Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards Winners Profile
Excellence in Small Business
What started as a casual Easter barbecue among five families in a backyard has grown into one of Morisset’s most exciting hospitality venues, The Yard Brewery and Smokehouse.
The idea was sparked over grilled meats, backyard games, and a few beers. One family mentioned they were building a commercial shed. Another shared a passion for home brewing and connections to a commercial brewer. The conversation quickly turned from casual chat to a bold idea: “Why don’t we open a brewery?”
From that moment, the five families began shaping what would become The Yard. Initially envisioned as a small venture, the project quickly grew legs. The team travelled to Melbourne to learn from established breweries, gathering insights and wish lists from those who had gone before them. The message was clear: start with scale in mind.
And they did. The Yard launched with eight 2,500-litre fermenters and four 2,500-litre bright tanks, a bold move for a new brewery. “We figured if we’re going to do it, we’re all in.”
Despite launching during the height of COVID lockdowns, the team transformed a blank canvas, what started as a patch of dirt, turned into a fully operational brewery and smokehouse in just 12 months. The building was constructed, the fit-out completed, and the doors opened in 2022.
A Diverse Team with a Shared Vision
The Yard’s founding families come from vastly different backgrounds: paramedicine, mining management, IT, steelwork, and small business. This diversity brought both strength and challenges. “Running a business is like a marriage, if you don’t nurture it, it’ll bite you later,” one founder reflects. “COVID was tough, and we’ve faced challenges we never expected. But you keep working through it.”
Three of the five families still work full-time jobs, adding another layer of complexity. “Everyone brings different ideas and perspectives. Businesspeople focus on the nuts and bolts. I focus on staff welfare, because if you don’t have good staff, you don’t have a good product.”
Investing in Community
The Yard is deeply embedded in the Morisset community. With limited hospitality staff in the region, they’ve built strong ties with local schools, offering work experience placements and hiring juniors who show promise. “We’ve had great success with students from the local high schools. Many have become kitchen hands and bar or waitstaff.”
The team is passionate about giving young people a chance to explore hospitality and learn the value of hard work. “We show them that the harder you work, the better the reward. It’s about building a culture of respect and opportunity.”
Crafting Consistency: What Sets Yard Kings Apart
At its heart, Yard Kings is a brewery first, and a proud one at that. Every beer on tap is brewed on-site, with recipes crafted for consistency and character. “Our beers taste the same in January as they do in December,” says one founder, Bruce Wise. “That’s rare for a microbrewery.”
Achieving that level of consistency is no small feat. But thanks to their head brewer Dan Lindon, a university-trained professional with a background in nursing and a mind for process and precision, it’s become a signature strength. “He’s got the recipe down pat. He’ll walk in, take a sniff, and know instantly if something isn’t quite right. He’s a master of his craft.”
More Than Just Beer
While brewing is the backbone, The Yard’s smokehouse and café round out the experience. Originally licensed for 160 patrons, the venue quickly outgrew expectations, prompting an upgrade to accommodate 200 guests. The food offering has evolved from casual bites to full sit-down meals and takeaway options, catering to local trades and businesses.
The venue is designed to feel like a backyard, complete with a central tree and communal seating. “We wanted it to be a place where families could gather, relax, and enjoy good food and drink.”
Seasonal menus and brews keep things fresh. From German beers for Oktoberfest to Pacific ales, seltzers, ginger beers, and an upcoming cider, Yard Kings adapts to the tastes of the time. Winter brings darker, richer options like Czech lagers and Irish stouts, while summer leans into lighter, fruitier profiles.
A Unique Local Offering
Yard Kings stands out not just for its products, but for its community-first approach. The café operates Monday to Friday 8am to 2pm, with pizzas available throughout brewery hours. Thursday through Sunday, the smokehouse takes centre stage.
“There aren’t many sit-down venues in Morisset where families can enjoy a meal together,” the team explains. “We’re filling that gap.”
Collaboration is also key. Yard Kings is working on a mini co-lab with Bread and Brewery, another local business. Positioned just two minutes off the freeway, the venue is a natural stop for bus tours returning from the Hunter Valley. “We’d love to be a hub for rest stops, not just for patrons, but for driver fatigue management too.”
Unfortunately, the cost of tourist signage on the freeway remains a barrier for small businesses. “We’d love one of those brown signs, but it’s just not financially viable right now.”
Recognition and Reality
Winning the Excellence in Business Award was a proud moment, but the team is quick to point out that it doesn’t reflect the daily challenges. “Our profit margin and turnover are close. We need to sell more to grow.”
Getting Yard Kings beer on tap in local venues has proven difficult. “Without promotion and support from pubs and clubs and liquor and gaming authorities, it’s hard to gain traction.”
From Our Yard to Yours: A Culture Build on Connection
At Yard Kings, culture isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the foundation of everything they do. Born from backyard conversations and built by five families, the business lives by the motto “From our yard to yours.” It’s a philosophy that shapes the venue, the service, and the experience.
“We wanted a place that felt like home,” says one of the founders. “Casual, warm, inviting, like a backyard barbecue with mates. No pressure, just good vibes.”
That sense of family extends to the team. Staff welfare is non-negotiable, “when I walk in, the first thing I say is, ‘How’s your day?’ That moment of connection matters. You might not be able to fix everything, but you give people a voice and they like to know that they have been heard. If your staff aren’t happy, they won’t make your customers happy.”
Consistency is another cornerstone of the culture, in product, service, and attitude. “We aim to deliver a great experience every time. If we do right by our team, they’ll do right by our customers.”
Learning and Listening
Yard Kings is also a business that learns. After being overwhelmed on Father’s Day last year, the team took feedback seriously. “We were smashed. People waited too long, and we didn’t handle the surge as well as we could have.”
This year, they introduced split seating to manage flow and improve service. “We listened. We acknowledged what didn’t work. And we fixed it.”
Out of 500 guests, only a handful raised concerns, and most were resolved with empathy and transparency. “One patron said, ‘There’s no complaint. I was just frustrated.’ That’s the power of listening.”
Looking Ahead: Growth and Innovation
From a humble backyard barbecue to a thriving brewery, The Yard is a testament to what can happen when community, passion, and bold thinking come together. It’s more than just a place to enjoy great beer and food, it’s a story of resilience, collaboration, and local pride.
“The path to your goal isn’t always straight. There’ll be diversions. But as long as you’re still aiming toward that goal, you’re on target.”
With solid foundations in place, Yard Kings is now focused on expanding its offerings and deepening its connection with the community. Upcoming plans include:
- Venue hire for weddings, engagements, and corporate events
- Product launches and regional meetings on the mezzanine level
- Brewery tours to share the craft and culture
- Online sales via platforms like DoorDash and MenuLog
- Direct-to-customer keg fills, including discounted corny keg top-ups
- Open mic nights and trivia
The team is also exploring ways to improve visibility and accessibility. “Traffic jams on the freeway are common. We’d rather people stop somewhere with facilities and refreshments than sit in gridlock.”
Promotion remains a key focus. “We want people to know we’re here, that we offer a great product and a welcoming venue. Yes, our packaged beers may be more expensive than mass-produced options, but you get what you pay for. Ask and look for us in various local bottle shops. We are also in Dan Murphys and BWS. Our tap beers however are very competitive in price and excellent in flavour”
With tasting paddles available, customers can sample any four flavours before committing to a full pour. And with Dan’s expert brewing, they can trust that every sip will be just as good the next time they visit.
Learn more about The Yard Brewery and Smokehouse here.
