Brewery hopes for sweet victory with sour beer

THE Australian Hotel and Brewery is toasting its latest creation — a Kiwi fruit infused Berliner weisse beer which will be competing in the prestigious GABS Beer, Cider and Food Fest.

Brewer Tom Davies, pictured at the Australian Brewery in Rouse Hill, with the Kiwi fruit infused Berliner weisse. Pictures: Justin Sanson

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THE Australian Hotel and Brewery is toasting its latest creation — a Kiwi fruit tart beer it is confident will make heads turn at the prestigious GABS Beer, Cider and Food Fest.

The brewery, no stranger to winning awards and introducing something different to the market, looks like it has picked another winner with this Kiwi fruit infusion.

It is up against more than 170 beers and ciders for the honour of winning the People’s Choice award.

Sales manager David Ward came up with the flavour, which he gives the “double thumbs up”.

“The GABS Beer, Cider and Food Fest is the biggest festival of its kind in South-East Asia and provides us with the opportunity to try out something we don’t usually make,” Mr Ward said.

“This is the first time we have produced a sour beer.

“And it’s a refreshing thirst quencher, too.

The idea for the Kiwi fruit infusion began about three months ago.

“I came up with the idea about three months ago and we began making the beers three weeks ago.

“According to the festival rules these beers cannot be marketed before the event, nor can than they be tasted by anyone else.

“The festival entries are all one-off products and should have never been made before.”

The brewery is well known for its craft beers and Mr Ward said in addition to winning several Australian and international gold medals it was enjoying massive export sales to the US, Canada, Abu Dhabi, Japan, China, Hong Kong and India.

He said the brewery had made 37 kegs for the festival, which will be held in Melbourne on May 19, Sydney on May 27 and Auckland on June 16.

“I love the taste of the Kiwi fruit tart beer and give it the double thumbs up,” Mr Ward said.

”It has a bit of sweet and sour.

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“But it’s not about winning here because the idea is to get people to taste it, which is a good trial for a new beer.

“If it proves popular it could become a permanent beer for us.”