TWO METRE TALL

DERWENT VALLEY, TASMANIA

"Terroir” isn’t usually a word associated with beer. With imported malt and pelletised hops, the sole local ingredient in even the craftiest brew is often just water. That isn’t the case with Two Metre Tall.

Ashley and Jane Huntington are the geniuses behind this Tasmanian brewery. In addition to an organic chemistry degree and a diploma in winemaking, Ashley spent a decade as the director and senior winemaker in Languedoc, France. Together with Jane Huntington who manages the property, they create unique batches of ale and cider, using farm grown ingredients from their own 580 ha farm in the Derwent Valley in Southern Tasmania as well as ingredients sourced directly from farmers across the state. In keeping with their approach to local provenance, they sought to hero the ingredients they use, not just approximate their taste. Repurposing old wine barrels, ales mature in oak barrels for up to four years.

The natural ferment method is exciting and the ageing process is a fantastic journey into the complexity of flavour. The resulting products are truly one of a kind.