Presenting a series of Sunday's showcasing the stories from Wine, Beer & Spirits of the Fleurieu.

These are reproduced with permission from Soul Publishing and Rojina Duval.

The book has been well received by the public and even won Best New Wine Book in the 2021 Wine Communicator Awards.

Kate Henning and Simon Dunstone bought the Myponga Brewery in 2012 just a few months after getting married, determined to turn their beer-brewing hobby into a business – and so the Smiling Samoyed Brewery was born.

Kate had bought Simon a beer-brewing kit for Christmas a few years before, and that’s when the couple’s shared passion for brewing began.

“Initially it was just a hobby, but it quickly spiralled out of control! It didn’t take long for it to go from an interest to a vocation,” says Simon.

Now the Smiling Samoyed brews a variety of beers including a core range of Kolsch (Golden Ale), 12 Paws (Pale Ale), IPA (India Pale Ale) and Dark Ale, as well as a range of seasonal and special batch releases throughout the year.

“Our beers have been awarded Most Outstanding Beer in Show and the Brewery Champion Small Brewery at the Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards,” says Simon.

The brewery’s logo and name come from the family’s Samoyeds: brother and sister Cooper and Mia were joined by rescue Samoyed Poppet, prior to production beginning in August 2013. Their first brew is named after the dogs too: a pale ale called 12 Paws. Sadly, all of the original 12 Paws have passed away. The brewery has welcomed two new Samoyeds, Hoppy (adopted from the RSPCA) and Kent, to the family since then.

The Smiling Samoyed also has a bar and restaurant – “If you visit the brewery on a sunny day, you’re likely to find the dogs lying around in the sun, welcoming visitors,” says Kate.

“We run a family-friendly, dog-friendly venue. With our commitment to great quality beers, we love seeing people enjoying our products and their visits to our brewery bar. Having people request our beers for their weddings is a particularly warm and fuzzy moment.

“Just recently, we’ve had some changes done,” Kate continues. “Our bar has been redesigned, featuring the original bar top. The history of the bar is shown, with the holes where the taps used to go through, being on display. Also, our toilets are currently in the process of being re-painted with the brewing process depicted on the toilet door!”

PAIRING

“12 Paws is our most popular beer in the range and our brewer’s personal favourite. It is an Australian-style pale ale made with Australiangrown hops that provide a wonderful citrus and passionfruit hop character, balanced against a smooth bitterness and subtle malt backbone.

“12 Paws is best paired with our tandoori chicken wood-oven pizza, though it works well with a range of food.”

CELLAR DOOR

“The brewery is located on the doorstep of the Myponga Reservoir Reserve. The reservoir provides beautiful views from the bar and is also a fantastic outdoor recreation space. Visitors can go for a walk, a jog or ride their bikes, then call into the brewery bar for a well-deserved beer and delicious food. There is a playground on site for children and friendly dogs on leads are welcome at the brewery too.” 

ADDRESS 20-22 Hansen Street, Myponga

WEBSITE