Long-serving Murrray’s head brewer, Shawn Shherlock, will be finishing up with Port Stephens-based Murray’s Craft Brewery today. He will be replaced by Murrays’ foundation brewery Graham Mahy. Details in the media release today.

Shawn advises he has plans to start his own small brewery in Newcastle, with further details to follow “fairly shortly”.

“I have nothing but positives to say about Murray’s and my time here,” Shawn said.

“After eight-and-a-half years it’s time to move on and and I have long wanted to run my own set up.”

Media Release

Foundation brewer returns to Lead Murray’s Craft Brewing Co.

Graeme Mahy returns to Murray’s

Murray’s Craft Brewing Co’s founding brewer, Graeme Mahy, has returned to lead the next phase of growth of the rapidly expanding Australian craft brewer.

Graeme was Murray’s original Head Brewer when the company launched in 2006 – ironically then based at The Pub With No Beer in the tiny hamlet of Taylors Arm (population 50) on the NSW North Coast. Within three years, the brewery outgrew the property and relocated to its current home at Bobs Farm, Port Stephens. Since this time the craft brewery has grown significantly.

“Australians are embracing the trend towards drinking better beer. Consumers are profoundly interested in knowing where and how their food and beverages are being made, and despite Big Beer suffering rapid decline, craft beer in Australia is growing at double digit pace, year on year,” said brewery owner, Murray Howe.

“Graeme’s appointment comes at an exciting time for our company. Murray’s is experiencing a huge upturn in trade, with great support from the Australian consumer. Graeme’s international experience, combined with the great Australian heritage of Murray’s Craft Brewing Co, will see us doing some hugely exciting and innovative things over the coming years,” he added.

“We greatly appreciate the contribution that Shawn Sherlock has made to the business, joining us as a home brewer, being trained by Graeme and ultimately heading our brewing function. We wish him well in his future endeavours.”

Graeme is a well known New Zealand brewer who has actively promoted the local craft beer scene for over 20 years. He has over 25 years home-brewing and 20 years commercial brewing experience, and holds an Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) Foundation Certificate in Brewing. Most recently, Graeme has spent much of his time travelling and judging at international beer competitions in addition to running his own specialist consulting firm helping craft brewers around the world improve the quality and consistency of their beer.

Responsible for many of Murray’s cult beer recipes – including Murray’s Icon 2IPA, Murray’s Grand Cru and Murray’s ‘Wild Thing’ Imperial Stout, – Graeme has created a wide range of experimental craft beer using diverse ingredients such as fruit, spices and wild yeasts. His specialty is producing high quality Belgian style beer, with many becoming international award-winning beers. He was the inaugural Tri-Nations Homebrew Champion in 2000.

“In the interests of learning more about the quality and diversity of beer, I’ve been travelling throughout the USA, Canada, Germany, Belgium, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong,” said Graeme.

“I’m currently very excited about the American craft beer scene and hoppier style beers, which are a hallmark of Murray’s Craft Brewing Co. My experience in judging at World Beer Cups and Great American Beer Festivals in the USA in the past few years, combined with brewing collaborations with Pelican Brewery in Portland, and also Adroit Theory Brewing in Purceville, have given me a lot of ideas and new techniques which I will be introducing to Murray’s. It’s a hugely exciting time to be a craft brewer and I can’t wait to rejoin their great team,” added Graeme.