Overview
A cold one or a cocktail? Whether you're having a drink at knockoff time, celebrating a special occasion or settling in for a relaxed afternoon, it's a familiar dilemma. And, in Queensland, one thing makes that choice even more difficult: the fact that the Sunshine State is home to many a great local brewery and distillery.
Yes, that means that there's always something to tempt your tastebuds. Also, there's always something homegrown to sip. And, when it comes to supporting Queensland drinks businesses — by enjoying their beers and spirits, of course — there are plenty of ace companies that you can throw some love towards.
To help, we've teamed up with our pals at BWS to highlight four local breweries and distilleries making stellar brews and top-notch tipples — all of which you should add to your must-drink list. They're some of the state's standout drops, and you can get behind them in two ways: by sipping them, obviously, and also by voting for them to be stocked in more BWS stores across Queensland.
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It’s the career path plenty of us have dreamed about: start out in your chosen field, work your way up the ranks, then find a way to turn it into your own gig. That’s exactly what Harley Goodacre did when he went from bottling-hand to head brewer in other breweries, then went solo and started All Inn Brewing Co in 2012. His Banyo spot makes seven brews in its core range, and has a particular focus on the environment — including ensuring that the majority of its lineup is vegan-friendly. Also upping All Inn’s sustainable credentials, it is run on solar, gives all of its spent grains to local farmers for feed, and started out with repurposed tanks, salvaged equipment and scrap materials.
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If you didn’t know that 10 Toes Brewery was based on the Sunshine Coast — and, not only that, that it first sprang to life in an industrial shed by the beach back in 2016 — then you could hazard a fair guess from its tinnies. Its Lucid Dreams IPA features crashing waves on its artwork, after all, and its Pipeline Pale Ale clearly references surfing in its moniker. Also unsurprising: the fact that this Alexandra Headlands outfit began as a hobby, is committed to making great brews for the local community, and favours a laidback approach to both making and drinking its beers. It’s the epitome of a cruisy coastal brewery, and that attitude shows in every sip.
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Pouring a drink and feeling overcome with a big dose of city pride? Australian Distilling Co certainly hopes so. The Aussie outfit’s whole remit is making gins that pay tribute to local places — with its master distiller teaming up with distilleries in each region to craft drops that reflect everywhere from Sydney and Perth to Bondi and Adelaide. In the case of Brisbane Gin, that means you’ll be tasting lime and ginger. Of course you will. Handcrafted in small batches, each product is designed to celebrate its namesake. Australian Distilling Co’s range has also proven quite the award-winner, too, picking up 56 gongs in the past 18 months.
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Before they set up Heads of Noosa Brewing Co in 2019, we’re guessing that brothers Lance and Craig Masterton drank their fair share of lager. They clearly have a passion for the low-temperature brew, because that’s the type of beer their family-run Sunshine Coast outfit focuses on, with four types in its core range. While Heads of Noosa is a newcomer, it was in the works for nearly a decade before it opened its doors — and taking the time needed to make the best possible beers is still the company’s mindset. You’ll taste that in its filtered brews, including a Japanese lager that’s refined and crisp, and a mid-strength that heartily resembles its full-flavoured counterpart.