Young Henrys moving to former Mountain Goat site in Newtown as it enters next chapter

The brewery and tasting bar on Wilford Street, which evolved from a sparse warehouse into a colourful expression of the brand with brick walls covered in art and a fairy-lit beer sign, will be taken over by independent Marrickville distillery Ester Spirits. Ester Spirits is set to open an expanded cellar door at the site by mid-2027, increasing its production capacity ten-fold.

Young Henrys will take over the 155-seat King Street site formerly occupied by Mountain Goat in late October. The new venue will feature 12 taps, 10 hectolitres of brew space for staff-led specialty beers, and an on-site kitchen run by Plate it Forward, the social enterprise behind Kyiv Social and Colombo Social.

Co-founder Oscar McMahon described the move as a full circle moment. Melbourne-born Mountain Goat was the first brewery to collaborate with Young Henrys on a beer – an English-style ale called “The Kid” – in 2013. Now the same site will host Young Henrys’ next chapter.

The changeover is an unusual reversal in an industry dominated by multinational acquisitions. Mountain Goat, which closed at Newtown on September 26, was acquired by Asahi in 2015. Asahi also owns Australian beer brands including Balter, Reschs, Carlton Draught and 4 Pines. Young Henrys remains independently owned.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The move preserves an independent craft brewery in Sydney’s inner west at a time when many smaller brewers are acquired by multinationals.
The new site introduces a social enterprise kitchen, expanding Young Henrys’ role as a community venue beyond just beer.
Ester Spirits’ expansion into the old Wilford Street space will significantly boost distilling capacity in the area.

Background

Young Henrys has operated from its Wilford Street warehouse in Newtown for nearly 15 years, becoming a fixture of the local craft beer scene. The inner west of Sydney has seen a wave of brewery openings and closures in that period, with large beverage corporations acquiring several formerly independent brands. Mountain Goat, which opened its Newtown brewpub in the mid-2010s, was itself bought by Japanese giant Asahi in 2015 and ceased operations at the site in late September 2026.

Key Perspectives

Young Henrys (co-founder Oscar McMahon): The move represents a full-circle moment, returning to a site where the brewery’s first collaboration beer was created. The company stresses its continued independence. Ester Spirits: The distillery gets a larger production facility and cellar door, enabling a ten-fold increase in output. Plate it Forward: The social enterprise will operate the kitchen, bringing its model of employing refugees and asylum seekers to the new brewpub.

What to Watch

The late October opening of the King Street venue and how the 10-hectolitre brew space changes Young Henrys’ limited-edition beer offerings.
The transition of the Wilford Street site to Ester Spirits and whether the distillery meets its mid-2027 opening target.
Ongoing consolidation in the Australian beer market and whether more independent brewers face acquisition pressure.

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