A visit to Stone & Wood Brewery, Byron Bay
October 28, 2009
Last week Thirsty Critters was commissioned to take our first ‘custom tour’ beyond the bounds of our usual itinerary. Instead of heading up to MT, we proceeded directly to Byron Bay to visit the gents down at Stone & Wood Brewery.
My guests for the day were a contingent of staff from the Platform Bar, being taken on what I believe is called a ‘famil’ in the tourist trade – a day out to familiarise oneself with the product one is selling behind the bar! And apparently the Platform Bar sells a LOT of Stone & Wood behind the bar.
We were greeted most warmly upon arrival by Ross & Brad, who even had a BBQ breakfast waiting for us upon arrival!
Stone & Wood's Brad helps some guests to a BBQ breakfast
Waiting as well was an icebox full of their staple lager, Pale Lager, and a minikeg full of their flagship ale, Draught Ale. All guests wasted no time familiarising themselves with both varieties of beer – except your humble driver, of course.
Stone & Wood is plonked in the industrial estate opposite Belongil Fields in Byron Bay, in a single shed containing the entire brewing and bottling plant. The entire setup is little over a year old, with gleaming new stainless steel brewing plant from Canada, a bottler salvaged from a defunct WA brewery, and a marvellous communal wooden table to drink beer around, created from a massive packing crate.
Brad talks beer to the guests around the communal Stone & Wood table
Ross gave us an introduction to the story behind Stone & Wood – basically, after long careers at Matilda Bay Brewery, it was time to go it alone, and Byron Bay seemed as good a place as any to start a brewery. Approximately three years later their first Draught Ale was ready to be delivered to local pubs. The Draught Ale was specifically crafted with local drinkers in mind, coming in from a surf and settling down to some live local music. And it certainly met their expectations, and mine – I clearly remember finding Stone & Wood at the Beach Hotel for the first time and being highly, highly impressed.
Brad – who was the brewer who formulated pretty much every Matilda Bay line up to Fat Yak – then gave us a short tour of the brewery, and then sat us down for the highlight of the tour – an advance tasting of their new Stone Beer:
Brad serves up a special preview tasting of Stone Beer
It’s quite unlike any beer I’ve tasted before – a deep reddish colour, full of complex maltiness but ultimately highly drinkable. There’ll be a keg on tap at the Platform Bar soon, and 500ml bottles of it in the shop out the back.
In all, it was a fantastic insight into the workings of an independent brewery, and it couldn’t be run by two nicer guys. Keep your eye out for Stone & Wood near you, it’s a quality drop made by quality brewers in the most quality part of the world!
We’re not the only beer bloggers in town!
October 16, 2009
If you’ve been enjoying the Thirsty Critters blog so far (and we hope you have!) then you might want to check out some other ‘beer blogs’, from Brisbane & beyond.
Brisbane is very lucky to be home to one of Australia’s foremost beer experts, Matt Kirkegaard. Until recently he was editor of Beer & Brewer, a print publication you can pick up at your local newsagent. Matt’s knowledge of beer and the Australian beer industry is encyclopaedic, and he quite obviously has a major passion for the golden amber. You can follow his adventures in beer at his fantastic blog, BeerMatt. It’s updated on a very frequent basis so there’s never a dull moment!
There’s also another Brisbane-based beer blog, not quite as professional as Matt’s but a good read nonetheless. The Brisbane Beer Review is run by two likely lads down at Cru Cellars, who stock a pretty decent range of beer, some of which I’ve never seen anywhere else in Brisbane (see our Brisbane Beer Secrets guide). Their most recent review is of four different eras of Cooper’s Vintage. Mosey on over and have a read.
Further afield, there’s some more great Australian beer blogs just a click away. In my bookmark list are:
- Beer Cartel Blog – fantastic, frequently updated blog from the guys behind the Beer Cartel store in M
- Hoppsy – a blog from the guys at the Intown Network , a group of web guides devoted to travel and technology and now beer!
- James Squire Brewing Blog – excellent blog from one of Australia’s greatest brewers
- Mountain Goat blog – direct from the MG Brewery, Melbourne
- Slow Beer – from the guys behind the Slow Beer specialty beer retailer in Melbourne
- Stone & Wood blog – Byron Bay’s own boutique brewery
- The Local Taphouse beer blog – from Australia’s two best beer bars in Darlinghurst & St Kilda
Update: Thanks to Worthog who pointed out two more great blogs for us to visit:
- Beer Blokes – updated daily, great content from two homebrewers with a huge passion for beer
- The Beer Diary – “a collection of beer and ranting” from Tim
Update 2: Thanks to Chris McNamara for getting in touch with details of his awesome little beer blog:
- All Ale The Big V – Chris’ take on the world of all things beer
Update 3 (7/11): And it seems there’s another Brisbane beer blogger in town!
- We have come for your Women and Children – From Jonno in Brisbane
Update 4 (10/11): Over in WA our day tour compatriots The Brewer’s Dray run their own blog:
- The Brewer’s Dray – Perth microbrewery tours, passionate about beer just like us!
Have I missed any other Aussie beer blogs? Then do let me know! And be sure to check out all the great blogs above 
Brisbane Oktoberfest: Not quite Munich, but still a blast
October 12, 2009
Ein Prosit Der Gemütlichkeit!
It is surely testament to the quality of German food and beer that sometime in September or October every year, mini-Oktoberfests spring up all over the world and everyone goes temporarily nuts for all things Deutsch. Either that, or a lot of people just love getting dressed up in dirndls and lederhosen.
The German Oktoberfest, at the wonderful Brisbane German Club, is no exception. Last Friday and Saturday night the place was absolutely packed with happy revellers soaking up the gemutlichkeit. As a regular at the club, it’s marvellous to see so many people enjoying themselves, even if it is just for one weekend – it must be one hell of an earner for the club!
There’s not much else to say, you know the deal – German dancing, beer in steins, a huge hall full of people, quality Oktoberfest beers – I guess you just had to be there (and judging by the size of the crowd, you probably were). Walking into the main hall at the club (which is rarely used) to find it jam-packed and heaving is something not to be missed – so mark it in your calendar for next year. Need any more convincing? Here you go (photos courtesy Patrick Luetjens):
Another successful Thirsty Critters tour!
October 10, 2009
Thirsty Critters continues to grow! We proudly set off last weekend on our second tour, and there’s several more booked and ready to go – including a couple of special ‘custom’ tours to Stone & Wood (Byron Bay) and the Spotted Cow (Toowoomba).
Last Saturday it was all about Cameron and his merry crew celebrating his 40th birthday (that’s them on the left, above). I must say I was very impressed with their choice of beers along the way – almost all of them were enamoured with MT’s Black Cockatoo, the darkest beer available on the tour, and a delight to savour! It also seems MT have two new beers on tap, very exciting! More on that after the next tour.
Burleigh brewer Brennan once again gave an informative tour (with plenty of questions from the TC mob). Unsurprisingly, nearly all of the Thirsty Critters tour took up Brennan’s great ‘stein deal’ they have at the moment – buy a Burleigh stein for $12 (normal price $10) and get it filled up with a Burleigh beer of your choice – and then filled at schooner prices thereafter. Yet another reason to join a Thirsty Critters tour!
My thanks go out to Cameron and his friends for making the second Thirsty Critters tour a resounding success. Now… when are YOU coming on a tour?
Want to try some Swedish beer this Sunday?
October 9, 2009
Late notice on this one but it has to be plugged – there is a special Good Beer Lunch on this Sunday that is not to be missed. It is with great regret that I won’t be able to make it – in a fit of aerobic ambition I’ve decided to cycle from Southport to South in the Wilson HTM Cycle Challenge (sponsor me!) – but you should definitely go. Why? Well, I’ll let this speak for itself:
Good Beer Lunches are proud to be hosting Masterchef finalist Chris Badenoch this Sunday at a tasting of new and rare beers from Australia, the United States and Norway.
In addition to being Masterchef’s beer guy, Chris is Chief Beer Mason and champion of all things beer and food. Chris is in town raising funds for a charity close to his heart. While in town Chris, of course, wanted to catch up with Brisbane’s leading beer advocates-the Good Beer Lunches-for a beer…and you’re invited too.
We have pulled together a range of rare and hard-to-find beers especially for the event so you’ll get the chance to meet Chris, try some exceptional beers, have a bit of a feed and raise money all at the same time.
The tasting will be held this Sunday (October 11) at the Grand Central Hotel starting at 12.30.
Tickets cost $35, which includes 5 samples from our wide range beers (limited quantities of each are available), a selection of tapas-style nibbles and a donation to Chris’ charity, the Royal Children’s Hospital Music Therapy Unit.
Tickets are strictly limited – as are the beers – so don’t delay. RSVP by email now.
Beers available for sampling include:
A new beer from Matilda Bay (to be launched this Wednesday)…be amongst the first to try it.
Nogne 0 (Norway)
* Pale
* Imperial Stout
* Porter
* #100
* IPA
* BitterFlying Dog (USA)
* Gonzo Imperial Porter
* Kerberos Tripel
* Horn Dog Barley Wine
* Double Dog Double Pale AleRogue (USA)
* St Rogue Red Ale
Now come on, if that doesn’t strike you as the best deal ever – $35 for some of the best beers in the world, AND food – then I don’t know what a good deal is! Do yourself a favour and make a booking… bookings@goodbeers.com.au
Is it wrong to drink beer out of a plastic cup?
October 9, 2009
Glass or plastic?
If you’re a drinker at one of 41 Brisbane establishments, your beer drinking vessel is about to change somewhat: It’s plastic for you, with glass now banned by law. Ostensibly it’s a move by Queensland’s Bligh government to reduce the number of glassings that have apparently been the scourge of Brisbane bars and nightclubs in recent times – any establishment that has experienced one or more in the last year is on the proscribed list.
As Brisbane beer sommelier Ian Watson points out, this will have litle impact on the taste or flavour of the beer (just as well!) although it might have a small impact on the aesthetics of drinking beer – as there’s nothing quite like the cold rim of a thick glass touching your lips for the first time on a hot afternoon. Despite that, Ian (and his Good Beer Lunch partner, Matt Kirkgegaard) point out that this is still a terrible, band-aid solution to the problem of glassings, and I tend to agree. Unboubtedly glassings will continue at venues not on the list, and the list will continue to grow, thanks to a tiny minority of drunken fools who think smashing a glass in someone’s face is a good way to end the night.
Matt says of the problem:
“both the licenced premises and the alcohol manufacturers [need to] look at seriously doing something themselves instead of creating palaces to drunkeness and the flavourless alcohol delivery systems they serve”
Ian says of the problem:
“I think that they’re looking at the wrong end of the stick. It’s comes down to the management of these venues.
“If glassing really is a problem they probably should take away bar stools too. A friend of mine has spent weeks in hospital after being hit over the head with a bar stool.
“If it really is an establishment where it truly is that bad where they need to have glass taken away from them, then these places probably don’t care about the taste of the rubbish that they’re drinking anyway.”
And I couldn’t agree more with them both.
All I can say is thanks goodness that the Platform Bar or any of Brisbane’s finer beer-drinking establishments aren’t on the list, and hopefully never will be. And I will continue to savour my beers out of a glass at home!
