Meet the Brewer – HPA

Mountain Culture named among best beers of 2021

Pixel3 — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 06:27:56 +0000

An Aussie beer starring Aussie hops has ranked among the best in the world. Untappd recently released its 5 best Hazy / NEIPAs of 2021 and coming in at #5 is Australian brewery Mountain Culture with Be Kind Rewind starring Vic Secret.

The beer came in right behind US brewing heavyweights Tree House (who took out #1 and #2) and Monkish.

Mountain Culture Founder and Head Brewer DJ McCready is stoked that Aussie breweries are now competing with the rest of the world in a beer style that really only gained traction in the country just a few years ago.

“Relatively speaking, Australia is new to the hazy game, but I think what makes Aussie hazy beers so good is that some of the best hops in the world are being produced right on our doorstep by Hop Products Australia (HPA).”

“I remember when I was at Oskar Blues, they were big fans of Galaxy and really showcased it in their beers. Between them and other US breweries it went a long way to putting Galaxy and other Aussie hops on the map,” said McCready.

While Galaxy has become a bit of a ‘golden child’ for hazy beers, there’s a lot more to Aussie hops.

“For Be Kind Rewind, we’ve gone with the ugly step-sister, Vic Secret, which is a hop grown in Victoria and considered to be quite grippy and less juicy, but I think it’s just misunderstood,” says McCready.

“It’s not as forgiving as Galaxy. You have to know how to use it, and in what quantities to get it right. But when you do, I think it outshines Galaxy, giving off bright, citrus, juicy characters while still being quite resinous,” said McCready.

“I’m really proud to be showcasing and championing Aussie hops on the world stage. We’ve taken the time to figure out how to harness these ‘hard to wrangle’ hops, to really hero them and give a uniqueness and edge to our beers.”

HPA’s National Sales Manager Michael Capaldo has had the pleasure of being involved in a few brew days at Mountain Culture. He said “It’s always inspiring. From driving up the mountain, to walking into their amazing venue and brewing beers with an obscene amount of hops! The whole team are always so welcoming, and we’ve shared many a yarn over a beer or two.”

Capaldo said “[he] knew Be Kind Rewind was a standout beer since inception, and deserves it’s ranking in the top 5 hazy / NEIPA beers in the world.” He is particularly stoked that Vic Secret stars in the beer. “Vic Secret is a big part of our future at HPA, with production volume growing faster than any of our hops over the next year. Its massive oil profile brings clean citrus and pine flavours to beer that are really versatile and can be used in almost anything from the lightest of lagers to the haziest of IPAs.”

Galaxy and Vic Secret aren’t the only two hops that have graduated from the HPA breeding program. Their exciting range of Aussie flavour hops also includes Eclipse, Ella, Enigma and Topaz. However, Galaxy and Vic Secret are by far their two biggest varieties in terms of popularity and production volume. In 2021, HPA harvested 974 metric tonnes of Galaxy and 233 metric tonnes of Vic Secret.

These production volumes are set to grow significantly in the future. HPA are focused on sustainably scaling up Galaxy, Vic Secret and their newest hop Eclipse through continued expansion of their farms in North East Victoria. This commitment can only improve HPA’s chances of addressing the global demand for their Aussie flavour hops.

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.

The farm that became an award-winning brewery

Pixel3 — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 01:06:37 +0000

The Perth Royal Beer Awards is the premier beer competition in Western Australia (WA). The pursuit of new and innovative ways of brewing is stronger than it has ever been in the west, with 540 entries from large, medium and small craft breweries as far and wide as Esperance, Kalbarri, Margaret River, Busselton, Swan Valley and Perth.

Rocky Ridge Brewing had a particularly spectacular night, winning the HPA trophy for Champion Large Brewery. The Busselton brewery also won Champion Beer and Best Hybrid & Specialty Beer (Draught) for their Polski Pivo, plus Best Hybrid & Specialty Beer (Packaged) for Born Under Puncheons. For five generations, Rocky Ridge has evolved from a humble cattle farm to a thriving business with the latest agricultural and brewing technology. After a well-earned break, we got in touch with founder and head brewer Hamish Coates to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about their headliners and what’s in store for the future.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2022 Perth Royal Beer Awards! For five generations, Rocky Ridge has evolved from a humble cattle farm to a thriving business with the latest agricultural and brewing technology. What’s been your driving force over the years?

A: We founded Rocky Ridge because we believed that we could make great beer, with great local produce. We came from a place of community, with long term family ties to our region. Our vision was, and still is, to make quality beer with unique ingredients, always striving to have fun and be creative in everything we do.

Q: You also won Champion Beer and Best Hybrid & Specialty Beer (Draught) for your Polski Pivo. You don’t see a lot of Grodziskies anywhere in the world, let alone claiming the title of champion beer. What’s the story behind this Aussie brewery’s decision to make a traditionally Polish beer that Will Irving described as “pure elegance in a glass”?

A: We love to push the envelope, be that with new and exciting styles and ingredients, or traditional, old school styles like the Grodziskie. Ross, our head brewer has a real love of barrel aged sours, mixed culture ferments and Lagers. The Polski Pivo is a homage to his wife Anna’s polish heritage, in a delightfully light bodied, 100% oak smoked wheat beer.

Q: Plus you won Best Hybrid & Specialty Beer (Packaged) for Born Under Puncheons. This is your most fruit forward mixed culture beer to date. It’s a pretty special beer with a pretty special purpose. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

A: B.U.P is an amazing beer brewed and blended to celebrate the birth of our Brand Director Ricky’s first son, Arlo. B.U.P started life as a blend of our Perpetual sour culture, one of our older sour beer cultures (fermentarium) and a house saison. These were then secondary fermented in french oak puncheons on blueberries, lemon zest, vanilla and cinnamon. A divergence from our standard ‘single fruit’ sours to explore culinary pairings in beer.

Q: You’re committed to staying true to your farming roots by focussing of fresh, local and sustainable produce? What’s the current ingredient of the month at Rocky Ridge?

A: Whatever is fresh and available. We’re currently brewing up a little something using freshly harvested jindong potatoes….believe it or not. We are huge supporters of local agriculture, with an absolute love for Aussie grown.

Q: And what’s the most interesting ingredient you’ve added to your beers in the past?

A: Cucumber was pretty interesting. To be honest, spuds will probably take the cake. Or hash browns.

Q: Your mission is to brew better beer in a better way. Tell us about your Green Pastures initiative and how it is contributing to a more sustainable future?

A: We are a farming family, with deep seated roots to our local community. We strive to be at the forefront of sustainable development, with dedication to industry best practice. Our mission is simple; to make great beer, and to make a difference – one beer at a time.

To achieve this goal, we established our Greener Pastures Program, which encompasses all of the brewery’s environmental and community support initiatives. We are passionate about a sustainable future, and feel it is our collective responsibility to ensure this for generations to come. We created this program to give accountability to our own goals, and to ensure transparency in everything we do. To this end, we commit 10% of our net profits to the Greener Pastures Program.

In essence there are four core pillars to this program:

Reduce and Reuse: Core to our sustainability drivers is our commitment to zero plastic and net zero emissions across our operations. We work in many areas to bring our carbon footprint down, from raw supply chains and our own direct input to packaging materials and their impact on the planet. Major initiatives include wastewater recycling, CO₂ recapture, and our off-grid power system (we brew everything through solar power).

A Responsible Future: We are carbon neutral across scope one, two and three: encompassing our operations from paddock, through to finished product on shelf. We believe in pushing for net zero carbon emissions and will continue to strive for this as early as possible. 2028 is our deadline, with 2025 as a stretch goal to reach net zero.

Restore and Regenerate: We partner with local Landcare groups and charities to enable restoration projects, including forest rehabilitation, coastal rehabilitation and waterway projects. We believe in leaving the planet in a better condition than that in which we entered.

Community: Our community is the reason we exist; without their support we would never be able to undertake any of the above. Without their support, we wouldn’t be here having this chat with you. So a huge driver for us is to give back to those who help us, from Hospice fundraising and supporting local sporting clubs to purchasing equipment and donations to animal shelters and charities, we are here to help, always.

Range Brewing win big at the 2020 Indie Beer Awards

Pixel3 — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:04:57 +0000

The independent beer scene is booming right now, and Queensland brewers are producing some of the best beers in the country. From small producers brewing for their local community to large producers brewing for interstate and international markets, they represent some of the most innovative and highly awarded beers in Australia. Range Brewing is the current toast of the town after winning Champion Beer, Champion IPA and the Hop Products Australia (HPA) trophy for Champion Small/Medium Brewery together with 250kg of our Australian hops at the 2020 Indie Beer Awards.

As industry leaders in quality, craftsmanship, flavour and diversity, we are committed to increasing our level of collaboration with like-minded brewers. We have evolved our sales strategy so that it directly benefits Queensland brewers, including the addition of a dedicated sales rep for the state alongside signing up as a supporting partner of the Royal Queensland Beer Awards in 2021. The Awards is Queensland’s premier beer competition which continues to enjoy growth with consistently high-quality entries. This year, they have invited brewers from across the country to compete for national recognition. Featuring a dedicated team of brewers, beer writers and industry figures, the Awards showcase the quality of Australian brewing and provide a handy guide for consumers.

If they continue their current form, Range is sure to feature in the 2021 Royal Queensland Beer Awards too. Range was started by childhood friends Gerard Martin and Matt McIver to bring the latest innovations in modern beer from around the world to Australian shores. With the help of Mitch Pickford, their ethos of exploration and evolution certainly seems to be working. After giving them a bit of time to celebrate their big win, we got in touch with Mitch to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about what it takes to brew a Range beer.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2020 Indie Beer Awards. We were thrilled to present you with the trophy for Champion Small/Medium Brewery. What and/or who do you credit for your recent success?

A: I think it’s a culmination of our evolution in practices, techniques, and the emphasis we put on quality from the outset. It’s honestly been a two year journey of exploration and learning, and fortunately for us it has born fruit.

Q: Alongside the trophy for Champion Small/Medium Brewery, you also won 250kg of Australian hops. Do you already know which of our uniquely Australian flavour hops you’re going to choose and what beer style you might make with them?

A: It’s an amazing prize to receive, I mean that’s more than the entire hops we contracted from HPA last year. Luckily we’ve added some capacity to be making more beer so these hops will go to good use. I daresay we’ll be using the 250kg for both Galaxy^® and Vic Secret in a West Coast IPA and a Hazy IPA respectively. It would be rude not to!

Q: You also won Champion Beer for Fahrenheit IPA. Can you tell us the story behind the name?

A: We actually made this beer as a dual release where we made an all US ingredient IPA named Fahrenheit and an all AUS ingredient IPA named Celsius.

Q: There was an increase in medal winning IPAs and pale ales at this year’s awards. What do you think is driving brewers to continually produce these expressive, hop-forward beer styles?

A: I personally think, and hope, it’s a combination of both brewers enjoying experimenting with new ingredients, techniques and styles, and beer drinkers creating a higher demand for these styles.

Q: Range are constantly sampling the finest beers from around the world to inspire new and exciting brews. What is one of your favourite overseas experiences involving beer?

A: There are so many that myself, Matt and Gerard have, and we feel fortunate to say that as we know not everyone gets those experiences. My personal favourite was being able to work in San Sebastian Spain at Basqueland Brewing Project for a few weeks back in 2017. Absolutely wonderful people making amazing beer in an incredible city.

Q: Back on home soil, what’s your favourite hop to brew with at the moment? And if it’s not one of our proprietary varieties, what’s your favourite uniquely Australian flavour hop?

A: I think Australian hops have such unique characters. I personally love Vic Secret, especially Vic Secret flowers.

Q: There’s been Range taprooms popping up in other locations. Can you give us the inside scoop?

A: Get ready to drink some beer at our Taproom in Abbotsford, Melbourne. Keep your eyes peeled on our socials, as the taps are in and the beer is cold.

Q: We recently appointed Simeon Bonetti as your local sales rep. Are you looking forward to working with him? How will having a dedicated local sales rep for your state impact on your hop procurement process?

A: I’m fortunate enough to have known and been friends with Sim for several years now. We used to work just 30 meteres away from each other in West End. He’s always been extremely passionate and knowledgable on all things brewing and more importantly hops! Sim is a wonderful person which will make the world of difference in being able to work with him.

Blasta Brewing continues their successful beer awards season

Pixel3 — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 12:16:07 +0000

The West Australian (WA) beer scene has experienced a resurgence in recent years because of a few visionary brewers who responded remarkably well to growing consumer demand for more flavour, quality ingredients, and greater choice. Blasta Brewing is leading the pack after winning West Australian State Champion at the 2020 Indie Beer Awards. This comes after another successful campaign at the 2020 Perth Royal Beer Awards where they won Champion Small Brewery, Champion Beer, Best India Pale Ale Draught and the Hop Products Australia (HPA) trophy for Best Hybrid & Speciality Beer Draught.

We have evolved our sales strategy so that it directly benefits WA brewers like Blasta, and are now members of the Western Australia Brewers Association (WABA) as well as supporting partners of the Perth Royal Beer Awards. The Awards is WA’s premier beer competition which continues to enjoy growth with consistently high-quality entries. This year, the Hop Products Australia (HPA) trophy for Best Hybrid & Speciality Beer Draught was awarded to Blasta Brewing’s The Rampant Raspberry. This was just one of four trophies they won, including Champion Small Brewery, Champion Beer and Best India Pale Ale Draught.

The name Blasta is a tribute to founder and brewer Steve Russell’s Scottish heritage. It comes from Scottish Gaelic and translates to ‘delicious’. Every brew, every day, they stand by their commitment to brew the most delicious beers they can. This often involves pushing the boundaries which has resulted in some world class beers along the way. We got in touch with Steve to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about what it takes to brew a Blasta beer.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2020 Indie Beer Awards and the 2020 Perth Royal Beer Awards. We were thrilled to present you with the trophy for Best Hybrid & Speciality Beer for The Rampant Raspberry. Other than the obvious fact that it’s delicious, why do you think beer drinkers are really puckering up to sour beer at the moment?

A: Sour beers are really starting to take off over here, and it’s no surprise considering the warm sunny days we are lucky enough to get in Australia. They aren’t new, however, some of the newer beer styles are giving non-beer drinkers an appetite to try them. Our Rampant Raspberry really reminds me of my childhood, spending the summer holidays berry picking for pocket money. I’m sure we ate as much as we picked though.

Q: You also won Champion Beer for Chainbreaker. Can you tell us the story behind the name of this sensational IPA?

A: The unicorn representing Scotland in the national coat of arms was always depicted with a chain around its neck as this symbolises the medieval belief that it was a strong, untamed animal. Our brewery logo is a geometric unicorn, and Chainbreaker is a double dry hopped IPA that is jam packed full of deep citrus flavours and aromas that we believe fit the bill of breaking chains.

Q: There was an increase in medal winning IPAs and pale ales at this year’s Awards. What do you think is driving brewers to continually produce these expressive, hop-forward beer styles?

A: As one style takes a back seat, you see other styles come forward to carry the mantle. This is mainly because consumers are simply looking for some variation. We’re often asked what our favourite beer or style is, but it changes week to week depending on circumstances, weather, etc. The wider trend is similar.

Q: Blasta use only the freshest and highest quality ingredients from wherever they can be found. What’s the greatest lengths you’ve gone to source a particular ingredient?

A: We recently brewed a beer that had a considerable amount of Scottish Heather Honey in it. It was extremely difficult to get into Australia, let alone WA which has some of most stringent import restrictions in the world, but the end product was unique and fantastic. We’re willing to go to these lengths for our customers every time.

Q: Speaking of high quality ingredients, what’s your favourite hop to brew with at the moment? And if it’s not one of our proprietary varieties, what’s your favourite uniquely Australian flavour hop?

A: We really enjoy quite a few varities, including Galaxy^®, Vic Secret and Azacca^®. More recently, we’re experimenting with some new NZ varieties which we are looking forward to releasing.

Q: We recently appointed Brad Nolen as your local sales rep. Are you enjoying having him around? And is he making a positive impact on your hop procurement process?

A: We enjoy having Brad over here in WA. It’s great to have more personal service, with him being able to drop in, catch up, and see how we’re doing. It’s also what led us to collaborate on the Eclipse^® Mixed Pack which we were excited to be part of.

Sydney Brewery crowned champion of 2021 Queensland Beer Awards

Pixel3 — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 23:07:48 +0000

In 2021, The Royal Queensland Beer Awards invited top brewers from around Australia to compete for national recognition. Supported by a team of brewers, beer writers and industry figures, the competition has become a respected guide for beer drinkers. Sydney Brewery put on a particularly good show this year, taking home Grand Champion Beer, Champion Lager, and the Hop Products Australia (HPA) trophy for Champion Small/Medium Brewery.

As industry leaders in quality, craftsmanship, flavour and diversity, we are committed to increasing our level of collaboration with like-minded brewers and celebrating their successes. So we’ve evolved our sales strategy to directly benefit Aussie brewers, signing up as a supporting partner of several industry events including the 2021 Royal Queensland Beer Awards. The Awards is Queensland’s premier beer competition which continues to enjoy growth with consistently high-quality entries.

Sydney Brewery beat a total of 485 entries from 71 different breweries to take the title of Grand Champion Beer. They are all about celebrating what makes their city unique. Sydney Brewery pour every pint with pride, knowing they never compromise on the quality of their raw materials or processes. After giving them a bit of time to celebrate their big win, we got in touch with Head Brewer Scott Hayward to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about their award-winning beers.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2021 Royal Queensland Beer Awards. We’re glad we were able to support your success by sponsoring the trophy for Champion Small/Medium Brewery. What does an award like this mean to you?

A: Thanks, winning the Champion Small/Medium Brewery trophy is a great indication that we are doing the right things. We feel like we have been close a few times before, but to actually get there is a huge honour and recognition for the team.

Q: You also won Grand Champion Beer and Champion Lager for your Pilsner. It can be difficult to hide faults in such a light style of beer. How do you do it?

A: There is definitely not much room to hide faults in this category. We believe we have got our Pilsner balanced well and where it needs to be, and focus on our processes such as hygeine, handling, fermentation control, etc to ensure we keep it there.

Q: You obviously delivered a hop intensity that was well balanced with the rest of the beer. What’s your favourite hop to brew with at the moment? And if it’s not one of our proprietary varieties, what’s your favourite uniquely Australian flavour hop?

A: My favourite hop at the moment, and has been for quite some time, is Amarillo^®. With the Australian hop varieties it is hard to go past Galaxy^® (I’d imagine this would be a fairly standard response), but I am also liking Eclipse^® in the right combinations and your experimental variety HPA033 is showing some promise.

Q: Interstate entries for the 2021 Royal Queensland Beer Awards doubled compared to 2020. What was your main motivation for entering this year?

A: My main focus for entering any beer awards is unbiased industry feedback. It’s also great to get the recognition of quality beers, but the biggest takeout is identification of areas to improve.

Q: You’re industrial warehouse with it’s exposed brick, concrete wall and street art is set up so that beer drinkers can watch your brewers at work in Surry Hills. Does the team thrive under a little extra pressure, or do they prefer the peace and quiet of an early morning start?

A: I’d like to think that most of the time we are mainly focussed on the job at hand, it’s pretty common to be doing our thing and look up to see a small audience but the focus and motivation is on making a quality beer.

Q: The brewery name suggests you are pretty proud of your city. How does the boutique Sydney lifestyle influence the specialty beers you make?

A: We are definitely proud of our city, and country. The great thing about Sydney is that it is very diverse and has endless influences.

Q: You also make award winning ciders. Are there any plans to release a hopped cider st some stage?

A: We have talked about releasing a hopped cider but haven’t got any solid plans as yet, we do have a Cidery Bar at Rydges World Square so it does make sense to try something different.

Q: Sydney Brewery is renowned for having a constant rotation of seasonal beers. Do you have any new and exciting beers or ciders in the works that we should keep an eye out for?

A: We do have a history of releasing seasonal beers (and keeping them in our core range), but are in the process of implementing a more seasonal based rotation including 2-3 seasonals as well as a couple of limited releases and experimental beers. Some of these include a Black IPA that was released last year but we have brought back again, a Double Red IPA we have just released which is drinking well and will be interesting to see how it is received, and are also a couple of weeks off a NEIPA that could have notes of mango…

With the ciders we are close to releasing a second batch of Oaked Organic Cider and have been doing small batches of flavoured ciders such as watermelon, guava, passionfruit, etc.

We will also be looking at releasing a whiskey sometime this year under the brand Two Doctors, and will be starting with a 5 year old single barrel release.

Esker’s journey to success

Pixel3 — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 01:06:30 +0000

Celebrating 30 years in 2023, the Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards is the largest annual beer competition in the world, judging both draught and packaged beer. In 2023, the Awards attracted over 2,800 entries from more than 400 breweries across 21 countries. It is a valuable benchmarking opportunity for breweries of all sizes to secure internationally recognised credentials that will help their beer stand out in a crowd.

Esker Beer Co. took home Best Modern Pale Ale for their Esker Hazy Pale, proudly sponsored by HPA. The idea behind the New South Wales brewery centres around the journey more than the destination. They craft beers to be enjoyed every step of the way. After giving Esker time to celebrate their big win, we got in touch with Head Brewer Dan Shaw to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about their beers and the place they call home.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2023 Australian International Beer Awards. As proud sponsors of your trophy for Best Modern Pale Ale, can you tell us how you build the beautifully layered and complex hop profile in your Hazy Pale?

A: Thank you! It’s a fantastic award to pick up, and our first trophy at the AIBAs. James, one of our brewers, created a limited release Oat Cream Hazy Pale Ale earlier in 2023, and when the team tried that beer we all agreed it should form the framework for what became the Esker Hazy Pale. We used several different types of oats, an NZ dominated hop bill, and some US hops for that familiar hazy flavour profile. Multiple hop additions during fermentation really puts the yeast to work on the biotransformation of the hop oils, creating a strong and well-rounded fruity character.

Q: You use a combo of modern NZ and US hops in your Hazy Pale. Have you been experimenting with any other new hop varieties or hop products in the brewery?

A: We’ve only just started tapping into what’s available in the market. We’ve installed a 400L Premier Stainless small batch kit into our brewery, not only for small batch brews but also to experiment with different ingredients using the same brew base to see how they enhance desired flavour profiles. We’re definitely looking forward to trialing more of the ingredients that have come out in recent years.

Q: Your beers are crafted for drinkability, but you often collaborate with other brewers and venues on one-off beers. Do you have a favourite collaboration to date?

A: Three instantly come to mind. Many years ago we brewed an Imperial Pilsner with Feral Brewing, and people constantly ask for that beer. So we might have to make some calls and brew it again. We were also lucky enough to collaborate on the festival beer for the 2018 Sydney Beer Week. And most recently, our first collaboration under the Esker brand with Seeker Brewing as part of Collabruary 2023. All great, fun experiences.

Q: You recently changed name from Australian Brewery to Esker Beer. What’s the story behind Esker?

A: Our facility, venue and home are still the Australian Brewery and Australian Hotel & Brewery, but the brand has taken on a different personality in Esker. When we first started talking about a rebrand we wanted to look more locally and think geographically smaller. As Australian Brewery we exported to 10 countries around the world over the years, but never really looked to our, very large, local area of the Hills district. So we knew we needed to find a way to connect with the potential in our own backyard and create something special for the residents, since we have been the only production brewery in the Hills for 13 years.

Q: How has your home, the Hills Shire in Sydney, inspired the Esker brand and beers?

A: We wanted to develop a brand that linked to our local area so we could engage people and build a story around it. Something that really spoke to our team and our local customers. We spent a good amount of time trying to find something that stood out and linked us to where we are. Rouse Hill, Sydney has some Irish heritage and Esker is an Irish word for a ridge or a hill, so it made sense to take an interesting looking and sounding word that had a link we could trace to the story of Rouse Hill and the Hills Shire.

Q: You’ve created a modern venue for modern beer drinkers complete with café, restaurant, sports bar, beer garden and playground. How do you stay in tune with your community?

A: With such a big venue we have to make sure we have good communication with the staff talking directly to the customers. So we have a group of staff members who are part of our Beer Experience team. These staff work the bar, cellar door, provide tastings, and potentially brewery tours for patrons in the future. This team is made up of staff who work with us directly in the brewery, on our packing line, deliveries, cellar, and stock work. They have a direct line to the brewing team as well as to the customers. Having only just rolled out the second phase of our Esker brand we are also planning on doing many more small beer focused events at our venue for people to attend, something that we haven’t really done in the past.

Sunday Road walk the path to the Australian International Beer Awards

Pixel3 — Mon, 31 May 2021 04:33:50 +0000

Conducted by the RASV, the AIBA is the largest annual beer competition in the world, assessing both draught and packaged beer. In 2021, the awards attracted 2,500 entries from 402 exhibitors from 21 countries. It is a valuable benchmarking opportunity for breweries of all sizes to secure internationally recognised credentials that will help their beer stand out in a crowd.

Sunday Road Brewing were recognised once again, ironically winning the HPA trophy for Best New World Style Pale Ale for their Cryotherapy Hazy IPA. The Sydney brewery is all about looking forward to the best day of the week, when most of us get the chance to relax, spend time with loved ones and follow our passions while enjoying a tasty beer or two. After giving Sunday Road time to celebrate their big win, we got in touch with Head Brewer Mick O’Rance to congratulate the team and ask a few questions about their beers and living by the southern beaches.

Q: Congrats on your recent success at the 2021 Australian International Beer Awards. We’re glad we were able to support your success by sponsoring the trophy for Best New World Style Pale Ale. But we’re curious to know what you were doing that prevented you from accepting the trophy on the night?

A: We didn’t know we were likely to win a trophy. A missed phone call apparently! Also, we’re still quite a small team with only myself in the brewery, and it was a busy week of canning beer Wednesday, kegging beer Thursday, and tank cleaning Friday to ensure everything was ready for the following weeks brewing. So there wasn’t really time to shoot down to Melbourne for a few days.

Q: Your Cryotherapy Hazy IPA features concentrated hop pellets. Are you using any other innovative hop products in the brewery?

A: Yes, lupulin rich hop products are a favourite of ours for the intense flavour and aroma they can provide, whilst also reducing losses during the brewing and fermentation process. We’re always looking for, and open to trying anything new and interesting that becomes available.

Q: We’re particularly proud that Aussie hops feature heavily in one of your flagship beers. What makes the Enigma Australian Pale Ale the ideal thirst quencher?

A: We hopped on the Enigma train very early, even before it had a name. The Enigma Ale is our first born, and still our biggest selling beer. I think that’s because it’s well balanced and sessions very well in the Aussie climate. It has just enough hop character to keep the craft beer lovers happy, but it’s also is a good introduction to craft beer for people coming across from more mainstream lagers.

Q: You’re also known for making a lot of really good limited edition beers, like the Lunar Eclipse Lager. Where does the inspiration come from?

A: We were stoked to be involved with the Eclipse mixed back. We’d spent time with the hop back when it was known as HPA-016, and really liked what it contributed to the beers we brewed. Our inspiration for the Lunar Eclipse Lager was to step away from doing another hazy and look for something very different. We ended up at a classic Schwarzbier with a modern twist through the use of a new world hop. The subtle chocolate nuances from the malt worked perfectly with the mandarin/citrus character that Eclipse provides, giving the beer a very subtle jaffa flavour.

Q: I think we can agree the mark of a good beer is one that keeps people coming back time and time again. What’s your go to at the moment?

A: On tap at Sunday Road I can’t go past our Vienna Lager, which just won a gold medal at AIBA. It’s the perfect time of year for this malt forward copper coloured lager too. Buying beer, I’m always on the lookout for anything new and interesting. We’re pretty spoilt these days. It’s becoming so easy to have an incredible selection of different beers readily available.

Q: And finally, describe your ideal Sunday.

A: Being a morning person, I’m always awake early and love getting out for a mountainbike ride first thing, followed by the kids sport. Then it’s all about relaxing through the rest of the day with a late lunch/early dinner with family, friends and a couple of beers.

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.

Meet the brewer: Mike Magee, Eight Degrees Brewing

Pixel3 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 22:00:02 +0000

We first came across this Irishman mid-celebration at the World Beer Cup in Denver.

Eight Degrees Brewing had just taken out Bronze for their Amber Ella American Amber Ale, starring you guessed it, our hop Ella.

As the brewing world’s Olympics, with more than 4,700 entries from 58 countries, it’s a cracking result for anyone.

In this instance, with the ale originally intended as a ‘one-night stand brew’ for a festival and the brewery only three years old, it was a particularly gratifying result.

So, who is Eight Degrees Brewing?

Owners/brewers Scott Baigant and Cam Wallace are a unique pair; a Kiwi water engineer and an Aussie accountant working in (self-described) semi-harmony, in rural Ireland.

Appointing Mike, a former chemist, as Head Brewer, the micro-brewery in County Cork has gone from strength to strength.

Over the past few years, Mike’s fallen hard for a few of our hops:

“You get a different, atypical flavour using Aussie hops – some American hops are over-used. I love working with Ella, Galaxy^® and Vic Secret – all are wonderful late kettle/whirlpool additions.”

Including Ella and Galaxy^® in his Amber Ella, Mike was, “…delighted with how it turned out, particularly seeing the way Ella and Galaxy^® interact. Both have tropical fruit notes but the Ella has a nice spicy edge which tempers the Galaxy^® beautifully.”

For further proof of how delighted the boys were, check out Cam’s ode to Ella below…

Mike has also recently done a single hop Black IPA with Vic Secret.

“It was one of the best beers we’ve ever produced. Galaxy^® and Vic Secret work beautifully in black IPA’s when you’re looking for an intense tropical fruit hop bomb to lighten the dark malts.”

If you’re keen to get your hands on a few of these ales, hopefully you won’t have to wait long.

The team are working to expand their current site in Mitchelstown with some quality second hand equipment they secured from Mauritius, off the East coast of Africa.

A spot of crowd funding is helping them bring it over to Ireland where they’re hoping to expand their production volumes so Cam can see his brews being enjoyed back in his homeland.

Cam’s Ode to Amber Ella

Who is Amber-Ella?

Amber-Ella is an enigma. She is that casual glance in the street that makes your heart beat.
A free spirit, a whirlwind of excitement and allure,
She exudes confidence but is a mystery of intrigue.
She’s a roamer, nomad, wanderer, vagabond, call her what you will.
She’s like the wind, and will take your breath away.
She is the opposite of our faithful wet weather companion, the umber-ella
Don’t try and hold on to her, set her free and enjoy the moment.