Now Open: Fellow Brewery Last Man Standing Has Taken Over Newstead Brewing Co's Old Milton Digs
Co-founded by Olympian Steven Bradbury, this brewery has moved into the Suncorp Stadium-adjacent site just days after its former occupants shut up shop.
The permanent closure of Newstead Brewing Co, one of the first key names in Brisbane's craft beer scene, remains a heartbreaking development for the River City. The doors to its former Milton home didn't remain shut for long, however. Last Man Standing Brewing has not only announced that it has taken over the Castlemaine Street location — under its management, the site is already up and running again, opening its doors mere days after Newstead announced that it had bid farewell.
Since Friday, March 14, 2025, the brewery co-founded by Olympian Steven Bradbury is pouring its Australian-owned and -made lager at the Suncorp Stadium-adjacent spot, and running the place in a temporary setup. If that sounds like a quick turnaround, that's because it was, with the onus on getting the place up and running ASAP — both bar service and the kitchen — before the proper Last Man Standing brewery experience launches on Friday, March 28.
Befitting the Brisbane-born brewery's ownership, which also includes the sons of former Wallaby Roy Prosser, the venue's new guise will be all about sports, including big screens showing games and pub fare on the menu. And yes, if you know your Aussie Olympics history — and how short-track speed skater Bradbury won gold in the 1000 metres at the 2002 Salt Lake City games after his competitors in the final all crashed — then you'll know why Last Man Standing has its name.
"Opening our own brewery and venue is not only the logical next step in our growth, but it's the realisation of our plans, dreams and hard work over the past five years," said Managing Director Damian Prosser, one of Last Man Standing's co-founders, about setting up shop in Milton.
"The opportunity has come a little sooner than expected, but this is a fantastic venue in an iconic location and we're excited to create an exciting space. We'll keep the taps pouring for sports fans and locals while we get set up properly."
"Independent Aussie brewers continue to be under threat from ridiculous taxes, overseas corporations, pandemics and up here, the weather — but we're not going to be swayed from our mission," added Bradbury.
"We want to bring some good news to the industry, buck the trend and inspire fellow indie brewers to push on. Courage, determination, self-belief and just a little luck — that's what being the Last Man Standing is all about, and I should know!"
"I love Australia, I love sport and boy do I love a few beers with my mates, and I can't think of a better sporting venue in the country to sit alongside than Suncorp Stadium. It would be a crime for this fantastic brewery to be closed while there's so much happening at the stadium and in Brisbane. We had to step in and make sure that didn't happen," Bradbury continued.
Although it announced the news afterwards, Newstead Brewing Co closed down before Tropical Cyclone Alfred. As Brissie was shutting up ahead of the wild weather, so was this favourite — but forever, sadly.
When it revealed that it had said goodbye, the brewery's team said "it's a sad time for Brisbane craft beer and our beloved industry," via a statement on social media, but looked back fondly on its beginnings, plus what came next, before noting the impact of the 2022 floods and how it avoided closure at the time only to say farewell now.
In its prime, Newstead Brewing Co not only boasted its original location on Doggett Street — which it left in 2023 — and its second home in Milton, but also a taphouse inside Brisbane Airport's domestic terminal.
Find Last Man Standing at 67 Castlemaine Street, Milton — head to the brewery's website for more details.
