Media Release

OkTobyfest cheers with a taste of Panama

Beer and coffee lovers have a latte to love about the latest craft lager and cider creations from the team at Young Henry’s boutique brewery. In what could be a world-first, Young Henrys and Toby’s Estate have combined master brewing expertise with coffee craftsmanship to develop two experimental brews.

The unique OkTobyfest beer and cider have been specially created using the normally discarded coffee cherry skins (cascara) collected during processing from Toby’s Estate’s coffee plantation in Panama.

Toby’s Estate Quality Assurance and Training Manager Ryan Spinoglio said cascara was a by-product of coffee cherries and usually overlooked, despite being consumed in Yemen and Ethiopia for centuries.

“Everyone on our farm loves to brew cascara tea, with the resulting infusion a very sweet, cherry-like flavour with raisin and plum notes,’’ Ryan said.

“When chatting with the team at Young Henrys we realised the fruit characters from the cascara could add something truly unique to the resulting brews.”

Young Henrys award-winning head brewer Richard Adamson said the special OkTobyfest beer was a traditional Bock with a cascara and coffee twist, while the cider was filtered using the cascara.

“It takes a lot of coffee to make beer and a lot of beer to make coffee so it should come as no surprise that we have joined forces to make something unique and remarkable,’’ Richard said.

“The strong, malty lager is the perfect platform to showcase the fruit characters from the cascara, with the malty sweetness, tangy acidity and long finish of Toby’s specially roasted Finca Santa Teresa La Trinidad coffee adding depth and complexity to the specially crafted beer.

“The OkTobyfest cider is our traditional cloudy cider made with Royal Gala and Pink Lady apples from NSW with the fermented juice passing through the cascara as a late filter to create a cider like no other.’’

The OkTobyfest beer and cider will be sold at Young Henrys in Newtown and at a limited number of venues, while the limited-edition cider will be available at the launch and brewery only for a short time.