Capital Brewing Co. is opening a “warm neighbourhood pub” in 2026
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We’ll say ‘Cheers’ to that.
In good news for lovers of Capital Brewing Co.’s good-natured brews, the Canberra institution has just announced the opening of another venue in 2026. We can’t yet tell you where it will be located, but we CAN tell you it’s not at the current Dairy Road digs.
But while the Fyshwick taproom is all about casual drinks and eats in a lush garden space, Lager House will take it one step further.
And as the region’s most respected chef, Paul Starley, takes the helm as Executive Chef, it sounds like Canberra will have a new watering hole.
Described as a “familiar neighbourhood pub that feels elevated yet easy going”, Lager House is the venue that Managing Director Laurence Kain and co-founder Tom Hertel have always dreamed of creating.
After years spent sharing Capital beer across Australia and building one of the country’s most loved independent breweries, they say that they felt a pull back to the simple joy of local hospitality and the role it plays in connecting communities.
Inspired by a wedding invitation handed to them at the Fyshwick taproom, Laurence says that the couple who gave it to them had met on a first date at Capital, returned over the years, and eventually planned their wedding within those same walls.
“That was the moment we realised the taproom was much more to the community than a place to have a beer,” he explains.
“It made us think deeply about the importance of creating spaces where people feel welcome and connected.”
It’s this kind of connection that reminded them why they fell in love with hospitality in the first place.
Returning to their roots in Canberra hospitality – Laurence and Tom first met behind the bar at Trinity in Dickson, opened Honkytonks in Garema Place, then revitalised Hippo Bar, before launching Capital Brewing Co in 2016 – Lager House represents their journey coming full circle.
With warm interiors using recycled timber from Thor’s Hammer by Capezio and Copeland, an open U-shaped bar inspired by classic Sydney and Melbourne pubs and a spacious terrace, it will balance the traditional easy-going nature of a pub with elevated extras.
For example, the kitchen will work over a wood fire and three 1500-litre tanks will pour fresh seasonal lagers directly from the source. If that’s not enough, the drinking experience will be enhanced thanks to LUKR from the Czech Republic, who has been commissioned to hand-make traditional side pour taps.
“The three specialty lagers on tap will be brewed on site at the Fyshwick brewery, then lagered and delivered using a custom-built trailer that can transport up to 1500 litres at a time,” says Laurence.
“It will cruise around town dropping the beer off straight into the tanks, so guests are drinking the freshest lager possible.”
Along with tank fresh seasonal lagers, the drinks menu will also boast a curated line-up of Capital favourites and rotating small batch releases, along with local wines and classic cocktails.
With a much stronger focus on food, esteemed chef Paul Starley will lead the Lager House kitchen.
Known for his work in the Snowy Mountains region, Laurence and Tom say that he brings a deep respect for produce, fire cooking and generous pub food.
Planning a menu of coal-cooked meats and seafood, vibrant vegetarian dishes and snacks designed for drinking, alongside classic pub favourites done properly and priced well, the star of the kitchen will be the massive Brazilian wood-fired grill, built specifically for the venue.
Explaining that Lager House is an authentic extension of Capital with its own distinct personality, Laurence and Tom look forward to welcoming locals wanting a regular spot to call their own, corporates seeking an easy lunch or knock off destination, and families gathering for dinner and friends meeting without a plan.
“It’s the culmination of our experience exploring beer cultures around the world. Like our favourite pubs in Europe, it’s about creating a place for people to come together in their neighbourhood and enjoy really good quality specialty lager and really good quality food,” says Laurence.
Opening February 2026, for more information, visit capitalbrewing.co/lagerhouse or follow along for updates on Facebook or Instagram.
