The Australian (national) 14 September 2004
by Kevin Meade
Just a tad sheepishly, Graham Manvell admits he was only 10 when he brewed his first beer.
Growing up in his father's bakery in the northern NSW city of Tamworth, there was always plenty of yeast around.
"My 14-year-old brother and I started experimenting with yeast and we made some pretty interesting brews, I can tell you."
"Some of them were real shockers."
After leaving school, Mr Manvell was sidetracked from his childhood hobby and became one of the nation's top chefs.
He won a string of international culinary awards and worked in leading hotels and restaurants in Australia and Europe, including the Savoy in London.
But recently he returned to his passion for brewing and now makes Ironbark Ginger Tawny Ale, a brew served only in his chain of steakhouses, SSS BBQ Barns, in Brisbane, Tamworth and three other NSW towns.
Mr Manvell's ale, which not surprisingly has a strong yeasty flavour, will be one of 185 different brews on sale at the 15th annual National Festival of Beers, to be held in Brisbane this Friday and Saturday. The nation's biggest beer festival, it was first held in 1990 at Brisbane's Storey Bridge Hotel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bridge that gave the pub its name.
The event has long since outgrown its original venue and is now held annually at the Brisbane Showgrounds.
Among the 46 breweries taking part this year will be the mainstream operators such as Carlton & United, Castlemaine Perkins, Coopers and Cascade.
But most participants will be boutique operations such as Mr Manvell's Tamworth-based Ironbark Brewery.
Beer lovers will be able to sample a wide variety of weird and wonderful brews, including Blue Tongue, Raging Bull, Hat Lifter Stout, Paddy's Chocolate Porter and Lager Lout.
Among brewing styles on offer will be wheat beers, ales, stouts, pilseners and, for truly adventurous drinkers, chilli beers, honey beers, raspberry beers, milk beers, and even oyster beers.
