PRINCIPAL’S BREWING A FRESH START
A FORMER school principal has ditched the books for a career brewing beer.
As his former colleagues returned to the classroom, Mike Leonard was tapping into a new school of thought.
He opened the door of his own brewery – and is loving every moment.
“I had six months of long service leave and we did a trip around Australia and stopped at some breweries in Western Australia,” Mr Leonard said.
“I was having a cold beer and thought: ‘This is what I want to do.’ ”
The former principal at Mount Dandenong Primary School in Victoria, who worked as an educator for more than a decade, set about turning an empty Lilydale factory into the brewery of his dreams and the taps are now flowing at Hop Hen Brewery.
The menu includes ales inspired by flavours from around the world, and the kitchen serves jaffles to enjoy with the perfect frothy.
“I enjoy the actual brewing of the beer,” Mr Leonard said.
“We are making beers that people like to drink.”