Farmhouse beers made by a Victorian microbrewery have proved a hit in Hong Kong.
Future Mountain Brewing and Blending (Future Mountain) worked with Austrade to secure its first export deal at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its beers are now available at Hong Kong's leading retailers and taprooms.
A fresh take on old-world ales
Future Mountain brews saisons (highly carbonated pale ales), farmhouse ales and sour beers following old-world brewing and blending methods. It uses seasonal ingredients from local producers. The company cultivates different strands of yeast to create its own mixed cultures.
The beer is fermented in barrels, traditional brewing tanks and an open fermenter.
'Each release of a beer is a taste in time,' says co-founder Ian Jones. 'It reflects where our mixed cultures are at and the fermentation method we used. It also reflects any seasonal changes and the produce that was available locally at the time.'
Getting ready to export
Future Mountain poured its first beer in 2019. Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, the brewery was determined to start exporting.
'It's always been a dream of ours to see our beers being enjoyed around the world,' says co-founder Shane Ferguson.
Support from Austrade
Austrade arranged a one-on-one meeting with Future Mountain's Head of Sales, Manning Blanchard. This helped the brewery better understand the consumer landscape in Hong Kong.
Austrade also introduced Future Mountain to Hong Kong beer distributor Beerholics after it expressed interest in the brewery. Austrade had been showcasing Australia's craft beers to Beerholics.
Future Mountain shipped its first pallet of beer to Hong Kong in early January. The company won a slew of awards while the pallet was in transit. They included the 2021 Champion Australian Independent Brewpub, State Champion of Victoria and other gold, silver and bronze medals.
'When our beers hit Hong Kong they literally flew off the shelves,' says Ferguson. 'The tap-takeovers were also a huge success.
'With our beer being such a hit in Hong Kong, we can't wait to see where's next.'
Go further, faster with Austrade
Go to Austrade export services to learn the basics, find the right markets and understand market requirements.
