The Gold Coast’s largest independent brewer, Burleigh Brewing, is celebrating two decades in business.

Known for its Bighead range, tropical pale ale Twisted Palm and Australian-first international collaboration with the world-famous Budvar Brewery, the brand is also southeast Queensland’s oldest independent beer company.

Burleigh Brewing poured its first lager in 2006 when founders Peta and Brennan Fielding took a chance on a newly built complex in the Burleigh Heads industrial precinct and became the first dedicated production brewery on the Gold Coast.

Peta said: “Twenty years, wow; honestly, we came into this with a very long term view but two decades into the future wasn’t something we could picture – we’re extremely grateful to everyone who’s ever sipped and savoured a Burleigh Brewing beer during that time. And our team, we seriously couldn’t have done it without them.

“It’s wild to think the Q1 had only just opened and the Titans still weren’t in the NRL when we started Burleigh Brewing in 2006; and Facebook still hadn’t made it beyond university dorm rooms.

“At the time, the idea of an independent production brewery on the Gold Coast was perplexing to most people – we knew going in, it was a gamble

“But Brennan and I always believed that the Gold Coast was full of potential and adding quality, independent brewing to its long list of qualities was just what was needed. We’re stoked that the people of the Gold Coast, and Australia came to believe in that too.

“I remember when we were in those early stages, banks struggled to understand the scope of what we were doing and the local council’s planning rules hadn’t been tested on a project like ours yet.

“It’s been a huge honour to become part of the fabric of the Gold Coast – we’re not here because it’s been easy. It’s a tough industry for independent players in Australia and we’ve watched good, independent breweries fall over; and we don’t take a single schooner of it for granted.”

Over the past 20 years, Burleigh Brewing has produced enough beer to fill more than 250,000 bathtubs.

Then there’s the brush with British royalty when Brennan was asked to brew a special batch of his Duke Premium Lager for Princess Anne, King Charles’ sister, scoring a special invitation to have lunch with her in Brisbane.

Around 20 beer brands have appeared on the Gold Coast in the last 20 years, and while some have sold out to global alcohol companies, Burleigh Brewing remains fiercely independent.

The milestone comes at a brutal time for independent brewing nationally, with a string of well known names entering administration over the past two years.

“It’s something we’re very proud of – it’s cliche, but I think we’ve got soul,” Peta said. “The Gold Coast is our home, and we plan to be here for another 20 years at least.

“There’s some other great beer makers coming out of the area now, so I like to think we helped blaze a bit of a trail.

“What’s the trick to lasting 20 years in the beer business? You have to love it – and I’m not just talking about a pint. Our original KPIs had nothing to do with spreadsheets or bottom lines – it was a win if we simply saw someone rock up to a house party with a six pack of Burleigh Brewing. Twenty years later, we’re still proud to be the beer people are proud to bring along.”