It feels like every man and his beard has a brewery these days, and Noosa is no different. Within an eight minute drive of Noosa Heads Motel and within Noosaville’s industrial precinct, you’ll find three breweries, all within spitting distance of one another and well worth leaving Noosa Heads for. Boiling Pot Brewing Co. is first on the circuit, with excellent pale ales (try the 22 Patels IPA) and really, something for everyone. With brews like the Survival Ale and less hoppy drinks like the Guava Sour, as well as excellent pizza, fancy cheese boards and, last time we were there, the perfect caveman’s pork knuckle with ALL the sides, this is a destination in itself. Plenty of seating and an outdoor beer garden complete the vibe.
A few hundred metres down the road and you’ll happen upon Noosa’s original entrant onto the brewing scene, Land & Sea. Within their enormous industrial chic tasting space, they’ve combined forces with Fortune, a gin distillery, so that even those opposed to hops and wheat have something to try. Here, it’s all high ceilings, name dropping and good times, with some pretty awesome beers, like the First Point Pale Ale, a Japanese Rice Lager and the Sunfolk Ginger Beer available to taste and take home. The menu is also exceptional and caters to the Chicken Parmi lover, the Buddha Bowl connoisseur, Beef Tataki snob and everyone in between. There’s lots of space and a small kids area, but this is a very popular brewery for locals and visitors alike: book ahead regardless of the time or numbers.
The third in the triangle of awesome breweries is the Heads of Noosa taproom. If you’re done with pale ales and ‘notes of lychee’ by this time, the Heads do exceptional lagers, with the Japanese Lager an absolute standout. There are no airs and graces here: just good beer. The menu is also spartan and traditional, with just a burger or two and all the deep fried regulars, though on weekends it’s not unusual for a food truck to be parked out front.