Before Christmas I visited Colonial Brewing to interview Justin Fox, head brewer, Richard Moroney, brewery manager, and Paul Wyman, assistant brewer for an article that has recently appeared in Crafty Pint.
Our conversation was both informative and very funny, covering the usual beery topics and alstrange brew house games and other things I won’t mention here in case there are delicate eyes reading this!
I closed the interview with 5 quick (at times, not at others) questions and here’s the results:
What beer did you have last night?
Justin: Colonial Kolsch
Richard: Nail Clout Stout
Paul: Green Flash Rayon Vert
Best album to play in the brew house?
[everyone laughs then Justin counts to three]
All together: Wolfmother!
Paul: Kylie Minogue
Richard: Wolfmother, not Kylie Minogue
Best snack to eat with beer?
Paul: Pork
Richard: 12 hour marinated briskett that has been slow cooked on a charcoal BBQ
Me: That’s not a snack!
Justin: Medium rare meat and something massive, black and bitter

Name one Australian beer you’d wish you’d made
Richard: The original Matilda Bay pilsner with the under modified malt and Saaz hops, that would have been awesome
Justin: Mountain Goat’s Andy Reserve Amber Ale, the one they did for GABS. But I’ve got lots, I could say I wish I did Stone & Wood – simply constructed and really accessible and that’s a bit like what we’re trying to do with project, forget all that style shit
Paul: I think I’m the same, Stone & Wood or you wish you had created Hop Hog, something that started a movement.
Justin: Don’t wish that, you beat Hop Hog! [with Monk’s The Chief]
Paul: Just brewing a beer that was the epiphany beer for someone
Justin – I’ve had it for everyone, you’ve had beers where you drink it and you just go “oh man, that’s so good I wish my porter tasted like that at the moment”. You drink Jeremy’s pilsner [Cowaramup Brewing] when it’s on song or you drink a Nail Stout and you’re thinking “Oh John, how do you do it?!” [bangs hands on table] “It’s so good” [continues to hit hands on table]
Finish this sentence – The WA craft beer scene needs more ….
[silence]
Justin: Jedis
[everyone now in hysterics]

Gotta love a little creativity in a coaster!