Bottler of an idea to beat cost of living crisis!

Leigh Davis has a bulletproof strategy for the rising cost of a schooner!

Everyone is talking about problems when it comes to the cost-of-living crisis, but is anyone actually providing any solutions?

Thank you for asking. Let us introduce you to Leigh Davis, a man on a mission to teach everyone the basics of home brewing at his business Burra Brew and BBQ, which he has had for two years now.

Home brew has evolved heavily since the 90s when only the hardiest of drinkers would try dad’s recipes from the backyard, as Leigh explains.

Q: Please introduce yourself and tell us the name of your business.
A: My name's Leigh. I own a brewery and barbecue business, but mainly, I run a home brew supply shop.

Q: Let's talk about beer. With the rising cost of alcohol, how much can someone save by brewing their own beer? How easy is it to do?

A: If you start with a basic Coopers or Morgans home brew kit, you get a fermenter, liquid malt, and yeast. You mix them with water, ferment for about 10 days, then bottle and let it sit a bit longer. Then you’re drinking it! It can be as cheap as 65 cents per schooner.

Malt is an essential ingredient in home brewing.

Q: Does it taste like beer from the pub?
A: It can, but there are variables—temperature, time, and cleanliness all matter. If you don’t sanitise properly, you’ll get an infection, and it will taste bad. Yeast is amazing; it ferments and creates alcohol, but it’s sensitive. If the temperature fluctuates, it can produce bad flavours. If it’s stable, you get great beer.

Q: What’s your best-selling product?
A: It’s a mix. Some people love the easy Coopers, Morgans, or Mangrove Jack’s cans. Others brew from grain like a real brewery. I’d say it’s about 50/50 between grain brewing and kits. I’ve converted a few people to grain brewing, which is great.

Q: What’s the difference between grain brewing and malt extract kits?
A: Malt kits are made from grain, brewed like I would, then evaporated into a syrup. That process gives a bit of a burnt aftertaste, which some call the “home brew taste.” Grain brewing skips that step, making the beer fresher and purer. I always recommend starting with grain if you can.

Home brew kits have evolved dramatically over the years.

Q: If I opened your beer fridge, what would I find?
A: Kegs of my home-made beer. I don’t bottle anymore; it takes too much time.

Q: How many kegs fit in your fridge?
A: Three. If left alone they’d last six to eight months.

Q: What’s a common misconception about home brew?
A: People remember the rough, oxidized beer their dads or granddads made. Oxidation gives beer a sulphur-like taste, which ruins it. A lot of people think home-brew is just cheap alcohol, but done right, it can be as good as commercial beer.

Q: Have you noticed more people home-brewing due to the rising cost of alcohol?
A: Not as much as I expected. People are time-poor. Even though they’re working more and struggling financially, they don’t have time. But I think we need to make time—get off our phones and do something constructive.

Q: So if someone wants to learn how to brew beer or make spirits, they can come to you?
A: Yes, if you want to learn how to brew beer or make spirits—well, I'm not supposed to make spirits, but you get the idea. Basically, anything related to making your own alcohol, I can help with.

Flavours have come a long way since your dad’s rough-as-it-gets home brews of the 80s.

Q: How long have you been in business now?
A: Nearly two and a half years.

Q: The cost of beer in Australia has gotten ridiculously high. What are your thoughts on that? And what are your friends saying about it?
A: I think the government just sees beer as an easy way to take money from the community. Most Aussies, especially Aussie males, like a beer, so they just keep taxing it. The worst part is that it's shutting down small independent breweries. Phil, up at Burra Breweries, has managed to stay strong through it all, but at least three breweries close every year in Victoria because of the beer tax.

Q: Have you experienced this firsthand when going out elsewhere in Victoria or Melbourne?
A: Oh, definitely. It’s not just beer—everything is expensive.

Q: Can you give me an example?
A: Just go to your local supermarket. A small basket of groceries costs over $100. Then, if you add a slab of Melbourne Bitter, that’s another $70 for a pretty average beer. It can easily cost nearly $100 just to buy drinks. People simply can't afford it anymore.

Q: As a small business owner, how do you feel about the financial pressures? I’m a small business owner myself, and I feel overwhelmed by all the payments I have to make to different government authorities just to stay in business. Do you feel the same?
A: Absolutely. It’s frustrating. I work hard all day, but people aren’t spending like they used to because everyone is struggling. Electricity bills were supposed to go down, but they’ve only increased. There was a time when we didn’t even have to pay for water, and now it’s outrageously expensive.

If you asked every small business along this street, I’d say 98 per cent of them would tell you they don’t feel supported by the government.

Q: Do you ever feel like it would be easier to just get a regular job?
A: Yeah, I think my wife wishes I would. I still work nights—three nights a week. I leave the shop at five, go home, get changed, say hi to the family, and then work from 6 to 11pm.

Leigh reckons home brew goes next level when you use grains.

Q: What do you do at night?
A: Welding, machine operating—whatever they need me to do at the steel factory.

Q: Just to bring in extra income?
A: Yeah, just to keep the cash flow going. They’ve been good about letting me work limited hours, which helps pay the bills.

Q: What keeps you going?
A: Just the love of it, really. Even if I had to close tomorrow, I’ve met some amazing people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. That alone makes it worthwhile.

Q: Are you from Korumburra originally?
A: No, I was born in Melbourne, in Frankston.

Q: What brought you to Korumburra?
A: My brother moved out first, to Foster. Then he moved to Dumbalk and later to Wattlebank for farm sharing. My parents moved down too.

We were trying to buy a house in Melbourne, but it was impossible. Even with both of us working, we couldn't afford it. We ended up buying a house here for less than a quarter of what it would have cost in Melbourne. That’s what brought us down.

The daily double … home brew and steak rubs.

Q: How has the community welcomed you?
A: The community has been great. I’ve got the best neighbours—we even put a gate between our houses so the dogs can play. We have barbeques every other weekend and share a few drinks.

Overall, people here are very supportive.

Q: What do you love about Korumburra?
A: It’s just far enough from Melbourne to feel like the country but close enough to visit easily. I actually start getting anxious once I pass Loch on the way back to the city.

Q: Are you involved in any community groups?
A: Not really. My kids do their own thing. In my free time, I’m renovating my house—so I don’t have much downtime!

Q: What would you like the community to know about your business?
A: That it's friendly, welcoming, and I’m happy to help anyone learn the craft of brewing.