Every now and then we like to put a bit of a spotlight on our favourite brewers - this time it's a Brew and A with Jayne Lewis from Two Birds Brewing. We love the Two Birds beers - so much so that Richard had them at his wedding! Read on and learn something new about brewer Jayne....

What was your beer epiphany, i.e. the beer that got you hooked on craft beer/brewing or convinced that there was better stuff than the mainstream?

I have a handful of epiphany beers. Coopers Sparkling Ale, on tap at Steve's in Perth (the Wednesday night haunt of uni students), was the beer that made me realise that there were more than just lagers in the world. Drinking Anchor Steam/Liberty Ale and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on my first trip to the US, really opened my eyes to some of the different flavours that were possible in beer. I tried Tripel Karmeliet once I had started brewing at Little Creatures and I was blown away by its complexity and balance.

Who is the person/people in the industry that you look to as beer “godfathers” for direction / inspiration / advice?

The first time I judged at the Australian International Beer Awards in 2008, I was fortunate enough to judge with Richard Watkins (Wig & Pen Canberra, soon to be doing his own thing at Bentspoke Brewing Co). He took me under his sizeable wing and has been my friend, my recipe guru and my hotline for everything beer-related ever since! Brendan Varis (Feral Brewing, WA) is also a good friend, who is amazingly generous with his time and is an awesome sounding board for me.

What got you into brewing?

I really fell into brewing. I was making wine and living in Margaret River and I was looking to move back to Perth. Little Creatures in Freo advertised for a Brewer, I applied for the role, told a white lie in the interview about being a homebrewer, and they gave me a job! It was the greatest move that I've ever made and I've never looked back. Brewing is something that I'm truly passionate about and I love being a part of the awesome community that surrounds good beer!

Where do you get your inspiration for your beers from?

I'm really inspired by food, so a lot of my beers take cues and inspiration from something that I have tasted elsewhere. Taco is a prime example, it was great fun taking some of the major flavours from my favourite food and using them in beer. Sunset Ale was also inspired by ruby red grapefruit and I've got a long list of other food inspired beers waiting in the wings!

What do you like most about your job?

For me, brewing is the perfect combination of art and science, in that I get to be creative within a scientific framework. I also get to travel around Australia and the world, talking about and drinking amazing beer and meeting new people - I am truly living the dream!

If you would like to buy the Two Birds Beers you can do so here:

Two Birds Golden Ale

Two Birds Sunset Ale

Two Birds Taco