About Us
Headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, AMSAT specialise in oak alternatives for the wine industry. With a focus on quality and consistency, we oversee the entire manufacturing process – from working with our timber suppliers in France and America, to stave and chip production, seasoning and/or toasting the oak, and final packaging and distribution of the product. In addition to our rigorous quality control, AMSAT is fully HACCP accredited and ensure that all of our timber is sourced from sustainable forests.
Our Mission
AMSAT’s mission is to help the Australian wine industry compete globally by providing the highest quality oak alternatives to Aussie winemakers. Oak alternatives are the most cost effective products used to make high quality wine, and our oak is selected specifically for oak alternative production, rather than using barrel offcuts or other industry by-products. Choosing oak for the sole purpose of producing oak alternatives leads to finer oak characteristics in your wine. And with over 25 years of experience in the oak and wine industries, we are specialists in delivering world class oak alternatives.
People
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Simon is the sole owner and the Managing Director of AMSAT. Simon comes from a family of winemakers, is a qualified winemaker himself, and has completed vintages around the country. He also has degrees in Applied Science, Engineering, as well as an MBA.
Outside of work, Simon is married with two young daughters, and owns a large and energetic puppy.
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Joe is the Technical Manager at AMSAT, and this is his tenth year at AMSAT. Joe has a degree in Applied Science (Chemistry and Microbiology) and cut his teeth at a leading international food manufacturing company. Joe looks after our product trials and HACCP accreditation.
Outside of work, Joe is married with 2 grown-up children. He is a passionate and dedicated hobby winemaker but has made (and will make) anything that is fermented or distilled.
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Steve Brockman is excited to join the team at AMSAT and brings a wealth of knowledge in the malting space.
Steve is an award winning brewer and holds a BSc Multidisciplinary (Majoring in Viticulture & Oenology) and Post Graduate Diploma in Brewing Sciences.
Steve has been in the industry for over 15 years, getting his start in Western Australia at Little Creatures and The Monk before pursuing a big US trip through the burgeoning US craft beer scene. The culmination of the trip saw Steve and his partner Steph set up CraftHaus Brewery in Las Vegas. After six years away Steve and Steph returned to South Australia and Steve worked with the likes of Mismatch Brewing, Wirra Wirra Wines before launching Brightstar Brewing in Thebarton.
Steve is passionate about local agriculture, and has a small hobby farm in Dingabledinga. He is currently the State Lead for the Independent Brewers Association and a member for Farmers for Climate Action & Future Farmers SA. He firmly believes that local agriculture is the backbone of a thriving local economy, and that beer & wine deserve the very best local ingredients.