Craft beer
James Smith asks six top brewers their hopes for brewing’s next decade
WHEN THE CLOCK ticked past midnight on January 1, 2010, everyone invested in Australia’s craft beer industry would have hoped to see it grow and gain a foothold in the wider food and drink culture. None would have predicted the way it would look 10 years on.
Hopes and expectations were met, exceeded, and then hit some sort of magic accelerator that made everything, for good and bad, shoot off at a rate of knots in every direction imaginable.
It’s a situation that’s left Australia’s beer in its healthiest and most vibrant state for generations, if not ever. Yet, as someone recently told me, it also feels like the industry is going through its angsty teenage years – some stuff is going to hit the fan and hearts will be broken before we know how things will pan out.
TOPHER BOEHM, WILDFLOWER,
SYDNEY, NSW
Wildflower, in Marrickville, closed the decade with their St Phoebe, an Australian wild ale with raspberries, named Best Drink In Australia at the inaugural Drink Easy awards. They specialise in barrel-aged and blended beers using native yeasts and fruit, and have been forging partnerships with small local producers using regenerative practices.
“I’d love to see a broader celebration of the unique flavours and produce of this country reflected in the beers we call Australian: more appropriate and less appropriated beers,” Topher says. “People ‘get around’ drinks and they can start a conversation.
For example, about how our climate influences our ingredients and, for us, why we work closely with the growers of our malt and hops because we believe we can create better beer, operate more sustainably, and tell their story at the same time.”
CHRIS FARMER, MR BANKS,
SEAFORD, VIC
If you’ve been paying attention to the beer world recently, you’ll notice a lot of beers have become cloudier. Often they’re IPAs
– tagged hazy or New England – designed to be super-fruity and juicy, while low in bitterness. Seaford-based Mr Banks is one of the breweries exploring this realm with great enthusiasm.
“I hope there are still breweries like us that are able to create fun, interesting beers that push the limits in terms of ingredients and flavour profiles,” Chris says. “I think this is just the start of breweries showing what can be done with hops, yeast and adjuncts, and the interaction when they play together, in creating some pretty amazing beers.”
WILL TATCHELL, VAN DIEMAN
BREWING, TASMANIA
On his family farm, Will has started creating estate ales – beers brewed entirely with water, hops, yeast and barley sourced on the land; they even malt their own barley for some beers. “I’d like to see beer with a sense of place, created with local and sustainable ingredients, developed and processed at or close to the brewery,” he says.
“We’ve witnessed the farm-to-fork movement from chefs, and brewers are increasingly applying the concept to their own work. It gives people a much more intimate connection with the beer, created from ingredients grown at the brewery or on neighbouring land, using seasonal fruits and flora, and from ingredients with indigenous importance to their area.”
GERARD MARTIN, RANGE BREWING,
BRISBANE, QLD
As the beer scene has exploded in southeast Queensland, all manner of breweries have appeared. But Range still managed to bring something new, from their aesthetic to their “no core range” approach and their fondness for beer styles riding the hype train. Beer lovers have lapped up their hazy IPAs and pastry sours alike.
“As the public becomes more aware and educated about the impact they are making on the world and environment, the consumer will consider and do more research on the product they are purchasing, resulting in a new motto: ‘Less but better.’ Breweries will need to become more transparent and forward-thinking in the way they deliver their product to the consumer, both in the physical and digital world.”
STUART WHYTCROSS, VOYAGER
CRAFT MALT, RIVERINA, NSW
While the vast majority of beer’s hops, malt and yeast still comes from major suppliers, there’s a growing number of “craft” producers. Voyager Craft Malt, set to embark on major expansion this year, is something of a flag-bearer in this area.
“True beer terroir: beers that are made of a place, rather than in a place. I feel we’re only just starting to scratch the surface with a handful of breweries beginning to develop their core beers with regionally grown and sourced ingredients,” Stuart says.
“Like wine, beer is an agricultural product with raw ingredients influenced by variety, seasonal conditions and farming practice. The recent rise of smaller maltsters, hop growers and on-farm breweries across the country is creating some unique opportunities for brewers to offer hyperlocal and sustainable products that not only serve but also support their local communities.”
RICHARD JEFFARES, TWØBAYS
BREWING, DROMANA, VIC
After discovering he had coeliac disease, but still keen to enjoy good beer, Richard Jeffares embarked on a road that would lead to a gluten-free brewery and taproom on the Mornington Peninsula. Today, more people are seeking gluten-free – as well as low- and no-alcohol options – as the drinks world diversifies, with TWØBAYS among those at the forefront.
“I would love to see a whole range of brands and beer styles for the Australian public to choose from, including those avoiding gluten. Everybody should be able to share in a great beer experience with friends over a meal, at a bar or at home, and we hope to be part of the movement helping make beer inclusive of everyone.”