The craft beer world is full of great beer, great people and great intentions. And all of those things can be found in a new venture launched today by Hop Products Australia (HPA) in conjunction with the men’s health charity beyondblue. The Tasmanian-based hop grower has announced that it is auctioning off the first 100kg bale of this year’s Galaxy crop, with all proceeds going to the charity’s Man Therapy project, which was launched in recognition of the significant mental health challenges men face, particularly in rural Australia.
The “Premiere Crop of the Hops” auction runs from March 5 to 13 and it is hoped it will attract bids not just from Australia but overseas too, with Galaxy having led the charge of Aussie hops into the hearts and glasses of brewers the world over.
Tim Lord, managing director of HPA (pictured above checking out a previous crop at Bushy Park), says: âThe reality of the brewing industry is that it’s a male dominated industry. We chose to support a charity that best connects with the people who work alongside us each day."
He added: âIn the past 10 years, HPA has transitioned from competing internationally at the mercy of a commodity based industry to thriving with a differentiated product offering in flavour and aroma hops. Harvest celebrates flavour and variety offered by our proprietary hops which is the key driver of successful beers in the booming craft beer industry.â
Brewers can register their interest here and bid live during an online auction hosted on allbids.com.au from March 5 at 12pm AEST. To ensure the auction appeals to large and small brewing operations, the bale will be auctioned off in 10kg packs and pelletised if required.
“The 2014 Premiere Crop of the Hops charity auction will follow the journey of the bale from paddock to pint,” says Tim, whose business last year conducted the largest replant in its history: propagating some 200,000 plants. “It’s a win-win for brewers. They get to explore an exciting brewing opportunity while helping combat an issue often forgotten – depression – especially amongst men.”
beyondblue CEO Kate Carnell AO says: âResearch shows many men think that admitting they are struggling with mental health issues is weak. This is why 70 per cent of Aussie men who have symptoms of depression or anxiety don’t get the help they need.
âMan Therapy is aimed at bringing Australian men up to speed about depression and anxiety using humour. The website is hosted by a fictitious character called Dr Brian Ironwood, a straight-talking, irreverent man’s man who urges men to take charge of their mental health and get their life back on track.
âbeyondblue hopes Man Therapy will not only improve understanding of depression and anxiety, but reduce embarrassment and shame, which can often stop men talking about how they’re feeling and stop them from taking action.â
The journey of the first bale will be documented through HPA’s social feeds (Facebook, Twitter and the company’s website), using photos and blog posts along the way to track the bale to the winning bidder. After it’s been awarded, the intention is to interview the brewer about what they plan to create.
Whoever wins and whatever beer the hops end up inside, we’ll let you know.
How the Auction Works
- HPA is auctioning the first Galaxy® bale of the 2014 crop in lots of 10kg with no reserve price.
- At auction close, the highest bidder of a 10kg lot will be offered the opportunity to purchase the entire bale (100kgs) at the winning bid per 10kg pack.
- The unsold packs will then be offered to the second highest bidder at their nominated price, and so on until all 100kgs have been allocated. HPA will cover the transportation costs within Australia and to any of their overseas customers.
- Winners will be notified via the ALLBIDS auction page and direct correspondence through HPA.
- If you require pellets, they will be provided to you in up to 10 x 10kg lots, depending on your share of the bale. HPA will honour the weight of the lots purchased regardless of shrinkage during the pelletisation process.
So, what are you waiting for, brewers – get ready to get bidding!
