A story of Salt, chutney, vinegar and dog treats
For years, I’ve loved making chutney.
I entered my spicy eggplant chutney into the Royal Hobart Fine Food Show. I was stunned when it won multiple awards—the judges enjoyed it! Suddenly, I found myself balancing a full-time job while cooking on weekends to supply local stores.
At first, it was exciting, but then I started to feel overwhelmed as orders increased. Scaling up my operation was tough, and cash flow became a struggle. I began cutting corners, which only made things harder. This wasn’t how I had imagined it would be.
I eventually stopped trading when my distributor had a change in direction, and COVID-19 slowed sales to a trickle.
A friend reminded me why I started in the first place - I wanted my own business and people loved my chutney, and I enjoyed making it. He encouraged me to return to the roots of the product and remember that it’s based on an old family recipe made from fresh ingredients and not to sacrifice quality for quantity.
Since late 2022, I have been planning and building on his advice. I planted Tasmanian garlic, which turned out really good, but my attempt at growing eggplants didn’t go so great. So, I decided it was better to buy fresh ingredients from local growers—I had fun trying, though!
A key ingredient for my chutney is malt vinegar.
I decided to try brewing it myself, and I quickly got hooked on its amazing aroma and unique flavour. Wanting to keep it local, I chose to use only Tasmanian malt barley.
Three years later, after studying fermentation at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) completing several online courses, experiencing many vinegar failures, and getting plenty of help. I now see myself as a Malt Vinegar Brewer, ready to share my product with you.
I use traditional methods to brew my vinegar in small batches through a natural fermentation process that dates back to the 1800s. Each bottle is alive with natural bacteria known as “The Mother.” After fermentation, I age the vinegar in wooden barrels for 6 to 12 months, giving it a mellow, slightly sweet flavour with rich malty notes and just the right amount of tang.
I hope you enjoy Deacon’s Tasmanian Malt Vinegar as much as I do. Each bottle is brewed with pride and tells the story of my passion, craftsmanship, and a journey back to the roots of great taste.
Yours, David (Head Brewer)
I love Malt Vinegar!
