Brewer Spotlight: Jack Viney’s recipe for longevity in craft beer

Behind Tasmania’s award-winning Moo Brew, is Head Brewer Jack Viney. His creative spirit and adaptability have made him a force for creating unique brews and classics that have stood the test of time.

Viney is a veteran of the brand, joining the team just over 11 years ago as a brewer. Over that time, he says his personal and professional development have become intertwined with the brand and the craft beer industry in Australia as its evolved.

“The brewery and production capacity has changed a lot since I first started but that’s probably no surprise given my time with the business was during a big growth phase of the Australian craft beer industry,” he told Beer & Brewer.

“More recent times have been hard for the industry, but I think it’s also been a testament to our brand and products that we have managed to weather the storm with people still enjoying our beers.”

Moo Brew recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and for Viney what makes it so special has been its longevity and ability to adapt to challenges – a standard set by the team past and present who have shaped the brand.

“I think our brewery ethos of quality and consistency helps the 20-year milestone and I am lucky to have had this baton passed on from Owen [Johnston] and Dave [MacGill] the previous Head Brewers at Moo – so for me it is just what we do. Our brand origin story and the greater Mona family also add a layer of uniqueness to the brand and what we do on a local level closer to home with the festivals, events etc.”

He added: “When I first started, we were only doing packaged beer in bottles and now everything has shifted to cans. We still keep some of our icon range in bottles as it’s part of our identity and we love our bottle shape. In short, we have evolved but also kept some roots in the ground.”

Always moving

Something Viney notes about himself is his inability to sit still. As a school leaver he tried a variety of things from commercial abalone diving in Tasmania, to completing degrees in science and law (as a bonus) to working in environmental management and geology.

But like many other young adventure seekers it was a love of home brewing combined with time spent abroad that inspired his career.

“Home brewing was always something I was interested in, the passion really kicked off when I was living in Canada. Being a ski bum in winter meant we were always looking for cheaper ways to sustain the lifestyle. There was also great access to quality craft beer coming out of Canada and the US in a time when the industry was in full swing,” he told Beer & Brewer.

Viney said it is his curiosity and eagerness to learn have ultimately shaped his career, the brewer he has become and the brand he champions every day.  

“I like learning new things, taking on projects and challenges I’ve felt a natural progression in an environment which offered opportunities and was supportive of what I was interested in doing. I like the variety in the week to be able to drag hoses around, do a few shifts on the packaging line when needed and work on the business side of things.

“My driving factor is to keep our brand and beer where it needs to be, so we continue the Moo Brew story. I don’t think of it as mine. There are so many dedicated people who believe in what we are doing and play a part in getting beer to market, that it’s important to me to make sure we all can continue to do that and enjoy the process at the same time,” he said.

What’s next

Looking ahead, Viney emphasised that his goals for the brand and the brews he creates are closely connected. 

“From quality perspective, I want to continue to improve and make better beer. That is always a goal and something that we work on. We are also focused on expanding our national distribution footprint, so we are excited to get Moo beers into the hands of new drinkers and also be more readily available to our loyal supporters in mainland states.”

In terms of his inspiration, he said its all about finding balance and drinkability – traits that have become synonymous with himself and Moo Brew.

“I can’t go past classic German lagers or beers like lambics from the staples in the beer world. These breweries have been making the same beers for a long time; that’s not an easy thing to do and they have it absolutely dialled. Having said that, I also love big hop flavours and aromas so we will also continue to be pretty partial to knocking out tanks of hazy beers in the brewpub.”