Dune Rats & Young Henrys Unveil 'Dunies Lager' In Honour Of ARIA #1

There are few things in life that go together as well as bands and beer.

Whether you're nursing a cold one from the audience or watching your favourite musicians scull a brew out of someone's footwear (still gross), music and a bit of fermented-malt drink are a match made in heaven. (In moderation, natch.)

This is a truth reinforced by the recent trend of artists teaming up with craft breweries to create their own brand of booze. It's an especially popular outcome for Queensland bands, with both Violent Soho and DZ Deathrays recently having launched their own lines of beer — and they're now joined by state-mates and spiritual party animals Dune Rats.

The beloved trio have teamed up with the legendary brewers at Young Henrys to create the aptly titled Dunies Lager — "a can so cold it'll cool ya house" — in celebration of the band's recent ARIA #1 result for their acclaimed album The Kids Will Know It's Bullshit.

The beer is the fruition of a handshake agreement that saw the Young ones promise the Dunies a brand of their very own should they make it to the top of the charts, and promises "a full-blown dank hop nose and flavour, courtesy of some late-addition hop hash" to create "a slightly hazy, summer smasher of a beer".

"We hung out with our mates Young Henrys one arvo and it came up that we were gunning for #1 when our new album dropped," the band said in a joint statement. "The fellas said, 'If you get to the top spot, we'll brew you your own beer.' This is that beer.

"We set out to make the coldest beer in the world, so with Young Henrys scientists we have developed the world's coldest beer. Even when it's warm, it's cold! When it's a day for it, crack open an ice-cold Dunies Lager."

Says Young Henrys founder Oscar McMahon: "It's awesome when friends of friends come into the fold, become new friends, drink beers together… and then decide to make a beer together. The Dunies lads are legit, hard-working, honest and don't take themselves too seriously. We see eye-to-eye with them, love their excitement for everything they do and wanted to do something fun to share that excitement with a few more people. This has been a truly cool project."

If you'd like to be among the first to get your lips on one of the frosty beverages, the boys are throwing a launch party for their lager in conjunction with Young Henrys this Sunday, 26 February, at the Cliff Dive in Darlinghurst.

The night will feature live sets from White Blanks and Totty, with food available for purchase courtesy of Sydney institution Mary's, cheap Young Henrys tinnies on offer all night long, an "Ultimate Dune Rats Beer Pong Challenge" and even a free drink on arrival if you get in before 8pm.

Naturally, Dunies Lager — sporting a label designed by Lee McConnell, the artist behind The Kids Will Know It's Bullshit's cover — will be available for purchase in six-packs (RRP $24.99), single cans, 24-can cartons and on tap at select venues around the country.

RSVP is highly recommended — you can do that directly via Eventbrite, and you'd want to be quick, as it's limited to 200 people — or you can take your chances on a ticket at the door, as there will be a limited number available on the night.

It all kicks off from 7pm on Sunday before Dune Rats hit the road for a five-state tour from 11 March — see theGuide for more information.

The Kids Will Know It's Bullshit is out now on the Dunies' own Ratbag Records/Warner Music.