Fremantle will forever deserve a place in the hearts of Australian craft beer lovers as it was here that the Sail & Anchor pub with its in-house Anchor Brewery first challenged the dominance of the big brewers and, subsequently, Matilda Bay and Little Creatures were born. Today, the coastal town is a must for any beer tourist, not only because it’s a beautiful place to visit but because it’s crammed with quality craft beer venues, including – since 2007 – the Monk Brewery & Kitchen.
The Monk’s first beer left the brewery in January 2008 shortly after the restaurant opened; now they brew up to four times a week in summer and invite the public to pop their head into the brewery any time they like to have a look around and say “Hi” to the brewers. With a focus on preservative-free beers, they combine a year round range of regulars with limited releases that have included everything from a whiskey-soaked, date-infused Foreign Extra Stout named ‘Adios Amigos’ in tribute to a departing assistant brewer to a Cabernet Sauvignon barrel-aged smoked beer and coconut stout. As for the regulars, they saw the brewery shortlisted for Champion Exhibitor at the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards, where the Monk Mild won the trophy for Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer.
If you want to taste them, you have to head to the Monk itself, however, as they don’t appear on tap anywhere else – except occasionally at the nearby Sail & Anchor. It’s a trip worth taking as the Monk’s a stylish venue in the heart of Freo, with wooden benches lining the beer garden on a strip filled with cafes, bars and restaurants that share a similar dedication to quality food and beer and boast a lively cosmopolitan atmosphere.
As for the Kitchen side of things, you’ll often find the chefs experimenting with beer in food or beer and food matching as well as offering up weekly specials, including beer and bratwurst and paella on the terrace. Meanwhile alongside the Monk’s beers on tap you’ll often find a great selection of US imports, especially since USA Craft Beer Week in early 2011 for which they travelled to the States to oversee the importing of some of the country’s finest beers. These were showcased at a series of special events, including dinners, tastings and tappings, that were in keeping with the Monk’s love of a beery celebration, be it during their annual Oktoberfest or just because the sun’s shining.
Monk Brewery & Kitchen (WA) Beers
The Regulars
The Specials
Regulars
Monk Mild
The most successful of a highly successful bunch at the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards, the Monk Mild took home one of five trophies won by WA brewers. The Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer is a light golden lager with a fresh hop aroma from the use of class Saaz hops. Designed to be crisp and clean on the palate, it’s the brewery’s session beer for hot summer’s days.
Awards: Champion Reduced Alcohol Beer at the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards
Style: Mid-strength Lager
Strength: 3.5%
Monk Kolsch
One of Germany’s classic ales with origins in Cologne, it’s light, easy-drinking style that’s often a good introduction for people new to craft beer. As The Monk say: “this is an ale impersonating a lager”, doing so with a delicate balance of light fruitiness and a slightly spicy German hop character. A good session beer and match for the Kitchen’s seafood dishes.
Style: Kolsch
Strength: 4.8%
Monk Wheat
Taking inspiration from the Belgian style of wheat beers – or witbiers – this is a pale coloured, medium bodied, unfiltered beer with a cloudy appearance. Typically of the style, it’s fruity and spicy with hints of coriander, surprisingly potent and a refreshing option on a warm day.
Style: Witbier
Strength: 6.0%
Monk Rauch
Another beer in the Monk range that looks to Germany for inspiration, this one to the rauchbier – aka smoke beer – style. Described as “a robust, desert orange coloured ale displaying a strong smoked flavour balanced with a rounded malt fruitiness” it’s a good match with hearty meat dishes or the Kitchen’s rauch cheese.
Style: 5.3%
Monk Pale
The Monk’s Pale Ale uses 100% Aussie malt and hops to create an easy drinking beer with a smooth bitterness. Try it with their Pale Ale Prawns.
Style: Australian Pale Ale
Strength: 5.0%
Monk Porter
The darkest of the Monk’s regular range, this is a classic interpretation of the British porter, with a smooth chocolate nose, hints of roast coffee and a mild bitterness.
Style: Porter
Strength: 4.6%
Specials
The Monk Amber
The latest seasonal from The Monk has the brewers behind it excited. It’s “fantastic”, apparently, a single hop showcase, no less: an American amber ale bittered and dry hopped with NZ Nelson Sauvin. “We thought we’d use the rockstar hop-of-the-moment in this offering, and we’ve deliberately left it unfiltered to keep the good stuff in,” says brewer Steve. Blending roasted malts with said hops, it’s a fruit and nut affair with some caramel and passionfruit flavours in there too. “Both myself and Paul [his co-brewer] absolutely love it and are immensely proud of it.” Blimey!
Available:
Style: American Amber
Strength: 5.5%
