Forty years ago, a group of sailors drank The Lord Nelson completely dry. The Rocks pub responded by brewing its own beer, and it hasn’t stopped since. This October long weekend, The Lord Nelson is celebrating four decades of brewing under its historic roof with a new anniversary ale, free 40th beers and three days of festivities from October 3 to October 5. The story goes back to 1986, when a particularly thirsty group of sailors cleared the bar of beer and the next delivery was still days away. The solution was to start brewing on site, turning a supply problem into a tradition that now sits at the heart of the pub. Today, natural English-style ales are still made in The Lord’s microbrewery at the back of the hotel using malt, hops, yeast and water. The beers are unfiltered and unpasteurised, travelling only a few metres from mash tun to tap. The anniversary ale still needs a name Head Brewer Gus Krug has created a limited-edition English ale for the anniversary, which will be unveiled at 11 am on October 3, but drinkers will have a hand in deciding what it is actually called. A naming competition will invite beer lovers to christen the anniversary brew, adding their own contribution to The Lord’s 40-year brewing story. The pub will also be buying a few rounds. Between 11 am and 2 pm on each day of the long weekend, every 40th beer poured will be free. When number 40 hits the bar, a bell rings, the count resets and it all starts again. The weekend kicks off a full year of anniversary celebrations running through to October 2027. Only 200 coins are up for grabs The Lord Nelson is also launching a Coin Bearers Club for the anniversary, with 200 commemorative coins available. A coin can be secured by buying a case of Three Sheets and Old Admiral from the pub or attending Sydney Beer Week’s ‘5 Ingredients of Ale’ event. Rather than sitting in a drawer as anniversary merch, the coin comes with perks for the year, including 25 per cent off food on the holder’s birthday for groups of up to eight, 10 per cent off an accommodation booking and a complimentary side or dessert with The Lord’s Shared Roast. Coin Bearers will also have their name and individual coin number added to an honour roll inside the pub. The brewing anniversary is only part of The Lord Nelson’s much longer history. Established in 1841, the Georgian building began life as the private residence of William Wells, a raconteur, highway robber and convict turned gentleman publican, before becoming The Lord Nelson Hotel in 1842. More than 185 years later, it remains Australia’s oldest continually licensed hotel operating in its original form and the country’s oldest brewery hotel. What started with an empty bar and a delayed beer delivery has lasted four decades, with the ales still being brewed only metres from where they’re poured. Source: Pendulum Communications Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.