Founded by Adam Forbes and Scott Hooper in early 2020, the Noosa Home Brew Club has provided Sunshine Coast craft brewers and hobbyists with a community in which to share their love for and knowledge about homebrewed beer.
The club began shortly after Hooper opened the Brew Store Noosa, which quickly gained popularity among local brewers.
“The store was an immediate success with home brewers and industry professionals alike and became a hub for all things craft beer. The club was born out of this community of like-minded brewers and our goal quickly became simple: make better beer,” Forbes said.
With the high quality of craft beer coming out of the Sunshine Coast, locals have had a greater exposure to the diversity of beer.
“This is having a flow on effect for homebrewing as there is a very deep fascination with making something as delicious as beer from scratch in your own home. We have members from all walks of life and all of those members have taken different pathways on their brewing journey,” Forbes said.
The Noosa Home Brew Club has up to 10 meetings and holds four competitions over the course of a year. At the end of the year, the champion is crowned at the annual Christmas party, held at Noosa Hinterland Brewing Co.
“Our competitions are designed to get brewers thinking about different techniques and styles that they might not normally brew at home. The judging is done by members and guided by some of our Beer Judge Certification Program accredited members. Winners of the comp nights have had the opportunity to spend the day with commercial brewers and even to brew their winning beers on the big systems and get them put on tap at a local brewery,” Forbes said.
The club recently announced the winners of its May competition, where brewers battled it out to make the best Mexican cerveza. Callan Henry took home to crown, with prizes supplied by Act of Treason, Coolum Beer Co., Land & Sea Brewery, Boiling Pot Brewing Co. and Bandita Restaurant. The annual champion leaderboard was updated, and Jeff Thorpe is the current frontrunner, with two more competitions left in the year.
In addition, the club runs information sessions with industry professionals at local breweries.
“The brewer or owners will do a Q&A on topics such as yeast, off flavour identification or recipe development. Getting a tour of the stainless and tips on how to make the best lager possible from the team at Heads of Noosa is an unforgettable experience,” Forbes said.
Another recent event was the club’s participation in Brewfest Noosa, where homebrewed beers were showcased alongside products from more than 30 breweries.
“It was an amazing experience and the club really got to show the public how good homebrew beer can be,” Forbes said.
Forbes is proud of how the club and its members have developed over the past four years.
“We have had members go on to become professional brewers and other members who have actually opened breweries themselves. Homebrewing is where most professional brewers get their start and being able to help that community in our own small way is very rewarding,” he said.
Recently, Forbes has noticed a promising shift towards diversity within the homebrewing community.
“There has been a definite shift in the stereotype of the bearded, middle aged white man in home brewing in recent years. Though we do have our share of those, we are seeing more and more women being involved in the club and the industry as a whole, which is fantastic. We are also attracting more younger members to the club who are starting their beer brewing journey. It really is a range of all ages and walks of life,” he said.
For new or aspiring homebrewers, Forbes emphasised the importance of joining a community like the Noosa Home Brew Club.
“You will meet so many people who will be willing to help and share knowledge. Also, if you get the chance, talk to your local craft brewers. The craft beer industry is very supportive in general and very willing to pass on advice.”