Brewer testing hops in Otways
By Loretta Wilmink • Oct 26th, 2009 • Category: News, Rural Scene
A Colac district beer brewer is experimenting with wild hops he has found in the Otways.
Forrest’s Matt Bradshaw is making beer with wild hops grown near his proposed Forrest micro-brewery.
“Forrest used to be a hop-growing area,” Mr Bradshaw said.
“Wild hops are still growing in the valley but the main hop-growing area in Victoria is centralised to the Ovens Valley,” he said.
“In the past 50 years there are a lot newer varieties and the one that grows in the Otways is an older, more English variety.”
Mr Bradshaw, who is starting a micro-brewery with his sister Sharon Bradshaw, said farming hops was a labour-intensive process.
“We’re not sure what varieties of hops grow in the Otways,” he said.
“If I can find a hop expert they can tell by the flowers and leaves that grow.”
Mr Bradshaw said he brewed his beer using four standard ingredients – beer, water barley, hops and yeast.
BUILDING: Forrest’s Sharon Bradshaw and brother Matt are renovating a Forrest building to create their micro brewery. Mr Bradshaw has been experimented Otways-grown hops.
For the full story, see the current edition of The Colac Herald.
Loading ...