We’re pumped to announce our mini beer festival, Murbah Open Day, is back for another year at our Murwillumbah Brewery on Saturday, 5 August. 

Welcoming locals and beer frothers from all over, Murbah Open Day is a celebration of community, great music, good food and of course, fresh beer straight from the source. 

The only day of year our brewery opens to the public, the festival gives punters the chance to peek behind the curtain of the Stone & Wood engine room, with staff guided tours of the brewery throughout the day.

Running from 11am - 5pm, Murbah Open Day is an event for the whole family and a chance to give back to the amazing community that supports us. 

Entry to the festival is by gold coin donation with all profits going towards an amazing local cause: Wedgetail Retreat.

Wedgetail Retreat provide free palliative care to the Northern Rivers community, giving locals and their families a warm and welcoming environment to call home. Operating without government funding, Wedgetail relies on the support of its community to keep its doors open and continue with the excellent care they provide. 

Details on the music and food line-up to come

Time To Dabble In The Dark Arts

Around here, winter is a time of dark temptations. Of cold nights and raging fires, of dancing bodies and deep, dark beers. Welcome to the Season of the Stone.

From today, Stone Beer 2023, our rich and robust porter, is available online and in good bottle shops and venues across the country.

But the black magic doesn’t stop there. We’re also celebrating the return of our Barrel-Aged Stone Beer, rolling in at an 11.2% ABV, this is a potion best shared with others. Sold in a traditional ceramic crock, these can only be found in very limited numbers in our online store. To tempt you further, here’s a closer look at what you can expect from these two exceptional dark beauties.

STONE BEER 2023

6% ABV

This year’s brew was created using choice Australian and German malts, with aromas and flavours of coffee, rich dark chocolate, and hints of subtle smoked barley. Stone Beer 2023 pours near black and finishes with a rich smooth malt character and firm bitterness.

Malts: Pale malt, Chocolate, Voodoo, SM40, amber, CaraRed, regenerative-grown pale malt and macadamia smoked malt.

Hops: Fuggles Hops (England)

Food Pairing: This delicious porter pairs beautifully with grilled meat, hard cheeses, and excellent with anything containing chocolate.

BARELL AGED STONE BEER 

11.2% ABV

Aged for 12 months in whiskey barrels, this jet-black porter has the strong malt profile of chocolate and coffee flavours, layered with a luscious fullness of whisky and oak. Rich, smooth and full bodied our Barell Aged Stone Beer has a medium bitterness and low hop profile that balances the roasted malt flavours.

Malts: Pale malt, chocolate, voodoo, SM40 , Amber, CaraRed and regenerative-grown pale malt.

Hops: Galaxy Hops (Australia)

Food Pairing: A rich, dark beauty such as this deserves a dark chocolate dessert like brownies, served with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream or double cream on top.

2023 ÜBER STONE BEER

Double Barrel Aged Imperial Porter

FESTIVAL OF THE STONE WRAP-UP

More than just delicious beers, we kicked off our winter celebrations with our annual block party – Festival of the Stone held at our Byron Brewery.

Over 2000 locals and beer lovers came together to celebrate the turning of the seasons and to help raise money for an excellent Byron organisation – Fletcher Street Cottage. We are stoked to announce that together we managed to raise $21,500 for this amazing cause.

With an incredible musical line-up headlined by blues and roots legends, The Beautiful Girls, a community of excellent individuals came together for a night of great tunes, excellent food and fresh, fresh beer. If you couldn’t make it to Byron, you can still jump on the Festival of the Stone vibes, by hitting up our playlist on Spotify, grabbing your own glass of Stone Beer and getting down by a warm fire.

Time for Something Different and Delicious

If you’ve been a long-time fan of our iconic Original Pacific Ale, there’s some other things brewing.

Introducing Cloudy Pale Ale, Pacific Ale’s big brother, hitting venues and bottle shops this week and doing its job of making the world a bit more delicious.

It comes in a sexy burnt orange can, bottle or fresh from the tap and is perfect for those moments when the sun starts to go down on an epic day and the vibes start to come up.

So, are you ready for the step up to Cloudy? Let’s take a deep dive:

The Taste

Refreshing with tropical, stone fruit aromas and flavours, a smooth mouthfeel and low bitterness and malt, Cloudy has the beautiful golden haze you’ve come to expect from the legends on our brew deck.

The Stats

Hops: Late additions of dry Australian hops: Galaxy, Eclipse, Vic Secret, Ella and Enigma.

Malt: Wheat and Munich malts give this beer a golden hazy appearance, with smooth mouthfeel and low bitterness. 

ABV: 5%

Deliciousness: 100%

Food Pairings

Cloudy’s bold and refreshing flavour sees it pair well with just about any of your pub favourites: try it with your parmi/parma (don’t @ us), burger and fries or the classic fish and chips (see our beer batter recipe here). When you’re out of the pub, we also like to use Cloudy to quench the thirst that comes with a good curry.

The History

Our Stone & Wood Pale Ale originally launched as Cloud Catcher back in 2013. Although it had a pretty devoted fan base, we recognised the palate of the Australian drinker has progressed a lot since then and many had moved beyond its original flavour profile.

Never ones to rest on their laurels, our brewers spent months tinkering away with the recipe, making tweaks to Cloud Catcher’s flavour profile, adding additional dry hops and pulling back on the malt and bitterness. The result sees the tropical, stone fruit aromas and flavours more pronounced, a smoother mouthfeel and a hazier pour. The final result of all this tweaking: Cloudy Pale Ale.

Cloudy Pale Ale – Gimme Gimme Gimme

So, we’ve convinced you to try it/retry it – where can you get your hands on it? At all excellent venues, bottle shops and online at our Stone & Wood store.

Stone Beer 2023 is coming

The season of the Stone is almost upon us.

Every winter, our brewers turn their mind to the fire and create the year’s unique batch of our rich, wood-fired porter, Stone Beer.

Using ancient brewing techniques, our brew team take hot volcanic stones and place them on a crackling fire, in the heart of our Byron Bay brewery.

We invite our closest friends from the industry to join us on the night, to help infuse the brew with the energy of a new year. The warm hearts and conversation held around the brewery fire become a part of that year’s Stone Beer story.

And so it was again in 2023.

Held in April, our Stone Beer Brew Day, saw this year’s winter seasonal take life with the mashing in of the grains on the brew deck and the individual placing of the stones into the fire. Followed by an intimate dinner, the spirit of comradery that’s synonymous with the Stone Beer brew continues.

So what has this year’s labour of love produced?

Stone Beer 2023 is decadent brew that begins with rich and chocolatey aromas, followed by dark chocolate, coffee, caramel and toffee flavours on the palate and finishes with a firm bitterness.

As with each year, Stone Beer 2023 will be tapped for the first time at our annual winter celebration, the party in homage to our dark brew – Festival of The Stone!

Taking place at our Byron Bay Brewery, Festival of the Stone is a celebration of beer and community, two of the big pillars in our company. As is tradition, on the first Saturday in June, our site will once again be filled with music, food and fresh Stone Beer flowing over the bars and into the hands of happy punters.

Beyond the festival, Stone Beer will be passing through our brewery gates and out into the wider world via our online store and select venues and bottle shops across the country.

For the Stone Beer devotee, returning for only the second time in Stone Beer history, we have an extremely limited run of Über.

Smooth and complex, Über is an Imperial Porter that is double barrel aged. Patiently rested for 20 months in rum barrels before it was finished in fresh whisky barrels for a further four months. Now this precious vintage is ready to be enjoyed by the lucky few.

A seductive midnight black beer, with a cracking 17.3% ABV, is served beneath a dense cream foam. Aromas of rich Belgian Chocolate and molasses flood the senses before decadent layers of vanilla bean, chocolate truffles, rum cake, and ripe cherries take hold.

Stone Beer and Über are the delicious results of the passion and dedication of our incredible brewing team. While they love producing the Stone & Wood classics, like Pacific Ale, year-round, adopting different techniques and working with different infredients allows their imaginations to take flight.

How can we do it different? How can we do it better? How do we do all this and stay true to its roots?

It’s these conversations and imagination that makes winter our time for dreaming and Stone Beer the product of this dedication.

AVAILABILITY

Stone Beer 2023 will be available from Tuesday 13th June from our official Stone & Wood online store and at select venues and bottle shops nationally.

Über 2023 will be available only from our online store and will go on sale Thursday 22nd June. Be quick to get your hands on this epic brew – there’s only 300 available!

Festival of the Stone tickets are now on sale! Headlined by blues and roots legends, The Beautiful Girls, come and spend a night among friends and enjoy the freshest glass of Stone Beer going. Get tickets now before it’s too late!

A Hot Take On A Cool Drink.

Listen up les amis, our Counter Culture brewers have been busy cooking up a collaboration between the vine and the bine – a white-wine inspired ale, Plonk!

With pale malts and wheat, it’s a delicious drop with hints of vanilla and tannins imparted by American Oak.

Plonk tickles the tip of the nose with subtle tropical aromas then gets in full swing with a refined white-wine soul.

Coming in at 6.8%, Plonk! Is perfect for sharing with lovers…or for keeping it all to yourself.

WINE & BEER?! IT CAN’T BE DONE 🤯

But it can…and it has!

The first reported combination of this winning pair came back in the 1970s, when legendary Belgian brewers, Cantillon, used Muscat grapes to produce a delicate beer called Vigneronne.

Dogfish Head Brewery in the US expanded further on the idea in the 1990s and with the explosion of the craft beer industry over the two decades, more and more brewers have been trying their hand at combining the two arts. 

Currently in the US, brews that are a beer-wine hybrid are being termed an ‘oenobeer’. 

So far, the fun police haven’t put any restrictions around what actually determines an oenobeer, so brewers are free to put their own spin on things. Some beers are produced using grapes in the brewing process, some use just the juice, others consider a brew to be oenobeer if it was aged in a wine barrel.

With no limitations on the field, it means the category is wide open for experimentation and we’re stoked to throw our hat into the ring with Plonk!

PLONK! SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Plonk! is delicate, tart and refreshing, which means it lends itself to foods that are on the lighter side of life – think seafood, a light aromatic curry, or a beautifully balanced cheeseboard.

As we’re well and truly in the cooler weather, PLONK! could be perfectly paired with a starter or entrée, before the menu moves onto heavier, richer mains. 

BEHIND THE PLONK! POP DESIGN

Our incredible in-house designer, Anders Rudin, got on the tools to create the amazing artwork for our latest Counter Culture release, drawing on inspiration from mid-century Italian and French design. 

AVAILABILITY

You can pop Plonk in your basket from today with 500 ml two-packs and cartons available from our official online store, at our Brisbane and Byron breweries and select bottle shops around the country.

LET US KNOW!

Hit us up with your thoughts on Plonk! on Insta or on Facebook.

C’EST BON!

Supporting The Northern Rivers From The Grassroots Up

Since Day One, Stone & Wood has aimed to be a conscious business that takes care of the communities where we work and live. Part of that story for us has been the establishment of our not-for-profit charity, the inGrained Foundation.

As our HQ is in the Northern Rivers, it made sense that our work started close to home. For the past five years, the inGrained Foundation has run a Large Grants program that provides local grassroots charities and organisations in the area with support for their next big project.

This year, the inGrained Foundation have announced a $200,000 funding pool for the 2023 Northern Rivers Large Grants Program, opening Tuesday, 4 April 2023. 

It’s open to not-for-profits with DGR status and grants will range between $5,000 and $30,000.

With the aim of addressing a broad spectrum of challenges experienced within these communities, inGrained are seeking to support projects that fall into the following categories:

• Conservation of natural resources and habitats.
• Action on climate change.
• Mental health and wellbeing.
• Accommodation and homelessness.
• Inclusion and diversity.

In 2022, some of the organisations who received a grant through the program included: Bangalow Koalas, Human Nature Adventure Therapy, Murwillumbah Community Centre and Zero Emissions Byron.

WATCH: 2022 GRANTS ROUND RECIPIENTS RECAP

These teams are just a few of the amazing groups that are working hard to make their community and its surrounding environments a better place for all. Open soon to not-for-profits with DGR status, applicants are encouraged to read the guidelines and submit before Friday 28 April, by visiting www.ingrainedfoundation.com.au, so if you have friends or family doing incredible things in the Northern Rivers, please let them know.

To learn more about the inGrained Foundation, its Grants Program, visit the inGrained Foundation website, sign up to the newsletter and follow @ingrainedfoundation

Come party with us.

Back with a bang – our Festival Of The Stone returns on Saturday, 3 June 2023 and for the first time ever, we’re giving you the chance to play the first set of the day.

Held across our Byron Brewery site, we’re getting ready to welcome locals and lovers of beer along for a night of music, food, fresh ales and community.

Joining a huge line-up of local and well-known acts, we’re also pumped to announce a competition for emerging and experienced musicians to nab the festival’s opening set…

WIN A SET AT FESTIVAL OF THE STONE!

We’re giving a set to an outstanding artist/s who are willing to put up their hand and slay for beer, merch and money (Yep. It’s a paid gig).

Entry requirements:

1. Enter up to 4 tracks or a live recording.
2. Must be available to play Saturday, June 3rd (from 3pm onwards) and able to play a 45-minute set
3. You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
4. Entries close May 1st at 7am

The winner will be selected by the Stone & Wood and Club Raiders crew. Includes performance fee, Stone & Wood prize pack and more!

SUPPORTING FLETCHER ST COTTAGE

Profits from tickets sales and raffles throughout the evening will be going towards the Fletcher Street Cottage, a community service providing meals, showers, laundry, advocacy and support to Byron’s homeless community.

Stone & Wood x Brookie's x Flow Hive. Cheers to B Corp Month.

To celebrate B Corp month, we invited a few of our friends in the local B Corp community to come on down and brew a beer to celebrate the amazing achievements of the forward-thinking businesses in our region.

A B Corp Collab Beer

Stone & Wood x Brookie’s x Flow Hive

The beer, titled Too Mac & Bee-yond, is a Honey Macadamia Wheat Beer and was brewed using local Byron drop, Brookies Mac liqueur, and Flow Hive Harvested Honey.

For those lucky enough to live in, or be passing through, the Northern Rivers in the next few weeks, this delicious small-batch brew will be pouring at our Byron Brewery for a limited time only.

Wait, the beer sounds delicious, but…what’s a B Corp?

A B Corp company is a business that is meeting high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Put simply, the B Corp movement proves what’s possible when businesses think beyond profit. When they go beyond the expected. When they come together to prove beyond doubt that there’s a better way to do business.

Cool Cool Cool…so B Corp Month is??

Each year in March, the global B Corp community comes together to celebrate, educate and motivate broader audiences on what can be achieved if we choose to do business a little differently.

Follow the hashtag #WeGoBeyond on Insta or FB to see some of the amazing work that’s being done across the planet right now. It’s the kind of internet rabbit hole that will leave you feeling uplifted and pumped about what good business can look like.

One little overseas gem we discovered was Padstow Holliday Village in the UK who are making holidays more sustainable, including hiring out wooden body boards to their guests for free 🤙 

Where can I find other B Corps?

We’re lucky in Australia to have some outstanding companies working hard to make the world a better place as part of the B Corp community.

Here’s a list of just a few of our faves for you to check out. Hollar back with any of your best B Corp suggestions too!

Food & Beverage:

Cape Byron Distillery/Brookie’s Gin

Unico Zelo

Pablo & Rusty’s

Fashion:

Outland Denim

Zorali

Bassike

Home:

Flow Hive Honey

Who Gives A Crap

Koskela

AĒSOP

Services & Media:

Bank Australia

Quuip

We Are Explorers To get the full picture on the B Corp movement and a full list of the B Corp businesses in Australia and New Zealand, head here

Our recent Pilot Batch Brewer hopping around the Byron brew deck

Our Pilot Batch beers are experimental brews created by our team of talented brewers, with occasional help from collaborators within our community, all at our Pilot Brewery in Byron Bay.

These small batch brews are special, limited and, once gone, may never return. The Pilot Batch brewery is a space for our brewers to get creative – an opportunity to trial weird and wonderful things, turning the brewery into an experimental playground to get a little fruity.

Every three months, one of our brewers takes up the helm in our Byron brewery, running the day-to-day operations. During this time, they have the chance to brew their favourite beers and run the Pilot Batch program.

Meet our recent Pilot Batch brewer, Tom Iacono.

Give us a bit of background about yourself…

I’m originally from the Yarra Valley in VIC (home to some of Australia’s best wines).

Prior to coming to Stone & Wood, I’d been working as a cheesemaker for about 10 years across VIC, NSW and QLD. Most recently, I was running my own cultured butter business out of Byron.

I accidentally fell into beer, starting off in kombucha and then making my way to the big brewery in Murwillumbah. I’ve been brewing for about 5 years now and, like cheesemaking, I love the variety it brings.

What are your favourite styles of beer and why?

I’m a lover of IPA’s and hop forward beers but I also enjoy and appreciate all beer styles.

What will you be brewing during your time here in Byron?

As many different types and styles as possible!

Any beers you’re really excited about brewing and why?

I recently created a Whole Hop Cone English Pale here at Byron. This requires taking fresh hop flowers (or leaf) and using those in the brew rather than a pellet. They are a more intense flavour, so it means adjusting brewing techniques to get it just right.

What do you like about using the Pilot Batch brewery to experiment?

I love the hands-on experience and manual labour that working in a smaller brewery brings.

Product Recall Notice

Stone & Wood Brewing Co. are recalling the above product. The recalled product has been available for sale; online nationally; in Bottle shops and retail outlets in NSW, VIC and QLD; and Paul’s IGA Ringwood East in VIC.

Problem: The recall is due to the presence of an undeclared allergen – Milk.
Food safety hazard: Any consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the product is consumed.

What to do: Consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance should not consume this product. Customers should return the product to the place of purchase for a full cash refund. We apologise for any inconvenience.

For further information contact:
Stone & Wood
Ph: (02) 6685 5173
Email: Trevor@stoneandwood.com.au

Celebrating International Women’s Day With Our Crew.

This year for International Women’s Day

In celebration of IWD held on Wednesday 8 March, we’d like to shout out to all the amazing women who are a part of the Stone & Wood story.

From the Tasting Rooms, to the Quality Lab and the Brew Deck, Stone & Wood have over 50 permanent female employees who are making their mark on what can traditionally be a male-dominated industry.

This year, to celebrate their efforts, a crew of Stone & Wood employees and industry friends came together in early February to create this year’s International Women’s Day Beer. At both our Byron and Brisbane breweries, they began to brew an epic Czech Bohemian Imperial Pils to mark the occasion.

After a few weeks’ fermentation, 2023 IWD will be tapped in both breweries for staff and visitors to enjoy on March 8.

For anyone in Brisbane looking to kick up their heels in celebration of IWD, our Fortitude Valley brewery is the place to be after the workday is done. Keep reading on to find out more!

Whether you can make it to one of our breweries and sample our 2023 IWD beer, or if you’re just enjoying a quiet one at home, let’s raise a glass to all the amazing women in our lives who are out there making change, making beer and generally just making things great.

About International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. IWD 2023’s theme of Embrace Equity challenges people to deeply believe, value, and seek out difference as a necessary and positive element of life. To embrace equity means to understand the journey required to achieve women’s equality.

Stone & Wood Brisbane’s IWD Party

Wednesday 8 March, 2023 at Stone & Wood Brisbane. 99 Bridge St, Fortitude Valley.

5.30pm till close

With fresh beers and wine, great food and DJ Anna Sonnenburg on the decks into the night, it’s the perfect place for women (and allies!) to come together and #embraceequity.

Free entry. Reserve your spot, here.