Brewing treasure trove for Pirate Life

A few moments after receiving his prize Jared Proudfoot looked for his watch.

“In a few minutes it will be five months to the day that we started our first brew,” he said.

Brewing treasure trove for Pirate Life

It so succinctly summed up how quickly Proudfoot, working partner Jack Cameron and the latter’s father Michael, have progressed in such a short period.

That rise hit another peak at the weekend when the trio’s Pirate Life operation was deemed the best Commercial Brewery at the Perth Royal Beer Show awards.

And, armed with extra knowledge gleaned during their stints with the manufacturing and marketing marvels at Brewdog in Scotland, Pirate Life have progressed at rocket pace.

The three initial releases – American Pale Ale (5.4 per cent), Imperial India Pale Ale (8.8 per cent) and a lower alcohol Throwback IPA (3.5 per cent)– were backed by an exhausting but comprehensive series of press the flesh visits by the trio to introduce the brand around the country.

The flavour of the trio of beers greatly helped their cause. So, too, did some clever display work. The 500ml can for the Imperial India Pale Ale also earned Pirate Life the best Ale Packaged trophy at the PRBS awards.

Their Pale Ale scooped gold medals in American Style Pale Ale, both packaged and draught, the IIPA took similar prizes in the India Pale Ale packaged and draught class, the Throwback was awarded silver for reduced alcohol packaged and a later release, an Export Stout, got silver in Stout (Sweet) Draught.

That’s a lot of cabinet monuments to take back to South Australia.

But for Proudfoot, there was one more valuable commodity buckling up for the long drive back to the new home.

“I’m so happy that tomorrow I can go and collect my dog,” Proudfoot said, adding that in the turmoil in setting up the new brewery he has been without his mate.

Although Pirate Life has a Croweater base, the brewers were keen to back the WA beer awards because of their affinity with the industry. Proudfoot helped set up Cheeky Monkey in the South West while Cameron spent time with Little Creatures until they could raise the capital needed to establish their own brewery.

Mash in the Swan Valley were also big winners at the WA awards. Their now infamous Copy Cat American India Pale Ale won the Premier’s Award for best beer of the show.

Charlie Hodgson’s team also earned the best WA Brewery prize and the best Reduced Alcohol (packaged) beer.

The trophy for best Stout Draught was awarded to Nail Brewing while newcomer to the event, Mindarie-based Indian Ocean Brewing, won the gong for best Lager Draught.

Fremantle brewery Little Creatures walked away with the trophy for best Stout Packaged, Gage Roads’s Pils 3.5 got best Reduced Alcohol Draught while Billabong Brewing was awarded the award for best Wheat Beer Packaged.

Source: The West Australian, Ross Lewis, 2^nd August 2015
Originally published as: Brewing treasure trove for Pirate Life