It’s a big year for Harts Pub and The Rocks Brewing Co. While the pub is turning three, the much-loved Sydney beer brand is turning five in September, and with a new brewery on the way as well, there is plenty to celebrate.
In usual Harts Pub form, the brewing team is set to launch their annual Celebration Ale for the venue’s birthday. The limited three-keg run is highly sought after and is brewed as a special thank you to Harts Pub Members and customers.
According to Scotty Morgan, Rocks Brewing Co’s founding Head Brewer, the scope for the beer’s recipe couldn’t be easier.
“The basics for this beer are simple” he says. “It has to be boozy – around 7.0% ABV – and with so many hops your teeth hurt. Last year’s beer resembled a bus to be honest – the morning after a few of us had thought the 433 had come up the Essex St hill and run us over.”
The 2013 permutation of the birthday brew is reportedly a deep amber, and includes a mix of four hop varieties, and was also dry hopped into oblivion. According to Morgan, the new hop variety know as Mosaic has been used along with some of their old favourites: Warrior, Cascade and Simcoe. The malt bill is similarly big with Australian Ale Malt, Marris Otter, Aromatic Malt, Pale Chocolate, Black Malt, and Dark and Light Crystal Malts. No malt in their dry store was safe when it came to brewing this party beer.
To snag a taste of the brew, Harts Pub members just need to remember to RSVP, while a few mystery 20L kegs are rumoured to be heading to other Rocks-loyal bars like Harts Yard in Enmore or The Little Guy in Glebe.
Vital Stats
ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 70
SRM: 40
Raw Materials:
Hops – Cascade, Warrior, Simcoe, Mosaic
Malt – Aust Ale, Marris Otter, Aromatic Malt, Pale Choc, Black Malt, Dark and Light Crystal Malt
Yeast – American Ale
Appearance : Deep Amber with an off-white head
Aroma : Citrus, Grassy, BIG
Taste : Bitter, malt and hops …and a few more hops and even more malt
Palate : Huge
Overall : A big hitting wallop of malt and hops. Not for the faint-hearted.