With their big new brewery just a couple of months away from being up and running, the brewers at 4 Pines have been planning for the future of the little system that brewed the beers that kick started the whole venture. The original 500 litre brewhouse, tucked in a corner of their bar and restaurant in Manly, has been unable to meet demand for their big sellers, such as Kolsch and Pale Ale, for some time, with those beers brewed under contract until the new facility is ready. Instead, it’s been used for seasonals and specials, and is now set to become the brewers' plaything, with the first results being a single hop series of beers.
“We’ve got a little more room to be creative,” says brewer Andrew Tweddell. “Doing the single hop series is a bit of fun and a bit educational too. Three of the four varieties we’re using are quite in your face and up front, the fourth is very reserved.”
The “in your face” varieties in question are Amarillo, Galaxy and Sorachi Ace, their reserved accomplish the French hop Aramis. Each will be added to exactly the same base beer, a light golden ale style that should allow the hops to take centre stage. The same amount of each will be added as the finishing hop to capture as much of their aroma and flavour as possible, with the amount used for bittering adjusted to ensure that all four beers have precisely the same number – 26 if you’re interested – of International Bitterness Units (the measure of bitterness in a beer). All four should come in at 5% ABV too, allowing drinkers to understand what different hops can do to a beer.
“The people here are very inquisitive and keen to learn more,” says Andrew. “I came in and brewed on Sunday night and had a load of people come in and tell me which of the beers they loved.”
The series was due to be launched in the New Year, but such is the popularity of 4 Pines beers at the minute that they ran out of Pale Ale last week so decided to put the first one, the Amarillo beer, on tap in its place. The others will follow next year, with a handful of kegs of each being sent interstate. We’ll let you know where they’re going to appear as soon as we get word. In the meantime, anyone heading to 4 Pines over Christmas should keep their eyes peeled for Andrew’s festive beer, a spiced dark ale that is fermenting away at this very minute.
