Dark 'N' Northerly – our latest Pilot Batch, with the help of our friends at The Farm
There’s this incredibly satisfying feeling that comes from knowing you grew something yourself. The time, effort, patience and hope all contribute to that moment of seeing, then enjoying the fruits of your labour – wholesome food that is nourishing and real.
Those hours spent, back hunched, preparing and planting are in the hope that the dirty residue left under your nails and the pulsating ant bites are all worth it in the end…
This time last year, our team spent a humid spring morning planting ginger with the legends from The Farm. The northerly wind was already up by the time we plunged our ginger filled hands into the rich red soil. As you look out across The Farm’s fields, there are heritage-breed pigs, Scottish Highland cattle and chickens, all of which roam freely and are used for meat and eggs in the on-site restaurant Three Blue Ducks, cafe and produce store, along with the lush green veggies (and vibrant sunflowers). They use sustainable farming practices and their goal is to grow, feed and educate.
They had for some time been keen to use ginger they’d grown in a beer, so we thought why not?! Ginger grows abundantly in the Northern Rivers and there wouldn’t be a basket at the farmers markets that doesn’t have a bulb.
So with the ginger harvested, our head brewer Caolan and the team came up with an amber ale that reminds quite a few of us of one of our favourite late night cocktails, the Dark N’ Stormy….
With a gorgeous copper hue and a zesty aroma of lime, ginger and mint, this amber ale is summery and refreshing, having had half a kilo of mint added into the whirlpool. We then added a kilo of our own grown ginger. That, along with the zest and juice of 30 limes, was dry-hopped into the fermenter. Half-way through the ferment, we settled our brew into a Husk distillery rum barrel to soak up further colour, flavour and aroma. All this contributing towards a finishing mouthfeel that is light, tangy and will keep your warm for a breezy sunset at The Wreck.
We only brewed a handful of kegs which will be staying in our Byron tasting room, so if you’re around town drop in over the next few days for a try!
