Head brewer at Philter Brewing since April 2022, Maximilian Haemmerle, has been in the brewing industry for over 17 years and has loved every bit of it.
His apprenticeship began in 2007 in his hometown of Bavaria, Germany.
“Back then, I wanted to approach some sort of trade that “not everyone does.” Plus, I loved beer from an early age, which made it very attractive. So yeah, I have been brewing in Australia since 2017,” said Haemmerle.
“Philter is all about the community and the people who want to join the culture. We care deeply for our Inner West neighbours and their friends, so we decided to, first and foremost, brew beer for the Inner West people. We are a big family and support the Newtown Jets with our Henson draught lager beer.”
He added that the brewery has stood for innovations as well as a solid core range and has never been shy about developing new recipes for seasonal beers to please its customers.
Philter Brewing’s beers are highly consistent, which has been one of the many things its customers love. Receiving compliments and recognition has been fantastic for Haemmerle as it has shown him that he has done a great job, which can be challenging for brewers to accept.
“We are our most prominent critics. I think I can speak for most brewers if I say that.”
Another career highlight for him has been learning about more diversified beers, especially from the Australian craft brewing community.
“Since being with Philter, I have improved and am pleased with all the beers I have created here. These are all little but, at the same time, big achievements, along with winning gold medals and trophies for our beers.”
Discussing award-winning beers, Haemmerle said that a great beer should make one want another immediately after the first one and that the balance between hops and malt plays a massive part in the beer style. Beer must be refreshing and catch the drinker's attention, and Haemmerle has always enjoyed a clean lager with prominent hop characters, especially during the summer.
Sustainability has been another aspect that the brewery has recently been involved in. It has installed solar panels on the roof, significantly reducing energy costs, and has shut down machinery entirely overnight, which has not been a common practice in most breweries.
Other upcoming projects have also included reusing the brewery’s yeast for bakers to make bread and a new product called 'Phresh,' which has picked up on the current low-calorie and sugar-free market.
In terms of his personal goals, Haemmerle would like to step up in business operations, brew more lagers and make Philter Brewing a sustainable, successful, and attractive brand.
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