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smorgasboarder
s.a. to the bay
Welcome to Byron Bay Brewery, a place where a
bunch of surfers work and one in particular brews
beer that has made them renowned amongst true
lovers of this most noble craft. Alastair Gillespie,
head brewer, at Byron Bay Brewery hails from
South Africa and is an eternally stoked surfer. And
why not, he landed a dream job in this magnificent
corner of the world.
Regular readers of Smorgasboarder might recall
Alastair used to write a regular column for us in
the magazine. It had been a while between drinks
so we were eager to catch up and see what was
doing.
“Probably the biggest thing that has happened here
since we last chatted is the brewery has undergone
a massive renovation. This has been heralded with
the launch of our Hazy One Pale Lager.”
For lovers of the amber nectar, such as myself,
this is not your everyday lager. It’s a slightly citrusy
tasting pale lager that’s super clean, crisp and light.
Incredibly refreshing, it’s certainly easy to drink. In
short, I found it hard to stop at just a few.
The venue itself has also undergone a considerable
revamp. There is a renewed emphasis on attracting
high calibre bands from around Australia and
indeed the world such as You Am I, who are playing
at the brewery this July.
“It is a great place to enjoy a few beers, a bite to
eat and catch a live band after a surf.”
Our take on the joint is that whilst we have always
had fun here, it has really stepped it up a notch. It
is definitely worth a visit whilst in Byron. It’s a super
laidback place to take in some tunes and enjoy the
beers Alastair brews, which really are nothing short
of remarkable.
With all that said, we won’t take up any more of
Alastair’s time. I am sure he has beers to brew or a
spot of surfing, spearfishing, kayaking or kitesurfing
to indulge in. Bastard.
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