L-R: Malt Shovel’s Chris Sheehan with Squire descendants James Donohoe Jnr and Amy Legge

Two James Squire descendants have collaborated with the James Squire brewing team on the first annual release of a beer that celebrates the pioneering brewer’s legacy.

Seventh generation descendants James Donohoe Junior and Amy Legge visited the Malt Shovel Brewery to create TheHop Father Celebration Ale with head brewer Chris Sheehan and the team.

The Hop Father name celebrates James Squire’s contribution to brewing history as the first person to cultivate hops in Australia.

“The James Squire brewers have a longstanding relationship with the Squire family after Chuck Hahn did a lot of work with the family back in the late 90s, when we launched the James Squire range of beers,” James Squire’s Martyn Ferguson told Australian Brews News.

“This relationship has carried on to this day, with us hosting family reunions at the Malt Shovel Brewery, amongst other events.

“We were chatting with James Donohoe Senior, the Squire family historian about his family tree.

Donohue and Legge toast their legendary ancestor

“We thought we should get together with the family to brew something special together, to celebrate our namesake,” said Ferguson.

A craft beer lover, James Donohoe Junior jumped at the chance to be involved in the brew day.

“As the descendants of James Squire, we grew up with family gatherings held at the Malt Shovel Brewery. When we come of age, having a beer with the Squire’s team and brewers is a rite of passage in our family,” he said.

“Amy and I jumped at the chance to craft this special beer, getting in amongst it with Chris and the team. It was such an amazing experience.

The Hop Father

“I can’t wait to get stuck into a Hop Father with my father and his father,” said Donohue.

This year’s Celebration Ale is a hoppy pale ale pairing the rich full-bodied character of Australian Malts with Simcoe and Columbus hops, which offer pine-needle, fruity aromas and earthy/spicy notes.

“We are hoping this brew becomes a bit of a family tradition, so to speak,” said James Squire’s Ferguson.

“We are already working with the family on how to make it bigger and better next year.”

James Squire Hop Father Celebration Ale will be available in pack at Dan Murphy’s nationwide and on tap at James Squire Brewhousesin early January.