We're deep into what lovers of the biggest, blackest beers on the planet like to call Imperial Stout Season. So what better time to pay homage to one of Australia's first – and very best?
Here, we invite Karen and Dave Golding, founders of Red Hill Brewery on the Mornington Peninsula Brewery, to share The Story Of... their Imperial Stout as the 2024 vintage makes its way into drinkers' glasses.
As one of Victoria’s first new breweries of the modern era, there weren’t too many local places in which Red Hill Brewery's founders could look when it came to seeking inspiration for their beers.
So, like many early brewers, before they turned their backs on the corporate world and turned their dream into reality on farmland on the Mornington Peninsula, Dave and Karen Golding headed overseas to get a better understanding of how to build a brewery.
They took a study trip across The Ditch to witness firsthand what they might be getting themselves into, as well as exploring what business model might work best.
"I'd sort of made three homebrews at that point," Dave says, "so we planned on doing a ten-day tour of New Zealand to visit 20 breweries.
“One of the first places we went to was a place called Galbraith's in Auckland.”
It was there they met Ben Middlemiss, who had already established quite the profile as a brewer in New Zealand's fledgling craft beer industry; his beers had even been included in a book by the legendary beer writer Michael Jackson.
When they called in, Galbraith's happened to be hosting a party for a departing staff member. The Goldings joined in and, at one point, tried a bold stout from Ben's side project, Australis Brewing.
“I remember the guy sitting next to me went, 'You’re very lucky, that’s an amazing beer and there aren’t many left.',” Dave says.
At that stage, he and Karen had already spent time soaking up beer culture across Europe. They'd particularly enjoyed the beers of Germany but, straight away, Ben's beers made a lasting impact.
“It really was at the point in our lives where we went, 'Those are the best beers we’ve ever tried.',” Dave recalls.
As they returned home to bring Red Hill into existence, Ben became something of a mentor, alongside fellow brewer Andrew Larson, who helped Dave install the brewery that had landed in a box in their driveway.
Dave recalls: “At one point, the chicken farmer next door was cutting bits out of our shed – that we’d just built – to fit the brewery in.”
Ahead of their first brew, the Goldings invited Ben over to make beer with them; even when he wasn't there in person, he'd be on the other end of the phone whenever Dave wanted to troubleshoot issues, design a new recipe, or adjust an existing one.
“There were always conversations with Ben over text or the phone to work out all of that different stuff," Dave says.
Naturally, it wasn't long before Dave tried his hand at an imperial stout inspired by the one they'd sampled at Galbraith's. And the recipe hasn't changed since.
Not only was such a beer a rarity in 2005, the concept of limited releases was barely part of the Australian beer industry's lexicon.
“It wasn’t something everyone was doing in those days," he says. "You look at those early days and many breweries were just doing their core range."
But they approached that brew day with little in the way of trepidation, despite knowing it was comfortably the most expensive beer they'd made at that point – a fact that remains true to this day.
“We use as much grain as we can fit into the mash tun so it’s lapping over the edge when we mash in," Dave says.
“It’s brutally hard to make, expensive to make, but it’s always sold out – that's just not something we have to worry about.”
Dave says it remains an enduringly popular beer, and has wondered what would happen to him if he suddenly decided to stop making it. These days, customers often wax lyrical about past vintages; many still have releases going back to the early years.
“You have people come in who straight away start saying, ‘I have 2011’ and then someone else will say, ‘I have 2013 still’.”
In part, Dave believe the beer's endurance is driven by Peninsula locals and winter's bracing bite by the coast.
“It’s a beer that’s always been really loved by locals," he says. "It’s pretty cold, evil and wet down here this time of year, and it always puts smiles on people’s faces.”
So, with the 2024 vintage released this month, here's The Story Of: Red Hill Imperial Stout...
How early in the existence of Red Hill Brewery did you introduce the Imperial Stout?
The first version was in 2005 – 19 years ago. I still have a few bottles and it continues to age well for over a decade.
What was the inspiration for the beer?
Australis Romanov Baltic Stout by Ben Middlemiss. At the time, this brewery was in a beautiful old pub, Galbraith's in Auckland, with many beers on handpump, and to this day the best lineup of amazing beers on tap in the one place.
Any night spent there was a long one, with most of the industry always at the bar for the amazing beers brewed on site, including the best stout Kaz or I have ever tasted. All the beers brewed at this brewery were celebrated in the Michael Jackson book of the best beers in the world.
Ben ended up being our mentor and great friend and helped us create our own version of this beer.
Were there many other imperial stouts being produced by Aussie brewers at the time?
Not that I know of. [Mountain] Goat had an annual winter stout, but no one was doing imperials, or even short run seasonals.
How did you go about creating the recipe for yours?
In the early days Ben helped with everything from brewing technique to recipe development, and inspiration for beautiful drinkable beers. We owe a lot to his genius.
What was the reaction to such a beer when it first appeared, given how young the craft beer scene was here?
It blew people away. A Red Hill winter can be tough – an 8 percent stout certainly helps.
There were not even beers being brewed at that alcohol level in Australia.
Has the recipe changed much over the years?
It hasn't changed since the first production.
Do you have any particularly fond memories of the beer or its variants?
We created Pancho Mole Imperial Stout from this beer by adding three Mexican chillies, cocoa nibs and cinnamon – and we also blended our mead to create a braggot.
Why do you think it's proved to have such longevity?
We have fans that wait and come as soon as it's released. I may be in danger if I didn’t make it. So it's self-preservation.
Where does it rank in your all-time list of favourite Red Hill beers?
It's number one!
And what's the perfect food pairing for the Imperial Stout?
Dave: Clothbound cheddar and another pint.
Karen: At a dinner at Circa at The Prince of Wales with our beers matched to all courses by Matt Wilkinson.
The one that sticks in my mind was a treacle tart; it was absolutely heaven, and a surprising departure from the normal cheese and chocolate matches – sorry, Dave!
If you'd like to try the latest Red Hill Imperial Stout and a previous vintage then head to the brewery on the weekend of August 10 and 11. They'll be tapping both as part of Secret Stash, alongside Pancho, their Christmas Ale, Temptation and Mulled Mead.
You can read other articles in The Story Of... series here. If like to see one of your favourite Aussie beers featured on the site, drop us a line.
Will Ziebell is a history graduate who knows more about The Wire than he does about beer. He was awarded the AIBA Best Media trophy for 2018; HBO have told him to please send his fan mail elsewhere. He can be found on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer:
Spending time living in the UK (and backpacking across Europe) when I was 21 certainly gave me a better understanding of the beer and different styles of the world. But I'd say it was a holiday to the High Country a little while later when lunch and a tasting paddle at Bridge Road Brewers created an obsession with Australian breweries and locally made beer.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
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Boatrocker's Miss Pinky: It's a raspberry-packed Berliner Weisse that neither looks or tastes the way many people conceive of beer.
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Bad Shepherd Hazelnut Brown: A luscious mix of chocolate and hazelnut that can appeal to the sweet tooth within us all.
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Stone & Wood Pacific Ale: As the father of my oldest friend once said to me: "It's the perfect refreshing pint that smells like they've loaded it with the God's herb."
The last beer you enjoyed:
Garage Project's DFA while sitting at the bar at Miss Moses as the sounds of The Rolling Stone drifting in the background.
Three things that represent you:
- Bruce Springsteen
- Ken Burns
- The State Library of Victoria
