Young Henrys

Young Henrys is an independent Australian craft brewery founded in 2012 by Oscar McMahon and Richard Adamson. Its brewery and brewpub are located in Newtown, an inner-west suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The business is associated with the contemporary Australian craft-beer movement and has built its identity around approachable versions of established beer styles, local community participation, live-music connections, and environmental initiatives. The founders developed the idea for the brewery through Beer Club, a monthly gathering they organized at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe in 2011. The meetings brought together beer enthusiasts and representatives of Australian and international breweries. Adamson contributed professional brewing experience from Barons Brewing, where he had worked as head brewer before the company entered voluntary administration in 2010. McMahon and Adamson subsequently pursued the idea of opening a brewery and brewpub of their own. The name Young Henrys was adopted as a working title during the planning process and was retained for the business. The founders initially sought to establish the brewery in a former warehouse on Devonshire Street in Surry Hills, but the development application attracted substantial local opposition and was rejected. They then proposed a brewery and approximately 90-person brewpub at 76 Wilford Street in Newtown. Approval was granted in 2012, and the founders invested approximately A$800,000 in the original setup. The initial brewing plant used eight small fermentation tanks; the number had increased to 20 by 2017. Young Henrys expanded outside New South Wales in 2014 through a second brewery in Metricup, Western Australia. The facility, known as The Beer Farm, operated in a former dairy and produced Young Henrys flagship beers for the Western Australian market. In 2015, the ownership structure was changed so that The Beer Farm became a separate entity with its own beer brand. The brand's product portfolio has included pale ales, lagers, porters, India pale ales, seasonal beers, reduced-alcohol beers, and limited releases. Newtowner Pale Ale, Natural Lager, Motorcycle Oil Porter, and Stayer have been among its most visible beers in award and consumer-ranking results. Newtowner placed fourth in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Awards in each of 2017, 2018, and 2019. Stayer and Natural Lager also received recognition at the Australian International Beer Awards. Music and cultural partnerships have been an important part of Young Henrys' marketing and community profile. The brewery has produced collaborative or limited-release beers with Australian acts including You Am I, DZ Deathrays, and Dune Rats, as well as with the Foo Fighters. Examples include Brew Am I, Pils N Thrills, Dunies Lager, and FooTown Lager. The company was also the official beer partner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs during 2018 and 2019 and appeared in a 2019 episode of the Australian television program My Kitchen Rules. Environmental activity is another defining feature of the brand. In 2016, Young Henrys worked with the Pingala cooperative on a 33-kilowatt rooftop solar installation. The project combined a City of Sydney environmental grant with community crowdfunding, raising A$17,500 from 54 successful investors within minutes. The arrangement allowed the brewery to use the generated electricity while investor contributions were repaid from solar revenue, with ownership planned to transfer to Young Henrys after the lease period. In 2018, the brewery partnered with the UTS Deep Green Biotech Hub and the Climate Change Cluster to install two 400-litre microalgae bioreactors. The system was designed to use carbon dioxide generated during fermentation and release oxygen. Young Henrys remains known primarily as a Sydney craft-beer producer with a strong local identity. Its public profile combines beer production, a Newtown hospitality venue, sustainability experimentation, collaborations with musici…

Young Henrys emerged from Sydney's growing craft-beer culture in the early 2010s. Co-founders Oscar McMahon and Richard Adamson began organizing Beer Club at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe in 2011. The monthly sessions brought together consumers, brewers, and brewery representatives, creating a practical network around beer education and independent brewing. Adamson had previously been head brewer at Barons Brewing, where he had received brewing recognition before that business entered voluntary administration in 2010. The Beer Club gatherings helped McMahon and Adamson develop the concept of opening their own brewery. Their first proposed site was a warehouse on Devonshire Street in Surry Hills. The proposal encountered strong local resistance, with 57 objections among 74 public submissions, and was rejected by the relevant council. The founders redirected the project to Newtown, where they proposed a brewery and brewpub at 76 Wilford Street. Approval for a venue with capacity for about 90 people was granted in 2012. Young Henrys invested approximately A$800,000 in the initial operation and began with eight small fermentation tanks. The Newtown site became the center of the brand's production, hospitality, and community identity. Young Henrys developed a range spanning pale ales, lagers, porters, seasonal beers, and experimental releases. The brewery expanded its fermentation capacity to 20 tanks by 2017. In 2014, it opened a second 20-hectolitre brewery in Metricup, Western Australia, in a former dairy. This facility was named The Beer Farm and initially produced Young Henrys beers for Western Australian distribution. An ownership restructuring announced in 2015 separated The Beer Farm from Young Henrys as an entity producing its own brand. Young Henrys' reputation grew through consumer rankings, formal beer competitions, hospitality, and cultural partnerships. Newtowner Pale Ale finished fourth in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Awards in 2017, 2018, and 2019, while other Young Henrys beers also appeared in those rankings. At the 2019 Australian International Beer Awards, Stayer received a gold award in the reduced- or low-alcohol category, and Natural Lager received gold awards in both draught and packaged European-style lager categories. Natural Lager received another gold award in 2021. The company has repeatedly used collaborations to connect beer with Australian music and popular culture. Brew Am I was created with You Am I for the band's 20th-anniversary tour and used ingredients associated with the members' home regions. Young Henrys later collaborated with DZ Deathrays on Pils N Thrills, with Dune Rats on Dunies Lager, and with the Foo Fighters on FooTown Lager during the Concrete and Gold touring cycle. The brewery also served as official beer partner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2018 and 2019. Environmental projects became a central part of Young Henrys' public identity. In 2015, the brewery participated in Earth Hour's Drought Draught campaign with Willie the Boatman. The beer used degraded brewing ingredients to illustrate the potential effects of climate change on Australian hops and beer production. In 2016, Young Henrys worked with Pingala to install a 33-kilowatt solar array on its Newtown roof. A City of Sydney environmental grant helped fund the project, while a public crowdfunding campaign raised A$17,500 from 54 investors. The model enabled community members to invest in renewable infrastructure and allowed the brewery to purchase the generated electricity during the lease period. In 2017, Young Henrys joined five breweries in founding the Inner West Brewers Association. The organization sought to support independent breweries and reduce development barriers affecting craft-brewing businesses in Sydney's inner west. In 2018, Young Henrys partnered with the UTS Deep Green Biotech Hub and the Climate Change Cluster to install two 400-litre microalgae bioreactors. The equipment was designed to absorb carbon dioxide released during fermentation and return oxygen to the atmosphere. The brand has also attracted criticism. A flash-tattoo promotion inviting customers to permanently tattoo one of five beer-related designs was criticized in media coverage as an uncomfortable or excessive form of promotion, particularly in light of the relatively small cash prize. Despite this episode, Young Henrys' broader reputation has remained linked to independent brewing, local music, environmental experimentation, and the Newtown community. The business is active, although the supplied reference material does not identify a current ownership structure, chief executive, or official website URL.

1. 2021Natural Lager wins another gold award

   Natural Lager received a gold award in the European-style lager category at the Australian International Beer Awards.

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2. 2019Awards and Rabbitohs partnership

   Young Henrys was named Vintage Cellars Brewery of the Year, received Australian International Beer Awards recognition, and completed its second year as South Sydney Rabbitohs' official beer partner.

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3. 2018Microalgae bioreactors installed

   Two 400-litre bioreactors were installed with UTS research partners to investigate the use of microalgae in processing brewery carbon dioxide.

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4. 2017Inner West Brewers Association founded

   Young Henrys joined other Sydney breweries in establishing an organization supporting craft brewing in the city's inner west.

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5. 2016Community solar project completed

   A 33-kilowatt solar array was installed at the Newtown brewery through a Pingala partnership and community crowdfunding.

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6. 2015Drought Draught climate campaign

   Young Henrys participated in Earth Hour's campaign using a deliberately compromised beer to communicate risks climate change posed to hops and brewing.

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7. 2014Western Australian brewery opens

   The company opened The Beer Farm, a 20-hectolitre brewery in Metricup located in a former dairy.

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8. 2013Brew Am I collaboration released

   Young Henrys collaborated with You Am I on Brew Am I for the band's 20th-anniversary tour.

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9. 2012Young Henrys founded in Newtown

   After a rejected Surry Hills development application, the founders received approval for a brewery and brewpub at 76 Wilford Street, Newtown.

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10. 2011Beer Club begins

    Oscar McMahon and Richard Adamson began hosting a monthly beer-focused gathering at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe, helping them develop the concept for Young Henrys.

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Independent Australian craft brewing with an approachable, community-oriented Sydney identity, supported by music collaborations and visible environmental initiatives.

• Newtowner Pale AlePale ale

  A core Australian pale ale and one of Young Henrys' most prominent beers. Newtowner achieved fourth place in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Awards in 2017, 2018, and 2019, making it a recurring consumer favorite and a central reference point for the brewery's accessible craft-beer style.

• Natural LagerEuropean-style lager

  A lager offered in draught and packaged formats. Natural Lager appeared in the GABS Hottest 100 rankings and won gold awards in both draught and packaged European-style lager categories at the 2019 Australian International Beer Awards. It received another gold award in 2021.

• StayerReduced- or low-alcohol beer

  A lower-alcohol hoppy beer associated with Young Henrys' reduced-alcohol range. The draught version won gold in the reduced- or low-alcohol category at the 2019 Australian International Beer Awards, while Stayer Mid also appeared in the 2019 GABS Hottest 100.

• Motorcycle OilHoppy porter

  A dark porter included in Young Henrys' core or established beer portfolio and listed among its limited, seasonal, and past releases. Motorcycle Oil placed in the GABS Hottest 100 rankings in 2018 and 2019.

• Brew Am ICollaboration pale ale2013

  A New World-style pale ale made with Australian band You Am I. The collaboration used ingredients connected with the band members' home regions and was released in 2013 to accompany the group's 20th-anniversary tour.

• FooTown LagerCollaboration lager2018

  A limited-edition lager developed with the Foo Fighters in connection with the band's Concrete and Gold album and tour in Australia.

• Dunies LagerCollaboration lager

  A limited-release lager created with Australian garage-rock band Dune Rats to mark the success of the band's album The Kids Will Know It's Bullshit, which reached the top of the ARIA Albums Chart.

• Pils N ThrillsCollaboration Czech pilsner2016

  A Czech pilsner made with DZ Deathrays for Brisbane's Blurst Of Times Festival. It formed part of Young Henrys' continuing relationship with Australian touring and festival music culture.

• 2019My Kitchen Rules Beer Challenge

  Australia

  Young Henrys hosted a Quick Bites: Beer Challenge for the Australian television series My Kitchen Rules, with contestants using the brewery's beers in a cooking competition.

  Outcome. The challenge aired as part of the program's 2019 season.

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• 2016Pingala community solar crowdfunding

  Australia

  Young Henrys partnered with Pingala to finance a rooftop solar array through a City of Sydney environmental grant and community investment. The brewery opened the project to public investors after grant support covered part of the cost.

  Outcome. The project raised A$17,500 from 54 successful applicants and was described as the first community-funded solar project of its type in an Australian capital city.

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• 2015Earth Hour Drought Draught

  Australia

  Young Henrys and Willie the Boatman worked with Earth Hour on a climate-awareness campaign called Drought Draught. The beer used dried-out malt and stale hops to dramatize research suggesting that climate change could reduce the quality and quantity of Australian hops.

  Outcome. The campaign was used to raise awareness ahead of the 2015 United Nations climate conference in Paris.

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• 2018Microalgae carbon-utilization projectStrategy

  Beer fermentation produces carbon dioxide, creating an opportunity to test biological methods of processing brewery emissions.

  What changed. Young Henrys worked with UTS research groups to install two 400-litre microalgae bioreactors at the Newtown brewery.

  Aftermath. The project investigated whether microalgae could absorb fermentation-related carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

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• 2016Adoption of community-funded renewable energyStrategy

  The brewery sought to reduce its environmental impact and involve the local community in its energy infrastructure.

  What changed. Young Henrys leased a 33-kilowatt rooftop solar installation developed with Pingala and financed partly through community crowdfunding.

  Aftermath. The system was expected to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by approximately 127 tonnes per year, with panel ownership planned to transfer to Young Henrys after the ten-year lease.

  Community crowdfunding raised. A$17,500 (2016)

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• 2014Western Australian expansionStrategy

  Young Henrys sought to extend production and distribution beyond its New South Wales base.

  What changed. The company opened The Beer Farm, a 20-hectolitre brewery in a former dairy at Metricup, Western Australia.

  Aftermath. The Beer Farm later became a separate entity producing its own beer brand after a 2015 ownership restructuring.

  Source
• 2012Relocation from proposed Surry Hills site to NewtownStrategy

  The initial warehouse proposal on Devonshire Street in Surry Hills attracted 57 objections among 74 public submissions and was rejected.

  What changed. Young Henrys pursued a new development application for a brewery and brewpub at 76 Wilford Street in Newtown, which was approved.

  Aftermath. Newtown became the brewery's principal production and hospitality location.

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• Flash-tattoo beer promotion criticizedControversy

  Young Henrys received negative media attention for a promotion inviting members of the public to permanently tattoo one of five beer-related designs. Coverage criticized the concept as excessive and questioned the relatively small cash prize offered to participants.

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• 2019Young Henrys named Vintage Cellars Brewery of the Year

  Young Henrys received the Vintage Cellars Brewery of the Year recognition.

  Other
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• 2019Young Henrys appears on My Kitchen Rules

  The brewery hosted a beer-focused cooking challenge for the Australian television series My Kitchen Rules.

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• 2018Young Henrys partners with UTS on algae bioreactors

  The brewery installed microalgae bioreactors intended to use fermentation-related carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.

  Other
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• 2016Community-funded solar installation added to Newtown brewery

  Young Henrys and Pingala installed a 33-kilowatt rooftop solar array funded through a combination of public grant support and community investment.

  Other
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• 2014Young Henrys launches Beer Farm expansion in Western Australia

  The company opened a second brewery in Metricup, Western Australia, to supply the Western Australian market.

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• 2012Young Henrys founded in Newtown after Surry Hills proposal was rejected

  Oscar McMahon and Richard Adamson established Young Henrys in Newtown after their original Surry Hills brewery proposal was refused.

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1. Young Henrys