Tar Barrel Brewery & Distillery might only have launched in 2020, but the Mornington Peninsula good beer haunt’s history is one that quite wonderfully reflects the story of craft beer in the preceding decade.

That story starts with Mornington Peninsula Brewery and its opening in 2010 following a joyous promise between a group of mates in 2008 as they watched Hawthorn’s first Grand Final win in many years. Steering the brewery was local Matt Bebe, the co-founder who had spent his life on the Peninsula. Steering the beer was Andrew Gow, best known as AG and an industry veteran even when he took the job at Mornington.

Over the next few years, the brewery grew substantially, appearing in major retailers across the country, attracting critical acclaim, gaining national distribution and expanding into a second site around the corner from the original.

No matter where you could find the brewery’s beers, however, it was the original home at 72 Watt Road that remained the best place to try them as you looked upon the brewery where they were brought to life. Like many brewpubs, it was here the range of beers was widest and freshest, and where the accompanying wood-fired pizzas, excellent beer garden and regular gigs all played a role in making it it a home for thirsty locals and Peninsula holidaymakers keen to try a local beer. - Written by Will Ziebel from Crafty Pint.