The Victorian brewer using sea urchin pest in its new beer

A Victorian brewery has plunged even deeper into the hugely competitive boutique beer market, using an unusual seaside ingredient in its new brew. And this flavoursome frothy is good for the environment too.

Brewer Chris Moore and diver Jason York with long-spined sea urchins. Picture: Jason Edwards

An East Gippsland brewery has plunged even deeper into the hugely competitive boutique beer market.

The adventurous team will use long-spined sea urchins as the latest ingredient in their quest for a flavoursome frothy.

The challenge should come as welcome news to environmentalists, who have warned the spiky urchins have now reached plague proportions along the eastern seaboard and southern Victorian coast.

The long-spined sea urchin is spreading devastation at an alarming rate on the east coast. Picture: Jon Bryan

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Sailor’s Grave Brewing’s Chris Moore said it was no novelty.

“We always wanted to try doing something like this,” he said.

“We have been able to create a genuine brew with a subtle umami flavour without it being weird. Bright, saline, with a tart lemon finish.”

The brewery, which has established itself at Orbost in the state’s east, has earned a reputation for creating beers that a little left of centre.

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Diver Jason York runs a diving business along the southeast coast and said there were now around 2600 of the spiky predators per hectare — compared to just 15 per hectare of the notorious crown of thorns starfish.

“They are everywhere,” he said. “So it’s great to get rid of a few — especially if it’s for beer.”

Eager connoisseurs will be able to sample the latest edition at the Wild Harvest Seafood Festival will be held at Mallacoota from April 12 to 14.