Warehouse 28 (Kooinda Boutique Brewery)

Kooinda Boutique Brewery is branching out, growing even. Known best for their only "wide" release up 'til now, Kooinda Pale Ale – an American Pale Ale with some bite – the lads at Kooinda have moved into a new warehouse brewery and are adding a couple of brews to their arsenal.

We now find them in Heidelberg West, in an industrial estate, in an unassuming warehouse. If you're lucky and eagle-eyed you might notice their decal, no larger than a landscape sheet of A4 paper, on the glass door. Inside, a freshly-painted branded wall and a bar of corrugated iron against a large expanse of concrete floor with newly-stamped kegs stacked at its perimeter. There's a bottling and labeling station near the back, there's of course the brewery itself behind a large sliding door, and in this room, most tellingly, the old brewery. The reminder. Against the southern wall of Kooinda's new brew room, facing a series of shining new fermentation vessels, the old, worn kit. And seeing this certainly informs their new adventure. These guys are really taking the next step.

The name Kooinda, to me, seems to equally belie and befit the brewery's output. Although tending towards purposefully high-hopped and/or roasted-malt bitterness, such as with their new Full Nelson Black IPA, which one might describe as anti-establishment, there's also a very Earth-like quality to their beer. Sticking your nose into one of their brews – by which I mean the glass, obviously – the strength and quality of the aroma from dry-hopping evoked for me the feeling of holding freshly plucked hops in the palm of my hand.

This event was definitely more of a private family-and-friends occasion, so in that spirit, I won't comment too specifically on the taste of the beers on offer; to do so I feel would betray the continued process of refinement and exploration in their new home. But I will say that among those poured were of course the Kooinda Pale, as well as another release being bottled, a Belgian Witbier. (With a Kooinda twist, of course.) There were a couple of trials, including their Valhalla Golden Ale, and my favourite, a Porter that I forget the exact name of. More balanced and seasoned than their other offerings, the Porter was a classic alternative to their established theme, and a good one. There might be a little more work to go to keep it consistent – the second keg had a more pronounced bubblegum flavour – but it's something I quite enjoyed and I hope they'll think about releasing it at some point.

Good luck, guys. I'm sure this'll be a success for you, and I sure hope you don't mind me talking about the day.

(Thanks, Kim, for the lend of the camera.)

I Found the Brewer's Secret Stash (Red Hill Brewery)

Nestled neatly into a southern-central section of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula is David and Karen Golding's Red Hill Brewery, which has now been operating for six and change years. This weekend gone, they hosted a Brewer's Choice Weekend, where their three mainstays, the Golden Ale, Wheat Beer and Scotch Ale, were taken off the taps and replaced with the "brewer's stash," a selection of seasonal and single batches. And not only that, they saw fit to regale visitors with their brand-spanking India Black Ale and a selection of tasting plates for the occasion. As I had been one to remark on more than a few occasions that I had driven past the Red Hill exit on Mornington Peninsula Freeway, not taken said exit and then regretted the decision, what better opportunity?

Walking from the car and past the hop vines, I was struck by how much it felt like a winery more than other breweries I had visited. Nestled almost like a hideaway amidst trees spread just a little too thin to be forest is their charming, modern-rustic eatery and bar, with the brewery immediately adjacent. It's a lovely, calm place.

So, I hear you asking, how is this India Black Ale, and what's the difference between an IBA and a Black IPA? To the former, it's a great-tasting almost-Porter with a perfect – some might say subdued – roasted malt level, characteristic Red Hill softness without any loss of flavour, and a fantastic thick, creamy head. (The hand-pump was the perfect way to go.) Very drinkable. To the latter, I expect the choice to refer to it as an "India Black Ale" as opposed to a "Black India Pale Ale" was twofold. Firstly that it probably makes more sense considering you can't really have an ale that is both black and pale, and secondly to possibly differentiate it from the hoppier versions of the style, but I must stress I neglected to ask.

Other beers on offer were the Bohemian Pilsner, Belgian Blonde, Temptation Belgian Golden Ale, Weizenbock, Christmas Ale, Imperial Stout and barrel-aged versions of the Imperial Stout and Christmas Ale. For not a one do I have a bad word, but I will single out the Weizenbock with its fruity notes and the Imperial Stout as favourites. I only had the opportunity to have the Double Barrel Christmas Ale of the two barrel-aged offerings. To my tastebuds, I was getting sweeter characteristics of a white wine, but was then informed the barrels had housed Shiraz, so what do I know.

The food, while pricey for the amount of food, was fantastic. Lamb koftas and the Gruyere and Caraway croquettes were sampled, as were a vegetable crumble and the Welsh Rarebit, the latter of which I would consider an essential upon any visit. Can't speak to the food more than that except to say again, y'know, tasty.

A tour of the brewery was also offered and gladly accepted. Dave did a very easy-going tour of the brewery's process from mashing in to fermentation to bottling or kegging, passing around some grain and hops for us to smell, and was very open to answering questions. He explained Red Hill's use of 90% rainwater, sourced from both the brewery and other local business – and there is a shared quality to their beer that I can only attribute to their great soft water – and of course the cultivation of their own hops. He explained their philosophy preferencing English, German and Belgian styles, as opposed to the hoppier American influence, and shared the journey of their new IBA from brewers Tim and Simon's home-brew experiments to finished product.

Final compliments go to the waiting and bar staff, who were honestly friendlier and more attentive than I've encountered. A great day, a great place, and I will be back.