As part of the Trans-Tasman Collaborational project Carwyn Cellars organised alongside the Kiwi legends at Beer Jerk, we both put our side hustle brewing ventures together for a special kind of collab brew.

Last Word Brewing is a project that has seen us brew beers at different (gypsy) locations around Melbourne, most notably a range of barrel aged sours. It’s been some time since their last release, so it’s great to bring Last Word back to life for this project!⁠

Small Gods is the brewing project run by our friends at Beer Jerk. They have collaborated with many NZ breweries, and they love experimenting and brewing some of the more obscure styles of beers around. This beer joins the two breweries for an English-style ale loaded with real biscuits!

Brew Day.

To actually brew this beer, we talked to our friends and Thornbury neighbours at 3 Ravens to help us out. We’ve absolutely loved working with 3 Ravens, one of the oldest breweries in Victoria, over the years on various collab beers, special events and masterclasses. Gypsy brewing alongside their knowledgeable team was a no brainer.

It was a very cold morning at the beginning of June, when the Carwyn Cellars team and BeerJerk's #1 Fan, Karlos, went to 3 Ravens in Thornbury for a brew day. We were immediately put to work loading bags of Gladfields NZ malts, consisting of Ale Malt, Biscuit Malt, Aurora Malt and Vienna Malt, into the mill. The quintessential English hop, East Kent Goldings, was used - a small addition for bitterness, with more added towards the end of the boil for flavour and aroma. Sampling fresh, hoppy beers straight from the tank, we waited for the mash to continue. Finally, after trying to keep our hands off the special ingredient as we waited, it was then time to load the mash up with biscuits!

As always, hospitality by the staff at 3 Ravens was delightful. Besides showing us around their barrel room and telling us their plans for a more sustainable production (read all about it in their website and socials), they also shared some beers from their cellar. And finally, with some of the fresh hot wort, we all got to taste together a classic “brewer’s breakfast”: Wort & Whiskey. We definitely left warmer than we came in; from the libations to the welcoming vibes. A lovely experience at a great brewery.

The Beer.

Malts: Gladfields NZ malts, consisting of Ale Malt, Biscuit Malt, Aurora Malt and Vienna Malt
Hops: East Kent Goldings
Yeast: Windsor
Adjuncts: Digestive Biscuits

Now, on to the beer. “Mr Teatimes Finest Royal Biscuit Ale” provides both nourishment and refreshment. The notes from the amber-coloured malts are of toast and chocolate, with beautiful red fruit esters giving a slightly sweeter aroma. In mouth it’s sweet but not clogging; with flavours of biscuit and light cacao and a good bitter backbone that follows and dries the finish just enough. Quite traditional flavours for this English-style brew that turned out very tasty. Incredibly sessionable, a beer perfect for the last days of winter and the first days of spring. 

Available as part of the Trans Tasman Collaborational Mixed 12 Pack, with singles available here: Last Word x Small Gods 'Mr Teatime's Finest Royal Biscuit Ale'. Plus, we have a fair few kegs of this easy drinker, so expect it to soon be a regular on the Carwyn Cellars taplist!