Felons Brewing Co

It’s the 1820s: Four convicts from Sydney are the first westerners to stumble upon the Brisbane River after bad weather seriously messes with their navigation.

Fast forward more than a century to the 1930s: The Howard Smith Wharves and the Story Bridge are constructed to provide relief work during the Depression years.

Take another leap in time to 2018: Felons Brewing Co opens in the Howard Smith Wharves precinct under the Story Bridge, named for the quartet that found themselves on the river almost two centuries earlier.

Whether you care for the nod to history or not, it’s hard to be anything other than wowed by Felons. Their stated goal is to become part of Brisbane's culture – “a brewery for the people of the local community to call their own” – and the spot in which they're brewing beers set to make their way across the city and its festivals then further afield through 2019 certainly helps.

Drinking beer fresh from the source is always special, but the location here pushes the experience to a new high: the sparkle and ripple of the river; the criss-crossed girders of the Story Bridge reaching overhead; the monumental rocky cliffs watching over the buildings; the skyscrapers of Brisbane silhouetted against the sky.

The heritage-listed Howard Smith Wharves, which lay abandoned for so many years, is now an entertainment and dining precinct that can hold its own on the world stage. And at the heart of it all? The Felons brewery, which takes centre stage within a 1000m² venue offering an array of drinking and dining experiences all on its own.

When it comes to the beer, the Felons team has an attractive philosophy infusing what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.

Head brewer Tom Champion, one a few team members with Little Creatures pedigree on his CV, says his goal is to make “beautiful, balanced beers and cider of no fuss.” Good for people who might not have visited an independent brewery before. Good for people who appreciate high quality beer. Good for anyone in the Queensland climate.

As for the wider Felons experience, perhaps the most obvious is out on the deck: looking out over the Brown Snake with a Crisp Lager and a burger... can you get more Brisbane than that?

Or you might choose to sit inside, beneath the wooden trusses of the original wharf structure. Sip on an IPA that was poured from one of the four serving tanks behind the bar (named Pamphlett, Parsons, Finnegan, and Thompson after the four felons themselves) and order yourself a pizza. When the kitchen has two wood-fired pizza ovens, kept at different temperatures for different bases, you know they’re dishing up the good stuff.

To get the full brewery experience, you can wander right up to the brewing tanks, cold Natural Ale in hand, and chat with the brewers about the 25hL four-vessel system and the brewing process. There’s also the option to go on one of the daily brewery tours, wander the labyrinth of stainless steel tanks, and watch the tinnies whizz past on the canning line.

The courtyard out the back is the ideal spot for a sparkling Sonny Cider paired with a felafel bowl. When you’re sitting out there on a wooden bench, among the flagstones, bougainvillea and olive trees, you’d swear you were in the Mediterranean.

Head next door to the cavernous Felons Barrel Hall, opened in October 2020, to get a look into Felons’ barrel-ageing and blending program. Gaze upon ex-wine barrels stacked high, all full of beers being conditioned for future enjoyment. Of course, this Bavarian-style beer hall isn’t just for those wanting to explore the fancier end of the beer spectrum. It’s also a place you can feast on Asian-inspired dishes, play ping pong, and listen to live music by emerging artists every weekend, all while swinging a half-litre or litre stein of fresh beer.

And you can always return to Australia by popping back to the open parkland. Sit on the grass, savour an Australian Pale Ale in the sun, and rip into a bucket of prawns or some fish and chips wrapped in paper.

(If you live in the local area, you can even order a case of beer and one of the Felons crew will drop it to your front door. Talk about silver service!)

It’s always refreshing to see people making beer without taking themselves too seriously, and that’s Felons in a nutshell - they’re always keen to get out and show people that beer is fun. One way to do that has been to convert a firetruck into a beer truck and nickname it 'Boss'. Because why not?

Felons never wasted any time becoming an iconic Brisbane experience. From celebrating Brisbane history to celebrating Brisbane art (just wait til you see the wooden trawler that’s become a canvas for emerging street artist Leans). From being a destination for visitors to our city to a local watering hole for all kinds of Brisbanites. From serving beer all around the venues (just try to count all the taps), to serving beer from a firetruck.

Whether you’re drinking a lager or an IPA; whether you’re eating a Grilled Angus Short Rib at a table inside or fish and chips on the grass; whether you’re looking at a river, a firetruck, an olive tree, an old boat, a stack of barrels, or a line of stainless steel brewing tanks…

Welcome to Felons. It’s kind of a big deal.

Mick Wust

Name
Felons Brewing Co
Address

5 Boundary Street
Brisbane
QLD 4000

Phone
(07) 3188 9090
Open Hours

Seven days: 11am til late

Tours

2pm daily


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

Felons Brewing Co Regulars

Felons Brewing Galaxy Haze

Published May 26, 2023
It was a happy day for the Felons team when they walked through HPA's hop fields in rural Victoria, checking out bines, crushing hop cones and cracking tinnies. They were in the process of kicking off their partnership with HPA to keep the Galaxy flowing hard and fast: a partnership that’s captured in Galaxy Haze. Brewery director Tom Champion is mighty proud of this beer, calling it a “strong contender for most refreshing hazy”. It’s up to you to try it for yourself and see if he’s on… Read more
Style
Hazy Pale
ABV
4.4%

Felons Brewing Mid Crush

Published May 26, 2023
Mid Crush is an aptly named beer. It’s mid-strength. It’s super crushable. Enough said. Well, I suppose there’s a bit more that can be said. Mid Crush is super pale and super bright, looking as much like a sparkling cider or white wine as like a beer. A little fresh grass and citrus hop aroma goes along with a light malt profile. It’s low in carbs, but that does not mean low in carbonation; there’s plenty of that. In the mouth it’s dry and invigorating, almost seltzer-like in the way… Read more
Style
Mid-Strength
ABV
3.5%

Felons Brewing Co Australian Pale Ale

Head brewer Tom Champion has said that he’s “fiercely proud of the Australian beer industry, including the ingredients and suppliers that fuel our industry and move it forward”. It’s only natural, then, that at least one of Felons’ beers would be made from all Australian ingredients. Pale, Vienna, Cara and Wheat from Barrett Burston Malting make up the grain bill, while Vic Secret and Galaxy bring a whole lot of fruity flavours to the table. The Australian Pale Ale’s naturally cloudy… Read more
Style
Australian Pale Ale
ABV
5.0%
Bitterness
26 IBU

Felons Brewing Co Crisp Lager

The Felons team have said from the beginning: “We want to get under the skin of Brisbane.” A crucial part of that was always going to be providing a solid lager – an alternative to the Four Letter Word coming out of Milton. Their Crisp Lager’s styled on a Munich Helles, built on 100 percent Pilsner malt and featuring plenty of noble hops – but it isn’t bound to tradition; Felons have also added newer German hop varieties Mandarina Bavaria and Hüll Melon to the mix to bring their lager… Read more
Style
Munich Helles
ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
15 IBU

Felons Brewing Co Sonny Cider

Intent on producing cider that matched the quality of their beer, the Felons team did their homework: they did cider tastings, made pilot batches, trialled different juices, and eventually landed on one from Stanthorpe and a recipe they were proud of. Rather than going down the sugary-juicy end of the cider spectrum, they decided to make a sparkling cider that looked and felt like drinking champagne. Its bright, light lemon colouring is mesmerising, with champagne yeast and high carbonation bringing… Read more
Style
Apple Cider
ABV
4.6%

Felons Brewing Co IPA

Variety in beers is fantastic. New experimental styles are fantastic. Huge, bold, blow-your-head-off flavours are fantastic. But none of these things does away with the need for flavoursome, straight-down-the-line, super drinkable IPAs. Felons want to make “Beautiful, balanced beers of no fuss,” and their IPA hits the mark. There are no citrus fruits, special enzymes, hazing agents or milk sugars added to this beer. Hops from all over the globe show aromas of pineapple, grapefruit and stonefruit,… Read more
Style
IPA
ABV
6.2%
Bitterness
48 IBU

Felons Brewing Barrel Aged Crisp Lager

You know that movie Sliding Doors, in which one fateful moment in time changes everything and sends a version of Gwyneth Paltrow’s life in a different direction? Well, this beer is the Sliding Doors version of Felons’ Crisp Lager. And the moment of time that changes everything is when it’s taken out of stainless steel and put into Australian whisky barrels in the Felons Barrel Hall. The lager is close to being finished when it’s taken, but not quite: it’s removed from the fermenting tanks… Read more
Style
Barrel-Aged Lager
ABV
5.6%

Felons Brewing Co Specials

Felons Brewing x Rosie Woods Supreme Lager

Published May 8, 2023
Felons have been partnering with local visual artists since before they opened, and they haven’t taken a break since. From looming murals to colourful barrels, they’ve thrown open the doors for all kinds of creativity and beauty to infuse their space (and if you asked them, they’d probably say it infuses the beer, too). As Brisbane Street Art Festival rolls around again, the Felons team has brewed another collab beer: this time, a German pilsner with artist Rosie Woods, whose murals give the… Read more
Style
German Pilsner
ABV
5.3%

Felons Brewing Dragonfruit IPA

Published March 31, 2023
When you've finally unleashed the first of your years-in-the-making barrel-aged beers to much praise, where do you go next? In the case of Felons, creating an IPA variant I'm pretty sure I've never seen before. Sure, fruited IPAs aren't new, but one laced with red dragonfruit? Certainly, it's a first at Crafty Towers. It's also one that presents a welcome opportunity for a beer writer; in recent years with IPAs it's been a case of coming up with ever new ways of describing subtly different shades… Read more
Style
Dragonfruit IPA
ABV
6.0%

Felons Land At Last & Red Sky At Night & Wild Cherry & The Depths

Published March 16, 2023
More than 20,000 litres of beer ageing in barrels in the middle of a bustling capital city, wedged between the sparkling Brisbane River and pumping live music. Is there anything else like that in Australia? Is there anything else like that in the world? I don’t think there is. The team at Felons have been nurturing beer in their unique Barrel Hall for almost two and a half years now, and finally they’ve reached the point where they have a range of barrel-aged beers to release. Most beer is made… Read more
Style
Barrel-Aged Styles As Indicated
ABV
8.0% & 8.0% & 6.6% & 10.8%

Felons Brewing Champagne Sour Ale

Published November 24, 2022
Feeling festive yet? Because it looks like the crew at Felons are, as they've started popping the champagne early. Well, kinda... This is their take on beer-as-champagne, a feat they've looked to achieve by taking a sour ale (Berliner weisse was once referred to as the Champagne of the North, after all), fermenting it with a champagne yeast, while using hops with wine-like qualities. And the glitzily-canned Champagne Sour Ale most definitely looks the part courtesy of its clear, white gold colour.… Read more
Style
Champagne-Inspired Sour
ABV
4.8%

Felons Brewing NZ Hazy IPA

Published September 15, 2022
The team at NZ Hops sure is getting around these days. Ever since they put together mixed packs showcasing their flagship hops in partnership with a dozen Aussie brewers last summer, there seems to have been a never-ending stream of new releases hawking their partnerships with brewers, from the Bract Brewing Programme featuring new experimental varieties to beers like this: a hazy IPA brewed with Nectaron, Nelson Sauvin and Wai-iti. While most hazies these days are well-suited to the term, Felons'… Read more
Style
Hazy NZ IPA
ABV
6.66%
Stockists

Find the beer here

Felons Brewing Co 2022 Imperial Stout

Published June 20, 2022
Felons have given their 2022 Imperial Stout release a real "into the void" feel ahead of its Winter Solstice launch at 7.13pm on June 21. The labels have been given both a textural, powdery Martian landscape and a gleaming, rainbow-mirror treatment (not to mention an astronaut making their way from one to the other), and there's a promo video featuring presumably the same astronaut scampering across a stormy planet to reach, you've guessed it, a giant can of imperial stout reminiscent of… Read more
Style
Imperial Stout
ABV
8.0%
Stockists

Launching at the brewery at 7.13pm on June 21

Then available here

Felons & Sofles Hazy Pale

Published May 9, 2022
It's been one heck of a year to date for the crew at Felons, whether taking into account the impromptu rescue operation as Brisbane River flooded or the work that's been going on to bring the Barrel Hall side of the brewery to life. With this Hazy Pale, however, it's more a case of business as usual: creating a collaboration brew with a local artist to celebrate one of the growing number of festivals they support. The beer was brewed for the launch of the Brisbane Street Art Festival in partnership… Read more
Style
Hazy Pale
ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
45 IBU
Stockists

Find Hazy Pale here

Felons Brewing Blueberry IPA

Published March 28, 2022
Felon’s Blueberry IPA cans were released in March 2022 but to understand the beer's origin, you really need to go back to early 2019. It was back then when the Felons brewers were enjoying a trip to a blueberry farm in Crows Nest, a couple of hours west in Brisbane, sharing some beers and indulging in blueberries with the farmers behind the fruit. As they walked the aisles of that farm and tasted blueberries fresh off the bush, the Felons team were suddenly captured by the combination of sweetness,… Read more
Style
Blueberry IPA
ABV
6.8%

Felons & Yoko Best Lager

Published October 20, 2021
The Felons team have poured their fair share of lager over the bars lining the Brisbane River and sent plenty more far and wide in cans, not least as the Crisp Lager has been part of their offering from day dot. But this collaboration with their neighbours at Yoko, Best Lager, is of a different character entirely. Indeed, it's of a different character to most lagers we've tasted from Aussie brewers in a long while. When not playing in the Aussie lager space – a kind of bastardised version of European… Read more
Style
Lager
ABV
5.0%

Felons Brewing 2021 Imperial Stout

Published June 6, 2021
Winter hits and within days the number of imperial stouts landing at Crafty Towers rises exponentially. Among the first arrivals are two that come with an enticement to let yourself fall for their luscious charms: BentSpoke's annual birthday beer, Descent (which you'll find elsewhere on this site), and Felons' 2021 Imperial Stout, heralded by the Brisbane brewers with an instruction to "Descend into the pleasure zone." Should you take the hint, you're gonna want to take a decent torch with… Read more
Style
Imperial Stout
ABV
10.0%
Bitterness
60 IBU

Felons Brewing Co & Leans West Coast IPA

Published May 4, 2021
It's not that uncommon for brewers to get involved with the arts, or indeed to brew beers for festivals. It is arguably a sign of the times, however, that the beers chosen for such occasions are leaning into craftier waters. That's certainly the case with Felons' beer for the 2021 Brisbane Street Art Festival, for which they invited local artist Leans to design the label art. Inside there's no sub-5 percent ABV, gently hopped session ale; instead you've got a West Coast IPA. For those of a technical… Read more
Style
West Coast IPA
ABV
6.6%
Bitterness
50 IBU
Stockists

Available from Felons and online here

Felons Brewing Co Blueberry IPA & Lemon and Lime Gose

Published February 7, 2021
Felons brewed the Blueberry IPA beer for their Extravaganza open day event, and it seems the frivolity and festivity of the live music, street art, roving circus performers, face painting and balloon twisting managed to seep their way into the liquid. (They certainly overpower the ominous mood of the 6.66 percent ABV.) Three hundred kilos of organic blueberry purée, which came from a farm just two hours from Brisbane, were pushed into the whirlpool on brew day. That equates to around half a punnet… Read more
Style
Blueberry IPA & Fruited Gose
ABV
6.66% & 4.0%

Felons Brewing Co Low Carb – RETIRED

Published February 4, 2021
With the name Low Carb, an ABV that we call mid-strength but think of as low, and a soft dryness like a fresh towel, this beer is clearly designed to be a light option for beer drinkers. Anything labelled "Low Carb" may not be ideal for carb-loading before you go for a run, but this beer may well be just what you're looking when you arrive back home sweating and looking to cool down. (Drink water first though – that's just common sense.) When it comes to flavour, the Cascade Cryo hops… Read more
Style
Low Carb Mid-Strength
ABV
3.5%
Bitterness
14 IBU

Felons & Brewsvegas 2020 Hazy Pale

Published February 20, 2020
Brewsvegas launched in 2014 as Brisbane’s annual ten day celebration of all things good beer. It's a not-for-profit that relies on sponsorship and a ton of volunteer help and goodwill, with everyone involved a lover of beer, Brisbane, and the city’s beer community. Their annual collaboration brew partners are no exception, and in 2020 the official Brewsvegas beer has been created with Felons Brewing Co. Felons have only been brewing beer under the Story Bridge in Brisbane for a little over a… Read more
Style
Hazy Pale
ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
22 IBU
Stockists

Launching at Beers On The Lawn on Feb 22

Then available city-wide up to and throughout Brewsvegas

Felons Brewing Co Champagne Sour & Crusade IPA

Published January 11, 2020
The last couple of years have seen a surge of wine flavours make their way into beer, whether it be from wine barrels, beer-wine hybrid styles, wine yeasts, or vinous hops. Felons Brewing’s Champagne Sour uses the latter two, and captures the taste of a sparkling wine without ever touching any grapes or wine. While this is called Champagne Sour, the “sour” is more about the method and style than flavour description - this beer has been kettle soured, but is only meant to be sharp enough to… Read more
Style
Champagne Sour & Belgian IPA
ABV
4.8% & 6.3%

Felons Brewing Co Belgian Dubbel

Published August 27, 2019
With Brisbane’s brief spring fast approaching, the Felons are getting their last licks of winter in with a classic Belgian-inspired dark beer. The Dubbel pays homage to the patron saint of beer, Saint Arnold, who saved lives during the medieval era by insisting people drink beer as opposed to disease-ridden water. Fortunately, that kind of motivation isn’t required to sample this particular drop. A love letter to the Trappists, the Dubbel is a deep russet in colour with a caramel head. Felon’s… Read more
Style
Belgian Dubbel
ABV
8.0%
Bitterness
25 IBU
Stockists

Pouring at the Felons brewpub

Felons Brewing Co DDH APA

Published July 12, 2019
Tinkering away beneath Brisbane’s Story Bridge, Felons have served up another limited release for local beer fans, particularly fans of hops. The Double Dry Hopped American Pale Ale (DDH APA) makes use of potent Cryo hops (a concentrated form of hops), featuring varieties Mosaic, Idaho 7, Ekuanot, Amarillo and Loral hops from American hopsmiths Yakima Chief added at two stages in the fermentation process. Maintaining the American theme, yeast from White Labs was used to create a hop bomb travelling… Read more
Style
American Pale Ale
ABV
6.0%
Bitterness
60 IBU
Stockists

Only available at Felons

Felons Brewing Co Hazy IPA

Published March 28, 2019
Brisbane’s Felons might have a core range led by beers designed to be recognisable and approachable for the many who walk through its doors. But, while it's early days, if the brewery’s limited releases are anything to go by, we can look forward to offerings of a more unusual, beer nerd-friendly nature in the future. First up was a blueberry gose and, for Brewsvegas, the brewers on the Howard Smith Wharves created a hazy IPA. It's only a slight haze, at least compared to many of its turbid brethren,… Read more
Style
Hazy IPA
ABV
6.8%

Felons Brewing Co Blueberry Gose

Published March 5, 2019
Plonked firmly in the shadow of the Story Bridge, Felons Brewing Co. was always going to attract a pretty diverse crowd. Only a short stroll from the CBD and occupying the shore on arguably one of the more scenic points of the beautiful brown Brisbane River, the brewery happily caters to a mix of tourists, tie-wearers, and those who would just like to drink a nice beer somewhere nice — the same mix of punters at which Felons have aimed their first seasonal release, the Blueberry Gose. Brewed with… Read more
Style
Blueberry Gose

Felons Brewing Co Middy – RETIRED

This mid-strength probably isn’t what you were expecting. Is it an ale? Is it a lager? No, it’s a California Common, a hybrid style that uses a lager yeast, but fermented at a warmer ale temperature. Although this is the lowest alcohol beer of the Felons core range, it’s also the darkest in colour. The Middy shines with lovely copper tones, thanks to the addition of some Carared malt in the grain bill, which also adds notes of caramel. While this style calls for gentle aromas and flavours,… Read more
Style
Mid-Strength
ABV
3.8%
Bitterness
24 IBU

Felons Brewing Co Natural Ale – RETIRED

When you visit Felons, it’s easy to have all of your attention fall on the panoramic view of the river. But walk through to the other side and you’re in a beer garden that feels like less like Brisbane city than it does Italian countryside - bursting pink bougainvillea, silvery olive trees and faded grey flagstones take you to the courtyard of a trattoria somewhere in Tuscany, where well-dressed waiters bring sparkling mineral water and lively aperitifs to your table. In this courtyard, even… Read more
Style
Session Ale
ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
16 IBU

Felons Brewing Co Local Ale – SUPERCEDED

Brisbane is starting to develop a reputation as the City of Lights, and it’s a nickname that doesn’t require much explanation – come anywhere near the river at night and you’ll see bridges, walkways, trees and buildings lit with different colours and patterns. It’s certainly a more romantic association for the Brisbane River than the beloved moniker of the Brown Snake. Felons Brewing’s Local Ale is a beer of lights: a light pastel yellow colour, a light but heady scent of citrus blossoms… Read more
Style
Mid-Strength
ABV
3.5%
Bitterness
14 IBU