Beer with the Brewer – Jackson Beavis
Situated 20 minutes drive from Renmark on the banks of the stunning Murray River, you’ll find Woolshed Brewery. Once a thriving wheat and sheep station, this family run brewery is steeped in history.
Brewer Jackson Beavis (pictured left) is the man responsible for giving Woolshed’s stellar beers a distinct local taste and feel.
We recently caught up with Jackson to discuss his love of local ingredients, and why he left his job in the corporate world to head up a craft brewery.
What was the beer that made you want to brew?
My motivation for brewing was spurred on to make cheap beer during university days, once I realised that beer didn’t work that way, and what you could make from scratch, blew cheap lagers out of the water, I’ve never turned back!
Tell us what inspired your career change from manufacturing management to brewing?
Manufacturing management is brewing – just a different spin. However, 7 years in the corporate world was long enough – A peek behind the curtain of how big business operates was ample insight into what I did and didn’t like about the world. I’ve got a passion for supporting small business, keeping it local, transparent, fair for everyone involved, and to bring a big manufacturing mindset to a small operation. And to focus this energy toward the most magical beverage in the world is as much inspiration needed to change any career path.
Your brewery is in a beautiful part of the world, how do you incorporate local flavours into your beers?
We are lucky to operate out of a stunning part of the world – a travellers paradise on a beautiful stretch of the Murray River. The beers brewed from the woolshed are truly unique, all brewed in the old woolshed and from rainwater, which give the beers a real sense of place. I like to incorporate local flavours where I can, from locally grown native wattle seed in our Judas the Dark, fresh orange juice supplied locally in The Big Orange, there’s even been locally grown almonds, hops, and cacao in some of our beers too.
We’ve heard that you have some of the best brewery accommodation around, what can beer lovers expect when they pay you a visit?
We have a secluded cottage on site that sleeps 6, and also 3 luxury houseboats, all with their own keg fridges on board – so you can hire these out for the week, load up with a fresh keg of beer, and enjoy this magnificent part of the Murray River in style!
What do you love most about the Australian craft beer industry?
The amount of innovation in technique and flavours is always inspiring, and I get to be part of it and share some small part with others that enjoy the same. It’s truly humbling as a brewer to be part of this exciting industry.
It’s heating up, what’s your go-to beer this spring?
Always love exploring sours, whether its classic Belgian styles, or more modern fruited kettle sours, the acidity of these beers really get the taste buds dancing.