Craft beer has long been about more than the liquid. As breweries have reached ever further across the country, it has become about many things: community, bringing people together, starting conversations, sharing stories, raising funds for those in need.
Or, in the words of Brewmanity: Good Beer can be used for Good Deeds.
In the years since the brewing company launched in Melbourne in 2015, the team has raised a significant amount of money to support FightMND. After opening the doors to their South Melbourne brewpub in 2024, those Good Deeds and Good Beers have been joined by Good Times too.
The choice of FightMND as Brewmanity’s chosen charity was a simple one: co-founder David Neitz had seen the impact of motor neurone disease first hand. Before embarking on Brewmanity, David – or Neita as he’s known to many in the beer and footy worlds – was captain of the Melbourne Demons and spent much of his tenure playing under Neale Daniher. The legendary coach helped found the charity after being diagnosed with the incurable condition.
So where does the Good Beer come in?
After leaving the footy field, Neita travelled to Belgium and, like so many other Australians, was captivated by the variety of styles on offer as well as the care, consideration and presentation each beer would receive.
As his love for beer blossomed, he spent a lot of time chatting with his old mate, Jamie Fox, about whether starting a brewery should be part of their future. By then, beer had already been a major part of Jamie’s past: the marketing gun played a key role at Matilda Bay when the brand was helping take craft beer to a wider audience.
Completing the picture was another former Demon, Paul Hopgood, eager to join the mission to support Neale and his cause. It’s one they’ve supported in many ways too, from simple donations from beers sold to enlisting a bunch of Victorian pubs for the most charitable happy hour and, in 2024, the creation of Ice Cold Lager – sold through Coles in conjunction with the Big Freeze.
Alongside these fundraising events was a lengthy journey to find somewhere to put down roots. It proved to be one with no shortage of false starts (not to mention a pandemic) but, as if to prove the mantra that good things come to those who wait, the fully-realised Brewmanity is certainly a special place.
Their brewpub sits beside South Melbourne’s iconic Bells Hotel, which once housed one of Melbourne’s early brewpubs courtesy of former publican Bill Bell. The current owner, Sam Tresise, had wanted to do something with the old glass factory next to his pub and felt the spot would be perfect for a brewery.
As the conversations developed, so too did the ambition, leading to the creation of a spectacular site on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD, which opened in March 2024 and spans three levels.
The ground level consists of a beer hall that looks over a 12-hectolitre brewhouse and it’s from there you’ll spy head brewer Tim Miller – who brewed at Matilda Bay before stints at 3 Ravens and Little Creatures – creating the beers that fill the venue’s many taps.
The pièce de resistance, however, is arguably the brewery’s rooftop bar that offers uninterrupted views of Melbourne’s skyline. The sun-soaked beer garden (weather dependent; this is Melbourne, after all) is quite the spot in which to enjoy a freshly-brewed beer.
The kitchen – shared with Bells – features a selection of shared plates, including iconic South Melbourne dimmies from the nearby market, and larger plates made up of classic pub fare. Beyond the two bars, there are also multiple function spaces available for private hire, including a second rooftop spot with its own container bar.
Since moving in, the Brewmanity team has been hard at work creating more fundraising events – both for FightMND and other important causes. These include the Sip & Sizzle program through which local community groups can apply to host a fundraising event at the brewery. Brewmanity dedicate a Kudos Keg to each cause and lend their guests a barbecue so locals can get sizzling to raise further funds.
As Neita puts it, in what’s a neat summation of the entire Brewmanity ethos: ”The idea was always to give something back through something that we love.”
Will Ziebell
