Australians love a beer (in fact, on average, we tuck into 224 stubbies per person throughout the year, reports the ABS). But long gone are the days when knocking the froth off a couple of coldies meant drinking dens boasting sticky carpets and menus revolving around a variety of schnitties. The Australian beer scene is booming in both size and sophistication – urban breweries are appearing near weekly, craft beer offerings are expanding rapidly, and now even some of Australia’s best restaurants are turning their hand to creating their own ales.

Step forward the Icebergs team, with the creative trio behind Sydney’s Icebergs Bar & Restaurant, The Dolphin, Bondi Beach Public Bar and Da Orazio launching their first brew. Monty Koludrovic, Maurice Terzini and James Hird have partnered with Byron Bay Brewery for the group’s first beer. In ode to its birthplace, the resulting brew has been dubbed The Easterly, and was created in collaboration with Byron Bay’s head brewer, Alastair Gillespie.

The Icebergs crew made the trek north to the brewery’s headquarters to create The Easterly. More than 60 beers were tasted during the process, with different flavour profiles discussed in order to whittle down the final formula. “We were looking for a just-off-the-beach kind of beer that suited our venues,” says executive chef Koludrovic of their vision. “Trying to explain that to a brewer can be sometimes difficult, but Alastair got it and helped us achieve what we wanted.”

The result is a light, refreshing brew that features one rather surprising ingredient: salt. Icebergs crew’s partnership with Olsson’s Salt gave the collaborative team access to ample supplies of the Australian company’s macrobiotic salt. “It enhances the flavour,” explains Koludrovic. “If you get the right balance of salt, it just keeps the beer fresh and light, and you shouldn’t know that it’s there.”

But wine director James Hird is quick to point out that the use of the ingredient isn’t solely for novelty. “This isn’t a gimmick,” he says, “it’s an addition to the recipe that’s so small you shouldn’t really be able to taste it.”

It’s also not just there for flavour, adds Koludrovic. “Salt is what links us to Byron,” he explains. “It’s the same ocean that we swim in, the same water that reaches both Byron and Bondi.”

The Easterly may have only just launched but it doesn’t look like the team’s penchant for ale is stopping there. “It won’t be our last beer,” says Hird, “Like anything else we do, I hope we’ll evolve it as the seasons change.”

The Easterly is now available on tap throughout all Icebergs venues.