Perched on the marina with breathtaking views of the harbour with which it shares a name, this addition to the Brisbane brewing scene must be seen to be believed. From Scarborough Harbour's open air, nautical-themed bistro upstairs to the engine room downstairs that resembles a rustic sailor’s man cave, this place doesn’t resemble your average brewery.
Opened on Easter Weekend 2022, locals have been flocking to the marina to sample the latest release beers, dine in the sea-inspired restaurant, and drink in the incredible view.
The idea was spawned during a trip to Canada by owners Sonia and Guy Schweitzer, on which they were impressed by the sheer volume of craft venues.
“We wanted to bring that experience home to the Peninsula,” Sonya told The Crafty Pint.
Although only a few months old, the brewing company's tap range is growing quickly thanks to the efforts of head brewer Sam Nunnikhoven, who was previously found at Green Beacon. The beers can be enjoyed pretty much any way you'd like them, from tasting paddles in the bar to growlers you can take home. And you won't find many better places to sink a cold one.
That said, if beer isn’t your thing, Scarborough Harbour offer a comprehensive wine and spirits list that pairs well with their menu as you enjoy some fish tacos or a winter-warming cob loaf while watching the boats come in.
To find out more about the brewery on the Redcliffe Peninsula and the team behind it, we invited them to become part of our long-running Who Brews...? series.
SCARBOROUGH HARBOUR BREWING CO
Who are you?
Husband and wife team, Guy and Sonia, who co-own Scarborough Harbour Brewing Co. We live locally with our three kids in Scarborough.
Our head brewer is Sam Nunnikhoven. We also now have a large team of approximately 40 staff.
Where do you brew?
Currently we are brewing offsite at a number of Brisbane breweries. Our brewers are working to get our onsite brew kit ready to hopefully start onsite brewing very soon.
Why do you brew?
This was Guy’s dream business venture. He wanted to open a brewery on the Redcliffe Peninsula. Even though this process for opening a brewery began three years ago, we have one of the very first breweries on the Peninsula.
Was there a beer or a moment that set you on the path to becoming a brewer?
Guy and Sam have different inspirations, but both have led them to the same path. From the first sip of Little Creatures Pale Ale many years ago, Guy realised there was another world of beer out there and has since been on a mission to try them all.
Sam, on the other hand, grew up surrounded by great craft beers and many different interesting breweries. His dad made sure there were always awesome local beers in the fridge. When he moved to Australia, he was lucky enough to get into the craft beer industry and work in his ultimate, dream job, brewing great craft beers.
What’s the inspiration behind the brewery name?
It’s a combination of a number of things. Our location is right on the Scarborough Harbour. There is a true sense of community on the Redcliffe Peninsula with a long, amazing history and we are honouring the area, the people, the destination. We intend it to be a second home to our locals.
What beer in your lineup best represents you and why?
I’m not sure just one of our beers represents us. We have named all our beers to honour our area, Scarborough Harbour.
Our new Hercules Hazy IPA honours the well-known trawler who frequented the Scarborough Marina. The crew of this trawler also rescued a light plane and the female pilot who crashed in the bay in 1971. You can see this trawler on a large mural upstairs. It was painted by the trawler’s grandson (see below).
Our Reef Point Lager is an ode to the name of the area.
Thirteen Hills XPA was named after the Glasshouse Mountains, which we can view across the water from our venue’s deck. The sunsets over the mountains are spectacular.
The Bay West Coast IPA encompasses all of Moreton Bay.
The Mariner Mid Strength honours our connection with the maritime.
If anyone drops in on brew day, what are they most likely to hear blasting from the speakers?
We are supporting our local musicians. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday we feature live music at our venue. You can’t get much better than enjoying awesome beer and some delicious food while live music plays. It’s a great vibe.
We also have a brand-new AV system on both levels, and we make sure easy-listening music is playing. We have also installed a large projector upstairs and two TVs downstairs with Foxtel so you will never miss a sporting game.
What beers are in your fridge right now?
Colonial Pale Ale and IPA and SHBC Lager.
What local beer has blown your mind in recent weeks?
Guy is currently living and working in WA and has limited access to craft beer but has recently enjoyed IPA by The Mill.
Where can people find your beers?
We opened our doors at the brewery to the public on April 16. Due to the popularity of our beer and venue we currently only have our beer available on tap at the venue. Once we begin brewing onsite and working out our brewing capacity, we will look at canning for takeaways. At the moment we have growlers and squealers for takeaway beers.
Where do you hope your brewery will be ten years from now?
We’ll be staying true to our core values to remain an integral part of our Peninsula community and keep it local. Our home is on the harbour and it’s our intention to maintain that special space for everyone to enjoy a pint on the balcony for years to come. We hope our brewery is the first port of call when on the Peninsula.
Scarborough Harbour Brewing Co is located at 21 Bird O’ Passage Parade, Scarborough, and is open Wednesday to Sunday. You'll find it and well over a thousand other breweries and good beer venues across Australia in the free Crafty Pint app.
Matt Aitken is a part-time writer, full-time drinker. Usually found in the small craft beer establishments of Northern Brisbane and on Instagram.
