SWELL BREWING Co. STORY

Dan Wright has been in search of the perfect wave since he first waxed a surfboard. He’s also been in search of the perfect beer. While trekking the world on a two-year surf and snowboard odyssey, an idea brewed. Swell Brewing Co. is the result. Originally brewed in the back shed of Dan and wife Corrina’s vineyard in McLaren Vale, the aim of Swell Brewing Co. is to share our premium craft beer with others.

We are passionate about craft beer, using the finest ingredients we can source and our brewing skills to bring our individual flavour. Coming to brewing from a wine background, we wanted our beers to represent new layers of flavour and texture, and to be a first choice for matching with food.

Best enjoyed cold, from a glass with your mates, after a day on the coast.

 DAN WRIGHT, BREWER & FOUNDER

Travelling North and South America following the surf on a budget meant that there were a lot of very long bus rides. It was during these breaks from the swell, that I began to think about the awesome craft beer industry in the Americas. Why wasn’t there anything like this in Australia?  So out came the journal, and over numerous 10-hour bus rides to the next surf spot, the idea for Swell Brewing Co. developed.

As soon as I returned to Australia, I started on my brewing career. Setting up a brewery in our back shed, I worked hard at perfecting my beers. I was a favourite guest at many of my mates houses as I would bring around my brews for feedback sessions. After three years of brewing from scratch, and I felt that my recipes were finally where I wanted them to be, and I was ready to take the plunge into launching our brand.

In my non-brewing life, I run our own vineyard called Rayments Block which produces premium grapes for Penfolds and Wirra Wirra wines. The Swell Taphouse looks out over our vineyard towards the d'Arenberg Cube.

Married to winemaker for Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards, Corrina, we are the proud parents of Koen and Miah. I enjoy travelling, especially exploring new surf breaks and snow slopes with my family. We also love to get away to our holiday house at Marion Bay on the Yorke Peninsula - with some of best surf in the state! 

SHANE PARKES, BREWER

Our brewer Shane loves craft beer - even if he doesn't have the beard to prove it. Previously a member of the Vale Ale & Fox Hat brewing team, Shane is bringing his craft to the new brewery facilities at Swell Taphouse. Shane has formed a special bond with co-worker, Mikey Wright, and we hope to hear the pitter-patter of another brewery bulldog in the near future.

LIAM SHARRAD, SALES

Our super sales guy Liam was our very first employee, when we became grown ups. He peddles our wares from the Barossa to Victor and everywhere in between. Liam also successfully carries an impressive beard and man bun, ensuring that we have our proper compliment of hipsters. He loves craft beer. Like REALLY loves it.

ROB ROWLANDS, BAR MANAGER

Hailing from the small backwater of London, Rob was enticed to up stumps and move the bright lights and bustling metropolis of McLaren Vale. Tired of meeting celebrities managing nightclubs and hotel bars in ol' London town, craft beer lover and full-blooded hospo Rob, is now our go-to guy for all our loved customers. He has two cats (Mikey approves), he loves cheese and barracks for some random football team called Crystal Palace. We even had to google who they are.

NICKI WHITNEY, HEAD CHEF

A lover of mac n' cheese AND pale ale, head chef Nicki is pretty much our spirit animal. Coming to the Swell Taphouse kitchen via the Hindley Park Royal, National Wine Centre, Restaurant Air, Juno Cafe and The Prephouse, just to name a few- Nicki refuses to be an asshole chef. For that alone, we make sure that we have no clowns or spiders in the venue, her mortal fears. Her food is local, delish and goes down perfectly with a cold beer straight from the tap.