Tristan Bredhauer was a diesel mechanic in Brisbane until another fuel took his fancy in Townsville – beer. Not so much the drinking of it, though that is a side benefit, but the making of it.
Tristan and his brother Phillip Bredhauer, who was living in Sydney, were keen to run a business together and looked all over Queensland for the right opportunity.
They found it making craft beer at the Townsville Brewery, housed in the old post office with its iconic clock-tower.
The tradie brothers #madethemove to the north-eastern coastal city and took over the business in September 2020.
“I have so much more freedom in my job now,” Tristan says.
“One day I’m helping out behind the bar, the next I’m selling our beer to local businesses.”
He no longer has the 4am starts and big commutes that accompanied life in Brisbane.
“Now I burn the midnight oil and sleep in every day,” Tristan says.
The brewery is a family affair. Tristan and Phil are co-directors and Tristan’s partner? (or is it Phil’s partner?) Jessica helps keep the accounts.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Bredhauers have managed to retain the majority of the micro-brewery’s staff members and rehire some who were let go during the first wave of lockdowns.
“We’re just rolling with the punches and it helps that we’ve had resounding support from the local community, businesses, and suppliers,” Tristan says.
While the hours are long, when you’re working with family and friends at one of Townsville’s premier venues, with your own beers literally on tap, it often doesn’t feel like work. “You’re a lot more motivated to show up every day and give it your all when you love what you do,” Tristan says.