
The Pub With One Beer is a story of an historic country pub which sells only one beerbrewed on the premises, an eccentric landlord about to retire and two young whipper snappers from the city who plan to turn this pub around with a bank loan of $4.5million. Is this the birth of Australia’s next brewing empire or the biggest mistake these boys have ever made?
The George IV stands in the main-street of Picton – an enormous drinking barn with no juke boxes, no pool tables and no pokies. Set on two acres it offers accommodation in rooms that are in virtually the same state that they were in when they were first built (in the 19th century), food, a beer garden and even a game of golf in the bar! It is a place as eccentric as its publican, Geoffrey Scharer, who was granted Australia's first brewpub licence in 1981 – out of which came one of Australia’s first successful boutique beers - 'Scharers Lager'. Brewed on the premises by Australia’s only female brewer Lexi, it is presently the only beer sold in the pub.
In February 2006, after 37 years in the business, Geoffrey Scharer will stand down. In will walk Luke and Dave, two 22 year olds with a $4.5million bank loan guaranteed by their parents. Their vision is to turn the George IV round into a highly profitable business. Their only experience: barman and bottle shop worker. With innocent optimism, grand plans and limited experience the two boys are out to prove that they have what is takes. The question is… do they? The Pub With One Beer is a 10 part half-hour series that follows the highs and lows of best mates, Dave and Luke, as they make the transition from pub staff to publicans. The series follows the boys as they go from working in a trendy inner city Sydney pub to owning their very own country pub.