While travelling Tasmania shooting an upcoming episode of Planned vs Rogue, I was fortunate to pick up some work for The Crafty Pint. Although this notable publication has published many beer travel guides and stories, the breweries north of Hobart had long remained as uncontacted tribes in the craft beer world. In three days, Katie and I visited a monster 17 venues (tying the record with my Canberra Crawl!), most of which brew with such perfection that I end up thinking of zero pieces of constructive feedback.

Our very first stop was the modern and extremely new Bicheno Brewing, lurid blue spelling out it’s nickname on the quiet coastal street; BICH. Yes, Katie got a shirt that says BICH and she loves it.

During my time at the brewery (in a shared culinary space called The Farm Shed) head brewer Chris Zygmunt showed me around his brewing system and loaded me up with a mixed sick pack of their finest, including their gold winning Launch Lager, a refreshingly crisp lager worth every accolade.

So impressed was I by Bicheno Brewing that I knew I had to get Chris in for an edition of the long running Who Brews…? series on Crafty Pint.

The following is an excerpt from Crafty Pint where you can read the full article and help my publishers get the ad revenue that helps pay my income! (Yes, this is something you care about dearly.)

Who Brews At Bicheno Brewing?

Chris Zygmunt, head brewer at the wave-making Bicheno Brewing, made a few stops on his journey from the outer suburbs of Melbourne to the tranquil east coast of Tasmania. As you’ll read, his career in beer started out with brewery tours at Byron Bay Brewing before he immersed himself in the Canadian brewing scene.

“[I] went to 20 to 30 breweries in Toronto but Vancouver suited my lifestyle more,” he told The Crafty Pint. “The scene over there is insane.

“I started at Bridge Brewing, just north of the Lions Gate Bridge, kegging and cellaring. It’s a massive space, 750,000 to one million litres a year. On my fifth day the head brewer tapped me on the shoulder and said that someone had just quit and he needed me on the kit.”

Returning to Australia, first by way of WA, over several years Chris worked his way through the ranks at Denmark-based Boston Brewing: “So much of what I learnt at those two breweries I still use today at Bicheno.”

Wanting to be closer to his family, Chris and his partner headed to Tasmania where the job opening for a head brewer at a brand new brewery drew his attention like the last oyster on a platter.

“This job as a head brewer was a good chance to get back to doing everything. A chance to really captain the ship from the start. Applied, got offered the job and, yeah, we just decided [Bicheno] was great.”

Already a community hub for famed Tassie spirits and East Coast wines, The Farm Shed – on an ideal corner as visitors enter Bicheno – offered a small but ideal space to add fresh local craft beer to their already alluring offering.

*The brewing gear at the far end of The Farm Shed.*

Beyond the natural beauty of Bicheno (his tip is to make sure you don't miss the little penguins on the beach an hour after sunset), Chris enjoys the company of local and travelling Tasmanians who he believes have a slightly different approach to beer than their mainland counterparts.

“I think the seasons are a lot shorter here so you really find when summer clicks in the drinking goes up. I mean, it goes up everywhere, but it’s on a new level here. It can definitely drop off in the winter so you need your dark beers ready. I like to have two at least at all times,” he says.

“The localism of Tasmanians is pretty strong and just the local produce is always pushed pretty heavily so I think that’s a massive advantage to have. The hops and grain are good here too. I got to visit HPA's farm in Bushy Park, and see the ingredients up close. That’s something I didn't get to do in WA.”

If you can handle the odd breeze (or constant wintery chill to your bones), Bicheno provides year-round scenic picnic locations – ideal after you’ve sampled the local treats and taps at The Farm Shed. When you call in, don’t miss the award-winning Bicheno Brewing Co Launch Lager: soft, subtle and smashable, this crisp lager is as balanced as a British Naval sword.

Picnic weather not permitting, The Farm Shed serves platters of local delicacies and also proved to be the perfect place to get yarning with Chris and find out more for this entry in our long-running Who Brews...? series.

Chris Zygmunt

Who Are You?

I'm the head brewer, production manager, pack lead, cellarman, delivery driver and dabble in sales too. Being a 5hL brewery in a small space there's not much you don't do within the business.

Personally, I've been working in breweries for over eight years now, across stints in Byron Bay, Vancouver and Western Australia before landing in Tasmania.

Where Do You Brew?

Bicheno, a small town pretty much smack bang in the centre of the Tasmanian East Coast. With Bay of Fires to the north and Wineglass Bay to the south, Bicheno gets a fair bit of tourists coming through.

The town itself has a population under 1,000 people so its a pretty tight knit community and has plenty of natural beauty to rival other attractions on the coast.

The brewery itself is nestled out the back of the venue The Farm Shed.

Why Do You Brew?

It's a good question I don't know if i've been asked before, but I do really love creating something people enjoy: it's not just about the final product, it's about the journey to get there.

I've always been fascinated by fermentation and being able to have a job that allows you to experiment with it is a dream come true. It's not just about making new fun beers all the time – I really enjoy improving a product over time.

Was There A Beer Or A Moment That Set You On The Path To Becoming A Brewer?

I remember trying Mountain Steam Ale and Feral Hop Hog and being pretty blown away by them; not long after that I got a job working at Byron Bay Brewing working behind the bar and running tours. I went in completely blind to that job and wouldn't have been able to even tell you what or how beer was made. But after a few months I was pretty obsessed with the whole thing.

I was probably annoying the hell out of the brewers, Al and Louis. They eventually let me help out and I went to Tafe SA to study Microbrewing.

*The first thing you see driving into Bicheno.*

What's The Inspiration Behind The Brewery Name?

Pretty straightforward: it's the name of the town, Bicheno Brewing. We are more known as Bich, however. The name itself resonates with Tasmanians quite well.

I've had some funny pronunciations from suppliers on the mainland before. I'm pretty sure I was saying it wrong my first month here too.

What Beer In Your Lineup Best Represents You And Why?

I'll go the Italian Pilsner because it's my go to right now and pretty much always. It's crisp, clean and has a sharp bitterness and a pleasant citrus and floral kick from the dry hop. Loads of flavour, not too heavy. What's not to love?

If You Could Have Any Person In The World Join You On A Brew Day Who Would It Be And Why?

I'd love to pick Pete Gillespie's brain on a brew day – big fan of Garage Project and what they do. Or Michael Tonsmeire, his Mad Fermentationist blog was a big source of information for me early on and still is.

If Anyone Drops In On Brew Day What Are They Most Likely To Hear Blasting From The Speakers?

I like to change it up quite a bit there's not much i won't listen to. But mashing in I do love some of the classics: Dire Straits, Johnny Cash, Elvis all get a good run.

*Brewing the next batch of Tasmanian gold.*

What Beers Are In Your Fridge Right Now?

It's not overly loaded right now: some of my own range, a can from Evil Mega Corp, Iron House Milk Stout, Bicheno Beer barrel-aged stout, Du Cane IPA. It's mostly filled with home brewed kombucha.

What Would Be Your Desert Island Beer Of Choice?

Pilsner Urquell: drinking that straight from the brewery was pretty amazing and being stranded on a tropical island with it sounds like a great time.

Which Local Beers Have Blown Your Mind In Recent Weeks?

Maybe stretching the "recent weeks" as i've been in the Bicheno bubble since the cooler weather has kicked in. But I'm a big fan of Due South's Japanese Black Lager; Bruny Island Beer Co's Black Pudding Stout I really enjoyed when I was on the island. Albert's range of lagers are very good too.

There's loads of good beer in Tassie to be discovered.

Is There A Particular Style Ingredient Or Trend In Beer You'd Like To Explore Further?

I've always been very intrigued by wild-fermented beers; it would be something I'd love to do more of in the future. I love Belgian lambics but I have also drank loads of great Australian wild ales too.

I also like the idea of brewery farms, grain to glass style operations where you are a part of the full process. I think Will Tatchell at Van Dieman Brewing is a good example of this – looks like he has a hell of time doing it too.

Where Can People Find Your Beers?

You can find our cans across Tasmania; we are in quite a few bottleshops and bars all over. There is some great craft beer bars In Tasmania that often throw us in their rotation: Boodle Beasley, Empress, Grinners, Preachers, Saint Johns and Tandy's to name a few. There all well worth a look when visiting.

Where Do You Hope Your Brewery Will Be Ten Years From Now?

Ten years is a long time so who knows where we will be; I don't think there is a huge rush to expand on a large scale. We could definitely use some extra tanks to get through the summer silly season as it can be hard to keep stock up.

I'm not sure if sending beer to the mainland is worth it on our scale but it would be cool to be known a little more across Australia.

Tassie’s Newest Brewery Already Winning Awards