Tap Handle #519: Colonial - Gully Washer Winter Ale

October 01, 2015

Tap Handle #519: Colonial - Gully Washer Winter Ale

Tap size: 9"

Rarity: Scarce

Mounting: standard 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

A "Gully Washer" is an Australian term for a very hard rain that often causes flooding. What does that have to do with a man holding a chicken? I have no idea. Maybe he saved the chicken from a flood? Regardless of the cryptic imagery, I really like this tap. It features a man dressed in cool Australian outback clothes, holding a chicken. A large medallion is attached to the front of the tap, which bears the name of the beer and states that it is "seasonally brewed". Near the bottom is a small sign with the name of the brewery. There is a weird effect with the man's eyes, where one is larger than the other, but maybe he's just squinting. I have no idea if this tap design was used for other varieties, or if it was only used for Gully Washer. Since the tap is from Australia, and Gully Washer Winter Ale was retired several years ago (returning later under a different name), this tap is very scarce - I have never seen another. It probably belongs on the "cream of the crop" list as well, due to its rarity.

Click through to read more about Colonial Brewing, their Gully Washer Winter Ale, and to see more photos of this curious and baffling tap...

Colonial Brewing was founded in Margaret River, Perth, Australia in 2004 by Ross Smith. It was located in a brasserie restaurant on 70 acres of farmland, with an emphasis on being family-friendly, with a play area for children. The brewery hosted Sunday barbecues in the summer, public holiday parties and mini-festivals, and was a favored meeting place for the community. In 2006 the brewery was purchased by a group of investment bankers, the Empire Beer Group, who subsequently arranged plans to open another outlet (with a larger brewing and packaging facility) in Fremantle. That same year the brewery was awarded Champion Small Brewery at the Australian International Beer Awards, and in 2007 it was awarded Champion Australian Brewery and Champion International Small Brewery. The Empire Beer Group scrapped the plans for the Freemantle pub, instead purchasing the Royal Bar and Brasserie in East Perth.

In 2008 the Empire Beer Group agreed to sell both the Royal Bar and Colonial Brewing to the Colonial Leisure Group, a company formed specifically for the purchase by Chris Morris, the founder of Computershare. In 2012 the Australian Hotels Association awarded Colonial Brewing joint winner of the Best Boutique Brewery. Colonial currently has 6 year-round varieties, with projects and seasonals available throughout the year. Colonial beers are found on tap in their own venues, and in selected venues and outlets in Western Australia and Victoria. To cope with demand and to increase the logistical efficiency of operations, they are commissioning a new brewing facility at Cape Schanck, Victoria, on the east coast of Australia. The Cape Schanck brewing facility will ultimately house a boutique brewery, farm, and a unique dining and function space. The brewery took home a Gold Medal for Packaging at the 2015 Australia International Beer Awards, thanks to having Australia’s first 360 degree lid - an innovation that essentially turns the can into an open-topped drinking vessel, which they first saw used by the Sly Fox Brewery in America and decided they wanted to use it for some of their own beers.

Colonial's Gully Washer was retired but later returned with a new name: Colonial Porter. A deep ruby brown, this robust style is a big mouthful with hints of coffee and rich roasted malt to the bitter end.