The Cool Room

238 Holgate Pt 2 & The Australian Tax Office

It's the second part of our online tasting with Paul Holgate and Chris Brady from legendary Australian brewery Holgate! But before we get to that we also have the ATO's answers to the questions you submitted to us!

Don't forget you can grab the beers we discuss with Holgate from our website here: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/holgate-mixed-6-pack

Paul and Chris share their approach to barrel-aging beers and why they choose to use local barrels, we learn all about the beer they've collaborated on for Bendigo on the Hop, the challenges of making 25 special beers to celebrate 25 years of brewing and what "beery mountains" they still have to climb.

Oh, and they tell us all about their 125 year old Coolroom!

 

237: Black Box '24 4: Hawkers, Good Land &. Bright Brewery

It's the fourth and final of our Carwyn Cellars / Coolroom Black Box Series for 2024 featuring the return of some of our favorite Australian brewers talking about their contributions to this amazing project.

Lewis Kerr from Bright Brewery, joins Alex Lovelock from Hawkers and Jimmy and Jesse Krekelberg from Good Land to share their thoughts on each others beers and the stories behind them.

We learn the secrets of their barrel programs, their favorite brewing gizmos, the ideas that went into the designs on the cans for the black box and which band t-shirts would automatically get you a job at their brewery. 

A huge thank you to all of the brewers who have been part of Black Box 2024, and of course to Carwyn for inviting us to be part of the adventure, And also a massive cheers to everyone who helped us sell out of the packs - we hope you've loved the beers and our chats about them!

236: Black Box '24 3: Hop Nation, Seeker & King River

It's the third episode of our series for the Carwyn / Coolroom Black Box for 2024 and we kick off by celebrating the news that Tito from Carwyn is now one of only 3 Advanced Cicerones in Australia!

Then it's quickly on to the Black IIIPA from Seeker Brewing and a discussion about how the brewery and its output have changed in the first two years of its existence. We hear how the guys first met and absolutely everything that's happened since that day.

Then it's Duncan from Hop Nation's turn to talk about the Jammy Dodger. We discuss the dangers of using cinnamon in a brew, where the inspiration for the artwork came from and what keeps him and the brewery inspired, and the terrible curse that afflicts Hop Nation / Carwyn collaborations.

Then we are joined from Adelaide [and yes the sound is a little dodgy at times] by Nathan from King River Brewing and his Adambier. Tito and Nathan discuss the origins of the beer style and the joys of researching forgotten styles. 

We have some fantastic chats as the brewers sample each others beers and talk about the techniques and tricks of making such complex offerings.

235: Black Box '24 2: Deeds, Fox Friday & Rocky Ridge

It's the second of our 2024 Carwyn Cellars / Coolroom Black Box sessions with a truly extraordinary line up of beers and brewers - a huge thank you to everyone who joined us online on the day!

We kick things off with Ben Duval revealing some of the behind-the-scenes gossip of putting together the black box before Adam from Rocky Ridge takes us through the Imperial Ken Oats Pastry Stout. He reveals what the brewery has planned for their new Victorian adventure and what the best tricks for brewing with coffee are!

Then Ned from Fox Friday brings us the "One Friday" BBA Imperial stout made in collaboration with One Drop. We learn all about the nascent Fox barrel program and just how a collaboration between two breweries works.

Then it's time for "The Final Deed", a BBA Imperial Stout resulting from the visit of Carwyn, the Coolroom and a heap of beery influencers to Deeds just days before they closed. We're incredibly lucky to be joined by Curtis Uhryn who shares the techniques that went into the making of this beer, his feelings about the closure of the brewery and his plans for the future.

The interactions between the brewers as they taste each others beers and reflect on their experiences in the craft beer industry makes this one of our most interesting episodes ever! Thanks again to them all for being so open and honest with their answers!

234: Black Box '24 1: 3 Ravens, Bacchus & Working Title Brewing Co.

It's a truly epic start to this year's Carwyn Cellars / Coolroom Black Box as some of the most innovative brewers from Australia join us to talk about their beers.

Tito from Carwyn gives us some insights into how the breweries for the box are chosen and organised and then we are underway with Brendan from 3 Ravens and an absolutely amazing barrel-aged barley wine.

We change styles completely for beer #2 as Ross from Bacchus Brewing talks us through the Gingerdead Man, at the same time bringing us to speed with everything that's happened at the brewery since he joined us almost exactly one year ago.

And then for the first time ever we welcome Working Title Brewing Co into the Coolroom with "In Bruges" which has some amazing intricate flavours and a great fun attitude from the brewers to accompany it.

The Coolroom are all sold out of this year's Black Boxes but you can try the beers on tap at Carwyn Cellars in Thornbury or you can grab the very last releases of the pack from their website here: https://carwyncellars.com.au/products/the-black-box-2024

233: Holgate Part 1

Celebrating 25 years of great craft beers Paul Holgate and Head Brewer Chris Brady join us for a tasting of some best known beers while sharing stories of their journey in brewing.

You can buy the beers we discuss from our online store here: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/holgate-mixed-6-pack

Don't forget you can join the podcast and Holgate at this year's Obsidian Beer Festival being held in Ballarat on June 29 - tickets are available here: https://hullabalooevents.com.au/obsidian-dark-beer-fest

In this episode we hear the story of the Mt Macedon Pale Ale, how it has changed over the years yet remains at the heart of their core range and the legendary Millennium Falcon - one of the most anticipated craft beer releases each year in Australia.

Stay tuned for the second half of the interview coming soon in Episode 234!

232: Bright Darker Days & Coconspirators Famiglia Affairs Festivals

It's a massive episode today as we're deep in the heart of Winter Beer Festivals in Australia and we kick off with Jacqui from Coconspirators telling us all about this year's Famiglia Affairs Festival - check out our Facebook page for information about how you can 2 free tickets to the event!

Then we're up to Darker Days Festival at Bright Brewery with special guest co-host Evin Craney. We get all the goss on what goes into organising a festival like this, and what he's most looking forward to this year. 

Then Bright head brewer Lewis Kerr joins the table and we taste our way through the collaboration beers from this year's festival while chatting with each of the brewers who participated.

There's 250kg of banana puree, 2500 oysters, one perturbed Pocket beagle, an intense discussion on the differences between feijoas and pineapple guavas, a lot of work for our legal department and Davydd gets excited by the idea of giant wicker chicken...

231 - Obsidian Beer Fest &. Bendigo On The Hop

It's a tale of two city's beer festivals as we chat to the teams behind Ballarat's new Obsidian Dark Beer Festival and Bendigo On The Hop.

Tom Madden gives us the down low on everything we can expect at the brand new Obsidian Dark Beer Festival taking place on the heated floors of Ballarat's Mining Exchange at the end of June. We hear what inspired him to start a new festival during a tricky time in the industry, which breweries will be attending and which beers he's most looking forward to trying.

Then Chris from Bendigo Beer returns to the show to preview this year's 10th anniversary Bendigo On The Hop which has now extended into a week of fun events at the end of August. We not only learn about the history of the festival and of some returning craft brewery stalwarts but also of new breweries and venues joining in for the first time.

You can learn more about Obsidian here: https://hullabalooevents.com.au/obsidian-dark-beer-fest 

And Bendigo On The Hop here: https://www.bendigobeer.com/both-2024

230 - Hop Nation Returns!

Duncan from Hop Nation joins Warren and special guest host Travis for a discussion about all the latest news and views from the brewery.

You can taste along with the beers discussed in the podcast by grabbing a tasting pack from our online store here: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/hop-nation-8-pack

Duncan explains where the idea for Hop Nation came from and what it was like when the brewery started out, as well as his own journey from wine maker to brewer.

We learn how old favorites like the J Juice have changed over time [and what's changed back] his approach to collaborations with the likes of Wildflower and the hops that inspire him.

And of course we get some inside scoops on what's planned for the Carwyn/Coolroom Black Box, their visit to Bright Brewery's Darker Days Festival and the imminent release of this year's Kalash Imperial Stout

229 - 2 Metre Tall, Dollar Bill, Coconspirators & Local Brewing Co

It's the Hair of the Dog Breakfast at Beer Deluxe in Fed Square and accompanied by some amazing food from Telina Menzies we share some amazing brews and some great stories with 4 fantastic brewers.

We kick off with Ed and Fiona from Dollar Bill who have some fantastic news to share [no spoilers - but it involves local government talk!] We learn what new trophies they have on their sideboard and the inner-Bendigonian in Davydd comes out as he discusses Lake Wendouree.

Then it's on to Nick from Local Brewing Co who tells us all about the beers they've brought to the breakfast and how they've just passed 400,000 meals donated to Second Bite. We learn how they source their ingredients and some of the special measures they need to take when using them.

Then Coconspirators return and after a rather confusing start we establish when they started to brew the legendary Matriarch and how many versions they've brewed [and what's planned for the future]. Then Olmo reveals the secrets of making the very special beer that we enjoy with dessert.

We finish off with Ashley from 2 Metre Tall in an interview that you're not going to want to miss. We learn why tigers at the zoo aren't really wild, all about the early feedback emails he received and why he believes we've hit peak glad wrap...