Mountain Goat Beer

Last updated

Mountain Goat Beer
Industry Alcoholic beverage
Founded1997
Headquarters80 North Street
Richmond, Victoria
Australia
Products Beer
Owner Asahi Beverages [1]
Website www.goatbeer.com.au

Mountain Goat Beer is a brewery in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. The brewery was founded in 1997 by Cam Hines and Dave Bonighton. The company's first commercial brew, 'Hightale Ale' amber ale, was released in October 1997. Mountain Goat Beer was purchased by Asahi in September 2015. [2]

Contents

The Mountain Goat brewery operates out of a converted red brick warehouse in the inner-city suburb of Richmond. The site is home to the brewing operation as well as sales, administrative and management staff. The brewery has been described as a tourism attraction and has been included in the Victorian Government's Beer Lover’s Guide to Victoria’s Microbreweries publication [3] and in television travel shows. [4]

History

The origins of Mountain Goat Beer date to the early 1990s, when co-founder Bonighton was homebrewing in his backyard in Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia. His friend and co-founder Hines was travelling in North America after quitting his music industry job and he was struck by the range of micro-brewed beer available at the bars in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [5]

The pair then decided to start a brewing company and attempted to secure a bank loan with collateral that included Bonighton's EH Holden, three surfboards and a couple of mountain bikes. After they were unable to borrow a sufficient amount of funding from a bank, friends and family assisted Bonighton and Hines to launch Mountain Goat. [6] Bonighton explained in a September 2012 interview:

We're a small brewery run by two former homebrewers who, for 15 years, have been making the kinds of beers that we like to drink. Most breweries brew to a formula, something born in a focus group or in a marketing team meeting. We come up with our ideas at the bar. [6]

Bonighton and Hines decided on the name 'Mountain Goat' as a reference to the task ahead of them and bringing new styles of beer to the Australian market compared to their competitors at the time, as a mountain goat is 'a big hairy animal that's never going to fall over'.

By September 1996, Mountain Goat beer was ready to taste-test three beers—The Leroy Brown Ale, Sheik-It-Out Stout and Golden Boy—at a gallery space in Melbourne. This venture indicated to Hines and Bonighton that their original idea might be viable.

Lacking the money to invest in their own brewery, the first Mountain Goat beers were brewed using excess capacity first at the Scottish Chiefs brew-pub in Geelong and then at the larger Grand Ridge microbrewery in Mirboo North, Victoria [7] and in October 1997, Hightale Ale was commercially released.

Mountain Goat brewery

By 1999, the brewery was able to raise funds to move to their original premises in Crown St, Richmond, effectively relocating the equipment from the defunct brewing operations at the Geebung Polo Club in Hawthorn, Victoria. [8]

At the end of 2004, Mountain Goat beer moved to the much larger current premises, in North St, Richmond. The North St site is around 1200m2 which is a little over three times the size of the older brewery. In October, 2011, the brewery upgraded its brewing operation with the purchase of a brand new 25 hectolitre system from Canadian manufacturer, DME.

International markets

In 2011, the brewery began exporting to the United States (US) with an initial offering of the Hightail Ale and a re-work of their IPA (renamed as "Australian Pale Ale" for the US market). [9] Bonighton explained in September 2012 that due to the inspiration that he and Hines gained from US breweries prior to starting Mountain Goat, an expansion into the country's market seemed appropriate. [6]

Environmental considerations

Mountain Goat brewery has taken many steps to reduce - and in some cases eliminate - their impact on the environment. Moving to new premises in 2004 gave the company the opportunity to set up the brewery with the environment in mind, from using recycled materials in their fit-out through to installation of solar panels. [10] The brewery also pH neutralises waste water and have all but eliminated steam and odour emissions that are a by-product of the brewing process.

Before any waste from the brewery floor goes to the sewer it is pH and temperature neutralised in a holding tank, using a three vessel trade waste system. The first tank screens the larger solids, such as hop and malt debris or bits of plastic or wood. The second tank catches the smaller solids, such as yeast slurry, floor grit or finer hop and malt particles. The third tank is where the trade waste adjusted for temperature and pH. This ensures that the biosolids, temperature and chemical load on the sewer system is drastically reduced. The brewery also pays an outside contractor to perform higher level servicing and to monitor the system for other pollutants. They also provide the EPA with certification when the settling tank is emptied twice a year. [11]

Beers

All Mountain Goat beers are vegan friendly. [12] No animal products are used in their production and their beers are fined using a centrifuge and are free from preservatives.[ citation needed ]

Regularly brewed beers

One-off and seasonal beers

The brewery rotates a series of "one-off" brews, generally only available on-site at the brewery's own bar, but occasionally available on tap at selected outlets. Examples of these limited run brews have been:

Beers made in collaboration with other breweries and venues, on tap only for a limited time:

Cider

In late 2011, the brewery began to market an apple cider under the Two Step brand. The cider became widely available in early 2012 in 330ml bottles with twist-tops. Two Step cider has an alcohol content by volume of 5.0%. Bottle production of the cider ceased in October 2016.

See also

Related Research Articles

Adnams is a regional brewery founded in 1872 in Southwold, Suffolk, England, by George and Ernest Adnams. It produces cask ale and bottled beers. Annual production is around 85,000 barrels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale ale</span> Type of ale

Pale ale is a golden to amber coloured beer style brewed with pale malt. The term first appeared in England around 1703 for beers made from malts dried with high-carbon coke, which resulted in a lighter colour than other beers popular at that time. Different brewing practices and hop quantities have resulted in a range of tastes and strengths within the pale ale family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India pale ale</span> Beer with high hop content

India pale ale (IPA) is a hoppy beer style within the broader category of pale ale.

Little Creatures is a brewery based in Fremantle, Western Australia, operating as a subsidiary of the Japanese firm Kirin Company. It is owned by Little World Beverages, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lion which is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of Kirin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cascade Brewery</span> Oldest operating brewery in Australia

Cascade Brewery is a brewery established in 1824 in South Hobart, Tasmania, and is the oldest continually operating brewery in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dogfish Head Brewery</span> American brewing company

Dogfish Head Brewery is a brewing company based in Milton, Delaware founded by Sam and Mariah Calagione and, as of 2019, owned by the Boston Beer Company. It opened in 1995 and produces 262,000 barrels of beer annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spoetzl Brewery</span> Craft brewery located in Shiner, Texas

Spoetzl Brewery is a brewery located in Shiner, Texas, United States. It produces a diverse line of Shiner beers, including their flagship Shiner Bock, a dark lager that is now distributed throughout the US. The brewery is owned by the Gambrinus Company, a family-owned company based in San Antonio, which also owns Trumer Brewery in Berkeley, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feral Brewing Company</span> Brewery in the Swan Valley, Western Australia

The Feral Brewing Company is a brewery in the Swan Valley, Western Australia.

Oskar Blues Brewery is a craft brewery with locations in Longmont, Colorado, Brevard, North Carolina, and Austin, Texas. The company began as a brewpub in Lyons, Colorado in 1997 and began brewing beer in the basement in 1999. In 2002, they became one of the first to put their own craft beer in cans. In 2012, they began marketing some of their craft beer in resealable aluminum containers, and in 2012, they expanded and established another brewery in Brevard, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharp's Brewery</span> British brewery in Cornwall

Sharp's Brewery is a British brewery founded in 1994 in St Minver Lowlands, Rock, Cornwall, by Bill Sharp. Since 2011, the brewery has been owned by Molson Coors. It is best known for its flagship ale Doom Bar, named after the notoriously perilous Doom Bar sandbank in north Cornwall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malt Shovel Brewery</span> Australian brewery

The Malt Shovel Brewery is an Australian brewery owned by Lion, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Kirin. It is located in Camperdown, New South Wales. Malt Shovel is best known for its James Squire range of beers. The beer is named after the convict turned Australia's first brewer James Squire, who also went on to grow Australia's first hops and is said to have created Australia's first commercial brewery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer in the Caribbean</span> Beers from islands in the Caribbean

The beers of the Caribbean are unique to each island in the region, although many are variants of the same style. Each island generally brews its own unique pale lager, the occasional stout, and often a non-alcoholic malta beverage. Contract-brewing of international beers is also common, with Heineken Pilsener and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout being the most popular. The beers vary between the islands to suit the taste and the brewing method used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeastie Boys</span>

Yeastie Boys is an independent brewing company based in Wellington, New Zealand. Stu McKinlay and Sam Possenniskie established it in 2008. Yeastie Boys have a roster of three regular beers which they produce year round, and also produce a limited release of seasonal beers which they release each spring, summer, autumn and winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peerless Brewing Company</span> Brewery in Birkenhead, Wirral, England

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nail Brewing</span> Australian brewery

Nail Brewing is an Australian brewery and the producer of the world's most expensive beer, the Antarctic Nail Ale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian International Beer Awards</span> Annual brewing competition

Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) is an annual brewing competition that commenced in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marble Brewery (Albuquerque, New Mexico)</span>

Marble Brewery is a brewery in Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded in 2008. Its main brewhouse is located in downtown Albuquerque on Marble Avenue, which gave the brewery its name. The 30 barrel brewhouse is responsible for brewing all classic and seasonal styles, including Marble's most popular brew, Double White. As of 2018, it was the second largest brewery in New Mexico with an annual production volume of 23,000 US barrels. In 2016, the brewery completed a major expansion which increased the production capacity to 30,000 barrels. Its beers have won several awards and it was named Small Brewery and Brewmaster of the Year at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mash Brewing Company</span> Microbrewery in Australia

Mash Brewing Company is a microbrewery in Henley Brook, located within the Swan Valley region of Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porter (beer)</span> Dark style of beer

Porter is a style of beer that was developed in London, England in the early 18th century. It is well-hopped and dark in appearance owing to the use of brown malt. The name is believed to have originated from its popularity with porters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Tier Brewing Company</span> American craft brewery based in Lakewood, NY

Southern Tier Brewing Company is a craft brewing company in Lakewood, NY, in the southwestern section of NY state known as the Southern Tier.

References

  1. "Mountain Goat craft brewery joins Asahi Beverages".
  2. "Asahi buys Australian craft beer brewer Mountain Goat". 28 September 2015.
  3. "Beer Lovers Guide to Victoria's Microbreweries" (PDF). Victorian Association of Microbrewers. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  4. Archived 25 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Inside Business - 13/10/2002: Persistence pays for home-brewers with a dream". Abc.net.au. 13 October 2002. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 Erika Bolden (4 September 2012). "Q & A With Australian Brewery Mountain Goat Beer: Surfboards as Collateral + The Influence of American Craft Beer". LA Weekly. LA Weekly, LP. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  7. "The Australian Good Beer Directory - Mountain Goat Beer". Goasdoue.com. 15 April 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  8. "The Australian Good Beer Directory - Geebung Polo Club". Goasdoue.com. 18 February 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  9. Tim Noetzel (4 June 2012). "Bringing Australian Beer to the US: Interview with Mountain Goat". BostInno. Streetwise Media. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  10. "Cam Hines, Mountain Goat Brewery at the SCRT". YouTube. 31 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  11. "Green Goat | Mountain Goat Beer". Mountain Goat Beer. 29 May 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  12. Jo; Damien (August 2007). "Vegan Beer". Vegetarian Network Victoria Forum. phpBB Group. Archived from the original (Bulletin board discussion forum) on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria Limited (2008–2010). "Past Results". The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria Limited. The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria Limited. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  14. rick (12 September 2013). "THIRSTY THURSDAY: MOUNTAIN GOAT SUMMER ALE CANS". Smith Journal. Frankie Press. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  15. Stephanie Collins (11 September 2013). "Goat now available in cans". The Shout. The Intermedia Group. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  16. "Goat - Mountain Goat Beer".
  17. "When Worlds Collide". Crafty Pint. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  18. "Mountain Goat Coffee IPA - Mountain Goat - Beer". Crafty Pint. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  19. "Mountain Goat Black Pepperberry IPA - Mountain Goat - Beer". Crafty Pint. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  20. Dave (25 June 2013). "Hopfweizenbock". Mountain Goat. Mountain Goat Beer. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  21. "Trans-Tasman Beer Love". Crafty Pint. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  22. "The Wheaty SchwartzHopf - Moo Brew (TAS) - Beer". Crafty Pint. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.

37°49′0″S145°0′45″E / 37.81667°S 145.01250°E / -37.81667; 145.01250