Laying Down Firm FOUND.ations ft Steve Finney & Will Irving

FOUND. only launched in 2023 but the story behind one of WA's rising stars goes back far longer and takes in many of the state's best-known breweries and best-loved beers.

We sat down with two of the brewery's key players, Steve Finney and Will Irving, at the former Golden West brewpub in Subiaco as they were midway through turning it into a home for FOUND. It's due to open to the public for summer 2024, with the first brew taking place onsite the same week this episode was published.

Once open, it will give the team three venues in WA. Faced with ongoing delays to their original plan to open a sizeable production brewery and hospo venue in East Perth, they instead started out with FOUND.LAB in Byford, a 45-minute drive south of Perth, and have since opened a pop-up bar in Maylands.

This episode of the podcast covers their respective backstories, their first meetings at Feral's brewpub in the Swan Valley and subsequent time together at the iconic brewery, their vision for FOUND. – including how they're trying to create the ideal beer business and conceptualise what a modern Australian brewery venue should be, their thoughts on the future of beer in WA and further afield, bringing new people into the world of craft beer, and plenty more besides.  

Links referenced in or relevant to the show:  

FOUND.LAB: https://craftypint.com/brewery/819/found-lab  

FOUND. Taking Over Former Golden West Site In Subiaco: https://craftypint.com/news/3443/found-taking-over-former-golden-west-site-in-subiaco  

Brew & A ft Will Irving from his time at Feral: https://craftypint.com/news/1086/brew-and-a-will-from-feral-brewing  

The Story Of Hop Hog At Ten: https://craftypint.com/news/1921/the-story-of-hop-hog-at-ten