Old Face, New Dog: Martin Howell has stepped into the booming world of home brewing by purchasing The Brew Store Noosa. Marty, a long-time local and brewing enthusiast, has been perfecting his craft since the late 1980s and has spent the past five years working for the previous owner, Scotty Hooper, as the much-loved "Saturday guy." With decades of experience under his belt, Marty has witnessed the evolution of the home brewing scene firsthand — and he says the changes in recent years have been remarkable. “The whole of the Sunny Coast is a haven for craft beers,” Marty said. “With that, there’s been a big increase in people wanting to brew their own.” “When I started, there were just a couple of companies supplying the home brew market, and it was mostly the old brews-in-a-can. Now, there are dozens of suppliers offering everything from traditional kits to fresh wort packs, where you just add water and yeast, and you’ve got a quality craft beer.” Marty is especially excited about the growth of the all grain brewing movement. “It’s like commercial brewing, just scaled down for home use. You make your beer completely from scratch — using malted barley, hops, yeast, and water.” He proudly describes brewing as "the hobby you can drink," and it’s clear that passion drives everything he does. Under Marty’s ownership, The Brew Store Noosa is expanding its offerings for brewers of all experience levels. From beginners to seasoned pros, the store stocks a huge range of brew-in-a-can kits and fresh wort packs, perfect for anyone looking for an easy way to brew great beer at home. The shop also carries over 40 varieties of grain and hops, plus all the specialty yeasts needed for advanced all-grain brewing. And for distillers, there's a massive selection of over 300 essences and distilling yeasts to choose from. To make it even easier for locals to get brewing, The Brew Store now offers free delivery every Saturday afternoon to Nambour, Mapleton, Montville, Palmwoods, Eudlo, and Woombye. To place an order, call the shop on (07) 5412 2766, visit the online store at thebrewstore.com.au, or email info@thebrewstore.com.au With a new face at the helm but the same commitment to quality and community, The Brew Store Noosa remains a proud hub for the Sunny Coast’s growing home brewing scene.