Two Birds Stardust IPA

To christen the new Two Birds pilot system, co-owner Jayne Lewis turned to one of her heroes for inspiration: David Bowie.

Stardust IPA was brewed in the week that marks both Bowie’s birthday, and the second anniversary of his death, while its name references one of Bowie’s most well known alter egos, Ziggy Stardust.

A blend of celestial hops bring the beer to life, with Southern Cross, Galaxy, Comet and Equinox creating a supernova of pineapple, pine and tropical hops, with a round finish. Coming in at 5.8%, Stardust IPA has an IBU of 69 – the age Bowie was when he passed on.

But to really bring some Bowie-esque charm, Stardust IPA is served with sparkly stardust swirling through the glass, offering a unique beer experience with every pour. The all natural glitter is a mineral that can be found in many other food products, and is added at service.

The beer marks the first release from the new Two Birds pilot system, a 12-hectolitre tank offering the Two Birds brew team the opportunity to explore different styles and techniques before they’re committed to the full brewhouse.

It seemed only natural that Stardust IPA should be the first beer through the pilot system, co-owner Jayne Lewis says.

“The recipe for Stardust has been fully formed in my head for about two years. I’ve loved Bowie’s music for a long time, and when he passed away I had a conversation with our head brewer Wilson Hede over text about it, and the whole recipe was formulated then and there.”

“The new pilot tank was our first opportunity to do something that was a little more left of centre from an ingredient perspective. It all just came together at the right time, and allowed me to create a tribute that I hope Bowie would have really loved!”

The limited release beer will be available on keg only in venues across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland from this week.

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