New Australian Style - Experiment Invite/Discussion

[verysupple]

As hinted at in the OP, consumer's tastes evolve over time, and so do the beers brewers produce. A lot of recognised styles evolved as offshoots of existing styles - usually because brewers would push the boundaries of the existing styles and when it became widespread enough it became its own style. American amber ale stemming from American pale ale is a good example.

So bearing that in mind, it seems like people are quite often brewing pale ales that seem similar to an American pale ale but made with Aussie hops like Victoria Secret and Galaxy. Now at the moment these still fit into the American pale ale categoy but as these beers evolve, and perhaps take on a slightly different malt or fermentation character, they may become different enough to make them a separate style.

But until enough people are actually brewing something that is different enough from a current style yet similar enough to each other, there won't be another Aussie style.

The style guidlines reflect what is being brewed. They don't tell people what to brew.

 

[Spiesy]

The style guidlines reflect what is being brewed. They don't tell people what to brew.

Yes and no, in my humblest of opinions.
Some people just brew as they like, others try to stick within a styles guidelines.

Agree with the rest of your comments though.

 

[Kingy]

Could use an australia lady and make a toi sennhauser opb using Australian grain and hops.

 

[verysupple]

Yes and no, in my humblest of opinions.
Some people just brew as they like, others try to stick within a styles guidelines.

Agree with the rest of your comments though.

Yeah, as homebrewers a lot of us stick to the style guidelines. But those styles existed before they guidelines were written. It's the people that "brew as they like" that inadvertantly create new styles. It's when enough people all brew something similar (but different to an existing style) that some sort of officiating body (e.g. the BJCP) recognise it as a style.

Imagine you're a commercial brewer. You brew whatever you think will sell. What you put on the label is then influenced by a few factors like which style the beer is closest too, but more importantly, what's going to shift the product. Styles don't really matter to anyone except home brewers.

 

[TSMill]

You will need a WilliamsWarn only competition to give the idea any sort of credibility.

 

[MastersBrewery]

BTW: where did Cooper's initially get their yeast from? Why is it the only Australian yeast?

Anyone know?

A bit :icon_offtopic:
But I was thinking about this the other day. The thought popped into my head and I believe it came from my uncle from when he was in Vietnam during the war. He said they used all sorts of wonderful things in their brew, and most common amongst Aussies Vegimite. So I though I might try and culture up the yeast and throw it at a 5L batch of stout.

thoughts?

MB

 

[The Judge]

I'm a little confused... this is an Australian Style - we are one of the "lucky" countries than can grow hops.

Sorry, my point was that if you could get a hop variety to grow below the 30th parallel, then a huge part of the world which currently grows hops (Germany, UK, North America), wouldn't necessarily be able to grow this new variety, thus making it unique. Tropical places like Qld could therefore have their own style of flavour and aroma.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Make sure its on toast.
Nev

 

[MastersBrewery]

always have a toast with my stout Nev

 

[verysupple]

A bit :icon_offtopic:
But I was thinking about this the other day. The thought popped into my head and I believe it came from my uncle from when he was in Vietnam during the war. He said they used all sorts of wonderful things in their brew, and most common amongst Aussies Vegimite. So I though I might try and culture up the yeast and throw it at a 5L batch of stout.

thoughts?

MB

I thought Vegemite had yeast extract (cell walls removed). I don't think you can bring it back to life and culture it up. But if you could, that'd be a very Aussie beer.

 

[wereprawn]

I thought Vegemite had yeast extract (cell walls removed). I don't think you can bring it back to life and culture it up. But if you could, that'd be a very Aussie beer.

Is the yeast used to make vegemite Aussie? Unlikely IMO. They would obtain the used lager yeast from large megaswill breweries wouldn't they?

 

[mje1980]

Baby kangaroos in the kettle?, goannas in the mash?

 

[verysupple]

Is the yeast used to make vegemite Aussie? Unlikely IMO. They would obtain the used lager yeast from large megaswill breweries wouldn't they?

That's a good point. But if we're taking the yeast origin as the defining factor then Vegemite isn't Aussie either. Try selling that idea. Nobody else will take responsibility for it.

 

[verysupple]

Baby kangaroos in the kettle?, goannas in the mash?

Let's keep it to the coat of arms; kangaroos and emus - both boiled obviously.

 

[Sippa]

Boiling the coat of arms was not the intended direction for the thread. I thought maybe it would rouse some serious thought for experimentation and development of some truly unique brew accredited to Australian home brew swillers.

 

[mje1980]

Why does there need to be another style?

 

[spog]

VB with Vegemite,Goanna oil,Koala piss,Kangaroo scrotum and crushed native seeds from Emu shit.
If an immigrant can drink a slab of it and keep it down they get free entry, welcome to Straya mate.

 

[dicko]

I can see the need for redefining the style.

There are a lot more Aussie hops available now that do provide a multitude of diversity with flavours.

The OP has a good point IMO.

If we choose to remember back just a little while the famous Smurto's Golden Ale was re defined within the classification from where he entered it into an English Pale Ale from memory.
It could not be classed as an Aussie Pale Ale and survive the scrutiny of the rules within the class guidelines.

So today a person could brew the same recipe with for example a single hop choice of one of the new Australian varieties and if push comes to shove, even use a CPA yeast (or WLP 009) but not comply because "it" doesn't fit the current description....

No wonder some of us never enter competitions. All these rules are made off our shores and for why???????

 

[Nizmoose]

I definitely think that some more Australian styles would be great, especially with hops like galaxy now available. One beer that always comes to mind is Stone & Wood Pacific Ale. I'm sure there will be people that disagree but when I looked up it's specs under style was "beyond classification" and I'd have to agree, I don't know what I'd class it as, and that made me a bit happy because it means someone in Australia has created something uniquely Australian in my personal opinion. What would people class Stone & Wood Pacific Ale as? And if nothing what style would you name to put it into?

 

[The Judge]

I definitely think that some more Australian styles would be great, especially with hops like galaxy now available. One beer that always comes to mind is Stone & Wood Pacific Ale. I'm sure there will be people that disagree but when I looked up it's specs under style was "beyond classification" and I'd have to agree, I don't know what I'd class it as, and that made me a bit happy because it means someone in Australia has created something uniquely Australian in my personal opinion. What would people class Stone & Wood Pacific Ale as? And if nothing what style would you name to put it into?

Just as the Bavarians drink wheat beer as a breakfast beer, so is the Stone & Wood Pacific Ale the perfect fruity Australian Breakfast Ale.
Wheaty, fruity, and well suited to our sunny mornings imo