Cheers! For a limited time, the Capital Brewing crew will shout you some of their fine, true local, true craft beer — here’s how to get in on the action. Photos: Capital Brewing.
In a season built on sharing, your most local brewery is leading by example, with a promotion that prices a truly craft beer range among its mainstream peers.
Cases of Capital Brewing Coastal Ale in bottle shops territory-wide currently sport a voucher for $20 redeemable at the brewery’s popular Fyshwick taproom, just in time to bring some fiscal relief to our summer festivities.
They’re calling it “Australia’s biggest shout”, and to understand the true value of this deal, it’s best to understand what’s actually in each sip of a Capital Brewing beer.
To start with, founders Laurence Kain and Tom Hertel both grew up in Canberra. They met while working at Trinity Bar in Dickson back in 2005, where they bonded over their love of craft beer. Later, they worked together again at Canberra’s iconic Hippo Bar, which they later bought, before opening Honky Tonks in 2011.
Their love of craft beer was matched only by their love of travel.
“We discovered the beer culture in America and Europe, where a brewery is a community hub for people to get together, hang out and have an enjoyable time,” Laurence says.
“We realised Canberra was missing out, and decided to fix that.”
Capital Brewing’s connection to Canberra goes beyond Laurence and Tom, however.
The product is made onsite at the company’s brewery and taproom in Fyshwick’s Dairy Road — a destination for locals and visitors alike.
Its artisans are locals, and many discovered their potential at Capital Brewing.
“When you buy from a multinational company, the product is produced by machines and computers, with very minimal human interaction,” Laurence says.
“Canberrans can drink a Capital Brewing beer knowing the people who made it live and exist in the communities that you live and exist in. Their kids go to school with your kids, and they play on your touch footy team on a Wednesday night.
“Having these small industries in Canberra helps grow its vibrancy, but also creates opportunities. We’ve trained countless people on our team who went from casual bartenders to full-time professional brewers, because the industry didn’t exist here; we had to create a workforce through upskilling.”
Capital Brewing ingredients are also Australian-grown, where possible, and always of the highest quality.
All of this comes together to make the product a “true” craft beer — a rarer distinction than you would think.
In fact, Laurence says, the only crafty thing about most beers at the local bottle-o is the marketing, and most so-called Australian beers are no longer Aussie-owned.
“I think most people would be shocked to find out how many iconic Australian beers are all ultimately owned by two major Japanese corporations: Little Creatures, Stone & Wood, VB, XXXX, Carlton, Great Northern — 80 per cent of what you find in the fridges these days,” Laurence says.
It’s truly craft and truly local, but more feel-good factors are poured into a schooner of Capital Brewing beer than the recipe strictly calls for.
The brewery’s commitment to sustainability led it to become the country’s first brewery to achieve carbon-neutral certification from Climate Active in 2022. More recently, it achieved B Corp certification, an intensive, rigorous accreditation for environmental and social governance.
The company also established its Good Natured Community Fund, a community engagement program through which Capital Brewing will donate product to a good cause. Prime examples include the Starlight Children’s Ball and one of Laurence’s personal favourites, the Majura Pines Trail Alliance.
“It’s all volunteer-run, and they maintain and build the mountain biking trails of Majura Pines. We donate beer for their build days,” Laurence says.
“It’s not just an incentive for volunteers, but also provides a social element for community-building within the organisation, because everyone can come together for a cold one afterwards.”
Australia’s biggest shout vouchers can be found on Capital Brewing Coastal Ale cases at your local bottle shop.
“If it’s not, complain to the manager,” Laurence laughs.
“We know people are under pressure with the cost of living at the moment, this is our response to that. We hope it really empowers Canberrans to get behind a true local craft beer.”
Visit Capital Brewing for more information.
