Nordvest Stories: “The Pilsner Train Has No Brakes” -Meet Chris from Gamma Brewing

THE PAST

"Whenever people ask me how I ended up in Denmark, I usually give them the cop-out answer: I just fell asleep in the taxi,” laughs Chris, one of the brewers at Gamma Brewing.

The real story is a classic immigrant tale of natural, fluid progression. Raised near Western Sydney right on the edge of the Blue Mountains national park—a place named for the beautiful blue haze created by eucalyptus oil and dust reflecting in the sun—Chris initially caught the travel bug by moving between different Australian cities. Eventually, a holiday to visit a friend in Copenhagen turned into a return trip, a brief stint working in Sweden, and finally, settling permanently in Denmark.

Once he arrived, Chris found his footing within a tight-knit, international circle of friends heavily rooted in the bar and brewing scene. "Everybody kind of knows everybody," Chris says of the industry network, which stretches far beyond Denmark into Scandinavia and the rest of the world.

During the pandemic, a casual walk past the lakes with a mate opened up an opportunity at a local yeast company. Though his prior experience had mostly been acting as a helping hand around breweries, he jumped at the chance, learning the trade entirely on the job. That deep dive into fermentation eventually led him to Gamma Brewing.

THE PRESENT

Today, Chris is a settled fixture of the Nordvest community, living just up the road from the taproom. He is part of Gamma's highly international four-man brewing team, working alongside a Colombian (a “weapon”), a "red hot" Scotsman, and another Pole (a nod to Chris’s own Polish heritage).

For Chris, the local craft beer scene is defined by camaraderie rather than rivalry. "Because we’re all mates, it’s more collaboration than competition," he explains. A perfect example is Gamma's recent Great Doink Day event, held on Store Bededag (May 1st), which featured five different breweries crafting their own custom riffs on Gamma’s flagship Double IPA, Big Doink. In Chris's words: "Flying Couch came. They conquered." For the brewers, these projects are an exciting chance to slow down, ensure top-tier ingredient quality, check each other's procedures, and learn something new.

When he isn’t at the Herlev production facility, Chris loves stepping into the spotlight for Gamma's monthly "Behind the Brews" public tastings. "It's nice to share the work that we do outside of our small team," he says. He never tires of explaining the basics, because every batch carries a "garnish of difference"—a little touch of spice in temperature or technique that gives the beer its own unique profile.

That creative process extends directly to meeting modern community demands. While hosting tastings out in local supermarkets, Chris now notices that 50% of the questions coming from customers—including a lot of younger crowds—were the exact same: “Do you have a non-alcoholic beer?” Gamma already has the answer: No Doink, a non-alcoholic variation packed into a hefty 440ml can. It requires a completely separate, highly experimental brewing process utilizing an innovative ingredient called "Yops" to enhance the flavor pop and keep the signature heavy grain haziness without triggering unwanted fermentation.

But while modern tastes are shifting toward non-alcoholic options, the craft beer world is also steering back toward tradition. "The sour train is great, but the pilsner train has no brakes. It just won't stop," Chris laughs, pointing out that Gamma always keeps a traditional Pilsner or a stout resting in the tanks.

This balance of creativity is a massive talking point in the food and beverage industry. When asked about whether you need to be an innately creative person to brew, or if stealing ideas is considered a faux pas, Chris notes the tried-and-true saying that imitation is the highest form of flattery. However, he emphasizes that Gamma succeeds by staying fiercely true to its own distinct identity—not just in their flavor profiles, but in their signature visual branding. They work consistently with a dedicated artist based in the US to create their trippy, recognizable can art, with their geometric looking organic line being the rare, intentional break from their classic style.

THE FUTURE

When it comes to the future, Chris admits his outlook is entirely focused on the immediate horizon. "Six months ahead is as far as my scope goes," he says, with his brain capacity entirely taken up by brewery logistics, webshop sales, and the taproom's active event calendar.

Because the industry is so inherently social, Chris's work and personal lives are deeply intertwined. He is highly defensive of the Gamma taproom as his ultimate local spot. "I know I’m always gonna meet my friends, I know there’s food, I know there’s beers." When he does venture out, his neighborhood footprint is guided by a simple rule: "Proximity for a filthy kebab." We note that while everyone has fiercely divided local opinions, the massive, perpetual line outside Kosk Kebab must mean something.

He tries to make it back to Australia every two years or so, usually over the winter holidays, which brings up the funny cultural contrast of experiencing midwinter vs. southern hemisphere celebrations. "Where's the melted plastic Santa to somebody's roof or the barbecue?" Chris jokes, reflecting on what it's like adjusting to a traditional Danish Christmas. The connection between the two countries runs deep, though; while Chris hadn't met many Danes before moving, he now notices just how many locals he meets now who have tackled the classic Australian coast trip.

He balances his high-energy, social workspace with his home life alongside his partner, a German researcher at DTU who spends her days doing highly technical work studying cancer cells and rheumatoid arthritis. Because of their vastly different hours, they don't see each other 24/7, which makes their shared time all the more special. "I’m very lucky to have her and her patience," Chris admits warmly. "I come home physically knackered from a long brew day and I might just be staring into the cosmos while she’s asking me questions."

As our conversation wraps up, Chris shares a beautifully grounded perspective on the neighborhood they call home, describing Nordvest as a place on the very precipice of gentrification, but not just yet: still mellow, cool, and raw.

"There are lots of things slowly starting to pop up, but it's not just readily accessible," Chris says. "You kind of have to scratch at the surface a little bit to find the real magic."

Editor's Note: I wasn't able to attend Great Doink Day on Store Bededag this year, but mark my words, I REALLY want to attend next year, and if you love local craft beer and brilliant community vibes, you should probably do the same!