Good beer may be our reason for being, but great people are at the heart of our company.

From the dedicated Sales Crew out on the road to the friendly voices on the phone in our Customer Service team, every member of the passionate Stone & Wood family has a story to tell.

With that in mind, we thought we’d open the brewery gates and introduce some of the legends who bring their best to our beers every day.

Introducing Hugh “Hughie” Doyle, one of the O.G’s of Stone & Wood and basically part of the furniture here at the brewery.

WATCH ON FOR A DAY IN THE LIFE OF HUGHIE:

Hughie started with the business during our humble beginnings back in 2012, a huge 10 year milestone we’ve all had the pleasure to be a part of.

From his infectious laugh to his one-liners, Hughie brings tonnes of energy and fun to not only the business but the pubs and venues he visits regularly during his weekly rounds of Brisbane.

In honour of Hugh and his 10 year milestone with Stone & Wood, he had the opportunity to hit the brew deck with our Brisbane Brewer, Barnsy, and brew is very own Kolsch, a favourite style he has always loved.

“I’ve always been mesmerised how it’s a lager style beer, brewed like an ale,” Hughie Says.

Get to know Hughie and check out our next episode of Meet The Crew.

ROLE:

Brisbane Sales Team Leader

LOVES:

• House beats
• Mowing the lawn
• The smell of pubs
• And a cold Green Coast Crisp.

THE BEST PART OF WORKING FOR STONE & WOOD:

The Crew. The crew here are all A-1. We’ve all got a similar buzz and we’re all here for the same reason, for something better.

HUGHIE’S DAY-TO-DAY:

Taking care of his Brissie Sales team and hitting the road making sure we’re getting the good stuff out into the hands of those thirsty Brisbanites!

WHEN HE’S NOT AT WORK, YOU CAN FIND HUGHIE:

Enjoying the fruits of his labour in the backyard at home or smelling the taps at some of Brisbane’s best establishments.

HUGHIE’S 10 YEARS WITH STONE & WOOD!

Hugh has been flying the flag for Stone & Wood in Brisbane for 10 years and as tradition goes, if you make it to 10 years with S&W, you get to brew your very own beer.

With Brisbane head brewer Mick Barnes at his side, Hugh turned his hand at brewing his very own German-style Kolsch. After four long weeks of waiting, you can now sample Hugh’s Island Kolsch at our Brisbane and Byron Breweries.

If Hughie’s tale has inspired you to become a part of the Stone & Wood family, head here to check out our current vacancies.

THE FINAL RESULTS OF HUGHIE’S SPECIAL BREW?

A delicate Kolsch but with a tropical twist. Steering away from tradition, this delightful number boasts all the nostalgic characteristics of a Kolsch but is bolstered by tropical aromas of passionfruit, mango and coconut. Sorry if you wanted to try this one, frothers, it’s all gone.

Good beer may be our reason for being, but great people are at the heart of our company.

From the dedicated brewers on the brew deck, to the friendly voices on the phone in our Customer Service team, every member of the passionate Stone & Wood family has a story to tell.

With that in mind, we thought we’d open the brewery gates and introduce some of the legends who bring their best to our beers every day.

OUR FIRST LOOK IN OUR MEET THE CREW SERIES, MATT ATKINS

One of our talented Pilot Batch Brewers, working across our Murwillumbah and Byron breweries. Tune into the video below.

While our big brewery in Murbah is busy bottling up your Stone & Wood favourites, our smaller brewery at Byron operates like a testing lab. It’s here that our brewers get to cook up all our weird and wonderful limited-releases, Counter Culture beers and Pilot Batches.

Matt started out as a home brewer almost 20 years ago, before coming on board with Stone & Wood as one of our brewers 10 years later. Now Matt’s using that depth of knowledge to help bring our Byron Pilot Batches to life.

On brewing, Matt said, “I like the process, the same with anything – I like to know how things are done.

And it’s quite basic as well. Beer has four ingredients, and to get different flavours and styles, it just takes slight tweaks in the recipes. I like that side of it. The simplicity of it.”

After hours of research, Matt has created a delicious limited-edition delight in the form of a Strawberry Cheesecake Sour. Using a sour beer base to start, Matt added strawberry puree, crushed-up biscuits… and cheesy corn chips …into the mix to bring out that Strawberry Cheesecake flavour.

For those lucky enough to be in or near Byron in the next few weeks, Matt’s Strawberry Cheesecake Sour will be on tap in our Byron Brewery for a limited time!

Today we have some news to share … with a pounding heart and a lump in our throat, the founding families have decided to hand the custodianship of Fermentum (and its family of businesses – including Stone & Wood) over to Lion. 

As a founder of a business, from day one you know that at some point down the road you will have to hand it over to someone else. Earlier this year, we realised that we were approaching a major milestone in the development of Stone & Wood where we knew it was time to build a new brewery. 

After many months of working through how we were going to begin the next chapter in our story the founding families decided it might be time to see if there was a custodian for the business who could grow the legacy, its people, its culture, its brands, and continue to drive the business whilst staying true to its purpose.

We also looked for a custodian who would be committed to building the brewery, employment of the team, use of key local suppliers, to support our work in the community and importantly a focus on beer quality to match our own. Not only did Lion welcome these ideas with enthusiasm, but on top of that they demonstrated they had similar values and a focus on environmental and social governance aligned to our approach to using Beer as a Force for Good.

For us, to ensure the continued support of our communities has meant we have stayed true to our holistic total stakeholder approach through this transition.

The team (by way of their ownership) is getting a good reward for the value they have created and Lion have committed to their on-going employment.

The community is benefiting from the on-going role of the inGrained Foundation and the large boost to its funding through a $5 million donation; a $1 million donation to Big Scrub Landcare that will contribute to the regeneration of the lost rainforest and the new brewery, which will be a large investment in the local economy, supporting construction jobs and on-going jobs in the region.

It is a day that is filled with so many mixed emotions – excitement, sadness, anxiety, and pride to name a few, and we know that whilst some people will be happy for us, and some will have a sense of loss, we take great comfort in knowing that we are handing the business over to a custodian that will maintain the Stone & Wood truth that – Good Beer is Our Thing.

Cheers,

Jamie, Brad & Ross

Our Pilot Batch beers are experimental brews created by our team of talented brewers, with occasional help from collaborators within our community, all at our Pilot Brewery in Byron Bay.

These small batch brews are special, limited and, once gone, may never return. The Pilot Batch brewery is a space for our brewers to get creative – an opportunity to trial weird and wonderful things, turning the brewery into an experimental playground to get a little fruity.

Every three months, one of our brewers takes up the helm in our Byron brewery, running the day-to-day operations. During this time, they have the chance to brew their favourite beers and run the Pilot Batch program.

Meet our latest Pilot Batch brewer, Lucas Leczkowski. Say G’day to him if you see him kicking around our Byron Brewery.

Give us a bit of background about yourself…

Having grown up near the Hunter Valley my Career started 15 years ago in working a Vintage in a winery. I absolutely loved the experience and that led to my first homebrew kit. I’m sure the wife might regret buying it for me now.
In 2006 I got an opportunity to work a vintage in the Napa Valley California USA. There I found the craft beer scene and beers like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I’ve been hooked ever since.
This year is my 11th as a pro brewer. And I’m not planning on stopping anytime soon.

What are your favourite styles of beer and why?

Toughest question ever. Umm, All of them because it’s all beer. I go through phases really. At the moment I’m loving darker malt driven beers. But I still love a good hoppy hazy IPA also.

What will you be brewing during your time here in Byron?

I’ve already brewed a Nutella inspired Chocolate Hazelnut Porter that is currently pouring, and I’m working on my next offering, but you’ll need to visit Byron tasting room to find out what.

Any beers you’re really excited about brewing and why?

I just love experimenting and trying to do things a little different, there are so many great beer styles out there and I just love adding my own personal touch to add a point of difference.

What do you like about using the Pilot Batch brewery to experiment?

Just having the opportunity to play with that kit, it’s soo much fun. Then seeing your hard work being tasted and enjoyed by punters at the bar is really satisfying.

We spent a day on the road with Matt, our Newcastle sales reps and all-round top guy, to find out the tricks of the trade and what goes on in the world of beer sales around the traps of Newy, the hunter region and the surrounding area.

Take a read of our Q&A with Matt and find out a little more about the essentials for being on the road, what he loves most about the industry and some words of wisdom for anyone wanting to be a road warrior. He’ll give you his best spots to hit in Newy, so you can also experience it like a true Novocastrian.

How long have you been a part of the S&W Road crew for?

Just over 2 years covering Newcastle, Hunter Region & surrounding area.

What do you enjoy about your customers?

My customers are legends. Most of my industry education has come from conversations with the passionate people I get to interact with daily. My territory is incredibly diverse, and as such, the people I meet and the conversations I have are different every single day. The products lend themselves to such a range of occasions, and it’s always amazing to see that our story resonates with people regardless of where they are. 

What do you enjoy about your territory?

The diverse territory, the conversations and the people you’re meeting are different every day. The product lends itself to a lot of these areas, it’s also great to see the brand and its story resonating and see the value in working with us.

Any words for people that want to jump into the world of beer sales?

I think there’s a misconception that a sales role demands a specific type of personality. That may be the case for some industries, but our team and the wider indie beer community attract a truly diverse mix of different people from all different backgrounds and walks of life who share a common love for sharing good beer. If you truly believe in the company’s values and the quality of the products you’re working with, it’s the best job!

Any life hacks for days on the road?

Make sure you love the voice on your GPS/Maps app. Don’t overload on the coffee, no one likes a jittery roadie.

What are you drinking at the moment?

I’m a massive East Point fanboy! I love getting outdoors and making the most of my mornings/weekends and having something super refreshing at a lower alc to unwind with at the end of a long day, so I can wake up and get on with the good stuff!

What’s your favourite beer and food pairing?

Stout and oysters. I’m a seafood lover but was sceptical about this one for a long time. When I finally tried it, mind = blown.

What are the best spots in Newy to hit up?

Merewether Ocean Baths, The Yuelarbah track Glenrock, a sunrise at Nobby’s break wall. I’m still yet to hit up Stockton Sand Dunes… the list goes on.

Our Pilot Batch beers are experimental brews created by our team of talented brewers, with occasional help from collaborators within our community, all at our Pilot Brewery in Byron Bay.

These small batch brews are special, limited and, once gone, may never return. The Pilot Batch brewery is a space for our brewers to get creative – an opportunity to trial weird and wonderful things, turning the brewery into an experimental playground to get a little fruity.

Every three months, one of our brewers takes up the helm in our Byron brewery, running the day-to-day operations. During this time, they have the chance to brew their favourite beers and run the Pilot Batch program.

Meet our latest Pilot Batch brewer, Andrew Chand-Narayan aka Chandy. Say G’day to him if you see him kicking around our Byron Brewery.

GIVE US A BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF..

Between working snow seasons, I filled my summers with Surf and Vintages. But with my first smell of hops, my passion immediately switched to beer.

I got my foot in the door in a brewery back in 2017 and I am still enjoying the ride! Brewing is forever evolving.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE STYLES OF BEER AND WHY?

I am a hop head.

Pale Ales and IPAs are definitely my jam  but I am up to try anything of course!!

WHAT WILL YOU BE BREWING DURING YOUR TIME HERE IN BYRON?

I have already brewed a Dank Milkshake Hazy IPA, currently pouring, my Coffee Brown will be serving soon-ish and another brew to come… but I’ll keep my cards close on that one for now 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT USING THE PILOT BATCH BREWERY TO EXPERIMENT?

The 6hL pilot kit….well….let’s just say, it was love at first brew  I still take photos every time I brew on it  Here’s to Cheers and Cheers to Beers

Our Pilot Batch beers are experimental brews created by our team of brewers, with occasional help from collaborators within our community, all at our Pilot Brewery in Byron Bay.

These small batch brews are special, limited and, once gone, may never return. The Pilot Batch brewery is a space for our brewers to get creative – an opportunity to trial weird and wonderful things, turning the brewery into an experimental playground to get a little fruity.

Every three months, one of our brewers takes up the helm in our Byron brewery, running the day-to-day operations. During this time, they have the chance to brew their favourite beers and run the Pilot Batch program.

Meet Sean Rynne, our resident brewer for November – January.

Give us a bit of background about yourself…

I started brewing with Stone & Wood two years ago now. I pretty much just fell into brewing right out of university where I studied biomedical science and was teaching piano on the side. Around this time I made a few terrible home brews, so I came to Stone & Wood very green and very keen to learn.

What are your favourite styles of beer and why?

This answer would probably change every week! I love all styles of beer, but at the moment have been really digging some more traditional styles like oud bruin and Flanders red. I also can’t go past a well-made lager!

What will you be brewing during your time here in Byron?

I’ve gone with my favourite style of the moment with an oud bruin: a mixed ferment brown ale with raspberries and oak chips added to the fermenter.

Any beers you’re really excited about brewing and why?

I’m super excited to brew some of the calibration beers we have coming up – it’s so cool to be able to take someone else’s concept and design a brew for them and bring it to life! Also, I really enjoy anything that’s technically challenging on brew day.

What do you like about using the Pilot Batch brewery to experiment?

The Pilot Brewery is right back to basics. With everything being super manual, it gives us the chance to use fun and different ingredients that just wouldn’t work or would be outrageously expensive at large scale.