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Felons Brewing Co., one of Australia’s most innovative craft breweries, will mark the full realisation of its harbourside home at Manly Wharf with a three-day celebration headlined by homegrown favourites Winston Surfshirt and legendary Australian band Mental As Anything, with free entry to all performances.
Launching on the first weekend of summer, the milestone event will herald the installation of Felons’ new on-site microbrewery and the opening of Felons Barrel Room, the final chapter in bringing the full Felons Manly experience to life.
The launch weekend will see Winston Surfshirt perform at Felons Barrel Room on Friday 5 December, followed by Mental As Anything on Saturday 6 December, before wrapping up on Sunday 7 December with a day that begins family-friendly and evolves into a takeover by Australian dance label Sweat It Out. The early afternoon will be open to all ages, while from 7pm the party shifts gear with James Pepper, Yolanda Be Cool, Bella Backe, Joel Cantone and Ashlea Milinkovic bringing dance floor heat until close. All events are free to attend, inviting locals and visitors to enjoy beer, food and live music by the harbour as Felons Manly enters a new era.
“Felons Manly has always been about connection between people, community and place,” said Adam Flaskas, co-founder and director of Artemus Group. “This summer, we’re excited to contribute to the cultural energy that already makes Manly such a special place, bringing together music, craft and community by the harbour.”
Opening Friday 5 December 2025, Felons Barrel Room will introduce a bold evolution in the brewery’s hospitality and cultural offering, blending barrel-aged beer, Vietnamese cuisine and live music in a dynamic setting. A 700-capacity cultural hub and entertainment venue, Felons Barrel Room will feature a stage, bars and seating for more than 300 diners. The walls will be lined by more than 100 French oak barrels used to age a wide variety of Felons’ beers that will be made on site.
With a world-class audio and lighting system purpose-built for live performance, the venue will host an ongoing program of live music with a focus on local and emerging talent. It will also present themed events such as trivia and movie nights, comedy shows, jazz evenings and intimate “piano bar” gigs. Featuring a sound system by internationally recognised German manufacturer d&b audiotechnik and a dynamic lighting rig, the acoustically treated space will deliver an experience unmatched on the Northern Beaches.
The menu, developed by Australian-Vietnamese chef Bao La and Ty Bellingham (Sailor’s Thai, Bathers’ Pavilion’s Betel Leaf), builds on the success of Saigon Supper Inn, serving vibrant Vietnamese dishes that pair with Felons’ barrel-aged beers, including a Barrel-Aged Crisp Lager matured for six weeks in Starward Whisky barrels. The drinks list will feature natural wines, signature cocktails and a refined back bar.
At the heart of this evolution is the new brewery: a custom-built, steam-powered, 18.5-hectolitre dry malt extract (DME) brewhouse, designed to showcase the tangible elements of a working brewery on Manly Wharf. The two venues will pour beer directly from 3600L tanks, providing unrivalled freshness across beer, cider and seltzer. An interior walkway will allow select visitors a glimpse into the brewing process of Felons’ award-winning beer. A custom-designed koelschip is a new addition for the Felons Brewing Co. brew team and, shortly after opening, will be installed to create unique beers that capture the taste identity of Manly.
The brewery, led by brewery director Tom Champion and lead brewer Gareth Cooper, will feature daily tours, tastings and meet-the-brewer sessions, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the brewing process. Guests can look forward to Manly-exclusive and seasonal beers that reflect the Northern Beaches’ coastal creativity, alongside Felons classics such as Crisp Lager, Galaxy Haze and Australian Pale Ale.
Upon opening Felons Manly, the team brewed a beer exclusively for the new venue, a crisp Japanese rice lager perfect for days by the Harbour. To honour the new waterside location they partnered with Seabin so that every glass of Felons Japanese Rice Lager purchased, funds the removal of a piece of plastic from Sydney Harbour. Felons will continue its sustainability partnership with SeaBin, with more than 20,000 pieces collected to date.
“The installation of the brewery and the opening of Felons Barrel Room mark a defining moment for Felons,” said Dean Romeo, brand director of Felons Brewing Co. “Together, these spaces represent everything we stand for: creating dynamic places that celebrate the art of brewing, the joy of connection through a beer poured fresh from the tank, and the creative spirit that runs through the Manly community. With Felons Barrel Room, we’re pairing great beer with vibrant Vietnamese food and live music to create a place alive with energy and possibility. It’s our way of celebrating Manly, a destination that’s as much about people as it is about place.”
Recently celebrating its one-year anniversary with the launch of a new beer garden and family playground, Felons Manly continues to evolve into a welcoming, community-focused destination for all ages. Beyond the beer, Felons’ mission has always been to create places that bring people together, where families, friends and visitors can relax, connect and feel part of something bigger. Over the past year, Felons has contributed more than $150,000 to local charities and organisations, including LocalKind, Manly SLSC, Bold & Beautiful Swim and the Manly Marlins Rugby Club.
Since taking ownership of Manly Wharf in April 2024, Artemus Group has been dedicated to transforming the waterfront precinct into a vibrant hub for community and culture.
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