Swan Valley-based boutique beermaker Feral Brewing Company has created a new beer for sale exclusively in Western Australia.
Kegs of Feral’s Perth Local Lager will be tapped in select venues across the city for the first time today, before a wider roll-out, including bottles and cans, to occur in November.
Feral owner Brendan Varis said he wanted to make a traditional lager for Western Australians to enjoy over the summer months.
The brew is a departure from the norm for Feral, which to date has specialised in hops-heavy ales.
But Mr Varis said the move to create a lager was to introduce craft quality to one of the most popular mainstream styles of beer.
“For years, big breweries have used, abused and commoditised lager, exploiting the style for their commercial gain, while ignoring the delicacy and finesse typical of these beers,” he said.
“We’re hijacking the style and reclaiming it for the people of Perth.”
Mr Varis said a traditional lager required a long fermentation and extended cold maturation, a process that generally took weeks or months using 100 per cent malted barley.
“By contrast, industrial lager is usually brewed and bottled within days and uses a large percentage of cane sugar as a barley substitute to reduce both cost and flavour,’’ he said.
“What we’re seeing in today’s market is consumers overwhelmed with marketing-focused brands and not essentially basing their decision on flavour.”
Part of the proceeds of all Perth Local sales will be donated to not-for-profit businesses RTRFM, FORM and the Perth International Arts Festival.
