Tasmanian craft brewer Moo Brew is making an all Tasmanian 'SMaSH' beer, a craft beer made from Tasmanian bred and grown single malt and single hops.
Along with whisky, gin and cider, Moo Brew's head brewer Dave Macgill says craft beers are able to tell a complete Tasmanian story.
Macquarie Enigma beer is being made from Enigma hops bred and grown in the Derwent Valley by Hop Products Australia, and Macquarie barley, supplied through TAP AgriCo.
Managing director of TAP AgriCo David Skipper says they have purchased the rights for the Tasmanian bred Macquarie barley from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and the Grain Research and Development Corporation.
"We believe there is a real market for craft brewing with this Macquarie barley variety", he said.
TAP AgriCo plans for specific growers to produce 500 to 600 tonnes this season and Mr Skipper hopes they could be growing 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes per annum in the next six years.
AUDIO: Single malt, single hop craft beer (ABC Rural)
Mr Macgill says because of the hands-on-nature of the production, craft brewers employ almost six times as many people as the more automated corporate brewers.
"It's good for employment, and tourism is starting to leverage off it, especially with cider and whisky as well."
He says SMaSH beers are an important feature of the craft beer market.
"It gives the brewery and ourselves a chance to showcase some of the agricultural side of things," he said.
"Sometimes they don't get enough credit for the produce that goes into making a really good beer.
"The single malt and the single hop craft beer gives a good showcase for one particular type of barley and one particular type of hop", he said.
"The beer will the launched at the 10th anniversary of the Tasmanian beerfest in November.
Topics: rural, agricultural-crops, food-and-beverage, beverages, hobart-7000
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-29/craft-beer-makers-target-single-varietal-beers/5706168
Has anyone tried this ?
Also do you guys buy much beer online ?
Doing a bit of research and there are some awesome looking websites selling lots of craft beers in Australia now.
