Starting a Brewery is something that I’ve wanted to do for some time.

My name is David Cox and I grew up in Melbourne before becoming an Electrician. At 34 I was bored with city life so I moved to the South Australian Outback. Just near the Northern Territory border was the Mount Dare Hotel, which I owned and ran for 14 years.

Mt Dare is on the western edge of the Simpson Desert and about as remote as you’ll get anywhere in Aus. A must see stop for 4wder’s travelling the Simpson Desert and Outback. Mt Dare was a very busy place during the tourist season and most days we’d see 50 - 100 4WDs.

Moving back to the city was never going to work and I started searching for something else, what I wasn’t sure! With my passion of brewing I wanted to start a Brewery. I came across a little country Pub in Avenel, a small town just north of Seymour in Victoria. In fact most people only think of Avenel as a roadhouse on the Hume heading north. But there is much more to Avenel than that!

Avenel is beaut little town of about 1,100 people and it has a great deal of history dating back to 1850. Ned Kelly even lived here with his family as a boy. At 12 years old he saved a Shelton boy from drowning in the flooded Hughs Creek. That boy was the Grandfather of the man that now owns the Imperial Hotel building that I lease.

My Pale Ale has become very popular with the locals. Not a market that I ever thought I’d tap into, but with open minds they tried it and many drink it as their preferred Beer!

I’m no spectacular craft beer wiz and are certainly far from an expert in brewing beer, but my philosophy is simple! Don’t try and confuse the flavour profile, be honest and make good beer.

I hope to be able to provide a great experience at the Hop Back Brewery within the Imperial Hotel.