This was well before the explosion of Australian boutique beers, at a time when local beer was mostly just a generic cold drink for a ‘hard earned thirst’, as opposed to the wide variety of flavours savoured across Europe.

The peninsula offered a lifestyle change the couple had been looking for. They left Melbourne in the late 90’s, soon leaving behind jobs in advertising and website design, and setting about building their new life. Dave undertook a short course in brewing in Ballarat, while, onsite they built the brew house, taught themselves the art of growing hops and renovated the property.

The finished product was a microbrewery complimented by cellar door and café that served food influenced by the beer-loving European countries that had inspired them. Red Hill Brewery opened its doors in 2004, around the same time as Karen and Dave started a family.

At the top of the list is the ever popular Golden Ale, a two-time bronze and two-time silver winner at the Australian International Beer Awards. Along with the Wheat Beer and Scotch Ale, it is one of the year-round products.  As for the bevy of other beers, which have won a slab of awards, it’s an ever-changing rotation of specialty seasonal brews, with a new one available almost every month.  In summer it’s the Christmas Ale and Belgium Blonde, followed by the Hop Harvest Ale to celebrate the autumn harvest. Things get heavier in winter with dark beers including the Imperial Stout and then Wiezenbock as the hops return, heralding spring and the Bohemian Pilsner, which has now earnt a place on the permanent roster.

Autumn is a particularly active time, with the annual Hop Harvest in March, when they invite the public to come and pick hops, enjoy lunch and enjoy a brewery fresh beer or two, just to experience the process at both ends.

Karen says her favourite of the beers depends on the weather, season, even the time of day. They both love the variety, but are quite partial to the pilsner.

As much as the beer, they enjoy the lifestyle they’ve established in Red Hill with their family, having set up a business they are enthusiastic about in an area with real community spirit and great location. As demanding as the business can be, they regularly visit the beach and find that, if you can get the balance right, it is the ideal place for the active, connected, family lifestyle the couple want.

OPEN Thu-Sun 11-7 plus more in summer and long weekends.

Did you know that you can now stay in the Brewers Cottage set in the grounds of the brewery?

The Brewer’s Cottage is a fully self contained, comfortably appointed three bedroom holiday house in the grounds of the Red Hill Brewery, the Peninsula’s original microbrewery. Featuring a fabulous designer kitchen with all the culinary tools necessary to delight the foodie, you will be perfectly equipped to prepare and enjoy the produce of the Mornington Peninsula in your own kitchen with the superb craft beers from the Brewery. Relax by the open fire, gather around the gourmet kitchen or enjoy a bbq and great brews outside amongst the beautiful rural setting, whilst the kids play in the cubby, boat and trampoline.

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Celebrate The Digger’s Club’s homegrown harvest at the home of heirloom seeds and taste-test winners.

Be inspired to grow your own food and flowers at free mini workshops and garden tours. Trial the taste-test winners and enjoy lunch on the pool lawn overlooking the garden from a special menu of fresh produce provided by our Fork to Fork restaurant.

You can also explore the new Heronswood Gallery, celebrating the incredible art of the seed, and free children’s activities will run from 11:00am to 2:00pm on each day.

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Over the course of the year, we welcome our Wine Club members, locals and holidaymakers to the Western-port side of the Mornington Peninsula, to Pt. Leo Estate for our 4 Seasons Feast Series. This series celebrates the pleasures of changing seasons in our 50-acre vineyard, and the produce that we source for our feasts from in and around the Mornington Peninsula.

Forage & Feast// 5:30pm – 9pm Saturday 6th April

Join us for a feast-style dinner to celebrate the harvest season at Pt. Leo Estate. Our seasonal three-course menu will showcase the best of the Peninsula’s produce, with a wine flight of Pt. Leo Estate wines to match the special forage-style menu.

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However when you are creative, energetic and well connected, opportunities present themselves, and an ambitious talent like Tim has just the right drive and tenacity to seize the chance to make award winning local olive oil.  And so Main Ridge Olive Oil Company was launched in February of this year, when Tim and Michelle decided to make the most of an offer to take on the consignment of two olive oil farms that had olives ready for picking.

With a property in Flinders (The Burraworin Estate, which won a silver medal in last Fine Food Awards) and in Paringa Road in Red Hill, Tim has access to several types of green and black olives including Koroneiki, Piccholine and Frantoio.  “You get different flavours and different poly counts from different types of olives,” explains Tim.  “The two olive oils we are producing at the moment are single estate.  Later this year we will be harvesting olives from different varietals of trees, so we will be blending the two varieties to hopefully create a gold medal winning blend.”

Tim has had a steep learning curve over the last few months, having already picked and pressed his first harvest.  The season for picking olives is usually around May, but the groves were ready to harvest a little earlier this year.  Laboratory testing of the leaves shows the level of oil and determines when the olives are ready, and harvesting is carried out by machines where possible and by hand where the mechanical pickers can’t gain access.  The olives are placed in large tubs and transported to local Pressers within two hours of being harvested, where the olives are cold pressed (no chemical extraction or heat extraction), and the oil extracted at a constant temperature under 27 degrees celsius.  The first olive oil will be ready by mid May.

A lot of time, effort, thought and consideration has been put into the packaging design for the Main Ridge Olive Oil range.  Created by a local designer, a special paper bottle wrap features hand-drawn sketches of the complete olive oil production process so that those who enjoy the olive oil an also gain an understanding of how it came into being.  The 700ml bottles of boutique olive oil will retail for $26.

Tim has big plans for Main Ridge Olive Oil Company.  He is already set to enter his Main Ridge Olive Oil in the Fine Food Awards later this year, and plans to attend the New York Olive Oil competition next year and hopefully enter the range in Japan next year as well.  “As I learnt about the industry, the production process and the industry certifications, I quickly set some clear goals.  Next year we will expand our offering with a pantry range, using the overflow of fruit and vegetables from our grower who also has organic farms,” says Tim.

Tim will be handling the distribution, selling to local pantry and grocer shops on the Mornington Peninsula and in the CBD, as well as direct to the consumer online.  He will also be supplying bulk tins to restaurants and the fine dining industry and the overseas market will develop once Tim attends the competitions in New York and Japan.

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Drawing on backgrounds in clinical research & agriculture, Kylie and Brad have implemented a traditional & natural process of growing, harvesting & distilling the lavender. The five acre lavender crop was sown by hand, is weeded by hand & harvested by hand. No chemicals are used on the plants so the end product is in its purest form. Their products use high concentrations of natural, essential & plant oils. Their hand wash, soaps and creams are gentle, soothing and luxurious. Their honey, tea & culinary lavender are subtle & delicious.

The farmhouse is divine; a beautiful home where you can relax & is available for holiday rental.

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