Craft beer lovers will be heading on down to Love Shack Brewing on New Year's Eve as the Castlemaine-based business opens for business.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Owners Conna Mallett and Harrison Cox have bought their hefty brewing experience to Castlemaine and set up shop in a shed out the back of the Theatre Royal.
"That's the great thing about Castlemaine, the locals have been so supportive and keen to help out," Mr Mallett said.
"I told Tim what I was doing and he said they had an old shed out the back of the Theatre, why (not) do it there? Just like that Love Shack Brewing Company was born.
"We looked at this dirty old shed with chairs and old projectors in there with plenty of dust and thought 'we could put a brewery in there'. It's a unique, effective and efficient use of space.
We might set the record for smallest brewery and tap room."
More news
The pair met while working at Stomping Ground Brewery. Mr Mallett went on to be lead brewer at Stomping Grounds new Melbourne Airport brew pub while Mr Cox has worked with Mornington Peninsula Brewery and Hop Nation Brewing Company.
When the COVID-19 pandemic dried up working opportunities, the pair decided to start their own brewery.
"When my family and I moved here, we saw so much potential in the town for a business like this," Mr Mallett said.
"It is a great place for it. The tourism is unbelievable and with the pandemic, there was plenty of time to do our thing and plan for this."
Love Shack Brewing is the second brewery to open in Castlemaine in recent years with Shedshaker Brewing already firmly established.
But Mr Mallett said he saw multiple breweries in the town as an opportunity.
"People always think Shedshaker must be pissed off but in a small industry like craft brewing, you're united against the big boys," he said. "We want to challenge them and have a great time while doing. If you're a craft beer brewer , you're friends (with other brewers).
"People can come to check out one brewery but they will stay to check out two breweries."
Love Shack is brewing four beers for their launch with their mainstay product to be a lager, pale ale and IPA. They have also produced a seasonal passionfruit and pineapple sour brew.
The brewers hope their launch will be the beginning of a good New Year's Eve tradition in Castlemaine.
"Every year Love Shack will have its birthday and want to celebrate, hopefully town follows suit," he said.
"The best thing about the venue is that we will get heaps of different people though the doors, sampling our beers and giving us direct feedback.
"We both plan to work the bar so that we can have a chat with punters and educate them about the brewing process and our beers."
The Love Shack Brewing Company launches at 1.30pm on December 31. It is located at the rear of the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine. Following it's launch, the brewery will be open every Friday from 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from noon.