Tamworth's only locally-produced beer was sampled by more than 2000 people at Australia's largest beer festival last weekend and given a unanimous thumbs up.

 

The ginger tawny ale was among 185 different brews on offer at the annual National Festival of Beers in Brisbane and it was the first time the unique brew has been offered to the general public.

 

Over the past five years Graham Manvell, owner of SSS BBQ Barns has made the amber ale at his boutique brewery, Ironbark Brewery, at the old Egg Board at Taminda.

 

The beer is available exclusively in the five SSS steakhouse restaurants at Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Cessnock, Lake Munmorah and Brisbane, but this may soon change based on the beer's growing popularity.

 

At the festival, Graham was approached by several companies interested in stocking the beer and he also had a lot of enquiry about making the beer available in bottles.

 

Festival-goers enjoyed nine kegs of the brew which Graham transported to Brisbane especially for the event.

 

Ironbark Brewery currently produces a batch of 9000 litres of ginger tawny ale every month especially for the SSS restaurants.

 

It is brewed in 900-litre vats with premium yeasts, golden malts, no added preservatives and minimum sugar.

 

The result is an ale with European flavours that is naturally cloudy with a creamy head, dark golden hues and a 4.8 per cent alcoholic content.

 

SSS BBQ Barns at Tamworth recently won Best Themed Restaurant in the NSW Restaurant and Catering Association's 2004 Regional Awards.