Brouhaha set to open in Maleny

A new brewpub opens this weekend at Maleny in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Matt Jancauskas, former production manager at London microbrewery Beavertown, is head brewer and one of four directors of Brouhaha Brewery.

The new venue employs a Spark Brew Engineering three-vessel gas-fired 12-hectolitre system, with remote control functions that ensure Jancauskas can brew double batches solo in nine to ten hours.

Beavertown is known for its canned product, but Jancauskas told Australian Brews News it’s not on the horizon at Maleny.

“Brouhaha is here to fill the void. Great coffee, great food, built on the US brewpub model. Consistent variety, fresh and local,” he said.

The brewpub interior

The plan is to sell beer direct to the public from the bar, via growlers for take home trade and to local restaurants in the region.

“At Beavertown we were pushing the boundaries, and I realise I have to tone it down a little here. I want to eventually have a good core range that people love and trust, and a couple of taps to experiment with,” Jancauskas said.

The double batch approach is evident in Brouhaha’s opening tap lineup, as is Jancauskas’ enjoyment of using fruit in his beers: A Raspberry Saison sits next to a dry-hopped Saison, and there’s a Passion Fruit IPA to complement the solid 6.7 per cent IPA.

Other beers include a Blonde, Pale Ale, Milk Stout and Coffee Stout. All are unfiltered.

Launch event this Saturday

The local community has been struggling to contain its excitement as the brewery has been prepared, with a constant stream of visitors dropping by asking when the beer will start flowing.

Council approvals and other complications have slowed progress, meaning Matt’s advice to anyone wanting to open their own brewery is: “Double your timeline and double your budget!”

Brouhaha is at 6/39 Coral Street, Maleny, and the grand opening is on Saturday, 18 June.

From then on it will be open for beer, coffee and food, Wednesday to Sunday.