Brew For Dipper & Land A Head Brewer Role

November 11, 2019, by Philip Goslin

Brew For Dipper & Land A Head Brewer Role

A local brewer or homebrewer could land a plum role at a new brewpub in Victoria after starring on a television show with AFL legend Robert "Dipper" DiPierdomenico. And that could be you.

The second series of Dipper's Backyard BBQ Wars will see six brewers attempt to come up with the perfect beer and BBQ match on the show each week. The brewer that fares best could end up as head brewer at Kings Brewery, Sunbury. The brewpub is forecast to open in late 2020 with the head brewer in line for an annual salary of $100,000.

The novel approach to hiring was cooked up in a café in Little Collins Street by the team behind the show and Norm Coyle, whose CoBrand Group is managing the major new development in Sunbury.

"The whole ethos is to match beers with BBQ, which hasn't been done on Australian TV before," says the show's producer Jason Kennedy.

He says they were inspired by the trend of local breweries inviting BBQ trucks along to cook low & slow food at their venues, where Jason says people are "matching beautiful food with handcrafted beers."

To date, four of the six brewing contestants have been locked in but they're still seeking two more to appear on Dipper's Backyard BBQ Wars, which will be filmed over a two-week period in February 2020 before being screened on 7mate in October and November.

It is expected applicants will be commercial brewers who have ambitions of landing a head brewer role at a startup brewery where they can have a major influence on product development, or experienced homebrewers keen to move into the world of pro brewing.

"It could be a 2IC who wants to step up into a head brewer role," says Norm, describing the opportunity as a potential "Rocky Balboa moment" for contestants who will enjoy national coverage through the show.

 

Dipper shooting the first series of his Backyard BBQ Wars show.

 

The chosen brewers will join six of the country’s best BBQ chefs and be set the task of matching different BBQ dishes with their beers over eight episodes. Dipper, who played 240 AFL games for Hawthorn, winning five premierships as well as the 1986 Brownlow Medal, will decide on the best match each week.

As for the prize on offer for the brewers, the Kings brewpub will be part of a large, mixed-use commercial development: a two-level venue covering a total of 1,120 square metres, with the first floor featuring an extensive atrium-style outdoor area and an overall capacity that can seat up to 300 people.

Current plans include a 7bbl brewhouse with a row of nine fermentation and bright tanks as a backdrop to the main bar area. The Kings team also plan to install a 200 litre still for gin and vodka production.

So, if you fancy becoming head brewer there – as well as the opportunity to showcase your brewing skills on national television – now's the time to make your pitch.


Any commercial brewers or experienced homebrewers interested in applying to fill one of the two remaining positions on the show can send applications to jason@mcwproductions.com.au by November 25, 2019.

For more on the show, head here. Photo at top shows Dipper (right) with Merv Hughes on series one of the show.

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