Get your Craft Beer kicks at the Woolly Mammoth

Although the Woolly Mammoth Alehouse in downtown Brisbane does not have a brewery on site, it is a very exciting Craft Beer destination.

I highly recommend a visit to this gem of a watering hole, where you can learn a thing or two about craft beers. The first thing I noticed after the big, larger-than-life, hairy Mammoth, was the huge tap-wall at the back of the bar.  This has a significant number of craft beers available, and unlike the larger one I saw in Atlanta, this one only has craft beer available (none of that mainstream weak, tasteless stuff).

The most refreshing experience was talking to a highly talented barman who knows a lot about craft beer, which is one of the things most places that sell beer need.  This young gentleman also has an inspiring project that involves specialist mixing syrups that he creates himself that change or enhance a beer's flavour.  His approach is carefully crafted and well thought-out and supported by his years of experience with other products that require a fine appreciation of aroma and flavour (which includes coffee).

The place has lots of space, several beverage services points and a band stand for live music. If you are in Brisbane and you're into craft beer then you need to visit this place. No excuses!

Brisbane Brewing Co.

An artistic wrought iron gate of a hops-plant leads the way down an alley off Boundary St. to the Brisbane Brewing Co. pub-brewery in the West End.  It's an simple low cost building that feels a bit like a large open-ended garage, reminiscent of what one may consider a good place to start a brewery.   It's a cool venue with a relaxed laid-back feel that looks like a good place to be on a hot day.

The brewing kit is tucked away along one of the walls running the length of the indoor section next to what appears to be a kitchen, with a few extra fermenters squeezed in behind the main bar service area.

The industrial side of this outfit is a bit cluttered and chaotic and raises some questions about housekeeping, which is usually a reflection of an attitude towards health and safety. It may just be that there is limited space and the owners are doing their best to shoehorn a growing business into the limited space they have available.  I like the rustic, rough and ready feel of the equipment and noticed a pile of stainless steel connectors and fittings that every brewery I have visited seems to have.

Many breweries have a simplified process flow diagram depicting the beer making process, which reflects some of the technological advances to a process that has essentially been know for thousands of years.  However, as any engineer will tell you, a simplified process flow diagram doesn't enable you to competently run a micro-brewery. The secrets lie in the details and I have yet to see a brewery where you can peek at the internals of all those pretty, shiny vessels. They are just vessels or fancy big pots, aren't they? Not quite.

 The bar had a good number of taps, mostly their own product and the thing that differentiates a good brew-pub from another for me is that they have more taps than your average bar.  That's because diversity and product portfolio and customer choice is the essence of what this growing craft beer business is all about. Unfortunately this outfit offered the stock standard two size Aussie beer measures (or at least what Queensland usually offers - I discovered that Australia has a bit more beer measurement selection complexity further afield). What I really wanted was to taste a few different things and I was then informed that smaller portions were available, but in the end it would have been better for two of us rather than me out there on my own.  Admittedly beer tourism is better with company but I can hardly expect friends to follow me around the globe on my consulting engineering escapades.

The four 150ml glasses were a bit more expensive than what I would have liked.  In the end their most adventurous beer was apricot infused, and I will admit it wasn't a favourite.  I also found there was a common underlying theme to all their beers that just didn't tickle my tastebuds in the way I like beer to do. I can't put my finger on what it was, whether it was a type of hops they used or the blend of malt they used, but it didn't tick the box that said I'll have to come back here when I know more about beer and learn some lessons from their product portfolio. Admittedly I didn't try any of the darker beers so it might just be their gold and amber range that didn't chime for me.

My general impression was that it was a nice cool environment to get away from the heat and enjoy a beer, but I was a little disappointed with the beer in the end.

Charming Squire - the James Squire Brew-pub in Brisbane

Nestled on the South Bank in Brisbane and conveniently located near the convention centre is the Charming Squire, pub-home of one of the James Squire breweries. The brewing equipment is visible as a lofted monument above everyone's heads and is elegantly lit to blend into the warm gold, amber and brown themes. Everything looks like beer colours and the place was packed on a Saturday afternoon, unlike some of the other places I walked past in Brisbane.

A large number of beer taps are on display and connected to the kegs, which are visible in a climate controlled room next to the bar and visible through a glass panel wall that runs along the length of the brewery downstairs. Essential product information is printed neatly on the wall at the back of the bar to help patrons select from the potentially bewildering collection of beers on offer.  The staff behind the bar tend to ask people who seem confused, and who wouldn't be unless you are a seasoned craft beer drinker and tinkerer, what style of beer they usually drink. This promotes a 'more of the same' approach which doesn't really  tap into the potential that craft beer offers.  I noticed that there were a few wooden panels hanging behind the bar so I asked my bar tender what the smallest volume was that I could buy and whether I could taste different beers.  I ended up with these 100ml tasters and a product tasting sheet with tiny print.  At $12 it wasn't cheap, but I've paid more at other places.  Each beer had a 5-scale rating system for Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Mouthfeel, and Finish.

Their food was good and it was a very pleasant way to spend part of my afternoon on the South Bank in Brisbane.

James Squire is reputed to be the person who first successfully cultivated hops in Australia.  There is some history about The Malt Shovel Brewery that Chuck Hahn established in Camperdown, Sydney in 1988.

The group has several Squire brew-pubs scattered around the country as presented on this map. 

Brisbane Craft Beer Hunt

Today I am in Brisbane, Australia, and I have been doing some research on locally available brew-pubs.  I'm hot on the tail of the local craft beer scene with the view to comparing what I am seeing in the UK and North America.

Here is a useful link to the Australian Craft Beer Industry Association, and here is some history about craft beer in Australia.

Here's a list of breweries to consider when visiting Brisbane.  On my list of places to visit are the Charming Squire, Brisbane Brewing Co., and Catchment Brewing Co., which are all conveniently clustered together in the South Bank area.

Pictures later, when I return.