Q&A with Brendon from Black Rock

Tell us a bit about you and your role at Black Rock. ‍

My official role is Business Development Executive – but in reality, I’m a swiss army knife that has spent the last nearly 8 years learning, educating and marketing what can be achieved with the great Black Rock products we produce. One day I can be teaching new home brewers how to make their first beer, next, sourcing raw materials from suppliers, forecasting, social media marketing to investigate new domestic and export opportunities while maintaining existing ones.
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How has the homebrewing scene evolved in recent years?

The biggest evolution in homebrewing has definitely been the quality of what can be achieved at home. This has been driven by the craft beer revolution and people being far more interested in what goes into what they drink. Brewers demand quality, and to know what goes into what they are using, and we have adapted to be transparent in this area.
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‍What trends in craft beer are you most excited about right now?

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‍Although they have been around for a while, I’m still excited about pastry stouts and have been sampling quite a few this winter. It is always interesting to see who is doing it well, bringing through the flavours they are adding in and balancing them well with the beer backbone.
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‍What’s the weirdest or most unexpected ingredient you’ve seen used in a homebrew, how did it turn out? ‍

Honestly, nothing really surprises me now, I don’t think there are many things that have not been tried. 10 years ago I would have said chocolate, coffee and marshmallow would be outrageous, but that is now an everyday occurrence. Now squid ink, beard hair, MSG, shellfish and pizza are not off limits, even though they should be!
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‍If you could brew a beer inspired by a movie, what would it be and why?

Shrek – A bright green nitro feijoa sour because it might be ugly and sour, but very loveable!‍

What makes a beer stand out at the Homebrew competition?

Balance – making sure what you are using to make it different works and ties in well with the underlying beer.

‍What are some of the memorable brews you’ve seen with past winners?

Not from the DCBFF competition, but Martin Taylor’s Schwarzwälder Cherry Chocolate Milk Stout from the Black Rock ROCK your home brew competition a few years back. It was exactly what it said it was and a perfect example of a liquid Black Forest Gateau. ‍

Do you have any advice for this year’s competitors?

Don’t be afraid to take a risk, it’s always something risky but pulled off well that does well.