Food Talk: An interview with David Shire

Today’s Food Talk interview is David Shire who owns  Lone Tree Brewery in Gush Etzion.

What do you drink when you’re not drinking beer?

Since I also work as a Landscape Gardener “White Flower Gardening” – I drink a lot of water

Since I’m often tired, I drink coffee

And since I’m Scottish – I certainly enjoy whisky.

What beer/food related books are on your bookshelves?

I have tons of Beer books..both technical stuff but also a lot of ‘Brewery’ books.

Two significant brewery books that I have are about the Brooklyn Brewery and the Dog Fish Head Brewery – both started by amazing people who really had to carve out the way for the rest of the American Craft brewers.

Food Books – a number of Cooking with Beer books but my favourite food book is The Auberge of the Flowering Hearth.

If you could serve your beer to anyone in the world who would it be?

Two people in fact:

the late Michael Jackson (not the singer!!) but the British beer writer who created the whole Real Ale movement in Britain during the 1970s/80′s – he died a few years ago.

and Anat Baron (still much alive) a Californian film director who made the film “Beer Wars”: the Craft Brewers versus the Brewing Giants.

What is the last restaurant you have been to that you recommend?

Gavna in Gush Etzion – an beautiful location with a lovely owner – selling great local beer.

What is your favorite food/beer city in Israel, abroad?

Gush Etzion – there is a real food revolution taking place in the area.

Wine, Liquor, Bread, Cheese, Chocolate and …Beer

Overseas: Glasgow – some amazing breweries and fantastic local, traditional pubs

There are chocolate covered beer marshmallows, how else can you use beer in cooking and baking?

Last year we did an event with Moshe Basson – the famous chef at Eucalyptus – we brewed a special Pomegranate-Honey Ale for his dinner.

He talked about making a Black Sorbet using our Extra Oatmeal Stout as a base

What’s the secret of brewing excellent beer?

Ingredients – brew beer and then brew it again using even more and more barley and hops

Can you tell a Scottish beer drinker from an Israeli one?

Yes…they sound really different

What is the hardest part of your job?

Dealing with bureaucracy – we’re trying to build a big brewery with a visitors centre and cafe. And it’s not easy

What does Israeli food mean to you?

When I go back to Scotland and visit a supermarket and see a half pepper for sale – all wrapped up and packaged – I stand there laughing…Israel is about simple and great fruits and vegetables.

What are you working on now?

Trying to put together a major project to combine beer and tourism – when it happens, it will be truly fantastic

What do you think Israel’s next drinking trend will be?

Clearly Beer; the country has done ‘wine’ (the boutique wine market is saturated), other real foods are now main-stream – and beer is rising.

At the first annual Beer exhibition (last year at Nokia Stadium, Tel Aviv) there were thousands of visitors

In closing, can you give me a great beer quote?

They speak of my drinking, but never think of my thirst. ~Scottish Proverb

Contact David Shire:

David Shire, owner of the Lone Tree Brewery.

Follow on twitter: @lonetreebeer

Email: Info@LoneTreeBrewery.com