If you’ve enjoyed a cold pint of Cornella Real Ale or one of our seasonal releases lately, you have Matt van Run to thank. As our Head Brewer, Matt is the architect behind the flavours you find in our taps and cans. Whether he’s monitoring fermentations or experimenting with new hop profiles, Matt’s passion for the craft is the heartbeat of our brewery.
The Journey:
Matt and his best friend, Spencer, built Cornella Brewery from the ground up, but the seeds were planted years earlier. Matt’s journey into the craft began while he was completing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Linguistics and Advanced Spanish—a passion for language that eventually found its way into the glass.
When Spencer moved from Melbourne to Cornella, the duo started homebrewing at the winery as a way to catch up. It was during these sessions that their shared love for delicious brews collided, leading to the creation of Cornella Brewery.
Inspired by the regional brewing scene in the UK, they hoped to grow a humble, honest operation at the family vineyard. It has since evolved into a truly "ridgy-didge" regional microbrewery. Everything Matt does—from recipe design to equipment design—is the result of 10 years of self-taught experience.
Life in the Brew Shed:
For Matt, brewing at Shiraz Republic isn’t just about following a recipe; it’s about the environment. Working on a farm-based brewery means staying connected to the land, community and having the freedom to try bold new ideas. When he isn’t cleaning tanks (which, let’s be honest, is 90% of a brewer's job), he’s busy refining the next big release.
Quick Questions with Matt
