Modus launches first bottled Aussie cerveza, pineapple tepache

Rather, as the founder of Modus Brewing with her husband Grant, she will likely be remembered for the bold experiments she brought to market.

Three years ago, Wearing brought NORT to market, the first non-alc Australian beer to hit supermarket shelves.

COVID is gone. Summer is coming. Modus is ready to kick into another creative phase, bringing two clever drink products made in its Merewether brewery to market now.

On September 18, Modus launches its popular light drinking Modus Cerveza lager beer (4.2%) product in bottles. A six-pack of 330ml bottles will hit Coles Liquorland and Vintage Cellars stores with a recommended retail price of $21.

It will be the first Australian-made, Australian-owned cerveza available in bottles: lining up directly against the global Corona brand.

"We've had Modus Cerveza for two years in cans," Wearin says. "But we know people really resonate with that style in bottles, so with our newly-installed bottling line we were able to make that a dream.

"The Mexican influence on Australian culture is quite strong at the moment. We've got similar lifestyle aspirations - we've got the beautiful warm weather, gorgeous coastlines, that kind of really great food. So I can see why people resonate with the Mexican beer."

Modus offers a few reasons besides the taste of their beer to encourage consumers to buy Modus first.

"I guess our concern was that every time someone buys a case of Corona that's been shipped over from Mexico, that's two kilos of C-O-2 for every single case someone buys," Wearin says.

"People would be interested in knowing they can reduce their carbon footprint [by buying Modus Cerveza], plus we are supporting Aussie-owned, Aussie brewed. Plus, we've got our $1 per case initiative to Rural Aid, which is something really close to my heart."

Rural Aid offers counselling, financial assistance, fodder, domestic water, water tanks and educational resources for farmers in need. It not only helps with disaster aid, but future visons. It values net-zero carbon emissions, sustainability, reconciliation and inclusiveness.

Modus' Cerveza is made with Australian corn, and some Australian malts. And manufactured entirely at Modus' Merewether brewery, which is powered 100 per cent by "green energy".

Expect to find Modus Cerveza in bottles from September 18 at independent bottle shops and Coles liquor (Liquorland and Vintage Cellars). In NSW you will be Modus Cerveza in cans at BWS and Dan Murphy's.

"The only way we get it across the country is by people supporting us," Wearin says.

"Cerveza is the top-selling Modus branded product for us. That's why we want to put it out in bottles. We are a brewer who really listens to the market. I think when you first start, you brew what you want, which is fun for a little bit. But you're here to serve the people. We're led by the market. The craft [beer], we still do all our limiteds, we are very committed to our core beer range, our craft beer.

"But we also have to listen to the market, and cerveza is what people are wanting to drink. There is a real trend towards easy drinking beer at the moment, and at this stage, in terms of imported Mexican beer, we are the only Australian-made, Australian-owned cerveza in a bottle at the moment."

As far back as 700BC, it is believed the natives of Mexico began growing pineapples, and making a fermented brew, tepache, from corn. Over the next 2000 years the product evolved, using pineapple peels and rinds instead of corn, to become a popular Mexican street drink, served chilled.

Since the early 2000s, tepache has become a popular addition to the US brewpub scene - even the Mexicans often added beer to what was often a non-alcoholic product.

From October, Modus Brewing will be offering its own version of Tepache, selling their all-Australian-made fermented (Australian) pineapple product in 375ml cans (4.0%) through liquor retailers and in their own two brewpubs (Merewether and Brookvale) on tap. A four-pack of 375ml cans will retail for $27.99.

"I'm really excited about this product," Wearin says. "I'm always looking for the next thing. This is one we've kind of seen warming up in the US. We're always a fair bit behind the US, but I feel like we're definitely the first one in Australia."

It's a new concept for Modus.

"It's similar to kombucha, but it's milder in taste and you can really taste those pineapple and cinnamon notes. It's delicious," Wearin says.

The spiked pineapple-infused beverage is crafted from a traditional Mexican street-side recipe.

Modus Tepache is perfectly positioned, with a healthy profile that suits what younger drinkers are looking for.

It is gluten-free, low in sugar, and only 90 calories per serve.

"RTDs [Ready to Drink] are a very fast growing category at the moment," Wearin says. "But in true Modus style we could have come out with an RTD or a seltzer but we thought,' no'.

"The cool thing about owning a brewery and being independently owned is you can have creativity and you can kind of be on the front foot. So we knew the RTD space is hot at the moment, and we feel this is a real exciting addition to the category."

In Modus' pubs it will be served on tap. "Yes, we're making some very cool cocktails for the venues out of this," Wearin says. "You can add all sorts of things. You can add tequila - obviously it would make a great tequila cocktail. You can pour it over ice with fresh pineapple, or charred pineapple..."