Tiny Northern Beaches Brewery Has A Big Win At The International Beer Awards

May 19, 2026

Sydney Northern Beaches nano-brewery Half-Pace Brewing Company has taken home one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, winning Best Fruit Beer at the 2026 Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne with its fan-favourite beer, Cherry Pick’n Sour.

Co-created by experienced brewer Dan Koorey alongside Hang 10 Distillery founders Deon Rowe and Marine Raynard, Half-Pace Brewing Company launched in early 2024 inside Hang 10 Distillery in Warriewood, becoming the first brewery open to the public in the suburb.

Built on a passion for small-batch brewing, creativity, and hyper-local community support, the brewery has quickly developed a reputation for producing bold, flavour-driven beers from a tiny custom-built brewhouse assembled largely from second-hand equipment and handcrafted components.

For a brewery barely two years old, receiving a trophy at what is considered the world’s largest annual beer competition was a surreal moment.

“The Australian International Beer Awards are incredibly respected within the brewing industry, so to hear Half-Pace called out amongst some of the best breweries in the country and around the world honestly felt unbelievable,” said Deon Rowe, Co-founder of Half-Pace Brewing Company and Hang 10 Distillery.

“This started as a passion project built inside an empty warehouse with second-hand equipment and a lot of late nights. To now stand on that stage with a trophy in hand means the world to us.”

The Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards celebrates brewing excellence across both packaged and draught beer categories. They attract entries from breweries of all sizes, both across Australia and internationally.

The Award-Winning Beer

The trophy-winning beer, Cherry Pick’n Sour, is a vibrant fruited sour ale. It’s conditioned on generous amounts of sour cherries, rhubarb and vanilla. This creates a rich jammy character balanced by bright acidity and refreshing tartness.

“Cherry Pick’n was one of those beers where the first time I brewed it, it all just worked, and over time I’ve slowly refined it a little to arrive where we currently are,” said Dan Koorey, Co-founder and Head Brewer at Half-Pace Brewing Company.

Photos by Darcie Collington

“We condition our base golden sour ale on massive amounts of sour cherries, rhubarb and vanilla to create something that was bold, expressive yet genuinely drinkable. The jammy, pie-like aroma and flavour really are the star of the show.”

“We wanted the beer to feel layered whilst still staying refreshing and balanced. It’s sweet, tart, moreish and the kind of beer that keeps pulling you back for another sip, so seeing it resonate with both drinkers and judges at this level is incredibly rewarding.”

Built Slowly, Built Locally

All beer production at Half-Pace is currently led by Dan Koorey. He handles recipe development, brewing, quality assurance, naming and packaging. He also balances this with a full-time role as Head Brewer at a Sydney brewpub.

The brewery intentionally focuses on small-batch production, allowing the team to experiment creatively while maintaining quality and consistency.

“This award is also for the Northern Beaches locals who’ve supported us along the way,” Rowe said.

“Whether someone grabbed a beer at the bar, picked up takeaway cans, or simply told a friend about us, that support is what keeps small independent breweries alive. We hope the local community can feel proud of what we’ve built here in Warriewood, because this achievement really belongs to everyone who’s backed us from the beginning. We’re incredibly grateful for the support around us.”

Koorey says the award is only the beginning for the tiny brewery.

“This is a huge milestone for our little brewery and we honestly can’t wait to see where the next few years take us,” he said.

“We’ve got plenty of exciting beers coming up, including another Barrel Aged Imperial Stout release over the next couple of months, we’re excited to keep pushing ourselves, ideas and creativity in all aspects of brewing.”

Half-Pace Brewing Company operates inside Hang 10 Distillery’s laid-back taproom, brewery and cellar door space in Warriewood on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The venue features fresh small-batch beer, handcrafted spirits, cocktails, pizzas, tasting experiences and takeaway cans.