Meet the Brewer
Meet Dylan Randall – 2IC in the Vale Brewery team. Dylan grew up in SA, with an impressive array of industry experience he’s a an extremely valued member to the Vale Brewery team.
Give us some background about yourself..
When I finished school I had no clue what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and ended up falling into QA/QC work. I enjoyed the attention to detail and problem solving aspects of the roles I was in but never really loved what I was doing. In my mid 20’s we made the decision to go all in and move to the UK and use this as a base to see the world with the plan to get any job that would get us by. This is where I found what I thought at the time was my dream job.. I managed to score a gig in the QC department of one of the biggest breweries in the UK – Fullers. I learnt so much more about beer in the 2 years I was there then I ever could have dreamed. Completing analysis from start to finished product, from cask to kegs, bottles to cans. Running sensory sessions with the brewing team and just taking in as much as I could (beer and knowledge!) and meeting great like minded people along the way, all while enjoying London’s up and coming craft beer scene. We made the decision to come home to Adelaide and I thought my luck in my work life had run out – spending the next few years in the beverage industry, continually trying to get my foot in the door in the brewing industry. Until I was lucky enough to get what I would now say is my dream job, doing what you love and brewing
beer for a living makes it easy to get out of bed in the morning
What got you in to brewing?
Once I really got into beer, which was when I started drinking all the different styles and having those “Wow” moments when you get your hands on something amazing. From here I wanted to know all the ins and outs on how this gets into your glass. This then progressed into home brewing which I’d say is how we all start out and after that just getting hooked on the process. The creativity of developing a beer in your head and it coming to life, the care that is taken to make sure you hit every target along the way, the attention to detail, the sensory overload, the strive for consistency
and then finally the buzz you get when someone has one of your beers and doesn’t hate it.
What is your favourite beer and why? (outside of our range)
At the moment it would have to be Goose Island – Madame Rose. A Belgian style brown ale fermented with wild yeast and aged on cherries in wine barrels. I Love the way everything ties in together and gives the perfect balance to such a complex beer. However my favourite changes weekly.
What is your favourite style within our range?
For me it would have to be the stouts on the Fox Hat side! There is nothing better than taking some time to immerse yourself in and enjoy all the nuances of a dark beer.
And beers you’re most excited to brew and why?
Anything new! It’s always exciting to work on a new beer and see how it evolves from a collaborative idea into the glass.
What do you enjoy the most about the Vale Brewery?
The flexibility and creativity we are given on daily basis to create, tweak and analyze what ultimately ends up in the punters hands. And of course the beer itself!
NEWS
Vale Brewing Is The Champion Large Brewery of South Australia 2020 Read More »
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