John Nguyen has only been a brewer for a couple of years, but anyone who follows Slipstream Brewing already knows him as “the green beer guy.”
He’s the one behind recent Slipstream release Pandan-Monium – a Pandan Coconut Ice Cream Sour – and the brewery gave him full credit on social media including a photo of him holding the green-milkshake-looking beer.
“The day it came out, we had people coming in especially for it. Coming into it, I was nervous: ‘Is this going to take off? Is it going to be a flop? I’m not sure.’ But the first three groups that came in got cans of it. They’re getting a whole pint of this pandan beer for themselves!
“And because [Slipstream] put my face next to the beer, I had people coming up to me going, ‘That’s the guy!’ And asking me how I came up with it.”
While pandan is a curiosity – or completely unknown – to many Australians, it’s commonly used in Vietnamese cuisine, and is sometimes called the vanilla of Vietnam.
So, for John, this beer wasn’t a curiosity; it was a taste of nostalgia.
“It’s based off a dessert I used to have all the time as a kid: a pandan jelly with sweet coconut milk… It’s weird to think it’s something I’ve grown up with, and some people haven’t heard or thought of before.”
At 26, John’s the youngest member of Slipstream’s brew team. He sees his age as an asset, and a way to stay in touch with what younger people are drinking.
“People my age are getting into hype beers, limited release stuff: ‘I’ve got to get in there before it's gone!’”
He and fellow brewer Daniel Thomsen – who won Emerging Queensland Brewer at last year’s Royal Queensland Bar Awards, where last week the brewery's saison claimed the top gong – encourage the other brewers to keep trying pastry beers as a way to spark new ideas.
“Every Friday our sales manager brings in a beer, sometimes something weird and wacky – that’s inspiration,” he says. “Sometimes we’re sitting around having a beer and you have an idea and it’s awful – don’t ever think about it again. But sometimes a joke turns into something real.”
As a drinker, John enjoys the novelty of these beers. But as a brewer, he also enjoys the challenge they offer from a technical standpoint. For him, brewing experimental beers with adjuncts – “all the stupid stuff” – is a chance to put the brewing knowledge he’s gained into practice in another context.
“I still feel like I’m quite new to the game… I always feel like I’m out of my depth. But then when I start doing it, I think, ‘No, no – I know what I’m doing.’”
John owes much of his training and knowledge to head brewer Gavin Croft, who invests heavily in his brewers; Gavin’s intra-brewery challenges are even what gave John the chance to make Pandan-Monium. And while John enjoys making one-off pilot brews, he knows that brewing and re-brewing core range beers on the main brewhouse is where he sees most of his growth as a brewer.
"We’re always making these fine-tunes in every beer we make, and when you see results – wow.
“That’s one of my favourite things about this job. The smallest changes can make the biggest impact.”
With wisdom beyond his years, John is more than just "the green beer guy”. John Nguyen Slays Beer.
John Nguyen
What’s your role in beer?
I’m a brewer at Slipstream Brewing Co.
What first got you into craft beer?
Like many others, my first craft beer was Stone & Wood Pacific Ale. I remember being amazed by the amount of flavour and aroma it had compared to the macro lagers I had previously been drinking, while looking around at my mates who I could tell were all thinking the same thing.
All of a sudden we were visiting different breweries and trying every craft beer we could get our hands on, and even attempting a couple of dodgy homebrews ourselves. (They were bad.)
What do you most enjoy about the beer world?
One would have to be the community. Being such a niche profession, it’s easy to meet and connect with other brewers not only in Queensland but also interstate and even internationally. As well as being friendly and welcoming, everyone I’ve met has been incredibly knowledgeable and keen to answer any questions I have.
It’s difficult to single out one thing I enjoy most, so I must mention my love for the creative side of the craft. At Slipstream we love traditional styles and doing them justice, but we aren’t afraid to push boundaries and challenge ourselves to pull off brews that are technically very difficult to execute. Trying to figure out these new processes tickles the creative part my brain that demands attention.
Much has been said about craft beer’s core audience getting older – are your mates drinking craft beer?
My mates have been on the craft beer train for as long as I have. Over the years our group has moved interstate in pursuit of career progression or personal development. However, I’m constantly getting messages about beers they’ve tried where they’ve moved, and even on any overseas travels.
This common interest has been the catalyst for reunions and even just checking in on each other – I couldn’t be more grateful to beer for that.
What do they think of your career in beer?
They all love it! Especially when my fridge is full. Whenever I bring people through the brewery for the first time, they always leave smiling and with so many questions.
What’s your favourite way to engage with breweries / discover what’s happening in beer?
The easiest way is definitely social media for me. Following different breweries and pages such as The Crafty Pint and HPA keeps me up to date with events, beers, and products.
However, my absolute favourite way is to visit as many as I can when I’m travelling. Sitting in the taproom and tasting beer as fresh as possible is the perfect way to appreciate the work of our peers.
How do you think the beer industry could appeal to a broader, or younger, audience?
Young people are more health conscious than ever which has them leaning towards low carb, low alc and no alc options. Moreover, seltzers have also proven to be popular as a sweeter, less beery alternative.
Live music is also something people of all ages love and go out of their way to see. Having more craft beer at more live music venues can give consumers access to beers they may not previously have known about, and can create a positive relationship with the brand if it’s linked to someone’s favourite venue or band!
When I was first getting into craft beers, I’d be walking through the bottleshop and just picking the coolest labels. Whatever would catch my eye. You don’t see too much of that these days.
Who is doing it well?
Breweries in the US seem to be setting the standard and trends for craft beer at the moment. Ones that come to mind are North Park, Tired Hands and Jester King. I was fortunate enough to try a few beers from the latter two during Pint of Origin last year at Carwyn Cellars – another establishment I believe is doing amazing things for the industry.
I’ve been heavily inspired by One Drop, who keep pushing boundaries with their experimental beers whilst putting out incredible conventional ones. Within Brisbane, Range and Working Title are two breweries I love going to for inspiration, and the fact that they’re so close to each other makes for a fun and dangerous day.
What do you think the craft beer industry could do better or differently?
I think more young people aren’t joining this industry because they simply aren’t aware it is an option. I certainly didn’t until I stumbled upon the TAFE course after wondering for years what life held for me.
If we show brewing to be the viable career it is and implement high level training and education options, we can inspire the next generation to nurture our craft as we do.
You can read other entries in the Slays Beer series here.
Know a Gen Z-er in the beer industry you'd like to nominate for the series? Drop us a line!
Mick Wüst is the author of the book Beer Drinker's Toolkit, a fun and approachable guide to beer. He's also a freelance copywriter for the beer industry. You can find him on Instagram as Schoonerversity.
The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer:
I'm sure I'd had good beers before this, but the first barrel-aged imperial stout I ever tried made me feel like Popeye with spinach.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
- Balter XPA
- Wayward Raspberry Berliner Weisse
- Boatrocker Ramjet
The last beer you enjoyed:
A IIPA from Woopi Brewing that tasted like fruit salad and resin.
Three things that represent you:
- Book - World War Z (seriously, give it a go - it's better than it sounds)
- Travel - Greece
- Food - all the bread and hot chips
