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Time Out Sydney Hop Up – Young Henrys

World Square

Sydney, Australia

23 October 2017

Ah, Young Henrys.

Young Henrys is the household name of Sydney craft breweries, an impressive feat for the staunchly independent brew house that has only been operating for four years.

These guys went from being one of Sydney's first in craft to a nationally celebrated company — and they somehow managed this feat without diluting their DNA.

The YH brews are not only well-represented across Sydney's craft brew pubs, but they are a regular facet of the beer scene across Australia — including loads of unassuming pubs that otherwise only have the likes of Tooheys (for the uninitiated: that’s the Australian equivalent of Pabst Blue Ribbon) and Carlton on draught. From launching their very own festival, to their endless artistic collaborations brewing band-specific beers, to sponsoring events – Young Henrys just seems to be omnipresent.

The story has worked out well for the Newtowners, who almost set up shop in Surry Hills.

Luckily, the space in Newtown saved YH from the lockout laws and also put them smack dab in the middle of an incredibly creative and likeminded community.

Part-brewery, part-gallery space, the tasting bar is a laidback (but always busy) hangout where music blares and beer's a-flowing.

Young Henrys' artistic collaboration game remains strong with the recent DZ Deathrays collaborative brew, Pils 'n' Thrills, as well as your humble narrator’s favourite, the unfortunately long gone collaboration with an iconic Australian band, i.e. Brew Am I.

The brewery is constantly trying out new angles as well, like chef-inspired beers, restaurant collaborations, promoting band tours and community contests and events.

Having recently celebrated their birthday with the Four More Beers hoppy amber ale, the team at YH is full steam ahead.

A lot has changed in four years — from going solar-powered to successfully trying their hand at distilling.

They've now expanded to ten brewers and are launching a dedicated brewer's tank that will allow the team to try out their own recipes.

Among these class brewers is Agnes Gajic, one of Australia's few professional female brewers and a recipient of the Pink Boots Society award.

The Newtonian masterminds haven't just limited themselves to beer — their cider and spirits game is strong as well, with their Noble Cut Gin recently awarded the Gold Medal from the World Spirit Awards.

Now both brewery and distillery, YH plans to continue to develop in the spirits direction and their current collaboration with Jameson is the result:

Jameson Caskmates Young Henrys Edition is a barrel ageing collaboration between Jameson Irish Whiskey and Young Henrys.

Firstly, Young Henrys beer was barrel aged in Jameson whiskey barrels - the product of this exercise was the Young Henrys Craic and Barrel Aged Irish Red Ale.

Now, the long-awaited Jameson Caskmates Young Henrys Limited Edition has been produced by barrel finishing Jameson Irish Whiskey in 10 Young Henrys fresh craft beer seasoned casks that were shipped back to Ireland from the beer barrel ageing project.

When the fresh casks are re-hydrated, they retain the flavour profile of the Irish Red Ale, resulting in a whiskey that has new notes of caramel, malt and subtle hops all supported by a mild pot still spiciness.

This release of the Caskmates edition brings you a unique Triple Distilled Jameson Irish Whiskey experience with a twist from the heart of Sydney, Newtown.

As part of Sydney’s beer week, Time Out’s Hop Up set up shop at World Square and celebrated all things Young Henrys, Grill’d Burgers, the release of their 2017 Bar Guide and an ample chance to try Jameson Caskmates Young Henrys edition whiskey, serenaded by killer tunes from the outfits Los Tones and Moon Brain.   

Another praiseworthy, well organised and geschmäcklerisches Time Out Sydney Event.

All photos by T

Burn City: Melbourne’s Painted Streets

Lou Chamberlain

Hardie Grant Travel

I dig Melbourne– aka ‘Burn City’ –  and paying a visit is always something to look forward to, not just because it is internationally renowned for its street art that is often rooted in provocation and controversy.

Burn City, curated by artist, artist and arts educator Lou Chamberlin, sheds light on the works of local and international artists that set out to colour the streets and concrete of Melbourne, be it targeting social issues, l’art our ‘;art or territorial pissings.

The nal chapter, Same Wall New Paint, highlights the ephemeral nature that is street art by documenting the evolving artworks appearing and disappearing on the same over several years.

The foreword comes courtesy of David Hurlston, Senior Curator of Australian Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, along with what follows constitutes an appropriate encouragement to get out in the territory and experience it all for yourself.

Melbourne is a vibrant and eclectic city, and its street art is now a major tourist attraction. Places like Hosier Lane regularly act as backdrops for wedding photos, and play host to school excursions, street art tours, artists, observers and documenters as well as the usual foot traffic of city life, all drawn there by its robust street subculture.

A well executed book that not only documents Melbourne rich history with street art, but amplifies it through its take on it and the angle it sheds light on.

The Festival of Nonna

107 Project

Redfern, Sydney, AU

October 23, 2017

The fine people behind Sandhurst Fine Foods are behind the operation of The Festival of Nonna: The concept bases around a dreamteam of Italian celebrity chefs and their Nonnas to share  recipes and food inside knowledge that serves as the inspiration for them to get involved in the hospitality industry in the first place.

Aficionados of Italian food were given the opportunity to enjoy a five-course meal matched with primo Italian vino incarnating each night as pop-up, roof-top garden restaurants at Redfern’s 107 Projects.

The Festival of Nonna is be a celebration of the traditional matriarchs of the Boot shows off the modern interpretation of Italian food coupled with the tried-and-tested traditions that make the cuisine what you love it for.

Hands-on demonstrations showed off the tradition and the techniques of crafting the perfect Italian meal, with Gnocchi making taking the limelight tonight.

An evening with fantastic food, great company and a very welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere, which transformed the space into a sanctuary of dolce vita.

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Photos by KAVV

Tonight’s show at Pratteln’s Z7 venue was almost in dire straits with Alcest’s tour bus breaking down two hours away and the band needing to head over in a taxi minus most of their required equipment. Using the venue’s own backline isn’t the greatest of starts for the French post-black metallers, but despite sound initial sound problems (one guitar is much too loud, the drums are overpowering), the quartet soon settle in and the rhythms of their beautiful take on black metal soon take over. “Kodama” from last year’s stunning Kodama should be a wonderful start, however the overwhelming volume on Zero’s guitar drowns out some of the textures that make it such a lovely song and it’s not until “Là où naissent les couleurs nouvelles” that Alcest come to life.

“Oiseaux de proie” is deliriously aggressive and following it is the majestic sounds of “Eclosion” and the opportunity to hear frontman Neige’s incredible screams. His voice swings from gorgeous, ethereal notes to powerful cries in naught but a second and it’s in this opposition that Alcest have found their niche. Pacing their hour long set perfectly and incorporating the light and shade of their sound allows Alcest to show their awareness of what their audience wants and although the venue isn’t completely packed and a lot of the crowd leans towards the older end of the age scale, they are still given a rapturous welcome. An hour goes by much too quickly, though, and it’s a shame they have to leave. The warmth of “Délivrance” does much to dull the pain.

Anathema’s history is long and varied and where the band began as a heavy, doom-death project, the latter part of their career has tended towards the more progressive side of their sound. Gorgeous textures, the Cavanagh brothers’ beautiful voices and words, and songs that are packed full of emotion before even the first notes have chance to fade have given Anathema a second wind of late and two hours tonight is almost enough to incorporate the songs you want to hear.

It’s tricky to pull off such a long performance and it’s unfortunately not the kind of perfection that this writer has come to expect. The biggest problem facing Anathema tonight is pacing. Songs that are too similar sit together and meld into one leaving many people with wandering attention spans in the final hour. However, they sure know how to put on a show and small niggles aside, it’s still a night to remember.

The two parter “Untouchable” begins their time and showcases the vocal prowess of Vincent Cavanagh and Lee Douglas, whose voice is so beautifully clear that when she takes to the stage alone to sing “Endless Ways” the audience’s reverence is obvious.

One of the biggest emotional  punches comes when Danny Cavanagh addresses the crowd, calling on people at the barrier to tell him where they’ve come from. A few women shout that they’re from Syria and the hall falls quiet. “This is the first happy day in our lives.” The awe is palpable for these people, for everything they’ve experienced and everything they must overcome. Danny sings “Are You There?” for them and it’s a moment that resonates throughout the crowd, not least for those the song is dedicated to.

Unfortunately, it’s during the encore that the pace slows to almost a standstill; Anathema have plenty of songs that could do justice to their allocated time but the energy falls steeply during the three headed portion of “Distant Satellites,” “Springfield” and “Back to the Start,” however, the band end on high note and “Fragile Dreams” does much to ensure that the crowd know that actually, Anathema are a thrilling band to experience. Perhaps it was just an off night on a long, gruelling tour. Still, it won’t stop anyone wanting to see them again, this writer included.

Redfern, Sydney, AUS

20 October 2017

The Youth Food Movement Australia don’t believe in telling people what to do, but educating and arming young folks with the skills, knowledge and experience to make them "food literate."

Their approach is based on the belief that peer-to-peer learning is the most powerful way to create change. They aim to make complex issues around food accessible, tangible and human. Above all, they create projects that appeal to young people’s sense of play with neither being prescriptive nor dogmatic in their approach.

YFM organised an array of engaging events that their individual chapters implement on their respective turf. Their projects tend to be well curated affairs that reduce the distance, foster transparency and engender dialogue between growers and eaters and build the food smarts of young Australians.

Heaps Cooked is one of the YFMA’s events framed in the context of an edible rooftop garden right near Redfern station, which offers workshops on seasonality, a grazing table with a spring menu, booze, the opportunity to help create an Australian seasonal foods calendar under the guidance of tattoo artist Sophia Baughan and a raffle, with the proceeds going to future projects.

Photo Credit: KAVV