Chris Shanahan: Chuck’s ten-year itch — Hahn, James Squire and Kosciusko Brewing

Does Chuck Hahn have a ten-year itch? He launched Hahn Premium in 1988, the Malt Shovel Brewery’s James Squire Original Amber Ale in 1998 and expects to pour the first Kosciuszko Pale Ale in Jindabyne this week.

In 1988 he was an independent brewer, following a distinguished brewing career with Coors USA, Tooths and Reschs of Sydney and Lion New Zealand. By 1998 he’d rejoined the corporate fold as chief brewer for Lion Nathan. They’d acquired the Hahn Premium brand (as well as Chuck) and supported the new Malt Shovel venture at Chippendale, Sydney, in the original Hahn Brewery.

Chuck later handed the chief brewing role to another great Australian brewer, Bill Taylor, to focus on the Malt Shovel venture. This time around he’s established a small brewery in the Banjo Paterson Inn, Jindabyne.

The brewing equipment and Kosciusko Brewing Company and Kosciuszko Pale Ale copyrights belong to Lion Nathan. But the Banjo Paterson Inn is owned by publicans Gary Narvo and Peter Harris (of Woy Woy and Gosford) and Gavin Patton, a Jindabyne plumbing contractor, says Chuck.

While Chuck controls the brewing (he was driving to Jindabyne when I spoke to him) licensee Steve Pursell is the bloke you’re likely to meet if you drop in to see the brewery and try the brew.