Murray’s Brews Eight Beers for Dark Beer Month

May 25, 2016
By Alana House
A record eight beers are set to be released during Murray’s annual Dark Beer Month this June, including two of the popular ‘Wild Thing’ Imperial Stouts, which were first launched in 2015.

Each year Murray’s, located in Port Stephens, NSW brings out a collection of its darkest beers to help ramp up some warmth as winter sets in. Three of the eight beers in 2016 will be bottled, while the following five will be on draught. They will be progressively released from Saturday 4 June.

“These aren’t ordinary beers,” says brewery owner Murray Howe. “They’re big, audacious, crazy Imperial Stouts, Coffee Stouts, Chocolate Porters, Strong Dark Belgian Ales, Brown Ales, Dark ESBs and even a Dark Gose. We’ve ensured there’s something interesting for everyone.”

The two Wild Thing Imperial Stouts include the original cult beer, plus Murray’s Wild Thing Coffee Imperial Stout, both brewed by the beers’ recipe-meister and Head Brewer Graeme Mahy.

“I love this beer! There is just nothing insipid about it – Wild Thing is just full of attitude,” says Mahy. “It’s well above the upper limits of flavour and colour for its class. Wild Thing is totally black – impossible to see through even when held up to the light.”

Both Wild Things will be packaged, as will Murray’s Hell of the North – a Strong Dark Belgian Ale and the third beer in the collection. “Hell of the North is one hell of a beer!” says Graeme. “Not only does this beer push the limits of alcohol, it pushes the limits for flavour. It certainly is an intense drinking experience.”

The brewer’s inaugural Schwartzbier, Fly By Night, is the fourth beer in the Dark Beer Month line-up and the first of the draught showcase. Providing a lower alcohol, easy drinking alternative to the stronger dark ales, Fly By Night does not follow the rules of traditional Bavarian or Thuringian styles which shy away from roasted flavours.

The fifth beer on draught is Hey Porter American/New Zealand Chocolate Porter. It’s a full-bodied Porter in style, with increased amounts of British chocolate and roast specialty malts for intense chocolate/coffee character.

Murray’s Angry Man Brown Ale is the sixth beer and will also be available on draught. Strong, uncompromising flavour, it is a big Brown Ale – bitter up front and smooth at the finish. Strong hop flavour and aroma and a little bit chocolatey.

The seventh beer is Murray’s Dark Horse Dark ESB, a rich malty beer with tones of caramel and toffee, balanced by a firm bitterness.

“And perhaps the most unusual beer this year is Black Gose. Gose is a tart and slightly salty style of German beer that dates back a thousand years — and was almost extinct. It’s now experiencing a renaissance in the United States, so we thought, ‘why not Bobs Farm too?’ And instead of the normal pale straw colour we thought we would darken it up a little.”

Program line-up:

  • Murray’s Wild Thing Imperial Stout in the bottle. Available from Saturday 4 June. 10% ABV.

  • Murray’s Hey Porter Chocolate Porter on tap. Available from Saturday 4 June. 6.1% ABV.

  • Murray’s Fly By Night Schwartzbier on tap. Available from Saturday 4 June. 5.9% ABV.

  • Murray’s Wild Thing Coffee Imperial Stout in the bottle. Available from Saturday 11 June. 10% ABV.

  • Murray’s Hell of the North Strong Belgian Dark Ale in the bottle. Available from Saturday 11 June. 11.5% ABV.

  • Murray’s Angry Man Brown Ale on tap. Available from Saturday 11 June. 6.5% ABV.

  • Murray’s Dark Horse Dark ESB on tap. Available from Saturday 18 June. 5.5% ABV.

  • Murray’s Sebastian Dark Gose on tap. Available from Saturday 25 June. 4.5% ABV.


Contact Murray’s Brewery for stock information.
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