Broome is still hard baked into the character of Matso’s – celebrating a laid-back, tropical lifestyle and the multicultural heritage of a town that is forever linked with the pearling industry – the name itself is a nod to Matsumoto’s General Store which occupied the brewery site, the locals shortening the name to Matso’s Store. But while the spiritual home will always be Broome, where the iconic and original alcoholic Ginger Beer was first brewed, it’s now a national name. Innovation continues at pace with Pash Pine Crush, being the first passionfruit RTD in market, and the first of many in this range for Matso’s.
“The brewery embraces the Kimberley’s natural environment and multicultural richness, especially the Asian cultural influences, to create adventurous, flavour-filled beers,” says Ross Brown, Head Brewer at Matso’s. “This spirit of creativity and a relaxed approach remains core to the culture and product development, reflected in adventurous flavour profiles and a communal vibe.”
When the brewing team started to make ginger beer in the late 1990s, they didn’t anticipate that they were creating an icon. “The alcoholic ginger beer was born out of the need to beat the Kimberley heat,” says Brown. “That needed a refreshing, flavourful brew. The mango beer followed, inspired by a tropical storm that sent mangoes flying around Broome, sparking creativity and a drink using real Australian mangoes. These beers have become synonymous with Matso’s and Broome, known for their unique flavours.”
While the Matso’s team value the past they do also look to the future, changing tastes and trends. This led to the creation of the Crush range, a vodka-based light RTD, inspired by a desire to craft lighter, refreshing, naturally flavoured drinks and a generational shift in taste, Crush resonating with a new generation. “ There was a conscious effort to make the drinks lighter and more sessionable for current drinkers,” says Brown.
“Matso’s understands evolving consumer preferences for lower-alcohol, more refreshing beverages that can be enjoyed over time without overwhelming the palate or senses. The Crush range reflects this trend, delivering balanced, lighter options with around 4.5% alcohol content and crisp natural flavours.”
Matso’s expertise in innovation is key, highlighting real fruit flavours like lemon, lime, passionfruit, and pineapple while preserving Matso’s signature flavour intensity and crafting drinks that are sessionable, with clean, crisp profiles, and free from artificial sweeteners. Drinks like the Vodka Lemon Lime Crush use Australian lemons and limes combined with premium vodka which is handcrafted to deliver a distinctive taste. “The approach is to enhance refreshment through genuine ingredients and maintain that tropical, laid-back vibe that defines Matso’s, even in an RTD.,” says Brown.
Crush stands out in this market segment due to a commitment to natural ingredients, intense but balanced fruit flavours, and a focus on making genuinely refreshing and sessionable drinks. “Unlike many RTDs which rely on artificial sweeteners or heavy flavourings, Matso’s Crush use real fruit and premium spirits for a lighter, cleaner option,” says Brown.
As with the original Matso’s releases decades ago, inspiration is drawn from the environment, the flavour combination of passionfruit and pineapple in the Pash Pine Crush a play on tropical nostalgia and the desire to create something akin to an easy-drinking, yet vibrant, cocktail experience, perfect for the sunny vibe wherever they’re drunk in Australia.
What lies beyond the Crush range for Matso’s is answered by what they’ve done throughout their history – continuing to evolve while never losing sight of the spirit of Broome. “Matso’s balance respect for tradition with innovation,” says Brown. “We draw inspiration from the Kimberley’s environment and culture but remain open to experimenting with new formats and flavours, expanding the Crush range with new variant releases.” Looking ahead, Matso’s aim is to keep expanding the range, stay true to the brewery’s roots in tropical, fruit-forward brewing, but also honouring the original spirit of experimentation.