Gosford RSL Club’s Oak Haven Brewery has been awarded two gold and two bronze medals in the 2023 Australian International Beer Awards, the largest annual beer competition in the world judging both draught and packaged beer.
Oak Haven took home the gold for Sly Grog (pale ale) and Rusty Sail (mid) as well as the bronze for Dr. Paul’s Pils (pale ale) and Bolthole (porter-style dark ale).
The West Gosford brewery continues to develop different beers, available on tap for local members.
The ales are crafted by expert brewer Steve Morenos, who has 13 years’ experience in brewing American, British, European and Belgian beers.
The brewery has state-of-the-art equipment, uses fresh local produce where possible, no preservatives or artificial ingredients, supports farmers using ethical and environmental sustainable practices and utilises the world’s best, high-purity hops.
In naming the brewery and beer brands, significant consideration has been given to pay tribute to the history of Gosford RSL.
Oak Haven Brewery’s first pale ale has been named Sly Grog in memory of the initial members who were a little cheeky in exchanging coupons for alcohol in the basement, to ensure no alcohol was technically being sold.
Brisbane Water was famous for its shipwrights from the 1820s through to 1950s and the surrounding hills provided the hardwoods, demand for quality vessels grew, the old hands mentored the newcomers and family businesses flourished producing all manner of ketches, schooners, ferries, launches, barges and pearlers.
Rusty Sail is named in honour of this proud heritage and the fact that some locals say they still hear the rusty old rigging of the ghost ships plying these waters on a dark, windy night.
Dr James Paul owned the land which housed the original home of Gosford RSL Club as well as the Anglican church.
As a man of the highest morals and concerned for the health of the returned servicemen, Dr Paul decreed that “no intoxicating liquor would be sold” on that premises.
Our crafty forefathers found a way around that but Gosford RSL Club owes a great debt to the generosity of Dr Paul, for allowing the use of his property, so his name has been immortalised with a lower-alcohol beer – Dr Paul’s Pils.
The Bolthole, Oak Haven Brewery’s first dark ale, has been named to capture the essence of the basement bar in the original Gosford RSL premises.
In the early days the bar was nothing more than a basement full of beer.
Gosford RSL is very proud of the Oak Haven range and is committed to providing its members with the finest locally brewed beers on tap at Gosford RSL.
Source:
Gosford RSL Club