Our Story
Nail Brewing is born and bred in Western Australia.
We’re a part of the ever-changing landscape of our great state, Perth’s own since 2000.
Our passion for brewing has led to global recognition. Nail Brewing is one of the most awarded breweries in the country with over 30 trophies – including our VPA, which won silver at the World Beer Cup.
1994
John Stallwood began his trade as a student with a home brew kit in a suburban Perth house in the summer of ‘94. When he realised brewing was his passion, John sought a way to study brewing at a time when no brewing courses existed in Australia. He contacted the University of Ballarat and convinced them to resurrect the 100L set up from a brewer’s course they stopped running in the 1980s. It was only available for scientific use- so John enrolled for an Honours in Science and wrote his thesis on the development of a full-strength ale.
2000
After 40 test batches and a completed thesis, John was ready to set up his first brewery. Bobby Dazzlers Ale House provided a home for the young Nail-Brewing-to-be in the heart of our little concrete jungle on Murray Street. With thanks to the mentorship of legend WA hotelier Maurice Brockwell, the first cold pint of our famous Nail Ale was poured at Bobby Dazzlers on a providential spring day in March 2000.It was one of the first craft beers in WA. Before craft was craft.
2004
Nail Brewing gained industry momentum when, tragically, fate intervened. During a night out with friends in Fremantle, 2004 John Stallwood went in to break up a brawl of strangers. In his attempt to make peace John was coward-punched and placed in an induced coma. Against all odds, doctors managed to save John’s life. After 8 months doctors implanted the biggest titanium plate they had ever dealt with into his skull. During his coma and extended recovery, John’s parents were forced to sell his beloved brewing equipment. However, it was a mark of their unfaltering support and belief in their son and his dream that they held on to Nail Brewing Australia.
2005
Time to rebuild
2006
Throughout 2006 while the Australian economy boomed, John was forced to start again. For the next six years, John became a wandering brewer, first brewing at Jarrah Jacks and then basing his new home at Edith Cowan University in Joondalup where he learned from brewing legend and mentor Hugh Dunn.
2008
Now we set the stage for a triumphant comeback.
2012
After his recovery, John embarked on a heroic journey to bring back Nail Brewing. In 2012, eight years after the coward punch, John started BrewCorp with friend and fellow brewer Brendan Varis of Feral Brewing. BrewCorp was able to purchase a 50-hectoliter brewhouse, where Nail Beer is still produced to this day. Today, Nail Brewing is a multi-award-winning brewery. We have five core range beers, plus seasonal favourites and limited release speciality brews. Every beer John creates is dedicated to someone special in Johns life. That includes the Flaming Lamington, a coconut chilli stout pledged to Doctors Jeff & Watson who led the surgical team to save John’s life.
2019
Australian craft beer is now booming, and we are very proud to be one of our country’s most consistently awarded breweries. In our early years, there were only 25 craft labels. Now there are over 700. We have never given up – we have outlasted big breweries, learnt from the experts (including the legendary Hugh Dunn!) and John even became the founding president of the Western Australian Brewer’s Association and the Perth Royal Beer Show. Through injuries, setbacks and the ever-changing landscape of craft beer, since long before craft was craft, Nail has been producing bloody good beer loved by locals and awarded by judges.