You’ve no doubt heard of the famous Bindoon Bakehaus Banoffee Eclair – a dreamy combination of banana custard and caramel cream encased in delicate choux pastry and dusted with toasted almonds. The decadent desert shot to stardom when Prince Harry scoffed one after training with the Army reserves at Bindoon back in 2016 and hasn’t looked back.
“The Banoffee Eclair is amazingly popular and we sell hundreds each week,” said Anne Maree Hagge, Co-owner and Production Manager of Bindoon’s flagship cafe.
A collaboration with local brewery Outback Brewing Co is taking the popular pastry to a whole new level – by brewing it into a beer. The undeniably unique Banoffee Ale will debut at this year’s Taste of Chittering on 25 August.
“Flavoured beers and IPA’s are getting really popular!” says Adam Watts – one of the talented twins who, with brother Peter, form Outback Brewing Co. Fresh from taking out the People’s Choice Award at the Perth Beer Fest held in March, the boys are pretty confident they can make it work.
But why? Surely beer is beer and milkshakes are, well, kids’ stuff?
“You’d be surprised who goes for them,” says Peter (or is it Adam?)
“At one of the festivals we had some real tough blokes who just couldn’t get enough of them! They are more popular with the blokes than with the ladies really,” they joke. “They have a sweetness, sure, but still a strong beer taste, and the IPA (India Pale Ale) keeps the alcohol content high.”
The guys plan to use around 10 eclairs to the keg, using the teabag method to literally soak the flavour through the beer.
“With the IPA’s we just mash up all the fruit or whatever and throw it in and let it ferment! Sometimes we add fresh stuff at the end to give it more of a punch,” explains Adam. “For the milkshake beers we use lactose not actual dairy. At the end of the day you just rack it out and hope the flavour stays in! It’ll be interesting, but we’ll give it a crack – we’ll try anything!”
While they may sound blasé these two brew brothers know their beers – and their market.
“You can’t please everyone, but we must have pleased someone!” is their humble response to the growing fan base following their creative brews.
The pair have always used local produce when they can, and are keen to collaborate with other locals.
At Taste of Chittering they’ll have a range of beers on tap at their custom-designed bar in the Wine Shed. An Iced Coffee Stout, an Aussie Pils, a Token Ginger beer, an Apple Cider, a Bubble Gum Cider (Hubba Bubba of course), A Raspberry Cider, a Strawberry Milkshake IPA and the Banoffee Ale. They’ve offered two taps to 14K Brewery whose first commercial ale will also be available.
