Caloundra is Quietly Becoming One of Australia’s Best Craft Drink Destinations and the World Has Noticed
There’s something special happening in Caloundra, and it’s not just the sunsets.
While visitors are busy chasing the waves at Kings Beach and tucking into incredible food across the region, two local producers have been quietly stacking up some of the most prestigious craft drink awards in the country and recently, the entire world.
We’re talking world titles. We’re talking gold medals fresh out of London this week. We’re talking the kind of recognition that puts a small coastal town on the global map. And the best part? You can pull up a stool and taste it all right here.
Beachtree Distilling Co: Twice Named the World’s Best
This one still feels a little surreal to say out loud. Nestled at 14 Industrial Avenue in Caloundra West and about five minutes from the CBD is a small-batch, solar-powered distillery that has just been named World’s Best Craft Producer for the second consecutive year, at the 2025 World Drinks Awards in London.
Not best in Queensland. Not best in Australia. Best. In. The. World.
Beachtree Distilling Co. is the creation of Steve Grace and Kirra Daley and this distillery draws on 65,000 years of connection to Country. Their spirits are made from certified organic Queensland sugarcane (no grain, no shortcuts), distilled in-house using native Australian botanicals like lemon myrtle, finger lime, strawberry gum, and pepperberry, and bottled without a single artificial additive.
The result is something the industry hadn’t quite seen before. Spirits with no burn. No chemical aftertaste. Just the genuine flavour of Australia, in a glass.
Alongside the back-to-back World’s Best Craft Producer titles, Beachtree also claimed World’s Best Sustainable Distillery in 2025, a reflection of their solar-powered production, certified organic ingredients, and their You Sip, We Plant initiative, which has seen over 25,000 native trees planted across Australia.
Their award list is extraordinary and it keeps growing. Just this week, Beachtree picked up two more golds at the 2026 World Gin Awards in London. Their Koala Native Citrus Gin, zesty with lemon myrtle and wild finger lime, distilled on organic Queensland sugarcane, took Gold in the Contemporary Style category. Their Native Plum & Sloe Gin went one better, taking Gold and being named Australia’s Best Flavoured Gin. Two entries. Two golds. One of them best in the country. From Caloundra.
That’s on top of previous gold at the New York World Spirits Awards, top honours at the Australian Spirit Awards, multiple gold medals from the IWSC, and earlier World Gin Awards recognition for their Quokka and Skippy Gins. They also produce Australia’s only certified organic whisky – a first for the country.
A tasting at Beachtree is by appointment so email [email protected] to book your session. Do it. It is genuinely unlike anything else you’ll taste on the Sunshine Coast.
Moffat Beach Brewing Co: The Most Awarded Brewery on the Sunshine Coast
If you haven’t already made the pilgrimage to Moffat Beach Brewing Co, consider this your official nudge. Founded by Matt and Sharynne Wilson, MBBC was born from a dream to build a truly unique hospitality experience. Something that celebrated great beer, fresh local produce, and the very best of Sunshine Coast life.
That dream has delivered in a big way.
Moffat Beach Brewing Co is the most awarded brewery on the Sunshine Coast, and their trophy cabinet backs that claim up with serious hardware. In 2023, head brewer Matt Wilson was named Brewer of the Year by Beer & Brewer magazine (one of the highest individual honours in Australian craft beer). That same year, the brewery took out Champion Australian Independent Medium Brewery at the Indies, Champion Independent Queensland Brewery, Champion Small Australian Brewery at AIBA, and Champion Small/Medium Brewery at the Royal Queensland Beer Awards.
For two years straight (2022 and 2023), they swept all four of those titles.
Their flagship Moff’s Session Ale is something of a legend was a 2023 Grand Champion Beer and Best Queensland Beer of Show at the Royal QLD Beer Awards, with more gold medals to its name than we can list here. The Passenger Pale Ale has been Champion Pale Ale multiple times over. And the Trilogy IPA claimed the Grand Champion Beer title again in 2024, along with Best QLD Beer and Champion IPA, making it back-to-back Grand Champions for the brewery.
These aren’t participation ribbons. These are the highest awards in Australian craft beer, judged by industry experts, and Caloundra’s own is winning them consistently.
Where to find them: MBBC has two spots worth knowing about. The original Beachside venue at 12 Seaview Terrace, Moffat Beach is 50 metres from the sand, proper beach-town brewery vibes, live music from Friday to Sunday, and a menu built around fresh, local produce. If you want the full brewpub experience, the Production House at 51 Caloundra Road in Caloundra West pours 20 taps of the freshest beer you’ll drink anywhere, backed by low ‘n’ slow BBQ and the option to book a brewery tour.
Both are worth your time. Go to Beachside for the view. Go to Production House for the depth of tap.
Caloundra: A Drink Destination Worth Discovering
What’s remarkable about both of these producers is that they’re not in Sydney or Melbourne or some hyped urban precinct. They’re here, in our town, made by locals who care deeply about what they’re putting in the bottle, who they’re honouring, and what they’re contributing to this community.
Moffat Beach Brewing Co has been building its award-winning reputation since 2017, beer by beer, batch by batch. Beachtree Distilling Co. arrived in Caloundra after the floods of 2022 threatened to end the dream entirely and instead of folding, they rebuilt and went on to win the world.
These are stories worth celebrating. And they’re stories you can taste.
Next time you’re in the region, whether you’re a local who hasn’t made the visit yet, or a traveller looking for something genuinely special – add both to your list.
You won’t find this quality in many places in the world. Lucky for us, it’s all right here.
Moffat Beach Brewing Co Beachside: 12 Seaview Terrace, Moffat Beach Production House: 51 Caloundra Road, Caloundra West moffatbeachbrewingco.beer
Beachtree Distilling Co. 14 Industrial Avenue, Caloundra West Cellar door by appointment: [email protected] beachtree.com.au
Start planning your Caloundra food trail now – explore the Taste of Caloundra dining directory and interactive map to discover what’s on your next plate. Have a favourite Caloundra dining spot we should know about? Get in touch, we’re always hungry for recommendations!
