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Today we have some news to share … with a pounding heart and a lump in our throat, the founding families have decided to hand the custodianship of Fermentum (and its family of businesses – including Stone & Wood) over to Lion. 

As a founder of a business, from day one you know that at some point down the road you will have to hand it over to someone else. Earlier this year, we realised that we were approaching a major milestone in the development of Stone & Wood where we knew it was time to build a new brewery. 

After many months of working through how we were going to begin the next chapter in our story the founding families decided it might be time to see if there was a custodian for the business who could grow the legacy, its people, its culture, its brands, and continue to drive the business whilst staying true to its purpose.

We also looked for a custodian who would be committed to building the brewery, employment of the team, use of key local suppliers, to support our work in the community and importantly a focus on beer quality to match our own. Not only did Lion welcome these ideas with enthusiasm, but on top of that they demonstrated they had similar values and a focus on environmental and social governance aligned to our approach to using Beer as a Force for Good.

For us, to ensure the continued support of our communities has meant we have stayed true to our holistic total stakeholder approach through this transition.

The team (by way of their ownership) is getting a good reward for the value they have created and Lion have committed to their on-going employment.

The community is benefiting from the on-going role of the inGrained Foundation and the large boost to its funding through a $5 million donation; a $1 million donation to Big Scrub Landcare that will contribute to the regeneration of the lost rainforest and the new brewery, which will be a large investment in the local economy, supporting construction jobs and on-going jobs in the region.

It is a day that is filled with so many mixed emotions – excitement, sadness, anxiety, and pride to name a few, and we know that whilst some people will be happy for us, and some will have a sense of loss, we take great comfort in knowing that we are handing the business over to a custodian that will maintain the Stone & Wood truth that – Good Beer is Our Thing.

Cheers,

Jamie, Brad & Ross

Counter Culture’s Mighty Scotch Ale’s Available Now.

Above the pounding waves and jagged cliffs of Scotland’s Clo Mor runs a strong beast who is the last of its kind: the Dark Unicorn.

A symbol of power and passion, sightings of the illusive creature are rare, but tales of its majesty have filled the halls of Scottish taverns for generations.

According to age-old accounts, at the drawing of a long, cold winter, the Dark Unicorn makes its way down from the cliffs and into the towns.

Once there, the Unicorn’s presence delivers strength to the Scottish people to carry on until the birth of spring.

Taking inspiration from this tale of power and majesty, Counter Culture presents Dark Unicorn: a malt driven scotch ale aged in Starward Whiskey barrels, with lashings of chocolate, a touch of salt and an ABV of 7.6%.

The perfect companion for winter’s last cold days, capture the magic of Dark Unicorn while you can, for it may not be seen this way again.

Availability

You can purchase your Dark Unicorn 500ml two-pack from our online store or at our Brisbane brewery, where you’ll also be able to enjoy this on tap and for Byron locals, head to our @stoneandwoodbyronbay Instagram for more info on our operations over lockdown.

Hit up your local good beer stockist or venue to see if Dark Unicorn is available on tap or in cans.

For those looking to make their meeting with Dark Unicorn picture perfect, speciality Counter Culture glassware is also now available in a bundle with two-packs and cartons. 

Sign up to the Counter Culture newsletter and follow @counterculturebeer to hear about each release first.

To celebrate Father’s Day this year, we teamed up with some legends down the road – Brookie’s Gin – to create a modern twist on a hardworking favourite, The Boilermaker.

Traditionally a beer and whiskey combo, we’ve instead paired our hoppy red Jasper Ale with Brookie’s macadamia and roasted wattleseed liqueur – Mac. – and thrown in a cheeky bag of Brookfarm nuts for a Father’s Day treat he won’t forget.

Order The Boilermaker Pack for Dad or equivalent nearest & dearest from our online store and check our delivery calculator here to make sure you get in before cut off.

What’s A Boilermaker?

Born out of the industrial train and shipyards of the 1800s, blue-collar workers who slogged their way through long days would often head to the bar to throw back a beer and a shot of whiskey before heading home. 

These first boilermakers who drank the first boilermakers (a beer and shot combo) created a legacy for hardworking, thirsty fathers everywhere.

While today’s fathers may not all work at the coalface, most are still putting in long hours for their families in order to keep things going in this crazy year. 

How To Drink A Boilermaker:

Traditionally, the drinker would shot the whiskey all at once and then chase with the beer. In more recent times, bartenders looking to put on a show will often drop the entire shot directly into the beer glass.

However, we believe in savouring the good things. So, here’s how we suggest you make the most of our Boilermaker pack:

First, take a sip of the mighty Jasper Ale. 

Follow it with the nutty sweetness of Mac. by Brookie’s.

Then round out the experience by grabbing a handful of Brookfarm nuts. 

Best enjoyed:

In the company of a Dad.

To all the dads out there giving it their best, Happy Father’s Day.

Availability

Get The Boilermaker Pack from our online store. Available for a limited time and only while stocks last.

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 latest Pilot Batch brewer, Lucas Leczkowski. Say G’day to him if you see him kicking around our Byron Brewery.

Give us a bit of background about yourself…

Having grown up near the Hunter Valley my Career started 15 years ago in working a Vintage in a winery. I absolutely loved the experience and that led to my first homebrew kit. I’m sure the wife might regret buying it for me now.
In 2006 I got an opportunity to work a vintage in the Napa Valley California USA. There I found the craft beer scene and beers like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I’ve been hooked ever since.
This year is my 11th as a pro brewer. And I’m not planning on stopping anytime soon.

What are your favourite styles of beer and why?

Toughest question ever. Umm, All of them because it’s all beer. I go through phases really. At the moment I’m loving darker malt driven beers. But I still love a good hoppy hazy IPA also.

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

I’ve already brewed a Nutella inspired Chocolate Hazelnut Porter that is currently pouring, and I’m working on my next offering, but you’ll need to visit Byron tasting room to find out what.

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

I just love experimenting and trying to do things a little different, there are so many great beer styles out there and I just love adding my own personal touch to add a point of difference.

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

Just having the opportunity to play with that kit, it’s soo much fun. Then seeing your hard work being tasted and enjoyed by punters at the bar is really satisfying.

We spent a day on the road with Matt, our Newcastle sales reps and all-round top guy, to find out the tricks of the trade and what goes on in the world of beer sales around the traps of Newy, the hunter region and the surrounding area.

Take a read of our Q&A with Matt and find out a little more about the essentials for being on the road, what he loves most about the industry and some words of wisdom for anyone wanting to be a road warrior. He’ll give you his best spots to hit in Newy, so you can also experience it like a true Novocastrian.

How long have you been a part of the S&W Road crew for?

Just over 2 years covering Newcastle, Hunter Region & surrounding area.

What do you enjoy about your customers?

My customers are legends. Most of my industry education has come from conversations with the passionate people I get to interact with daily. My territory is incredibly diverse, and as such, the people I meet and the conversations I have are different every single day. The products lend themselves to such a range of occasions, and it’s always amazing to see that our story resonates with people regardless of where they are. 

What do you enjoy about your territory?

The diverse territory, the conversations and the people you’re meeting are different every day. The product lends itself to a lot of these areas, it’s also great to see the brand and its story resonating and see the value in working with us.

Any words for people that want to jump into the world of beer sales?

I think there’s a misconception that a sales role demands a specific type of personality. That may be the case for some industries, but our team and the wider indie beer community attract a truly diverse mix of different people from all different backgrounds and walks of life who share a common love for sharing good beer. If you truly believe in the company’s values and the quality of the products you’re working with, it’s the best job!

Any life hacks for days on the road?

Make sure you love the voice on your GPS/Maps app. Don’t overload on the coffee, no one likes a jittery roadie.

What are you drinking at the moment?

I’m a massive East Point fanboy! I love getting outdoors and making the most of my mornings/weekends and having something super refreshing at a lower alc to unwind with at the end of a long day, so I can wake up and get on with the good stuff!

What’s your favourite beer and food pairing?

Stout and oysters. I’m a seafood lover but was sceptical about this one for a long time. When I finally tried it, mind = blown.

What are the best spots in Newy to hit up?

Merewether Ocean Baths, The Yuelarbah track Glenrock, a sunrise at Nobby’s break wall. I’m still yet to hit up Stockton Sand Dunes… the list goes on.

A popular style come winter, barrel aged beer is any lager, ale or hybrid beer that has been aged in a barrel or in contact with wood.

It’s a brewing technique that results in some outstanding beer, so we’ve hit up Stone & Wood’s Byron Brewer, Josh Waters, for more intel on the process.

What is the purpose of barrel-ageing beer?

The purpose of barrel ageing beers is to draw flavour from the oak and the previous spirit or wine that was in the barrel, also to increase its ABV%.

Can you tell us the process behind barrel-ageing?

Once we receive the barrels, it’s just a matter of transferring our fermented beer into the barrels and putting it in storage until we’re ready to bottle or keg it. Some beers like the Über Stone Beer will be stored for up to 24 months. We can also ferment in barrels for our sour/ funky style beers.

What beer styles lend themselves to barrel ageing? What beer styles in recent times have become popular to barrel age?

We tend to barrel age big winter beers most frequently, beers like porters and stouts. We also barrel age saison and Flanders style beers for Forest For The Trees. You can barrel age whatever style of beer you like as long as it will taste great blended with the flavours and aromas from what was previously in the barrel and the barrel itself.

Give us a quick rundown of this years’ Barrel Aged Stone Beer

This year’s barrel aged Stone Beer was brewed using a range of pale and roasted malts to give a nice balance of malty goodness with strong bitterness and heaps of flavour. The addition of extremely hot volcanic rocks to the boil is to add a caramel like sweetness to the wort. We brewed this beer to 8% ABV in the brewhouse and once fermented it was stored in whisky barrels for 12 months. The result is a super smooth 10% ABV Barrel aged porter.

We’re thrilled to announce six local not-for-profits have been awarded a Northern Rivers Large Grant, with a total of $115,180 being divided between the organisations.

After receiving a strong pool of outstanding applications from many people doing great work in our community, the inGrained Foundation Grants Committee and Board are pleased to announce the successful recipients for the 2021 inGrained Northern Rivers Large Grants Program are:

AGAPE OUTREACH

Agape Outreach Inc is a street-level organisation actively working to alleviate poverty and homelessness in the Tweed Heads area and beyond. Since COVID, they have seen a 468% increase in client numbers needing support. Agape will be putting their grant towards ongoing support and outreach services for people in need.

BANGALOW KOALAS

Steadily building the koala, wildlife and reforestation corridor around Bangalow, Bangalow Koalas are looking to plant over 4000 trees in the area by August 2024 regenerating land and protecting the local wildlife for years to come. Their grant sees a key section of the wildlife corridor progressing within the next 12 months.

BYRON COMMUNITY CENTRE

The Byron Community Centre are at the forefront of the region’s homelessness crisis. Currently renovating the Fletcher Street Cottage to reopen late this year, BCC will be using their grant to help provide the homeless and disadvantaged community with shelter and support in extreme weather events.

COMMUNITY OWNED RENEWABLE ENERGY MULLUMBIMBY (COREM)

COREM installs solar systems on community organisations for free, which is then paid back by the savings made on the electricity bills. The solar systems are provided interest-free and when paid back, the funding is re-purposed for the next installation. COREM’s grant is going towards a model of delivery that allows them to sustain this great work.

GREEN HEROES

Recently rescuing three loggerhead turtle nests from the Fingal and Pottsville areas, Green Heroes built a makeshift incubator and successfully hatched and released over 150 baby turtles with a 96% hatch rate. Their inGrained funding will help them to build a proper and permanent incubator to continue to revive these endangered sea creatures for many turtle hatchings in the years ahead.

HUMAN NATURE ADVENTURE THERAPY

Through their Activ8 Outdoor Youth Mentoring program, Human Nature Adventure Therapy offer immersive outdoor counselling services for teens in need in our community. Their inGrained grant will support the delivery of many more one-on-one outdoor counselling sessions building mental health and resilience.

We at Stone & Wood and the inGrained Foundation are stoked with the results of this year’s Grants Program. We congratulate each of the successful applicants and look forward to seeing their projects come to life, and thank all the organisations who took the time to apply this year.

inGrained’s work in the community continues throughout the year with the help of Byron locals and visitors to our Byron Brewery. For every beer sold over the bar, $1 goes towards supporting additional local grass roots charities.

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

Sustainable goals are coming into fashion. In a world where we hardly have the chance to sit down and smell the roses, we have even less time to look at what’s in our own wardrobes.

Not many of us consider how our clothing gets from the field to our backs, and you’d be among the majority if you didn’t know all the processes involved in landing a singular piece of apparel on the shelf. Clothing production is a huge problem for the world and just like the challenge we’ve undertaken to move our beers to a high standard of sustainability, we’re also determined to take all the steps we can for our range of sustainable merchandise as well.

WHY IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION IMPORTANT?

Over 65% of all clothing is currently made from synthetic materials, derived from crude oils and fossil fuels. On top of this, the dyes used to colour cheaply made fabrics are often toxic to the environment and harmful to the labourers who breathe them in.

As if pollution wasn’t bad enough, the craftsmen and women making these fabrics may be working in sweatshop-like conditions with little pay and no consideration to their health or wellbeing.

But there’s emerging hope, and it rests in the hands of forward-thinkers within the growing trend of sustainable fashion and management. A new wave of ‘consumers’, including people like you are seeing greater value in responsibly sourced apparel and merchandise.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?

Sustainable fashion is the act of producing clothing and accessories while paying attention to its environmental and socio-economic impact. This means more natural dyes, fabrics, and ethical working conditions.

The best way to get there is to be educated on making the most of our clothing, rather than purchasing the newest seasonal trend. If anything, 2021 has opened our eyes to many issues happening both globally and in our communities, making it more important now than ever to have these conversations.

Responsible brands are looking to make sustainable fashion not just a trend, but a permanent fixture in the industry. Sites like Good on You are leading the way in sustainable merchandise and fashion education, offering a directory full of brands and information on how their products perform in terms of sustainability. Well-known names from Asics to Zara are up for scrutiny as Good on You provides all the details on what it takes to be an informed fashionista.

We also know how important the earth is to us and are making our own mark by our own Green Feet Initiative. Through this program, we have brought in sustainable practices that recycle water usage, increase our use of efficient energy systems, and have introduced innovative waste management programs, within our brewing process.

But this initiative extends past our main operations, as we’re also working to promote sustainable fashion in Australia through our beer clothing range. These are an exclusive collection of Stone & Wood-branded products just as clean and refreshing as a cold beer on a summer’s afternoon.

HOW DO WE MAKE OUR SUSTAINABLE MERCH?

There are so many reasons to focus on sustainable habits in and out of fashion. Not only is it great for the planet, but it helps every seamstress and craftsman along the supply chain make a living wage in working conditions that see them as more than just human sewing machines.

The best fabrics for sustainable fashion are natural, biodegradable, and easy to recycle. Materials like organic cotton, linen, recycled polyester, and spandex yarn are some of the many fabrics used to make our merchandise.

Not only are they good for the environment due to their ease of access, lack of chemicals in production, and recycling measures, but they look good too! This means you can both look and feel good while wearing your purchase of eco-friendly merchandise; knowing it is also supporting smaller communities to create a more incredible earth. We’re also working towards introducing packaging that is chemical-free, plastic-free, and made with less water and energy than ever before!

OUR COMMITMENT GOES BEYOND MERCHANDISE

The Green Feet sustainability program is our way of making the world better for today, tomorrow, and every day after. We aren’t perfect, but we work every day to lessen our impact on the world we love.

At our brewery events, we’ve introduced reusable cup programs at events that minimise the output to landfill, while our and community clean-up projects are actively involved in reducing the occurrence of waste in the environment. Through the initiative, we’ve even created the first recycled water beer for World Water Day!

From personally separating our waste by hand before bringing it to the landfill to talking with other breweries to raise awareness of eco-friendly and sustainable practices, The Green Feet Initiative ensures do our best to keep you looking your best while drinking the best.

The Stone & Wood team are on a mission to learn about more ways in which we can introduce sustainability and ethical practices while making changes along the way. We will continue to work towards our ultimate goal of providing a 100% sustainable fashion range with an entirely traceable supply chain.

 

 

Check out our range of beer clothing today, and join us as we attempt to be the champions of sustainable merch in the brewing industry. Let’s make our apparel and brewing habits not just a trend, but an established expectation.

Brewed using wood-fired stones in homage to brewing history, our annual limited-release woodfired porter Stone Beer 2021 is now available in our Byron and Brisbane Tasting Room, selected bottle shops and venues.

Brewed for when the days are short and the nights are cold, our 2021 Stone Beer is a wood-fired porter brewed with dark roasted malts to give coffee and dark chocolate flavours to the beer. Then, on an open fire, the brewer’s heat volcanic stones sourced from the nearby hinterland, before lowering them glowing-red into the kettle, which rouses the boil and intensifies the beer’s malt character.

Stone Beer 2021 will be pouring through taps and available on shelves in venues across Australia from today onwards. See our listing of stockists and venues below, be sure to call ahead with your local watering hole to see if it’s in stock.

Buy Stone Beer 2021 through our online store now.

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STONE BEER 2021

Wood Fired Porter 

HOPS: Tettnang

MALTS: Barrett Pale Malt, Voyager: Chocolate, Voodoo, Amber, SM40 and Biscuit malts

YEAST: New England Ale Yeast

ALC/VOL: 6.4%

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STONE BEER 2021 STOCKISTS

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NSW

NORTHERN RIVERS, NORTH COAST & NEW ENGLAND

Going on tap 

Bangalow Hotel	The Rails	The Welders Dog Tamworth
Curious Craft Ales	The Pot and Pint	Welder’s Dog Craft Beer Bar Armidale
The Eltham Hotel	The Crafty Cow	Whitebull Hotel
Hotel Brunswick	Beach Hotel Byron Bay	Element Bar

Bottles 

Sunrise Cellars	Nimbin Hotel	Palmers Store and Cellar
Park Hotel Motel	Clunes Cellar and Store	BYO Cellars (Coffs Harbour)
Cellar Byron (Lawson St)	The Sun Bistro	Minnie Water General Store & Cellars
Cellar Bangalow	Beach Hotel (Byron Bay)	The Welders Dog (Tamworth)
Station Hotel (Lismore)	Murwillumbah Cellars	The Coffs Hotel
Cellar Ballina	Ocean Shores Tavern	Libertine Liquor (Bellingen)
Cellar Byron (Plaza)	Salt Bar (Kingscliff)	Tacking Point Tavern
Great Northern Hotel (Byron)	Yamba Liquor Supplies	Tattersalls Hotel (Inverell)
Lennox Point Hotel	BRGR SPOT
Mary G’s	Nambucca River Co-Op

SYDNEY & SURROUNDS

Going on tap 

Manly Waringah Leagues Club	East Village Balmain	Stowawy Bar
Beach Club Collaroy	Belrose Hotel	Cutty Cellars
Beer Cartel	Blue Gum Hotel	Cromer Cellars
New Brighton Hotel	Camperdown Cellars, Cremorne	Dee Why Hotel
The Forest Hotel	Camperdown Cellars, Neutral Bay	Kirribilli Hotel
The Oaks	Rag & Famish	Porters Balgowlah
Kiplings Garage Bar	IGA Balgowlah Heights	IGA X-press, Warriewood
North Curl Curl	Jims Cellars	Longueville Hotel
Midway Cellars (Porters Ryde)	Toms Cellars NT	Park House, Mona Vale
Porter’s Liquor, North Narrabeen	Porter’s Liquor, Hornsby Heights	Quakers Hill Cellars
Minsky’s Cremorne	Sydney Wine Merchants	Ashfield Mall Cellars
Bank Hotel	Baxter Inn	Beer Barrel
Bitter Phew	Bourke St Wine Shop	Café Sydney
Camperdown Cellars (Darlinghurst)	Camperdown Cellars (Kingston Road)	Camperdown Cellars (Leichhardt)
Camperdown Cellars (Parramatta Road)	Cellarbrations Newtown	Dead Ringer
Dove & Olive	Henson	Keg & Brew Hotel
Kurrajong Hotel	Liquor Emporium Alexandria	Liquor Emporium St Peters
Liquor on Oxford	Marlborough Hotel	Oak Barrel
Platinum Liquor North Strathfield	P&V Wine+Liquor	Red Bottle Alexandria
Red Bottle Pitt St	Red Bottle Elizabeth St	Sackville Hotel
Sydney Park Hotel	Town Hall Hotel	The Union
White Cockatoo	Clock Hotel

 

Bottles 

Thirsty Cellars Picton	Charlies Liquor Tahmoor	Coogee Bay Hotel
Bankstown Sports Club	Camperdown Cellars Bronte	Kemmeny’s Liquor
Craft Cartel	Greystanes Cellars	Little Bay Cellars (Cellarbrations)
Riverwood Legions & Community Club	Winston Hills Hotel	Mascot Liquor
Northmead Cellars	Charlies Liquor Panania	Steve’s Cool Booze
Bottle O Glen Alpine	Beach Road Hotel	Greenacre Sports Club Bankstown
Bottle O Narellan Vale	Bondi Beach Cellars	Native Drops
Lugarno Cellars	Bottle O’Briens	Camperdown Cellars Bronte
Iron Spoke Brewing	Blind Bear	Blaxland Bottlemart

BLUE MOUNTAINS & CENTRAL WEST

Going on tap

Old Bank Dubbo	Church Bar Bathurst	Leura Cellars
Station Bar Katoomba	The Lane Cellars Orange	Parkview Hotel Orange
Murrays Porters Glenrbrook	Carrington Hotel	Knickerbocker Hotel

NEWCASTLE & SURROUNDS

Going on tap

Warners at the Bay

Bottles 

Bottle-O Lambton	Bamvino Cellars Green Point	Kahibah Liquor
Oldfield Cellars	Blueys Cellars Blueys Beach	Morpeth Liquor
Tighes Hill Cellars	Cellarbrations Adamstown	Old Bar Cellars
Warners at the Bay	Dudleys Liquor Killarney Vale	Whitebridge Cellars
Bamvino Cellars East Gosford	Georgetown Cellars	Berkeley Vale Cellars
The Garden Cellars	Upstairs Wines	Flow Bar Old Bar

SOUTHERLAND SHIRE & SOUTH COAST

Going on tap

Berry Bottle Shop	Howlin Wolf	Manning St Cellars
Berry IGA Plus Liquor	Nth Wollongong Hotel	Star Liquor Worrigee
Milton IGA	Ryans Hotel Thirroul	Husky Drive Through
Bomaderry Super Cellars	Thirroul Cellars	Mollymook Fine Wines & Ales
Crown West Cellars	Cringila Cellars	Illawarra Brewery

ACT

Going on tap 

Candamber Cellars Weston	Durham Castle Arms	Plonk Fhyswick
Old Canberra Inn	Page Bottler	Plonk Belconnen
Union Club Hotel Wagga Wagga	Prohibition Bottleshop

QLD

BRISBANE & SURROUNDS

Going on tap

Alliance Hotel	Hellbound	Brewski
Miss Demeanour	Cloudland / Empire Bar	James St Cellars
Saccharomyces Taringa	Zero Fox	Tipplers Tap
Transcontinental Hotel	Oxford Taphouse	Karalee Tavern
Embassy Hotel	Suburban Social Chapel Hill	Pig N Whistle Riverside
Hundred Acre Bar / St Lucia Golf	Suburban Social Holland Park	The Vine Liquor Mart
Brew Café & Bar	Archive Beer Boutique	Scratch
W Brisbane	Story Bridge Hotel	Elysium Lakeside
Victoria Park Bistro	Netherworld

Bottles

Spiros Bottleshop Paddington	Rosalie Wine and Beer	Teneriffe Wine and Beer
Embassy Cellars Paddington	Wine Emporium	Urban Cellars Hendra
270 Cellars Grand Central Hotel	Beer Mart Cellarbrations Bowen Hills	Urban Cellars Grange
Cellarbrations – MacKenzie Row	Kettle & Tin	Sense of taste Portside
Hotel Monier	Stafford Tavern	Prince Cellars
Sundowner Saloon	Craft Wine Store	Black Sheep Everton Hills
McGuires Cellars Vienna Road	Liquor Legends Stafford	Black Sheep Hendra
Monte Ale House	Pineapple Cellars Mt Gravatt	Black Sheep The Gap
Porters Plainland Hotel	Eatons Hill Hotel – Harry Brown	Black Sheep Newmarket
Prince Alfred Hotel	Sandstone Point Hotel	My Beer Dealer Caxton Street

Sunshine Coast

Going on tap

Taps Mooloolaba	Taps	Buderim Tavern
Mr Henderson	Coffee Cat	The Dock
Woods	Peregian Beach Hotel

Bottles

Fullmoon Hotel	Brightwater Hotel	Brightwater Hotel
Brackenridge Tavern	Cellarbrations Yandina Hotel

Gold Coast

Going on tap

Bine Bar & Dining	Ze Pickle Burleigh	Burleigh Heads Hotel
Miami Tavern	Woodchoppers Inn	The Loose Moose Taphouse
House of Brews

Bottles

Coolangatta Hotel	Kingscliff Cellars	Tugun Cellars
Palm Beach Cellars	The Mill Cellars	Treetops Tavern
Robina Tavern	Currumbin Pub	Boathouse Tavern
Pacific Fair Wine & Beer	Ashmore Tavern	Capri Wine & Beer

VIC

Going on tap

A Point of Difference	Acland Cellars	Bottlehouse Balaclava
Brighton Bay Cellars	Carnegie Cellars	Cellars Bentleigh
Elwood Cellarbrations	Farside Beers	Garage Wine Store and Bar
Grape and Grain	Grosvenor Hotel	Hurstbridge Liquor
Inkerman Hotel	Kew Cellars	Mayerling Cellars
Pakenham Cellars	Pauls IGA	Prahran Grocer
Press Cellars Warragul	Railway Windsor	Vintage 72
Wines On Poath	Southland Cellars	Great Northern Hotel
McCoppins Fitzroy	Cellar 1839	Mr West
Penny Young	Vin Wine & Spirits	Cellarbrations Collingwood
Beer Deluxe Albury	Bottle-O Romsey	Carwyn Cellars
Hop Heads	Hopheads Altona	Hop Heads Yarraville
District Bottle Shop	Slow Beer	Strathmore Cellars
Miss Moses	Smith St Cellars	Pin Oak Beer and Wine
Foodworks Ascot Vale	Dr Mauve	Evelyn Hotel
Cellarbrations Tottenham	Cellarbratins Gisborne	Chas Cole Shepperton
Beermash	Upside Liquor	Masterson’s Bar
Hudson’s Road Wine & Beer	Blackhearts & Sparrows	McCoppins Abbotsford
Decanters By The Bay	Carma Cellars	Melbourne Cellar Door
Valley Cellar Door	Parkhill Cellars	Beer 360
Purvis Surrey Hills	Purvis Richmond

Bottles

Hop Supply Co Bendigo	Chas Cole Geelong	Ocean Grove Cellars
Bottles and Barrels	Corkscrew Torquay	Stockade Cellars

Winter 2021 has heralded a beer bounty like never before. The mighty Stone Beer has returned and is available from today.

Our annual Stone Beer is brewed using wood-fired stones in homage to brewing history and focuses on high quality Australian craft malts and barrel aging techniques.

Sticky Nectar and Tequila Queen’s comeback has officially kicked off with the All Stars legends now hitting venues and cans across the country.

Sticky Nectar, voted as the #1 Most Valuable Beer by Counter Culture Fans, is a Hazy IPA so chockers with mango puree that it will immediately transport you to a hot Queensland night under the lights at Lang Park.

Generous with hops, Sticky calls on Galaxy, Citra and Amarillo for his trademark tropical fruit aromas before he peppers the game with the sweetness of vanilla and mango. With pale, wheat and caramunich malts adding balance to his skillset and a solid 6.5% ABV, there’s no wonder this can is back on top of his game.

Tequila Queen, the comp’s Aged-oak Margarita Sour entry, showed no mercy as she scaled her way to the top of the Counter Culture ladder. Fuelled by a heady mixture of lime juice, lactobacillus, salt and Cointreau, nothing could hold back her Arette Tequila attack as she made her return to the brewery gates.

Refreshing and flavourful, you’d be stone cold loco to miss catching the Queen the second time around.

From today, you can purchase your All Stars 500ml two-pack (one Sticky and One Queen) and 12x500ml cartons of each from our official online store or at our Byron Bay Tasting Room and Brisbane brewery, where you’ll also be able to enjoy this duo on tap.

With our Beer Finder, you can also find your local All Stars stockist or venue that has these legends on draught.

Counter Culture giving you white line fever? Then be sure to sign up to the Counter Culture newsletter and follow @counterculturebeer to stay ahead of the game.

Buy All Stars online

Due to the global events of last year, our annual tradition and brewing ritual, Stone Brew Day 2020 was wound back. Although we kept the fire burning last year…Just…It was very exciting to see the return of an event that brings our close friends from the beer community together, to help us prepare our annual Stone Beer for 2021 – a limited woodfired porter that we release every winter. 

At Stone Brew Day, we honour this tradition by heating stones on a woodfire and – while they’re glowing red – lowering them inside a metal cage into the wort (the pre-fermented liquid that later ferments into beer) inside the kettle, lending Stone Beer a rich, caramelly flavour that matches the hints of coffee and dark chocolate – a tradition we have upheld since our humble beginnings back in 2008.

This year we hosted a handful of our close mates and local venues including The Beach Hotel, Brunswick Heads Hotel, Eltham Hotel, Cellar Byron Bay, The Northern, Sun Bistro, The Rails, Nimbin Hotel and Beach Byron Bay. The small local crew enjoyed some beers & conversation, great food by 100 Mile Table and learned the process and history of Stone Beer. 

SAVE THE DATE – FESTIVAL OF THE STONE

As Stone Beer sits in tank now, we’re getting excited, as Festival of the Stone is also making a return this year! Festival of the Stone will be held on Saturday 5^th June at Stone & Wood Brewery in Byron Bay. Tickets will go on sale on Friday 7^th May. Stone Beer will be flowing alongside all of our Stone & Wood beers, Sunly Seltzer, Little Dragon Ginger Beer, Treehouse Cider and Fixation. A full line up of local bands will be bringing the vibes PLUS DJ sets, Malt Disney for the kids and much more! Profits from the festival will go to local non-for-profits. Get in quick, as tickets always sell out before the night!

Our winter Stone Beer will be available to pre-order 31 May. Stay tune for updates.

It’s no secret that hazy beers are the go-to choice for craft beer lovers these days. Made from malted barley, wheat and hops, there is no shortage of flavour in here. What you get instead is a pale ale that packs more tropical flavours than you know what to do with.

Best of all, you don’t even have to be a keen beer fan to enjoy one.

WHAT MAKES A HAZY BEER?

Hazy beers get their name from the ‘cloudy hue produced by the type of yeast used. High-protein malts are added, and the beer is dry-hopped during the brewing process to produce a hazy-look.

This results in a beer that is fuller, smoother, and fruitier tasting than your average Indian Pale Ale or lager. You can easily tell a hazy apart from the clear, sparkling finish of your old man’s favourite beer.

The hazy beer’s roots can be traced back to a fairly recent subclass of IPAs known as New England IPAs (NEIPAs). As the name suggests, the origin story begins in the New England region in the North East of the USA (Vermont to be exact) where beers in this category are known for their juicy scents and tangy flavour.

Over time, the “haze craze” took over the local craft beer scene doing the rounds, before eventually making its way over to our shores in the early part of the last decade.

INTRODUCING THE FIRST LOW-ALC HAZY

Our East Point hazy beer is the first low-alcohol beer on the market, coming in at just 2.7% alc/vol. When less is more, this lightly soured refreshment quenches the thirst without skimping out. We like to think of it like when salt spray lifts off the wave, hits your face and lingers in the air
Inspired by Australia’s most easterly point, near which our Byron Bay brewery is located, the low-alc hazy beer is perfect for long afternoons, midday sessions or anything else that calls for a responsible approach.

HAZY BREWING NOTES

We brew the East Point onsite, using the protein and polyphenols from malts and hops to form a colloidal haze in the beer. The particular type of haze is considered non-biological due to the lack of bacteria and yeast agents here.

The combination of fresh ingredients and a distinctive brewing process gives it that zesty bomb and subtle sourness that you love, without the unintended “after-effects” (you know what we’re talking about).

AVAILABILITY

Pick up the East Point online in 16x 375ml cartons. You can also grab a four-pack from our Byron bay Tasting Room and our brewery in Brisbane and online. This smaller sampler pack is ideal for getting your first taste of this unique low alcohol hazy beer!

Stone & Wood and Brookie’s Gin have come together to ensure that on Mother’s Day 2021, you’re going to be the favourite child.

Delivered in a picture-perfect box, Stone & Wood’s The Gatherer sits lovingly aside Brookie’s Slow Gin, patiently poised for Mother’s Day and the pouring of The Pink Pam cocktail.

Exceptional for sharing and easily made, The Pink Pam is a thing of beauty. With a blush hue, flower garnish and served in Brookie’s glass jars, it’s the ideal refreshment to mark a special occasion.

But golden child beware! In order to get a Pink Pam in your mum’s hand on time, you need to be the proactive present buyer you’ve always wanted to be and order your gift early.

So go ahead, toss aside the choccies and slippers of Mother’s Day past and embrace your status of #1 offspring. Order your Beer Cocktail Box for mum from our online store and check our delivery calculator here to make sure you get in before cut off.

Watch how to make ‘The Pink Pam’ cocktail

Availability

Get your Beer Cocktail Box from our online store. Available for a limited time and only while stocks last.

Stone & Wood’s inGrained Foundation is now taking applications for the 2021 Northern Rivers Large Grants Program, where a $100,000 funding pool is being made available to a diverse range of Northern Rivers not-for-profits.

For the third year running, not-for-profits with DGR status are able to apply for a grant between $5,000 and $30,000 to help them tackle the varied challenges currently facing the Northern Rivers community.

This year, the grant categories are:

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

To be successful, applicants must operate within one of these categories and be able to provide information on how the inGrained funds will have a tangible outcome for the community.

Founded as a separate not-for-profit by Stone & Wood in 2018, the inGrained Foundation works to attract, generate and direct donations to grassroots charities. In 2020, the foundation was thrilled to donate over $200,000, including $70,000 to local and state-based fire-brigades, rural fire services and drought relief efforts at the time of the 2019/2020 bushfires.

From today, Northern Rivers social and environmental not-for-profits with DGR status are encouraged to read the guidelines and apply before Monday 3 May, by visiting www.ingrainedfoundation.com.au

For those close by, please join us at our Byron Tasting Room from 4pm Tuesday 13th April if you would like to know more about our 2021 grants round. A number of our InGrained Directors and Grants Committee will be there to say hello and answer any questions you have!

Attention party people! Mx Cheeks has arrived.

With her bubbly nature and fruity asides, Peachy may seem sweeter than a Kylie float in Mardi Gras, but party guest beware, she also has a refreshing zing that will come at you like a salty slap. Mx Cheeks is from Byron after all.

The brainchild of Counter Culture and Northern Rivers LGBTQIA+ organisation, Queer Family Inc, Peachy is a sassy Bellini sour, that pours sweet layers of peach, mango and apricot puree over a pale and wheat malt, Blue Lake rolled wheat base, rounded out with a lactic sour pitch and ready to roll at 6.69% ABV.

Aiden Gentle (they/them), Managing Director at Queer Family said about Peachy, “Peachy Cheeks is a perfect representation of a queer character, particularly a local queer character. When we were imagining her, she was fun, she was summery, she was local and timely. She’s running down the beach, she wears heels if she wants to. She’s fun, she’s lively, she’s queer.”

Watch our latest Counter Culture video

Get to know Nina Hurr, our Counter Culture collab artist and designer of the Peachy Cheeks can art.

Availability

Peachy Cheeks is now available at vibing bottle shops and venues around the country. You can jump on the Beer Finder to discover your local stockists, as well as seek out the select venues Peachy will be on tap. Be sure to check with them before heading out to make sure it’s in stock!

Mx Cheeks is also taking up residency on our official online store and at our Byron Tasting Room and Brisbane brewery, so you can also catch her at the source.

NEW limited edition Peachy Cheeks T-Shirt

Vibrant, playful and diverse, the 100% Organic Cotton Peachy Cheeks Tee is a celebration of the Northern Rivers Queer community and the brainchild of local artist Nina Hurr. Out on a limited release, Mx Cheeks is here for a good time not a long time, so get in fast party people.

In the meantime, be sure to sign up to the Counter Culture newsletter and follow @counterculturebeer to hear about each release first.

To find out more about the excellent work Queer Family do within the Northern Rivers region, please head to their website and for more on the collaboration with Stone & Wood, please check out our video here.

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 latest Pilot Batch brewer, Andrew Chand-Narayan aka Chandy. Say G’day to him if you see him kicking around our Byron Brewery.

GIVE US A BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF..

Between working snow seasons, I filled my summers with Surf and Vintages. But with my first smell of hops, my passion immediately switched to beer.

I got my foot in the door in a brewery back in 2017 and I am still enjoying the ride! Brewing is forever evolving.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE STYLES OF BEER AND WHY?

I am a hop head.

Pale Ales and IPAs are definitely my jam  but I am up to try anything of course!!

WHAT WILL YOU BE BREWING DURING YOUR TIME HERE IN BYRON?

I have already brewed a Dank Milkshake Hazy IPA, currently pouring, my Coffee Brown will be serving soon-ish and another brew to come… but I’ll keep my cards close on that one for now 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT USING THE PILOT BATCH BREWERY TO EXPERIMENT?

The 6hL pilot kit….well….let’s just say, it was love at first brew  I still take photos every time I brew on it  Here’s to Cheers and Cheers to Beers