Brewer James Squires is auctioning off what it describes as Australia’s most valuable bottle opener to boost brand awareness and raise funds for Rural Aid, which is providing critical support to farmers in need.
While the final price will be determined by a silent auction, the opener is worth an estimated $30,000 or more. It is engineered from sterling silver, burl walnut, grade 5 titanium and rare Damascus steel, the material once used to make ancient swords and which took three years to source.
The auctioning of the opener coincides with the release of the limited-edition barrel-aged James Squire’s Pioneers’ Collection Release No.01, which is available nationwide at Dan Murphy’s and James Squire brewhouses for $49 per single hand-finished 750mL bottle. Just 5000 bottles have been brewed.
The brewery says the Pioneers’ Collection builds on the success of The Wreck Preservation Ale – the world’s oldest surviving beer – made new. Working with the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, the Australian Wine Research Institute and James Squire, The Wreck was created using yeast found in beer bottles on the Sydney Cove shipwreck off Preservation Island. That represents the resurrection of the world’s oldest beer.
The one-off opener took more than 150 hours to make. The concept is the brainchild of Neil Ferrier, founder of design firm Discommon, who gathered a team of artists with expertise in the various components.
“This one-of-a kind piece showcases our shared love of craftsmanship, innovation, and for bringing unconventional ingredients together to create something unique and truly extraordinary,” said Anubha Sahasrabuddhe, chief marketing officer at Lion.
