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BLACK DOG BREWERY

We love unique things especially if they include beer. Which is why the Black Dog Brewery is an absolute cracker, because its the only one in Australia where the brewer is also the head winemaker. By Gregor Stronach .
a way to diversify his winery, Taminik Cellars which occupies a beautiful tract of land near Glenrowan, in northeast Victoria. As a keen homebrewer, it seemed like a logical step to branch out into larger-scale brewing. The second element behind this brewerys success was the collaborative effort between James and the team at FB*PROPAK Theres a certain amount of cross-over in the skills James uses in both his brewing, and his winemaking. Ive done a bit of experimenting with fermentation in oak, he says. And Im always trying something new, like using a bit of wine yeast, and other things like that. Its not easy to juggle the combined duties of winemaker and brewer, but James seems happy

LAZY DOG HAS BEEN BREWED SPECIFICALLY AS A GOOD, SESSIONABLE BREW.

particularly the input from Deo Lule, himself a master brewer and one of the most knowledgeable guys in the country when it comes to brewery setup and expansion. Deo explains Its important that we understand where the brewer is heading, as well as where they have come from. Working closely with James, gave me a great understanding of how he operates, therefore making it easier to consult with for the best results now and in the longer term. Its stunning equipment, and the rst of its kind in Australia. James kicked off the brewing side of the operation on a fairly small scale. I started on a pilot brewhouse, that was capable of putting out 75 litres per batch for the lower gravity beers, like the Golden and the Ale, he says. From there, we moved to a 10 hec plant from Italy, which is working really well. Its a big step up, pushing through 20 kegs at a time when we were used to doing one or two. This plant FB*PROPAK developed for James allows for exibility in beer styles particularly important for James philosophy on experimentation with styles, Deo says. So far, Black Dogs range consists of four core offerings. The entry level Lazy Dog has been brewed specically as a good, sessionable brew. The people in our neck of the woods are used to drinking Carlton Draught on tap, so weve developed this one so that it doesnt have a huge impact of avour, James says. The other core beers are the Howling Pale Ale, the Leader of the Pack IPA and the Dead Dog Stout. James augments the core range with a wide selection of seasonal and limited edition brews, including Imperial Stout and Saison. Weve done a number of seasonal beers so far, James says. The Saison was a bit different, as I started growing my own hops too so that one just had homegrown Cascade in it. enough wearing both hats. Its just another thing to keep me busy, he says, but when people are enjoying your beers, and youre getting good praise for it... that does keep me motivated. James doesnt give tours of his brewery to the general public, but there is a cellar door to come and sample his beers and wines - and theres a good chance youll get to meet cheeky little Macca, whose face adorns the labels of the Black Dog beer range.

he Black Dog Brewery is, if youll pardon the pun, just a pup barely two years old, but already making a name for itself in the craft beer scene. And its success is due largely to a couple of major factors. First and foremost is the passion that brewer James Booth has brought to the operation. A winemaker by trade, James was on the hunt for

Black Dog Brewing 339 Booth Road Taminick, VIC, 3675 www.blackdogbrewery.com.au www.fbpropak.com

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