News – HPA

New technology separating the boys from the girls

Pixel3 — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 23:00:33 +0000

Hops are dioecious, which means there are male and female plants. Only the mature, unfertilised cones of the female plants are harvested for use in beer, as they produce the yield of acids and essential oils that brewers value for their bittering and aromatic properties. Male plants are used when hop breeders wish to cross varieties and develop new cultivars. The resulting hop seedlings can include male, hermaphrodite and female plants.

HPA have been collaborating with a host of institutions to advance Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) molecular marker technology that will allow hop breeders to identify desireable sex phenotypes earlier in the growth cycle than ever before. This technology will not reduce the time it takes to create, identify and develop a new cultivar. But it will allow us to remove non-target sex phenotypes from the nursery, rather than deploying plants in-field for a minimum of 6 months before being able to determine their sex phenotype. As a result, in-field trials will be more efficient in evaluating individual plants and crossing success.

The research was undertaken by scientists at the Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing, who selected male specific DNA sequences from an international hop industry DArT collaboration to evaluate their suitability for determining the sex phenotype among seedlings. Nine male specific DArT markers showed complete linkage with the male sex phenotype in three crossing families. Following optimisation, four were successfully converted from DArT to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) markers. From 197 seedlings, there was variable correlation with sex phenotypic data for the individual PCR marker amplifications. By integrating the different markers into a single ‘multiplex’ reaction, they achieved a 100% positive correlation with sex phenotypic data.

To apply this technique to hop breeding program operations it needs to be accurate, fast and cost efficient since it would involve screening hundreds or even thousands of seedlings. To develop a fast and low-cost method, a crude sample DNA extraction technique followed by multiplex PCR was evaluated in 253 seedlings from 14 segregating populations, with no loss of accuracy. The study describes, for the first time, the routine application of molecular markers linked to male sex phenotypes in an intensive Slovenian hop breeding program. The methods described could be employed for screening of sex phenotypes at the seedling stage in other hop programs worldwide, thereby saving resources for desirable female plants.

Click here to read to complete article.

Meet The Brewer: John Allen, BrewDog

Pixel3 — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 22:00:47 +0000

Meet John Allen, Senior Brewer at Scottish craft brewery BrewDog.

John spent time at Fuller Smith and Turner as a Junior Brewer and Quality Control Technician before cutting his teeth at Little Creatures. Now, he’s back in the Northern hemisphere, this time in Scotland, working as a senior member of the BrewDog team.

Having travelled our shores, we feel John’s got a good handle of what Aussie hops are like, but he hadn’t seen them take off until the Galaxy® craze started a few years back. “It’s been a defining move for the image of Australian hops and really helped put them on the radar of craft brewers everywhere.”

“UK drinkers went mad for Galaxy® when it first came out. Aussie hops have a tendency to deliver juicy passionfruit and zesty tangerine-style notes that give a good bite – they’re unlike a lot of other international varieties. The Vic Secret IPA is a new beer from BrewDog that will hit the market in the next few weeks; which has come out beautifully. It’s showing notes of tropical fruit and passionfruit flavours with a good resinous back bone and stone fruit sweetness.”

“We might have underestimated the capacity of this hop, which we used through all elements of the brewing process; start and end of boil, in the whirlpool and dry hopped. Heavy dry hopping gave a slight spicy and earthy after taste while maintaining a good hop punch – but dialling it back a little will allow the more delicate flavours to shine.”

“The craft beer revolution has taken hold in the UK and now more than ever UK drinkers are looking for something different. We are known for crafting beers that make you think – “how do they make it taste like that?” So it’s good to find an international hops grower that allows you to be creative but still make a great tasting, commercially viable beer.”

“The brewing industry is a big community. No matter where you’re from, everyone’s really collaborative and we all serve to educate and test one another. There are some brewers who bring out beers and you just think ‘I wish I brewed it’. In my fridge at the moment are the Beergeek Breakfast, Mikkeller’s I Beat You and a big bottle of Lost Abbey Red Barn Ale. Also have a couple of BrewDog legends in there like Tokyo, Alice Porter and Dead Pony Club.”

“Unfortunately being based in Scotland we don’t have access to many Aussie beers but favourites include Stone & Wood Pacific Ale out of Byron Bay and Hop Hog from Feral in WA.”

If you’re in the UK or popping over for a visit make sure you visit John and get a taste of BrewDog’s Vic Secret IPA.

New boots on the ground

Pixel3 — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 00:26:30 +0000

We’re excited to announce that our sales team has new boots on the ground in VIC and WA. Phil Rutjens is our new Sales Rep for VIC, and Brad Nolen is our new Sales Rep for WA, SA and NT.

Phil has more than 15 years experience in the craft beer industry, from Brewery Operations Manager at Urban Alley Brewery to Brewery Manager at Southern Bay Brewery. He has experience in optimising the brewing and packaging process, coordinating and forecasting stock requirements, and maintaining internal and external industry relationships. Phil particularly loves the creative aspect of brewing and can’t wait to share our newest proprietary variety with local brewers, alongside some other international and advanced hop products that could take your beers to the next level. His appointment comes in response to the departure of Dave Edney.

Brad also has 15 years experience in the craft beer industry, from Head Brewer at Mash Brewing and Pikes Beer Company to Senior Brewer at Gage Roads and Mildura Brewery. He has experience in quality management, recipe design, product forecasting and maintaining industry relationships. He’s looking forward to continuing these relationships in his new role, which will also allow him to spend a little more quality time with his amazing daughter Ramona. His appointment comes in response to the rising popularity of our proprietary hop varieties, alongside a need to improve access to our products in WA and NT.

We’re pleased to have been able to continue the trend of hiring experienced brewers, with a strong set of technical skills and a real passion for the beer industry. This means we can continue to offer our customers a high level of service and support so they can create the best beers possible.

Get in touch for a bit of banter, and to discuss your Australian, international and advanced hop product requirements:

International

Owen Johnston

owen.johnston@hops.com.au

0400 126 015

National, NSW & ACT

Michael Capaldo

michael.capaldo@hops.com.au

0490 441 090

TAS & NZ

Adrian Ianculovici

adrian.ianculovici@hops.com.au

0498 648 770

WA, SA & NT

Brad Nolen

brad.nolen@hops.com.au

0417 397 364

QLD

Simeon Bonetti

simeon.bonetti@hops.com.au

0490 489 007

VIC

Phil Rutjens

phil.rutjens@hops.com.au

0421 944 849

Hop storage techniques that preserve impact in beer

Pixel3 — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:31:05 +0000

We recently collaborated with the Independent Brewers Association (IBA) to create a guide to interpreting hop Certificates of Analysis (CoA). A CoA describes the hops at the time of packaging. To preserve their impact in beer, we seal our hops in oxygen barrier laminated foils that have been back-flushed with carbon dioxide. But the degradation of alpha acids and essential oils happens very quickly once the foils are opened and the hops are exposed to oxygen. Luckily, there are some simple and cost effective steps that brewers can take to keep their hops fresh and their beers consistent.

Unopened foils will last up to three years in storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C. But we know that not every foil will be used in its entirety as soon as it’s opened. Once a foil is opened the oxidisation of alpha acids begins almost immediately, and the more volatile oils (ie. Myrcene) are rapidly lost. To limit these chemical changes that directly effect impact in beer we recommend that brewers:

Refrigerate hops in storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower)
Reseal opened foils
Date and time stamp opened foils

Storage

Hops should be stored in temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower) at all times. Storage stability varies from variety to variety. Each hop has different levels of natural antioxidants, and varying susceptibility to oxidation. This can cause them to lose quality faster, even under identical storage conditions.

Regardless of variety, exposure to oxygen, heat and light should be avoided to preserve impact in beer. The quality of hops exposed to high temperatures will rapidly degrade. The higher the temperature, the more they will degrade. This effect has been shown to halve for every 15°C drop in temperature. And hops exposed to high levels of UV light can produce off or cheesy flavours in beer.

Hop pellets degrade more slowly in foils than whole hops. Their compact shape keeps out a lot of oxygen and allows them to be easily vacuum packed to further slow the loss of alpha acids and oils. They also take up less storage space, making it more practical to keep them refrigerated.

While hops are occasionally shipped via refrigerated freight, this is often not the case. Depending on the length and logistics of the journey, hops may be exposed to ambient temperatures for periods of time. Short durations typically have no impact on hop quality, but should be limited to no more than a few days where possible. Hop quality only becomes a factor if pellets are exposed to oxygen, direct UV light, or extreme temperature fluctuations during transit and storage. Foils are specifically designed to protect hops from both exposure to oxygen and direct UV light.

Resealing vs Wrapping

Brewers should not open foils until necessary. Once opened, the best thing to do is reseal any remaining hops in the foil using a commercial chamber vacuum sealer and return to storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower). The two key features a brewer should look for in a vacuum sealer are to ability to comfortably hold a 5kg foil, and pre-installed inert gas back-flushing capability or the option to fit a separate gas back-flushing kit. These devices start at AUD$5,000 when brand new (example here), but you can often source them second hand from restaurants. They are a particularly good investment for those with brewpubs, as it can be used in both the brewery and the kitchen. Ideally, brewers should reseal the original foils to retain the benefits of the oxygen barrier. But the next best thing is commercial grade vacuum bags. This method should result in a foil or bag that is tightly sealed while still allowing the hops to move around.

If vacuum sealing is not an option, brewers should simply squeeze all oxygen out of the foil then wrap and tape so it is as airtight as possible. The hops should then be placed back in storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower).

Best Before Date

Ideally, once a foil has been opened the hops should be used within a few days to minimise loss of alpha acids and oils. However, any remaining hops that have been resealed or wrapped in their original foil should last up to two months depending on the variety and overall exposure to oxygen.

If the re-sealed or wrapped hops are no longer in their original foils, brewers should label them with their variety, lot code, crop year, alpha acid percentage and weight before returning them to storage temperatures of 1°C-5°C (or lower). This will help determine their expected impact in beer at time of use.

One common test to determine the storage stability of a particular variety is to measure the amount of alpha acids lost over a six month period at 20°C. There is a direct relationship between the losses and the Hop Storage Index (HSI). If you know original alpha acids and the HSI, you can predict alpha acid losses and adjust your recipe accordingly to create more consistent beers. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

Barossa Valley’s winning combination of talent and intelligence

Pixel3 — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 22:56:21 +0000

The Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards (RABCA) was established in 1844. This year, brewers across Australia and New Zealand competed for 13 trophies, including Most Outstanding Beer, Champion Large Brewery, Champion Small Brewery, Best New Exhibit as well as Champion IPA, Lager, Ale, Porter/Stout, Specialty Beer and Reduced Alcohol Beer.

Barossa Valley Brewing’s Hop Heaven was awarded the highly coveted Champion IPA trophy, proudly sponsored by HPA. Founding the brewery was a dream that started on the far away shores of the United States, now it’s a reality right here in the Barossa. We got in touch with Head Brewer Denham D’Silva to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about their beers and the role of AI in the brewery.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2023 Royal Adelaide Beer & Cider Awards. As proud sponsors of your trophy for Champion IPA, can you tell us a bit about the inspiration for Hop Heaven?

A: I went to university in Michigan, USA where I fell in love with the IPAs the led the charge of the craft beer revolution that had started a few years earlier.

Q: You were also awarded Champion Small Brewery, picking up Champion IPA, Champion Lager, and Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer. What’s your take on the emerging no and low alcohol trend?

A: One of the things I love most about Barossa Valley Brewing, as one of the earliest craft brewers established in 2005, is that we’ve grown up with our customers. 18 years ago, our fans were 25 years old, looking for big flavours and big alcohol content. Now they’re 43 years old and still looking for big flavour, but in a format that will help them avoid a hangover and allow them to drive their kids to footy the next morning. We’ve grown up along with the sector. I think no and low alcohol is here to stay.

Q: You recently partnered with the University of Adelaide to produce a beer called Rodney AI2PA created entirely by artificial intelligence. What role do you see AI playing in your brewery moving forward?

A: We’re embedding AI into every aspect of our brewery. We’re the only brewery in the world with access to a neural network. The real power of AI is the ability to listen to all your customers. Every one of our beers has a QR code that rewards customers for reviewing our beers. This feeds the neural network with our customers becoming part of the brewing process by helping inform beer recipes. In the 3 years we’ve used AI, we’ve also won a Champion state brewery award.

Q: You fell in love with craft beer while studying Economics and Business Stateside. Is there a particular beer you enjoyed during that time you still dream about?

A: I keep going back to IPAs. I’m in Michigan right now visiting my sister, writing this with an IPA in hand.

Q: Upon returning home, you chose the Barossa region for its adherence to quality and culture of experimentation. What’s one of the most unexpected ingredients you’ve added to beer since then?

A: We’ve done so many experiments. I like to think we were the first to really start experimenting with new ingredients nearly 20 years ago. The peanut in the peanut butter milkshake is one of our most popular and still gets people talking.

Q: Given you’re located in one of the country’s foremost wine regions, is there a friendly rivalry with local vintners? Or is it more about leveraging the opportunity to learn from each other?

A: Very much both. In fact, we hold very popular Beer vs Wine events where we match a beer and a wine to 3 courses and customers vote for the best match. It’s one of the few fringe events that have a 10-year unbroken 5-star rating. I love putting our $8 beer next to their $180 wine and coming away with a win.

How you can bag the best US hops in Australia

jAmieaDMin27 — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 22:00:55 +0000

A fresh crop just landed in our cool store, so let’s talk about why you should shop with HPA to bag the best US hops in Australia and New Zealand. From experience, you know the flavour profile of US hops can differ from year-to-year and lot-by-lot. This is the reality when a large number of independent growers, spread across diverse geography, contribute to the yield of a single variety. Only a few Australian and New Zealand breweries are eligible for US hop selections, with the bulk of our market either contracting modest volumes or preferring to purchase on the spot market. Fortunately, the combined strength of HPA’s hop contracts and spot volumes means that we qualify for selections on behalf of all our brewing customers, big and small.

As regional representative of the global BarthHaas group, HPA’s seat at the John I. Haas selections table is also relatively early compared to our buying size. We’re not right at the front of the line, but we’re pretty close, which gives us the opportunity to select from high-quality lots that very few brewers get to see.

Haas have been growing hops in the Pacific Northwest for four generations. We currently supply a range of 26 different US hops, including 7 commercial releases and 3 experimental varieties from the Hop Breeding Company (HBC). HBC is a joint venture of Haas’, which means HPA have access to the best Citra^®, Mosaic^®, Sabro^®, Ekuanot^®, Talus and Krush, supported by significant quantities. We also have access to the best El Dorado^®because of Haas’ close relationship with CLS Farms.

Haas have been growing Citra^® since 1990, when it was first crossed by their Head Breeder Gene Probasco. Haas bestowed the Citra^® cultivar to HBC in 2005 when there was emerging brewer interest in a citrus variety. Haas Farm Manager Mark Sechser says there’s no one better positioned to grow a high-quality Citra^® crop, “Our practice of propagation through vegetal cuttings ensures virus-free material and true-to-typeness from the time of deployment. You could say we’re growing customer confidence from the ground up.” Haas is anticipating their new farm Longmire Ranch, located in the nearby Wenas Valley, will yield some particularly high-quality hops. Sechser explains “It’s pristine ground that has never been planted with hops, and it’s isolated from the traditional Yakima growing region, so we’re excited about the aroma potential.”

Haas equips HPA with one of the most powerful supply chains in the Yakima Valley. In addition to their internal farms, agronomists and sensory experts, Haas has a team of hop buyers who are intimately connected with growers in the Pacific Northwest. Haas Vice President of Supply Chain Management and Purchasing Pete Mahony says “The close relationships we hold with our growers ensure we receive an accurate insight into quality outcomes as the crop comes into bale receival.” From there, Haas’ panel of 30 sensory experts profile every lot of hops processed over the course of harvest. “This prepares us to run a very disciplined and systematic selections process, where we use the specific aroma profiles we have developed for many of our customers to determine which lots we show them on arrival. When crop outcomes are great, this process is easy. On the flipside, when crop outcomes are sub-optimal for whatever reason, we get to flex our sensory muscles in search of the lot that makes their eyes light up. We have purposefully built relationships with a large cross-section of growers so we always have access to a great range of aromas regardless of whether it’s been a ‘good’ year or a ‘tough’ year in terms of crop outcomes.” says Mahony.

Each year, HPA invite a small group of valued customers to the Haas Innovation Centre in Yakima, Washington to help us source the very best US hops on behalf of Australia and New Zealand. Young Henrys Head Brewer Jesse Searls was part of this group in 2024, saying “It’s a privilege to be in Yakima selecting hops, but to be part of a group that is responsible for securing the very best material for hundreds of brewers back home is very humbling. The fact that HPA actively involve their customers in this process shows how much they value our preferences and opinions. Of course, having hop sensory rockstars, such as Chris Swersey, on our side of the table certainly doesn’t hurt either.”

HPA International Business Development Manager Chris Swersey explains “The selections process involves Haas presenting 5 to 7 bale core samples for each variety based on certain specifications and contract requirements.” According to Searls “Haas take selections really seriously, which instils confidence from the get-go. You can feel the focus in the room once lots start coming out for evaluation.”

At the beginning of selections, we review the lot data and flag anything that could be cause for concern. This includes any statistically high or low results across the key parameters of HSI, alpha content, oil content, and moisture content. Once we have a feel for the material on the table, the process is very similar to how a brewer would assess a beer. Initially, we focus on fault finding. This is a visual assessment where we look for irregularities like lots of leaf and stem or abnormal colouring, as well as a sensory assessment where we look for undesirable qualities such as cheesy, musty, or intense onion and garlic aromas. This process typically allows us to exclude around half the lots on the table.

Once we have the remaining 2 to 3 lovely, bright lots in front of us, the winners are determined based on whether they are true-to-type and overall preference. “These two components are incredibly important for HPA, as we are selecting for hundreds of brewing customers who each have certain expectations of their favourite US hops. Consistently meeting these expectations is mission critical to supporting our brewing customers’ success.” says Swersey. HPA then selects a sufficient quantity of the highest ranked lots to meet total demand in Australia and New Zealand. Often one lot is big enough to fulfil demand, sometimes we need 2 to 3 lots to fulfil demand. Other times we’ll blend two lots to create a more complex mix of sensory attributes we know brewers and drinkers value.

Selections began at a time when there were relatively few hop varieties, as a tool for large brewers to hold US suppliers accountable to a certain level of quality. Today, this level of quality should be expected from any supplier, and US selections have evolved into an industry-wide event that provides valuable feedback to suppliers and growers about which sensory characteristics are important to brewers, as well as helping educate brewers about the complexities of hop growing, processing, analysis and supply. This shared understanding has helped to build stronger relationships between brewers, suppliers and growers.

Searls says “My favourite thing about US hop selections is the ‘watering hole’ moment – that unique sense of community, safety and nourishment you feel when you’re sharing a beer with a bunch of like-minded people from around the world. It makes you realise that beer is a universal language, with a rich history that is intrinsically linked with who we are a species today. It’s just so cool!”

The Haas Innovation Centre is our home away from home during selections. It becomes a hive of activity with heaps of Haas employees happy to share their extensive knowledge over top-notch beers in their beautiful beer garden. Searls attended the Haas Hops Academy on the first day, saying it was “a nice balance of super technical elements and hands-on hop rubbing and blending. They actually held a competition where we were put into teams and tasked with creating the best beer and seltzer blends using Haas’ new liquid hop products. Controversially, my team was robbed of both titles thanks to some passionate lobbying of the voters by one Owen Johnston.” Searls says “Being in Yakima for selections feels like an intravenous injection of knowledge from so many smart people all working in the beer industry. The experience is invaluable. Of course, the social aspect is incredible too.”

HPA is confident that our ‘selected by brewers for brewers’ approach to curating our US portfolio yields the highest quality hops for our brewing customers in Australia and New Zealand, big and small.

Reach out to your HPA sales rep if you’d like to discuss US hops, the selection process, or forward contracting in more detail.

More flavour hops for Australia

Pixel3 — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 23:00:23 +0000

Shifting consumer preferences are encouraging brewers to experiment more than ever before, which has stimulated hop breeding activity around the world, and profoundly changed the use of hops in brewing.

Historically, HPA grew and traded mostly bittering hops. In the late 1960s a dedicated Hop Breeding Program was initiated to improve alpha acid yield. Then the beginning of the craft movement saw beer drinkers move toward more flavour, aroma and diversity. This led to a second stage of the Program aimed at breeding flavour hops for the Australian climate. Since the 1990s, the Program has commercialised five proprietary varieties – Ella, Enigma, Galaxy, Topaz and Vic Secret – with a sixth scheduled to be released exclusively to the Australian market in 2020.

Shift from alpha to aroma.

Demand for our proprietary varieties continues to climb in conjunction with the hopping rate, as heavily hopped craft beers begin to increase in popularity.

Impact of craft beer movement on hopping rate in the US.

HPA is dedicated to bringing our supply in line with brewers’ demand, so that we can grow alongside our customers and support their success. We have recently broken ground on a new harvest facility that forms part of a $35 million expansion at Buffalo River Valley in Victoria. This investment in capacity increases will help to improve supply surety as well as increase varietal diversity. At completion in 2024, the project is expected to increase total production by 50%.

Forecast production volume.

We will be consistently increasing the proportion of our production volume contracted to Australian breweries as we grow, from 28% of total hops contracted in 2019 to 37% in 2021. This will not only ensure that we are looking after our own backyard, but will also help to reduce our carbon footprint.

Percentage of production volume contracted to Australian breweries.

Beerfarm gets the gold, as nature intended

Pixel3 — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 00:42:33 +0000

The Perth Royal Beer Awards is the premier beer competition in Western Australia (WA), welcoming entries from large, medium and small craft breweries. It has been celebrating the continual expansion and innovation of the beer industry since 2007.

The Margaret River region had a great night, with many local breweries taking home a trophy or two. Beerfarm have a bright future after being awarded the HPA trophy for Best IPA Packaged. Located on a working farm, their commitment to great beer, great people, and the land we live on is something we should all get behind to ensure a sustainable future for our industry. After a well-earned week off, we got in touch with head brewer Josh Thomas to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about their environmental practices and smashable beers.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2021 Perth Royal Beer Awards. We’re glad to be able to support your success by sponsoring the trophy for Best IPA Packaged. What does an award like this mean to you?

A: To get a gold in any competition is a great accolade. It confirms your brewery is producing an exceptional product and has been judged as such from many respected and experienced palates in the industry. The fact it’s in pack is even greater gratification and helps you maintain confidence in your packaging processes as well as the recipe in general. Taking home the trophy for best packaged IPA is a great result that we accept very humbly – to get any trophy at a beer awards you’re likely to be up against a bunch of other exceptional gold medal beers, so being named the best of the bunch is awesome!

Q: Royal Haze also placed at number 18 in the GABS Hottest 100. How do you go about maximising hop flavour in this big, hazy IPA?

A: It mostly comes down to process and selecting quality hops that lend themselves to the hazy style. The recipe of course plays a big part, but I think in terms of maximising hop flavour it’s all about the process of how and when you add hops – sometimes less is more.

Q: Your brewery is located on a working farm, which makes it a pretty special place to visit. For those who haven’t had the pleasure, can you paint a picture of the experience you create for beer lovers?

A: It is exactly that. We are located on 160 acres of farmland in the south west of WA. The venue is an old dairy built in the 60’s that we converted into a farm that milks beer not cows. When you’re enjoying a beer off the wood at the farm, it’s hard not to feel relaxed with some cracking views, food and brews.

Q: Beerfarm run a herd of Black Angus cattle who eat spent grain from the brewing process. Do you know them all by name? Or do you keep your distance knowing they’re eventually going to be served up by the kitchen crew?

A: We have around 80 Black Angus cattle that roam the paddocks in Metricup which feed off the grass and spent grain from our brews. We make sure they have ample food and space to frolic. As a result, the produce that makes its way through the kitchen is top notch, using just about every single part of the beast gives the full paddock to plate experience. I definitely don’t know them all by name, but I do sometimes name the ones with funky hairstyles.

Q: Your unique situation means you’re also more sensitive to the challenges Aussie farmers face. Tell us how you support your neighbours by making sours packed full of rescued fruit?

A: Absolutely! We’re not perfect, but we can all try to be better right? With our fruited sours, or any beer with fruit in it, we aim to reduce agricultural food waste. There is a lot of food waste people don’t know about nor care about. Yes, fruit and veg are compostable, but a lot of resource, time and care goes into growing it. We do the best we can to reduce waste both agriculturally and in general.

Q: A few other Margaret River breweries are on the up as well. What do you think is driving the region’s resurgence in recent years, resulting in some ridiculously high-quality beers?

A: I think it’s about the hearts of the people driving the beer industry in the south west. We all help each other out, we all share, and we all strive to produce the highest quality beers we can. We are situated in a region where a lot of people come to visit and the more exceptional beers we put out as a collective, the more people want to come to the region to enjoy the brewery experience as a whole.

Moffat Beach are making some magic beers

Pixel3 — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 01:06:11 +0000

Reinvigorated after a long hiatus, the Royal Queensland Beer Awards invited the top Aussie brewers to compete for national recognition in 2022. Supported by a team of brewers, beer writers and industry figures, the competition has become a trusted guide for beer drinkers. Queensland breweries put on a good show this year, taking home 14 of the 17 trophies.

Hop Products Australia (HPA) were particularly proud to award Moffat Beach Brewing Co the HPA trophies for Champion Small/Medium Brewery and Champion IPA for their Trilogy Best Coast IPA. The local legends were also awarded trophies for Champion Session Beer for their Moffs Summer Ale and Champion Pale Ale for their Passenger Pale Ale. After a well earned week off, we got in touch with co-owner and head brewer Matt Wilson to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about how living the good life leads to brewing great beer.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2022 Royal Queensland Beer Awards. We’re glad to be able to sponsor your success by sponsoring the trophy for Champion Small/Medium Brewery and Champion IPA. What was it about Moffs that made you realise it was the perfect place to bring your brewing dream to life?

A: There’s something pretty magical about Moffat Beach and the Sunny Coast. My wife Sharynne and I moved here ten years ago from Sydney, looking for an escape from the city and the chance to start something of our own. And while it hasn’t been without hard work and challenges, the lifestyle feels a lot more balanced, and of course it’s great for the kids. There’s also a wonderful sense of community, where locals support locals, and get behind people willing to give it a crack.

Q: You obviously live and work in a sensational part of the world. How often do you draw inspiration from the surrounding mountains, forests and beaches when crafting a new beer recipe?

A: Our beer recipes are guided both by personal preference (we do love hops here at Moffat Beach), and also by the occasion we’re brewing the beer for. Our Champion Session Beer – Moff’s Summer Ale – was designed to quench a salt-driven thirst after a day spent surfing Moffat Beach’s famous point break. We reckon our Champion Pale – Passenger Pale Ale – pairs perfectly with watching the stunning sunsets we get.

We’ve recently rebranded all of our can designs, and took a lot of inspiration from the people and places of the Sunny Coast, from the glorious beaches to the stunning hinterland and everywhere in between. For us, our beer is a canvas that reflects the lifestyle we enjoy in this little slice of paradise.

Q: It was an extraordinary year for local breweries at the Royal Queensland Beer Awards. What do you think is driving the ridiculously high quality of beer coming out of your state in recent years?

A: We’ve been asked this question a bit lately! I’d actually argue that Queensland has been producing quality beer for quite a while now. Look at Balter, Green Beacon, Newstead, 10 Toes, Brouhaha, Range…you’ve got a lot of trophies across various competitions there. Regardless, it’s great to see more attention on Queensland’s brewing history and credentials.

Q: Entries were up 14 percent on the previous Awards. What is the main motivation for entering your beers in competitions like this?

A: When we started entering competitions, our aim was really just to see how our beers were going. I had never worked (or trained) as a commercial brewer before starting out, so it was a fantastic opportunity to have beer experts assess our range and provide valuable feedback to use in improving our recipes and processes. As we grew, I became further involved as a judge, and find that judging process a great opportunity to learn from industry leaders and further hone my skills.

Q: You describe your award-winning Trilogy Best Coast IPA as a beer for the adventurous. What’s the most adventurous way you’ve used hops in a beer?

A: I’m not sure if it would be called ‘adventurous’ – more likely ‘fiscally irresponsible’ – but our much anticipated annual release, Iggy Hop Double IPA, uses an obscene hop regime that makes for a fun conversation with Sharynne when the bill comes in.

Q: And finally, describe the first adventure you’ll be going on once border restrictions become a thing of the past?

A: Funnily enough, while we love the beach, we really love hitting up the ski fields when on holiday. Japan has been burning a hole in my mind throughout the pandemic, so is high on the wishlist.

Stop the import of damaging pests and diseases

Pixel3 — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:40:28 +0000

The Australian hop industry is fortunate to be free from many damaging pests and diseases that affect hop production overseas. Protecting this enviable status should be an absolute priority since their import could cost growers millions in lost production, unacceptable brewing quality, control and containment programs. While federal, state and territory governments are responsible for all pre and post-border biosecurity measures, their personnel are generalists rather than experts. This means onus is on the hop industry to manage any risks associated with the import of hop propagation material. We need to work together to ensure all growers abide by the import conditions, know the key threats, remain vigilant and report suspected incursions.

Despite the fact there are prescribed pre and post-border biosecurity measures in place, it’s very difficult to import hop propagation material safely, even when the import conditions are followed to the letter. The import conditions for hop propagation material are available on the Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system, and include a valid permit, virus-free certification, establishment and disease screening at a government owned quarantine facility. Failure to abide by these import conditions exposes all stakeholders in the hop industry to high levels of risk and may result in a hefty fine or even jail time.

The Australian hop industry is fortunate to be free from damaging pests and diseases that affect growers overseas, but two-spotted mites and other arthropod pests do occur. In the case of two-spotted mites biological control is sometimes possible with the resident population of predatory mites, such as Phytoseilis persimillis, and other beneficial insects that are available for purchase and release from Biological Services.

There are currently no antifungals registered or permitted for use on hops anywhere in Australia. The onus is on growers to take all necessary precautions to stop the import of key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens in Table 1.

Table 1. Key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens that present a threat to the Australian hop industry

PATHOGEN	SYMPTOMS	OUTCOMES	MANAGEMENT
Citrus Bark Cracking Viroid	Also referred to as severe hop stunt viroid due to its much shorter incubation period. Early season growth is delayed causing the length of internodes to be reduced by as much as two-thirds. The cones on the sparse and shortened laterals are smaller and development is slower. Visible symptoms only take up to one growing season to appear after initial infection.	Caused severe mortality in hops in Slovenia.	Can only be eradicated from the soil by long fallow periods prior to replanting, which would cause major problems since Australia has very limited land available for hop production.
Downy Mildew	Stunted, brittle shoots with downward curling leaves. A distinctive yellowing beginning at the centre of infected leaves may be present before purple to black spores on their underside can be observed.	Caused upheaval in the hop industry in the 1990s. Can result in severe crop damage, and in some cases complete crop failure if significant infection and crown rot occurs.	Infected bines must be manually removed and healthy shoots retrained in their place. No single management tactic provides satisfactory control. Strict attention to growth, prudent irrigation management and timely antifungal applications are needed to manage the disease successfully. Some of these antifungals are copper-based, which presents a major threat as it can inhibit the development of fruit-forward flavours that are characteristic of Australian varieties. Copper is also one of the most widely reported heavy metal soil polutants
Hop Stunt Viroid	Early season growth is delayed causing the length of internodes to be reduced by as much as two-thirds. The cones on the sparse and shortened laterals are smaller and development is slower. Visible symptoms may take three to five growing seasons to appear after initial infection, which frequently leads to propagation and planting of infected material.	Caused severe mortality of hops in Japan, Europe and North America. Can reduce alpha acid yield by 60-80%.	Any infected bines should be removed promptly, including as much root tissue as possible. Because of the latent period, several adjacent plants should also be removed. Sites should be allowed to remain fallow for one season so that any remaining living roots produce shoots that can be treated with herbicide. Farm equipment should also be thoroughly sanitised to remove plant residue that may lead to further transmission.
Mosaic Viroid	Mosaic mottling between major leaf veins that can become necrotic. This is most severe when a period of cool weather is directly followed by a period of high temperatures. Plants can be infected for several seasons without visible symptoms until the appropriate environmental conditions occur.	Infected plants may establish poorly, exhibit weak bines, and often fail to attach to the string. Varieties with Golding ancestry are particularly susceptible, and yield can be reduced by up to 60%.	Use of herbicides rather than mechincal pruning to control basal growth. This may help to reduce transmission to adjacent plants. Application of insecticides to control aphid population may also help to reduce transmission to adjacent plants.
Powdery Mildew	Powdery white masses that develop on stems, leaves, buds and cones. During periods of rapid plant growth, raised blisters are often visible before sporulation can be observed. Infection of burrs can cause abortion or severe distortion as it develops.	Caused upheaval in the hop industry in the 1990s. Can result in severe crop damage, and in some cases complete crop failure due to lost production and unacceptable cone quality. Breeding programs would also experience significant set backs.	Integration of varietal resistance, crop sanitation, fertilization, irrigation and timely application of antifungals throughout the growing season. Some of these antifungals are copper-based, which presents a major threat as it can inhibit the development of fruit-forward flavours that are characteristic of Australian varieties. Copper is also one of the most widely reported heavy metal soil polutants in the world.
Verticillium Wilt	Range and severity vary depending on the aggressiveness of the pathogen. Yellowing of the lower leaves, death of tissue between major veins, and upward curling are common. Infected bines become noticeably swollen and tissue exhibits medium to dark brown discoloration when the plants near flowering.	Caused significant damage in Europe. Plants affected by non-lethal strains in one season may fully recover and appear healthy the following season. In contrast, plants affected by lethal strains will experience a sudden collapse of leaves and laterals that will rapidly kill susceptible varieties.	Can only be completely eradicated from the soil by long fallow periods prior to replanting, which would cause major problems since Australia has very limited land available for hop production.

Australian growers don’t need to look very far for examples of just how devastating the invasion of these key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens could be for the hop industry, particularly because their absence up until this point means that any varieties developed in Australia are possibly susceptible to an outbreak. For instance, it took 5 years and more than $26 million for the Australian banana industry to eradicate Banana Freckle in Cavendish Bananas. Similarly, it took 6 years and more than $1 billion for the New Zeland kiwi fruit industry to recover from Bacterial Canker infecting Golden Kiwi Fruit.

The primary means of importing the key fungal, viral and viroid pathogens is through infected hop plants, from which subsequent propagation can and does occur. If you’re seeking hop propagation material to grow on your farm, at your brewery, or in your backyard, be sure to use a reputable Australian supplier. In other countries, growers have developed programs like the National Clean Plant Network. There is currently no such program in Australia, so propagation should only be made from parent plants that are known to have good growth, yield and are free from pests and disease symptoms. Growers should discuss plant health status with their supplier, inspect parent plants in field, and access plant pathology services through their local Department of Primary Industries (DPI). If you can’t source the hop propagation material you need from an Australian supplier, it is essential that you import certified virus-free material while abiding by the strict import conditions.

Digital resources are also becoming increasingly important to plant biosecurity, providing fast access, download and analysis of information. See Table 2 for some of the online systems are used by stakeholders in the biosecurity system.

Table 2. Digital resources that aid plant biosecurity in Australia

RESOURCE	ORGANISATION	INFORMATION
Australian Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) for hop seed, hop tissue culture and hop nursery stock	Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE)	• Import conditions • Fact sheets • Contingency plans • Diagnostic protocols
The Biosecurity Portal	Plant Health Australia (PHA)	• National plant surveillance reporting tool • Knowledge bases and data libraries • Shared spaces for committees and working groups • Awareness and information resources
The Australian Plant Pest Database (APPD)	Plant Health Australia (PHA)	• Key reference system for plant pests and diseases • Information on validated pests and diseases of plants with significance to agriculture, forestry, pasture or the environment • Draws information from 18 databases throughout Australia
AUSPestCheck	Plant Health Australia (PHA)	• Surveillance data on the presence or absence of exotic and established pests around Australia • Maps generated in real time provide digital representation of pest status around the country, including during invasions

While the Australian Government is responsible for the majority of pre and post-border biosecurity measures, state and territory governments are responsible for the delivery of plant biosecurity operations and supporting legislation within their borders. Each state and territory has a different approach to preventing the spread of existing and exotic pests and diseases, primarily due to the varied climatic conditions and legislative frameworks across the country. See Table 3 for details regarding the department that is responsible for plant biosecurity in your state or territory.

Table 3. State and territory government departments responsible for plant biosecurity

STATE OR TERRITORY	DEPARTMENT
ACT	Environment Planning and Sustainable Development (EPSD) Directorate
NSW	Department of Primary Industries (DPI)
NT	Department of Primary Industry and Resources (DPIR)
QLD	Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)
SA	Department of Primary Industries and Regions (DPIR)
TAS	Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE)
VIC	Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR)
WA	Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)

It’s critically important that anyone who is not prepared to invest the time, money and effort required to abide by the import conditions simply make do with the hop propagation material available in Australia. It’s time to work together to ensure all growers abide by the import conditions, know the key threats, remain vigilant and report suspected incursions that could threaten hop production, the brewing industry, and a future full off delicious hop-forward beers.