By Simon Gould as seen in Lifestyle Barrington Coast magazine 2026 edition.

Since 2017, The Coastal Brewing Company has been quietly building something bigger than a brewery. What started as a homebrewing passion for Helen and David Black has grown into an award winning business, and the first craft brewery Forster had seen, launching into a town still getting to know what craft beer could be.

Naming every beer after home

Their goal from the start was to put the Barrington Coast itself in the spotlight, and it shows in how they name all their beers: 2428 Draught, Black Head Milk Stout, Boomerang Beach Pale and Hearts Point NEPA are all small homages to the places locals know and love.

Those beers now travel well beyond the region too, stocked at licensed premises from Canberra to the Queensland border and featured in craft beer subscription boxes nationwide, quietly telling the Barrington Coast story to drinkers who’ve never set foot here.

Something for everyone in the taproom

Step into the taproom and you’ll usually find Helen behind the bar, pouring their own extensive beer range alongside locally produced wine, locally brewed gin, homegrown Saxby’s soft drinks and fresh house made pizza.

And their alcohol-free range Dalman Street Beer, means there’s a genuine option for every visitor, not just the craft beer enthusiasts.

Backing the arts, sport and each other

Coastal Brewing’s community involvement runs deep. They sponsor local music festivals and the Spring Festival, recognising how much arts and culture matter to the Barrington Coast identity.

They also support the local dragon boat club along with a range of other sporting groups and charities. Whether it’s a festival stage, a sporting jersey or a charity fundraiser, their brand shows up as a mark of solidarity rather than simple exposure.

Investing in the next generation of brewers

That same spirit extends to their own team. Helen speaks proudly of their new apprentice brewer, currently training through TAFE. “We’re putting him through the training with TAFE and he’ll become a brewer in a few years.

And he’s local too,” she says. “People are at the centre of what we do.