Head Brewer

Hemingway’s Brewery
Cairns / Port Douglas · Far North Queensland, Australia
Head Brewer
Production leadership, brew deck & cellar
Own the brew deck. Keep 1,400 seats pouring. The winterless north.
Hemingway’s Brewery FNQ · independent craft brewery and hospitality group · Cairns & Port Douglas
Brew deck and cellar on the tropical coast
Hemingway’s is an independent, locally owned craft brewery and hospitality group in Far North Queensland. We brew award-winning
beer on the Cairns waterfront and pour it through four of our own venues: Port Douglas marina, Cairns Wharf, Trinity Beach Tap House
and Sails on the Esplanade — more than 1,400 seats. We also keg and pack for regional wholesale. The beers that built this brand have
taken gold at the Australian International Beer Awards, and The Prospector has twice taken the Best Pilsner trophy.
We need a Head Brewer who wants the whole thing: the science, the grit, the recipes, the team, and the supply line that gets beer from
our cellar to every tap.
The role
You will take complete ownership of brewing operations at our Cairns Wharf production brewery: the core range (7th Heaven, Pitchfork
Betty’s, Tunnel 10, The Prospector, Wharf St, Mr Wong, Canecutter) and the Inner Sanctum program for seasonal and limited releases.
You will lead a small brewing team, be on the tools, and set the standard for yeast health, water chemistry, documentation, CIP
discipline and packaging integrity. You will also own the logistics that moves our beer, and the group’s centralised wine and spirit
purchases, into our venues and out to regional accounts.
A day on the brew deck
• Plan and execute production from grain to glass on a 35 HL four-vessel DME brewhouse into 70 HL fermenters, plus keg and pack.
• Protect and tighten the core range so every pour in Port Douglas, Cairns, Trinity Beach and Sails is consistent and fresh.
• Build and run an Inner Sanctum seasonal and limited program.
• Lead raw material selection and supplier relationships.
• Run QA/QC: sensory, fermentation tracking, packaging specs, traceability.
• Mentor a small team. Safety, documentation and a clean cellar are non-negotiable.
• Own inventory, production planning and the logistics workflow.
• Work with venue and events teams on Brand Your Own Beer, collaborations and occasional VIP tours.
What you bring
• Proven time as Head Brewer or Senior/Lead Brewer in a commercial facility, or equivalent commercial brewing experience.
• Practical command of yeast health, water chemistry, fermentation control and sensory analysis.
• Experience across brewing, cellaring and packaging (keg and pack).
• Operational head for inventory, planning and logistics.
• Leadership that holds a small team to a high standard.
• The grit for grain bags, hot CIP, tropical humidity and early starts.
• A palate and a point of view — your recipes in the Inner Sanctum, and protection for the beers we already have.
• Eligible for an Australian Working Holiday visa (Subclass 417). German, French and UK passport holders aged 18–35 are currently
eligible.
Visa and longer-term pathway
The role is offered initially on a Subclass 417 Working Holiday visa. This allows a stay of up to 12 months, with work for one employer
generally limited to 6 months. Second and third years are possible subject to the visa rules that apply to your passport.
If you are the right person and the fit is strong, we would explore longer-term employer sponsorship pathways available in Far North
Queensland, including the Far North Queensland Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA). Brewer is a listed occupation under
the FNQ DAMA, which includes a pathway toward permanent residency. This is not automatic and depends on the candidate, the role
and the requirements in force at the time.
Why Cairns
You will brew on the waterfront in a heritage shed overlooking Trinity Inlet. After shift you can be in the water, on the reef, or up the
range toward Kuranda. The Wet is a season, not a personality. Winter in Cairns lasts a couple of days. Regional Queensland housing and
living costs leave more of a package on the table than most major cities.
What we offer
• A competitive package for the right experience and qualifications
• Relocation assistance for the candidate ready to make the move
• Genuine ownership of production, quality, recipe direction and distribution
• A small team, a serious kit, and venues that put your beer in front of locals and visitors every day
• Staff beer and a working environment that is expected to be clean, safe and organised
• The chance to put Far North Queensland beer on a bigger stage without leaving the tropics
How to apply
Hemingway’s Brewery
Cairns / Port Douglas · Far North Queensland, Australia
Head Brewer
Production leadership, brew deck & cellar
Own the brew deck. Keep 1,400 seats pouring. The winterless north.
Hemingway’s Brewery FNQ · independent craft brewery and hospitality group · Cairns & Port Douglas
Send your CV and a short note covering two things:
1. The beer you are most proud of having brewed — and why.
2. Why a move to Cairns makes sense for you now.
Email: info@hemingwaysbrewery.com
Subject: Head Brewer – [Your Name]
Applications will be reviewed as they land. If you have the tickets, the scars and the palate, we want to hear from you.