Brewer Spotlight: Nathan Munt on what it means to brew unapologetically

This year, King River Brewing is celebrating 10 years of craft, creativity and community.

The brewery was founded by Nathan Munt in 2016 in an old tobacco shed with a 10-hectolitre brewhouse. To get there, Munt took what he described as a “scenic route” to a career in beer. Typically, a wine drinker, he experimented with beer after discovering Belgian varieties.

“If I was to sip on a beer it was Chimay, Duvel, La Chouf, etc. Then one day Unibroue Terrible made me realise beer could be every bit as layered and interesting as wine,” he explained.

Wanting to experiment with flavour himself, Munt began homebrewing and became obsessed.

“I worked managing IT systems in banking and finance in Melbourne before my homebrewing obsession got seriously out of hand. Eventually, I swapped spreadsheets for stainless steel (though not completely). The finance background has been useful. The suit though, only for court,” he joked.

Ten years later, he says it is hard to pick a favourite moment, but one that stands above the rest is King River Brewing’s dark strong lager, Mabon Doppelbock, winning the AIBA trophy for Best Amber/Dark Lager twice in four years.

“Winning once was wonderful; winning twice proved it was not a fluke but a world-class beer. A beer that itself is steeped in history. Winning the Best Amber/Dark Lager at the largest beer competition in the world is an incredible achievement for the whole team.”

He added: “Speaking of, I am just as proud of the people that work with me. We are a tight team and one that is truly poised to take on our next stage of growth. Our passion for what we’re creating is very much the same across the board.”

Unapologetic brewing

Trading the pace of Melbourne for Victoria’s High Country, Munt moved into the region a decade ago with a simple ethos: brew delicious beer people want to drink, time and time again.

With a focus on natural processes and using only premium, local ingredients wherever possible, he said local malt and yeast are still some of his favourites showcase in a brew.

“Hops get the headlines often, but I love characterful malt, particularly Voyager’s Veloria. The canvas for our best beers is this incredible malt. Yeast in turn gives so many of our favourite Belgian-style beers their unique personality. 

“We get a lot of questions about why our beer tastes so good and a lot of it has to do with us not skimping on quality ingredients. I also nod to fresh High Country Hops when the season allows.”

That same energy continues to drive Munt’s approach to brewing, with a constant excitement for the next brew of the line.

“We are about to brew our Oktoberfest beers: Cliffhanger Hefeweizen, Smooth Alt, King Devil and Märzen. We absolutely love Oktoberfest season; it is when King River Brewing is completely in its element. These styles are not a seasonal costume for us. They are what we do.”

Munt believes what makes King River Brewing truly special is its ability to remain unapologetically itself.

“We brew German, Belgian and other European styles that we genuinely love, with balance and drinkability, rather than chasing every passing trend. Add the location, people working here and a community that really took the place to heart, and you have something that could not have been created in a marketing meeting.

“One of my favourite things is that at beer festivals you will find so many of the brewers at King River, checking out our latest lager or wonderful Belgian, and I love that about us. I often say we are the brewery that brews for other brewers. We’re unapologetic about that,” he said.

Entering a new era

Describing the current market for craft beer in Australia, Munt put it plainly; “brilliant beer, brutal business.”

“Australian brewers are making world-class beer, but rising costs, market access and cost-of-living pressure make the business extremely tough. For regional breweries, weather and tourism volatility add another layer.”

Munt said the bushfire that tore through neighbouring suburbs in early January, shattered local businesses.

“Although they didn’t really get so close to us, they blocked any tourism during our busiest period and scared off a great deal more.”

Against the backdrop of challenging on-premise trade conditions in the region, Munt made the difficult decision to indefinitely close King River Brewing’s taproom in late July.

Looking towards the future, his focus is on nurturing the brewery’s wholesale and e-commerce business.

“Closing the taproom was heartbreaking, but it is not the same as closing King River Brewing,” he emphasised.

“The next chapter is leaner and much more focused on the beer: brewing to demand, working with the stockists and venues that support us, and selling online. There is some uncertainty, but the taproom closure should not be read as an obituary for King River Brewing or for our retail arm completely.”

King River Brewing will be looking for new retail opportunities, but when the time is right.

“The taproom chapter has ended at our 10-year home, but the beer and the story are still moving,” said Munt.

“If people want independent breweries to survive, the most useful thing they can do is buy independent beer and ask for it at their local.”

He reassured King River’s loyal drinkers: “We will let everyone know what’s to come, when we know. However, our focus for the beers has not budged an inch. “For me, the opportunity is in being genuinely independent, local and distinctive, then building direct relationships through good stockists, venues and online sales. Trying to out-volume the big brewers is not the game but finding the niche and making it yours is where we can shine.”