The Tasting Note — Bottle Keg Can

The Ripple Effect of a Bottle of Wine

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:09:00 GMT

"Shop local" is no longer a revolutionary concept. We've embraced making the daily pilgrimage to the café around the corner and stopping by the farmer's market on the weekend, knowing that our money goes further in our own communities. But while we're thoughtful about where our food comes from, wine is one part of the weekly shop that sometimes gets overlooked, and that's a shame for both our communities and our taste buds.

The case for buying local A handful of large retailers now account for the vast majority of Australia's liquor sales, yet so much exciting Australian wine lies beyond the supermarket shelf and the big-box store. Small shops have the freedom to curate: to seek out hidden gems made by winemakers here in Australia who respect both the land and the craft, and to build relationships with those producers. They're able to stock wines that rarely appear in national chains.

At Bottle Keg Can, we only add wine to our shelves if the producer makes under 500,000 litres per year. We also have strict quality standards: sustainable farming and minimal-intervention in the cellar are two things we look for in each bottle. For the customer, this helps take some of the guesswork out of sifting through wine.

It scales too: Westpac modelling puts a $16 billion annual GDP lift on the table if households shifted just $100 a week to Australian products. Every bottle of wine purchased is a vote for the kind of wine industry we want to support.

Why Australian wine

In this country, we're absolutely spoiled in terms of excellent wine being made. From elegant cool-climate Gamay in Orange to Mediterranean varieties like Nero d'Avola thriving in South Australia, Australian wine has never been more diverse. Winemakers are honing hundreds of years of tradition while continuing to experiment with alternative varietals and new styles.

Despite the quality of Australian wine, imported bottles continue to dominate many wine lists and retail shelves. We've embraced the idea of farm-to-table food, yet that same mindset should extend to the glass. Choosing Australian wine is an act of support for small winemakers who are pushing the industry forward. It's also delicious.

The sustainability angle

With the effects of climate change looming, making sustainable purchases is front-of-mind for many consumers. Farming, packaging, and transport all matter when it comes to the wine industry's carbon footprint. Shopping closer to home means fewer transport miles, and buying Australian wine generally avoids the long international supply chains associated with imported bottles.

Small wineries can often adopt sustainable practices more quickly. They are nimble enough to try out methods like regenerative agriculture, lightweight and alternative packaging, renewable energy, and water-saving initiatives without needing approval from corporate stakeholders.

Shopping independent and choosing Australian is a small decision, but a meaningful one. It's an investment in an industry that employs thousands of Australians, and it helps shape the kind of wine culture we want to see: one that values local communities, rewards thoughtful producers, and keeps fantastic Australian wine on our tables.

The Other Cabernet

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:04:00 GMT

Everyone knows Cabernet Sauvignon: it's the most-planted grape varietal in the world. It's traditional, classic, and, to some drinkers, even a little over-played.

The "other Cabernet," in contrast, doesn't see quite as much love in the popular imagination, despite its historical importance in several European wines.

**A grape with pedigree ** Cabernet Franc is the parent grape of Carmenere, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In France, it's a crucial component of some Bordeaux blends, and single-varietal renditions in the Loire Valley have found favour with many a sommelier.

It's also featured in some "Super Tuscan" blends in the storied hills of Tuscany, Italy, though blending with non-Italian grapes has fallen slightly out of favour in recent years.

It is thought that Cab Franc was probably among the cuttings that James Busby brought over to Australia in the mid-1800s. Initially, it was mostly relegated to the realm of blends. The first single-varietal Cab Franc was most likely in 1993 by Paracombe of Adelaide Hills.

**Tricky to grow, rewarding to drink ** These days, producers in Adelaide Hills continue to hone their skill with Cab Franc, as well as those in Margaret River and the Yarra Valley. It's a grape that can be a bit tricky in the vineyard: it grows rapidly, ripens early and unevenly, and is highly sensitive to climate. It requires thoughtful care to coax into great wine, but in the hands of a skilled farmer and winemaker, it's vibrant and infinitely drinkable.

Lighter and juicer than the better-known cab, it retains bright acidity and features a symphony of tart red-fruit flavours like strawberry and raspberry that can read as almost candied on the nose, transforming to more savoury on the palate. There can also be undercurrents of darker fruits like plum.

Aromatics and pairing

Cab Franc contains an aromatic compound, pyrazines, that lends a distinct green note, sometimes likened to green bell pepper. This element can be emphasised with some wine-making practices like whole-cluster fermentation, but many producers tend to attempt to smooth out any overtly-vegetal character by direct-pressing the grapes after harvest.

Herbaceous elements like mint, tomato leaf, and peppercorn are also common features in a glass of Cabernet Franc, as are woody, earthy tinges of graphite and cedar.

Because of its brilliant fruit and fresh herbal character, Cab Franc is a versatile food-pairing wine. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, with their earthy flavours and herb-heavy recipes, shine with a glass of Cab Franc. Anything roasted with rosemary or thyme will sing. Tangy cheeses like goat cheese are also delightful with a lighter style of Cab Franc, while nuttier, more umami-rich cheeses like gouda work beautifully with fuller-bodied renditions.

Handle with Care

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 04:28:00 GMT

Every step in the journey of a bottle of wine, from the winery to your dining table, affects what ends up in your glass. The distance wine travels and how it's stored before it's enjoyed play a role in its quality and freshness.

What happens in transit

One of the riskiest phenomena that can occur during wine transport is temperature fluctuation. Rapid swings, from hot to cold to back again, can shorten a wine's shelf life more than stable but extreme conditions.

Research from The Australian Wine Research Institute found that even small differences in storage temperature over time can measurably affect chemistry and shelf life. Temperature-damage can dull freshness, flatten acidity, and produce a "cooked" character: not what you want to notice on your first sip of a wine you've spent money on and were excited to drink.

In addition to unstable temperature conditions, sun exposure (also called light strike) can turn a bottle of delicious wine into something less-than-appetising. UV rays from the sun can incite a chemical reaction that releases a plethora of foul-smelling aromas into the wine.

As for any motion that may happen in transport, even recurring vibrations can cause damage. An OENO ONE 2021 research paper noted that "strong vibration has a negative impact on wine, with a decrease in organic acids and tannins and an acceleration in the browning process."

One of the simplest ways to minimise unwanted changes in wine is to buy as close to the source as possible: the shorter the distance the bottle has to travel, the fewer chances heat, light, and vibration have to cause problems, and the greater chance it will still be delicious by the time you pour it.

Why Australian wine has the advantage

In Australia, where wine often travels long distances just to reach our shores (and then again across the country to stores), transport becomes an unavoidable part of the equation. Buying wine made in Australia reduces those distances and helps ensure bottles arrive in better condition.

Another practical advantage of Australian wine is the widespread use of screw caps. In addition to convenience, screw cap closure allows for consistent levels of oxygen ingress in wine, reducing undesirable early oxidation due to air exposure (not to mention eliminating the risk of cork taint).

Caring for it once it's home

Once you've finally got that bottle (or case) of wine in your hands, it's important to treat it with care before you open it. To avoid the aforementioned environmental damage, try to get it home to a cool, dark space as soon as possible.

The ideal storage temperature is around 15 degrees Celsius. Your fridge will be colder than that, so it's better to stick unopened bottles in a pantry or cupboard, or, if you're one of the lucky ones, in a temperature-controlled wine fridge or cellar.

In order to extend the shelf life once opened, both red and white wine should be stoppered and placed in the fridge. Screw the cap back on or use a stopper (I also have family members who swear by the spoon-stopper method for sparkling wine, but that hasn't been scientifically studied). Just remember to remove it from the fridge and let it come up to temp before serving.

In the fridge, white wine typically lasts around three days after opening, while red wine can last five to six days due to its structure and tannins. All the more reason to call some friends over and enjoy a lovely bottle together right away.

The cold road home

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Beer doesn't ask for too much once it leaves the brewery. Keep it cold. Keep it dark. Don't make it wait too long.

Most of the beer I'm excited to put in your hands is the stuff that tastes best close to where it was made. Big juicy Hazy IPAs, crisp and hoppy West Coast Pilsners, sessionable flavour-packed Hazy Pale Ales. Those beers are not built for a long, dramatic life. They are built to be brewed well, packed well, kept cold, then enjoyed.

That's the bit I think about a lot at Bottle Keg Can. Not just what comes in, but how it gets here and what happens next.

A beer made overseas can leave the brewery in perfect shape. Fresh, clean, exactly as the brewer meant it. I'm not here to tell you otherwise. The issue is rarely the brewer.

The issue is the distance.

By the time an imported can has made it through warehouses, ports, shipping, customs, another warehouse, a distributor and then a shelf, it's a lot to ask of a beer. Often it is three to six months old by the time it is opened. Sometimes it has been kept well and still drinks nicely. Sometimes the bright bits have faded. That's not the beer's fault, or the brewer's. It has just had a long trip.

Most beer comes in cans now, and there are a few reasons for it. Cans don't break easily, and they're lighter to ship, which counts when beer travels. But the big one is light. Light gets at beer fast and leaves it smelling off, and a can shuts it out completely. Glass can't. Clear and green bottles let most of it through, brown is better but not perfect. It's one more reason a can is a better way to look after your beer.

Hoppy beer is the one that shows it first. Pale Ales, IPAs, Hazies and Hoppy Lagers are built on aroma and freshness. Heat speeds up staling, and as a broad rule beer ages two to four times faster for every 10°C warmer it gets. Warm storage takes the shine off beer quicker than cold storage does.

So we keep it cold.

Everything that comes into Bottle Keg Can goes straight into the fridge. Every case. Every can. From the moment it comes through the door until you take it home, it sits between 1 and 6°C.

No warm stacks on the floor. No cases waiting around because we're busy or out of space. The beer comes in cold, and it stays cold.

That sounds like a small detail, but it's a big deal. Cold storage slows the beer down. It keeps hop character brighter. It gives malt a better chance of staying clean. It means the beer you take home has had a better run from the brewery to your fridge.

Good beer should taste the same in your home as it does in the brewery. That's the aim, and the local breweries give us a great head start.

Sunday Road are 10 minutes up the road. When we get something new, the beer leaves their cold room and is in mine not long after. Beer Fontaine, Bracket, Future, The Social Brewers and a few other local breweries are the same kind of story.

Brewed nearby. Packed recently. Moved quickly. Kept cold. Fridge to fridge, usually under 45 minutes.

It's not complicated. No long supply chain. No guessing how many warm rooms the beer has seen. Just good beer made close by, handled properly, then put somewhere cold until you take it home.

A fresh local IPA that has been cold from the brewery to the shop is a different thing to one that has spent months getting here. You can tell it in the aroma first. Then in the middle, where the hops still have shape. Then in the finish, where the beer still feels clean instead of dull.

Some styles are more relaxed about time. Stouts, Ambers, Barleywines and stronger darker beers can handle age better. Some are made for it. Those beers have malt, roast, alcohol or structure to lean on.

Fresh hoppy beer is different. It has a shorter window. Days and weeks are where the best drinking usually lives. A few months can still be optimum if the beer has been kept cold. After that, it depends on the beer, the style and how it has been treated.

That's why I get a bit twitchy when I see hoppy beer sitting warm on a shop floor. It might be fine. But if you've got a choice, cold and dark is the safer bet.

There's a really good Crafty Pint guide written by Certified Cicerone Briony Liebich if you want the full how-to on buying and storing beer. Worth reading if you're keen to know more. https://craftypint.com/news/4098/beer-basics-buying-storing-and-drinking-beer-at-its-best

So next time you pick up a beer at Bottle Keg Can, know that we've done everything we can to ensure that it drinks as well at home as it did in the brewery.

Spotlight On: Gamay

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

As the weather slowly shifts towards autumn, I find myself reaching for reds that still feel refreshing chilled down on warm days, but pair splendidly with the herbs and spices in autumn comfort food on cooler evenings. Gamay, with its vibrant fruit charm and earthy spice, fits the bill.

Gamay is best known for thriving on the granitic soils of Beaujolais, just south of Burgundy. Its long and storied history in France has included such dramatic events as its banning from Burgundy in the 1300s by the Duke of Burgundy and the Beaujolais Nouveau phenomenon, which had many producers releasing their first Gamay of the harvest in a light, bubblegum-sweet style that belied the grape’s potential for complexity.

While the Duke of Burgundy may have declared it an “evil and disloyal plant”, valuing instead the noble Pinot Noir, these days, Gamay can be seen as something like a free-spirited cousin to Pinot Noir — it’s both more carefree and also far less finicky to farm.

Len Evans is believed to have planted the first Gamay vines in Australia in the Hunter Valley during the late 70s. Plantings that followed tended to be in cool-climate areas, with the thinking being that where Pinot Noir thrives, Gamay should too. While still a rare-ish varietal in Australia, wineries in Adelaide Hills, Gippsland, the Yarra Valley, and Mornington Peninsula now boast Gamay vines.

Gamay is an underrated food-pairing wine, working beautifully with a variety of dishes from spicy Asian cuisine to herb-encrusted poultry to barbecued meat.

With no official style marking “typical” Australian Gamay yet, producers here are experimenting with a range of styles:

light and ethereal, tart and zippy, oak-aged and bold,

At Bottle Keg Can, we’ve been on a hunt for exceptional Gamay, and have found delicious versions from producers in the Hunter Valley, the Yarra Valley, and Orange. One standout is Vinden Wines’ 2025 Gamay blend, which features Gamay, Shiraz, and Pinot Meunier from Vinden’s two vineyards in the Hunter Valley. The grapes were co-fermented with wild yeast and aged 8 months in old oak. The resulting wine shows energetic red berry character and a hint of turned-earth broodiness, with plush tannin structure and a hint of spice.

It’s a wine that’s unfussy but can still make any occasion feel a bit more elevated, more special.

Future Brewing: Finding Rhythm

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 02:00:00 GMT

There’s a lot going on in beer right now. New releases every week, plenty of noise, plenty of opinions.

Future Brewing feels a bit different.

Spend some time chatting with Brady and you get the sense pretty quickly: this isn’t about chasing hype. It’s about getting better at what they do, bit by bit, and letting that speak for itself.

And it’s starting to land.

From California to St Peters

Brady’s brewing story starts in the US. UC Davis for brewing science, then into Alvarado Street. It shaped how he approaches beer.

“We made everything there. Lagers, pilsners, hazy, West Coast, sours, stouts… a bit of everything. That was probably the biggest thing for me — learning different styles, different yeast, different ingredients. You’re not just stuck making one type of beer.”

That range carries through at Future. No single lane, just a clear preference for clean, well-built beer.

Where West Coast is heading

A lot of what Future does sits around modern West Coast styles. Leaner, sharper, more hop-driven.

“One of the first beers we made was ‘From the Get Go’, a real modern Cali IPA. That’s always been the direction… using newer hop profiles you’d normally see in hazy beers, but in a West Coast format.”

It’s still evolving here, but gaining ground.

“I think styles like modern West Coast pils or Cali IPA are still underrated in Australia. In California they’ve been big for a few years. You’ve got that 5 to 5.5 percent range, really sessionable, but still heaps of hop aroma.”

“With the way we make them, it’s just really clean. No malt getting in the way. Super lean, really bright hops. You get that hop saturation in a 5 percent beer.”

Small, by design

Future sits in that mid-small range, brewing roughly once a week. No rush to scale.

“We’ve looked at adding tanks, but it’s a big commitment. Right now it’s about getting the most out of what we’ve got… keeping tanks turning over and brewing efficiently.”

There’s a reason for that.

“We want to stay at a size where we can experiment. Try different hops, yeast, styles. If you get too big, that gets harder.”

Collaboration as fuel

Future has built a strong track record with collabs, especially internationally. For Brady, it’s less about exposure and more about learning.

“Collabs are always fun, especially with international breweries. You’re working with completely different ingredients and processes… there’s no pressure. You can just openly talk about what you’re doing and share ideas.”

That mindset comes from his time in the US.

“At Alvarado, that was a big part of it. Breweries coming through all the time, from all over. You get exposed to so many different ways of doing things.”

It’s something he’s carried into Future.

“Getting out of your normal routine, talking through challenges, seeing how other people do things… it keeps it fresh.”

Consistency is the hard part

What’s been working lately isn’t a single beer. It’s the overall level.

“The last six to nine months, everything we’ve put out has been at a really high standard.”

That’s not easy at this scale.

“We’ve got a good baseline with our ingredients now, but we’re still tweaking things. Different hops, different yeast, small changes all the time.”

What’s next

There’s still plenty to chase. West Coast IPA remains a focus.

“We’re trying to make them super pale, really clear, really hop-saturated but still very drinkable.”

At the same time, there’s a shift toward more approachable strength.

“We’ve done quite a few doubles and triples. They’ll still happen, but more as special releases. The focus is that 5 to 7 percent range… still full flavour, but more sessionable.”

And, as always, it comes back to ingredients.

“New Zealand hop selection is coming up, so that’s always exciting. Just seeing what’s out there and what we can do with it.”

Drinking beer where it’s made

One point Brady keeps coming back to is how people experience beer.

“A lot of people form opinions based on what they’ve had locally, but there’s so much value in travelling and going to a brewery, sitting in the taproom and drinking the beer fresh.”

“Social media can show one thing, but when you actually go there, see the space, drink the beer how it’s meant to be… that’s when you really understand it.”

Next time you’re in St Peters, drop into Future. If you want to taste their latest releases, we’ve always got a strong selection in our fridges.

Autumn Edition

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Sushi

Mark — rice lager or German pilsner. “For me, the Rice lager you get served in a proper sushi restaurant, in a chilled glass with plenty of head. Rice lagers have snuck quietly out of our fridges at the moment though, otherwise I’d be recommending New England Hitsuji. In the meantime I’d probably go for a German Pilsner like 2Halfs.”

Kate — Riesling or zippy rosé. “Sushi is the ultimate pairing food because there are so many flavours and textures at play. The briny, spicy elements of sushi would be well-matched with a zingy, mouthwatering white like the Jessop Riesling, but the bright fruit in a high-acid rosé like the Logan ‘Hannah’ rosé would also make a delightful pairing with salmon or tuna.”

Pumpkin and sage risotto

Mark — Belgian-style Tripel. “One of my favourites! Ideally it should have a nice sage and salt butter with it too. In which case I think it’s worth pushing the boat out a little and having a Belgian-style Tripel with this dish. In which case it can only be Slow Lane Threefold.”

Kate — Chardonnay. “A Chardonnay that has been aged in a gentle amount of oak and has just the right hint of toasty lushness will absolutely sing alongside the buttery, earthy flavours of a pumpkin risotto. I would grab the Gentle Folk Adelaide Hills Chardonnay for a luxurious autumnal treat.”

Brisket

Mark — pale ale, then West Coast IPA. “Given that brisket takes a lot of preparation time, it’s good to have an easy pale ale whilst you’re prepping. So I think 1 or 2 Aw Flip Hazy from Squinters, then for the main event a big old West Coast IPA with plenty of acid and bitterness to cut through the rich fattiness of the brisket (my mouth is watering now). I’d be reaching for Cypher’s birthday collab Triple West Coast IPA to mark the occasion.”

Kate — bold red. “This is the time to bust out the reds that languished on the shelf during the warmer months — anything with big fruit and bold tannins would stand up to the meat of a brisket, and something peppery like Corang Estate’s El Tinto (a blend of Touriga, Tempranillo, and Graciano) would marry well with the meat’s seasonings.”

Our Favourites This Month

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Mark — Dangerous Ales ‘An Epic Hop Tale’ Mosaic TIPA

“Dangerous Ales have done it again with this fun series of beers. Each of the 4 focussed on a single hop and whilst they were all brilliant, Mosaic was my pick of the bunch — it made me very happy. 9.4% is big, but the booze is barely perceivable, instead your mouth is focussed on the flavour explosion going on. Distinctly Dangerous Ales. I’d struggle to pick the food to pair with it, maybe just a tough day (not an empty stomach) and a well-earned beer.”

Dermot — 2 Halfs Dubbel

“Loved this beer! With the change of weather it was time for a proper dark beer with a pedigree and history. This Dubbel hit the brief: its 8% ABV delivered warmth and body, its beautiful dark amber colour. A malt-forward, easy-drinking beer with hints of caramel.”

Kate — 2025 Orbis Wines Grenache Blanc

“Sometimes you want a white wine that offers bright fruit but has a little bit of a textural edge. This Grenache Blanc has all that and more: peach, pear, lime zest, ginger, green herbs, wet stone, apple skin. Delicious with food, delicious on its own.”

Chardonnay Pivots

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

There seems to be a love/hate attitude surrounding Chardonnay. Fans go nuts for it, while others are ABC (anything but Chardonnay). While I think that the aggression is misplaced (I bet I could find a Chardonnay that even members of the ABC club would enjoy), today I’m catering to the lovers. There are other white grapes that produce lush, full-bodied wine you just might adore. And for our Chablis / unoaked Chardonnay people: I have options for you too!

Here are four alternate grape varietals for you to explore.

Chenin Blanc

This Loire Valley staple is known as a chameleon due to its ever-changing nature: its character is extremely influenced by winemaking practices. While it retains more acidity than Chardonnay, it shares similar lemon curd and orchard fruit notes and has a lovely camomile tea, lanolin quality. Versions aged in oak have a cosy richness that feels like slipping on your favourite sweater.

Roussanne

Best known from the Northern Rhône in France, this white grape produces wines that have a silky, full-bodied texture. Think: white flowers, lemon, beeswax. It can age beautifully and goes well with buttery, creamy dishes. Some Australian renditions can be a bit zippier than their French counterparts, making them well-suited to those who lean towards a more acid-driven Chardonnay.

Semillon

One of Australia’s most prized grapes. For the purposes of this recommendation, we’re talking about Semillon on its own, though it’s worth noting some styles are blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Similar to Chenin Blanc’s chameleon characteristics, Semillon can take on vastly different qualities depending on how it is made. Its high acidity makes it a bit zippier than Chardonnay, especially if it’s aged in stainless steel. Many producers in the Hunter Valley take this approach. But boy, can it age! Fresh apple and crisp citrus flavours meld into a toasty, honeyed delight with some age. On the other hand, if producers choose to age it in oak, you’ll get vanilla notes and a richer texture more aligned with an oaked Chardonnay, even in a more youthful bottling.

Fiano

There are a lot of producers playing with Fiano right now in Australia, and you can see why: it’s traditionally an Italian grape varietal, so it grows well in lots of our more Mediterranean-climate areas. Fiano makes a lovely, medium-bodied white with notes of melon, pear, and a hint of nuttiness. We have several delicious renditions of Fiano in the shop.

Ok, it’s time to explore! There are plenty of styles of all of these wines, so some trial and error and compare-and-contrast tasting could be especially illuminating. Chardonnay fans, rejoice! There’s more to love in the world of wine.

Catching Up at Bracket Brewing

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Bracket Brewing has built a serious reputation among Australian craft drinkers. The beers are precise, often bold and rarely repeated. There’s no permanent core range, just a steady rotation of releases driven by curiosity and constant refinement.

We caught up with co-owner and head brewer Mike Meletopoulo during a brew day to talk about where it all started, what keeps him experimenting, and why sometimes the best decision a brewer can make is to dump a batch. We paused a few times while Mike stepped downstairs to help out. Even at one of Australia’s most respected breweries, the work doesn’t stop when the conversation starts.

Mike’s path into brewing started, like many good stories, by accident.

“Personally, since… 2012 or 2013,” he says. “A mate and I were not great uni students. We took a food science subject because we’d heard it was easy.”

The first lecture was on fermentation.

“So we bought a Coopers home brew kit on the way home and it was all downhill from there.”

Homebrewing quickly turned into something more serious. Mike’s first real step into the industry came in the UK, working at Stewart Brewing and then Edinburgh Beer Factory before returning to Australia to work at Batch and Archie Rose.

One interview moment stuck with him.

“They asked what my favourite beer was and I said Augustiner Munich Helles. The owner gave me a weird look.”

It turned out the brewery interviewing him happened to make a Helles inspired by the same beer.

“My mate Dave got grilled afterwards because they thought he’d prepped me. But he didn’t.”

It’s still one of Mike’s favourite beers today.

The beer that never makes it

One of the less obvious realities of brewing is how much beer never makes it into a can or keg. Bracket produces around 75,000 litres a year, but only about 55,000 litres ends up packaged.

“The rest is loss,” Mike says. “When you look at it as about 20,000 litres a year that doesn’t make it into pack, that’s a huge amount of beer.”

Some of that is normal process loss. Some comes from harder decisions. Three batches were dumped last year alone.

For a smaller brewery, Mike says that can sometimes be the right call.

“I think there’s less risk for us to dump a whole beer because we’re small and we can pivot quickly.”

Larger craft breweries can face different pressures, especially when contracts or distribution commitments are involved. He points to Garage Project recently sharing that they dumped a batch they weren’t happy with.

“I thought that was impressive. Just saying ‘we weren’t happy with it, so it’s gone’.”

Two breweries that shaped the thinking

The first was Garage Project in New Zealand.

“In the early 2010s they were doing so much crazy stuff. So many amazing beers. It was always exciting.”

The second was Cellarmaker in San Francisco.

“They had constantly rotating taps. A few seasonal beers but everything else kept changing. Tiny taproom, heaps of variety.”

That visit stuck with him.

“I walked in and thought ‘holy fuck, this is amazing!’.”

Bracket adopted a similar mindset. No permanent core beers, just constant movement.

Small changes, big shifts

Brewing improvements often come from unexpected places.

“I’m going to make myself sound stupid,” Mike says, laughing. “But we didn’t use a pH probe for a very long time.”

When the team eventually revisited pH control, they discovered it had a big impact on haze stability in their hazy beers. Some batches looked beautifully turbid while others tasted great but appeared less vibrant.

What followed was months of small adjustments.

“You change one thing and something else shifts,” Mike says.

Eventually the team arrived at a process that worked. Not through a single breakthrough, but through steady trial and error.

“When you finally land somewhere that works, it’s pretty satisfying.”

Ingredient quality remains a constant focus at Bracket.

“For us there’s always going to be a constant search for the best hops we can get our hands on.”

Better access to American hop lots has helped recently. Mike says it’s fascinating how much variation you can see within a single hop variety depending on when it’s harvested.

“You can see four lots of the same hop and they’re completely different.”

Outside the brewery, Mike’s curiosity about fermentation keeps expanding. At home he experiments with lacto-fermented vegetables and other projects. Recently he’s been diving into sake, which uses a multi-parallel fermentation where mould converts starch into sugar while yeast ferments it at the same time.

“It’s a really cool process,” he says. “When I say when I get time… I’ve already bought most of the gear.”

The most underrated style in Australia

Ask Mike which style deserves more attention in Australia and the answer is immediate.

“Lagers.”

Many drinkers move away from lager when they first discover craft beer, associating the style with macro breweries. But for brewers, lager can be the ultimate test.

“It’s the best way to judge a brewery,” Mike says. “If their plain lager is bad, I probably wouldn’t spend more money there.”

There’s nowhere to hide.

“As Nick from One Drop says, it’s like standing in front of a crowd with your pants down.”

Another style Mike thinks deserves more attention locally is Belgian beer. Some Australian breweries are producing excellent examples, but they often fly under the radar.

Taste is personal

Something else that has surprised him over the years is how much perception can shift. Leading up to a release he might taste the same beer every day for weeks.

“Some days I’ll hate it and have no idea why,” he says.

A week later the same beer might taste fantastic.

“It’s very personal.”

That variability is part of the reason Bracket keeps experimenting rather than settling into a fixed lineup. One release might lean toward modern Cali IPA, while the next might push back toward a more classic West Coast style.

Another misconception Mike often hears relates to hazy beer. Many drinkers assume the haze is yeast.

“It’s not. Or at least it shouldn’t be.”

In most cases haze comes from proteins in the malt interacting with polyphenols from the hops. Even when sediment forms in the can, it’s often protein rather than yeast.

“It’s one of those brewing myths that’s stuck around.”

For Mike, brewing’s biggest appeal is the feedback loop.

“With beer you can see the result of a change in a couple of weeks.”

But another part of the job matters just as much.

“I like talking with our regulars,” he says. “I like hearing when they like the beers, and when they don’t.”

Sometimes the criticism stings.

“But if someone’s comfortable telling you that to your face, that’s a good thing.”

It means they care.

Thanks again to Mike for taking the time to chat with us in the middle of a brew day. If you’re keen to try some of the beers we talked about, the latest releases from Bracket have just landed and are sitting cold in the fridges at the shop now.

Late Summer Cookout Edition

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Sausage sizzle

Mark — something from the Bitter + Bold fridge. “The bitterness of a West Coast IPA or a Cali IPA will be refreshing when you’re standing next to a BBQ and will go wonderfully with a fatty pork sausage. If you’re tucking into one of the new lamb sausages from Steak Out Butchery then give something with a little more malt, like a Red IPA, a go.”

Kate — a light, fruity red. “The acidity of a light-bodied red like Gamay or Pinot Noir will cut through the fat of the sausage while still being a refreshing palate cleanser between bites, and the bright, juicy red fruit character pairs well with herbs, spices, and sauces.”

Grilled fish with mango salsa

Mark — the toilet. “I have a seafood allergy, so I wouldn’t touch this pairing with a barge pole. However, if that wasn’t the case, one of the fun Saisons from the Wild and Tart fridge would be the go.”

Kate — Grenache Blanc. “The medium-bodied, creamy texture and tangy, herbaceous notes of Grenache Blanc play nicely with both white fish and any fruity accompaniments.”

Pavlova with passionfruit

Mark — Whisky in Isolation ‘Good Things’ or Bellarine Legacy Liqueur. “A triple-distilled Australian whisky made with Launceston Distillery, this whisky has big lolly notes that will perfectly complement the sweetness of the meringue. For those that want something a little more dessert-y, the Legacy Liqueur is a Lemon Myrtle and Orange Gin blended with Botrytis Semillon — a real treat. Delicate and a bit boozy with tropical notes, it’ll go beautifully with the pav — I’ve even been tempted to pour a little over the dish too!”

Kate — off-dry or late-harvest Riesling. “Delicate meringue needs an equal-or-more-luscious beverage pairing to keep things sweet. A bright, honeyed Riesling emphasises all of the delightful tropical fruit flavours.”