Thirty Eight O Six Brewing

The owners of craft breweries often love to highlight their credentials as local operators and things don’t get much more local than Thirty Eight O Six Brewing. Even the brewery’s name is a homage to its home: 3806 is the postcode of outer Melbourne suburb Berwick.

When it opened late in 2022, it became the first new brewery in the ‘burb, a turn of events that can be credited to Lachie Fyfe and Zac Pattison. Well before they were brewery owners, they were mates who first met before they even started school. And although they were as inseparable then as they are running a brewery together today, they followed different career paths in between times – career paths that left them well-placed to create Thirty Eight O Six.

Zac trained as a chef and worked in fine dining, including stints at Taxi Kitchen in Melbourne’s CBD and the acclaimed O.MY in nearby Beaconsfield. Lachie became an electrician and, while his time as a water-skiing stunt performer at Universal Studio might seem an unusual side hustle for brewer and sparky alike, it certainly helps explain his willingness to dive headfirst into a new adventure.

It was Lachie who convinced his childhood friend to join him on this adventure; the decision to open a brewery following years of homebrewing and late nights when their mates were treated to his beers paired with menu items designed by Zac.

The brewery’s entire fit-out is the work of the pair who poured heart, soul, sweat and even a finger* into transforming an empty shell of a warehouse into a welcoming community hub a short stroll from Berwick train station. A bright and bold mural greets you as soon as you walk through the door and, in combination with the wood paneling and lighting, help make the long warehouse feel like an inviting local boozer.

Beyond that is where Thirty Eight O Six beers are brewed using a 500-litre Braumeister and 1,500-litre fermentation tanks. They fill most of the ten taps a few metres away, with Lachie’s creations sharing space with a few guest taps complemented by a high-end wine list and cocktails, and the initial setup leaving plenty of room to grow into.

When it comes to Zac’s side of the business, the centrepiece is a wood-fired pizza oven built by one of his cheffing mates who has designed kitchens for the likes of Firedoor in Sydney and Embla in Melbourne; in other words, he’s the guy you call if you want to cook with wood.

The menu features an array of pizzas that take shape rapidly under intense heat but it’s the substantial tapas offering that helps their brewpub stand apart from most of their peers. Zac’s background in fine dining shines through small plates that include wood-fired lamb ribs, cauliflower, and oysters presented in a manner more akin to an inner-city wine bar than an outer-suburban brewery.

Aside from dishes that quickly became cult favourites, many of these small plates change weekly to make the most of seasonal produce; much like the beers and the space in which they’re served, everything is created from scratch, whether that’s IPA batter for the prawns or the hot sauce.

Little wonder locals quickly embraced Berwick’s first brewery, with Thirty Eighty O Six’s charm aided in no small part by Zac and Lachie’s warm personalities, which have clearly rubbed off on their staff too.

Although the founders joke that they built Thirty Eight O Six for themselves, their families and their mates, their ability to seamlessly bring together craft beer, excellent food and sunny hospitality suggest it’s set to be enjoyed rather more widely.

Will Ziebell

* Maybe ask Lachie or Zac to explain this in person…

Name
Thirty Eight O Six Brewing
Address

12 Enterprise Avenue
Berwick
VIC 3806

Phone
0477581483
Open Hours

Thursday: 3pm to 10pm
Fri & Sat: midday to late
Sunday: midday to 10pm

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Thirty Eight O Six Brewing Regulars

Thirty Eight O Six Brewing Lager

Thirty Eight O Six brought craft beer to Berwick and while there is always plenty of hoppy delights pouring across their taps, they also like to keep things classic. Lager is one such beer and is one that draws inspiration from Australia's well-known mainstream lagers but adds subtle hop notes along the way. Thank to it being hopped with Super Pride and Cascade, those are light touches of floral and citrus notes before a clean and crisp finish kicks in.… Read more
Style
Lager
ABV
4.8%

Thirty Eight O Six Brewing East Coast IPA

When they first came to Australia, hazy or juicy IPAs started out limited-release beers but these days, you’ll often find one sitting in a brewery’s core range. When Thirty Eight O Six launched, the Berwick brewery made sure to have the East Coast IPA in their core range. It’s certainly a tropical and juicy ride too, with Citra, Mosaic and Amarillo bringing fresh touches of orange, mango and pineapple and stone fruit. It’s also smooth, lush and finishes without a hint of bitterness.… Read more
Style
Hazy IPA
ABV
6.4%

Thirty Eight O Six Brewing IPA

Thirty Eight O Six’s IPA is a beer that bridges the gap between what’s old and what’s new. On the one hand, it’s quite full-bodied and somewhat rich thanks to a decent dose of crystal malt which brings touches of chewy caramel. But with Galaxy added in the dry hop, it also brings a mix of passionfruit, citrus and peach while a decent bitterness follows through on the finish.… Read more
Style
IPA
ABV
6.5%

Thirty Eight O Six Brewing Pale Ale

Thirty Eighty O Six Brewing’s pale ale is as classic as they come, with the beer pouring a vibrant and light golden colour that suggests it’s always worthwhile ordering a larger glass of it. Add in a light mix of fruited notes, passionfruit and citrus and a building bitterness, it’s an easy-drinking ale for the ages.… Read more
Style
Pale Ale
ABV
5.0%