John Boston (brewer)

Lore & Background

John Boston arrived in Sydney in October 1794 after sailing from Spithead via Rio de Janeiro. He had been sent by the government to supply the colony with salted fish, but his efforts at Broken Bay were hampered by a lack of boats and men. In August 1795, when salt became scarce, he offered his skills at making salt from seawater and was assigned seven convicts at Bennelong's Point, though production was slow—only three or four bushels in several weeks. In 1796, using an encyclopedia as a guide, Boston produced the first fermented alcohol beverage made at Sydney. The corn beer was brewed from properly malted maize and bittered with the leaves and stalks of the love apple (Lycopersicum, a species of Solanum), commonly called the Cape gooseberry in the settlement. The beer sold for 1 shilling and 6 pence. Boston found the venture so successful that he erected a building for the business and engaged in both brewing and soap making.

Reader's Guide

John Boston's brewing in 1796 marks the beginning of commercial beer production in Sydney, and by extension in Australia. His use of local ingredients—maize and Cape gooseberry—reflects the resourcefulness required in the early colony, where traditional European barley and hops were unavailable. The beer was made with the aid of an encyclopedia, indicating that Boston relied on theoretical knowledge rather than established practice. His success led him to invest in a dedicated building, suggesting that the demand was sufficient to support a small brewery. Boston's broader career as a salt farmer and soap maker shows that he was a versatile artisan who applied his skills to multiple trades. The entry in the reference compendium places him as a foundational figure in Australian brewing history, though his operation remained small-scale and did not develop into a lasting commercial brewery.

Did You Know?

• His corn beer was bittered with the leaves and stalks of the love apple, also called the Cape gooseberry.
• Boston also attempted salt making at Bennelong's Point with seven assigned convicts.