Fresh from being dubbed “the Australian man” during South African television coverage of the recent Australia–South Africa Test series, Fox Sports and Triple M commentator and The Howie Games host Mark ‘Howie’ Howard is turning his attention to a very different game this summer… brewing beer.
Having in recent years joined independent Victorian brewery Barwon Heads Brewing Co. as a co- owner alongside founder Tom Andrew, Howie is bringing together two very Australian passions - sport and a cold beer.
Based in Barwon Heads, the independent brewery was founded by Tom and his family during the 2020 lockdowns and has since built a range of easy-drinking beers designed for long lunches, backyard barbecues, days at the beach and watching sport with mates.
For Howie, who has spent more than two decades working across Australian and international sport, the move into beer represents a very different kind of game.
“There’s a pretty simple connection between sport, summer and beer,” says Howie.
“I’ve spent most of my working life talking about sport, so being involved in something completely different has been a lot of fun. I’m certainly not pretending I’m a brewer, but I’ve really enjoyed being part of the journey with Tom and the family and seeing how much goes into building a local business.”
Howie’s broadcasting career began in Formula One in the late 1990s before taking him around the world covering Olympic and Commonwealth Games, the Melbourne Cup, MotoGP, Australian Open tennis, golf, swimming, Ironman, Big Bash cricket and more.
Today, he is a familiar voice across Fox Cricket, Fox Footy and Triple M, while also hosting The Howie Games, the podcast he created in 2016 to explore the stories behind some of the biggest names in sport.
Now in its 10th year, The Howie Games has passed 126 million downloads, cementing Howie’s place as one of Australia’s most recognisable sports broadcasters and interviewers. But his latest venture is considerably closer to home.
Howie and Tom are both Barwon Heads locals and the brewery has given Howie the opportunity to get behind a local Victorian business while learning an entirely new industry.
“I’m definitely not pretending I’m the bloke brewing the beer,” Howie laughs.
“But I love being involved in the business, learning how it all works and seeing what Tom and the team have built. It’s a proper local business and that’s what makes it special.”
For Tom, bringing Howie into the business was a natural fit.
“There’s a lot of crossover between what we love about sport and what we love about beer,” says Tom.
“Howie brings a completely different perspective to the business. He’s spent years working in sport and media, so he understands people and storytelling, but he’s also been keen to get involved and learn the business. It’s been great having him along for the ride.”
Barwon Heads Brewing’s core range includes a 3.5% Mid, 4.5% Japanese Lager, 4.6% Draught and 4.9% Pale Ale, with each beer offering its own take on easy-drinking Australian craft beer.
The Mid brings subtle tropical hop character and a refreshing finish, while the Japanese Lager balances rice and malt with traditional Japanese hops. The Draught is a classic Aussie-style beer built around an Australian hop, while the Pale Ale delivers low bitterness with late and dry-hop additions.
Designed as balanced, approachable beers, the range is made for long summer days, from afternoons at the beach and swims in the ocean to backyard barbecues, long lunches and sunset drinks with mates.
And as cricket returns to centre stage, Howie will be juggling his usual broadcasting commitments with his increasingly familiar role as a beer company owner.
“I spend enough time talking about sport, it’s nice to have something where the biggest decision you have to make is whether you’re having a Pale, a Lager or a Mid,” he says.
