Frenzal Rhomb Have Brewed Their Own Vegan Beer

After naming their 2003 record San Souci after an Italian lager, it was only a matter of time before party punk rockers Frenzal Rhomb expanded their merchandising to include their own brew.

They've teamed up with Newtown brewers Young Henrys for a collaboration beer and the result is Frenzal Rhomb: The Beer, which will be launched and on tap Friday 23 May at Corner Hotel, with long-time friends Front End Loader in support, who inspired the endeavour.

“[Young Henrys] told me they were making a Front End Loader beer and my instant reaction was, 'How fucking dare you not make a Frenzal Rhomb beer', and I guess they felt pressured enough to submit,” frontman Jay Whalley told theMusic.com.au.

The wheat-free, vegan brew is a Belgium pale ale, which wasn't what Young Henrys originally had in mind.

“Initially, Richard [Adamson, director] at Young Henrys told me that when he was in the US he met these guys in this micro-brew that had generated the live component of the fermentation process from a segment of their grandfather's beard.

“As he as telling me that I was like, 'I know exactly what you're thinking and it's fucking disgusting – you're not using one of my dreadlocks to make our beer', and he was like, 'Yeah, we have to man, it's going to be amazing'. Luckily for everyone involved we did not do that in the end.”

 Taking things one step further – as Frenzal Rhomb tend to do – Whalley briefly touched on the pig tapeworm he had surgically removed from his brain at the beginning of 2013.

“We did initially want to call it Pig Worm, and sort of have a Central American-infused vibe, maybe a little worm at the bottom, but again, common sense have prevailed.

“Now it's full title is Frenzal Rhomb: The Beer, kind of like Frenzal Rhomb: The Musical, but beer. It's zingy…I always had a dream that we were going to do this one day, and now it's finally happening.”

The bands are still figuring out the logistics but hope to bottle and sell the brew after its launch.

They now sit alongside an elite group of artists who brew their own:

YOU AM I

You Am I collaborated with Young Henrys last year to create Brew Am I (the name alone puts it miles above the rest), a new world pale ale that clocks in at 5%. Its flavour brings together rolled wheat from WA and malt from VIC to capture the true essence of the band. Did we mention the name rocks?

HAMISH ROSSER (THE VINES)

In 2008, The Vines drummer Hamish Rosser teamed up with two close friends to produce Skinny Blonde, a premium lo-card lager with a tasty blend of European Style ingredients. While most artists will produce their product as a one-off, Rosser's Skinny Blonde took off, winning awards and is still available today.

KISS

Kiss probably had little to do with the process of their beer, but Kiss Destroyer Beer hit shelves around the country around the time of the band's 2013 Australian tour. Brewed like an original pilsner, it had a balanced bitterness. It's easy to party everyday when you've got “the hottest beer in the world” in a 500ml can.