BREWERY // After travelling the world investigating beer, working in breweries all over Australia and even a spell in the wine industry, Nic Sandery knew it was time to make his own beers using all the knowledge he had collected. He wrote down the values he wanted this new brewery to stand for - honesty, hospitality, humbleness, hard work and ingenuity - and realised these were all traits instilled in him by his grandmothers Molly and Rose. Cuisine, science and different international beer cultures all influence Nic's brews. A trip to Japan informed his dark lager, travelling the US helped him perfect his IPAs and most of all he takes inspiration from the wide and varied beers of Belgium which have influenced his wild ferment, sour and farmhouse ales. We can't wait for borders to open again so we can go back to Collingwood to drink beers with Nic in his cellar taproom.
BEER // Trends move fast in craft beer (remember Brut IPAs?) and in 2010 Cascadian Dark Ales were all the rage. Also known as a Black IPA, these Porter/IPA mash-ups were everywhere then they seemed to disappear as quickly as they arrived. The style is actually very difficult to perfect as it walks the fine line between two styles and brewers need a delicate hand to ensure the balance. The dark roasted malts add hints of espresso, liquorice and burned molasses. Darker Things comes alive with the hefty dry hopping schedule of hops from the American Northwest (including Cascade) which gives the beer a complexity with something new to discover on each sip.
BREWERY // Molly Rose
BEER // Darker Thing
STYLE // Hoppy Dark Ale
ORIGIN // Collingwood, Melbourne
ABV // 6.2%
TEMPERATURE // Cool- 8-10C
FOOD MATCH // Shepherd's Pie. Bean Burritos. Smoked Cheese. Tiramisu.
VESSEL // Dimpled Mug. IPA Glass