Australian Macadamias and award-winning brewery, Stone & Wood have teamed up to produce Malty Mac, a macadamia-inspired beer. The unique limited-edition lager is based on a traditional German dunkel style beer that has been modernised by adding macadamias.
Instrumental to the beer’s creation was Josh Walters, brewer for Stone & Wood Brewing Co. Josh and Malty Mac are the stars of the latest Macadamia Change Makers video – watch it now to see how this collaborative innovation came to life:
A natural fit
An Australian native nut, macadamias are primarily grown in Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland on Australia’s east coast. Similarly, Stone & Wood’s roots are in these areas, making a partnership between the two locals a natural fit.
“Australian grown macadamias are the best quality in the world and it’s something we have in abundance here,” explains Josh. “We thought the idea of getting macadamia flavour into a nice malty lager would work really well and so Malty Mac was born. It’s an approachable beer, perfect for food pairing.”
The buttery Malty Mac lager is a true reflection of the macadamia farms of the Northern Rivers. Relaxed and smooth, it’s blended with robust Munich and pilsner malts to give the brew dark golden hues for an inviting appearance.
A creative flavour triumph
What makes Malty Mac extra special is the roasted macadamias and macadamia shells added to the fermenter that impart a unique and bold nutty character, complemented by a light level of hops, for a clean finish. The unique flavour combination is achieved by roasting both the shell and the kernel of the macadamias to create a subtle, malty, textural, caramel coloured beer – fit for easy drinking.
With a golden colour in the glass and beautiful mouth feel from the macadamias, this macadamia beer is a creative triumph.
“Malty Mac pours beautifully in the glass,” says Josh. “It’s full of flavour and aroma and is a very easy drinking beer for this region. It’s a great way for people to come and try macadamias in a beer.”