Ten years ago, Matt Hepburn and McGarry – two guys from the Sunshine Coast with no cash and no brewing know how – started making beers.
Today, Your Mates Brewing is a beloved Queensland brewery, built on mateship, grit and the pair’s love of “bloody good beer”.
“We quit our jobs, cracked a couple of cold ones and said, mate how hard could it be,” said Hepburn. “Turns out it was bloody hard, but worth every minute.”
McGarry told Beer & Brewer it feels surreal to think about how the brewery has evolved over the past decade.
“What started out as two mates brewing in a garage has turned into a brewery, a couple of venues, and a community of people who’ve jumped on board with our dream. To still be here a decade later — with the support of our staff, our mates in the trade, and everyone who’s ever raised a Larry — means the world to us,” he said.
The pair’s breakthrough beer Larry Pale Ale launched in October 2015 and has since become a Your Mates icon, finishing in the Top 10 of the GABS Hottest 100 every year since 2018 and peaking at number three in 2021.
In 2017, Hepburn and McGarry made national headlines as the first Australian brewers to appear on Shark Tank and proceeded to turn down an offer from the sharks.
By 2019, the team had grown from just two mates to more than 20.
In 2022, Hepburn hit the road with his pregnant wife and toddler, shouting over 3,000 schooners from Brisbane to Cape York shouting beers and making mates in pubs, surf clubs, and country towns.
The team said that Hepburn’s trip was about sharing Larry with people in person and celebrating the good times that beer brings, community, connection, and a good laugh over a beer.
Now in 2025 Your Mates runs a 2,000m² production facility and brewpub in Warana, Queensland and has revived an 80-year-old bowls club in Cooroy into the thriving venue Crackerjack.
It also recently launched Larry Jr (3.5 per cent) to quench consumers’ thirst for sessionable, lower ABV beers.
Reflecting on what’s in store for the next 10 years of Your Mates Brewing McGarry said, it’s about staying true to the core values that make the brewery special.
“If the first 10 years were about building a solid foundation, the next 10 are about growing sustainably and keeping our independence. We want to keep brewing beers that Aussies love, back our local community, and create more venues where mates can come together. Most importantly, we want to keep having fun and stay true to the values that got us here — good beer, good mates, and good times.”
McGarry also thanked the Australian beer community for its ongoing support of the business built by mates.
“Whether you’ve poured a pint, stocked our beer, or simply cracked a can on the beach, you’re the reason we’ve made it this far. The past 10 years have been a ride, and we wouldn’t be here without the loyalty and energy of our mates. Here’s to the next chapter, and plenty more beers shared along the way.”
Celebrating in Your Mates style
To mark 10 years, Queensland’s Your Mates Brewing is hosting two birthday celebrations this October: a Larryoke Party at its OG brewery, and a family day at its Crackerjack with bowls, slides and food specials.
“We launched the brewery 10 years ago on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend with a three-day party over six venues on the Sunny Coast so what else could we do 10 years later? We’re throwing one big birthday party the only way Your Mates know how — with beers, music, good food, and a heap of fun across our two venues,” said McGarry.
McGarry said both venues will also be celebrating with a special birthday release of a Double IPA-style Larry brewed especially for the weekend.
“So along with our new release Larry Jr, you’ll be able to get Larry, Larry Junior and Larry Senior all side by side.”
Your Mates have also teamed up with Cape York Camping to launch their biggest competition yet, a $15,000 trip to the Tip of Australia for one winner and two mates. “If you can’t make it to see us in person we have a huge competition running on our social media platforms to win an epic trip to Cape York to get you up to the tip of Australia to see how good Larry tastes up there,” McGarry added.
