In beer, there can be a tendency to try and separate the traditional from the modern.
On the one hand, you have beers such as New England IPAs and Galaxy-laced XPAs; on the other, you have classic styles such as hefeweizen or cask ales hopped with Fuggles.
But if such boundaries exist, they don't seem to faze Ted Carey, who took up the mantle of head brewer at Brookvale-based Bucketty's in June.
Ted made his move to the Sydney operation after spending close to a decade working at Dorking Brewery, located in the southern English county of Surrey. In that role, much of his focus was on making traditional cask ales, although even at Dorking he was pushing to promote the kind of hoppy beers that first drew him into brewing when he was travelling throughout America.
“As cliché as it is, my favourite beers are hop-forward pale ales,” Ted told The Crafty Pint. “So, when I got involved with Bucketty’s, I was really excited they were already doing them and I wouldn’t have to fight tooth and nail to make them.”
Having said that, Bucketty's are no strangers when it comes to making English styles and doing them well: the brewery secured a silver medal in the English Mild or Bitter category at the World Beer Cup in America last year. That medal at the world's toughest beer comp made it back-to-back successs for Bucketty's under then-head brewer Tony D'Astolfo after their Pale Ale No.2 picked up bronze in 2022.
The weight of such success isn't lost on Ted; as well as hoping the brewery will continue to shine brightly at awards in the future, he hopes to further commit the brewery to the tastes of Old Blighty too.
“English-style beers are my forte, so I hope to continue that success and get more awards and medals,” he says. “Plus, I have plans to bring some proper cask beers to Bucketty’s, which you don’t get much of around here.”
When Ted first joined Dorking Brewery as a barrel-washer and delivery driver, the brewery was undergoing changes.
“It had been on the traditional side, but it was taken over by a new owner around the time I got the job,” he recalls. “So it was a bit more of a blank canvas, and we walked the line between traditional cask production and more modern styles.
“We brought out our first American pale ale in cask and started to create lagers, which aren’t as much of a thing in rural Surrey’s beer scene. But I did have to push a lot to make Five Claw; a West Coast IPA that's 5.1 percent and a cask version of the style.”
Ted and Australian-born partner Grace made the move to Australia fuelled by a growing desire for a change in scenery that burnt brightly during the pandemic.
“During COVID, it was always our dream to change locations and try something new,” Ted says. “I’d lived in the same town for my whole life and worked at the same place for about eight years.
“So, once the world reopened, we put our plans in place. Grace’s family are originally from Melbourne, so we wanted to experience something new together and picked Sydney.”
Like many Sydneysiders with a fondness for craft beer, Ted quickly made his way to the city's inner west.
“I went around Marrickville to hand out CVs, and I got a lot of the same feedback,” he says. “They liked the CV, but it was a tough time in the industry, and nobody was hiring for a position that wasn’t entry-level.”
Not to be deterred, Ted asked a friend if there were any other areas awash with breweries and, of course, the Northern Beaches was the answer. Ahead of making his way there, Ted spotted an ad for the head brewer role at Bucketty's on The Crafty Pint (this isn't a gratuitous plug – Ted swears this is true); on meeting co-founder Nick McDonald and the crew, he found himself with a new job in his new home.
While he's experienced concentrated beer corridors before, such as London's famed Bermondsey Beer Mile, he's been blown away by the experience of brewing in Brookvale, not least in the way the brewers work together, such as for Brooktoberfest, which took place at the weekend.
“Something I hadn't experienced at home was how there's a WhatsApp group between the brewers here where we chat and help each other out,” he says, adding impressed he is by the different approach each brewery there takes to beer.
“7th Day is such a top-quality brewer and are really focused on their German beers,” Ted says. “[Owner Mike Beresford Jones] is going really hard on them. Then Freshwater has Czech beer taps, and they're really fixated on those styles of lagers.
“It's why it's such an amazing place to visit. There's something for everyone.”
Beyond the camaraderie, Ted has loved being able to work with hops from Australia and New Zealand, which can be harder and more expensive to secure in the UK.
“You can always get American hops, but the Nectaron availability, or something like Vic Secret are so readily available,” he says. “They’d been so hard for me to get.
“In the UK, Nelson Sauvin is really hard to get hold of, and if you do get it you’re definitely going to pay.”
That said, as Ted's answers in the Brew & A below reveal, maybe there could be too much of a good thing when it comes to brewing...
Ted Carey
Why are you a brewer?
I took a three-month road trip across the USA with my brother in 2015. We found a new brewery or taproom in each city, and I just loved the creativity that it took to make different beer styles. I was determined to be part of the scene from then on.
What would you be if you weren’t a brewer?
I like to think I'm quite creative, so I could see myself as a chef or even an electrician. Seeing a project go from an idea to a finished product gives me a lot of satisfaction.
What was your epiphany beer?
The original Gamma Ray from Beavertown Brewery in North London.
How did you first get involved in the beer world?
I applied to help out a few days a week at my local brewery, Dorking Brewery, in the UK. I was washing casks, delivering to pubs, and helping with general cleaning around the brewery.
After five years, I ended up becoming the head brewer there.
What's the best beer you’ve ever brewed?
The first one is Black Noise porter, which was a really complex and robust brew compared to the styles we were known for.
However, I just made a red IPA here at Bucketty's that I’m really proud to put our name on.
What's your single favourite ingredient to use in beer?
I’ve always been a huge fan of Citra hops; they’re so versatile and balanced which usually results in a great beer wherever they’re used.
I also have a fondness for the Verdant IPA yeast from Lallemand.
Are there any beers you’ve brewed that might have been better left on the drawing board?
One hundred percent!
When I first got to Australia, I dived into using some Galaxy hops that aren’t as readily available back in the UK. I went pretty aggressive with them, which resulted in a beer where the less said about it, the better.
If you could do a guest stint at any brewery in the world, which would it be and why?
I would absolutely love to do a stint at a truly traditional brewery such as Gaffel in Koln or De Halve Maan brewery in Bruges. These breweries are steeped in history and tradition and have been making the highest quality beers for years.
Which local breweries inspire you?
Mountain Culture and Wildflower are two breweries I think are making top-quality beers. Mountain Culture shares my love for pure hazy goodness and Wildflower are the local mad scientists in brewing, and I'm always keen to see what they have on their taps.
What inspires you outside the world of brewing beer?
I’m inspired by people who create something from nothing. Business owners with a dream and the drive to make it into something you can see and touch; I think that is why brewing is such a pull: every single brewery at one point was someone's dream to make something great for people to come together and enjoy.
What's your desert island beer – the one to keep you going if you were stranded for the rest of your days?
There's an IPA called Heady Topper by The Alchemist in Vermont, USA, that I had as part of my trip in 2015, which still remains as one of the best beers I have ever had. A cold case of them on an island sounds pretty good to me.
And what would be the soundtrack to those days?
I would have to go for the album Exodus by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Perfect for the island setting.
If you couldn’t have beer, what would be your tipple of choice?
A dark rum cocktail such as a dark and stormy. A rum sour also always goes down well for me.
What's the one thing you wish you’d known before becoming a brewer?
Things go wrong. It's completely normal and, with a calm head and a good attitude, most issues can be dealt with. Don’t get too stressed every time something doesn't go to plan.
Also, ask for help. Some of the most important lessons I've learned in brewing have come from asking for help from other brewers and breweries.
And the one piece of advice you’d give to anyone considering a career in craft beer?
It's not easy. There's a lot of hard work involved in making great beer. Be prepared for some long days, early starts, heavy lifting and a lot… a lot of cleaning.
However, I can testify that it is worth it. Working in the brewing industry is fulfilling, challenging and extremely enjoyable.
You can find other entries in our Brew & A series here.
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?
-
Boatrocker's Miss Pinky: It's a raspberry-packed Berliner Weisse that neither looks or tastes the way many people conceive of beer.
-
Bad Shepherd Hazelnut Brown: A luscious mix of chocolate and hazelnut that can appeal to the sweet tooth within us all.
-
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
