Two young entrepreneurs are at the heart of a new craft brewery in Brisbane

YOUNG business partners Matt McIver and Gerard Martin are at the heart of a new craft brewery in Brisbane offering constantly changing beers.

Matt McIver and Gerard Martin at Range Brewing in Newstead. Picture: Tara Croser

“Forever exploring. Forever evolving,’’ the business card says.

That stay-hungry ethos at the heart of a new craft brewery in Brisbane has long been an animating force for young-gun business partners Matt McIver and Gerard Martin.

It’s the same spirit which saw the entrepreneurs, who grew up together in Toowoomba, gut an old school bus with four mates and spend three months travelling across North America back in 2014.

McIver says the pair have a long history of taking on projects that are “silly ideas that start out as a joke’’.

QUEENSLAND’S TOP 20 UNDER 40 ENTREPRENEURS - PART 1

QUEENSLAND’S TOP 20 UNDER 40 ENTREPRENEURS - PART 2

So it is with their Range Brewing venue, which threw open its door in May in Newstead and has already attracted a bunch of regulars drawn to the constantly changing beers on offer.

Like the bus trip, the idea for these blokes to launch their own microbrewery started out as a bit of joke.

The business partners, both 28, spent time together in London, where McIver worked as a bartender for Brewdog and Martin had a gig with modern furniture company Vitsoe.

With a shared passion for beer, they talked about what they liked and didn’t like in pubs, from the décor down to the smallest details, such as the shape of the tap handles.

When the lads came home to Queensland early last year, they started searching for a place to open their own brewery and secured financial backing from family and friends.

They considered Toowoomba (ergo the Range name) but then decided the city wasn’t ready for it.

They then looked at a spot in Kangaroo Point before settling on Newstead, a ballsy move considering the suburb is already home to craft beer heavyweights Green Beacon and Newstead Brewing.

The sour ale raspberry at Range Brewing in Newstead. Picture: Tara Croser

Their base of operations is a leased space on Byres Street that formerly served as a mechanic’s shop and furniture warehouse.

In a bid to keep costs under control, Martin and his father did a lot of the construction work and even made the furniture which fills the centre of the venue. Tradie mates also helped out.

The result is a minimalist and uncluttered look that feels both sparse and spacious, if somewhat cold. There’s a concrete floor, a high ceiling and only a smattering of artwork on the walls.

Patrons sit at long share tables, which are next to a row of stainless steel brewing tanks and a bar with 10 taps pouring a mix of ales, IPAs, pilseners and other brews.

McIver said the inspiration came from their travels in Copenhagen and elsewhere in Scandinavia, where simple yet functional design abounds.

The brewery is already churning out between 7,000 and 10,000 litres of beer a month, with the tasty drops available in kegs at more than 10 other venues around town.

The man heading up the all that beer making is Mitch Pickford, who formerly worked at Stone & Wood and Catchment Brewing.

With a brief to constantly experiment and innovate, he has come up with wild flavour combinations using such left-of-field ingredients as blueberries, oatmeal, chocolate and vanilla.

While other venues offer a constant supply of their top-selling beers, McIver and Martin have ditched that approach.

So while there will always be IPAs and session ales on tap, there are no standard core beers.

It’s a risky move but also one that will help their brewery stand out somewhat from the pack.

The point of difference even extends to their glasses, which look more suited to cocktails.

Patrons feeling a bit pecking can order sourdough pizzas, as well as meat and cheese share boards. There’s also spirits, wine and soft drinks available

But the focus really remains on the hops, malt and barley. “We’re trying to make the best beer we can. We’re always exploring,’’ McIver said.