| A TASTE OF HOME |
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| Written by Vic Crossland | |||
| Thursday, 14 January 2010 00:00 | |||
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Home brew champion Ron Sullivan, pictured overseeing the commercial mash of his ale at Mad Monk, is the latest example of how competition can pay off. The Fremantle brew-restaurant’s summer seasonal beer, launched on tap last week, gives customers a taste of just how good a home brew can be. Northern England Brown Ale is a big-batch version of the “best all grain beer of show” in last year’s WA Amateur Brewer’s Competition. Winner Sullivan brewed it at the Fremantle venue with assistance from fellow amateurs – mainly in the manual labour bits – and supervised by Mad Monk professional brewer Justin Fox. When the South Terrace venue hosted the amateur brewing presentation night last October, Mr Fox offered Mr Sullivan the chance to present his champion recipe to a wider field of beer lovers, in the same way that Feral in the Swan Valley gave the previous year’s winner, Asher Mitchell, the use of a full brewery and commercial bar taps. That champion beer, still on tap, was another English style, mild ale. The single batch of the new champion Brown Ale was brewed on a Mad Monk “open brewery door” Saturday. This allowed Mr Sullivan’s home-brew mates to join in and observe the process. And it was no simple exercise, either. The mash was based on a pilsner malt, but measures of Munich, cara-amber, cara-pils, chocolate and wheat malts went into the tun as well for complexity. Goldings hops from England and Tasmanian Pride of Ringwood were thrown in the kettle early for bitterness, several additions of Goldings punctuated the boil and late hopping with flowers of the US style Willamette variety was designed to enhance aroma. Then, a few days later, when the helpers had dispersed, Mr Fox and Mr Sullivan dry hopped the fermenting wort with yet more Goldings. Competition is ever present in brewing, and as WA’s breweries prepare to meet this month’s entry deadline for the Australian International Beer Awards, one contest is underway that we can all influence: the Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers nationwide online poll. Little Creatures Pale Ale came out top in last year’s inaugural poll. Will it have competition this time from its Victoria affiliate White Rabbit? It’s possible, judging the way the dark ale – brewed in Australia’s only open fermenters – has gained a huge following in the eastern States in less than a year. Although the poll is run by The Local Taphouse beer specialty pubs in Melbourne and Sydney, it is open to lovers of craft beer across Australia. It’s reasonable to expect the beers with wider distribution have better chances of winning votes, so WA worthies such as Bootleg Settler’s Pale Ale and Stout and Feral White - which do not reach as many people as some Victorian and NSW brews - could be overshadowed. Still, Local Taphouse bars have featured several WA draughts including Colonial, Feral, Last Drop, Little Creatures, Nail and Jarrah Jack’s, so our State might be in with a shout. Beers nominated in the poll must have been brewed in 2009 in Australia - except by Fosters or Tooheys main operations – and been commercially on sale in kegs or bottles. To take part, go online to www.thelocal.com.au and list your 10 favourites.
At long last the estimable James Squire India Pale Ale has found a permanent home on tap in WA. It’s being served at The Generous Squire, which finally opened in Shafto Lane, central Perth, in November. The IPA, previously available here only in 345ml bottles, lines up alongside the familiar James Squire draught range – Sundown lager, Amber Ale, Golden Ale, Pilsener and Porter. Eventually the on-site brewhouse is expected to be commissioned and there are plans to produce at least two local specialty beers. Already the stylish venue has a beer club, see http://www.thegeneroussquire.com.au/
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it from Fresh, The West Australian, 7th Jan
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