The story
The idea for Range Brewing came during Matt and Gerard’s European odyssey, which saw the boys immersing themselves in the vibrant craft beer scene of London and visiting some of continental Europe’s many alehouses. While fostering an appreciation for craft beer pint by pint, the duo found themselves constantly tossing around ideas for their own imaginary brewery – discussing the European influences they’d bring home and the little touches they’d implement to make the operation uniquely theirs. Soon enough, the idea went from joke to serious endeavour and upon the lad’s return to Brisbane they started researching and surveying the scene, eventually pinning down a style and approach that they thought would resonate. After securing a cavernous warehouse location in the heart of Newstead, Matt and Gerard hit the accelerator – getting to work on what is now Range Brewing’s base of operations, which opened last week on Friday May 11.
The space
The first concern when building the brewery was, of course, the apparatus. Gerard, using his extensive mechanical engineering expertise, mapped out the space down to the millimetre, ensuring that the venue could house a sizeable cold room, brewing gear, an equipped bar and plenty of seating space. The Range Brewing team secured a ten-barrel brewing rig from Premier Stainless Systems to spearhead their operations, bolstered by shiny new hot and cold-water tanks, several fermentation tanks, bright tanks and space left over to add more gear when the need arises. Gerard also custom built the bar’s furnishings and fixtures, honing in on a Scandinavian-influenced feel that has resulted in a modern, clean, minimalist and functional space. Little touches such as wooden tap handles, greenery planters and chic glassware add unique touches of personality and bring extra depth to the aesthetic.
The food and drink
Once the space was finalised, it was time to brew. Mitch Pickford has come on board as head brewer, working with Matt and Gerard to formulate an initial range of beers across various styles. The team has decided to refrain from crafting a fixed core range of beverages, instead following the mantra ‘forever exploring, forever evolving’ – experimenting with different and interesting ingredients from batch to batch. While you’re unlikely to taste the same beers each visit, but Range Brewing will be tapping kegs of familiar styles while encouraging punters to experiment. Ten taps are on hand, with seven beverages currently pouring including a blueberry sour ale, a chocolate vanilla oatmeal stout, a session ale and a Czech pilsner. As for nibbles, Range Brewing pairs its beverages with a selection of sourdough pizzas, with three red and three white-base pizzas joined by share platters and crusty garlic bread.
Head on over to the Stumble Guide for opening hours and contact details.
