Award-winning brewers to open up new ‘sustainable’ brewery

A group of science and agriculture experts who moonlight as multi-award winning brewers have set up their own taphouse in Toowoomba. Take an exclusive look inside here.

Professor John Bennett (left) and Mal Campbell from Mouse Proof Brewery, soon to open in Brook St. Picture: Nev Madsen.

As a uni student living in a “mouse-proof shed” on the back of his parents’ farm, Toowoomba scientist and academic John Bennett was once told by a friend: “If you ever open a bar, you have to call it Mouse Proof Brewery”.

Years later, Prof Bennett has kept that promise along with five co-founders with a first for Toowoomba – a brewery that links its beers and their consumers back to sustainability, agriculture and the land.

Mouse Proof Brewery has set up shop in Toowoomba, and after copious planning and brewing, will officially open its doors in just weeks.

Prof Bennett said the plan to open a brewery ended up happening a lot earlier than he had anticipated.

Head brewer Prof Bennett co-founded the business with Ned Skehan, Mal Campbell, David West, Job King and Dr Stirling Roberton.

Mouse Proof Brewery is one of Toowoomba new breweries, opening soon.

Prof Bennett and his team entered six beers in the 2020 Queensland Amateur Brewing Championships and decided to go along to get some feedback on what were relatively new brews they had created.

A lime and white pepper gose turned out to be their lucky charm.

“We put this beer in to get some feedback, and we won Best in Show,” Prof Bennett said.

“We won the whole thing.”

But it’s not just the taste and quality of the beer itself that has the potential to launch the brewery and its co-founders to stardom in Toowoomba and across Queensland.

The dream team behind Mouse Proof Brewery is Ned Skehan, Mal Campbell, Professor John Bennett, David West, Job King, and Dr Stirling Roberton.

It’s the message they want to put out into the world.

The brewery’s philosophy is “Beer. Your link to the land.”

The team, who all have backgrounds in science and agriculture, hopes that with every beer purchased, customers are encouraged to think about their impact on agriculture, and how agriculture impacts everything they do.

“The brewery actually started to link our scientific work back to consumers,” Prof Bennett said.

“We wanted to prove this point that consumers are interested in how things are produced and the sustainability of the products.

“If you eat food, wear clothes, drink beer, you’re a part of agriculture – if you want agriculture to be sustainable, you need to start thinking about your own choices.”

The brewery has so far created 38 of its own beers, has 14 taps, and boasts a “relaxed” vibe and venue.

Mouse Proof Brewery is one of Toowoomba new breweries, opening soon.

A group of keen mountain bikers themselves, the team behind Mouse Proof has particularly catered to the mountain biking community in Toowoomba.

Mouse Proof hopes to be open in Brook St by August.

For more, follow their Instagram: @mouse_proof.