Interactive map reveals major players in Queensland’s booming craft brewing industry

Hundreds of craft brewing entrepreneurs have tapped into liquid gold to deliver a multimillion-dollar industry in Queensland. For the first time we reveal the state’s best and biggest - did your favourite make the list? SEE OUR INTERACTIVE MAP

Dozens of Queensland entrepreneurs are brewing liquid gold to create a booming industry injecting $62m into the state’s economy and employing hundreds of workers.

From Currumbin to Cairns, Queensland’s craft beer sector has exploded in the past decade to now boast more than 100 breweries and about 1700 workers.

Now, for the first time, the brains behind many of the breweries have been revealed.

Most are mates or business partners who had a dream to brew their own froth.

In Toowoomba 4 Brothers Brewing owner Adrian Cubit left his job as a train driver six years ago to launch a new venture.

SEE WHO OWNS THE BREWERIES IN THE INTERACTIVE MAP

The brewing industry in Queensland is booming, with Adrian Cubit from 4 Brothers Brewing at Toowoomba preparing to expand. Pic Mark Cranitch.

“Train driving is all about shift work and back in 2014 I was working away from home at the time and I remember sitting in my mining camp room thinking I don’t want to be doing this when I’m 65-years old,” he said.

“I had been reading about what was then known as microbreweries.

“I had a little bit of homebrewing experience with my father and always held on to the dream of one day opening my own brewery.”

A visit to Ipswich’s 4 Hearts Brewery in 2015 prompted Mr Cubit to launch his own business.

“Ipswich had a brewery servicing their city and I was left wondering why people in the city of Toowoomba, with it’s large region and high visitor numbers, didn’t yet have a brewery to call their own,” he said.

Mr Cubit opened the doors to 4 Brothers Brewing in April 2017 and since the first beer was poured the company has grown to turn a profit.

“We’ve managed to win a few medals along the way, but our main focus is to brew a good variety of beers that we and our customers want to drink,” he said.

SEE WHO OWNS THE BREWERIES IN THE INTERACTIVE MAP

After operating for almost four years Mr Cubit has finalised a lease to move the brewery into a new venue within the Toowoomba CBD and expects to open by March 2021.

The State Government’s Craft Beer Strategy, released in November 2018, found an increasing number of craft breweries were opening in regional Queensland – with more than 20 now operating.

Despite Australian beer consumption sitting at a 65-year low, the craft beer market is flourishing with annualised revenue growing by 9.7 per cent on average.

*Check the interactive map to see who owns the breweries*

QUEENSLAND’S 110 BREWERS

27 South Brewing – Brisbane

384 North Brewing – Bargara

4 Brothers Brewing – Toowoomba

4 Hearts Brewing Company – Ipswich

10 Toes Brewing – Alexandra Headland

Aardvark & Arrow Microbrewery – Varsity Lakes

Aether Brewing – Northgate

All Inn Brewing Co – Banyo

Archer Brewing Company – Brisbane

Bacchus Brewing Company – Capalaba

Baffle Beer Brewery – Taunton

Ballistic Beer Co – Salisbury

Ballistic Springfield Brewery – Springfield Central

Bargara Brewing Company – Bundaberg

Barrier Reef Brewing Co – Cairns

Blackflag Brewing – Mooloolaba

Black Hops – Burleigh Heads

Boiling Pot Brewing Co – Noosaville

Bonsai Brewhouse – Cooran

Brass Monkey Brewhouse – Severnlea

Bravo Brewing – Brisbane

Brendale Brewing Co – Brendale

Brewditos – Brisbane

BrewDog Australia – Murarrie

Brewtal Brewers – Brisbane

Brisbane Brewing Company – West End

Brisbane Brew Partners – Morningside

Brouhaha Brewery – Maleny

Burleigh Brewing Company – Burleigh Heads

Castle Glen Brewery – Stanthorpe

Catchment Brewing Co – West End

Copperhead Restaurant and Brewery – Cooroy

Coral Sea Brewing Co – Cairns

Croft Brewing Company – Brisbane

Currumbin Valley Brewing – Currumbin Valley

Danger Brewing Co – Brisbane

Duck & Cover Brewing Co – Brisbane

Eco Brewing Co – Elanda Point

Eleven Hawks Craft Brewing – Brisbane

Felons Brewing – Brisbane

FICK Brewing Company – Northgate

Fonzie Abbot – Albion

Fortitude Brewing Company – North Tamborine

Fritzenberger Frites and Burger Brew Pub – Brisbane

Gold Coast Brewery – Nerang

Granite Belt Brewery – Stanthorpe

Green Ant Brewing Co – Cairns

Happy Valley Brewing Co – Stafford

Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium – Broadbeach

Headricks Lane – Rockhampton

Heads of Noosa Brewing Co – Noosaville

Helios Brewing Company – Yeerongpilly

Hemingways Brewery – Cairns

Hoppy Puppy Brewco – Brisbane

Horny Wombat Brewery – Redcliffe

Hub Brewing – Geebung

Kenilworth Hotel Brewing Co – Kenilworth

Lost Palms Brewing Co – Miami

Macalister Brewing Company – Cairns

Madocke Beer Brewing Company – Pacific Pines

Milton Common – Milton

Moffat Beach Brewing Company – Moffat Beach

Mongrel Brewing – Milton

Monkey Pig Brewing – Yeppoon

Monkey Tree Brewing Co – Underwood

Monty Brewing Co – Toowoomba

Newstead Brewing Company – Brisbane

Noisy Minor Brewing Company – North Tamborine

Noosa Beer Company Land & Sea – Noosaville

Ocean View Estates Brewery – Ocean View

Ornith Brewing Co – Nundah

Paddock and Brew Company – Mackay

Patch Brewing – Brisbane

Range Brewing – Newstead

Red Baron Brewery – Mount Tamborine

Red Dragon Brewery – Cairns

Revel Brewing Co – Bulimba

Sea Legs Brewing – Kangaroo Point

Scenic Rim Brewery – Mount Alford

Semi-Pro Brewing Co – Brisbane

Sick Puppy Brewery – Boyne Island

Slipstream Brewing Co – Yeerongpilly

Soapbox Beer – Fortitude Valley

Stalwart Brewing Co – Nambour

Stone & Wood Brewing – Fortitude Valley

Straddie Brewing Company – Dunwich

Sunshine Brewery – Kuluin

Sunshine Coast Brewery – Kunda Park

Terella Brewing – North Arm

The Good Beer Co – Brisbane

The Lake Brewhouse – Varsity Lakes

Thirsty Chiefs Brewing Company – Northlakes

Thursday Brewing Company – Mermaid Beach

Townsville Brewing Company – Townsville

Volcanic Brewing – Toowoomba

Wandana Brewing Co – Mullumbimby

White Lies Brewing Company – Brisbane

Whitsunday Islands Brewing Co – Airlie Beach

Rocket Microbrewery – Montville

Your Mates Brewing Co – Warana

James Squire Brewhouse – Brisbane

Eumundi Brewery – Eumundi

Tiny Mountain Brewery – Townsville

Green Beacon Brewing Company – Brisbane

Balter Brewing – Currumbin

4 Pines – Coolangatta