HOW CRAFT CIDER IS SAVING THE CATEGORY. See page 34 INCLUDING
ISSUE 50 SPRING 2019 PRICE $9.95 (NZ $11.95)
t s e B wpubs e r B WHO’S TOPPED THE LIST?
BEERS & CIDERS
REVIEWED
HOW TO BREW…
KOMBUCHA TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED BREWING
BUT WHAT’S NEXT?
IPA
THE STYLE THAT NEVER STAYS STILL
WWW.BEERANDBREWER.COM
PLUS! GROWING YOUR BREWERY | TASMANIAN BREWERIES | HOPS, HOPS, HOPS!
CONTENTS
inside... Spring 2019
64 “As we grow our capacity we have always invested in our capability at the same time”
FEATURES 16 Evolving IPAs Luke Robertson takes a look at the incredible and incredibly varied world of IPAs
20 Top 50 Brewpubs Our judging panel has trawled Australia to bring you the best brewpubs for food, service, community engagement, interiors and beer gardens
28 Technology How technology has changed the face of brewing and continues to do so
34 Cider Tam Allenby explores how craft cider is flying the flag for the category in Australia
42 Kombucha The secondary fermentation of kombucha has come to Australia
44 Regional Breweries Series On our third regional instalment, we take you on a trip around the island of Tasmania
64 Growing Your Brewery Looking to take your brewery to the next level? Check out the different ways you can do it
4 www.beerandbrewer.com
– Jamie Cook.
HOMEBREWER 48 Welcome 49 Letters 50 Q&A 42 Jake’s Brew Log Jake Brandish tries his hand at brewing IPAs
54 Hops Homebrewer chats to two of Australia’s leading hop suppliers
56 GABS Chris Thomas continues his quest to brew GABS beers
60 Recipes Brewing recipes from Gladfield
62 Level Up Spinning around with the whirlpool
54
20
REGULARS 6 The Brew
The best spring events for your diary
8
News
All the latest from BrewCon 2019 and more
10 World News 12 Bits and Bobs 14 New Venues 72 Tasting Notes This spring, our esteemed tasting panel worked their way through a range of beers from all across Australia, with a seasonal focus on lagers
80 Directory 82 A Pint With
BrewDog’s Martin Dickie
Check out our Top 50 Brewpubs 32
16
44
Spring 2019  5
IPAS
16  www.beerandbrewer.com
IPAS
Fresh
ideas
THE IPA HAS BECOME A MAINSTAY IN ALMOST EVERY BREWERY’S RANGE. BUT, AS LUKE ROBERTSON DISCOVERS, ITS GROWING APPEAL IS BUILT AROUND CONSTANT EVOLUTION AND CHANGE
I
ndia Pale Ale just doesn’t
quite well at the Nest, and that our
20s for most IPA yeast), and much
stop. The big flavoured
[trade] customers were enjoying
faster than more common yeast.
style has evolved from a
them, which must mean people
hoppy UK pale ale in the
were drinking them.”
1800s to an Americaninfluenced juggernaut
On the other side of Australia, near
“It’s not radically different to Saccharomyces yeast in the end product,” señor brewer Adrian
Fremantle, Gage Roads has taken a
McNulty says (his title is Spanish
in recent years. The evolution
more radical approach, splitting off
for a reason known only to the
continues, with brewers embracing
its Atomic Pale Ale into an entirely
Moon Dog team). “It’s more in the
new hazy and low bitterness
new Atomic brand. It launched with
processing side that things are a little
versions influenced by the
an IPA and a IIPA to go alongside
different. It does have a slightly more
breweries of New England in the
its Pale Ale. Gage Roads head of
orange ester character to it.”
north east of the USA.
marketing Miles Hull explains that
The beer isn’t the only thing
While all these three breweries
the team wanted the freedom to
have all been tweaking IPA in
evolving, as breweries try to navigate
explore the world of hoppier beers
their core line-ups in different
the rapidly changing market by
away from the main brand. That
ways, Range Brewing in Brisbane
shuffling line-ups, creating new
meant giving it a unique look as well.
launched last year with a different
brands, and trying to carve out their own space in the world of IPA. It’s causing established breweries
“We wanted something different to Gage Roads,” Hull says. “We developed it internally
approach, co-founder Matt McIver tells Beer and Brewer: “We don’t brew a core range beer;
to rethink their approach. Recently,
among our team and our in-
we have some core styles that we
Melbourne’s Two Birds brewed
house graphic team. We wanted
stick to. We change our IPAs and our
its last batch of Golden Ale, the
something using the Atomic name
pale ales and our double IPAs with
beer that they launched with back
and to be quite striking.”
each batch. The point of this is kind
in 2012. It was replaced in the brewery’s core line-up with an IPA.
Back in Melbourne, Moon Dog
of twofold: we want to be brewing
Brewing quietly discontinued its
exciting beer all the time, and we
Sun Cat IPA after only a year in the
want to be selling fresh beer and
Golden, and seeing that decreasing
marketplace, and replaced it with
have people know they are drinking
in popularity, we feel like IPA is
a new series of beers, all IPAs, that
fresh beer. One way to do that is to
more in line with what people are
will explore the different variations
change them all the time.”
drinking,” says co-founder Jayne
of the style. So far, the releases
Lewis. In the leadup, Two Birds
have been a mixture of US West
LOCALITY AND FRAGILITY
made IPAs in small batches and
Coast and East Coast styles, as well
The big problem with IPAs is for a
one-offs, trialling them over the
as experimenting with Kveik yeast
style that was born out of exporting
bar at its taproom The Nest.
– a farmhouse yeast from Norway
to foreign markets (brewing
that is gaining favour with brewers
literature at the time of its invention
releases to really scratch that itch,
around the world. It ferments hot
advised that when sending beer over
and we noticed they were doing
(39°C, versus high teens or low
the oceans that more hops would
“Looking at something like
“We kept making them in limited
Aussie pride One of the first IPAs of the modern era was Bridgeport IPA out of Portland. While breweries like Anchor and Sierra Nevada had been showcasing American hop aroma in their beers, neither had slapped the IPA label on. There may have been some brewpubs offering IPAs on tap, but Bridgeport were the first to make it a focus for a brand. The creator? Australian brewer and winemaker Phil Sexton who was an executive and brewmaster at Gambrinus, the parent company for Bridgeport. He’s also co-founded (among other things) Matilda Bay and Little Creatures. Onya Phil.
Spring 2019 17
TECHNOLOGY
Game changers ADVANCES IN BREWING TECHNOLOGY HAVE IMPROVED ACCURACY, CONSISTENCY AND EASE OF USE FOR BREWERS
I
nnovation is a word that crops
provide co-gen recovery. Modern day systems
contribute, or delving into the DNA of your
up a lot in brewing circles. New
can be recipe-driven by tablets, connected
yeast strains.
ingredients, new styles and new
and controlled online. Full brewing expertise,
recipes all require pioneering
along with quality control and consistency,
practices has been technology that has
thought from brewers. The same
is no longer prohibited by access to big
allowed us to better understand what is
has been happening behind the
budgets. Innovation in brewing technologies
actually happening during the brewing
scenes of brewing as well, with equipment
has played a critical role in making brewing
process (we still only know about 70% really),”
manufacturers changing the way we brew in
accessible in all beer consuming markets.”
says Neal Cameron, director of Institute of
countless ways over the years.
“Much of the advancement in brewing
Beer. “Microscopes and stains that allow us
ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCY
determine yeast populations and their health;
incremental rather than revolutionary. A
The brewing process has never been fixed
propagation and DNA techniques to determine
new gadget is introduced to make one facet
in time; it has been constantly evolving and
yeast strains and competing organisms such
of the brewing process easier, more accurate,
improving as brewers try to understand
as bacteria; and sophisticated analytical
less fiddly. It’s trialled and improved and
what’s the chemistry, biology and magic that
tools like UV & NIR spectroscopy, DNA
then, slowly but surely this new device is
happens inside those fermenters in order to
identification and gas chromatography that
welcomed by pro brewers, before it becomes
have greater control over the finished product.
help us identify both good and bad attributes
affordable and ultimately indispensable
One of the most desired results for any brewer
of a beer. That said, a well-trained human
across the entire brewing sector. Perhaps the
is a consistent product that looks, smells and
olfactory system is probably still the most
most important trend in brewing has been
tastes the same every time. In order to achieve
sophisticated and comprehensive tool we
the growing affordability and availability of
this, accurate measurements are required to
know of for this purpose.”
these technologies.
measure what you’re doing. Most breweries
Technology improvements are largely
“Today micro-scaled brewhouses have all the technologies of super brewery plants,” says Paul Baggio, managing director of the
As well as being able to monitor what is
these days would feel underequipped without
happening in the brewing process, digital
a lab to test and measure results.
technology has enabled brewers to collate
These analytical tools allow brewers to
all that information into measurable and
Beverage Food Group. “Reversable lauter
better identify problems with a beer and
understandable blocks of information. Being
rakes that make graining out simpler,
make amends before too much damage is
able to easily and efficiently understand what
safer and less labour intensive; convection
done or beer is wasted. But they are also
is happening has not only allowed brewers to
heating over multiple mash tun zones with
allowing us to better understand the core
make the alterations necessary to improve
step controls, along with VSD drive pumps,
brewing ingredients – whether it’s exploring
the finished product, it’s also been critical to
heat recovery mash and kettle systems that
the different oils in hops and what they
streamlining breweries as a business, finding
28 www.beerandbrewer.com
TECHNOLOGY
way to cut costs in an industry where margins are getting ever tighter. New technology hasn’t just allowed brewers to identify and monitor what’s happening, it also gives them ways to alter the process and improve the finished product. Technologies such as centrifuges have allowed even small scale brewers to filter their beers more effectively, while improvements in canning lines have reduced the risk of oxidation. “Innovations in the can packaging space have enabled counter pressure technology to be accessible and gain favour over the older more clunky purge fill can packaging, providing DO (dissolved oxygen) levels measured in low parts per billion as compared to the comparatively high levels of DO provided by gravity purge systems,” says Baggio.
AUTOMATION Brewing is hard work, with plenty of time-consuming and demanding physical labour involved. But advances in remote access technology and automation have allowed brewers to have more control over the process whatever the time and wherever they are, resulting in fewer avoidable mistakes and less overall stress. Combined with increasingly accurate monitoring systems, brewers can now know exactly what’s happening at all times and take immediate steps to rectify errors and make alterations. “Many brewers will appreciate the anxiety that can engulf their time away from the brewery,” says Warren Bradford, director at Deacam Pty Ltd. “Things like
BentSpoke uses different technology for their 360 cans
Advances in brewing technology “As a home brewer I’d say small-scale automation equipment,” says Cornel Ianculovici, head brewer at Shambles Brewery. “As a professional brewer I’d say our counterpressure canning equipment.” “It’s been the advent of brewing software and cloud computing that allows remote management of breweries,” says Neal Cameron, director of The Institute of Beer. “I look after two breweries this way, and can interrogate brewing data, fermentation process, sensory and QC information without being anywhere near the brewery.” “I am playing with lots of automated computer-controlled brewing systems at the moment and some of the integration into brewing software is allowing an almost ‘set and forget’ experience,” says Gary Staples, direcotr of Newera Brewing. “It may not be every one’s idea of brewing, but if I can get something that will do a lot of the boring stuff for me like cleaning, I will be pretty excited.” “Separation technology has gone to next level allowing accessibility to the smaller brewers,” says Richard Watkins, co-founder of BentSpoke Brewing. “Brewhouse and cellar control systems are becoming easier to integrate with existing systems. Chemical cleaners and sanitisers are becoming less corrosive rendering them much safer to use in a brewery.” Digital Deacam monitors allow for accurate assessments
chiller faults and power outages are constant concerns for brewers. Technology has enabled centralised control for a fully connected brewery, remote access into the brew controls coupled with remote alarming has given brewers back their weekends. Of course, when it comes to these technological advances, there is a fine line between making things more manageable and making the whole process so easy that brewers feel that they’re scarcely brewing any more. However, the use of apps, smart phones and tablets is now largely accepted as essential, allowing brewers to access, assess, plan and record every aspect of the brewing process. This has also allowed brewers to brew more often, meaning that even with a smaller brewery footprint, they can continue to pump out more beer more consistently and to a higher standard. “Fermecraft can make it possible for small craft breweries to manufacture their product with the same precision and repeatability normally found in breweries 100 times their size,” says Bradford. “We have been able to capture every piece of data surrounding a brew batch and provide certainty of product quality.”
Spring 2019 29
ALCOHOLIC KOMBUCHA
“ALL THE CRAFT BEER PLACES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE A KOMBUCHA ON TAP”
BREWING
kombucha?
IT’S A TREND THAT’S TAKEN OFF IN THE UNITED STATES AND IS NOW ARRIVING ON AUSTRALIAN SHORES – MAKING ALCOHOLIC KOMBUCHA THROUGH SECONDARY FERMENTATION
K
ombucha has been one
(in California),” says Nick Cogger, founder
of the great success
of K.Booch, an alcoholic kombucha based
about adding another drink to their list, it is
stories of recent years.
in Torquay, Victoria. “Every bottle shop in
important to dwell on the microbiology for a
Growing from an
California will have one or two alcoholic
moment. To make kombucha with secondary
obscure, health product
kombuchas. All the craft beer places in
fermentation, it is currently necessary to use
to an everyday purchase
California have a kombucha on tap. They’re
Acetabacter, a bacteria that eats ethanol – not
in supermarkets everywhere, it has continued
leading the charge. The market is being led
ideal in a standard brewery. Cogger found an
to evolve for different drinking occasions.
by JuneShine and Boochcraft, both out of
abandoned brewery near Torquay in which to
Alcoholic kombucha was the drink’s next
San Diego.
ferment his kombucha, so there’s no chance of
iteration, but it relied on spirits for its
“Women are jumping into that category.
However, before brewers get too excited
any beers being infected. That said, given the
ABV, whether it is added by producers or
we’re in the RTD fridge but we think that
current craze for microfauna in craft brewing,
consumers. However, there are now people
customers from cider and from white wine
perhaps some brave soul will give it a try.
who are bringing brewing into the equation.
and gin and tonic, Aperol spritz would come
To make any kombucha requires a primary fermentation phase, meaning that most
into that market.” So what is the process of secondary
“Craft brewers are trailblazers in every sense,” says Cogger. “You have to have something innovative so I do think that
kombuchas have a very small amount of
fermentation and is it something that craft
brewers will be looking at it. They’re already
alcohol in it. However, through secondary
brewers and homebrewers alike could get
using lacto distillase in some of their sours
fermentation, an alcoholic kombucha
into? Cogger explains what happens at
and stuff like that.”
is possible. This trend has been largely
K.Booch.
confined to the United States, specifically
“The first brew cycle is 28-30 days. They
At present, alcoholic kombucha is classified (and taxed) as an RTD, which hits
California, but it is making waves here
vary depending on how the sugar drops.
the price point and perception, but Cogger
in Australia, albeit it at a lower 4 percent
And then it’s 14-20 days for that secondary
believes that as a brewed product, it has its
ABV, compared to the 6-8 percent that the
fermentation. It’s really acidic because
place with the craft beer world. He hopes that
American market demands.
different things are fighting for different
eventually the laws will be altered to reflect
yeast strains, so we have to pitch a different
this given the potential popularity of the
type of yeast to increase the ABV.”
drink.
“I think I found about 12 companies doing (secondary fermented) kombucha
42 www.beerandbrewer.com
ADVERTORIAL
MEET THE KOM-BREWER THROUGH SECONDARY FERMENTATION, K.BOOCH HAS PRODUCED A NEW ALCOHOLIC KOMBUCHA FOR THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET. WE TALK TO FOUNDER NICK COGGER ABOUT THE PROCESS
Q: WHAT IS K.BOOCH? WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT? Last year (2018), I saw kombucha and started drinking a lot myself. Nick Cogger, founder of K. Booch
I went from drinking kombucha at breakfast to drinking it in the afternoon, in the sun with gin. This spurred a thought that I might be able to secondary ferment the ‘Booch’, so I dusted off my old brewing books and developed a proprietary technique over the summer of 2018/2019 to secondary ferment kombucha.
Q: HOW DO YOU MAKE K.BOOCH? We start off with tea and sugar, and we blend that together. We then
“WE’RE CREATING AN ENTIRE CATEGORY WHICH FIVE YEARS DOWN THE TRACK WILL BE IN MOST BOTTLE SHOPS”
do a first fermentation with what’s called a ‘mother’ or a Scoby, which is a mix of yeast and bacteria. The Scoby feeds on the sugar and nutrients from the tea, creating a vinegary and tart drink full of nutrients and beneficial acids. Once we’ve done that, we strip out the original mother and yeast, and re-pitch with a fresh strain of yeast and some dextrose to create an alcoholic kombucha. This process is quite difficult as there are so many factors that are inhibiting the process. Once we have fermented to our desired alcohol level, we blend it with various different juices and extracts to create a more palatable flavour profile. The finished product sits at 4% ABV.
Q: WHAT FLAVOURS DO YOU HAVE? The Pineapple & Watermelon, that’s an entry level kombucha for us – super easy drinking flavour. Rosé & Berry is that ‘frosé’ vibe, so rosé, raspberry and strawberry. Blood Orange is sour and tart. And then a
coast of Australia towards the end of this year, so we’ll be able to run a
Ginger & Lime, with heavy ginger and fresh lime.
core range and trial some different products as well.
Q: WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT K.BOOCH?
We’re going to use that for festivals and events, then later in the year
I think that main selling point for us it’s a transparent labelled product.
we will make them available to the off-premise market. And we’re
People know what they’re drinking and it has a flavour profile that’s
going on tap in my venue (Frontbeach Taphouse), and later in the year
appealing. It’s a new category. A new category gives venues something
we’ll start looking at growing our on-premise presence.
We’re in 330ml bottles. We’ll be in cans in the next two months.
to talk about, something new, something to market. products that they know and trust. We are currently being ranged in
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR SECONDARY FERMENTED KOMBUCHA?
the RTD fridge, but it’s our opinion that as we are a fermented product
We’re creating an entire category which five years down the track will
we are more like a ginger beer or cider, even a craft beer.
be in most bottle shops with a variety of alcoholic kombuchas, and we
Consumers at the moment are drinking less; they’re drinking better
expect to be at least the size of 10% of the cider market within three
Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR K.BOOCH?
years. That’s where I think the category can go just through the growth
We’ll have a native Australian release heading into summer using
in the supermarkets with the non-alcoholic varieties and also just
native Australian fruit and botanicals. And then we will be looking at
seeing the strength of it over in California with the alcoholic version.
doing some higher ABV stuff. We haven’t had a full summer with this
We want to be the captain of industry for the alcoholic kombucha
range yet so we’ll just push through this range for the summer and
market. We want to build the category as much for us, but we do
then we’ll do those seasonal ones. That will be trialled out through our
need other people in the category creating a secondary fermented
taproom program where we’ll be popping up a taproom along the east
product that builds the category in general.
Spring 2019 43
FEATURE
GABS Brewing IN RESPONSE TO READER FEEDBACK FROM OUR RESTRAINED LOOK AT CREATIVE BREWING LAST ISSUE, WE TAKE A MORE ADVENTUROUS APPROACH AND SIT DOWN WITH SOME OF OUR HEROES FROM GABS 2019
S
o…. it turns out that while
brewers pine for the creativity they enjoyed
with Mik Halse (Hawkers Brewery) and we
many of you enjoyed the
in their homebrew days.
ended up muling beer from Vermont down
slightly more conservative
Planning, designing and executing a beer
to New Jersey. As part of this massive side
approach to creativity
for GABS opens that opportunity again.
trade I ended up with a couple of cans of this
covered in our last issue,
And inspiration for these beers finds
French Toast-y IPA from a small brewery
just as many of you are
everyone differently.
up that way,” explains Justin Corbitt, head
frothing for the more ambitious approach adopted by the commercial breweries at the Great Australian Beer Spectapular (GABS). In response we’ve been in touch with
Take Dave Ward, head brewer and director at Aether Brewing in Queensland. “A couple of years back we were at GABS
brewer at Deeds in Melbourne. “It was tasty, but it wasn’t hazy, less boozy, and the bitterness was a bit higher.
Melbourne, we had given the festival a good
I always had that flavour in the back of my
the breweries who designed some of the
nudge on the Friday afternoon and evening
mind and figured if we changed all the things
most interesting, ambitious and creative
plus went out to a few amazing venues that
I mentioned, it could be lot of fun.”
concoctions from GABS 2019.
night. Needless to say, we were more than a bit worse for wear on the Saturday.
INSPIRATION
“So there we were, on our stand and all
The end result was Deeds’ Naked Brunch, a French toast-inspired hazy double IPA. More innocuously, the seasoned GABS
While being a commercial brewer might
I could think about was coffee and Bloody
champions at Big Shed were inspired by a
seem like a sexy occupation, the reality is
Marys to get me through, neither of which
brewing podcast.
that it is not. Beyond cleaning, which is as
were close by and so the idea was born to
time consuming as any task in the brewery,
make a GABS beer that doubled as a helper
the brewery one day, they were talking about
knocking out batch after batch of core
for those who sampled just a few too many
how brewers get inspiration for pastry stouts.
beers would be a close second in the
beers the day before.”
The brewer said, ‘think of your favourite
monotony stakes. While having a core beer that keeps a brewery profitable is highly desirable, many
56 Home Brewer
The team at Deeds found their inspiration all the way on the other side of the world. “Two years ago I was in the US for the CBC
“Listening to a US podcast on the way to
dessert and then try to make a beer inspired by that dessert,” says Peter Barclay, brewery operations manager at Big Shed Brewing.
FEATURE
“I started to go through all the popular
and after a few phone calls and interesting
US-style sweet treats and resigned myself
conversations we had everything we
to the fact that they would have been done
needed to put this beer together.”
before. So then I thought, what is a classic
Big Shed Brewing Concern, on the other
Australian sweet treat… Tim Tams came
hand, had ongoing conversations about
straight to mind.”
what the final product should taste like.
The outcome was another cracking,
“During the beer’s design there was some
albeit somewhat polarising, brew from the
debate as to whether the beer should taste
lads at Big Shed Brewing Concern in the
like a Tim Tam or be the beer to slam with
form of the Tim Tam Slam sweet stout.
a Tim Tam,” explains Bradley from Big Shed.
DESIGN
Tim Tam, the key is to break down the
Being inspired or having a concept is one
flavour components and apply them to
thing. Being able to break the flavours down
the beer. There are plenty of ingredients
and then put them back together to reach
available to the brewer that can mimic the
the desired result is a whole ‘nother thing.
flavour of sweet treats, for example biscuit,
“Most of us are pretty familiar with a
“Coming up with a concept is the easy part, making it into something that is both drinkable and resembles what the
caramel, chocolate and toffee specialty malts, lactose, cocoa powder and coffee.” “The GABS beer was effectively a
beer says it is, is the difficult part,” says
coffee milk stout, perfect for a Tim Tam
Ward from Aether Brewing.
accompaniment.”
“Once we decided that this was the
Aether: Bloody Mary IPA – All Grain Feeling a bit dusty? Then we’ve got the cure. Tomato red pour, with aromas of celery, cucumber, and hop botanicals, this is rich, juicy and is a vibrant vege hit with lingering bitterness and chilli spice.
Expected Brew Figures OG: 1.084 FG: 1.020 ABV: 8.5% IBU: 35 Volume: 23 litres
Ingredients 7.4kg Pale malt 1.1kg Pale Wheat malt 455g Flaked oats 350g Maltodextrin 36g Galaxy hops
beer for this year, it was researching
ARE YOU HAVING FUN?
ingredients to see how they would impact
Making a beer for GABS should all be
the beer, keeping any that contained fat
about fun. While there is undoubted
far away and as little residual sugars as
pressure to deliver, the process itself is
Safale US-05 yeast
possible. We managed to track down some
exciting and takes brewers away from the
30ml Worcestershire sauce
very good ingredients that were suited
daily routine of cleaning and brewing.
30ml Fat free Sriracha Sauce – 30ml (more if spice is your game)
36g Azacca hops 36g Mosaic hops
3 litres Tomato puree 18g Celery salt 180ml Lime juice (UHT) 2 pkts Lallemand London Ale yeast (Safale US05 if you can’t access London Ale yeast)
Method 1. Mash malts at 68°C for 60 minutes 2. Bring to the boil for 60 minutes 3. At flameout Add maltodextrin and 18g of each Galaxy, Azacca and Mosaic hops then whirlpool for 5 minutes. 4. Add tomato puree and Sriracha sauce and whirlpool for a further 5 minutes 5. Allow to settle, chill to 18-20°C and transfer to fermenter 6. Pitch yeast and ferment at 18°C for first 72 hours, then raise to 25°C 7. Once gravity reaches 1.030, dry hop with 18g of each Galaxy, Azacca and Mosaic hops, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and lime juice 8. Once terminal gravity reached, crash chill and rack before bottling or kegging 9. Allow to condition for a few weeks, but drink fresh with celery and fresh cracked pepper!
Spring 2019 57
GROWING YOUR BREWERY
Bright Tank Brewing Co was installed by Spark Brewing and Distilling
64  www.beerandbrewer.com
GROWING YOUR BREWERY
Taking the NEXT step AS CRAFT BEERS CONTINUE TO GROW IN POPULARITY, SOME BREWERIES HAVE FELT THE NEED TO EXPAND. CHARLIE WHITTING FINDS OUT HOW THEY ARE GROWING
C
raft beer is a booming industry. A new
consider when beginning a brewery (such as glycol,
brewery opens in Australia almost
power, gas, steam boiler, air compressor, CIP, trade
every week, while many brands have
waste, etc) are already in place, which allows for the
now become household names. That
budget to be more focused on the capital spend. Other
success breeds extra demand, demand
than cost, these elements also require a significant
that one’s initial brewing capacity will
amount of engineering, as well as things such as
struggle and ultimately fail to meet. In fact, trying to meet
council planning, permits and approvals. Not having
demand on existing kit actually runs the risk of lowered
to go through all of that a second time around will not
standards through longer hours and reduced care. The
only impact positively on cashflow, but also on time.”
logical next step for successful breweries is expansion. This can be a daunting step, psychologically, logistically and financially, you name it. It could involve leaving your spiritual home in order to move into a bigger one, it relies on your newly grown supply to still
Rob Fowler, sales manager at East Coast Steam, also recommends taking a look at your existing equipment to see if more can be gotten out of it. “For a boiler or steam input, cook or brew times are important, so if your boiler is at capacity then you will
foster the necessary demand, and there will be significant costs involved. But should it all come together successfully, then brewers, investors and customers will all be better off for it.
CHOOSING THE CORRECT APPROACH Unless they intend to contract another brewery to make their additional beers, breweries can
need more area for a new boiler,
“AS WE GROW OUR CAPACITY WE HAVE ALWAYS INVESTED IN OUR CAPABILITY AT THE SAME TIME” – JAMIE COOK.
increase their brewing capacity
but if you work smarter you can get more from an existing boiler,” he says. “The infrastructure that is in place for one boiler can usually support a second boiler with small adjustments to the system; a new or from scratch set-up will need you to repeat everything again or have a mirrored system.” Whichever route you choose to go down, Julian Sanders, managing
in three ways – expanding the existing site, moving to
director of Spark Breweries and Distilleries, believes that
a bigger site or building a second brewery. Each have
an ambitious approach is the best way to do it. One large
their advantages and drawbacks and it is important
growth (whether into another space or overflowing next
to recognise which works best for you. Staying put
door) will reduce the likelihood of having to find room
means that you need to work within the limitations of
for yet another expansion a little way down the line.
the existing or neighbouring space, but you will still be
Better to do things once and properly.
able to retain the local links and connections that have
“The incremental price of doubling a tank’s volume
brought you this far. You will also, most likely, get to
is about 25 percent, so it is much less expensive to buy
use your existing infrastructure. Moving out presents
a larger system initially than it is to grow an undersized
the challenge of building another brewery from scratch,
one later,” he explains. “Spark systems include involve
with all the costs, challenges and extra purchases
double batch fermenters and hot and cold liquor tanks for
involved. Paul Baggio, managing director of FB*PROPAK,
this reason – people are glad in their second summer. It
advocates an expansion on one’s existing site.
is well worth checking to ensure solid headroom – look
“All of the auxiliary services that people often don’t
for 25 percent in a fermenter and 40 percent for a kettle.
Spring 2019 65
BREWING EQUIPMENT
BREWING EQUIPMENT
Treat it right BUYING BREWING EQUIPMENT IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT, BUT THE WAY YOU LOOK AFTER IT AND USE IT WILL HAVE A MASSIVE IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF BEER YOU PRODUCE AND THE LIFESPAN OF THAT KIT
M
y father was a sheep farmer in south Wales for a time and one of the things that drove him mad was the habit some farmers had of leaving their machinery – tractors, spreaders, bailers – outside in all weathers at the mercy of the elements. Farming equipment will set you back a pretty penny, but if it’s left out to rust in the Rhondda rain it will cost you even more in time
and money. The same rules apply to brewing equipment. Any piece of kit will give you better results and for longer if you use and care for it correctly. In our Brewing Equipment Part 1 feature (issue 45) we explored what to look for when purchasing brewery equipment and setting up your brewery. In this second part, we will examine what it takes to get the most out of that kit in the subsequent years.
GETTING STARTED
ALL THE BEST BITS FROM THE ANHC (see page 74) >>> * Additional costs apply for New Zealand.
INCLUDING
Looking after your equipment begins before it has even arrived at your brewery. You might be eagerly waiting for that fully laden truck to arrive laden, but you need to
have a plan in place right from the get-go, or you will be tinkering even more than usual. Preparation is key, especially before your first brew. Your primary aim should be to get to know your brewery, and that means learning to walk before you start running or making your craziest batch. “Good results come from continuous improvement – the process of commissioning, test brewing and production brewing can be undertaken with this mindset,” says Julian Sanders, founder of Spark Breweries and Distilleries. “Small adjustments should never finish. Although you should be prepared to dump your first batch, there is no reason that you should need to with an appropriate setup, cleaning and commissioning process. Plan for your first batch to be good, and the worst batch that you’ll ever brew.” It is more than likely that this won’t be the first brewing equipment that you
ISSUE 47 SUMMER 2018
have used, but it is important to remember that this is the first$9.95 time (NZ you’ve PRICE $11.95) used this particular system, with all its idiosyncrasies and different requirements. It is
ALL THE BEST BITS FROM THE ANHC (see page 74) >>>
unlikely that you’ll be able to simply replicate exactly what you’ve been doing on
* Additional costs apply for New Zealand.
FRESH BLOOD
previous systems. You need to take things slowly, test them out, and work out what
INCLUDING
the equipment is telling you.
“We still don’t know if 67°C on our mash tun is 67°C, but we know the attenuation
Australia’s it will give us at the end, so it doesn’t really matter,” saysDiscover Rhys Lopez, brewer at newest breweries Otherside Brewing. “It takes a couple of batches of the same beer to really figure 36
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ISSUE 47 SUMMER 2018 PRICE $9.95 (NZ $11.95)
St Andrews Brewery with FBPROPAK
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Why less is more
FRESH BLOOD
BALTER’S
Discover Australia’s newest breweries
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Why less is more
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Scott Hargrave soars in 2019 Beer & Brewer Awards
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