Husk and Stone & Wood’s whisky Sidetrack

While Husk Farm Distillery is as well known for its rum as Stone & Wood is for its beer, the two Australian pioneers have joined forces to take a detour this winter and create Sidetrack Stone Whisky.

And while many of us might be disappointed to hear it, Husk founder Paul Messenger said: “We’re not about to become a whisky distillery. This was a beautiful distraction – one that started with a few drinks and a Scottish whisky veteran on our back porch.”

That veteran was William ‘Buzz’ Hutchinson, the retired distiller of single malt distillery Cardhu, known as the backbone of Johnnie Walker. Buzz was at the Husk Distillery in 2018 to help the team commission its custom-built 6000-litre Forsyth copper pot still. During that trip, the (let’s face it, inevitable) question was asked: “Why not make a barrel of whisky while you’re here?”

That was the start of the journey – the beginning of the sidetrack – and six months later, following a promising taste test, the Husk team gave Stone & Wood a call to chat about a whisky wash.

Stone & Wood brewed 18,000 litres of wash inspired by their iconic Stone Beer – a wood-fired porter that’s rich, malty, and loaded with character.

“For us, this was a fun chance to explore fermentation from a different angle,” said Caolan Vaughan, Stone & Wood’s Head Brewer. “We loved the idea of our beer evolving into a spirit – and watching it come to life in Husk’s Forsyth still was magic.”

Husk distilled the wash, then aged it for over five years in American oak barrels that had previously held their own cane juice rum. The result is described by Husk as “something genuinely special”, with tasting notes that describe a whisky “that’s rich, warming, and packed with candied fruit, dark chocolate, coffee and a whisper of smoke.”

Paul said: “This is the first of four releases in this Sidetrack series. Each one will be different, made with a local brewery we love – and once they’re gone, that’s it. We’re not doing this again. So, if you want a taste of what happens when beer meets rum meets whisky… get in quick.”

This morning, the Husk team told Bars & Cocktails that there are now only around 1,000 of the initial 2,000 bottles still available – so get in quick is definitely the right call.