Felons' Lavish Land Grab

“How rock n’ roll to take our largest space and fill it with 20,000 litres of barrel-aged beer.”

There’s little in Australian beer like Felons Brewing. First appearing as part of the Howard Smith Wharves (now Artemus Group) development on the Brisbane River as it flows under the iconic Story Bridge, the brewery’s home has steadily gobbled up more of the riverbank to the point its multiple venues can host thousands.

Since late 2024, they’ve been steadily taking over the equally iconic Manly Wharf, most recently opening the Barrel Room live music venue (in addition to the Barrel Hall in Brisbane) and a seafood restaurant for which they’ve devised a way to pour their lager at sub-zero temperatures for maximum crispiness.

Such grandiosity, especially in an era of frugality for many, might seem at odds with much of the indie beer industry. Yet, as our chat with head brewer Tom Champion and brand director Dean Romeo – two of the Little Creatures alumni brought into the business before it launched – shows, they’re community players, in beer and elsewhere, driven by a belief that a rising tide lifts all boats. Or, in this case, indie brewers.

What’s more, there are few breweries in Australia with similar potential to act as a first point of contact for newcomers to craft beer.

Our conversation takes in their story to date, their approach to hospitality, events and collaborations, maintaining one of the country’s largest barrel programs within such a large commercial entity, their thoughts on the wider beer industry, beer tourism and more.

On the eve of a trip to New South Wales to record more podcasts, catch up with beer world mates old and new, and host an event with Wildflower and Garage Project, Will and James open the show with a look at the week on Crafty: a new Crafty Crawl via Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel; an entertaining tenth anniversary Brew & A with Young Henrys’ head brewer; and the launch of Allday Brewing by the mates behind Forward Hops beer importers.

• 0:00 – The Week On Crafty
• 14:05 – Dean & Tom Part 1
• 44:08 – Pint of Origin Festival 2026 Promo
• 45:00 – Dean & Tom Part 2

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