Hop Nation

Brewer

Name
Hop Nation
Address

Unit 6, 107/109 Whitehall Street Footscray
VIC 3011

Open Hours

Thursday: 3pm to 9.30pm
Friday: 12pm to 10pm
Saturday: 12pm to 10pm
Sunday: 12pm to 9pm

It has been said before that winemakers love beer more than wine, whether it be for reasons of speed of production, or simply for a change of pace. Two such winemakers, Sam Hambour and Duncan Gibson, established Hop Nation in 2015 and since those early days, it’s safe to say the pace has been quite frenetic.

The two young brewers were making wine in Central Otago in New Zealand when they both began dabbling in homebrewing, taking on local homebrewers in competitions and developing a healthy rivalry to see who would come out on top.

Eventually, Sam moved back to Australia and Dunc left his native New Zealand for a stint making wine around the world. But after returning to the Antipodes, Dunc sought out his mate who was making wine on the Mornington Peninsula and together, they hatched a plan to launch Hop Nation.

They landed in Melbourne in mid-2014 and, after a few months of planning, kicked off with The Fiend; an IPA that was a precursor to a hop-filled journey to come. More beers followed by the desire was always to get their hand on some stainless on their own, a dreamt that was realised late in 2015 when an old friend reached out to Dunc. That mate worked at Sawmill Brewery near Auckland who told the Hop Nation crew that they were selling their system and it could be theirs if they wanted it.

Sam and Dunc quickly secured a site in Footscray and, by the middle of 2016, the doors to their brewery opened. The Whitehall Street warehouse sits beside the Maribyrnong River and, as Footscray has grown and changed, Hop Nation have changed and grown with it.

Tucked away in an industrial estate, the brewery bar makes the absolute most out of what is a stunning warehouse. Originally built in the 1880s, their home was revamped in 2023; today, walking inside feels like stepping into a chapel.

And, in many ways, it is chapel: one which Hop Nation have dedicated to all things fermentation. Although much of their production takes place on the Mornington Peninsula these days, barrels line the wall here, while a still sits in the middle of the warehouse, put to use producing their gins and whiskies.

The open space features 18 taps and is designed to suit large groups catching up over a beer, while the neon-lit bar is an enticing spot for anyone looking to enjoy a solo hazy IPA. As part of the renovation, they built a kitchen that’s headed by chef Alex Addams Williams, the person behind Good Pizza. The pizzeria’s focus is on traditional long-ferment doughs where the ingredients are allowed to stray a long way from tradition; alongside thin-crust Neapolitan styles are deep dish pizzas born to soak up any beer-filled-afternoon.

Unsurprisingly given the brewery's name and their motto of “In Hops We Trust", hoppy beers have always held an important place for Hop Nation. Indeed, they were one of Australia’s first breweries to embrace the haze and they’ve always loved taking such beers in new directions and utilising modern techniques, new hop varieties and products.

But they also have a penchant for brewing lagers, with their Rattenhund pilsner a cult hit for the brewery. Wood, too, has long being a focus, whether it’s showcased through big dark beers or mixed-ferment sours. That love for beer’s wild side saw the brewery launch Blobfish Festival in 2019, while they also have their own range of ‘Ray Hard Seltzers, Dart Distilling, Site Wines and even beers built with broth just for doggos, Dog Nation.

Whether you’re enjoying one of those drinks at home, or inside the vibrant Footscray taproom, it makes for a lot to soak in. Fortunately, in Hop Nation, you can trust.

This is a directory listing. To find out more, head here

Stories featuring Hop Nation

Core Range

Hop Nation Giddy Hazy Mid
Hazy Mid
3.5%
Hop Nation Footscray Draft
Lager
4.2%
Hop Nation Rattenhund
Pilsner
4.8%
Hop Nation 'Ray Seltzers
Hard Seltzer
4.5%
Hop Nation Melbourne Fog
Hazy Pale
4.8%
Hop Nation The Heart Pale Ale
Pale Ale
4.6%
Hop Nation J Juice
New England IPA
7.1%
Hop Nation The Chop
American IPA
6.0%

Limited Releases

Fox Friday x Hop Nation Some Of It & All Of It
West Coast Pilsner & Triple IPA
5.8% & 10.0%
Hop Nation Big Tings
Hazy IPA
6.9%
Hop Nation Freestyle Double IPA & Raspberry Sour With Key Lime
Double IPA & Fruited Sour
8.0% & 4.3%
Hop Nation Blood Sour
Sour
4.4%
Hop Nation Don Limón
Salted Lime Mexican Lager
4.0%
Hop Nation West Coast IPA
West Coast IPA
6.5%
Hop Nation Tropicalé & Summer Sour
Hazy IPA & Fruited Sour
7.2% & 4.3%
Hop Nation Nelson Lakes
Double IPA
8.0%
Hop Nation Dragon Sour & Flathead
Fruited Sour & Grapefruit IPA
4.0% & 6.5%
Hop Nation Fill Your Cup
Hazy IPA
5.6%
Hop Nation Citra Hazy IPA
Hazy IPA
7.0%
Hop Nation x Mr West Turon Milk Stout
Milk Stout
6.0%
Hop Nation All G
Double IPA
8.0%
Hop Nation Mole Poblano & Pecan Pie
Barrel-Aged Imperial Pastry Stouts
Both 11.6%
Hop Nation Green Matter?
Hazy IPA
6.8%
Hop Nation The Kalash 2023
Barrel-Aged Imperial Stouts
10.4% & 11.5%
Hop Nation Rice Lager & Yugen
Rice Lager & Chocolate Coffee Milk Stout
5.0% & 5.2%
Hop Nation Dog Beer
Alcohol-Free Dog Beer
0.0%
Hop Nation x Birdsnake Karma Milk Chocolate Stout
Milk Chocolate Stout
5.0%
Hop Nation Field Daze & Field Haze
Fresh Hop IPAs
Both 6.0%
Hop Nation Forbidden Peach, Apricot & Passionfruit & Bearded Seal (with Lervig)
Fruited Sour & Fruited Hazy IPA
5.3% & 8.0%
Hop Nation x Garage Project Pigdog
NZ Pilsner
5.0%
Hop Nation Paradise Valley Hotel
West Coast IPA
6.0%
Hop Nation Experiment 102
NZ IPA
6.5%
Hop Nation x Garage Project What's In The Box?
Hazy IPA
7.4%
Hop Nation The New Dawn
Imperial Hazy IPA
8.1%
Site Fermentation Project: Barrel Aged Pineapple Sour Blonde Ale
Barrel-Aged Sour
6.6%
Hop Nation Weekend Getaway & Head In The Clouds, Feet In The Crowds
West Coast & Hazy IPAs
6.3% & 6.0%
Hop Nation Opening Doors
Non-Alc Hazy Pale
<0.5%
Hop Nation First Light & Dark Paradise Forever
Nitro Red Ale & Nitro Rocky Road Pastry Stout
5.0% & 7.0%
Hop Nation The Kalash 2022 Bourbon & Whisky Edition
Barrel-Aged Imperial Stouts
10.7% & 12.7%
Hop Nation x Mountain Culture Quick Jazz & Ukulele Solo & Dark Paradise Returns
Oatcream IPA, Decoction Maibock & Dark Paradise Returns
6.8%, 7.0% & 7.0%
Hop Nation Mother's Hybrid & Fallen Leaves
Hazy IPA & Red Rye IPA
Both 6.0%
Site Fermentation Project & Byrdi MTK
Mixed Culture Sour
5.6%
Hop Nation No Fool & Star Align Non-Alcs
Non-Alc Raspberry Sour & Stout
Both Less Than 0.5%
Hop Nation Zombie Pop Part 4 & Dark Paradise
Imperial Sour & Pastry Stout
8.0% & 7.0%
Hop Nation Get The Gist
Hazy IPA
6.8%
Hop Nation Ground Control 3
Fresh Hop IPA
6.0%
Site Fermentation Poject: Lapin 2021
Mixed Culture Beer With Cherries
7.1%
Hop Nation Slama Lama Ding Dong & Neon Meerkat
Hazy Pale & West Coast IPA
4.9% & 6.0%
Site Fermentation Project: Barrel Aged IPA With Pear Juice
Barrel-Aged IPA With Pear Juice
8.1%
Hop Nation Plug & Play Level Up
West Coast IPA
6.0%
Hop Nation Zombie Pop Part 2
Berry Imperial Sour
8.0%
Hop Nation & Blackhearts Old Dog New Trick
Hazy Pale
4.2%
Site Fermentation Project: Oud Bruin & Syrah Sour Red
Mixed Culture Beers
8.7% & 7.6%
Hop Nation Mind Your Head & Walk Between Raindrops
Non-Alc XPA & Hazy IPA
<0.5% & 6.0%
Hop Nation Gaining Momentum
Cold IPA
6.9%
Hop Nation First Dip & Zombie Pop
Dip Hop IPA & Raspberry Imperial Sour
6.96% & 8.0%
Hop Nation Better Distractions & Jawbone
Hazy IPA & Stout
7.1% & 6.3%
Hop Nation Synchronicity & Enter The Vortex
Hazy Double IPA & Pastry Stout
10.0% & 8.0%
Hop Nation Site Fermentation Project Lapin 2020
Cherry Sour Blonde Ale
4.8%
Hop Nation The Kalash 2021 Bourbon & Whisky Edition
Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout
10.7% & 11.7%
Bodriggy Brewing & Hop Nation The People's Elbow
Imperial Porter
9.5%
Hop Nation Max Capacity & Carbonado
Festival IPA & Barrel-Aged Stout
7.0% & 5.2%
Mismatch & Hop Nation Meet In The Middle
IPA
8.0%
Hop Nation Fresh Hop Ground Control
Fresh Hop West Coast IPA
7.0%
Hop Nation 30-G Single Hop Series
Single Hop IPAs
All 7.0%
Hop Nation Xolo & Single Foedre Sour Red
Hazy IPA & Sour Red
Both 6.5%
Hop Nation Fool
Raspberry Sour
5.0%
Hop Nation Ground Control & Candyland
West Coast IPA & Milkshake IPA
7.0% & 8.0%
Hop Nation Blobfish Saison 2019 & Mixed Packs
Barrel-Aged Mixed Culture Saison
6.5%
Hop Nation Pastry Stout Series
Pastry Stouts
6.2% & 6.0% & 6.0%
Hop Nation The Kalash 2020 Bourbon & Whisky Editions
Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stouts
10.7% & 13.4%
Hop Nation Site Fermentation Project Lapin 2019
Cherry Sour Blonde Ale
8.0%
Hop Nation Seven Clouds Hazy IPA
Hazy IPA
6.3%
Hop Nation & Lervig Bearded Seal DDH Hazy IPA
DDH Hazy IPA with fruit
8.0%
Hop Nation Site Fermentation Project Wine Series 2019
Beer-Wine Hybrids
6.0%
Hop Nation Organic Lager
Organic Lager
4.0%
Hop Nation & Akasha East/West IPAs
IPAs
6.2% & 6.8%
Hop Nation Sweet & Sour Trio
Fruit Cream Sours
4.5% / 5.0% /
Hop Nation Site Fermentation Project Turn The Page
Sour Blonde With Rhubarb
6.0%
Hop Nation Dreamfeed Hazy IPA
Hazy IPA
6.5%
Hop Nation Site Fermentation Project Red Rabbit 2018
Sour Red Ale
6.5%
Hop Nation The Kalash 2019
Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout
9.8%
Hop Nation Site Fermentation Project Lapin
Foedre Beer With Cherries
6.0%
Hop Nation The Forager Blueberry NEIPA
Berry NEIPA
6.5%
Hop Nation Farm To Ferment Fresh Hop IPA
Fresh Hop West Coast IPA
6.5%
Hop Nation & Footscray Historical Society The Patron
Mid-Strength
3.5%
Hop Nation The Dawn Double NEIPA
Double NEIPA
9.0%
Hop Nation The Kalash 2018
Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout
9.7%
Hop Nation Market NEIPA
Spiced NEIPA
6.7%
Hop Nation & Frankie's Acid Head Super Sour
Hoppy Sour
5.5%
Hop Nation The Kalash 2017
Russian Imperial Stout
10.2%
Hop Nation The Sturm 2017
Beer-Wine Hybrid
5.0%
Hop Nation & Exit & Big Shed Black Rhino Cherry Lips
Smoked Black Cherry Gose
5.5%
Hop Nation The One Tug Fresh Hop IPA
Fresh Hop IPA
6.8%
Hop Nation & Sawmill The Expat Double IPA
Double IPA
8.6%
Hop Nation The Punch
Mango Gose
4.0%
Hop Nation & Up In Smoke Red Haze
Smoked Red Ale
7.0%
Hop Nation The Dawn East Coast IPA
East Coast IPA
7.0%
Hop Nation The Kalash Russian Imperial Stout
Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
10.2%
Hop Nation The Sturm
Beer Wine Hybrid
5.0%
Hop Nation Hop Fiend
Australian IPA
5.4%
Hop Nation The Buzz
American Red Ale
6.5%
Hop Nation The Damned
NZ Pilsner
4.8%