Young Henrys
Sustainable craft brewery from Newtown, Sydney.
Young Henrys is a craft beer brewery based in Newtown, New South Wales, Australia. It was started in 2012 by Oscar McMahon and Richard Adamson. The brewery is known for its environmentally friendly brewing methods, such as a solar panel system funded by the community and special algae tanks that turn the carbon dioxide waste from brewing into oxygen.
Before founding Young Henrys, Richard Adamson had been head brewer at Barons Brewing (later Great Southern Brewing) in Sydney starting in 2005. While there, his beers won a Best in Class Trophy for Herb and Spice Beer at the Australian International Beer Awards in 2006, and the JD Wetherspoon Beer Festival UK’s “Most Popular Beer” for Black Wattle in 2008. The company went into voluntary administration in June 2010, and Adamson left that year.
In 2011, McMahon and Adamson started a monthly event called Beer Club at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe. At each meeting, representatives from Australian and international breweries presented two beers each, drawing crowds of 35 to 60 people. The idea for opening their own brewery grew out of these sessions. The name “Young Henrys” came about during early planning. Sales director Dan Hampton recalled that before one ideas meeting, McMahon asked, “Is Young Henrys coming along to the meeting?” and they kept it as a working title. McMahon has said the name fits because it echoes traditional beer styles, which they aim to recreate.
In 2012, the pair tried to open Young Henrys in an empty warehouse at 276 Devonshire Street in Surry Hills, Sydney. The space had previously been a furniture shop, offices, and a gym. The development application received 57 objections out of 74 public submissions, and the council rejected it. They then moved to Newtown, proposing a brewpub at 76 Wilford Street. That site had been turned down for a yoga studio and cafe in January 2012, but Adamson’s application for a 90-person brewpub was approved that year. McMahon and Adamson put $800,000 into the initial setup in 2012, starting with eight small fermentation tanks. By 2017, they had upgraded to twenty tanks.
Young Henrys expanded in 2014 by opening a second brewery in Metricup, Western Australia, called The Beer Farm. Built in an old dairy, the 20-hectolitre brewery produced Young Henrys flagship beers for the Western Australian market.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 2012
- Founder
- Richard Adamson, Oscar McMahon
- Hq Location City
- Newtown, Sydney
- Hq Location Country
- Australia
- Industry
- Brewing
- Products
- Beer, Cider, Gin
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Young Henrys was conceived during Beer Club meetings at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe, where McMahon and Adamson hosted monthly events showcasing beers from Australian and international breweries. The name originated as a working title when McMahon asked if 'Young Henrys' was coming to a meeting. The brewery first attempted to open in Surry Hills but was rejected after 57 objections from 74 public submissions. It then moved to a warehouse at 76 Wilford Street, Newtown, which had previously been rejected for use as a yoga studio and cafe. The brewpub was approved in 2012 with a 90-person capacity. Initial setup included eight small fermentation tanks, upgraded to twenty in 2017. In 2014, Young Henrys opened a second brewery in Metricup, Western Australia, named The Beer Farm, but restructured ownership in July 2015, making it a separate entity producing its own brand.
Reader's Guide
Young Henrys has made a significant impact through its sustainability initiatives and community partnerships. In August 2016, it collaborated with the Pingala Co-operative to install a 33 kW solar panel array, funded partly by a City of Sydney grant and a crowd-funding program that raised $17,500 in nine minutes. The brewery holds a ten-year lease on the panels, with ownership transferring after that period, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 127 tonnes per year. In 2018, it partnered with UTS Biotech Hub and Climate Change Cluster to install two 400-litre microalgae bioreactors that absorb CO₂ from fermentation and release oxygen. The brewery has collaborated with musicians including You Am I, Foo Fighters, and Dune Rats on limited-release beers. It was the official beer partner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2018 and 2019. Young Henrys also co-founded the Inner West Brewers Association in 2017 to support craft brewery development and reduce development restrictions. Its Newtowner Pale Ale placed 4th in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Awards from 2017 to 2019, and its Stayer won a Gold Award in the 2019 Australian International Beer Awards Reduced/Low Alcohol Category.
Did You Know?
- Young Henrys raised $17,500 in nine minutes through a crowd-funding program for solar panels.
- The brewery's microalgae bioreactors can produce as much oxygen as one hectare of bushland.
- Young Henrys collaborated with the Foo Fighters to produce FooTown Lager in 2018.
- The brewery's name originated as a working title when Oscar McMahon asked if 'Young Henrys' was coming to a meeting.
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