Awards, anniversaries, and cocktails – we catch up with Shawn from Foghorn Brewery
It was early 2015 that we first met Shawn Sherlock of FogHorn Brewery. At the time, it was Newcastle’s OG craft brewery, with the massive warehouse style venue reflecting the city’s growing thirst for craft beer.
A leader in the industry, Shawn holds a long list of craft beer awards, that includes being named Australian Brewer of the Year in 2012, and in August 2024 our very own Bar Awards recognised FogHorn as Brewpub of the Year.
Owner of FogHorn Brewery - Shawn Sherlock
A Newcastle local, Shawn along with his team is passionate about the region and its people – and it was back in early 2010’s that Shawn’s dream of opening his own brewery started to manifest, even back then Shawn knew Newcastle needed its own brewhouse!
A decade later, Shawn continues to be the Chief Brewing Officer at FogHorn, as well as one of the region’s most respected brewers.
We dropped in for a long overdue chat to get a FogHorn update, to hear what’s new, what’s continued to tick along, and what they’ve got cooking in the kitchen.
First up was a quick refresh on the FogHorn name, with Shawn explaining,
“We named it FogHorn after the shipping movements in the harbour, we’ve got one of the original foghorns here in the brewery, which we occasionally sound,
“It’s one of those ‘Newcastle’ sounds that you kind of get used to as part of the backdrop of the city. We wanted a name that reflected where we come from but that didn’t take itself too seriously.”
Turning ten is a significant milestone for any business, and as Foghorn approaches its 10th anniversary it marks the perfect opportunity to change a few things up,
“We know not everyone enjoys drinking beer so we wanted to provide more variety in our drinks menu, adding cocktails and updating and upgrading our new Hunter focussed wine list. The menu is quite extensive and has all the favourites like the Espresso Martini, and Mojitos.
"Our restaurant and dining space has always been a real strength of the venue and remains the same. The open warehouse style area allows us to cater to larger style events, or section it off for smaller more intimate parties, which has always worked well.
“The onsite brewery has, and will always be a drawcard. Beer is best consumed fresh, and you can’t get any fresher than drinking beer served straight from the tank at the brewery that brewed it.
Arriving at the bar you’re faced with 16 taps of FogHorn flavours, including classics like the King Street Pale, XPA and Newy Pale Ale. The taps are always on rotation which allows the brew team to flex their craft beer muscle with heavyweight favourites like Sligo Extra Stout at 7.6% ABV and regular new IPAs and Belgian inspired brews with Shawn explaining,
"Lagers are also a specialty - brewed traditionally and served fresh. There is always something new to try on tap."
The food has had an update, with Chef Chelsea Harrison bringing local producers and fresh produce to the table. The generous sized pizzas are a highlight and make for an ideal sharing option. Naturally the menu features all your favourites like burgers, schnitzels, steak, fish, salads and sides, ensuring everyone is kept happy.
A Newcastle institution, if you’re yet to visit FogHorn, you’re missing out, but now’s the time to turn that around. Make your way into King St to experience the FogHorn community and its quality brews. Whether that be for after-work drinks, a Saturday session, or getting in early to nab a seat at their super popular trivia nights, there’s no better way to experience craft beer and a community vibe.
