Coast's first on-farm brewery pours inaugural keg

The Coast's first on-farm brewery is being created by two of the least imposing men you'll ever meet.

BREWERY WITH A DIFFERENCE: Head brewer Brandt Bamford of Terella Brewing inside a growing booth at Vertical Farms', next door. Brandt will use water generated here in his brews, and carbon dioxide emitted in beer fermentation will be re-injected back into the chamber. Picture: John McCutcheon

THE Coast's first on-farm brewery, Terella Brewing at Vertical Farms in North Arm, is being created by two of the least imposing men you'll ever meet.

But Brandt Bamford and Torren Read's vision has the potential to revolutionise the Coast's rapidly evolving craft beer scene.

It'll be the first brewery located on a farm, and its launch will open a world of possibilities for "destination tourism" in North Arm, Mr Read said.

The 69-acre property Terella Brewing calls home also includes indoor grower of leafy greens, Vertical Farms.

Water from Vertical Farms' intensive indoor horticulture system will be used in the beers, and carbon dioxide emitted through fermentation will be re-injected back into the growing booths.

"It's a totally closed loop," Mr Read said.

"People are coming from all over the country and the world to see Vertical Farms. Busloads of people, all the time."

"What we're doing here is going to change the game," Mr Bamford said.

BREWERY WITH A DIFFERENCE: Torren Read and Brandt Bamford are the co-founders of Terella Brewing in North Arm. Picture: John McCutcheon

The pair aim to open their family-friendly brewery with 15 taps by the end of October, in time for the summer rush, as the "vast majority" of beer sold in Australia is sold between November and February.

"We're employing old school, traditional German brewing techniques in our modern brewhouse," Mr Bamford said.

Terella Brewing's first keg was poured on the weekend, at Noosa's Moto Bar.

"It sold out in record time," Mr Bamford said, with a grin from ear to ear.

Both former tradesmen, the pair enlisted the help of their fathers to build their brewery.

"We got our dads out of retirement to build this," Mr Read said.

A welder by trade, Mr Read lived in Western Australia while Mr Bamford was an instrument technician electrician until he turned to brewing.

Their trades have served them well in the new venture, where Mr Bamford is head brewer and Mr Read's skills have allowed them to save "big time" on costs.

Terella would provide a much-needed alternative to screen-based entertainment for local kids - a passion of his and Vertical Farms shareholder Ash Thompson's, Mr Bamford said.

"There'll be no video games here, no arcade room," he said.

From the open gate of the giant brewing shed, where Terella's pilot plant is steadily concocting its first brews, you can see cows grazing.

"Kids can go down and pat the cows," Mr Read said.

The brewery will sell takeaway beer, and lettuce grown next door, he said.

"It's a full family-friendly and dog-friendly concept - we want it to be a brewery, but so much more."

Sunshine Coast Craft Beer Tours owner Josh Donohoe said Terella Brewing's space was "unique" and he was excited for its launch.

"I love the fact it's not an industrial space," he said.

"It's really exciting that breweries can be in spaces like that."

He said it reminded him of the Margaret River region where breweries were "more like winery estates".

"They're set up to be a tourist destination.

"I can't wait, I think it's going to be a great addition to the Coast."