Hear from the Makers

Meet the Makers participant 

2021 Shiraz

Craft development

The passion for wine has always been in me due to my Italian heritage. My father would always have wine on the table during dinner when I was a child. As he got older he started to make his own wine in the garage and this increased my interest in the winemaking process to the point where I made some home-made wine myself one season (2003).

The winemaking interest also stems from fact that I started my career as a chemist and so I find the scientific aspects of winemaking very interesting. After 11 years in the chemistry job I needed a career change and applied for several positions in the wine industry but was unsuccessful. I worked in the construction industry for 15 before another career change was necessary. Again I applied for work in the wine industry and was successful in landing a role in wine sales. This role did not last long, but was crucial in allowing me realise that I truly loved working with wine. As a result I enrolled in a winemaking and viticulture degree at Latrobe University the following semester. After my first year of study I began working in the Yarra Valley at the Yering Station cellar door as a casual while studying. After 18 months I began working with the winemaking team at Yering Station, where I worked for two years. I continue to work in the wine industry as a casual employee while making my own wines at home.

My home winemaking commenced in 2018 as I began studying winemaking. It was important to try and put into practice the things I was learning at university. As the years progressed a lot of the things I’d learn in the workplace were also instrumental in developing and improving my winemaking at home. My winemaking craft has developed through dedication to the knowledge required to make good quality wines and through practice in winemaking with the will to constantly improve and produce the best wine I possibly can. Sourcing good quality grapes from vineyards is an essential part of this quality winemaking process.

Special techniques

A lot of the decisions made in my winemaking process stem from my science background and the understanding of the attributes each grape variety I work with gives to the wine. Once I understand the typical flavours a variety gives to the wine, then I will select the best yeast strains to enhance these flavours and adjust the winemaking process to best extract these flavours from the grape. One of the unique techniques I tend to use in my wines is to keep the gross lees, or the large yeast fermentation sediments, in the wine for several months to give the wines a more rounded mouthfeel.

Picking ingredients

The grape variety I use will be selected from Victorian regions that have the suitable climate required by the type of grape I’m looking to use. Different grape varieties require different climate conditions, soil types and need to be picked at different times to produce the best possible flavours, so selecting the grapes from the right region and the right time is essential for quality winemaking. Most of my wines are produced with grapes from Heathcote, Portarlington and the Grampians regions.

Challenges

From the start there’s been many challenges. My first vintage in 2018 was eventful as all my fermentation vats were quite small and when the fermentation took off most had the wine skins overflowed out of the vats. This resulted in wines which had a vinegary character. Not ideal in winemaking but great if you want to make a salad. LOL.

In 2019 I purchased 1000kgs of Shiraz from Heathcote while working at the University winery for a winemaker who lectures at the university. Using the Universities facilities was meant to make the process easier, but the Brettanomyces yeast strain was present in the winery and this resulted in wine with Brettanomyces taint. The wine had a distinctive smell and flavour which is considered a fault in the winemaking industry.

Along the way challenges continue to present themselves. Producing wines even in industry is full of challenge as winemaking machinery occasionally fails to work, the weather can at times make for challenging situations where the work to be completed cannot be done, wine fermentations can fail or become smelly.

The need to be able to control temperature and sometimes cool wines is still a challenge I’m facing. This is very important when producing white and rose wines.

The limited space in the garage and under the house to make and store my wines is a big challenge.

The biggest challenge of all, however, is the finance needed to grow as a winemaker. The more wine, the more money is needed and first one must outlay the money to cover all expenses before any income is made. More wines means more tanks, larger equipment and the need for more space.

Community experiences

One of the great things about winemaking is that it often brings family and friends together whether it’s for picking grapes at vineyards or making wine in the garage. There’s never a shortage of people offering to come and help, and it is even more rewarding when you finish bottling the wine and give them a few bottles which they then tell you they thoroughly enjoyed.

Meet the Makers participant

Beer (IPA), Flanders Red, Belgian Quad and Hefeweizen

How did you develop your craft? 

I started homebrewing in 2019 after a grateful parent of one of my students gave me a basic homebrewing kit as a 'thank you' gift, knowing that I was a beer enthusiast. This prompted me to start brewing. My first few attempts at brewing using malt-extract were mediocre at best, and a few were downright bad. But I was determined to get good at it. Then I dipped my toe into all-grain brewing with a small stove-top batch of XPA that turned out quite nice. When COVID and lockdowns hit in 2020, I decided to double down and bought my first all-in-one brew-kettle and started pressure fermenting and kegging. This is when I started producing some really good beers. Since then I have brewed multiple beers that have achieved first, second and third place at homebrewing competitions, including the state-level competition, VicBrew.

Are there any fun or special techniques you use when making your food, wine, or produce that make it uniquely yours that you would like to share?

I have been growing my own Cascade hops for two growing seasons now, and while I only use them in a few of my beers, they do make them uniquely my own. A friend and I have also recently started growing some hybridised versions of some well-known classic hop varieties that have been crossed with a wild german male variety. It's early days, but there are signs of some positive results.

When picking out ingredients, what local factors do you keep in mind, and how do they add that special touch to what you create? I.e. are your ingredients seasonal, homegrown or imported? 

In brewing, freshness is always important. Whether it's your malt, hops or yeast, you're not going to get the best results with ingredients that are past their prime. We're also very lucky here in Melbourne that we have such good quality water with very low mineral content and other additives. Water is the fourth ingredient in beer, and is equally important to the other three. There are brewers elsewhere in the world who buy and install special filters just to get water as good as ours. With such a soft water profile, you can also easily add mineral salts to achieve a wide range of water profiles to suit different beer styles, which helps ensure the right kind of flavour and mouthfeel of the final product.       

What challenges have you faced along the way as a maker, and how have you overcome them? 

Oxygen is the biggest enemy of the homebrewer. I have had plenty of beers succumb to oxidation. Oxidation will kill hop aroma and can make your beer taste like wet cardboard. I didn't know what wet cardboard tasted like until I brewed an oxidised beer, but it's unmistakable! Having good processes that avoid exposing your beer to oxygen are crucial. These include closed anaerobic transfers of the finished beer from the fermenter to the keg, purging bottles with CO2 before filling, and counter-pressure bottle-filling. Adding an antioxidation agent like sodium metabisulphite at times when you risk oxygen exposure, such as opening your fermenter to dry-hop, also mitigates oxidation.  

Can you share any stories of community experiences that have shaped your making process? Any heartwarming tales or funny moments from your journey as a local food, wine, or produce maker that you'd like to share with us?

The best thing that has ever happened to my beer quality and my learning journey as a brewer has been joining the Merri Mashers homebrew club, which is based here in the Northern Suburbs, and whose membership is comprised primarily of homebrewers living in the Darebin and Merri-Bek areas. I've learned so much from my fellow 'Mashers' and they are an awesome community of great people who love beer and brewing. Through the Merri Mashers, I have improved my craft, started growing hops, studied to become a certified beer judge, and I have recently just taken my first steps at winemaking. I don't think I would have done any of these things had it not been for my experiences as part of the Merri Mashers community.

Meet the Makers participant

Sourdough Bread

Meet the Makers participant

Other: Salts and rubs

How did you develop your craft?

Initially looking at purchasing overseas salt rub products, whilst driving in the car, we talked about what hobbies we could include so thought we’d create our own salt rubs and tie in with Australia being the BBQ “throw another shrimp on the barby” capital of the world 😊

Are there any fun or special techniques you use when making your food, wine, or produce that make it uniquely yours that you would like to share?

We dehydrate botanicals and char both Australian and Mesquite timber for the smoked flaked salt.

When picking out ingredients, what local factors do you keep in mind, and how do they add that special touch to what you create? I.e. are your ingredients seasonal, home grown or imported?

We also try and source Australian made and locally sourced products. We have a Greek father-in-law who has 3 separate home produce gardens and an abundance of chillis and herbs!!!

What challenges have you faced along the way as a maker, and how have you overcome them?

Recipes are always a challenge but once you get there it all comes together. There’s always room for improvement and having a supportive family with consistent encouragement to grow and learn life lessons.

Can you share any stories of community experiences that have shaped your making process? Any heartwarming tales or funny moments from your journey as a local food, wine, or produce maker that you'd like to share with us?

Not yet as this is a very new thing but we’d love to get more involved in those community experiences and sense of region.

Meet the Makers participant

Sourdough Bread

Meet the Makers participant

Plum jam, preserved olives, passata, pickled green tomato

Meet the Makers participant

Red Wine - Tempranillo

Meet the Makers participant

Red Wine - Merlo (2023)

Meet the Makers participant

2022-Merlo, 2021- Cab Sav

Meet the Makers participant

Pickled Vegetables, Tomato Passata

Meet the Makers participant

Tomato Passata, 2024

Meet the Makers participant

Tomato Passata 

Meet the Makers participant

Tomato Passata 

How did you develop your craft?

My journey as a home brewer began with a deep fascination for the diverse styles and flavors that beer has to offer, and the explosion of the craft beer scene in Australia particularly. I was captivated by the idea of creating something unique and personal, right in my own home, as well as saving a few bucks (those crafties are expensive!). This curiosity led me to explore the art of brewing, experimenting with different beer styles and flavors.

The process was filled with a lot of trial and error, but each brew taught me something new and helped me refine my craft. I learned to appreciate the nuances of different ingredients and the impact they have on the final product, particularly seasonal fruits, different hops and different styles of yeasts.

Over time, I’ve managed to set up an excellent brewing station at home, complete with a large laundry sink and ample storage space under the house. This setup not only provides me with the necessary tools and space to brew my beer but also adds to the joy of the brewing process.

Developing my craft has been a journey of discovery, learning, and most importantly, a celebration of the love I have for beer. It’s a craft that requires patience and precision, but the reward of tasting a beer that you’ve brewed yourself is incomparable.

Are there any fun or special techniques you use when making your food, wine, or produce that make it uniquely yours that you would like to share?

I boil my beer wort in prep for fermentation in a giant pot on the stove. This has often leaked, resulting in a huge mess and making my wife angry. We leave it outside on the front doorstep to cool overnight. Brewing is much better in the colder months. I’ve also taken to making my own adjunct ingredients wherever possible, a classic example being homemade Belgian Candi Sugar that is used extensively in the brewing of Belgian beers, lending a sweet caramel note to the resulting end products.

When picking out ingredients, what local factors do you keep in mind, and how do they add that special touch to what you create? I.e. are your ingredients seasonal, homegrown or imported? 

I have made numerous fruit-based beers (e.g. mango, pineapple and cherry pale ales), when these fruits are in season and available from Kingsbury Drivce Sunday markets, at La Trobe University. Other than that, I find that an excellent array of quality hops can be sourced from our good friend Dave at the Bewar St. Homebrew shop in the back streets of Greensborough – probably one of the best kept hidden secrets in all of Melbourne!

What challenges have you faced along the way as a maker, and how have you overcome them? 

See point 2 above re: destroying the family stovetop! This challenge has been overcome through the gracious love and acceptance of my long-suffering wife 😊

Can you share any stories of community experiences that have shaped your making process? Any heartwarming tales or funny moments from your journey as a local food, wine, or produce maker that you'd like to share with us? 

I loved showcasing my beer at a previous version of this event, back in 2018 (I think), engaging with the community was very rewarding. I love entertaining my friends at home through setting up my own tasting paddles of homebrews, which is a great conversation starter. Homebrews also make great Christmas presents! And of course, there was an occasion where I brought an esky full of my homebrews to a scientific conference in January 2020, just before lockdowns, which we all shared in and enjoyed in after-hours social and networking activities. This was a very fond memory that helped me get through lockdowns, where the joys of sharing beers with friends was put on hold for a while.

Meet the Makers participant

Red Wine

Meet the Makers participant

Sourdough Bread

How did you develop your craft? 

I started homebrewing in 2019 after a grateful parent of one of my students gave me a basic homebrewing kit as a 'thank you' gift, knowing that I was a beer enthusiast. This prompted me to start brewing. My first few attempts at brewing using malt-extract were mediocre at best, and a few were downright bad. But I was determined to get good at it. Then I dipped my toe into all-grain brewing with a small stove-top batch of XPA that turned out quite nice. When COVID and lockdowns hit in 2020, I decided to double down and bought my first all-in-one brew-kettle and started pressure fermenting and kegging. This is when I started producing some really good beers. Since then I have brewed multiple beers that have achieved first, second and third place at homebrewing competitions, including the state-level competition, VicBrew.

Are there any fun or special techniques you use when making your food, wine, or produce that make it uniquely yours that you would like to share?

I have been growing my own Cascade hops for two growing seasons now, and while I only use them in a few of my beers, they do make them uniquely my own. A friend and I have also recently started growing some hybridised versions of some well-known classic hop varieties that have been crossed with a wild german male variety. It's early days, but there are signs of some positive results.

 When picking out ingredients, what local factors do you keep in mind, and how do they add that special touch to what you create? I.e. are your ingredients seasonal, homegrown or imported? 

In brewing, freshness is always important. Whether it's your malt, hops or yeast, you're not going to get the best results with ingredients that are past their prime. We're also very lucky here in Melbourne that we have such good quality water with very low mineral content and other additives. Water is the fourth ingredient in beer, and is equally important to the other three. There are brewers elsewhere in the world who buy and install special filters just to get water as good as ours. With such a soft water profile, you can also easily add mineral salts to achieve a wide range of water profiles to suit different beer styles, which helps ensure the right kind of flavour and mouthfeel of the final product.         What challenges have you faced along the way as a maker, and how have you overcome them? 

Oxygen is the biggest enemy of the homebrewer. I have had plenty of beers succumb to oxidation. Oxidation will kill hop aroma and can make your beer taste like wet cardboard. I didn't know what wet cardboard tasted like until I brewed an oxidised beer, but it's unmistakable! Having good processes that avoid exposing your beer to oxygen are crucial. These include closed anaerobic transfers of the finished beer from the fermenter to the keg, purging bottles with CO2 before filling, and counter-pressure bottle-filling. Adding an antioxidation agent like sodium metabisulphite at times when you risk oxygen exposure, such as opening your fermenter to dry-hop, also mitigates oxidation.  

Can you share any stories of community experiences that have shaped your making process? Any heartwarming tales or funny moments from your journey as a local food, wine, or produce maker that you'd like to share with us?

The best thing that has ever happened to my beer quality and my learning journey as a brewer has been joining the Merri Mashers homebrew club, which is based here in the Northern Suburbs, and whose membership is comprised primarily of homebrewers living in the Darebin and Merri-Bek areas. I've learned so much from my fellow 'Mashers' and they are an awesome community of great people who love beer and brewing. Through the Merri Mashers, I have improved my craft, started growing hops, studied to become a certified beer judge, and I have recently just taken my first steps at winemaking. I don't think I would have done any of these things had it not been for my experiences as part of the Merri Mashers community.

Meet the Makers participant

Red wine, Shiraz 2023