When Josh King returned to his hometown of Coffs Harbour, he came back with a vision: to build a brewery anchored in craft, community and collaboration. Today, as co-founder and brewer at King Tide Brewing, he has not only delivered on that ambition, he has helped elevate the region’s food and beverage identity.

Founded in 2021 by Josh and his wife, King Tide Brewing was born from a shared passion for high-quality beer and hospitality-driven food. Their brewpub has quickly become a staple in the Coffs Harbour CBD, a place where locals and visitors can enjoy approachable European and American-style beers alongside a menu that proudly reflects Josh’s wife’s Polish heritage and classic German pub inspiration.

Josh King with King Tide beer tanks

A brewer shaped by science, craft and community

Josh’s journey into brewing began unexpectedly during his chemical engineering studies at UNSW. A co-op scholarship placement at Toohey’s brewery sparked his interest in beer production, revealing what he describes as “the perfect mixture of art, science and process.” Although he went on to work in finance and management consulting after graduating, the long route home was ultimately what brought him back into brewing, this time as a founder.

Setting up King Tide Brewing allowed Josh to reconnect with his engineering background while rediscovering the coastal lifestyle he grew up with. That deep sense of place now guides the brewery’s beer portfolio, from the flagship Coffs Coast Hazy Pale Ale to the Beached As XPA, Blue Groper Lager, and a rotating selection of hoppy American IPAs and traditional European styles.

A champion of local collaboration

Collaboration isn’t a side project for Josh, it’s core to King Tide’s identity. As an active participant and supporter of For Food’s Sake and CALL networking events, he has become a key connector within the region’s food and beverage ecosystem, helping strengthen relationships between producers, makers and local businesses.

Within the brewery itself, Josh has cultivated a standout portfolio of local collaborations:

• Hope Road Espresso Bar: Now in its third year, their annual collaboration has become a community favourite. The latest release, a coffee lager infused with terpenes, is, in Josh’s words, “the best yet.”
• Coffs Coast Honey: Using local ironbark honey from producer Alan, King Tide created the Golden Hour Honey Rye IPA, delivering a uniquely Coffs flavour experience.
• Local artists: King Tide regularly features the work of Coffs creatives like Alyson Pearson from Laneway gallery, turning each limited release into a celebration of place.
• Reviving a Coffs original: In partnership with former Mayor Paul Amos, Josh helped re-create the iconic Blue Groper Lager, originally brewed in the 1980s. It is now one of the brewery’s top sellers.

Josh’s collaborative energy also extends beyond Coffs Harbour, working with breweries such as Good Folk (Newcastle) and Jervis Bay Brewing on small-batch experimental beers. For Josh, collaboration is about more than beer – it’s about shared ideas, shared networks and shared growth.

Behind the King Tide bar

Building a ‘third place’ for Coffs Harbour

King Tide has steadily grown its footprint across restaurants, pubs and bottle shops from Brisbane to Newcastle, but its heart remains in the brewpub, where beer is served fresh and community comes first.

Josh sees King Tide becoming an increasingly important “third place” for the Coffs community: not just a venue for great beer and food, but a gathering point for storytelling, connection and local events. Despite the challenges facing hospitality and craft brewing nationwide, he’s optimistic about Coffs Harbour’s momentum and proud to be part of shaping its future.

“Success in this business comes from leading with passion,” he says. “If you put your heart into every brew, people notice.”

For Coffs Harbour, King Tide Brewing is more than a brewery – it’s a symbol of local creativity, collaboration and coastal pride. And with Josh King at the helm, its role in the region’s growing food and beverage scene continues to strengthen.