Fill your esky: South Coast brewers show resilience

Now, after Australia's own devastating summer, an Australian version of Resilience is about to be brewed. Some of the country's top brewers are already on board, including former Canberran Scott Hargrave from Balter, Shane Ferguson (Future Mountain), Nick Calder-Scholes (One Drop) and Phil O'Shea (Five Barrel.)

Canberra's own BentSpoke Brewery and Capital Brewing Co have plans to join in, as well as participate in other events to support the recovery so stay tuned.

Breweries from the United States, Canada, Denmark, Great Britain and New Zealand are also on board, with a percentage of their profits assisting in the Australian recovery.

But for three South Coast breweries the whole definition of resilience has taken on a whole new meaning.

Cupitt Craft Brewing from Ulladulla, Milton's Dangerous Ales and Jervis Bay Brewing Company in Huskisson are collaborating for a Resilience Beer after living through the tragedy first hand.

Cupitt's head brewer Liam Jackson watched as flames licked the edges of the Cupitt estate and is thankful they escaped relatively unscathed.

"We were all affected by the bushfires," he said, "perhaps not directly in terms of infrastructure but all we have friends and neighbours and family who have lost property and a lot of businesses are also dealing with an enormous loss of trade.

READ MORE: Where to fill your empty esky, from Canberra to the coast

"I don't know what the solution is, there is no easy solution, it is a catastrophe and the effects are going to be long lasting, whether you're looking at people or environment or businesses."

For Jackson, the whole concept of Resilience Beer embodies the community spirit of the craft beer world.

"We all get along, there is a real sense of community, we're competitors, sure, but it's all friendly."

Jackson, Landon Gauld from Dangerous Ales, and Oisin Sweeney from Jervis Bay came together last week to start the process.

The three South Coast breweries agreed to donate 10 per cent of their profits to Ryefield Hops near Bemboka, a fledgling hops grower who lost all the 2019 season due to drought and the fires. Ryefield also supplied BentSpoke and Capital Brewing.

Order some of the South Coast beer through the breweries, or better yet get down the coast to enjoy a cold one.