Dinar, January 2021.
Judit Piñol was staying with some friends in Australia when, from her bed, she could hear the bubbling of beer fermenting in the house. That first encounter with a microbrewery marked a turning point in the model’s life. Today, together with Michael Jones, she brews their own beer in Baix Empordà. DOSKIWIS BREWING is a commitment to returning to the village, celebrating craftsmanship, and fostering social community life, with that good vibe of doing things simply because you love them. Because you truly enjoy them.
ORIGIN, BEER, AND COMMUNITY
She tells me it was in London where she met Michael, and that, in reality, their connection came from seeking and enjoying quality products. And that’s where the magic started. With other friends who roasted coffee there, the seed continued to grow. “They were interested in knowing where it came from, what the workers’ conditions were,” she explains. She was also fascinated by “the community that had formed around it.”
Now, without giving up the pursuit of "producing a quality product," what drives DOSKIWIS is that the project serves as “an excuse for people around to meet” and can act as “a showcase for local products.”
In Rupià, they brew six types of beer, “to cover the classics and also some more innovative options for those always looking for something new”: Hazy IPA, Hazy DIPA, Pale Ale, Stout, Pilsner… many of them inspired by Michael’s New Zealand roots.
They decided to take the leap and start their own business simply because they liked the beer they made at home more than what they could find elsewhere. And thus DOSKIWIS was born, sold in cans to protect the “delicate” aroma and flavor of the hops from light and oxygen.
THE LIFE OF AN OLD WAREHOUSE
The heart of the project is an old furniture warehouse, almost entirely refurbished by themselves. The prized wooden floor, a challenge for brewing, has found a second life in doors, walls, and tables. At the back, there’s a terrace secluded from the rest of the world, and from the bar you can see the tanks where the beer is brewed: “To connect the origin of the product with the consumer.” Pure zero-kilometer philosophy.
The goal of creating a community and a home around beer also unfolds in optimistic and original ways. Judit tells me they organized a barbecue with Wagyu beef alongside a neighbor who raises the cattle in the village and takes the leftover malt to feed his cows.
They collaborate with artist friends to create a visual identity “consistent with the concept of each beer.” They sell branded organic cotton clothing and organize pop-ups and markets with local artisans.
“This fulfills me so much,” Judit confesses. And they’ve only just begun.
Read full article:
https://dinar-project.com/blog/doskiwis-cerveza-emporda-judit-pinol