How many great ideas are concocted between mates over a few beers every time the AFL Grand Final rolls around? And how many do you reckon actually reach fruition? Not many, I’d wager. So tip your hats to the guys behind the Mornington Peninsula Brewery whose “Let’s open a brewery!” conversation as the Hawks downed the Cats in 2008 became a reality in just two years.
Built inside a factory once used to manufacture exploding golf balls, the brewery is about a kilometre from the Mornington Racecourse and the same distance from the town itself. It’s a welcome new venue for beer lovers on the Peninsula with the brewing side of operations headed up by Andrew “AG” Gow, whose pedigree includes stints at Mountain Goat, Matilda Bay and 5 Islands in NSW.
Designed to offer beer lovers the chance to enjoy a beer (and wood-fired pizza from the impressive stainless steel oven) while looking out over the tanks in which the beer is made, Mornington Peninsula’s opening salvo was an American Pale Ale, English Brown Ale and Belgian Witbier. A Porter and Cider were lined up to be the first of regular seasonal releases.
As it opened, work was also underway to turn the outdoor area into a beer oasis with the installation of half barrel tables and seating under what will grow into a hop arbor – the final piece of the dream that became a plan that became reality.
Mornington Peninsula Brewery Beers
The Regulars
The Specials
Regulars
Mornington Peninsula Pale
Pouring a cloudy golden yellow with a tightly packed white head, Mornington’s Pale takes its lead from the American style of Pale Ale with prominent citrus and stone-fruit aromas, showcasing the American and Australian hops added late in the brewing process. It’s a good example of the style that’s been gently tweaked since the brewery opened, with the late hopping increased to boost the aromatics and lighter hop flavours, while maintaining bitterness at a level that keeps the beer sessionable.
Style: American Pale Ale
Strength: 4.7%
Mornington Peninsula Brown
Brewed using classic imported English ale malts, the Brown that first hit taps at the brewery is closer to those found in the north of England, full of nutty malt characteristics backed up with some toffee, chocolate and hints of raisin. It’s a rich, full-flavoured beer, pouring a reddish brown that, as brewer AG develops the recipe, will begin to display more of the toffee flavours found in English Browns from the south of the country.
Style: English Brown Ale
Strength: 5.0%
Mornington Peninsula Witbier
Pouring a hazy pale straw colour with a densely packed white head, the Mornington Peninsula Witbier is brewed with both wheat and barley malts, with the traditional additions of coriander and dried citrus peel. It’s a bold interpretation of the style that matches the brewer’s description: “A powerful citrus aroma is supported by spice and pepper notes. Coriander and zesty citrus flavours abound on the palate, with lively carbonation and a lightly tart finish making this a refreshing ale.” A refreshing ale with bigger flavour contrasts than often found in Australian witbiers.
Style: Belgian Witbier
Strength: 4.7%
Mornington Peninsula Porter
When Crafty first visited the brewery, Mornington Peninsula’s brewer AG – ever the optimistic Saints fan – said their first specialty release would be a porter called the Premiership Porter. Things didn’t quite pan out for St Kilda but, he says, “thankfully it’s not taken on any sour characteristics (unlike the brewer)”. Instead, he says it possesses a “rich, smooth mouthfeel” that’s “long in the palate” and has chocolate and coffee notes “from areshole to breakfast”. And there we were thinking it was Pies fans who were uncouth… It was the first beer to appear on tap outside the brewery and is now a permanent fixture on the brewery’s roster. Crafty tasted a later batch mid-conditioning from the tank and it truly is big on the creamy chocolate notes. Surprisingly 6%.
Available: [Mornington Peninsula Brewery](/beer/brewery/mornington-peninsula-brewery/)
Style: Porter
Strength: 6.0%
Specials
Mornington Peninsula White IPA
We’ve had straight IPAs, double IPAs, black IPAs, rye IPAs. Now it’s time for Australia’s first White IPA. The latest cab off the rank at Mornington Peninsula is a hybrid between a Belgian Wit and an American IPA that brewer AG first read about in an American brewing magazine. Apparently it was first brewed as a collaboration between Deschutes and Boulevard Brewing, who specialise in Belgian beers. He says: “The idea is too have a souped up version of a witbier, citrus hops complementing coriander and spice, with the beer presenting as a witbier colour wise.” The result is aromas “of coriander and citrus hops leading into a crisp, rather dry palate and an ever-present bitterness supporting tart grapefruit and spicy notes.” After the success of the equally unlikely Bridge Road / Nøgne Ø India Saison hybrid, we can’t wait to have a taste.
Available:
Mornington Peninsula Brewery
The Local Taphouse Darlo
The Local Taphouse St Kilda
Royston
Oscar’s Alehouse
Beer DeLuxe
Mrs Parma’s
Style: White IPA
Strength: 6.3%
Mornington Peninsula Aussie Ale
Over the past 12 months, the chaps at Mornington Peninsula Brewery have proven themselves as adept at brewing quality limited release beers as conjuring interesting images to go with them. None, however, has been quite as interesting as that drawn up for this, their Aussie Ale, a beer made with all Australian ingredients that’s been tapped at the brewery bar just in time for Christmas. Deep golden in color, brewer AG (when not dipping his toes in Port Phillip Bay) told us that “the Australian yeast-strain offers a cloudy backdrop. Yeasty esters and fruity hop aromas lead into a crisp palate of mild hop bitterness and soft bready yeast. Moderate carbonation with a medium to light body.” He also added: “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie…” You know the rest.
Available:
Style: Australian Ale
Strength: 5.1%
Mornington Peninsula Oatmeal Stout
Not too long ago, it seemed you couldn’t go a week without Mornington Peninsula sending another quality treat our way: IPA, Double IPA, Falconer’s Amber and so on. Having given us just about enough time to catch our breath, they’re back with an Oatmeal Stout. Resisting the temptation to go BIIIIG as many Aussie micros have done this winter, the aim instead has been to create a smooth, luscious beer. The man behind it tells us it’s “deep, dark brown in colour, pouring with a tan head”, has “lightly sweet aromas of banana esters from the yeast, cocoa beans and a rich, smooth palate”. The 20% oatmeal beefs up the mouthfeel, while he says to expect “full-bodied, malty, sweet notes, some vanilla through the palate, all finishing with a mild roasty flavour”. Sounds delectable.
Available:
Mornington Peninsula Brewery
Royston
Biero
Style: Oatmeal Stout
Strength: 5.9%
Mornington Peninsula Falconer's Amber
We await being shot down by a disgruntled brewer somewhere telling us we’re wrong, but we believe this is a hoppy first for a commercial brew in Australia. Mornington Peninsula’s latest beer takes its name from the Falconer’s Flight hop pellet developed in tribute to US brewing legend Glen Falconer, a man who plied his trade at Rogue and Wild Duck in his time, winning back to back golds at the Great American Beer Festival in 2002 and 2003. Released in December 2010, it’s actually a blend of several US hops – including Citra, Simcoe, Sorachi Ace and several other experimental varieties – designed to create the characteristics of a typical Northwest US IPA, the beer that inspired many of the Aussie IPAs you know and love. Here, however, brewer AG has created an American amber ale, which he says has “a pillowy off white head, aromas of jam preserve and tropical fruits, a malty palate, moderate carbonation and notes of biscuit and burnt toffee” with “a final citrus flourish”.
Available:
Mornington Peninsula Brewery
The Local Taphouse St Kilda
Biero
Blackhearts & Sparrows – growler
Style: American Amber
Strength: 4.8%
Mornington Peninsula Imperial IPA
Given the reception the brewery’s recent IPA got, there’s going to plenty of people awaiting the arrival of its big brother. The latest specialty beer from Mornington Peninsula is an Imperial IPA, tipping the scales at a hold-onto-your-hats-folks 8.5% ABV. Brewer AG says it’s “burnt orange in colour” and “delivers ripe stonefruit and rock candy aromas through the lavish additions of American aroma hops”. As for the palate, he says the hops are in charge there too – “citrus, earthy and floral” – with the malts there in support. He says it’s “rich and resinous” with a powerful bitterness that you’d expect from a beer clocking in at 120IBUs (International Bittering Units). In brief, he describes it as “an IPA on steroids”.
Available:
Mornington Peninsula Brewery
Josie Bones
The Local Taphouse St Kilda
Mrs Parma’s
The Local Taphouse Darlo
Biero
Courthouse Hotel
Oscar’s Alehouse
Cookie
Style: Imperial IPA
Strength: 8.5%
Bitterness: 120IBU
Mornington Peninsula Saison
The latest specialty release from Mornington Peninsula will be hoping to catch the last of the summer as it’s their take on the Saison style brewed in Belgium for the benefit of thirsty harvest workers. We’ve yet to get Crafty’s smackers around it, but if the quality of its predecessor, the wonderfully full-flavoured IPA is anything to go by, we won’t be wasting any time in doing so. According to brewer AG, the beer “pours a hazy orange colour with an off white head” with “tart and fruity esters on the nose, giving way to a funky, citrusy palate” while “peppery notes round out this dryish, uniquely refreshing ale”. Sounds like a bang on take on what’s becoming an increasingly popular style Down Under. Can’t wait to find out.
Available:
Mornington Peninsula Brewery
The Local Taphouse St Kilda
Local Taphouse Darlinghurst
Josie Bones
The Terminus
Biero
Style: Saison
Strength: 6%
Mornington Peninsula Sorachi Kolsch
One of the first beers commercially brewed in Australia to feature the Sorachi Ace hop developed by Japanese brewery Sapporo, this is also the latest special from the fledgling Mornington Peninsula Brewery. This Kolsch style beer is described by brewer AG as “a clean, crisp, delicately balanced beer” it has a compact snow white head and displays “subtle aromas of grass and lemon”. It’s got a light, smooth mouthfeel and has a lemongrass tang on the palate from the Sorachi Ace. AG says it’s “subtle, summery and refreshing”; you may also have read about it here. Find it on the lineup for the next Ale Stars session at The Local Taphouse in St Kilda too.
Available:
Mornington Peninsula Brewery
The Local Taphouse St Kilda
Royston
Style: Kolsch
Strength: 5.2%
Mornington Peninsula IPA
The third limited release from the fledgling brewery is their biggest yet. An IPA that, like their Pale Ale, takes its lead from those coming out of the US, brewer AG says it’s “light orange-tinted amber in colour” and features the stone fruit aromas – peach and apricots – you’d expect from a beer given generous late kettle additions of Citra, Simcoe and Centennial hops. “An initially sweet malty palate opens up to a fruity mid-palate flavour and an evermore prominent bitterness,” he says.
Available:
Mornington Peninsula Brewery
The Local Taphouse St Kilda
Style: American IPA
Strength: 6.2%
Mornington Peninsula Hefeweizen
The second special to appear from the tanks at the fledgling Mornington Peninsula Brewery is a hefeweizen, which is being tapped for the very first time at pretty much the exact second this description appears on Crafty. Which means we haven’t tasted it yet. However, brewer AG says it’s got all elements you could wish for in a hefe: banana, cloves – even a hint of cinnamon. He says it’s got a tart finish, making it very refreshing. However, he also claims it’s based on an old family recipe passed down through the generations from his Germanic ancestors, with this version the first to be brewed outside of Bavaria. Whether this is actually true or not, you’ll have to ask him when you head to the brewery to try it.
Available:
Style: Hefeweizen
Strength: 5.0%
