‘Tis the season … to try some beaut new beers! A dream for Sam and Kate Martin that was six years in the making, the Great Hops Brewery on Old Inverell Road, Armidale is up, running, serving chilled brews … oh, and it’s been built around an old International Harvester fire engine. If you haven’t been to check it out yet, add it to your “must-do” list this holiday season!

Hi Sam. Tell us a little about yourself and what led you to build your own brewery from scratch.

Ha ha! Yes, six years in the making … 

Moving from our flat in Bondi (which had kegs hidden in every cupboard and every bed I could store them) I wanted space, really. I love the New England region and loved my time growing up here and studying science at UNE. I also love craft beer! And, I still love anything science-related. 

I did not know the brewery would take so long. I really wanted to build it right and bring in something different to the area. I (with the help of dozens of local tradespeople) rebuilt my second-hand brewhouse. It was made in 1996 in the USA. I actually bought it in Japan, where it was just sitting there; it was built extremely well. 

I love reusing and refurbishing. There is value in buying quality products and giving them a second life. So, I suppose the brewery came from a combined passion for excellent craft beer, the science behind it and my love for old things.

A lot of locals have watched with interest as your shed was being constructed on your Old Inverell Road site over the past few years. How did you come up with the design for the building, and how long did it take to build?

After the slab went down, the shed structure only took a month. The poor builders put it up in freezing cold conditions and heavy winter rain. These sheds were used all over the world during World War II, as they could be transported easily and taken down if they had to. I’d hate to take it apart now – way too many bolts! 

After it was up, I just started doing small test batches and building its interior on weekends. The main bar and kitchen boards came from Kelly’s Transport shed in downtown Armidale. My office has feathered weatherboards from Walcha, the white railing and the stainless steel in the kitchen are both second hand and refurbished. Again, re-purposing stuff is so important to me. A lot of the time if you know what you’re looking for, older stuff is built better too. 

What beers are you currently making – and what would you say have been your most popular brews to date?

We are currently making lighter beers for summer. We are experimenting with an XPA (extra pale ale – containing more hop flavour than traditional ales). This should be ready in December and for the grand opening of the brewery on the 26th January 2020. 

Our most popular beer to date has been our Black Mountain Banshee Dark Ale. I love it. It was meant to be an Irish Red Beer – but the wrong grain turned up – and we just ran with it. It sells especially well in New England and over the winter months.

You’ve achieved some great recognition for your brews too! What awards are you most proud of? 

This year we received the greatest recognition at the Australian Independent Craft Beer Awards. We were given silver for our Long Horn Larry Amber Ale, and bronze for our mid-strength: AR-MID-ALE, our 9.5% Doppelbock and our Coffee Stout. 

We’re generally happy with recognition from the pubs/bars, who keep telling us our beer is being well received.

The brewery is open for trading now on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but what’s planned for the special opening on 26th January?

We’re trading at the moment … Very quietly! We were wanting to tweak things a little before the grand opening – a few café owners downtown suggested we do this. I’m extremely happy we did, as there were so many things needing attention. Our lawn is non-existent at the moment – with any luck, some summer rain will help bring it back to life. 

Scheduled for the day will be great beer and music. Hopefully, the day will bring some enjoyment to a town that is really feeling the effects of this drought.

What’s the story behind the old International Harvester fire engine you own? How did you come across it … and does it actually operate as a mobile bar? 

My wife bought the fire engine off eBay in 2009; it came from Tasmania. The owners were going to scrap it, and I couldn’t let that happen. So, I drove it on the Spirit of Tasmania and brought it home to NSW.  

We repainted it (it was pink from sitting in the sun) and then took it on a road trip to the Melbourne Cup – it was one of the most enjoyable trips of my life. 

When I returned, Kate (my wife) said: “Now what are you going to do with it?” I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Build a brewery around it” – and … we did.

The mobile bar was a fun idea. It’s a big truck to drive, and I don’t like taking it on long trips any more. 

I love the life it brings to people’s faces! The beer pours very cold from the back. We can operate with four different beers and can carry up to 12 kegs. 

It now has a very cosy home in the middle of the bar in Armidale – I love the fact it was designed and built-in Australia (imagine that!)

Apart from visiting the brewery, where else can we taste your beers? 

From 22nd November, we’ll begin canning. There are a number of bottle shops really keen to get stock straight away!

The Whitebull Hotel, The St Kilda Hotel, Tattersalls Armidale, and The New England Hotel have been great with support and feedback. 

We also have it on tap at the Powerhouse Hotel and The Pig and Tinder in Tamworth. We donated a tap set up to the Nambucca Surf Club and installed it – locals love being able to taste Australian owned beer in a town heavily dominated by Tooheys and Carlton (both now owned by Japan). 

What are your plans for the brewery moving into the New Year?

With the brewery in full swing next year, we hope to positively promote tourism and bring more seasonal beers into the hands of those wishing to be part of the craft beer movement. We hope to keep giving back to the community in ways the big breweries can’t and to educate people about where their beer really comes from and how it’s made.

Where can we find out more info?

Head to our website: www.greathops.com.au  

Follow us on Instagram @greathops or on Facebook, or just head into the brewery and get amongst it!

Thanks, Sam.