GABS Brewer: Geoff Quinn from Buxton Brewery in the United Kingdom

What beer are you making for GABS?
We’ve made a Red Ale, with a lot of Aussie hops in – sending them home!

Does it have a name yet?
Yes – it’s called Blood Stone. It’s 4.2%

Where did the inspiration come from?
We make a higher ABV red ale called High Tor, which is one of our favourites, made with a load of US hops. It has a nice fruity strawberry and caramel character. We thought a smaller red ale showcasing Australian hops might be interesting to visitors to GABS. It is also very fruity, quite bitter, and has lovely aroma – again more berry fruit than citrus or pine. Lots of our beers are named after local rock-climbing venues and climbs, this one too.

Do you think it’ll be a one-off or are you considering adding it to the range after GABS?
Having had a tasting session of it, we all really like it, so it will more than likely become a regular.

What do you think of the concept of GABS?
Love it – browsing the website makes us want to book flights!! We’re proud to have a beer of ours there.

The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular (aka GABS) is on in Melbourne on May 23-25, 2014.