On Thursday the 26 of October I visited the Capital Brewing Co. in Fyshwick, ACT. This brewery has only been open for one and a half months. They shifted their operation here in July and set up throughout August and started brewing in September. Prior to that they were Gypsy Brewing at Hairy Man as well as other Sydney breweries.
The brewery consists of a three tank, 25 hectolitre brewhouse with three 5000 litre and two 10000 litre fermentation vessels as well as one 5000 litre bright tank used for kegging and when they package their beers. This is done into cans with the aid of East Coast canning and their mobile canning line. However, Capital will be installing their own line next year. They have plenty of room for expansion in the future if required. They even poached their head brewer from a very successful San Diego brewery.
Although the brewery is very new they already have a strong following, they had 4500 people through their door on their opening day and went through 61 kegs of beer.
The venue is excellent with plenty of room inside as well as beer gardens out the front and an enclosed one on the side of the brewery that has a children’s cubby house.
The front beer garden even has a stage area for bands to perform.
Food at the venue is supplied by Brod Burgers and Dogs, who were recently named the best burgers in Canberra. Their burgers did taste delicious.
The beers that I sampled were:
Coast Ale, 4.2% abv, 20 IBU, this is a California Common Ale made in the Steam Ale style with a golden colour and a very subtle fruit aroma. It has a malt flavour and a mild hop bitter finish.
Trail Pale Ale, 4.7% abv, 30 IBU, this has an amber colour and a sweet citrus fruit, floral and pine aroma. It has a lovely well balanced malt taste followed by a big fruity hop bitterness on the finish.
Evil Eye, 6.0% abv, 60 IBU, this is a Red IPA with a dark amber colour and a citrus aroma. It has a malt body of caramel flavour and then a generous hop bitter finish.
Springboard Summer Ale, 4.6% abv, 10 IBU, this has a golden colour and a subtle malt and citrus aroma. It has malty flavour with gentle citrus hints.
First Tracks Stout, 5.2% abv, 10 IBU, this is a black Stout with a roasted coffee aroma. It has a smooth mouth feel and a nice malt flavour with lovely coffee tastes. Very good!
DYEUS Pilsner, 5.0% abv, 35 IBU, this is a New World Pilsner with a golden straw colour and a sweet fruity aroma. It has a great malty flavour on a gentle bitter finish.
Broken Shoulder Brown, 3.5% abv, 30 IBU, this has an amber brown colour and a citrus and floral aroma. It has a lovely malt palate with hints of chocolate and nuts on a nice hoppy bitter finish.
Rock Hopper IPA, 6.1% abv, 50 IBU, this has a golden colour and a grapefruit, citrus and tropical fruit aroma. It has sweet tropical fruit taste and then transitions into a generous hop bitter finish.
Old Man River Barley Wine, 10.2% abv, 50 IBU, this has an amber colour and a fruity aroma. It has a full fruity flavour with tastes of apricot and caramel before a mild bitter finish. Nice!
Batlow Saison Cider, 4.4% abv, this apple cider is fermented with Saison yeast, it is cloudy in appearance and has a mixed aroma of apples and farmhouse style beer. It has sweet apple initial taste and then a gentle tart finish.
Passion Hop IPA, 6.1% abv, this has a golden colour and a passionfruit and tropical fruit aroma. It has a nice sweet tropical fruit taste and then a generous strong bitterness on the finish.
The beers at Capital Brewing Co. are all very well made and quite enjoyable. I really recommend giving this brewery a visit if you are in the Canberra area.
I would like to thank Dan for his great hospitality when I was there. 