Before a mutual connection brought them together in June 2021, Daniel Venema and Phil Sharp were on similar, but separate, paths. Daniel, a civil engineer turned gypsy brewer, was contemplating opening a small cafe-sized brewpub equipped with what he describes as a “glorified home-brewing kit”. Likewise, Phil – previously the head of competitions and events at The Ekka, where he helped bring back the Royal Queensland Beer Awards in 2019 – had recently completed a TAFE course in craft brewing and had been looking to strike out on his own with a boutique concept. Realising that anything brewing-related is hard to open alone, the two met and quickly realised that their values aligned as much as their goals. “We just got together, had a meeting and were pretty much on the same page in terms of business plan, beer ideas and all of that,” reflects Daniel. “So it sort of just snowballed from there.” Almost two years on and that meeting has blossomed into Hiker Brewing Concern, a newly open craft-beer brewery housed in a cavernous shed located in an industrial pocket of the suds-soaked suburb of Salisbury. Business plans and recipes aside, Phil and Daniel’s early discussions formed the blueprint for Hiker Brewing’s ideal operational model – a modest enterprise that places focus on the art of brewing without the all-consuming goal of scaling up and expansion. “I think our main philosophy is we don’t want to grow too big,” admits Phil. “Our other mantra is all about community. We just wanted to have a really vibrant community hub – I suppose a gathering place – and also to actually brew really good beer that everyone loves.”

Hiker Brewing’s 800-sqm industrial premises is large enough to house the team’s direct-fire, gas-powered, 10-hL three-vessel brewhouse (which is flanked by five 1000-L fermenters), a cold room and bar (equipped with 12 taps and a few fridges), a canning machine, seating for 200 across high tables and picnic-style tables, a ping pong table, shelves of board games, plus a small play area for kids. There’s also room at the back for food trucks to park inside without trouble. It’s a massive space – one that’s a rare find in Brisbane. It’s also located near several other notable breweries, including fellow Salisbury resident Ballistic Beer Co., plus Slipstream Brewing Co. and Helios Brewing Co. in Yeerongpilly. Phil and Daniel see this proximity as a blessing of convenience, rather than a curse of competition. “We actually see that as a bit of an advantage because people can brewery hop,” says Phil. “It’ll actually entice people from the other side of town.”

Daniel and Phil’s range of beers not only reflect the duo’s tastes and technical approach, but also looks to hone in on a sense of locality by paying homage to its leafy surrounds. The range features four core beers – an assertive American-style IPA called the Hitchhiker, the Toohey Forest lager named in honour of the nearby bushland, an Australian-style pale ale dubbed the Bushwalker and a seasonally changing mid-strength beer (a light Scottish ale called Wee Little and another called the Wanderer). With this collection of foundational brews locked in, Daniel and Phil are eager to build upon the range with a broad selection of beer styles, plus weird and wacky seasonal small-batch runs (like a pina colada-inspired beer made with pineapple and sabro hops). No matter the recipe, the approach remains the same. “We don’t compromise on ingredients – it’s all about putting the love and attention in,” says Phil. “You can’t create the perfect beer, but we’re always improving.” Hiker Brewing is also pouring beers made by TAFE Queensland’s beer company Froth Rookies, Aether Brewing’s ginger beer, Witches Falls wines and Diablo Co liqueurs. While still finding their groove, Phil and Daniel have big plans for Hiker Brewing as a community hub, with trivia nights, live music on Sundays and even a planned performance by Glitter Martini for the upcoming Anywhere Theatre Festival.