Shack Bay Brewing - origin story

It all started with a phone call. Matt, our esteemed head brewer, rang and said he wanted to open a brewery. I replied, “Sure, how do we do that?” Now, I knew nothing about brewing beer, but Matt’s enthusiasm was infectious. By the end of the week, we had a plan: buy some kit and set up a small system in his home office. Technically, it was a nano-brewery, about as close as you can get to a commercial setup without breaching council rules in Inverloch.

So off Matt went, brewing away. He spent countless hours researching beer styles, testing ingredients, and scribbling recipes on the back of napkins. Each batch brought us closer to defining what Shack Bay Brewing should taste like. To take the leap from passion project to professional brewing, Matt teamed up with Ocean Reach Brewing in Cowes. Their crew welcomed us in, offered advice, and helped scale up those home-tested recipes into something we could proudly share with the Bass Coast community.

But there was one big hurdle: liquor licensing. While Matt was knee-deep in hops, I rolled up my sleeves to tackle the business side — building a brand, designing logos, and learning how to run an online beer store from scratch. It wasn’t always polished, but it was always genuine.

After a few beers (and a lot of group chats with mates and local supporters), we landed on the name, the logo, and our very first release: the old faithful Pale Ale. It wasn’t just about brewing beer; it was about creating an identity that celebrated Inverloch, our coastline, and our community.

What began as a side hustle in a home office quickly grew into something much bigger. Shack Bay Brewing is about more than just beer — it’s about sharing high-quality, laid-back brews with the people who make the Bass Coast such a special place.