The Cool Room

189 - Breheny Bros & Coconspirators

A bumper episode containing part 1 of our discussion with James Breheny and half of the live show we did with Coconspirators at the Flem/Ken Bowls Club.

You can grab the Breheny Bros Mixed 8 pack from our store for just $39! https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/breheny-brothers-mixed-8-pack

Jacqui from Coconspirators explains the story behind the Freedom Fighter Kellerbier which was brewed in collaboration with a brewery in Ukraine as well as the Pastry Chef Salted Caramel Stout. She also gives us some teasers about their upcoming Matriarch Day - and don't forget to join us at Pin Oak Beer and wine for the launch of The Hostess.

https://www.facebook.com/events/320873123705541

Then we kick off our discussion with James Breheny who has a truly amazing story to tell. His family have been brewing in Australia since 1864 and have worked at pretty much every major brewery you could name.

We hear how the family brewing bible made its way into his hands and how he has sought to reclaim the family brewing heritage while using his skills as a marketer to revive interest in recipes that are over 100 years old.

Both interviews with conclude in Episode 190 - available soon!

188 - Third Moon [Canada] Part 2

It's the second half of our interview with Chris and Bebo from Third Moon as we taste their delicious doppelbock and chat on about their journey in brewing.

As a special offer we've slashed the price of our tasting pack for this episode to just $50 - give these beers a quick google and you'll realise just how ridiculous that price is in Australia. https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/third-moon-can-4-pack

We have a great chat about the advantages and disadvantages of being a small brewery, the origins of doppelbock and the odd brewing disaster or two.

Warren continues his pursuit of reasonably priced bourbon barrels and Davydd is thrilled to hear what he thinks is a genuine Canadian apology!

187 - Bentspoke, Blobfish and Third Moon [Canada] Part 1

A packed episode with heaps of great beer chat!

As we get closer to the Blobfish Sour Beer Festival we check in with Richard Watkins from Bentspoke brewing about the 2 beers he'll be releasing at the Festival as well as a general chat about all things Bentspoke.

Third Moon Brewing join us from Milton in Canada to share a tasting of their amazing beers - you can grab the beers from our online store here: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/third-moon-can-4-pack

Bebo and Chris lead us through their IPAs and a great doppelbock while telling us all about their experience of setting up a brewery during COVID times. 

We learn all about their taproom and their music and can art choice to compliment their beers. Our correspondent James in New York asks some probing questions about hops and Davydd suggests a beer collaboration with a difference!

Make sure you listen in to Episode 188 to get the second half of the interview! 

186 - Black Box 4: Spotty Dog, Banks & Deeds

It's the fourth and final of our Black Box tastings and what an awesome 3 beers to finish on.

Support the podcast and enjoy the beers we're discussing with the brewers by purchasing a pack from our online store: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/carwyn-cellars-x-coolroom-2023-black-box

Warren and Davydd are joined by Ben Duval from Carwyn Cellars and an all star line up of brewers to discuss some cracking beers.

We meet Klint from Spotty Dog who has a trick or two up his sleeve for his contribution to the pack but also some great stories about setting up the brewery and where he thinks the industry is heading through some uncertain times.

Chris from Banks returns to the Coolroom with a a beer packed full of flavour and nuance giving an opportunity to discuss a heap of brewing techniques and tips for everyone from home brewers to experienced pros.

And we round things out with Curtis from Deeds taking us through Ruinous Arches - a momentous beer featuring tastes of some classic Deeds favourites.

 

185 - Black Box 3: Good Land, 3 Ravens & Bright

It's the third in our series of tastings from the Carwyn Cellars x Coolroom Black Box and Ben Carwyn himself is in the room to make sure that Davydd and Warren don't misbehave [much].

He reminds us that Carwyn Cellars has each of these beers on tap or you can purchase the pack from the Coolroom's online store: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/carwyn-cellars-x-coolroom-2023-black-box

Jimmy talks us through the Good Land contribution to the pack that has so many layers and complexity. We hear what the barrels looked like after brewing and many other great stories besides.

Brendan from 3 Ravens talks all things Barleywine [not barley wine] educating us about a style we rarely see but which is tasting delicious under his stewardship.

And then we get onto "Mushroom Bear" with Evin from Bright [credit to our mate Clint for the art] which simply has to be tasted to be believed - even non-mushroom lovers should trust us - this is a truly tasty beverage and one which allows us to say "This podcast now has more umami!" 

184 - Black Box 2: Dangerous Ales, King River & Slow Lane

It's the second of our tasting sessions with the brewers from the Carwyn x Coolroom Black Box and it's another doozy!

If you don't already have a black box [or if you'd like another!] head on over to our online store: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/carwyn-cellars-x-coolroom-2023-black-box

And as Tito from Carwyn drops in to remind us each of the Black Box beers is also available on tap at Carwyn on the day that their box number is opened!

It's Dangerous Damo's first visit to the Coolroom and we learn all about his back story as well as the ideas behind his pack contribution and all his plans for the future.

Nathan from King River returns to the show with a brand new beer style of his own creation - which plays havoc with naive Davydd's preprepared question sheet. So just what is a Schweizenbock?

And Alex from Slow Lane returns for his third visit to the Coolroom to share his first ever Barrel-Aged beer with an adjunct! 

The brewers chat about the collaborations they'd like to do together, clever techniques for making such big beers and what they'd do differently if they were to make the beer again!

183- Black Box 1: Hawkers, Fox Friday & Boatrocker

It's the first of our tasting sessions with the brewers from the Carwyn Cellars / Coolroom Black Box for 2023 - and what an amazing line up!

If for some reason you haven't already purchased this amazing beer pack you can do so here: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/carwyn-cellars-x-coolroom-2023-black-box

First up is Maz from Hawkers who talks us through his contribution to the box, the tricky issues with brewing with the ingredients and of course more snippets from his very eclectic back story. 

The we join Justin and Joe from Fox Friday as they share Black Box Beer #2 with us. We learn about who they were collaborating with, the journeys that brought them to Fox Friday and whether the name of the beer was inspired by their favourite soap opera!

Beer #3 is a rip snorter from Boatrocker and Matt Houghton backs up from Ramjet Day to appear on the podcast for the very first time. We learn all about the origins of Boatrocker and how the ethos of the brewery is communicated in this beer.

Oh and Warren and Davydd struggle to communicate to each other because they are in the same room.

It's not too often that you're going to see this many big name brewers on a single podcast so don't forget to share this with your friends!

182 - Bendigo on the Hop & Tallboy and Moose

There is so much change going on in the Australian craft beer scene at the moment and this episode catches just a small fraction of that.

Davydd chats with Lisa from Tallboy and Moose to get up to speed with all the news from the brewery following the departure of Steve Germain. 

Steve has been a great supporter of the podcast over the years - check out the archives all the way back to Episode 2 to hear the full story - and check out their Facebook page for information about Canada Day festivities including poutine!

We also chat to Chris Adkins from Bendigo Beer about the upcoming Bendigo on the Hop Festival. With so many venues and breweries there's a heap to cover but Davydd still manages to get in references to why Bendigo's weather is better than Ballarat's.

Grab you tickets for the festival fast and who knows we might even see you there.

 

181 - Blobfish, Moon Dog & Bacchus Brewing

A truly mega-episode as we explore some of the highs and lows of what's going on in the Australian craft beer scene right now.

Karl from Moon Dog drops past to share the very latest news on what's happening with the brewery's plans to open a new venue in Footscray and of course to tell us about all of the other fun things that Moon Dog is scheming about at the moment.

Sam from Hop Nation reflects on Good Beer Week, the launch of the 2023 Kalash and then gives us a preview about what we can expect at this year's Blobfish Sour Beer Festival.

And then we have the second part of our live show with Ross from Bacchus Brewing - a really frank and honest discussion about what it's like to be a part in the industry at this point in time.

What inspired Ross to make the jump from scrap metal dealer in Libya [no really], to opening a home brew store in 2004 - and from there to start one of Queensland's iconic breweries in 2010.

Would he do it all again or would he make a different choice knowing what he knows now - the answer may surprise you. How is the changing economy in 2023 affecting sales of his kinds of beers and just how do you get marshmallow flavour into a smores beer - that answer probably won't surprise you...

180 - Bacchus Brewing Pt 1 & Court House Hotel

In one of our best ever episodes we speak with Rusty from North Melbourne's reborn Court House Hotel and Queensland brewing legend Ross from Bacchus Brewing.

If you're quick you can grab a tasting pack from our online store containing the beers we discuss with Ross: https://the-coolroom-podcast.myshopify.com/products/bacchus-brewing-mixed-6-pack

Davydd and Rusty from the Court House discuss what it's like to try to renovate a North Melbourne institution, what the teams vision for the new venue is and share what is perhaps the most wholesome coolroom tale that we've ever heard!

Then Davydd and Warren start their chat with Ross from Bacchus Brewing. We hear about the brewery's long history at the point that they are about to move from tiny flexible systems [capable of brewing 12 different beers a day] to a more industrial scale with all the highs and lows that that brings.

We learn how he brews and blends some of the legendarily big beers for which the brewery is famed and how a whole team of palates is needed to perfect them.

And then Davydd and Ross start discussing chicken beers, and keep discussing chicken beers and then get into an in depth discussion about chicken beers.

Then Ross starts to explain his Chilli Mud Crab Beer and Davydd declares he's moving to Queensland to live at Bacchus...