DJ McCready: Crafting success

To anyone who hasn’t yet sunk a schooner of Mountain Culture Beer Co’s Status Quo Pale Ale, former Head Brewer DJ McCready has one thing to say: Give it a shot.

"It’s the future of beer in Australia and will change your perception of what a really good beer tastes like," he says.

His confidence is not unfounded. Mountain Culture’s flagship beer has won the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll as the country’s number one craft beer for the past three years in a row – the only three years it has been entered into the competition.

It’s a major achievement for a company that he co-founded with his wife Harriet just six years ago, demonstrating not only his talent as a brewer but also his vision as a leader. This quality has also secured him the title of Consumer and Lifestyle Executive of the Year at The CEO Magazine’s 2025 Executive of the Year Awards.

This trail of wins is no mean feat amid an industry as ripe with competition as brewing. The number of craft breweries in Australia is steadily growing, hitting 616 in 2024 – an increase that makes it ever harder for newcomers to make their mark.  Throw in an array of additional challenges such as rising costs, high beer taxes and declining overall beer consumption on top of that, and Mountain Culture’s upward trajectory becomes even more impressive.

"There’s no denying the market is oversaturated, and if you listen to the loudest voices in the room, there is a lot of doom and gloom and a contagious sense of fear," McCready admits.

"One of our core uniques at Mountain Culture is that we do our own thing. It’s what led to the creation of our flagship product Status Quo Pale Ale, a beer that’s totally different to everything else in the market.

"It may be cliche but we genuinely zig when the market zags. We have leaned into risk, we have created new product developments that no customer knew they needed, and in the last year especially – when everyone has pulled back, we have gone for it and taken market share quickly."

Creative thinking

As former Head Brewer, McCready is no stranger to getting his hands dirty – and he cites this ability to think creatively and solve problems every minute of every day as a crucial skill in bringing Mountain Culture to life.

But while the idea originated with him and Harriet, it now belongs to the entire team, who share that intense passion for the product and keep the wheels moving in the right direction.

Many of the team members have been with Mountain Culture since the beginning, exhibiting a loyalty for the brand, even during those tough early days, which means so much to McCready.

"I’m most proud of the team we have built here at Mountain Culture and the ride we have been on together," he says.

"A lot of our staff started well before we became Australia’s fastest-growing craft beer brand, and that startup ‘scrappy’ mentality is still alive and well.

"There is genuine belief in what we are doing and buy-in to our vision, so when it comes to solving a problem there is no shortage of solutions."

This shared sense of determination is another key driver of the company’s success to date, instilling a strong sense of culture that has become a cornerstone of the business over time.

"We have a culture that is hard to put your finger on, but when you walk into a Mountain Culture building, you feel it," McCready notes.

"Something I am very proud of is how that culture emanates out into the market and that so many fans feel as though they are just as much a part of it as we are. Ultimately, we are trying to create the best beer brand Australia has ever seen, but we know we’ll only get there if we have the right people living out our values every day.

"You are also only as good as the team around you. If someone misses a step, the whole product might need to go down the drain. Those same concepts I take into how I lead the business, combined with a genuine love for the brand, the industry and an overwhelmingly optimistic view on our future."

Crucial connections

So what is it McCready loves most about this trail he has blazed, succeeding where so many others have failed? Again, it all comes down to the people – and not just those he works with on a day-to-day basis at Mountain Culture headquarters in the scenic surrounds of Katoomba, in the heart of New South Wales’ Blue Mountains region.

"I love working with the people who are on the front lines of what we do – the stakeholders in the pubs, the bottleshops, the bars and restaurants," he reveals.

"Finding out their challenges, understanding what works for them and how we can win together is always the most fulfilling part of the job for me."

This can-do attitude is driving the company from strength to strength. Mountain Culture made headlines earlier this year when it announced its acquisition of Fox Friday Brewing and its associated taprooms and venues after it went into voluntary administration.

Following that, the team unveiled plans for a rebrand, converting Fox Friday’s Richmond brewpub into Mountain Culture Melbourne and the Hobart Taproom into Mountain Culture Hobart, taking its total number of venues to four.

Meanwhile, the brewery also secured its first external investor when the Australian men’s cricket captain Pat Cummins came on board earlier in 2025, providing both the necessary capital and visibility to support its national growth strategy.

A promising future

All of these factors mean that despite the numerous challenges out there for the industry at large, McCready sees a bright future ahead – and not just for Mountain Culture.

"I have high hopes for the industry and, to be honest, we see ourselves as the future of it," he reflects.

"I believe Mountain Culture can help bring a renewed relevance to beer. While we are a premium craft product, we have managed to build a customer profile that is roughly a decade younger than the rest of our competition.

"By engaging with a new generation of younger drinkers, meeting them where they are at, creating products that aren’t afraid to be different, our brand has the potential to change the landscape of beer in this country.

"We’re also a super competitive team, we don’t rest on our laurels and want to win at everything we do. That competitive spirit combined with a genuine care for this very unique brand and business is our secret sauce."