A Forrest Brew

Last weekend I stayed with my sister at her bush shack in Forrest. I was really looking forward to Saturday lunch at Sunnybrae in Birregurra. When I got down there on Friday afternoon Tamsin took me down to the Forrest Brewery and Café instead.

Brother and sister Matt and Sharon Bradshaw quietly opened their new enterprise in November, two hours west of Melbourne on the road to Apollo Bay. Over the last twenty years I have visited hundreds of breweries, wineries and distilleries and walking in the Forrest Brewery for the first time I was astounded that anyone could get it so right.

Matt and Sharon are planning to start bottling later this year, but right now if you want to taste the beers you have to go there, which is not a bad thing. They are waiting for one last bit of equipment before they brew down in Forrest for the first time. Hopefully it will come tomorrow. Meanwhile they are also pouring beers brewed by other microbreweries.

When I was there I had an Extra Special Bitter from the Geelong based Beacon Brewing and a Pale Ale from Purrumbete based Red Duck. The Forrest Brewing beer was made in the Australian Pale Ale style. It was a light amber colour with low to medium hop aromas, flavours and bitterness. The malt and hops were well balanced with some fruity yeast derived aromas. Very good beer. 4 stars out of 5

Forrest Brewery and cafe is well worth a detour when you are down the Great Ocean Road.

Forrest Brewing Company
Apollo Bay Rd, Forrest
5236 6170
www.forrestbrewing.com.au