Newcastle’s craft beer scene has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, and the wave of hops and yeast doesn’t seem to be slowing any time soon.

With the inner city fringe suburbs of Islington, Hamilton, and Merewether all seeing craft breweries pop up in the last 12 months, Broadmeadow has got in on the act with the launch of Thirsty Messiah.

Launching soon, Thirsty Messiah is the work of self-confessed home brewer Thomas and his wife Libby.

Leaving the public service in August 2019, Thomas spent time trying to work out what his next steps were, with the idea of a brewery always in the back of his mind.

“It’s been something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. I’ve got 6 taps at home and a smoker out the back and I regularly have 20, 30, or even 50 people around the home. Hospitality has always been in the genes, not sure why it’s just something I enjoy doing.”

Initially, Thomas and Libby began looking at a more boutique venue and spent close to 12 months looking before they landed on the Broadmeadow venue, as Thomas explains.

“I knew it was going to be a much bigger undertaking than I initially planned, but I could see the opportunity in the Broadmeadow location. What we’re doing complements the other sporting venues and experiences that are already established or coming to the area.”

“As well as being a part of the emerging craft beer scene that’s happening in Newcastle.”

Having not produced beer commercially prior to Thirsty Messiah, Thomas wants to maintain the mantle of a home brewer, and when you visit Thirsty Messiah, Thomas explains he wants people to feel as though they’ve entered a massive home brewery,

“I just want to open a brewery and make beer, I am just a home brewer. We’ll be experimenting with our own beers, I don’t like being constrained by having to go to a single supplier for my hops and grains, and do the standard dozen or so beers. I plan on covering a pretty wide gambit.

“Following some research, what we found is that people in Newcastle like a bit of choice.”

And choice is exactly what you’ll get with 40 beers on tap, both a combination of their own brews and craft beer from around Newcastle and the Hunter.

“The idea is that we wanted to establish a venue that was one big home brewery where you’ll be able to do a tour of the Hunter Valley.”

“Some people think we’re nuts having 40 taps on, but I wouldn’t want to do it any other way.”

Now to the name?!

“It was probably one of the hardest things we’ve had to do.

“We had a rule, if it was a better name for a beer than it was for a brewery then we couldn’t use it. We didn’t like Thirsty Messiah as a beer name, and there is a bit of a Monty Python theme going on which will continue through the brewery. You might find a ‘Wolf Nipple Chip’ on the menu. We just wanted to have a bit of fun.”

The building of Thirsty Messiah has been a massive project with much of the building and heavy lifting being done by Thomas and Libby, along with some loyal disciples. With the doors now open Thirsty Messiah’s offering is as big as the name suggests and awaits your arrival.