GABS Beers – Kooinda Boutique Brewery

There are a handful of breweries whose beers I love seeing in bars. A bottle from Bridge Road, a Stone and Wood Pacific, or Feral Hop Hog, is always a relief. While I like to try something new,  if there are limited options and one of those is present, then I know I’m getting a great beer at some point in the night. For me, Kooinda have firmly established themselves as one of those breweries. I’m always glad to see one of theirs behind a bar.

They are also responsible for one of my favourite beers of last year; with their Black IPA. It was the beer that changed my mind about ‘black’ versions of  typical pale beers (and since I have been heard to say that black beer with Nelson Sauvin Hops is my favourite style… even when it isn’t technically style). It also made it into the top 8 of the Hottest 100 Autralian Craft Beers this year.

Anyway, enough crapping on from me, let’s hear from the team at Kooinda about their ‘Karaka Bier’ which is a Belgian witbier with Karaka berries.

Most events such as this are a showcase of a range of beers, usually basic styles with the brewery staff selling their wares behind a small table. What do you think the benefits of an event like GABS are in winning people over to craft beer?

 I think that GABS is an awesome event that will open up many new mouths to craft beer. The hardest step is the first in trying something new and once people understand what real beer can be hopefully they will be more open to keep tasting new things.

With so many other potentially amazing beers all on the bill do you feel any pressure on you and your beer? or are you just like a punter and are happy to be involved? 

Definitely happy to be involved however we do want the beer to be well received and enjoyed by as many people as possible so there is a little pressure you put on yourself naturally.

Are you attending, and if so, what beers are you most looking forward to trying?

 We will try to get to all the days and hopefully drink them all 🙂

What’s the inspiration behind a Belgian raspberry and Karakaberry Ale??

 We did it last year and people loved it so this year we injected some steroids into the recipe to see how far we could take it.

What the hell is a karakaberry anyway?

 It is a blended berry which is a mix between a raspberry and a blackberry! Yummy. There are only 4 growers in Australia and we did the first beer with it in the world

What processes did you use to prep the berries and use them in the beer?

 Blend them up and throw them in!

Is there anything else you want to add about your beer, GABS or craft beer in general? 

Just looking forward to an awesome craft beer event. Events like this will help develop the industry and open people’s eyes and make them realise there is more to drinking than just mass produced yellow fizz.

Thanks guys!

Can’t you just hear the sanitation crazy homebrewers clenching with sanitation rage at the mention of blending fruit and chucking it in? And speaking potential infection causing bugs hiding in fruit, next interview will be with Brendan Varis, brewer of one of three sour beers in this year’s GABS. For those unfamiliar with sours, they are beers that generally encourage the aforementioned infection causing bugs… one man’s bug is another’s tasty sour treat.

While you wait for that, go out check Kooinda’s regular Witbier: http://www.kooinda.com.au/stockists/

Check out my other GABS interviews here: http://aleofatime.com/tag/gabs-2012/

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  1. May 7, 2012

    […] ‘Karaka Bier’ Fruit Belgian Witbier […]

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