Justin Fox, Colonial Brewing CompanyMargaret River might enjoy an international reputation for fine wine, but its craft beer movement is fast gaining on its grape-based assets.
One of the local brewers driving this revolution is Colonial Brewing and its Germanic kölsch beer.
“Western Australia’s Mediterranean climate is a win-win for the kölsch,” says head brewer Justin Fox. “There are so many people who are yet to access craft beer. The kölsch is a great way to get them onboard and realise craft beer doesn’t have to taste like scary home brew. Here’s this beautiful, clean-tasting beer with perfume and a hint of hop that people don’t have to be scared of. It’s a great beer to drink in the sun and really suits our lifestyle.”
Working at Colonial Brewing really suits Fox, too, not least because Colonial’s size and rural setting are polar opposites to the large-scale brewing conducted at Fox’s previous employer, Swan Brewery.
But even with challenges like unreliable power supplies and distance to contend with (Fox brews and lives in Margaret River during the week before driving back home to Perth for weekends), the pros of brewing in the south west far outweigh the cons.
“In Perth, I used to have to pay someone to take away spent grain and put it on the land,” says Fox.
“Here we’ve got farmers lining up to take it. They use it to feed their stock, so there’s that really nice connection to the land. I’ve said to a lot people since I’ve been here, Margaret River is the best office in the world.”
Where to taste Colonial beers are available from the brewery’s restaurant (open 11am-6pm daily) and selected venues in Western Australia and Victoria.