Queensland’s best new craft breweries revealed

Queensland is experiencing a suburban and regional brewery boom, with about a dozen new breweries opening in the past year and plenty more expected to launch soon.

Queensland is experiencing a suburban and regional brewery boom, with beer makers moving into a neighbourhood near you.

Across the state, about a dozen new breweries have opened in the past 12 months everywhere from Atherton near Cairns and Warwick to the outskirts of Brisbane and even Magnetic Island, with more than a dozen planned to launch in the next year.

“It’s what people want, a truly local place to hang out as a family or group of friends to socialise,” said Queensland beer expert Matt Kirkegaard from Brews News.

Revel Brewing Co at Morningside.

Mr Kirkegaard said the boom had been sparked by the commercialisation of pubs, with patrons now wanting a more personal experience, rather than what’s found at supermarket or chain-owned hotels.

“The introduction of pokies in Queensland fundamentally changed the nature of pubs, turning them into mini-casinos with little soul,” he said.

“On the other hand, the breweries are usually owned by locals, have no plasma screens, are often dog and family-friendly and just invite positive social interaction that make them an important part of the local community.”

Blackflag Brewing will open a tap room at Coolum later this year.

Hiker Brewing in Salisbury, in Brisbane’s south, is due to open mid-next month and will feature a play area for children, a ping pong table, pool table and a place for kids to ride their bikes. Co-owner Daniel Venema said these extras were an increasingly important part of the offering.

“Young families and people older than that who aren’t uni students, who aren’t going out into the city every weekend, I think having something so local and so easy for the kids to keep them occupied at with good beer is a better option for that demographic,” Mr Venema said.

Dan Kendrick of recently opened brewpub Flat Lizard in Stafford, in Brisbane’s north, agreed.

“It’s not just about the beer, it’s about providing a community space,” he said.

With different food trucks on weekends, and areas for kids to play, the venue, which only opened in August, was already attracting large crowds, Mr Kendrick said, despite not having any signage.

“It’s families, dog walkers, craft beer connoisseurs, the whole range of local people that you would expect, plus we’re getting more craft beer nerds coming in and with their growlers and taking beer home,” Mr Kendrick said.

Archer Brewing owners Stuart and Lucy Martin with brewer Chris Fletcher. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Stuart Martin, co-owner of Archer Brewing, which is set to open next month in Wilston, in Brisbane’s north, said Covid had also meant people were chasing something in their own backyard.

“There’s not a huge number of suburban drinking establishments and it’s becoming more and more popular to drink where you live,” Mr Martin said.

“Everyone is happy to stay in their little slice of Brisbane and they want to get served by people they know.”

BEST QUEENSLAND BREWERY OPENINGS OF 2022

Flat Lizard

18 Harvton St, Stafford

In an industrial area in Brisbane’s northside, this family friendly brewery first became popular as a contract brewer for the likes of Sea Legs and 27 South. But since opening their brewpub in August, customers of all ages have sought out their super fresh brews, with up to 18 varieties of beer available at any one time, alongside a rotating line up of food trucks at weekends and space for the kids to play.

Psycho Suzie’s

79 Fitzroy St, Warwick

Warwick’s first craft brewery is the work of former fine dining chef Dean Alsford and partner Tamika Sullivan. Rolling out an ever-growing list of beers from tropical ales and lagers to milk stouts and IPA, the brewpub also serves local Granite Belt wines and has just introduced a food offering, starting with pizzas, which will expand into fried chicken, burgers and tacos.

Maggie Island Brewery manager and head brewer Jordan Dahl. Photo: Instagram

Maggie Island Brewery

9 Esplanade, Picnic Bay

A first for Magnetic Island, off Townsville, this nano brewery serves up a range of core craft beers and ever-changing seasonal varieties alongside smoked barbecue food from a walk-up food van.

Revel Brewing Co

82, Colmslie Rd, Morningside

A sister venue to its hugely successful Bulimba brewery, in Brisbane’s east, this brewpub was established to meet the overwhelming public demand for the brand’s award-winning beers. The latest venue inside the Rivermakers complex features a fully catered restaurant and taproom.

Burleigh Barrels

3-4/105 West Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Heads

This brewery, distillery (opening soon) and smokehouse all in one is already attracting big crowds on the Gold Coast. It serves up a family friendly menu of smoked meats, pizza, tacos, burgers, salads and more, alongside wine, cocktails and its six in-house brewed beers, plus frothies from other Queensland brewers including Black Hops, Precinct and Revel.

Burleigh Barrels Brewery in Burleigh Heads.

MOST ANTICIPATED UPCOMING BREWERY OPENINGS

Archer Brewing, Wilston

Taking over the iconic former Lifeline building along Newmarket Rd, this family friendly brewery is the work of long time brewers Stuart and Lucy Martin. It will be able to produce up to 200,000L of beer per year, and will feature around 250sq m of drinking and dining space, with a commercial kitchen and live music area.

Hip Hops Brewers, Brendale

Moving into The Sheds development in Brendale, north of Brisbane, this brewery will lean towards wild ferments under head brewer Adam Gibb (ex-White Brick Brewing). There will be 18 taps in the taproom plus a leafy beer garden.

Straddie Brewing Co, Dunwich

Due to open at the end of the month, this three-storey brewhouse and taproom, just minutes from the Sealink Ferry Terminal on North Stradbroke, will use the sand-filtered water that flows from Straddie’s aquifer for its beer making.

Sean Astill and Rhys Pike of Future Magic Brewing Co.

Future Magic Brewing, East Brisbane

Due to open in the old Semi-Pro brewery site in East Brisbane, this brewery is the work of mates Sean Still and Rhys Pike. The friends are using crowd funding to support the build, which they hope will be complete before Christmas.

Blackflag Brewing, Coolum Beach

Blackflag began brewing in late 2019 out of several locations around the Sunshine Coast, however, their beer became so popular they needed a permanent home. Enter their upcoming Coolum site with a tasting room, gift shop and sky deck.