WINNER: Sanctus sour tastes sweet success

After only a year in operation, Townsend brewery is impressing all the right people across the nation

Sanctus Brewing owner Trent O'Connor and Head Brewer Dale Johnston and celebrate being named the Crafted Beer & Cider Festival 2020 People's Choice winner

DO YOU like pina colada?

THE beer lovers of the Gold Coast do, as they voted the Pina Colada Sour beer from Townsend’s Sanctus Brewing Co. as their favourite, taking out the People’s Choice award.

The beer was shown off Crafted Beer & Cider Festival and Sanctus business development manager Mason Hellcat said it was amazing to win among stiff competition.

“There were about 5000 people there, 40 breweries with an average of five or six beers each, so it’s pretty impressive,” he said.

Mason said the Pina Colada Sour, has roasted coconut and pineapple flavours, and is one of the beers that Sanctus has had since they opened last year.

“I’m a bit of a beer nerd, and for us, we can taste the complexity of the flavours in it,” he said.

“But it appeals across the range to people who say they don’t drink beer, and they taste it and go ‘yeah I can drink this’.”

“There’s a sour flavour, but you can really smell and taste the coconut and pineapple, it makes them think of cocktails and having fun in the sun and holiday times.”

Sanctus Brewing Head Brewer Dale Johnston and owner Trent O'Connor celebrate being named the Crafted Beer & Cider Festival 2020 People's Choice winner

Mason said the brewery had flourished in its first year of operation, and despite restriction on spacing due to COVID restrictions, was attracting a wide and varied crowd into the brewery.

“I think there hasn’t been anything like this in Maclean before – we’ve always had these good pubs and clubs that have their loyal customers,” he said.

“But then (Sanctus) opens up with its big yard for the kids to run around in, you’ve got beers being brewed here that people come in and appreciate, plus really good different food, so people come in for all that and the experience,” he said.

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Mason said the brewery winning the gong on the Gold Coast would only help an already strong tourist interest to bolster the strong local support the venue had.

“People are definitely more into looking for breweries now, just like I do – it is actually a thing that’s sticking out,” he said.

Mason said there’s plenty of new plans for the future of the brewery, with a new still commissioned in the last few weeks ready to start making gin, as well as a few other spirits to add to the beer line-up.

“It always feels like there’s something new going on out here, and I think that’s what people love,” he said.

“People come out here expecting to see new things, and it’s not just new equipment or features, it’s also new beers and we put them up on a list to show people what’s come out.

“It’s just a good thing to see good local beer from the Clarence Valley getting out there and making a splash in the wider world.”

We are so excited to have our beautiful distilling equipment commissioned and in operation. Our first gin is rolling out...

Posted by Sanctus Brewing Co on Monday, November 23, 2020

Three Sanctus beers also took out awards in the independent Brewers Association awards, with their Triple B Stout and Blueberry Crush winning silver, and the Big River XPA bronze.

Sanctus Brewing can be found in Re Road Townsend, in the industrial estate.

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