Our Story
Beer Grows Here
At Devilbend Farm Beer Co, beer truly grows here. Founded by brothers Mike and Owen Shaw, Devilbend was built around a simple but ambitious idea — to grow the key ingredients for beer on the same land where it's brewed and served.
Since opening our doors in June 2023, it's become a place where visitors can experience the full journey of beer from soil to glass, while enjoying the relaxed pace of farm life on the Mornington Peninsula.
Four Generations on the Land
The Shaw family has been farming on the Mornington Peninsula since the 1930s, with deep roots in dairying, beef cattle and poultry.
Agriculture has always been at the centre of family life here — supported by generations of farming knowledge and a genuine connection to the Mornington Peninsula. That connection continues to shape everything we do at Devilbend today.
The brewery sits on farmland locally known as Ned's Corner, a small landmark that's been a familiar reference point for locals for as long as anyone can remember.
A New Chapter for the Farm
Mike and Owen purchased the property in 2018 and saw an opportunity to create something genuinely new for the Mornington Peninsula.
Agriculture has always been central to the region, but like many farming areas it continues to evolve. The vision for Devilbend was to explore new possibilities — combining traditional farming with craft brewing to give the land a new kind of purpose.
The property itself carried a rich agricultural history as a working apple orchard. Historic farm structures — a cool store, packing shed and blacksmith forge — stood as quiet reminders of the generations who had worked the land before. Rather than letting those buildings fade into the past, the goal was to give them new life as the heart of a working brewery and farm.
Devilbend was created with the belief that farming could continue to adapt and thrive — growing not just crops, but the very ingredients that would become the beer itself.
Paddock to pint was born.
From the Paddock to the Glass
Unlike most breweries, the story of a Devilbend beer begins long before brewing day.
In May 2022 the first barley crop was planted on the farm, with harvest following that December. Hop rhizomes were planted across the property soon after, producing their first harvest in early 2023 and continuing to mature with each growing season.
Growing these ingredients ourselves keeps us closely connected to the land and the rhythms of each season. The relationship between farm and brewery runs both ways — spent grain from the brewhouse feeds our cattle, treated wastewater helps irrigate the hop fields, and regenerative practices including rotational grazing, tree planting and solar energy support the long-term health of the land.
At Devilbend, farming and brewing are part of the same cycle. Each one sustaining the other.
Building Something Worth Keeping
As the vision for Devilbend took shape, work began on bringing the old farm buildings back to life.
The former cool store was transformed to house the brewery. The old packing shed was carefully renovated to become the taproom and venue. Structures that had stood on the property for generations were given a new purpose — and in the process, became something the whole community could enjoy.
A key part of bringing the vision to life was Head Brewer Michael Stanzel, whose German brewing background and deep respect for traditional technique helped shape both the brewhouse and the beers produced here. Michael quickly became part of the Devilbend family, bringing technical precision and genuine creativity to a range of beers that reflect the ingredients grown right outside the door.
A Place to Gather
From the beginning, Devilbend was designed to be more than just a brewery.
The goal was to create a place where people could slow down, share a beer and enjoy the atmosphere of a working farm — whether that's lunch with family, a drink with friends or simply time spent outdoors on the Mornington Peninsula.
It's a place where the land, the beer and the people all come together.
Beer Grows Here
Every pint begins long before the brewhouse. It starts in the soil, grows through the seasons and finishes in the glass.
This is beer that grows here.
