Brewcorp is not, however, a merger, rather a pragmatic way for both brewing companies to grow separately – but from one plant. Brendan Varis’s Feral modest brewery at Baskerville has expanded as far as possible with new tanks cramming confined floor space and shed add-ons full to capacity with oak barrels for specialty beers. John Stallwood’s Nail production is so severely limited at the Edith Cowan University teaching brewery at the Joondalup campus that bottled beers are released only rarely.

“John will brew Nail brews, we’ll brew Feral beers,” Varis said. “For Feral, the new shared brewery means capacity will rise from 400,000 litres a year to 2.5 million litres.”

Stallwood has no qualms about the unusual arrangement.  “It’s a matter of trust and respect,” he said. “Brendan and I both started brewing about the same time, around 2000, and know each other very well so I think it’ll be successful. He’s one of the people I look up to so I learn from him, although we brew different types of beer.”

Stallwood’s struggle with the constraints of fitting in with the Joondalup teaching schedule is easing: a new mobile beer tank enables increased Nail volumes and Steve Wearing, a Joondalup brewing graduate, has been taken on part time. Stallwood looks forward to the expansion afforded by Brewcorp.

“I’m already ready to get more Nail Stout on the market and am developing pilot brews for new styles,” he said.

Nail Ale – his flagship unfiltered Australian pale ale – sells well at the few bars he can supply, “so there’s no reason it will not grow”.

Stallwood’s latest project is Nail Lite, a low alcohol beer based on Nail Ale. A second 600-litre batch is underway and, depending on how it goes, could join the regular range.

Lager in plastic

The name is Brass, but the bottles are plastic: that’s the selling point of two new imports. A 250-year-old Belgian family brewery meets modern health and safety needs by packaging a pale lager and a Czech-style pils in eco-friendly PET bottles aimed at summer outdoor parties or events where glass is not permitted.

Advantages: Brass plastic bottles are not weapons; because their production emits less CO2 than aluminium cans and glass bottles and are recyclable, they give the customer a warm eco-friendly glow; they’re lightweight for carrying to barbecues.

Disadvantages: The 330ml size means the pinched base can make the bottle wobble on fridge shelves and, while they don’t smash when dropped, one fell to our kitchen tile floor which loosened the cap and beer leaked out; the uneasy feeling that drinking beer from plastic isn’t quite traditional.

Brass beers are available from Dan Murphy’s and other outlets for $50 a case or $16.5 per 6-pack.

BRASS LAGER (4.7 PER CENT)

Undistinguished, inoffensive or - as the Belgian family brewery notes - a “ simple, crisp and clean beer”. BRASS PILSENER (4.7 PER CENT)

A malty aroma with grassy hints introduces a medium-length, dryish palate carrying some citrusy hop character backed by firm malty fruit and sweetness giving way to a bitter finish. It’s based on Czech pilsner.

BEER OF THE WEEK

FERAL GOLDEN ACE (5.6 PER CENT)

Bitter lemon is a well-known summer refresher with extra bite, and the use of the Japanese Sorachi Ace hop variety which delivers this element in a Belgian-style golden ale is an inspired choice. This cross of two European strains, Brewer's Gold and Saaz, imparts a noticeable bitterness, but the main impact is in aroma, dryness and the huge citrus hit to the nose, mouth and tonsils. Extreme in crisp texture and refreshment, ideal for hot weather occasions, it’s served on tap and also comes in four-packs, the third Feral beer to be bottled.

Written by Vic Crossland

From Fresh, The West Australian, 19^th January