1) Phil Sexton’s hit rate is astonishing. If other people managed to create one iconic beer brand in Australia they’d be happy. To try and push for two would just appear greedy. But Sexton has managed to get in on the ground floor of TWO legendary breweries.
In 1984 he and some friends started the Matilda Bay Brewing Company. Then, in 2000, lighting struck twice and he set up Little Creatures. And if that wasn’t enough he also is behind Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander wine labels.

2) But if that wasn’t enough it seems he was also the guy responsible for Little Creatures legendary pale ale. So it’s pretty damn obvious that the guy is a trailblazer of the good beer scene in this country.

3) So it makes perfect sense that, if a brewery were to create beers to honour industry legends, that Phil would be first cab off the rank. Well, as fate would have it, that’s exactly what a brewery has done. Stone & Wood have kicked off a once-a-year limited edition beer called Forefathers. According to the label, ‘‘There are pioneers among us who have paved the way towards today’s burgeoning beer industry’’. I actually like that they didn’t say ‘‘CRAFT beer industry’’, by the way, it feels like they’re being inclusive rather than exclusive.

4) I assume the release date of the beer has been chosen to coincide with Father’s Day. That way they can take advantage of the ‘‘For Fathers’’ pun in the title. Kudos, I love me a dad joke. Maybe they’ll keep the gags going and there will only be four versions of Forefathers ever released.

5) Sexton’s beer is an English brown ale. And from what I can gather, Sexton was actually involved in making it. They didn’t just slap his name on the label. And it’s a tasty beer too. But, it’s a Stone & Wood beer, so you can assume it would be tasty. There are some biscuit and caramel notes but they’re impeccably balanced by the bitterness from the hops.

Free or paid for: Used to be Stone & Wood would send samples to me of every new beer. But not this time – I must have done something wrong. So this one was paid for.