Like many craft brewers today, John Stallwood began with a home brew kit. That was in 1994 and soon the idea of Nail Brewing was jumping around in his head.
In early 2000 John set up his brewery at Bobby Dazzler’s, a pub in the heart of the Perth CBD which is now known as The Boheme and still run by the same family. On March 23, 2000 the first ever pint of Nail Ale was poured from a tap at Bobby’s Dazzler’s.
The market was a lot different back then, Little Creatures would open their doors in November 2000 and the number of craft beers available was not many.
One night in 2004 John was in Fremantle and saw a fight break out, he didn’t know anyone involved but tried to help and ended up being assaulted himself. The incident left John severely injured and in hospital he was placed into a coma and he required a titanium plate to be put into his skull. At the time, the two surgeons in charge of the team – Doctor Jeff & Doctor Watson – said it was the largest plate they had dealt with.
John’s parents sold their son’s brewery to The Mad Monk, now known as Monk Craft Brewery Kitchen, in Fremantle.
After his recovery John set about to bring back Nail Brewing, using contract breweries like Jarrah Jacks’s in Pemberton and Edith Cowan University.
In 2012 John started BrewCorp with friend and fellow brewer Brendan Varis of Feral Brewing, and BrewCorp purchased a 50 hectolitre brewhouse from which all Nail Brewing beers are now produced.
Australian craft beer is booming and we are very proud to be one of the countries most awarded breweries. John has also played a big part in growing the craft beer scene in WA by being a key part in the formation of the Western Australian Brewer’s Association and The Perth Royal Beer Show. We are also proud to be 100% independently owned and operated.
Since 2000, before craft was craft, Nail has been producing all natural, high quality beers that are loved by locals and awarded by judges.
We brew five beers all year round and plenty of limited releases. Our Brew Log Collection beers are released seasonally in 330ml bottles and draught whilst our Keg Only Release beers are, well, only in kegs so making them exclusive to bars and pubs. Then there’s the annual beers, the really special ones that we do just once a year, the most famous of those being our Clout Stout.
Nail Brewing 