

BOTTLO’S TO TRUST Beer & Brewer promotion

BB_Issue28_Bottlos.indd 80 7/04/2014 8:53 am

Murray’s Craft Brewery3443 Nelson Bay RoadBobs Farm NSW 2316Tel: (02) 4982 6411Open: 7 Days 10am - 6pmwww.murraysbrewingco.com.au

Paddy’s Breweryat the Markets Hotel,268 Parramatta Road,Flemington NSW.Tel: (02) 9764 3500www.paddysbrewery.com

Redoak Boutique Beer Café201 Clarence St, Sydney NSW 2000Tel: (02) 9262 [email protected] Mon – Sat 11am til late (lunch & dinner)

St Peters Brewery15 May St, St Peters NSW 2044Tel: (02) 9519 0191Beer: Green Star Lager, Blonde, Killagh Stout and Cinnamon Girlwww.stpetersbrewerysydney.com.au

The Little Brewing CompanyUnit 1, 58 Uralla RoadPort Macquarie NSW 2444Tel: (02) 6581 3949info@thelittlebrewingcompany.com.auwww.thelittlebrewingcompany.com.au

Cowaramup Brewing Co.North Treeton Road, Cowaramup WA 6284Tel: (08) 9755 5822www.cowaramupbrewing.com.auTours available by appointment Open 7 days a week 10am – 6pm

Elmar’s in the Valley8731 West Swan RoadHenley Brook WA 6055Tel: (08) 9296 [email protected] – Sun 10am - 10pm

The Monk Brewery & Kitchen33 South TerraceFremantleTel: (08) 9336 [email protected] every day 11:30am ‘til late

Billabong Brewing Co.72a McCoy St, Myaree WA 6154Tel: (08) 9317 [email protected]

Bootleg BreweryPuzey Road, WilyabrupMargaret River WA 6285Tel: (08) 9755 [email protected]

Colonial Brewing CompanyOsmington Road, Margaret River WATel: (08) 9758 [email protected]

AUSTRALIA & NZ BREWING DIRECTORY

NSW WA

Booking dates: 01/01/2013 - 31/5/2013 Travel Dates: 01/04/2013 - 31/3/2014. Please note this price is twin share and subject to availability. Lunch includes two meals from the lunch menu. Shared Tasting handle 1 per room per stay.

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1. Information on “how to enter” forms part of the terms and conditions of entry. Entry into these competitions deems acceptance of these conditions of entry.2. Entry is open to all residents of Australia, excluding residents of the NT, aged 18 years or over. Entrants to the subscription offer must subscribe to Beer & Brewer for aminimum period of 2 years; 8 issues. Employees of the Promoter, their immediate families and agencies are not eligible to enter.3. The promotion commences 12:01am on 25/03/14 and close at 11:59pm on 24/06/14 (“Promotional Period”). No two promotional periods can run at the same time.4. Entry to this promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.5. Subscription Promotion Offers. There are three (3) flavours of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer to choose from (choice of either flavour as shown on the redemption voucher provided), being CRABBIE’S STRAWBERRY & LIME ALCOHOLIC GINGER BEER 12 x 500mL carton RRP $64.99, CRABBIE’S RASPBERRY ALCOHOLIC GINGER BEER 12 x 500mL carton RRP $64.99, OR CRABBIE’S LEMON 24 x 330mL carton RRP $79.99. 3 year (12 issues) renewals receive 2 x cartons of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer. 2. New 3 year (12 issues) subscriptions receive a carton of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer. 2 year (8 issues) renewals receive a carton of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer. New 2 year (8 issues) subscriptions receive 8 x bottles of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer. 1 Year (4 Issues) renewals receive 8 x bottles of Crabbie’s Ginger Beer. Offer available only while stocks last. Qualifying subscribers will be sent a voucher one month post the issue finishing on sale, for redemption at any Dan Murphy’s store. There are no Dan Murphy’s stores

in Tasmania, therefore BWS redemption voucher(s) will be sent for Tasmanian residents to redeem the voucher(s). Redemption vouchers must be redeemed three months from when they are due to be sent.6. All prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash. The Promoter is neither responsible nor liable for late, lost or misdirected entries. If you have any queries you can email us at [email protected] or call 1800 651 422.7. The winners will be notified by mail, phone or email using the details stipulated in the subscription or Letter to the Editor promotions. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for late, lost or misdirected mail or for any prizes damaged in transit.8. The Promoter is neither responsible nor liable for any change in the value of the prizes occurring during the Promotional Period. Prize values mentioned are the recommended retail value, as provided by the supplier, and are correct as at time of print for this issue.9. The Promoter reserves the right to request the winners to provide proof of identity, age and proof of residency in Australia. Identification considered suitable for verification is at the discretion of the Promoter.10. A box has been provided on the subscription page for the entrant to check should they wish to not receive other emails/postal mail which inform the entrant of the Promoter’s other publications, products, services and events and to promote third party goods and services of perceived interest to the entrant.11. The Promoter is The Intermedia Group ABN 94 002 583 682, Tel: 1800 651 422, 41 Bridge Road (PO Box 55), Glebe NSW 2037 Australia. www.beerandbrewer.com.

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Holgate BrewhouseBrewery-Restaurant-Accom. 79 High St, Woodend VIC 3442Tel: (03) 5427 2510www.holgatebrewhouse.comOpen: 7 Days from 12noon to late

Mountain Goat Brewery80 North Street, RichmondTel: (03) 9428 1180www.goatbeer.com.auTours: Wed 5-8pm. Open: Fri 5-12am

Southern Bay Brewing Co.80 Point Henry Road,Moolap VIC 3224Call us : (03) 5248 [email protected]

Sweetwater Brewing Company211 Kiewa Valley Hwy, TAWONGA SOUTH VIC 3698Tel: (03) 5754 1881info@sweetwaterbrewing.com.auwww.sweetwaterbrewing.com.auOpen: Fri – Sun 1pm – 6pm

White Rabbit Brewery316 Maroondah HwyHealesville Vic 3777Tel: (03) 9562 6516www.whiterabbitbeer.com.auOpen: Thurs-Mon 12-5pm

Qld

BrewBakeLocated at The Big Pineapple76 Nambour Connection RdWoombye QLD 4559Tel: 0499 993 [email protected]

Burleigh Brewing Company17A Ern Harley DriveBurleigh Heads QLD 4220Brewhouse Bar open every Friday 5.00pm-8.30pm (Live music, free popcorn). First Friday of the Month, Brewhouse Bash (BBQ, live music, free entry). Tour & craft beer appreciation session first Saturday of every month 2pm-4pm.www.burleighbrewing.com.au

Granite Belt Brewery146 Glenlyon DriveStanthorpe Qld 4380Tel: (07) 4681 1370www.granitebeltbrewery.com.auOpen 7 days from 10am

Red Bay Brewery7/77 Shore St WestCleveland Qld [email protected] Tue to Friday 11am –7 pmSat 8am – 4pm

The Sunshine Coast BreweryUnits 4-6, 13 Endeavour Drive, Kunda Park. Qld 4556Tel: (07) 5476 [email protected] door sales available Mon to Fri 10am to 3pmBar open for Lunch: Wed – Sat 12 - 2pm.

NZ

Moa Brewing CompanyJacksons Road, RD3Blenheim, MarlboroughTel: +64 3 572 5146Visitors WelcomeOpen 11am – 5pm or late, 7 dayswww.moabeer.com

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Visit the Brewery and sample fromour big range of 11 ales. Located inthe heart of Beechworth, Victoria.For distribution/enquiriesphone (03) 57 282703

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Australian Brewery 350 Annangrove RoadRouse Hill, NSW 2155Tel: (02) 9679 4555brewer@australianbrewery.com.auwww.australianbrewery.com.auCellar door open: 10am – 10pm daily.

Batlow Premium Cider74 Forest RdBatlow NSW 2730Mob: 0434 020 [email protected]

WAMatso’s Broome BreweryPO Box 1547Broome WA 6725Tel: (08) 9195 [email protected]

The Hills Cider Company10 Greenhill Road, Wayville SATel: 1800 793 331info@thehillscidercompany.com.auwww.thehillscidercompany.com.au

TasWillie Smith’s Organic Cider22 Lollara RdGrove TasTel: (03) 6266 [email protected]

VicNapoleone & Co Cider10 St Huberts RoadColdstream VicTel: (03) 9739 [email protected]

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Beach Avenue Wholesalers38-42 Ordish Road, Dandenong South Vic 3175Tel: (03) 8791 [email protected]: Schofferhofer, Erdinger, Clausthaler, Old Mout, Budvar, Underberg

Beer Importers & DistributorsUnit 5/20-28 Ricketty StreetMascot NSW 2020Ph: 02 9667 [email protected] www.facebook.com/BeerImportersDistributorsBeers: Abita, Warsteiner, Greene King, Chimay, Duvel

Beverage & Brewing ConsultingMICROBREWERY DEVELOPMENT SERVICESMicrobrewery Consulting, Facility Design, Equipment Solutions, Licensing & RegulationsSupport, Recipe DevelopmentAustralia +61 422 517 210 |International +372 5454 4538info@beverageandbrewingconsultng.comwww.beverageandbrewingconsulting.com

NorthdownMobile: +61 432 829 [email protected]: Baird Beer (Japan), Beer Here (Denmark), Croucher (NZ), Moylans (USA)

Australian Trade Partners8 Lapis St, Underwood QLD 4119Ph: 07 3386 [email protected]: Shepherd Neame

Coca Cola AmatilCoca Cola PlaceLevel 14, 40 Mount StNorth Sydney NSW 2060Ph: 1800 11 BEER (2337)Beers & Ciders: Alehoue, Arvo, Blue Moon, Coors, Pressmans, Rekordelig

Gage Roads Brewing CoBeer / Cider / Other Alcoholic Beverages / Non Alcoholic BeveragesGlass bottling line, Product & Liquid Development, Keg filler, HACCP Certified, Great pricing – delivered into WA or East CoastTel: (08) 9331 [email protected]: 0423 548 748

Harrington’s BreweriesChristchurch New ZealandGrand champion brewery 2012Contract brewingContract manufacturing Contract bottlingHACCPEnquiries [email protected]

BevTechSpare parts, service, new and second hand German-made bottling equipment.Agents for Renner labelling, Leibinger bottling equipment.P: 03 5427 4874, E: [email protected]: 03 5427 4924, M: 0400 136529 / 0402 066157

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O-I Asia Pacific36 Burwood RdHawthorn Vic 3122Tel: +61 1800 643 165Fax: +61 1800 626 [email protected]: Glass bottles

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The Beverage Food Group Importer & Distributor for all food and beverage making equipment & supplies.24 – 26 National Boulevard, Campbellfield VIC 3061Tel: (03) 9924 [email protected]

DME Brewing [email protected]/dmebrewingAust/NZ Agent: [email protected]

Bintani AustraliaTel: +61 3 9580 [email protected]: Simpsons, Joe White, Global Malt, Best Malz, BriessYeast: FermentisHops: Hop Products Australia, Charles Faram European Hops, Hop Union US Hops Enzymes and brewing aids

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Hopco Pty LtdPh: +61 03 62435960Fax: +61 03 [email protected] of Hops and Hop ProductsAgents for Handtmann Filtration and Beer Stabilisation Equipment

NZ HopsTel: +64 3 544 8989Fax: +64 3 544 [email protected]

Wyeast Laboratories, Inc.PO Box 146Odell, OR 97044, USATel: +1 541-354-1335Fax: +1 [email protected] Australia & NZ Dealers see:www.wyeastlab.com

Kegco Australia1800 682 347www.kegco.com.auKegco New Zealand: 0800 453 426www.kegco.co.nzKeg leasing and sales, tracking software, one way use,keg caps and neck labels.

Keg Lease Bintani AustraliaTel: +61 3 9580 [email protected]

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MALT, HOPS, YEAST

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www.beerbuyersguide.com.auThe World Beer Cup

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TIPS, RECIPES & How-Tos FoR BREwING YoUR owN AT HoME

PLUS! CLUB ProfiLe n CoMP reSULTS n Q&A John & JAMiL n eVenTS

- BEER & BREWER CONFERENCE BREW- ENDEAVOUR AMBER ALE

CLone reCiPeS for

iSSUe 28 AUTUMN 2014 PriCe $9.95 (NZ $11.95)

MAKE THESE BEERS:- CHERRYWOOD SMOKED MILD- AMBER ALE- AMERICAN BROWN ALE- HAZELNUT BROWN ALE- SPICED BELGIAN IPA- RAUCH AROUND THE CLOCK- TOYBOX TRIPEL

SMOKEY RAUCH

BEERTEST YoUR

PALATEeverything you

need to know about becoming

a beer judge

wHAT’S NEw IN HoMEBREw?

The latest innovations to

hit the homebrew scene

MEET THE BREwERS

Bill hoedemaker (Sail & Anchor)

Andy Stewart (endeavour Vintage)

13 reCiPeS inSide!

BB2814_HB_p100_actual cover final.indd 1 10/04/2014 7:04:45 PM

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HomebrewEd’s Letter

When we thought of Autumn this issue we decided to really do Autumn. We’ve got Red, Amber, Brown, and a Spiced Belgian IPA.

All great beer styles to brew and enjoy as the weather cools and we move indoors.

Given Amber Ales are synonymous with Autumn, it’s our feature style this issue and we have both Endeavour and Sail & Anchor breweries who have been kind enough to take part in our Meet the Brewer series.

Flip the mag over in Beer & Brewer for Style Notes written by Australian brewing royalty, Chuck Hahn. A man who has definitely played his part in the renaissance of craft brewing in Australia, starting with his Amber Ale.

We also get a first-hand look in to the intense world of beer tasting and what it takes to become an accredited beer judge (BJCP). It’s as serious as a school exam, but your content is beer. Not a bad arrangement.

Our ingredient profile this issue has been inspired by our love of smoke malts at the moment, which featured in some of our fav beers from 2013. Drew Beechum tells us how to smoke the malts and how to best use them

Sit back, enjoy the read and get brewing!Cheers,

Chris Thomas Editor, Homebrewer

contributors

Drew Beechum Drew Beechum has been brewing and experimenting for over a decade in Los Angeles. He consults, teaches and speaks on beer and brewing. He wrote the Everything Homebrewing Book and writes regularly for Zymurgy and Beer Advocate. He also represents homebrewers on the AHA Governing Committee. See page 14.

John Palmer John Palmer is the author of How To Brew and has been brewing for about 18 years. He is a metallurgical engineer by trade, and the co-host of the Brewing Network podcast Brew Strong with his good friend Jamil Zainasheff. See page 6.

Jamil ZainasheffJamil Zainasheff is the Style Profile columnist for Brew Your Own magazine and author of Brewing Classic Styles. He hosts two shows on The Brewing Network; Can You Brew It? and Brew Strong, is an accredited BJCP judge, and an award-winning homebrewer. See page 6.

Peter lownDesPeter Lowndes has worked in the homebrewing industry for several years and has written on beer, among other topics, for various publications. Since completing the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), he now classifies beer drinking as educational, as well as medicinal and therapeutical. See page 16.

4 letters to the eDitor

You share your thoughts, ideas and experiences.

5 comPetition results

See who is brewing winning beers and where.

6 Q & aJohn Palmer and

Jamil Zainasheff answer their most common question about recipe development.

8 reciPes for the season

Hazelnut Brown Ale, American Brown Ale and Belgian Spiced IPA (Beer & Brewer Conference Beer).

10 meet theBrewer

Bill Hoedemaker, Brewmaster for Sail & Anchor Craft Beer (WA).

11 meet the Brewer

Andy Stewart from Endeavour Vintage Beer (NSW), shares his award winning Reserve Amber Ale recipe.

12 homeBrew cluB

We profile the club and a member of Brisbane club BABBS - one of Australia’s longest standing and largest homebrew clubs.

14 ingreDient Profile

Drew Beechum tells us how to smoke the malts and how to best use them.

16 Beer JuDging

Peter Lowndes shares his experience with getting accredited as a BJCP beer judge.

18 what’s new We profile some

of the latest gear to hit the homebrewer market.

contents

BB2814_HB_p098_actual p3 - GS_JC.indd 3 9/04/2014 9:03:53 PM


Letters/Feedback

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TIPS, RecIPeS & HOW-TOs FOR bReWING YOUR OWN aT HOMe

PLUS! JOHN & JAMIL ON WATER CLUB PROFILE STOCKIST PROFILE

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Christmas Wit:

A new style is born.

Put one on now for

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BB2713_HB_p116_actual cover final - GS.indd 1

22/11/2013 11:59:31 AM

EDITOR’S CHOICE

A CHRISTMAS ODYSSEYTo Chris,

Congratulations on being involved in such a dynamic and supportive industry such as the beer industry. It is filled with many passionate people, who all share a common goal, to brew and experience better beer. A benefit to all of us.

Let me point out, that I am not a Homebrewer, nor am I likely to pick up the pastime in the near future, but I always read the Homebrew section of your magazine, to see what new styles and ingredients people are playing with.

I believe that there are lots of people out there who can produce quality product that needs to be consumed, so why should I compete with that when I can just sample the spoils.

But I am a beer lover (beer geek) who likes to follow the

MY COFFEE BREW Dear Editor

I thought I would relate a recent good brewing experience I had.

I was making a coffee oatmeal stout and wanted to do a cold extract of coffee to get the coffee flavour in. Everything I’ve read says it is best to get fresh roasted coffee for best flavour, so I went down to a local coffee roaster in the Swan Valley, Fiori, to get some beans.

I explained that I was after some coffee for a beer I was making and the guys were stoked. We sat down and talked about flavours and techniques for getting the most out of the

Each letter printed this issue has won a copy of the Beer Buyer’s Guide Australia & New Zealand, valued at $24.99, and jam-packed with everything you could ever need to know about beer.

The Editor’s Choice letter below has also scored a copy of Keith M. Deutsher’s remarkable and comprehensive Breweries of Australia: A History, valued at $39.95.

Feedback

trends and style of the industry, and I was fortunate enough recently to have been in the right place at the right time. I was travelling down to Melbourne from South West Victoria and called into the Odyssey Tavern, just outside Geelong, and sampled the Christmas Wit that was on tap.

The beer was served up with a slice of Christmas cake and after a brief chat with the gent behind the bar, he explained that the ingredients of that Christmas Cake were in fact the same ingredients in the beer!

Being a beer lover, I am often intrigued by the northern hemisphere Christmas beers, and find them more suited to Christmas in July than in between overs of the Christmas Day backyard cricket game.

The beer was light, with subtle hints of Christmas fruit cake and a lovely spritzy Belgian yeast finish that left a pleasant aftertaste that screamed ‘Drink More’!. A truly cracking beer.

I then sat and wondered why we don’t see more of this style of beer in Oz. Not long after that I received my copy of Beer & Brewer in the mail, and low and behold, an article on the very same Christmas Wit I had the pleasure of sampling not long before.

So please accept my gratitude and congratulations on producing a product that was well timed and well worth the effort. Please don’t stop at just one collaboration with the lads from Odyssey. Hope to see more.

Yours in BeerRoger Middleton

Thanks for your words Roger and I’m glad you got the chance to have a taste. I’ve also had plenty of positive feedback from people who have brewed the beer themselves using the recipe from our last issue. Hopefully this isn’t the last of our collaborative brews and special thanks to the boys at Odyssey!

BB2814_HB_p096-097_actual p4-5 v2.indd 4 8/04/2014 11:54:05 AM


Competition Results

Your shout

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GeelonG Beer Festival – HomeBrew Competition

In its second year the Geelong Beer Festival organisers recognised the interest

in homebrewing and the quality that is being produced with its first homebrew competition. The panel carefully assessed 45 entries from as far afield as NSW and Tasmania. The competition was judged by BJCP qualified judge and 2012 Champion brewer of Vic Brew, Dereck Hales, together with Tom Champion, the Brewery Manager at Little Creatures Geelong and BJCP qualified judge, Andrew (Shandy) Gargan. They tasted for several hours before announcing the winners to a suitably refreshed crowd on the main stage.

James Rimmer (who coincidentally was our Homebrewer member profile back in issue 21) took out both Champion Brewer and Champion Beer. His prize is that he will brew a commercial quantity of his beer with Odyssey Brewery (Vic), which will be available at next year’s show.

lager:James Rimmer (Dark Lager)wheat Beer:James Rimmer (Dunkel Weizen)Dark Beer:James Rimmer(Russian Imperial Stout)ale: Adrian De Leiros (Golden Ale)ipa: Stewart Smithother: James Guthridge (Belgian Strong)Champion brewer: James RimmerChampion Beer: James Rimmer (Dark Lager)

Balmoral sHow

This was the second year of the Homebrew competition at the Balmoral

Show in Western Victoria. The judges reported that the quality of beers was even higher than last year, with an IPA, double bock and velvet stout amongst the best beers of show. Jason Eats and Mick Morrow shared the aggregate honours for the event

tyrenDarra sHow

The Homebrew competition at the Tyrendarra Show in Victoria was again

a huge success, with over 100 entries. In searing heat, the judges had their thirst quenched and pallet tested across several categories. The standout beer of the day was again a beer brewed by last year’s reigning champion, Liam McNaughton. Fortunately for locals he has now left the region, giving other brewers a chance.

Cider1st Malcolm Alexander 2nd Malcolm AlexanderGinger Beer1st Wayne Nunn 2nd Mick Morrowwheat1st Stuart Wakely2nd Greg WardFruit1st Greg Ward 2nd Mick Morrowlager1st Mick Morrow 2nd Stuart Husbandlight Coloured ales1st Liam McNaughton 2nd Peter ThomasDark Coloured ales1st Mick Morrow 2nd Tom Pethybridgeporter/stout1st William Cox Union 2nd Tom PethybridgeChampion Beer of show:Liam McNaughtonChampion Brewer of show: Mick Morrow

Pale Ale first & second at the

Balmoral show.

Cheers from the judges at the

Geelong Beer Festival.

Cider1st Marg Smith2nd Marg SmithLager1st Jason Eats2nd Howie HarrisPale Ale1st Peter Thomas2nd Stuart Wakely

Dark Ale1st Mick Morrow2nd Mick MorrowPorter/Stout1st Jason Eats2nd Mick Morrow

beans. They recommended an Ethiopian single source, Yirggycheffe, that Epic use in one of their beers. The guys were really helpful and gave me a small bag of the beans for free as they were really interested to see how it would go (I did buy a kilo of beans for more traditional use as well).

I cold extracted 100g of ground beans in 1L of water for 24hr in the fridge and after filtering added this to 23L of an oatmeal stout base. The base had a big chocolate note to it, but after bottle conditioning, the coffee has smoothed right out. The coffee flavour is pretty big, but the cold extraction has reduced the astringency.

The input from the coffee roasters was great and if you are ever over in WA and in the Swan Valley (Feral is up the road) you should stop in at Fiori as well.

CheersRob

Thanks for your email Rob and your brew is of special interest as we’ve got a real curiosity in a version of the beer you allude to – Epic’s Coffee & Fig Imperial Stout. We’ve been trying to get this recipe from Epic since May last year! As soon as the stars align, I think it’ll happen. Fingers crossed we have something next issue for anyone making stouts over winter.

COMPETITION RESULTS

BB2814_HB_p096-097_actual p4-5 v2.indd 5 7/04/2014 10:19:54 PM


Q&A

HOMEBREW

Q&A John PAlmer and JAmil ZAinAsheff answer your homebrew questions

if you have a question please email it to [email protected] or post on www.beerandbrewer.com/forum

techniques and ingredients that are particular to brewing beer just as there are to baking cakes or making a good stir-fry. not to get too lost in the metaphor, but i like to compare beer recipes to making sandwiches.

we have all been making sandwiches most of our lives, whether it is peanut butter, ham and cheese or vegemite. we know the limits on additives and condiments when we make sandwiches, don’t we? it is a matter of experience to know that you don’t combine peanut butter and mustard, and that while a little horseradish on a roast beef sandwich is nice, too much ruins it.

it is the same with beer recipes. you need to think of a beer recipe like you would a sandwich recipe.

the base malt is the bread, it is the main ingredient. the specialty malts are your fillings, and the hops are the condiments, etc. the important thing to realize is that you don’t want to have an unbalanced sandwich, i.e., wafer-thin bread and a kilo of meat and cheese, or peanut butter and banana with lots of horseradish.

You need to think about how the flavours combine and compliment one another as well. In some cases, strongly flavoured meats and cheeses need a strongly flavoured bread to support them. in other cases, a less-strongly-flavoured bread is appropriate so that you can provide some contrast to a unique ingredient. if you combine a bit of everything in the refrigerator, do you have a Club sandwich, an italian submarine sandwich, or a mess?

everyone likes to think outside the box, but when you do, it really helps understand the box so that you know precisely how far out you are from it.

in this respect, beer styles are your friend. obviously, beer styles are like sandwich styles. you need to understand what the signature characteristics of each malt are, and which styles they are associated with. For example, if you put some leftover roasted barley in what

hop vines pre-harvest.

Champions of brewing your own beer, Jamil Zainasheff and John palmer share some tips on developing your own reCipes.

q : i have been trying to develop my own reCipes with

left over ingredients but have generally missed the mark. i feel like i Can do this when Cooking but brewing is far less forgiving! what adviCe have you got for developing your own beer reCipes?

a: this is a good question and one that i myself asked when i was getting started. the short answer is that it is

simply a matter of experience. but let me explain; you compared it to

cooking, and it really is just another type of cooking, such as baking, or grilling. there are

is otherwise a belgian dubbel recipe, it is no longer a belgian dubbel. with the right additions and proportions, you can transform that recipe into a belgian dark strong recipe, or a Foreign extra stout.

if you don’t make the additions with a specific goal or style in mind, you can end up missing both targets, and that is what often happens when new brewers experiment with recipe creation.

the proportions are very important as well. Good brewers know that base malt is called base malt for a very good reason – it is most of the beer. specialty malts should only be added in small amounts. if you look at Jamil’s winning recipes in the book, brewing Classic styles, you will see that in most cases the specialty malts constitute only about 10% of the grain bill. a few richer (or very light) styles will have up to 20% of specialty malts or adjuncts, but usually the base malt dominates the recipe. Keep it simple; discretion is the better part of flavour.

as a us brewer, i am used to thinking of beer recipes in terms of 5 gallon batches, and half pound or quarter pound specialty malt additions. to put this in real units, it would be a 20 litre batch with 250 gram or 125 gram specialty malt additions. use the 250 gram additions for signature flavours, like roasted barley in a stout, or caramel 60L malt in an amber ale or other sweet malty style. use the 125 gram additions for accent flavours, such as black malt in a Porter, or melanoidin malt in a traditional bock.

yes, you can add a little of this and a little of that to make it “interesting”, but take a step back and look at the big picture: is the overall beer still in style or has it transformed from a horse of a different colour into a chimera?

to summarize: think of brewing like cooking, use your experience with sandwiches to guide you when creating your own recipes for a particular style, and keep your changes and additions simple.

BB2814_HB_p095_actual p6-GS v2.indd 6 6/04/2014 10:09:02 PM

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Recipes

homebrew

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1059 FG: 1016IBU: 38 ABV: Approx 5.6%Volume: 19 litres

IngRedIents2 tins of Black Rock Pale Malt Extract150g Dextrose400g Bairds Pale Crystal200g Bairds Dark Crystal250g Brown Malt300g Pale Chocolate Malt 20g Pacific Jade hops25g Pacifca hops0.3g Copperfloc2 packets of Mangrove Jacks M03 Newcastle Dark Ale Yeast 2 bottles of Still Spirits Top Shelf Hazelnut liquor (add more or less depending on how pronounced you want the hazelnut flavour to be).

Method1. In nine litres of water steep all the grains in 75oC water for 25 mins.

2. Remove grain and bring to a boil then add dextrose.3. Boil for 90 mins.4. Add Pacific Jade at 60 mins.5. Add Copperfloc and both tins of Pale Malt Extract with 15 mins left.6. At 10 mins add 10g of Pacifica hops.7. At the end of the boil add 15g of Pacifica hops.8. Cool to 20oC as you transfer to the fermenter and pitch 2 packets of Mangrove Jack’s M03 Newcastle Dark Ale Yeast.9. Ferment at 20oC for 7 days.10. Ferment at 19oC for 10 days.11. Once active fermentation is complete rack to a second fermenter add the Still Spirits Top Shelf Hazelnut liquor essence to taste.12. Leave to blend in with the beer for 7 days.13. Bottle or keg as usual.

RecIpe 1– extRact

RecIpe 2– all gRaIn


IngRedIents5kg Bairds Maris Otter 500g Weyermann Munich Malt400g Bairds Pale Crystal200g Bairds Dark Crystal250g Brown Malt300g Pale Chocolate Malt 20g Pacific Jade hops25g Pacifca hops0.3g of Copperfloc2 packets of Mangrove Jacks M03 Newcastle Dark Ale Yeast 2 bottles of Still Spirits Top Shelf Hazelnut liquor (add more or less depending on how pronounced you want the hazelnut flavour to be).

Method1. Mash at 68oC (for a very full body).2. Sparge and bring to a boil.3. Boil for 90 mins adding Pacific Jade hops at 60 mins.4. Add Copperfloc at 15mins.5. Add 10g of Pacifica hops at 10 mins.6. Add 15g of Pacifica hops at flameout.7. Immediately cool your wort to 20oC as you transfer to the fermenter and pitch both packets of Mangrove Jack’s M03 Newcastle Dark Ale Yeast.8. Ferment at 19oC for ten days.9. Once active fermentation is complete rack to a second fermenter add the Still Spirits Top Shelf Hazelnut liquor essence to taste.10. Leave to blend in with the beer for 7 days.11. Bottle or keg as usual.

RecIpe 3– concentRate


IngRedIentsMangrove Jack’s Craft Series Chocolate Brown Ale or Nut Brown Ale Pouch 2.2kgBlack Rock unhopped light Malt Extract 1.7kg2 times Mangrove Jacks M03 Newcastle Dark Ale Yeast (one pack comes with the Mangrove Jacks Brown Ale pack, so just buy an extra one)2 bottles of Still Spirits Top Shelf Hazelnut liquor (add more or less depending on how pronounced you want the hazelnut flavour to be).

Method1. Add 6 Litres of boiling water into a sanitised fermenter.2. Stir and mix the Mangrove Jack’s Craft Series Chocolate (or Nut) Brown Ale pouch as well as the can of Black Rock light malt extract into boiling water. 3. Add cold water up to 19L – the colder the better to bring the temp down. 4. Add to icebath to bring the temp down to 20oC.5. Sprinkle on the 2 packets Mangrove Jack’s M03 New Castle Dark Ale Yeast.6. Ferment at 19oC for 10 days.7. Once active fermentation is complete rack to a second fermenter add the Still Spirits Top Shelf Hazelnut liquor essence to taste.8. Leave to blend in with the beer for 7 days.9. Bottle or keg as usual.

Brown Ales are a very underrated style. This style is full of caramel and biscuity flavours topped off with hints of chocolate. The addition of

hazelnut blends together well with lovely Nutella type flavours, while the yeast used leaves great residual sweetness making it a perfect beer for autumn. Cheers!

hazelnut BRown ale by andrew childs

http://www.dessert.net.au/chocolate-hazelnut-meringue-roulade/

BB2814_HB_p092-093_actual p8-9 v3 - GS_JC.indd 8 10/04/2014 9:57:36 AM


Saint BirBeck’S – Beer & Brewer conference Brew

recipes

homebrew

ol’ Brown DoG

This recipe makes a slightly hoppy version of the American Brown Ale style (category 10.C. of the BJCP

guidelines). It’s approachable, friendly and always nice to revisit – a bit like that Ol’ Brown Dog down the street…. This recipe makes a slightly hoppy version of the American Brown Ale style (category 10.C. of the BJCP guidelines).

The end result is a rich dark Brown Ale displaying a creamy beige head, rich coffee and chocolate aromas combined with citrus undertones. Voluminous dark malt flavours fill the mouth with coffee, chocolate and sweet toffee, combined with zesty marmalade. It finishes up with medium hop bitterness.

Keeping within the style guidelines, you might like to lighten the colour by swapping out the Amber Malt with Light Malt and/or reduce the hopping levels.

After reading about the Beer & Brewer 2013 Conference Beer in our last issue, we have been inundated with requests for the recipe. So here it is.

Paul 'PB2' Burge provides a perfect Autumn Brown Ale, packed full of coffee and chocolate flavours.

Saint Birbeck Spiced Belgian IPA was created with Birbeck’s Brewing (SA) in conjunction with St Peter’s Brewery

(NSW). The recipe was developed following a Beer & Brewer reader survey into favourite beer styles and characteristics. The beer was a hit on the night, but for those who weren’t there to enjoy it (like me) you’ll have to brew your own.

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1060 FG: 1014IBU: 40.8 ABV: 6.1%Volume: 23 litres

inGreDientS15.85kg BB Ale (3.0 SRM) 420g Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) 130g Caramalt (15.0 SRM) 8g Wai-iti [2.80%AA] 9g Galaxy [15.00%AA]9g Stella [16.00%AA] 8g Motueka [7.30%AA] 9g Summer Saaz [5.6 %AA] 9g Topaz [16.50%AA] 8g Nelson Sauvin [12.50%AA] 9g Cascade [5.50%AA] 2.3g Cardamon

11.5g Pepper Medley (Secondary 3.0 days) Wyeast Belgian Strong Ale (1388) yeastNote: If you don’t have access to all of these hops you might just choose two or three – Cascade, Galaxy and Nelson Sauvin would be your best bet.

MethoD1. Pop the Wyeast pack as per instructions and let it expand for a few hours.2. Mash the grain at 66oC for one hour.3. Mix all of the hops together in a container.4. Boil the wort for an hour

reciPe 4SPiceD BelGian iPa

– all Grain

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1051 FG: 1010-1014IBU: 38 ABV: 5.7%Volume: 23 litres

inGreDientS1.7kg Dark Ale Brew Kit1.5kg Thomas Coopers Amber Malt500g Light Dry Malt300g Crystal Malt Grain50g Cascade Hop Pellets25g Centennial Hop Pellets1 x 11g Danstar BRY-97 (or other American Ale yeast of your choice such as Safale US-05)

MethoD1. Place the Crystal Malt Grain in a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag and crack it using a rolling pin.

2. In a good sized pot (around eight litres), mix with two litres of hot water (not boiling) and let steep for about 1hr.3. Remove the grain, then add three litres of water and 500g of Light Dry Malt and bring to the boil.4. Add 25g of Cascade Hops and boil for ten minutes then remove from the heat, add another 25g of Cascade Hops and let sit for about five minutes.5. Set the pot in a cold/ice water bath to cool then strain into a fermenting vessel.6. Add the Dark Ale kit and Amber Malt, stir to dissolve then top up with cool water to the 20 litre mark and stir thoroughly.7. Check the brew temperature and top up to the 23 litre mark with warm or cold water

reciPe 5aMerican Brown ale

– concentrate with GrainS

adding 3.5g of the hop mix every five minutes until ten minutes after the boil is complete.5. Add the cardamom five minutes before the boil finishes.6. Chill the wort and ferment at 20oC until fermentation is complete.7. Rack into secondary fermenter, adding the Pepper Medley for 3 days.8. Bottle or keg as normal.

(refrigerated if necessary) to get as close as possible to 20oC.8. Sprinkle the dry yeast or stir in liquid yeast, fit the lid and aim to ferment at 20oC.9. On day four, add the Centennial Hops (we recommend using a hop bag or wrapping the hops in an unscented mesh cleaning cloth, pulled straight from the wrapper).10. Fermentation has finished once the specific gravity is stable over two days. It should finish in the range of 1010 – 1014.11. Bottle the brew with a priming rate of 8g per litre (2 carbonation drops per 750ml bottle).12. Allow to condition for at least two weeks in the bottle. To take advantage of the fresh hop characters, drink this brew early.

BB2814_HB_p092-093_actual p8-9 v3 - GS_JC.indd 9 10/04/2014 2:29:55 PM

Meet the Brewer

homebrew

WHAT STARTED YOUR LOVE OF BEER & BREWING?My parents are Dutch, so I was always going to love beer. I was about 16 when I first took up brewing after stumbling across one of Dad’s old homebrew kits in a dusty corner of our shed. I wasn’t old enough to buy beer, so I guess my passion started as soon as I realized I could brew it myself, and at a better price (my friends’ passion for my brewing started at about the same time, funnily enough). Back then I used to joke that I was brewing as much Cooper’s Sparkling as they were.

WHAT EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION DID YOU UNDERTAKE TO BECOME A BREWER?Plenty of experimentation and trial by fire. I brewed as often as I could and always shared the results with my mates (there are no better critics). When my local rugby club asked me to stop bringing my beer to games because it was killing their bar take, I knew I’d gotten reasonably good. It wasn’t until I decided to

take up brewing fulltime that I embarked on more formal education.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING AND MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT BEING A CRAFTBREWER?Walking into a pub and ordering a round of your own beers never gets old. Not many people get the opportunity to share their passion with others in such a direct way. I think the most challenging thing is maintaining your passion day to day. Brewing is nowhere near as glamorous as it might sound. It’s long hours, it’s hot and sweaty, and we spend what sometimes feels like 90% of our time cleaning!

David Lipman chats with Bill Hoedemaker who enlightens us on his early forays into homebrewing and life as a craftbrewer with the exciting new releases from Sail & Anchor.


BiLL HoeDeMakerBrewMaster, saiL & ancHor craft Beer (wa)

Sail & Anchor’s Bill Hoedemaker

WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU OR THE BREWERY/BRAND?We’ve really enjoyed brewing our seasonal beers (Devil Dodger, Jack Tar, & Changing Tides). Our recent collaboration with US brewer Karl Strauss was a real blast, too. We’re going to keep doing more of that sort of exciting stuff.

ANY ADVICE FOR HOMEBREWERS?Keep experimenting. I still like to peruse the homebrew forums and I’m always amazed by the sheer creativity of some of those guys. That’s really exciting. Other than that, I read a recent interview with Nail’s John Stallwood in which he gave some great advice: start kegging as soon as you can. Cleaning bottles is a chore!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR AMBER ALE RECIPE DEVELOPMENT AND THE TARGET DRINKERS.

We wanted something that was a bit more malt forward in our portfolio and Boa’s Bind Amber gave us that. Having said that, like most brewers we love hops so there’s a decent amount of the American classics in there to help lift the aroma. The target drinker is anyone and everyone who is looking for a sessionable, well-balanced, malt-driven beer.

BB2814_HB_p090-091_actual p10-11 v4.indd 10 7/04/2014 11:15:37 AM

Bill HoedemakerBrewmaster, sail & ancHor craft Beer (wa)

andY stewartHead Brewer endeaVoUr VintaGe Beer (nsw)

cloning

HOMEBREW


david lipman chats with andy stewart on using his winemaking experience to brew his award winning vintage beer – Reserve Amber Ale.

Andy Stewart out back.

recipe 8- extract witH Grains

Expected Brew FiguresOG: 1055 FG: 1015IBU: ~ 25 ABV: ~ 5.2%Volume: 23 litres

inGredients3kg Briess DME Golden Light US400g JWM Crystal 120100g JWM Caramalt100g JWM Crystal 275100g JWM Chocolate Malt10g Magnum Hops (13.5% AA)15g Motueka Hops (6.7% AA)Nottingham or S04 dry yeast or one of the British liquid yeasts like Wyeast 1098

metHod1. If using a liquid yeast pop a couple of hours before you begin so it has time to expand.2. Steep the grains in 2 litres of water at 75oC for 30 minutes and drain. 3. Rinse with another 2 litres at the same temperature. 4. Dump all the liquid into a boiling pot, add 500g of malt extract and then make up to about 5 litres. Bring to the boil5. Add the10g ofMagnum Hops and 5g of the Motueka Hops when it reaches the boil and boil for 60 mins.6. Ten minutes before the end of the boil add the rest of the malt extract.7. Five minutes before the end of the boil add the remaining 10g of Motueka Hops.8. At the end of the boil put a lid on the boiler and cool to about to 20oC. Add this to your fermenter and make the volume up to 23 litres. Arrange it so you end up with the temperature about 19 or 20oC. 9. Pitch yeast and ferment until the gravity is around 1015 and stable for consecutive days. Then bottle. Enjoy!

endeaVoUr trUe VintaGe amBer ale – Clone Recipes by

recipe 7- concentrate


inGredientsMaltsI x Cooper English Bitter Kit2Kg Briess Dry Sparkling Amber malt extract10g Motueka HopsYou can use the yeast from under the Coopers lid or for a better result use a Nottingham or S04 dry yeast

metHod1. Bring 2.5 litres of water to the boil and steep the 10 grams of Motueka for 5 minutes.2. Remove the hops and dissolve the contents of the kit and the malt extract in the hot water.3. Add to your fermenter and top up with cold water to 23 litres. 4. Arrange temperatures using hot/cold water so you end up with a temperature of 19 or 20oC. 5. Pitch the yeast and ferment until the gravity is around 1015 and stable for consecutive days. Then bottle and enjoy!

recipe 6endeaVoUr amBer ale

- all Grain recipe


inGredientsMalts5kg Pale Malt 100g Crystal400g Medium Crystal100g Dark Crystal100g Chocolate MaltSafale US-05 YeastHops15g Topaz

metHod1. Mash (assuming 70% efficiency).2. Mash in at 65oC-45 minutes.3. Raise to 73oC-30 minutes.4. Raise to 78oC.5. Boil (assuming 35% utilisation at 60 min and 15% at 5 minutes).6. Boil 5g Hop addition at 60 minutes.7. Boil 10g hop addition at 5 minutes.

WHAT STARTED YOUR LOVE OF BEER & BREWING?What real Australian doesn’t love beer? Its ingrained in us from birth I think. I come from a farming background with a family that has been heavily involved in grains for generations. Knowing that malting barley was top grade for crops made me think a little bit more about what goes into beer and how it is made from a young age. Home brew kit next and the seed was planted….

WHAT EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION DID YOU UNDERTAKE TO BECOME A BREWER? I don’t have any formal education or qualifications in brewing. I studied applied Science (viticulture) and spent 10 years growing and making wine which gave me a grounding in brewing. Most wines take a lot of good beer!

WHAT IS THE BEST THING AND MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT BEING A CRAFTBREWER? Best thing is making beer with real flavour and knowing exactly what it is made from. The industry body itself is also great-the people have real passion. The most

challenging thing (at the moment) is the market. It is absolutely dominated by commercial, big brand breweries.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU OR THE BREWERY/BRAND? More beer styles. We have got a good grounding now with our Reserve and Growers Ranges meaning we can be a little more adventurous with seasonals and 1 off beers.

ANY ADVICE FOR HOMEBREWERS? Keep brewing and tweaking recipes and ingredients.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR AMBER ALE RECIPE DEVELOPMENT AND THE TARGET DRINKERS Our Reserve Amber Ale recipe changes every year depending on both the barley and hop harvest. We have tried to maintain a “house style” but varied ingredients and recipes since our inception in 2010. Every year we try and make the beer better and look for more balance between malt, hops, bitterness and ABV and to take advantage of how the variation in growing conditions affect the beer. Hence my comment above - I get to tweak every year!

BB2814_HB_p090-091_actual p10-11 v5_GS.indd 11 10/04/2014 10:16:43 AM

homebrewClub Profile

Brisbane Amateur Beer Brewers (BABBs) was established in 1977, five years after home brewing became legal

in Australia. The inaugural meeting was led by first Brewmaster, Ernie Melville, and recorded an attendance of 21 people.

The membership base has varied over time, but has been relatively strong at 60-70 members in recent years, making BABBs the largest club devoted to brewing in Queensland.

In 2012, club members took out first place

in five out of the eighteen categories at the Australian Amateur Brewing Championship (AABC) in Melbourne, setting Queensland up to take out the Champion State title for the first time since the state began competing.

Whilst 2013 wasn’t quite as fruitful for BABBs at the national competition, members held on to the Champion Club title at the Queensland Amateur Brewing Championship (QABC) for another year.

A key focus of BABBs is educating brewers about the art and science behind brewing. This is done through judge coaching, talks from guest speakers, flavour profiling, equipment demonstrations, and access to the club’s extensive literature library.

The club also conducts regular informal experiments, such as the popular ‘Yeast Experiment’ where brewers ferment the same batch of wort with different yeast strains. There is also the ongoing ‘Wild Brew Project’, which involves fermenting a beer with cultured wild yeast and bacteria in a barrel throughout the year. A portion of the beer is drawn off for the annual break up meeting, then the barrel is topped up with fresh beer to start over again.

Mini-competitions are held regularly throughout the year and focus on a particular category of beer. These meetings are a great opportunity for members and visitors to get involved in the judging process and receive feedback on their beers, allowing them to tune recipes for the major competitions.

BABBs Founding member Ernie Melville (left) with

other former Brew Masters and Life Members

Laurie Brace and Harry Roberts.

The Brisbane Amateur Beer Brewers is one of Australia’s longest standing and largest homebrew clubs. Club President, Kristian Domagala, shares some of their history and achievements with Homebrewer.

The cluB hAs close Ties wiTh some of These Breweries, As well As locAl crAfT Beer BArs...”

Several former and current members have made the leap to professional brewing at various local breweries including Bacchus Brewing, Brisbane Brewhouse, Fortitude &Noisy Minor Brewing, and Green Beacon Brewing Co.

The club has close ties with some of these breweries, as well as local craft beer bars, and has awarded a number of members the chance to brew their winning recipes on commercial systems.

Archive Beer Boutique has hosted the club’s annual Mash Paddle competition beers on tap for the last three years, and BABBs is excited to be teaming up with Bacchus Brewing Co and Newstead Brewing Co this year to have even more members’ beers on tap in Brisbane.

Meetings are generally held on the fourth Thursday of the month at the Lynndon Bowls Club, Holland Park West. Visitors from any level of brewing experience are always welcome and encouraged to bring along their beers for sampling.

For more information email [email protected], or visit the babbrewers.com website.


Mash Paddle Brew Day.

BABBs Group.

BB2814_HB_p088-089_actual p12-13-GS.indd 12 6/04/2014 7:54:46 PM


David Clarke started brewing 10 years ago and has been a valued member of Brisbane Amateur Beer Brewers (BABBs) since 2007. He initially brewed using kits, but only two days after his first

meeting at BABBs he brewed his first all-grain beer. Since then he has chalked up 150 batches on his 3-vessel system.

David has served on the club committee, and has played an invaluable role in getting fellow members qualified as BJCP judges. He has also served as State Chief Steward, organising entries and judges, running the competition, and performing the vital follow-up work of making sure Queensland has been fully represented at the national competition for the last two years.

David’s hard work has paid off with two consecutive Champion State victories.

His own brewing achievements include Club Champion Brewer for the last two years, and Reserve Champion Brewer at the state and national competition in 2012 – the Reserve Champion Beer was for his English Barley Wine.

David has had a number of his recipes commercially brewed under the Toybox Brewery name. These have been tapped for various dinners, tap takeovers and festivals including Queensland Beer Week, Good Beer Week (Victoria) and Armakeggon.

The inaugural Craft Beer Rising day saw his Peppa Pig (Peppered Ham Pale Ale) and Hop Control Centre (IIPA) on tap at Newstead Brewing Co, Tippler’s Tap and Scratch Bar.

David is always up for a chat about all things beer and can often be seen out and about supporting the local brewing scene.

Profile

HOMEBREW

MeMber profile DaviD Clarke

reciPe 9 TOYBOX TriPeL

– ALL GrAin

Brew FiguresOg: 1085 Fg: 1016ABV: 9.2% iBu: 33Volume: 22 litres

ingreDients6 kg Bohemium Pilsner Malt (85%)100g Aromatic Malt (1%)1 kg Sucrose (14%)8g Calcium Sulphate (see notes on water treatment)45g Styrian Goldings Hops (5.0%AA)30g Styrian Goldings Hops (3.4%AA)30g Saaz Hops (4.5%AA)½ tsp Irish Kettlefloc1 tsp Yeast nutrientWyeast 1214 Belgian Ale yeast

Note: Pre–boiled Brisbane town water to remove chlorine, 8g Calcium Sulphate (Gypsum) in mash to bring Calcium to approx 100ppm, no boil additions.

MethoD1. Pop Wyeast pack and keep at about 22oC as per packet instructions.2. Mash grains with 15 litres water. Conversion for 60 mins @ 66oC; Mash out for 10 mins @ 76oC.3. Boil for 75 mins, adding 45g Styrian Goldings pellets (5.0%AA) and 15g Styrian Goldings pellets (3.4%AA) at 60 mins.4. Add 15g Styrian Goldings (3.4%AA), 30 g Saaz Pellets (4.5%AA) and Kettlefloc at 15 mins.5. Add 1 tsp Yeast nutrient at 10 mins.6. Hot cube to cool.7. Pitch yeast at 18oC and hold temperature for 2-3 days, then allow to rise up to 22°C.8. Bulk prime with sucrose to 3 Volumes CO2 and bottle.

David Clarke.

David Clarke is not just a key member of the Brisbane Amateur Beer Brewers club, he is also pivotal to amateur brewing in Queensland, by Kris Domagala.

the reCipeDavid Clarke’s ToyboxTripel took first place in the Belgian Strong Ale Category at the 2012 Australian Amateur Brewing Championships and third place at the Queensland Amateur Brewing Championships in the same year.

brewer’s CoMMentsA dangerously drinkable Belgian, perfectly suited to a session or matched with food. Very simple recipe and I believe it’s easy to replicate if attention is paid to the fermentation for the first 2-3 days. The esters should be evident, but restrained. If kept at 10°C it should preserve the condition of the beer, even after one year – which was its age when judged at the AABC.

JuDges’ CoMMentsClean, Sweet Pils type malt – soft, low hops but present, subtle phenols and lemon, pears, apricot, low peppery phenols, fairly subtle and clean overall but everything in place, appealing pale gold appearance, light haze, thin head, but foamy and good retention, very nice lace, soft smooth malt, sweet, honey, low spicy hop presence, nice soft esters, coconut pepper phenols, baked apple, spicy, some soft alcohol, some fruit lemon, orange, beautifully balanced, body spot on – some weight but not heavy, nice creamy mouth feel, integrated, medium – high carbonation, bang on for style, slight fusel note in finish. A really enjoyable beer showing good complexity and balance, very drinkable and well crafted.

score: 125.5/150

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homebrewIngredient Profile


Smoke em on Down

I’ve always argued that there are several stages of taste development for homebrewers – “I love Stouts!” leads to “I love Hops!” which morphs into “Bring me Sour and Funky!”

From there, there’s only one place to go and that’s the smokehouse. It’s hard to argue with the tantalizing aroma and flavour of a

well-made smoke beer. Spicy hard wood smoke calls out to me. It puts my mind into a happy spot of remembering an old BBQ joint with walls infused with decades of tantalizing smoked meat. So I may just be inclined to like smoke flavours.

Smoke has been, along with incidental funkiness, a near constant of our beer drinking history. Until indirect malt drying became widespread in the late 1700’s, freshly sprouted wet barley malt was dried over direct fires of wood, peat, grass and other burnable materials.

Smoke particles cling to wet materials, so try as they might the malt was going to be smoky. Various producers figured out how to make less smoky malts, but there was always a background note.

When brewing, consider this your warning – smoke is powerful stuff. It doesn’t take much and it doesn’t age out. Once I sat on a smoky Wee Heavy for 5 years, hoping, praying that smoke would fade. Stuff was still as smoky as a brush fire the day I poured it out.

German SmokeWe’ll start with the classics – the Rauchbiers of Germany. These beers, mostly from the Bavarian city of Bamberg, are the last remnants of humanity’s experience with beer since antiquity.

Today’s Rauchbiers are made with rauchmalt aka Beechwood smoked malt. Beechwood is a fine smoking wood used for centuries in Europe in meat and beer production.

Weyermann makes an outstanding Pilsner based rauchmalt that can be used as 100% of the malt bill for a truly potent Westphalian ham experience.

Personally I prefer to use it at the 40-50% mark and crank up the Munich for a beer with more malt sweetness to stand up to the acrid twang of heavy smoke.

PoliSh SmokeThere’s an antique forgotten style called “Gratzer” being dug up from lost Polish brewing practices. Imagine a low gravity (1.030 max) beer that is highly hopped (roughly 75g per 20 litres.

Now for the kicker – the beer is 100% smoked wheat malt. Until recently that was a problem with no commercial source

of smoked wheat malt, but now Weyermann makes oak smoked malt. Just make sure you use some rice hulls in the mix to ensure cleaner lautering.

ScottiSh Smoke?Of all the smoky things to drink out there – the first one is Scotch Whisky. Thanks to that fact, brewers have naturally conflated the peaty smoky nature of Scotch with the idea of Scottish ales. Hence, you’ll see a ton of “Scotch Ales” with a heaping helping of Peated Malt. When brewing with peated malt go gentle! Keep your total to under 100 grams per 20 litres – you can experiment from there if you want more.

recIPe 10cherrywood Smoked mIld

exPected Brew FIgureSOG: 1039 FG: 1009IBU: 11 ABV: 3.9% Volume: 20 litres

IngredIentS2kg Maris Otter Malt1kg Cherrywood Smoked Malt250g Crystal 60L250g Munich Malt100g Carafa II Special (Dehusked)10g Challenger (7.5%AA)Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley

Note: If you can’t find Cherrywood Smoked malt, either substitute Weyermann Rauch malt or make your own. Use half as much of the homemade stuff, replacing the other half kilo with Maris Otter

method1. Strike the grains at 67oC for 60 minutes.2. Bring wort to the boil and add the Challenger for 60 mins.3. Pitch yeast and ferment at 18oC for 7-10 days or until fermentation subsides.

recIPe 11rauch around the clock

exPected Brew FIgureSOG: 1063 FG: 1010IBU: 20 ABV: 6.7% Volume: 20 litres

IngredIentS2kg German Pilsner Malt2kg Beechwood Smoked Malt2kg Munich Malt10g Magnum (14.0%AA)Wyeast 2308 Munich Lager / WLP820 Oktoberfest/Munich Lager

method1. Strike the grains at 67oC for 60 minutes.2. Bring wort to the boil and add the Magnum for 60 mins.3. Pitch yeast and ferment at 10oC for 10-14 days4. Increase the wort temperature to 18oC for 1 day and then crash back to 10oC. Slowly (by 0.5oC / day) lower the temperature to 1oC and hold there for 14 days before packaging. If you can’t lager, substitute a clean German ale yeast like Wyeast 1007 and ferment it at 15.5oC for 2 weeks.

Our American correspondent and homebrewing aficionado, drew Beechum, tells how to get some smoke into your beers. He even teaches you to smoke your own grains!

BB2814_HB_p086-087_actual p14-15v2-GS_JC-GS.indd 14 9/04/2014 9:53:49 PM

Smoking the malt German style.

"Bamberg, the spiritual home of Rauch beers".


Ingredient Profile

homebrew

recIPe 12Smoked mIld

– extract wIth GraInS

exPected Brew FIGureSOG: 1039 FG: 1009IBU: 11 ABV: 3.9% Volume: 20 litres

InGredIentS1.5 Kg Briess Golden Light LME500g Briess Sparkling Amber DME500g Briess Cherrywood Smoked Malt50g Weyermann Carafa Special 210g Challenger (8.1%AA)Safale S04 or Wyeast 1275

method1. Steep malt in two litres of water at 66oC for 45 minutes.2. Remove grain and sparge with 2 litres of water at 75oC.3. Add seven litres of water, bring to boil, add DME and hops and boil for 50 minutes.4. Add LME and boil for 10 minutes.5. Pour into fermenter. Top with chilled boiled water, check temp is 20oC and pitch yeast.

recIPe 13rauch around the clock

– extract wIth GraInS

exPected Brew FIGureSOG: 1063 FG: 1010IBU:20 ABV: 6.7% Volume: 20 litres

InGredIentS1.9Kg Briess Pilsen Light DME1.5 Kg Briess Munich LME500g Best Rauch Malt9g Magnum;Safale 34/70 or Wyeast 2308

method1. Steep malt in two litres of water at 66oC for 45 minutes;2. Remove grain and sparge with 2 litres of water at 75 degrees;3. Add seven litres of water, bring to boil, add LME and hops and boil for 50 minutes;4. Add DME and boil for 10 minutes.5. Pour into fermenter. Top with cooled boiled water, check temp is 10-14 degrees and pitch yeast.

Smoked recIPeS by GraIn & GraPe

Make Your own SMokeJust about any hardwood can be used to smoke malt. Soft woods, like pine, should be avoided due to their resin content. It makes for bad smoke and bad smoke makes for terrible malt.

To smoke your own malt, take your favourite malt and lightly spritz it with water. Place the malt in a lightly perforated tray, then place in a smoker with soaked chunks of hardwood on the fire. If you can,

The all grain recipes to the left represent a degree of difficulty for extract or partial mash brewers simply due to the quantity of grain used. This mash could not be called mini. For this reason I’ve suggested recipes with a reduced grain bill. If you are up for a larger mash, feel free to substitute more smoked malt in place of the Maris Otter in the case of the Mild, or Pilsner in the case of the Rauch. Either way you will achieve a distinctive smoked flavour.

expose it to cold smoke (20-40oC) for an hour or two. A friend of mine hot smokes his for 10 minutes with a few takeaways trays to act as wood reservoir and malt holder. He uses his propane burner to heat the wood.

Regardless of the method used, allow your malt to rest for at least 2 weeks in paper bags to off gas anything nasty before using. Start sparingly – homemade malt will be even more potent!

three small changes to page 14:- Second paragraph reads: ....late 1700’s, freshly

sprouted wet barley malt was dried over direct fires of wood, peat, grass,

other burnable materials.This should read: ....late 1700’s, freshly sprouted

wet barley malt was dried over direct fires of wood, peat, grass

and other burnable materials.

- In the Polish Smoke part it reads: ....(roughly 75gper.....)

This should read: ....(roughly 75g per....) - The last sentence of Polish Smoke reads: ....mix

to ensure cleaning lautering.This should read: ....mix to ensure cleaner

lautering.

Thanks and I hope fixing this up isn't too much trouble. Let me know if I should be forwarding these to Gregor instead.

cheers,Chris

BB2814_HB_p086-087_actual p14-15v2-GS_JC.indd 15 7/04/2014 11:23:10 AM

Sober aS a beer JudgeThere were moments while studying to become a beer judge that I had to have faith that this whole beer judging venture had merit. How do you adjudicate upon something as contingent as beer, a beverage that is besieged by personal tastes, diverse styles and daff allegiances?

Assemble a group of beer drinkers and their preferences are likely to be as diverse as the football teams they follow.

Beer seemed less appraisable than wine, not characterised by that same level of scrutiny wine receives. Rather than being a topic of conversation as wine tends to be, beer has traditionally invited a less prissy, somewhat laconic discourse.

What was there to be said about beer beyond the obvious; than it was thirst quenching, fizzy, and amber coloured? Quite a lot as it turns out.

I had always enjoyed (nay loved) beer but I didn’t know the half of it until I enrolled to become a beer judge and learnt to distinguish between a Pilsner and a Kolsch. I soon discovered that beer could be just as diverse and intriguing as wine, if not more so.

My own beer consumption was perhaps a familiar tale to readers. For years, I consumed what was available in this country, none the wiser about all the other beers that existed out there in the wonderful world of beer. I drank local, ignorant to all that was global.

Then along came the beer renaissance and the realisation I need not adhere to the notion

Beer Judging

HOMEBREW

Sober aS a J dge


If you had to sit an exam on anything, drinking beer would have to be top of the list. But getting accredited is no easy task, just ask Peter Lowndes who shares his experience with Homebrewer.

that beer was a one dimensional product.My beer journey moved into home brewing,

enabling me to produce the styles of beer I had started to consume, but at a minimal cost. The beer judging course seemed an ideal way to learn more about styles and improve and refine my own beer making.

And besides, it was a chance to taste some exotic beers.

The process of becoming a beer judge involved participating in a beer class held each week at Temple Brewery. Bringing the classroom to the pub for some serious palate training, analysis and tastings, we sampled Belgians one week, Bocks the next and so on into the seventy-odd distinct styles and sub styles.

Vicbrew Judging LtoR Brett McClusky, Alex

Lovelock & Peter Lowndes.


Beer Judging

HOMEBREW

How is a beer judged?Beer judging itself begins with a category and culminates in an appraisal on how well a beer fits into its allotted category. Anybody can pass Facebook-style judgement upon a beer, but judging beer is not about likes and dislikes. It has more to do with assessing a beer against its category.

This is quantified through taste, smell and sight. So a German wheat beer should exhibit a prominent thick mousy head and pale straw colour. If it doesn’t, then it fails the appearance aspect in the criteria section.

Aroma is the next component to assess in a beer. As with smelling wine, we get our noses in the glass to best analyse its bouquet. Quick


Flavour is the next and most important criteria in assessing a beer, accounting for 20 of the 50 judging points. The selection of malt, hops and yeast are what determine the flavour of a beer. Those flavours are unique to each beer and allow us to distinguish between styles.

So an American hop has no place in a German pilsner, just as English yeast is not used in a German lager. While brewers do not always follow these guidelines, they are there to lend structure and rank to the multiple styles of beer, as well as to aid judging.

When tasting, it is suggested we assess flavour by manoeuvring the beer around

wHat is tHe bjCP?Beer judging in Australia is based on the American BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) system and most judging is in BJCP sanctioned amateur competitions held by various homebrew clubs. Founded in 1985, the BJCP’s purpose is to promote beer literacy, the appreciation of real beer and also to recognise beer tasting and evaluation skills. There are several rankings in the BJCP, from Apprentice through to Grand Master.

At the end of the four month course one can opt to join the ranks by sitting the tasting exam; a blind tasting of six beers. I say blind because you have no style guidelines to assist (as you do in competition) and judge the beers with the

Judging for Bayside Brewers Competition at Hickinbothan Brewery.

sniffs work best, the class is advised. A bit of swirling of the glass to release some of the volatile aromatics transpires before tasting.

Some beers possess minimal aroma whereas others pack big punchy hop bouquets.

Fortunately somebody has compiled a Beer Flavour Wheel, so that cooked vegetable aroma (DMS) or prominent citrus bouquet can be gauged.

Aspiring beer judges need to familiarise themselves with such aromas and flavours that present in beer.

When asked if any of us was familiar with the skunked aroma, there was but one student who could claim to have encountered the funk of the skunk; but then he was Canadian. Skunk (or light-struck) occurs in beers that opt to use clear or green bottles and have been affected by UV light.

the mouth so that it is in contact with the palate, tongue, and teeth. This was where I encountered aspirating, the swirling of the liquid around the palate through a flicking of the tongue. Aspirating may seem a little

pretentious in your local pub, but is common practice in competitions.

Whereas in wine judging swallowing is not required, in beer tasting it is deemed necessary to appraise the bitterness of a beer, since bitterness varies between styles.

The term balance is often stressed in flavour assessments and getting the bitterness of the hops and flavour from the malt in appropriate amounts for the style is key. Here’s an example from the style guidelines for Munich Dunkel; Hop bitterness is moderately low but perceptible, with the balance tipped firmly towards maltiness.

skills we have acquired, told only the category as each beer is plonked in a glass before us.

The beers are expected to be assessed technically, impartially commented upon and then scored out of 50, just as one judges in competition. One beer we were presented was spiked with vinegar, but we were forewarned that there may be some chicanery involved.

My first-time experience was somewhat daunting, since passing judgement upon the creation of a dozen or so entries requires sober evaluation. Here was I, judging the creations of my fellow brewers with the level of gravitas a magistrate bestows upon those entering his court.

Homebrewers enter a beer so as to receive the feedback that comes from the judging process. It is an imperative that the judges offer helpful comments or advice with their assessment. Time constraints dictate that there is little opportunity to linger more than ten minutes on each beer.

Practice makes perfect of course and so it is with beer tasting; the more beer one samples the more one hones their palate. It was the beer guru Michael Jackson who suggested, “Not to drink more beer, but to drink more beers.”

A beer judge, it could be said, adjures quantity in the quest for quality.

in wine judging swallowing is not required, in beer tasting it is deemed neCessary.”


What’s neW

part tWO

As explored in Issue 26 of Homebrewer, there are always new homebrew accessories and ingredients being

released. With so many amazing craft beers on the market, there are more homebrewers looking to brew a wider variety of styles. Here’s just a few of the things that are new out there…

the FastrackMany homebrew sheds sport one of the least attractive items ever designed – the orange bottle tree. While appearance is hardly something that worries most homebrewers and the tree is a great way to dry your bottles, it is a bit of a space hog. The FastRack bottle racking system does the same job, just using less space. The bottles fit upside down in the rack and any excess fluid drains into the tray at the bottom. The racks can be stacked on top of each other in a tower which holds remarkably stable. Each rack takes 24 stubbies and when they’re dry a slab box can be put on top, then flipped so that the dry stubbies are stored in the box and the rack can be used again! The racks accommodate bottles of all shapes and [email protected]

YeastWe all know that yeast has an enormous impact on the aroma and flavour of a beer. And for some time now it has not been enough to pop the top off the can of concentrate and open the foil pack of yeast for your brew. Better yeasts have been around for some time, but the selection is getting more extensive every year. Homebrew retailers are responding by stocking a wider variety of dry and liquid yeasts. Both Fermentis and Mangrove Jacks have dry yeasts to suit beer styles from the UK, wider Europe and of course the US. The popularity of liquid yeasts is also on the rise, with Wyeast and Whitelabs offering yeasts for all beer styles.

extractsExtract brewing is a great step up from concentrate brewing as you have more control over the hop profile and overall flavour. Most importantly you can make truly great beers with extract, and it’s in half the time it takes to brew all-grain. The range is always growing – where we used to get by with light, amber and dark, there are now extracts of most grains. Two Briess liquid malt extracts which have recently joined the Australian and New Zealand market are Rye and Porter. These enable you to extend your brewing repertoire and are now more readily available.

• If you’re looking to use the Briess Rye Malt Extract, check out Recipes 17 or 18 from Issue 26.

What’s new

HOMEBREW

What’s NeW iN hOmebreW?


Part II of What’s New in Homebrew takes a further look into some new products on the market to make our brewing easier and better.

Try a stripper-free buck’s or hen’s party activity.

Flipping the FastRack.

FastRack in action.

BB2814_HB_p083_actual p18-GS.indd 18 6/04/2014 5:47:49 PM

HOMEBREW DIRECTORY

ASQUITH

Asquith Home Brewing353 Pacific HighwayAsquith NSW 2077Tel/Fax: 61 2 9476 [email protected]: M-F: 10am-6pm, Sat: 10am-4pm, www.asquithhomebrewing.com.au

KIRRAWEE

Kirrawee Home Brew18 Flora Street, Kirrawee NSW 2232Tel: (02) 9521 1091 Open: Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 9-1

WOONONA

Northern Brew341 Princes Hwy, Woonona NSW 2515Ph/Fax: (02) 4284 [email protected] Open: Tues – Fri 9.30am – 5.30pm, Sat 9.30am – 3pmClosed Public Holidays

BAYSWATER

Brewmart Homebrew Supplies21 John Street BayswaterPhone (08) 9370 2484Fax (08) 9370 3101www.brewmart.com.au

BIBRA LAKE

TWOC Brewing Supplies2/40 Port Pirie St, WA 6163Tel: (08) 9418 [email protected] Mon to Sat 9am - 5pm, Sun 9.30am - 4pm

www.blackrock.co.nz

Coopers DIY Beer KitRRP $85Available in all BIG W storesTel: 1300 654 455 (+61)[email protected]

Imake LtdAustralia - 1/138 Buchanan Rd, Banyo QLD 4014. Tel: (07) 3630 8400New Zealand - 328 Rosedale Road, Albany, North Shore City, Auckland. Tel: (09) 4151206 www.imake.pro

BALLARAT

Home Make ItThe specialists in homemade food and beverage making.Clayton Store - Tel: (03) 9574 82224/158 Wellington Road, ClaytonReservoir Store – Tel: (03) 9460 2777265 Spring Street, ReservoirShop online www.homemakeit.com [email protected]

YARRAVILLE

NSW

Vic

WA

HOMEBREW KITS

DISTRIBUTORS

Ballarat Home Brew Centre

1/314 Ripon Street South,Ballarat, VIC 3350

Phone/Fax (03) 5333 5825Mon – Fri : 9:00am – 6:00pmSaturday : 9.00am – 1:00pm

[email protected]

For all your Beer, Wine and Spirit Supplies and Equipment,

Also Bread making Ingredients.

MAIL ORDERS WELCOME

Order online.

5/280 Whitehall Street Yarraville VIC 3013Ph (03) 9687 0061Fax (03) 9687 1958

www.grainandgrape.com.au

SPEIDEL BRAUMEISTER - NOW AVAIL. IN 20, 50, 200L

AUCKLANDBrewers CoopShop 9, 2 Harris RoadMt Wellington, AucklandTel: +64 9 525 [email protected]

Brewshop Home Brew Beer Supplieswww.brewshop.co.nz

NZ

NZ


Documents

Beer & Brewer Magazine Issue 28 Autumn 2014