Thus Let Us Drink Beer – Young Henrys Unifier and GABS Festival
The intersections of love for music and beer is one of the focus areas that in ingrained into the DNE of Young Henrys brewery, which is not only evident in their collaborations with bands to create idiosyncratic brews but also in their on-going support of live music.
The beauty with Young Henrys is that every time one thinks they might have peaked, a new project comes about that tops their previous stellar efforts.
Case in point: Their new collaboration with Rolling Stone magazine, which sees them create a hazy pale not only inspired by but meant to be a celebration of music that made a difference in the world.
Appropriately named The Unifier, the pale ale is a tour de force in hoppy haziness and part of an initiative to saluting and appreciating the efforts of musicians that channelled their art into protesting injustice, overcoming divides and bringing people together.
While the idea and concept is noble, it sure does not hurt that the name of YH’s latest emission also unifies tropical, stone fruit, and fresh floral notes set against a backbone of malt, with highlights of rolled oats and a delicate bitterness clocking in at 19 IBU.
With a percentage of the proceeds from The Unifier going to Support Act, the Dylan Alcott Foundation, and Autism Camp Australia, doing the right and good things has seldomly been made easier and delicious.
Let’s broaden the scope a bit, shall we?
If you are remotely into craft beer and cider, the annual GABS festival is the equivalent of Easter and Christmas rolled up in one. After not being put on last year, brew aficionados have been waiting with bated breath for taps to open again.
The 2021 Sydney incarnation of the GABS festival was only minorly impaired by COVID-19 restrictions and one could not wait to roam free in a bid to savour the new emissions of most of the breweries we have previously covered as well as discover new ones.
If that was not incentive enough, GABS’ USP is that on top of their respective core ranges, breweries offer beers that have not only never been brewed before but are specifically concocted for the festival, clocking in at over one hundred exclusives variants.
Sounds like Disneyland for beer hounds? You bet it is.
Needless to say, breweries are getting creative and weird to celebrate the occasion with their new creations and it is never not a delight to get a tasting paddle the flavours of which take you to uncharted territories flavour-wise.
The proffering of the hoppy liquid deliciousness is framed by an array of carefully curated masterclasses, roving musical entertainment, panel discussions, games known from the Oktoberfest as well as a selection of spirit bars and food trucks to provide sustenance.
Standouts of this year’s GABS festival were Dainton and Akasha Brewery with their never not delightful brews, along with Green Beacon Brewing Co, who have yet to emit a subpar brew.
While I ventured to have at least a sip of the weirder offerings, my favourite variant, i.e. IPAs, were a focus area and suffice to say, I am lucky to call terra australis in that regard. I can only hope that some of the GABS creations manage to make it into the respective breweries’ regular portfolio.
