For close to two years, Blackman’s Brewery in Torquay has been helping fuel the excitement around the craft beer industry.
“The whole thing has just been a whirlwind,” Jess admits of opening the Bell Street brewhouse and bar with her partner Renn Blackman.
“We don’t often stop to think about how it happened; we just get up and get going with what needs to be done for the day. I’m so glad we did it here, because it’s just been amazing to have such a lovely community. It’s nice to be in a small community where people really appreciate what you’re doing.”
Twenty-one months of pouring pints, serving quality meals and creating unique events and the couple are still learning with each day they swing the doors open for business.
“There’s so much,” she smiles. “We’re always learning everyday here.”
One night sitting at Union St wine bar in Geelong, the couple decided they wanted to attempt the ultimate learning curve through adding a second venue to the Blackman’s Brewery name.
The hunt for the perfect venue was on, and Jess and Renn found it hidden in a laneway in the heart of Little Malop Street.
“We just felt really inspired to find a small space where we could create an intimate environment where people could go,” she says.
“The space we found is really small – a nice intimate little bar where you can go and have a beer. For us it’s always about drinking quality over quantity, so if you feel like going out on a Saturday night but you just want to drink a couple of good beers, that’s the place you want to go to.”
It’s been a long path to opening, and it was an even longer one to obtain the location, as the venue wasn’t actually up for lease. Nonetheless, the couple fought for what they loved and will open the doors prematurely on May 15 for a “teaser” night as part of Good Beer Week where customers can get a taste of what’s to come.
Renn will be brewing up a special single keg of beer for the night, and the Little Green Corner cafe will be creating four bar snacks to match the four beers available.
With a love of creating new flavours and the science behind it, Renn has also made a double IPA called ‘Angry Reg’ which will also be launched as part of Good Beer Week on May 14 at the Torquay venue.
The beer is an extension of the popular spiced India Pale Ale named after Renn’s grandfather Reginald.
“The way it came about was that we looked at older, original breweries names and how a lot of them originated from peoples surnames,” she says of the beer’s name.
“If you’re naming it after your family it’s just that connection. You want to be really proud of it so that’s sort of how we came about Blackmans – we put it all on the line. Through that we thought we could go even further with this and call the beers names of members of the family.
“[The double IPA] will be somewhere around 8 or 9%; a big bold beer. And Renn’s grandfather was known to be a pretty angry kind of guy. We just kind of matched the beers up with their personalities,” she adds.
Others are named after Renn’s great uncles, with Ernie the last-living relative of those honoured and is quite chuffed to have a beer in Australia named after him.
In true Blackman style, where there’s good beer, there’s equally good food. And to launch the double IPA it will be partnered up with three other American beers and four courses of American dishes.
“It’s a good opportunity for people to try beers that they may otherwise be unable to try,” she says of the night.
Most importantly, it’s about celebrating a local business, and two business owners, who continually bring their best and have an undeniable passion for what they do.
Written by Amanda Sherring
When & Where: Angry Reg will be launched on May 14 at Blackman’s Brewery in Torquay and the new venue teaser will be on May 15 at 71 Little Malop Street in Geelong.
Site: goodbeerweek.com.au and http://www.blackmansbrewery.com.au/
Ph:5261 5310
