Endeavour Vintage Beer has released its first beer produced on-site at Endeavour Tap Rooms, its new brewpub in Sydney.

The 2017 Argyle Strong Ale is the first vintage of what co-founder Ben Kooyman expects may become an annual release commemorating the company’s arrival at Argyle Street, The Rocks.

“The Lord Nelson is a street back and we tip our hat to them, brewing in The Rocks for 30 years,
but this must be the first brew done on Argyle Street for a long, long time,” he told Australian Brews News.

Created by Endeavour’s new head brewer John ‘JB’ Bogan, Kooyman said the 8.5 per cent ABV beer puts an Australian spin on an English Old Ale or Barleywine, with all-local malt and generous hopping using local variety Topaz.

“Our first brew went quite smoothly for what JB wanted to do. It’s got a huge malt backbone but it’s elegant. It’s age worthy, we think it will last quite well,” he said.

The momentous beer comes six years after Endeavour started up as a contract brewer. Kooyman said it signals a new era of experimentation for the company, with an XPA, porter, wheat beer and IPA already in the pipeline.

“We’re all about trying different beers ourselves, so we’re just brewing what we’ve been inspired by,” he said.

The new brewery bar at Endeavour Tap Rooms

Future beers could include a saison or even a sour, new frontiersfor a brand that has made its name on pale ale and amber ale.

“I don’t think it will be something we always have on tap, but why not do ten kegs and we’ll see how it goes?” Kooyman said.

“Our beers will always be balanced and elegant. We won’t do the biggest freakiest sour out there, nor will we do the hoppiest, punchiest IPA.

“Now that we’ve got JB on board, he will certainly have free reign on a lot of the beers. But we’ll be brewing three times a week so I think he’ll probably need a bit of inspiration and input too.

“Andy is still our founding brewer, so there’s always going to be that house style that he’s developed.”

Kooyman said Endeavour Tap Rooms is already trading ahead of expectations and the recent opening of the brewery bar has added additional capacity.

“We’ve been having big, big Fridays and Saturdays and the rest of the week is really nice and solid. The kitchen is cranking, we’re selling more food than we expected to,” he said.

Just 500 bottles have been released of the 2017 Argyle Ale, which is also available on tap for a limited time at Endeavour Tap Rooms.

Presented bySparkEngineering, creator ofhigh quality brewing and distilling systems, theSmall Brewery Updatereports the latest brewery openings and closings from across Australia.

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