BE

July 6, 2013

INSIDE: COUNTRY CARS DOMAIN

Ballarat Extra

The quest for gold

Ballarats new brewing rebellion
Saturday, July 6, 2013 31

Feature
The Mallow Hotel owner Dallas Robb surveys some of the many different beers he offers on tap.
but often with a unique twist that makes them a must-try for beer snobs. Red Duck head brewer Flavours such as rhubarb, Chris Hislock oversees juniper berries and spiced the creation of some biscuits are just some of the very exciting new beers. unbeer-like tastes that can be found in his ales. Part of the craft beer movement is getting people to look at different styles to what the commercial guys make, broaden their horizons to try something different or better, he says. One glance at Red Ducks product list gives a sense of what hes talking about. Scott does make a classic Pale Ale, which accounts for the majority of sales and enables him to make what he refers to as limited releases beers Local beer lover Anthony Perovic is that often become highly setting up a new craft sought-after. beer shop in Ballarat. Those with a sense of adventure can try Canute the Gruit (dark medieval ale), Loch Ness (scotch ale aged in whisky barrels) or RA (imperial Egyptian bread beer). Its all about perspective. Ive always said if you going to do a microbrew, theres no point making a beer like what CUB makes, says Scott. Yes, the beers are often high in alcohol (some of them up to 13 per cent) but Scott stresses that his beers are for quafng, not skolling the taste (and price) mean you want one or two, but thats enough. Youre looking for people who like trying different things, different avours and different experiences. For me, I just kept looking further, he says. Scott was a passionate real ale drinker who decided to go into brewing after enjoying the wares of other small brewers. Unlike many who want to make beer for a living, he didnt start out as a home brewer who had honed his craft in the safe connes of his garage. I just thought if these guys are doing it, why cant I do it too? he says. Red Duck is growing each year, says Scott, and he hopes it will be able to expand and offer increasing options for those who might still see Ballarat as a desert for good beer. One oasis for Ballarat craft If other people want to start breweries in Ballarat, I think what beer lovers looking to quench you get is critical mass. You dont their thirst is The Mallow Hotel on Skipton Street. compete with me, you just build The pub offers 12 different it. You make more people aware. taps, all devoted to microbrewery A bit of a rockstar of the craft beers, as well as a fridge full of beer scene, Scott specialises in weird and wonderful hard-to-get making beer varieties that you styles. wont nd in your typical bottle Owner Sophie Robb says some shop. people still walk in to the front Red Duck has produced more bar and are bemused when they than 60 different ales in its cant nd a beer they recognise, eight years of brewing, rst in such as Coopers Pale Ale or Camperdown and the past two Carlton Draught. years in Ballarat This approach, which some Scott makes unconventional might see as contrarian, has styles of beer relying on given The Mallow a point of traditional brewing techniques,

BE
difference among Ballarat establishments, but it did take a while for it to catch on. I think its worked in our favour in the end, possibly not at rst. People were a bit wary of it, Sophie says. Most people are now really getting quite into it and embracing it. We give people tasters of things so they can taste it and see what they like. Beer nerds, as those in the know often refer to themselves, can be demanding types, which means The Mallow is constantly revolving stock to ensure regulars always have something new to try. There are a lot of those people who come in expecting something new. It gives us a chance to put on a lot of the limited release beers, says Sophie. With Melbourne becoming a hotbed of craft beer culture, Sophie thinks its only a matter of time before the good beer ows down the highway and takes over Ballarat. Sitting over a pint of Mountain Goat FX Stout in The Mallow front bar, local beer lover Anthony Perovic reckons Ballarat has never stopped being a beer town. As someone who cant get enough of trying something new, hes currently in the process of opening Ballarats rst shop solely dedicated to craft beer. Just last week, the City of Ballarat approved his permit application to set up his shop in the historic Coach House on Lydiard Street North. I want to offer an experience thats actually fun. Craft beer is so approachable, its so much fun. It lacks intimidation. Everyone loves a beer, he says. As someone who has seen Ballarats beer culture wither on the vine, Anthony is a believer in the push for Ballarat to reclaim its brewing legacy. Were starting to be proud and embrace the beers in our area. We forget how great this town is and its rich heritage of brewing. We should never be ashamed of that, he says. I really love the idea that Ballarats back as a beer town. As Ballarat reforges its old path as a brewing destination, theres a good chance Scott Wilson-Brownes crazy elixirs will be leading the way. As he discusses his wacky beer ideas with The Courier, a lightbulb goes off to create a lighter pale ale avoured with sarsparilla: Yeah, I might do that, he muses to himself. When asked if he sees himself as a mad scientist, Scott nods. With everything, Im always asking why are we doing it that way? Is there a good reason for that or is it because somebody else did it that way? he says. Do something different.

Red Duck owner Scott Wilson-Browne pours a glass of Tiger Tiger Double ESB.

The joy of choice

The humble brew is undergoing a quiet revolution in Ballarat. But, unlike its rowdy, gold-driven past, this revival is all about artisan beers, small-scale production and a passion for quality. Tom Cowie has a drink with some of its leaders. Pictures by Jeremy Bannister and Justin Whitelock.

IDDEN in the non-discript concrete buildings of a quiet industrial estate in Alfredton works a mad

scientist. Bubbling away inside this unlikely laboratory are potions like Queen Bee, Black Bengal and The Grizzly, remedies combining traditional methods with a no-holds-barred attitude to avour. Scott Wilson-Browne is no evil genius although those who try his more outrageous concoctions might label him one hes a brewer helping

resurrect Ballarats reputation as a beer town. Like rebellion, Eureka and gold, Ballarat was once synonymous with beer: from lagers to stouts, ales to bitters, we made them all. Ballarat Bitter, often remembered by its iconic Bertie character, was perhaps the most famous of all the local brews. Made by the Ballarat Brewing Company for decades, it was a symbol of Ballarat pride, the citys place on the national stage. Eventually, the brand was

taken over and produced by Carlton and United Breweries (CUB), before being disbanded in the 1980s, with only the odd rerelease to keep the spirit alive. Since that time, Ballarats brewing culture has been left to go at, like an unwanted can of light beer sitting at the back of the fridge. But it could be the rise of craft beer that changes all that, as an increasing amount of consumers forgo mainstream beers for different styles made by niche microbreweries. Scott, from local microbrewery Red Duck, is

Were starting to be proud and embrace the beers in our area. We forget how great this town is and its rich heritage of brewing.

one brewer hoping Ballarat can reclaim its tradition as a beer town. Alongside the Rebellion Brewery and the University of Ballarat, which runs its popular brewing course, Red Duck is helping Ballarat make beer again. And there seems to be no shortage of consumers, if recent events like the Ballarat Beer Festival and Good Beer Week are anything to go by. A regional town has the opportunity to create those trends, says Scott, explaining the untapped tourism potentials in becoming a beer destination.

36 Saturday, July 6, 2013

Saturday, July 6, 2013 113