Pirate Life Brewing partners with Dilmah Tea to launch tea beer in Australia

Two of Australia’s most beloved rituals have been combined in one ground-breaking beer thanks to Port Adelaide Pirate Life Brewing and family tea company Dilmah. 

The Australian-first collaboration has produced Tea and Biccies Brown Ale, combining the deliciousness of fresh beer with the refreshing taste and natural goodness of Sri Lankan black tea. 

“We are planning to push the boundaries on what tea and beer can be,” said Pirate Life Brewing Founder Michael Cameron.

Tea and Biccies Brown Ale, exclusively available in Australia from 24 September, is made from handcrafted malted barley, New Zealand hops and is infused with the global tea brand’s signature Single Origin Pure Ceylon Black Tea.

Pirate Life and Dilmah – well known in Australia for its iconic advertising featuring the sign-off ‘Do Try It!’ – will work closely together to produce a series of alcoholic beverages. Tea and Biccies was first tasted by Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando at a tea party hosted by Australia’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka David Holly.

Dilmah Chief Executive Officer Dilhan C. Fernando said he knew from the first taste of the Pirate Life beer “that this was no ordinary beer”. 

“My father, Merrill J. Fernando – Mr Dilmah – was the original disrupter, offering tea picked, perfected and packed right where it is grown with the love that only a tea grower can have for his produce. When he brought Dilmah Tea to Australia, he was the first tea grower in the world to offer his tea direct to consumers. It was only a matter of time, in the land where good tea and good beer are held in high esteem, before Dilmah tea would partner with the very passionate and disruptive team at Pirate Life,” Fernando said.

Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando added, “We have a long association with Australia, the birthplace of Dilmah Tea, and with the Australian Mission in Sri Lanka. With travel restrictions preventing us from raising a toast of Tea and Biccies in Australia, the next best thing was doing it at Australia House, Colombo. High Commissioner David Holly graciously hosted a tea inspired afternoon tea, where the union of two national brews was celebrated. Tea inspired cheers, Australia!”

Cameron said drinkers can expect the new brew to have rich malty aromas, with lifted notes of stone fruit and spice. On the palate, fine tannins, freshly-baked biscuit, and a host of herbal undertones. It is 5.6% ABV.

Cameron, on behalf of the Pirate Life team, added: “Dilmah has based their business on garden fresh, ethically produced, high quality tea and we will continue to build on this ethos as we move through the future together as part of our collaboration.”

Tea & Biccies Brown Ale is exclusively available in Australia from 24 September.