Dad & Dave, the father-son team that have been home brewing for an age look as if their dreams are finally shaping up as they introduce their second craft beer – Dad & Dave’s #2 Belgian IPA.
Qualified brewers, the duo attended Ballarat University and graduated with a deeper understanding and passion for the beer they brew.
Their brewery (a second kitchen in their home on the Northern beaches) was the home of crisp and refreshing #1 Pale Ale which we reviewed previously.
Since the realisation of their first offering, they have outsourced brewing to a professional contract brewery. Their brewers follow Dad & Dave’s explicit recipe and guidance and are highly professional brewers that return what the boys want every time.
The new brewer has allowed for expansion, and Dad & Dave’s beers are beginning to permeate the Northern Beaches and the North Shore.
The Dad & Dave’s #1 Pale Ale qualified for a Bronze Medal in 2013, and a Silver Medal at the Sydney Royal Beer and Cider Show in 2014.
Currently, Dad & Dave’s #1 Pale Ale and beers from Matilda Bay, Nail Brewing and Longboard Brewing are the only beers to win medals two years in a row in the Pale Ale category at this prestigious show.
And they aim to place again next year, entering their TWO beers into the competition next year.
The best bit about all this good news is that the boys have gotten together and created an even better beverage. Dad & Dave’s #2 has been specifically formulated by the duo as a craft beer which is “distinctly different” to other craft beers, according to ‘Dad’ (John Dumay).
Big things can be expected from this brewing team as they aim to provide beers that are different and satisfy their customers every time.
The #2 balances India Pale Ale’s malt and hop character with a Belgian Candi Sugar flavour kick and is fermented with Saison yeast, creating a “Belgian IPA”. Sweeter smelling than the #1 it also tastes a lot maltier on the opening sip. It sits heavier in the drinkers’ mouth and has a cleaner bitter bite at the end with an unmistakeable higher presence of alcohol.
At 5.5% this looks like the perfect beer to be enjoying all summer long.
David said that they are keen to enter this new beer in as many competitions as possible as it is a great to be judged amongst their peers.
“Others craft brewers often brew what they want, while we brew what the people want” is the reason for their brands comparative difference according to John. They have formed #2 specifically with craft-beer drinkers in mind.
They test their proposed beer flavours with their friends, who through a history of drinking and brewing and even studying beer, happen to be pretty knowledgeable.
At the moment, the boys are dead set on building the reputation of their brand. Dad & Dave’s is small, but it deserves to be a highly popular range of craft beers.
They want to be known as “consistent deliverers of fantastic beer” says John, a more than fair reflection of their first two offerings.
Craft beers in Sydney are currently going through a period of expansion and diversification. Dad & Dave’s is another great example of brewing that outshines regular Australian beers.
The #2 Belgian IPA has been “made with love, by real people, not machines” says John, and is the reason why it tastes so much more wholesome and overall better than regular beers.
In comparison to “chemical beers” (John) the brewing processes of craft beers creates an untouchable level of sheer superiority.
Dad & Dave’s brewing is a craft-force to be reckoned with, and at the very least is a brand worth investigating over the summer.
