South Coast Ultra Low, a full flavoured, low alc take on our flagship pale is now available for purchase! We caught up with Head Brewer, Lewis Maschmedt, for a quick chat on this unique bevvy...which lands just in time for Dry July!
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What led Pirate life to brew an ultra-low alc. beer?
Market trends as well as a personal shift towards wellness and moderation in the team. It started with point nine and we just went lower and lower as we learnt the techniques for low alc brewing.
Why launch an ultra-low version of your flagship beer, South Coast?
We wanted the beer to have some already established resonance with consumers. Our hope is that the regular SC drinker can comfortably trade into this product depending on the occasion, and still feel like they’re tucking into something familiar.
What are they key differences / similarities in crafting the ultra compared to a full-strength South Coast?
The ingredients are the same, we just use a little less malt to target a low ABV – under 0.5%. The mash is much higher to target a lower fermentability of the wort. Other than that its very similar to South Coast.
<0.5% is considered ‘non-alcoholic’, can you explain why?
Under 0.5% booze is legally considered ‘non-alcoholic’ in Australia, yeah. There’s a range of everyday food items which contain traces of alcohol - vinegar, soy sauce, even ripe bananas all have comparable amounts. For me, NA means a product that in reasonable circumstances would be impossible to become intoxicated consuming. You would have to drink 16 of these suckers in 16 minutes to get buzzed which could pose other threats to your health. It’s just not happening.
The product is great for people who love a froth but may be abstaining for a variety of reasons. Are you happy with how it’s turned out?
It tastes great. That’s the only metric that we use to determine if a beer is a success. This is a tough style of beer to make but we are confident it will keep the average punter happy with its satisfying hoppiness and lick of malt sweetness.
*South Coast Ultra Low is available from Pirate Life's online store from today, with more outlets to be announced in the coming weeks.