Moffat Beach, Caloundra: Craft beer at the Moffat Beach Brewing Co

The Moffat Beach Brewing Co in Caloundra serves up craft beer at its original beachside brewery. But this Sunshine Coast microbrewer has expanded to a new, larger site.

Moffat Beach in Caloundra is not exactly the most prestigious spot on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The beach is small, with most visitors instead opting for Dicky Beach on the northern side of Tooway Creek.

There are a couple of parks along the shore, and a playground behind the beach. But Moffat Beach isn’t patrolled by lifeguards, and Tooway Creek makes it a tricky spot for swimming.

12 fantastic Sunshine Coast experiences to book now

Taste coffee and ginger, do rainforest walks, and visit the best lookouts on a highlight-packed hinterland tour.
Take a serene Noosa Everglades cruise along the mirror-like waterways – or canoe through the Everglades.
Learn to surf at a Sunshine Coast surf school – or try paddleboarding instead.
Combine sight-seeing and thrills on a fast boat tour.
Go e-mountain biking on the downhill trails of Tewantin National Park.
Kayak with dolphins as part of a beach 4WD tour.
Explore the Sunshine Coast from above on a seaplane flight.
Take an indigenous cultural tour – with bush tucker tasting.
Visit the region’s best craft breweries and distilleries on a drinks tasting tour.
Go jetskiing through the gorgeous Pumicestone Passage.
Taste wines, cheeses and chocolates on a hinterland food tour.
Watch migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.

Moffat Beach, the suburb, is mainly residential, but there is one spot of interest to outsiders.

Moffat Beach Brewing Co

The Moffat Beach Brewing Co is set just back from the beach on Seaview Terrace. It is one of a battalion of small craft breweries that have changed the brewing scene in Australia for the better.

The Caloundra craft brewery opened in 2015 in what was once a café. Beers are brewed on site, and since opening, more than 50 different beers have been served on tap.

The Summer Ale is arguably the best of the bunch, and it has won awards. Other Moffat Beach Brewing Co beers worth trying include the 5.8% Hinterland Haze or the bright and fruity Passenger Pale Ale.

You can also have lunch or dinner at the beachside brewery. Go for a simple burger, or branch out to an octopus salad. It’s up to you…

Caloundra checklist: 5 fab experiences to book in advance

1. Kayak hire or paddleboard rental at Golden Beach. 2. Self-guided scavenger hunt. 3. Half day Pummicestone Passage jetski tour. 4. Waterways cruise. 5. Two hour Efoil lesson.

Brewery in Caloundra West

The Moffat Beach Brewing Co is currently in the process of a major expansion, however. The beachside brewery is too small to cater to demand, so a new production facility has been opened in Caloundra West (not too far from the Aussie World theme park). The Production brewery is also open to visitors, but it’s more industrial than beachy.

Other craft breweries to visit in Australia include the Mash Brewery in the Swan Valley near Perth and the Eagle Bay Brewing Company in Eagle Bay, WA. In Sydney, microbrewery options include the Wayward Brewery in Camperdown and Batch Brewery in Petersham.

If you want the beach rather than the beers, other options on the Sunshine Coast include Marcoola Beach, Kings Beach, Bulcock Beach, Mudjimba Beach and Mooloolaba.