Surly Blonde, Blue Buck, Chocolate Porter, Accusation Ale
Phillips beer is
“proudly brewed in a little brewery at the bottom of a mid-sized island on the left side of a very big country.”
Phillips rolled out its first beers in August 2001 and proclaims itself to be the younger brewery in Victoria: because they are a new business, because their oldest employee is 40, because of their ties to the skateboarding and arts community.
Now, there’s an art to making beer, and Phillips beers are excellent, but I fell in love with their artwork.
Shawn O’Keefe has been designing their labels from day one, and they’re gorgeous. They also use hand-painted wood signs designed and painted by the
Dobell Brothers to advertise outside the brewery and at locations where their beer is sold. Again, amazing artistic talent.
Bill, our guide on one of the twice-weekly brewery tours, says his job title is “Funmaker.” And they do have fun at Phillips. After losing a lawsuit regarding the name of one of their beers, they came out with a new beer entitled Accusation Ale with a label depicting a judge slamming down his hammer.
Their website is really fun too. You can sign up for information about new beers – pretty straightforward stuff. But here’s how they describe it on their website:
“We might not be able to offer you millions from Nigerian bankers, hot Russian brides or the best price for penile enhancements, but what we can guarantee you is the latest news from Phillips Brewing Company. You’ll be the first to know about all of our seasonal releases, as well as exciting Phillips events. No spams, no scams, just brews and news.”
If you’re in Victoria, be sure to check out their beer or go on a brewery tour (4 beer samples and laughter included).
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