Black Hops crew surprise Gold Coast beer fans with a new taproom ... but there’s a twist
Good things come to those who wait at new Burleigh brewery, Queensland’s first barrel-aged beer taproom
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GOLD Coast craft brewers Black Hops will open Queensland’s first dedicated barrel-aged beer taproom at Burleigh on Saturday.
Named AWOL for the renegade keg that started it all, the new venue is proof that good things come to those who wait, showcasing brews that have been many months in the making.
Black Hops brewmaster Michael “Govs” McGovern said the chance to delve into an ancient brewing technique was too exciting to resist.
Barrel ageing sees fermenting beers transferred to oak barrels that have previously stored wine or spirits. The beer is left to age and pick up flavours from the timber.
“It’s a long commitment for these beers – 100 per cent a passion project for us,” Govs said.
“We see AWOL as a platform on which we can really push the boundary of what beer is.
“So far there’s over 100 white wine, red wine, gin, bourbon and whiskey barrels, each filled with beers in various stages of fermentation.
“Eight of these beers will be ready to savour upon launch (including some in cans and takeaways), with world renowned Belgian-style lambics and Flanders red ales just a few.”
The Haven Sour, a hibiscus cherry sour, is inspired by the street address of the AWOL taproom, while another brew has a salty edge courtesy of buckets of (boiled) seawater from across the road.
The venue itself, with blonde timber, copper accents and dried flowers gracing table tops, is a contrast to the dark industrial character of the original Black Hops taprooms – and an even further cry from the building’s beginnings as a meat factory.
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“When we got in there were blood stains and big carcass hooks – we went through a lot of bleach,” Black Hops co-founder and ‘design-tragic’ Dan Norris said.
“We were driven by the idea of melding ancient and modern by integrating the rustic elements inspired by the oak barrels together with a modern design aesthetic.
“It’s not your typical barrel room that’s for sure.”
As for that renegade keg, it went missing in action back in 2018 and became “infected” in enemy (beer) lines.
When it was recovered, the team tried the beer to discover it had developed into a surprisingly tasty sour. They put it into a barrel and christened it AWOL.
Black Hops co-founder Eddie Oldfield said that single keg, poured exclusively at the Black Hops taproom in Burleigh, inspired the next chapter in the Black Hops story, which already includes facilities at Burleigh, Biggera Waters and Brisbane.
“In 2019 while on a trip to New Zealand we fell in love with the idea of a barrel-aged beer taproom,” he said.
“With the success of our initial AWOL beer, we were keen to explore a new line of barrel-aged beers.
“And when the site behind the brewery became available, the stars aligned and AWOL was born.”
Because of the limited supply and drawn out production process, the AWOL taproom will initially only open to two prepaid tour sessions for groups of 15 on Saturday afternoons.
Tours include new territory for Black Hops – cheese pairings – with neighbouring kitchen Common Ground preparing the platters.
AWOL Taproom is at 4 Hibiscus Haven, Burleigh Heads.
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