Noosa Hinterland "Five for Five"
Five years of brewing doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes mentors, collaborators, and fellow brewers who share their knowledge, push you to be better, and remind you why we all fell in love with craft beer in the first place.
To celebrate our 5th birthday, we’ve brewed five beers with five brewers who’ve shaped our journey – from home brew club meetings to professional collaborations, from generous advice over the mash tun to honest feedback that made us better brewers.
There are so many others in this community who’ve helped us along the way, and we wish we could honour every single one. But these five represent the spirit of generosity and passion that defines craft brewing on the Sunshine Coast and beyond.
Each beer captures something essential about the brewer it’s named for. Some are old school, some push boundaries, but all of them reflect the skill and camaraderie that makes this industry special. These aren’t just collaboration beers – they’re thank you letters, brewing lessons, and celebrations all rolled into one.
Here’s to five years, five friends, and the beers that brought us all together.
The Jamie - English Pale Ale
Jamie at MORTS Brewing Co and ourselves are the two smallest breweries on the Sunshine Coast, and he’s an amazing brewer – we’ve genuinely never had a MORT beer we didn’t like. We share an affinity for ales and cask beers, both regularly putting beer on hand pump when most others have moved on from these traditional styles. We’ve collaborated before on a Pickle Juice Gose, but this English Pale Ale feels like it gets to the heart of what connects us as brewers.
I started home brewing to make UK style beers that I couldn’t get in Australia, and Jamie’s kept that passion for proper English ales alive on the Coast. This beer comes across in the style of a strong bitter, with late additions of East Kent Goldings and Styrian Goldings bringing earthy, floral hop character to a solid malt backbone. It’s a celebration of the traditional brewing that brought us both to this craft, and proof that sometimes the old ways are worth holding onto.
The Jesse - NZ Pilsner
We first met Jesse through the Noosa Home Brew Club after we’d both recently moved to Cooran. From the very first taste, it was clear he was making exceptional beers. When the opportunity came to start the brewery here in Cooran, Jesse was all in on turning his skills professional. He’s always treated our business like his own, and now brews and part owns Coolum Brewing Co alongside us.
This NZ Pilsner is Jesse through and through. His home brewed Pilsner was the beer that first made us go “Wow” – clean, perfectly fermented, and showcasing his passionate love affair with New Zealand hops. Those qualities have become his hallmark as a brewer, and we’ve captured them all in this crisp, hop-forward lager that celebrates both Jesse’s influence and five years of brewing together.
The Brandt - Imperial Pineapple-Chilli Cerveza
We first met Brandt when we bought the old brew kit from Terella Brewing to use at Hinterland. From day one, he was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge, helping us get set up and sharing the kind of wisdom you can’t find in textbooks.
Brandt’s enthusiasm and fearless experimentation have always inspired us, and this beer is pure mad-professor Brandt. A Cerveza? Why not make it Imperial? Why not throw in some pineapple and chilli while we’re at it? It’s the kind of creative, boundary-pushing thinking that defines Brandt as a brewer – taking a classic style and cranking it up to eleven with unexpected flavours that somehow just work. This bold, tropical, spicy beast of a lager is our tribute to a brewer who taught us that the best beers come from asking “why not?” instead of “why?”
The Charlie - Old School American Pale Ale
We first met Charlie when I was in the Ipswich Brewer’s Union home brew club and he was brewing at Helios. Like the best mentors, Charlie has been incredibly generous with his time and knowledge across an amazing career spanning both wine and beer. What sets him apart is his honesty – he’ll tell you straight when something needs work, while others might just say “yeah, it’s nice.” That genuine feedback has been invaluable over the years, and we’ve since gone on to collaborate together at Woolgoolga Brewing Co.
Charlie has a real skill for bringing malt and hops into perfect balance, and this classic American Pale Ale captures him perfectly. A bit old school, looks no frills on the surface, but runs deep with complexity. Think the classic pine, citrus, and dank character of the American Pales that started it all – this is that beer. No frills, no gimmicks, just beautifully crafted brewing that proves sometimes the originals are still the best.
The Pedro - Saison
Pedro is a 6 foot 4 Brazilian who is Brazilian in every aspect of his nature – except for his German training in beer making. Loud, passionate, and deeply knowledgeable, don’t let the relaxed demeanour fool you – there’s serious expertise behind that easy-going smile. Pedro has always been extremely generous with his time and experience, and we’ve tagged along on more than one brew day at his place just to soak it all up.
This Saison is pure Pedro. Big for Australians at over 6%, it goes all in on the wheat and yeast character – spicy, fruity, and complex. It’s the perfect beer for a relaxed but intense session in summer, just like spending time with the man himself. Whether you’re settling in for a long afternoon of conversation or celebrating something special, this is a beer that brings people together with personality and depth, exactly the way Pedro has brought so much to our brewing journey.
