Sydney's brewers fermented the brews from the bottom!!

August's Brewshare. With the standard of our quarterly homebrew comp consistently on the rise, we thought "these guys need a challenge". At the mercy of their own limited resources, our brave contestants often rely on DIY instincts alone. A MacGuyver approach to home brewing worthy of a pat on the back, a slap on the rump and a chance to take out the title of the 'Brewshare Best in Show'. The challenge for last weeks session? 'Anything Bottom Fermented' Bottom fermented brews, typically lager style beers, are notoriously harder to control than their top fermented kin. Armed with a kitchen sink, a sanitized bath tub, a stove top or even less, makeshift breweries around Sydney were bubbling away in preparation for the event. Brewing lagers under these circumstances is no stroll in the park. But of course, as always, our contestants rose to the task. Inspired by prohibition era homebrew heroes, disenchanted with 'the system', incensed by tides of creativity, the heat was on! Stand outs included; -The potently hopped 'Freddy' Cali Common. -Michael's Maibock, a coppery gold offering boasting a marvelously rocky white head. -Too many more to mention. Best in show? Keith's bottom fermented Baltic Porter. This baby was as intoxicating on the nose as it was in ABV. One pop of the top and the room filled with flowery phenolics reminiscent of an abbey brune. Rich and warming, this was the judges favourite. Congratulations Keith. Next months theme? '4% and Under' Also, as a little note, there will be food now supplied at future events, we've had too many wives calling to complain about their husbands doing an Irish jig upon their return from recent Brewshare events. So to book in for the 4% or under edition of Brewshare please click this link! See you here!!