Creatures, Rabbits and a place called The Local.

We've got a special guest blog from our own Rick Bennie this week - beer enthusiast, all around great guy and now Brewer!

Well folks it seems I’ve come full circle. From beer drinker to beer enthusiast, to what is commonly called a “beer geek” and as I sip this Prickly Moses Raconteur I feel the need to tell this beery tale. It was Little Creatures Pale Ale and Roger’s that opened my eyes to beers other than the commercial swill that saturates the market, it was after White Rabbit released their Dark Ale that I discovered the Local Taphouse and the wealth of knowledge that ‘Ale Stars’ brings.

Alex Troncoso (Little Creatures Head Brewer) was to be the guest that night, so I decided this was an event I had to attend. I learnt a lot that night and even though I was new to the whole idea of craft beer (and despite being in a team with Justin and Steve!) I held my own at beer trivia. The night ended with a chat and a beer with Alex and his partner about the life of a brewer, brewing education and beer in general. Full of passion and drive after this encounter it wasn’t long until The Local BottleStore and Provisions was looking for staff and I enthusiastically applied.

Skip forward a year and I’m rocking up to White Rabbit brewery in Healesville to represent The Local B&P/Taphouse and help brew the “Little Rabbit” (collaboration with White Rabbit and Little Creatures) alongside Alex, Linc and the White Rabbit team. Little Rabbit is a hopped up version of a Belgian style blond ale, at approximately 6.4% ABV. Using a Belgian yeast strain, generous portions of NZ (Super Alpha and Pacifica hop flowers) and Noble hops (Czech Saaz and German Hellertau) making use of White Rabbit’s hopback and with a blend of pilsner and wheat malt.

Interested? Get down to the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular to try the fruit of my labour! For more information click on  www.thelocal.com.au/gabs/  and get your tickets from ticketmaster here.