SHOUT Brewing co-owner Dylan Meade believes Newcastle can become a tourism mecca for craft beer lovers to rival Marrickville.
On Friday Shout reopened as a brew bar in Islington, becoming the sixth independent craft brewery based in Newcastle's inner suburbs, joining FogHorn, Modus Operandi, Rogue Scholar, Styx and Method.
"When we first started in 2018 there were a few people around at that time who had similar ideas to us and you're starting to see that come to fruition," Meade says.
"You're starting to see those brewers who had concepts start to open up. I think it's amazing for Newcastle and beer drinkers.
"With Method so close and there's others opening up like Grainfed at Lambton, the Thirsty Messiah at Broadmeadow and the big ones like Modus.
"I'd be keen to see a few more open up. I see the potential for Newcastle to become like the wineries. Newcastle could be that beer destination.
"At the moment you have Marrickville with its cluster of breweries, which is really good. It would be great to have something like that for Newcastle."
Opening a brew bar is the realisation of a dream Meade and fellow co-owners and former Mayfield Mullets soccer buddies Jim Coulton, Jake Gardiner and Michael Fitzgerald first envisaged four years ago over a few home-brewed frothies.
In late 2019 Shout Brewing Co opened in Mayfield West's Steel River industrial estate, initially producing beer for keg sales.
The first keg of their flagship Mullet Pale Ale was bought by the Commonwealth Hotel in Cooks Hill, which remains a major customer.
However, as Shout's popularity grew, so did the owners' aspirations.
Their can range expanded to Mullet Pale Ale, Cloudy With A Chance Of Juice NEIPA, Drop Dead Red Lager and Keep Newy Weird West Coast IPA, plus a Pale Ale and Ruby Grapefruit Sour collaboration with Asian fusion restaurant franchise, Bao Brothers.
But soon Shout had outgrown the Mayfield West site.
"We were a bit constrained with our old lease and landlord, and we weren't allowed to have a bar," Meade says.
"It was always the intention we would have a bar and serve schooners."
The Mayfield base closed in February and it's been a race to have the new Clyde Street premises fitted out in time for the opening.
The Islington and Hamilton North area has undergone a major rejuvenation in recent years. Shout is surrounded by the popular cafes - Elma's at Hamilton North and Red Parrot in Islington - as well as The Creator Incubator arts precinct.
"For us we know where we sell our beer," Meade says. "It's quite strong in these areas - the inner Newcastle suburbs.
"We were looking for places for a long time and it was fortunate this place came up."
Shout's initial brew bar offering will feature their core range, plus the newly-launched Clydesdale Cold IPA, the returning Coffee Cream Ale Espresso collaboration with Merewether's Frothers and a rye berry sour made from fruit grown and picked in Mayfield.
Roy's Kitchen will be serving chicken wings initially, with the menu to continually change.
The new facility means Shout's beer offering will also be continually changing.
The brewery features seven 400-litre tanks and there is 10 rotating taps in the bar room and seating for 50 people.
"We want to keep them changing and always keep bringing in something new for people," Shout co-owner Michael Fitzgerald says.
"I think that's what a lot of craft beer drinkers want. They always go to the bottle shop looking for something they haven't had before.
"We want them to come to us and have something they haven't had before."
Meade, Coulton and Fitzgerald all juggle full-time jobs, while Gardiner is employed as the head brewer while also working as a part-time school teacher.
Shout also employ a sales rep and bar manager.
Meade says everyone has missed serving people directly since the Mayfield site's closure and is ecstatic to be filling glasses again.
"We're really excited to be opening back up to the public again," he says. "We really miss that interaction with people when they come in.
"Because it's a small brewery, when you come in you have the chance to talk to one of the owners, so we get that direct feedback."
