Blue Mountains rock climber Tom O'Halloran collaborates on a beer
“We wanted to gear a beer towards what you would drink after a hard day in the woods, so we thought ‘What would rock climber Tom O’Halloran drink?’” craft brewer DJ McCready said.
The Blue Mountains News
Don't miss out on the headlines from The Blue Mountains News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
This might possibly be the best beer to drink after an outdoor adventure.
“We wanted to gear a beer towards what you would drink after a hard day in the woods, so we thought ‘What would rock climber Tom O’Halloran drink?’” said craft brewer DJ McCready.
He was of course making reference to 2017 Australian Ninja Warrior runner-up and 2020 Tokyo Olympics hopeful, Tom O’Halloran of Blackheath.
The result is Kitten Mittens — a collaboration beer with Medlow Bath resident DJ and Tom O’Halloran himself, produced in the adventure capital of NSW, the Blue Mountains.
“It’s every man’s dream,” said 27-year-old O’Halloran, who was last year named Sport Climbing Australia’s 2019 Open National Champion.
The event combined lead, boulder and speed discipline results for the first time.
O’Halloran was ranked first, second and seventh, respectively, in each discipline to place first overall.
O’Halloran says the appeal of this craft beer for climbers like himself and other outdoor adventurers is in its low alcohol content.
“It doesn’t feel quite as cheeky. Plus, we’ve put in a bit of extra magnesium, to help with muscle recovery,” he said.
His co-conspirator in the beer venture, 33-year-old DJ, adds: “We used a blend of Australian hops that give it a real orange and passionfruit flavour.”
Said O’Halloran: “It gets to be a nice little bookend to a fun active day that just hits the spot.”
The beer is named after Kitten Mittens in Elphinstone, Blue Mountains.
“Kitten Mittens one of the hardest (climbing) routes in the country,” O’Halloran said.
Word of his collaboration beer is fast spreading throughout the close-knit Blue Mountains climbing and adventuring community and Scenic World, where Tom works as a rope access technician, is now selling it.
“So that’s pretty cool,” Tom said.
You can also take a swig of Kitten Mittens at new Katoomba brew pub Mountain Culture Beer Co., at 23-25 Parke St, Katoomba, which DJ co-owns with wife Harriett, 34.
“It’s one of those places the upper mountains has been after (with) a nice feel and energy,” O’Halloran said.