Hop Father Celebration Ale is the latest addition to the James Squire Hop Thief Varietal Series. Like the other releases in the series, the new brew is an American-style pale ale made from the finest hops available from the season, including Simcoe and Columbus.
The latest addition is a nod to James Squire himself, Australia’s first brewer. 150 years on, the team has brought together a pair of Squire’s descendants, James Donohoe Junior and Amy Legge, to create the Hop Father.
Speaking on the collaboration, Head Brewer at Malt Shovel Brewery Chris Sheehan said, “We have a long history of getting together with the James Squire family, to celebrate our namesake, be that for reunions or special events.
“It was at one such event recently, at the Malt Shovel Brewery, enjoying a drop with James Donohoe Senior, when we had the brainwave of getting together with the family to create a special celebratory brew. With that sorted, the next step was finding some relatives up to the challenge. So James stepped in and we got to work, routing out some craft beer lovers within the family that were up to the task.”
James Donohoe Junior, eighth descendant of James Squire and a craft beer lover himself, was eager to jump on board.
“As the descendants of James Squire, we grew up with family gatherings held at the Malt Shovel Brewery. When we come of age, having a beer with the Squire’s team and brewers is a rite of passage in our family,” said Donohoe.
“Amy and I jumped at the chance to craft this special beer, getting in amongst it with Chris and the team. It was such an amazing experience. I can’t wait to get stuck into a Hop Father with my father and his father,” said James.
The result is a rich, full-bodied ale with aromas of pine-needle and fruit, combined with earthy and spicy notes.
James Squire Hop Father Celebration Ale is exclusive to Dan Murphy’s, at RRP $59.99 per case of 24, $21.49 per pack of 6 and $4.39 per bottle. Available from Dan Murphy’s stores nationwide and on tap at James Squire Brewhouses early January 2017.
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