Hilltop Hoods to release own beer with Pirate Life
SOUTH Australia’s masters of rap the Hilltop Hoods and their Golden Era labelmates have brewed up some hip hops for their most refreshing release yet.
South Australia’s masters of rap the Hilltop Hoods and their Golden Era labelmates have brewed up some hip hops for their most refreshing release yet.
Joining forces with local brewers Pirate Life the hip hop crew have come up with every band’s dream beyond a headline slot — their very own beer.
The independent label, founded by the Hoods in 2008, has helped the careers of hip hop artists Vents, K21, Briggs and furthered established acts like The Funkoars, saw a perfect match in Hindmarsh-based craft brewers Pirate Life, coming up with — you guessed it — a golden ale.
The artists worked alongside brewers Jack Cameron and Red Proudfoot in making the beer and guiding its development over the past month.
For Hilltop Hoods’ MC Suffa and Golden Era label manager Ben Martin the idea of working with Pirate Life was “a no brainer”.
“We’re both independent self-run businesses, we work for ourselves, have a good work ethic and they’re really nice guys,” MC Suffa said.
Mr Martin said: “It’s a great partnership. We are two SA-based companies that have the same dedication to our craft and the people we work with.
“Whether we are making records or beer you are guaranteed to get a quality product.”
More than 2500 litres of kegged golden ale will be launched at an event called The Warmup at Published ArtHouse, Cannon Street in the city on Saturday, November 7.
Cans will go into production over coming weeks for an early 2016 release.
“Our thing has alway been, we want to see more things happening entertainment-wise in Adelaide,” Suffa said of The Warmup event, which will feature DJ sets from Golden Era artists including the Hoods’ DJ Debris.
“The sort of things that happen throughout March and late February but don’t happen the rest of the year.”
Pirate Life CEO Michael Cameron said the company was “really excited” about the collaboration with Golden Era.
“Being a new company in South Australia doing something with an iconic brand like Golden Era and the Hilltop Hoods was something we were really keen to do,” he said.
“We’re still in discussions about whether this will be a one-off, or it will be a more permanent thing where we put it out into commercial shops across Australia.”
As for further alcohol releases from the label in the future — don’t expect a shiraz anytime soon.
“I don’t think hip hop is ready for that,” MC Suffa said.
The launch details
Golden Era Records’ The Warm Up launches the beer at Published ArtHouse, 11 Cannon St, city, November 7 (1-7pm) with Hilltop Hoods’ DJ Debris and Golden Era artists Trials, Adfu, K21, & Dylan Joel. Tickets $20 on sale now at TicketTek
So what’s the beer like?
Like the Hilltop Hoods’ music, Pirate Life’s Golden Era ale is firm but fair.
For conservative drinkers this golden ale has a muscular grip that will draw you in once you get the beat.
And it’s a beat built around a sustained backbone of Munich malt. Brewers Jack Cameron and Red Proudfoot have tweaked the water’s salt aspect and the result is a full bodied middle with a hint of stickiness, like pub carpet at a Hoods sellout.
The wide-open floor of Weetbix-like maltiness then gives way to the beer’s bouncers, hops, used late in the boil and tending toward fruit and spice rather than bitter.
And the hop varieties – Summer, from Australia, and Amarillo, from the US – represent the Hoods’ key geographic fanbases.
The creamy malt returns to centre stage for a strong finish that snaps dry like a punter’s T-shirt in a summer festival breeze. The alcohol is also moderate (4.7 per cent) so you can stay the melodic course through those long, edgy sets. In a word, more-ish.
- Mike Gribble