General News
31 August, 2023
Big win for brewer
MIDDLE Island Brewing Company, directed by Camperdown resident Briony Howells, won big at the Independent Brewers Awards on the Gold Coast recently.
MIDDLE Island Brewing Company, directed by Camperdown resident Briony Howells, won big at the Independent Brewers Awards on the Gold Coast recently.
The company, which started in June 2021, was one of 190 independent Australian breweries that entered.
Middle Island Brewing’s three award-winning beers were among over 1348 beers that were entered into the awards by independent brewers.
Southern Ocean Ale, their pale ale produced in August 2021, won a bronze medal.
Wheat beer Howling Hefe, produced in November 2021, was awarded silver.
Gold went to the Get Shuck’d Oyster Stout, which was produced in February last year.
Ms Howells said her company were the ones to put their beers up for the award.
“We actually entered the beers; because it’s independent awards, you have to enter,” she said.
“You have to pick the category of beer you want to go in and enter and send up samples for the tastings.
“Even the international beer awards are the same. You pay for your beer to enter.”
Previously, Get Shuck’d won a bronze in the Melbourne International Beer Awards (MIBA) in May, with Southern Ocean winning a silver at last year’s competition.
The Guardian, the company’s mid-strength beer, won a bronze.
Ms Howell said it was “amazing” to get any award.
“It’s great to be recognised as a small brewery; we’re actually a gypsy brewing company,” she said.
“We brew our beer at Bells Beach, which is a brewery in Torquay.
“Next step is, later in the year, we’re going to start doing a bit of a collab with Timboon Brewery; we’re going to start brewing a bit of beer there, which will help us a bit with timing.
“It’s always good to get voted well by your peers, and we’re only small so it’s a good start for us.”
Ms Howells described the moment she found out Middle Island Brewing won.
“It was Wednesday night; I went online around 11o’clock,” she said.
“Everyone else had gone to bed, but I had gone onto the website through the Indies (Independent Brewers Awards) and scrolled down to the Gold section.
“I went through all the categories. I yelled out ‘oh my goodness, we’ve got a gold medal’.
“It was pretty amazing. I texted everyone in our little chat; there’s three partners in the business.”
Middle Island Brewing is currently developing a cider, which Ms Howells said she hopes will be released for the summer season.
“It’s another good step to be recognised; it gives us a bit of confidence to go ahead and develop a few more beers and a cider,” she said.
The beers are available for purchase in Camperdown at Lake Edge Cafe, The Snout, Wellnest and Camperdown IGA.