NEWS

Rocks Brewing Co Managing Director Mark Fethers will be demonstrating his conviction in custom

Rocks Brewing Couture after losing a bet to Jaron Mitchell of Manly-based craft brewery, 4 Pines.

Sometime last year, Fethers declared that his brand-new, first-of-its-kind (for Australia) brewery would be up and running before New Year’s Eve, 2013.

The terms of the wager stipulated that a beer brewed in the brewhouse had to be served, and drunk,

Given that the brewery wasn’t commissioned until 7 February 2014, Fethers lost the bet well and truly

sporting a t-shirt with 4 Pines branding splashed across it.

[NOTE: The bet was fulfilled on May 12. Thanks to everyone who came out and to The Little Guy crew for having us along.]

Rocks Brewing Co Brings Australia’s First Commercially Available PET Growlers to Market

Rocks Brewing Co is taking its conviction to help beer lovers access the freshest, best beer available to a new level as the first brewery in Australia to bring PET growlers to market.

The custom manufactured bottles are 100% recyclable and offer beer lovers the chance to ensure that their beer is totally fresh, explains Head Brewer, Scott Morgan.

“There has always been issues with reusable growler systems,” he says. “People don’t always sterilise them properly because they don’t realise that even the tiniest amount of bacteria or stale beer left in a growler can infect the fresh beer and spoil the lot.”

Designed to look like traditional brown glass growler bottles, the PET version is not only better for the beer it carries but also a whole lot lighter than the original. That meanings that the Rocks Brewery Bar’s legion of bicycle-riding fans can easily strap one on their bike and cycle home – or cart it home on public transport.

Even better, the PET growlers also negate the need for new fans to place a down payment on a bottle, and repeat customers don’t have to remember to always have their growler with them. The disposable bottles also make it easier to pick up multiple brews in multiple growlers for parties and events, without breaking the bank.

“If you’re in the Lord Raglan for example and you try something new off a rotating tap for the weekend – or we’ve got a new limited edition on at the Brewery Bar you can now grab a PET growler to go,” says Morgan. “You don’t have to pay for a new one if you don’t have yours on hand, and there’s no need to return it. Simply chuck it in the recycling bin and off you go.”

It has also been noted that craft beer fans have a habit of taking a shine to growlers – who wouldn’t – and instead of being returned to the ‘swap-and-go’ the vessels are being turned into decorative features, like vases and light fittings. That’s all well and good until the brewery is suddenly out of growlers and new customers are unable to purchase beer.

Rocks Brewing Co also acknowledges that a lot of their fans already have their own personal growlers and Braulers – the stainless steel version – that they like to use and are happy to fill them at both the Brewery Bar and the Lord Raglan. The only condition is that the bottles have been thoroughly cleaned prior to arrival, as there will be no cleaning facilities for growlers at either bar.

Prices for growlers start at $20 for Rocks Brewing core range beers. For details enquire at the venues. Regrettably, due to licensing restrictions, growler takeaways will not be available at the brewery’s original venue, Harts Pub in The Rocks.

To celebrate the hop harvest, Rocks Brewing Co has teamed up with Hop Products Australia to incorporate fresh hop flowers into a new limited edition Wet Hop Ale.

The aim of the limited edition brew is to showcase the incredible flavours and nuances that the use of fresh – or wet – hops can bring to a beer. As such, the classic beer style guidelines went out the window, with the team happy to abandon conventions. According to Head Brewer Scott Morgan, brewing with the fresh flowers (also known as hop cones) was a little bit like a dream come true.

“The wet hops smelled amazing straight out of the bag,” he says. “But out of the tank the aroma and flavour is, well, nothing short of amazing.”

Owen Johnson, from Hop Products Australia, concurs that brewing with fresh, or wet, hops is a singularly exciting experience for brewers – especially when it comes to using exclusive Australian varietals.

“At harvest time we love to get involved with brewers making wet-hopped beers,” he says. “Anything to help make hops the hero in beer is great.”

Weighing in somewhere between 5.0% and 6.0% ABV (alcohol by volume), and featuring Ella and Galaxy hop varieties, the brew blurs the lines between an IRA (India Red Ale) and an ABA (American Brown Ale). The Rocks Brewing team of Scott Morgan and Ben Landsberry, were aiming to create a beer that features a solid malt profile and flavour, as well as being extremely hoppy.

The beer is the latest member of Rocks Brewing Co’s Conviction Series, and is currently fermenting in the company’s state-of-the-art brewing facility in Alexandria. Incidentally, the working name for the brew was Holy Diver – in honour of the Black Sabbath song by Ronnie James Dio – due to Hard Rock Monday and Wet Hop Brew Day happily coinciding.

As Rocks Brewing Co gears up to launch the beer to market, Morgan is very happy with the progress the brew is making in the tanks.

“The hop notes at the moment are heavy and lush,” he says. “We are doing all we can to retain the flavour and aroma throughout the rest of the brewing to make sure our thirsty fans share in this hop-plosion.”

The beer will be available on tap at quality craft beer venues in the Sydney area very soon.