Black Hops go ‘AWOL’

GOLD Coast craft brewers Black Hops will open Queensland’s first dedicated barrel-aged beer taproom at Burleigh on Saturday.

Named AWOL for the renegade keg that started it all, the new venue is proof that good things come to those who wait, showcasing brews that have been many months in the making.

Black Hops brewmaster Michael “Govs” McGovern said the chance to delve into an ancient brewing technique was too exciting to resist.

Barrel ageing sees fermenting beers transferred to oak barrels that have previously stored wine or spirits. The beer is left to pick up flavours from the timber.

“It’s a long commitment for these beers – 100 per cent a passion project for us,” Mr McGovern said.

“We see AWOL as a platform on which we can really push the boundary of what beer is. So far there’s over 100 white wine, red wine, gin, bourbon and whiskey barrels, each filled with beers in various stages of fermentation.

“Eight of these beers will be ready to savour upon launch, including some in

AWOL taproom is a new venture from the Black Hops crew, including (from left) Michael “Govs” McGovern, co-founder Eddie Oldfield, operations manager Leah Spong and CEO/co-founder Dan Norris. Picture: Jerad Williams

cans and takeaways.”

The Haven Sour, a hibiscus cherry sour, is inspired by the street address of the AWOL taproom, while another brew has a salty edge courtesy of buckets of (boiled) seawater.

The venue itself, with blonde timber, copper accents and dried flowers gracing tabletops, is a contrast to the

dark industrial character of the original Black Hops taprooms – and an even further cry from the building’s beginnings as a meat factory.

“When we got in, there were blood stains and big carcass hooks – we went through a lot of bleach,” Black Hops co-founder and “design-tragic” Dan Norris said.

“It’s not your typical barrel

room, that’s for sure.”

As for that renegade keg, it went missing in action back in 2018 and became “infected” in enemy (beer) lines. When it was recovered, it had turned into a surprisingly tasty sour.

Black Hops co-founder Eddie Oldfield said the keg, christened AWOL and poured exclusively at Black Hops Burleigh, inspired the

next chapter in the Black Hops story, which already includes facilities at Burleigh, Biggera Waters and Brisbane.

“In 2019 while on a trip to New Zealand we fell in love with the idea of a barrel-aged beer taproom,” he said.

The AWOL taproom will initially only open to two prepaid tour sessions for groups of 15 on Saturday afternoons.