By James Atkinson
Stone & Wood Brewing Co has announced a "gentleman's agreement" with London's Camden Town Brewery to support each other's beers in their respective markets.
The two brewers said the agreement is a step away from the traditional brewer and importer/distributor model and is more in line with the collaborative culture that exists within the independent brewery community.
"The locales of Camden Town and Byron Bay share a like-minded alternative culture, and Stone & Wood Brewing Co and Camden Town Brewery see themselves as 'brother breweries'," they said.
"What this means is that we will be distributing each other's beers: Stone & Wood will have Camden Town beers on their trucks in Australia and Camden Town will have Stone & Wood on their vans in London."
The brewers said the arrangement avoids the commercial pressures of volume from a traditional distribution relationship, allowing them to maintain their focus on quality.
A shipment of Stone & Wood beer is on the water at present and is due to arrive in London in August, while the next shipment of Camden Town beer will arrive in Australia in time for summer.
Camden Town has a Pale Ale, a Hefeweizen and a Lager in its core range, along with some limited release offerings.
Stone & Wood co-founder Jamie Cook told TheShout it has not yet been determined which will be imported to Australia.
He said the Australian company has added a small amount of capacity at its existing Byron Bay facility to accommodate short-term demand, before its new Murwillumbah brewery comes online.
"The beautiful thing about this arrangement is that it's 'counter-seasonal' for both of us," he added.