Murray's Dark Beer Month

The Bicep is set to return! Despite Murray’s head brewer’s Shawn Sherlock’s insistence that last year’s release of the beer we initially created with the Port Stephens Brewery for a Media Brew competition at Beervana 2012 was never to be repeated, it will come back as part of Dark Beer Month. With last year’s batch of the Auld Bulgin' Boysterous Bicep, a 10 percent Smoked Belgio Imperial Mussel and Oyster Stout being so warmly received and selling out in just four days we had been nudging at Sean for a repeat. And the lure of seeing what would happen when more than 1,000 oysters and mussels were put into his new hop back – part of Murray’s sparkling new brewery – helped get us over the line.

The beer will be one of four big and really big dark beers released from June through to the month of July, which has traditionally become the brewery’s Dark Beer Month*, with three imperial stouts, including the highly rated Wild Thing, normally on the release schedule. This time around, it is a little different, with the Wild Thing and Bicep joined by the annual release of Murray’s smooth black IPA, Shawn’s Fault, and the first bottled release of Hell of the North, a strong, dark Belgian ale first released in draught form last winter that the brewer rated among the best three beers he has ever released.

“Dark Beer Month will be even bigger than last year,” says Shawn. “It begins on the June long weekend, with the release of this year’s Wild Thing in the bottle and the much anticipated return of my namesake beer, Shawn’s Fault Black IPA.

“We follow up with the early July release of our collaboration beer with Crafty Pint, Auld Bulgin’ Boysterous Bicep Imperial Stout in the bottle. This Smoked Belgio Imperial Mussel and Oyster Stout sold out in four days last year, so we’ve decided to brew a bit more this time so more people have the chance to experience the smoky deliciousness of this unique beer.”

The Bicep was conceived to reflect the origins of the parties involved (one Scottish, one Kiwi and one Novocastrian). Planning is underway for a new beer for this year’s Beervana Media Brew competition that will also reflect all three regions, this time most likely taking a Belgian beer style as a starting point.

“The original pilot batch of the beer won its class at New Zealand’s Beervana Festival with a perfect 45/45 score – much to all our surprise!“ says Shawn. "The judges obviously knew a great Smoked Belgio Imperial Mussel and Oyster Stout when they tasted one!”

As for the Hell of the North, he says: “While we’ve released a lot of Belgian inspired beers over the years, we’d never before released this style. We trialled a small batch on draught last year but now we’re very excited at the brewery that more people can experience this special beer.”

Murray’s Dark Beer Month will also see a number of dark beer-inspired dishes on offer at its restaurant and special events at leading craft beer venues across Australia. Wild Thing in the bottle and Shawn’s Fault on draught will be released on June 7 at Murray’s Brewery, then at leading craft beer outlets from June 10. The Auld Bulgin’ Boysterous Bicep in the bottle follows on July 5 with Hell of the North Strong coming two weeks later. Details on launch events will follow.

Now to book our flight to Newcastle and prepare the palate for a post-hop back treat of rich, roasty, smoky hoppy mussels and oysters…

*No one said beer people could count. Just as Good Beer Week ran for nine and a bit days, so does Murray’s Dark Beer Month cover six weeks…