By Annette Shailer, editor Beer & Brewer
Paying homage to the pioneers who have paved the way towards today's burgeoning beer industry, Stone and Wood has launched an annual limited release series called Forefathers.
For the first release, Stone & Wood invited brewing legend Phil Sexton and his son Harry to join them in Byron to brew a beer that Sexton loves. As an entrepreneur, brewer and co-founder of Sail & Anchor, Matilda Bay and Little Creatures, Sexton is a trail blazer. Influenced by his time spent in the UK and US, Sexton was instrumental in leading Australia into a beer revolution.
From years spent brewing abroad, Sexton loves dry English brown ales and so the first beer in the Forefathers series the Phil Sexton English Brown Ale was born.
The beer combines Maris Otter Pale English malt with select crystal and caramel varieties for a rich and dry nutty backbone. This is backed up by a generous but refined bitterness and hop character that hints of cinnamon, spice and blackcurrant.
The Forefathers English Brown Ale (4.8 per cent ABV) is a testament to the style and the man who inspired it.
The beer is available across the country this week in bottles and in kegs.
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