Dr Corinna Steeb- Prancing Pony Brewery
Corinna Steeb is the CEO of Prancing Pony Brewery, an award‑winning craft brewery in the Adelaide Hills. Originally from Germany, she and her husband Frank transformed a bold mid‑life career change into one of Australia’s most celebrated independent breweries, blending manufacturing, hospitality, tourism, and community. Their leadership was further recognised with a win in the Small Business Category.
Q: What brought Corinna to Australia?
A: Corinna migrated from Germany in 1983 with her husband and young daughter, seeking adventure and a fresh start. Arriving without English, jobs, or connections, they took on lower‑level work when their professional qualifications weren’t recognised. Both later retrained at university, with Corinna earning a PhD in Medical Sciences, and together they built successful careers in science and senior management before taking their next leap into entrepreneurship.
Q: How did Prancing Pony Brewery begin?
A: Corinna and Frank left their executive careers in 2011 to pursue their long‑held passion for craft beer. With Frank’s 30 years of home‑brewing experience and a growing opportunity in Australia’s emerging craft beer scene, they launched Prancing Pony Brewery from a small shed in Mount Barker. Frank brewed full‑time while Corinna supported the business around her job, and their first year’s 21,000 litres quickly grew through quality, persistence, and bold decision‑making.
Q: What makes Prancing Pony Brewery unique?
A: Prancing Pony Brewery, set in the Adelaide Hills near historic Hahndorf, offers an immersive brewery experience where visitors can watch the brewing process, meet the brewers, and enjoy locally sourced food in a relaxed, family‑ and dog‑friendly space. By blending manufacturing, hospitality, and tourism into what Corinna calls “industrial tourism,” the brewery has earned over 160 trophies and medals, including multiple Champion Brewery titles, with quality at the heart of its success.
Q: What challenges has the business faced?
A: COVID hit the brewery hard, with revenue dropping nearly 40% and 27 staff made redundant. Rising costs, shifting consumer trends, and the move from bottles to cans forced major operational changes. Instead of pulling back, Corinna reshaped the business — focusing on local markets, expanding the restaurant experience, adding non‑alcoholic and ready‑to‑drink options, and hosting events. These pivots helped deliver a 14% uplift in retail revenue in 2024/25.
Dr Corinna Steeb and Frank Samson pictured with Joseph Assaf AO, Founder and Chairman of the EBA
Q: How does the brewery contribute to the community?
A: Community sits at the core of Prancing Pony. Over 12 years, the brewery has donated more than $200,000 to local charities, schools, sporting clubs, and emergency services, including ongoing support for the CFS. Corinna also champions youth training and creates pathways into hospitality and brewing, while actively supporting women entering roles traditionally dominated by men.
Q: What motivates Corinna’s leadership at Prancing Pony?
A: Corinna’s leadership is driven by a commitment to sustainable growth and a people‑first philosophy. She is focused on strengthening South Australia’s retail presence, expanding premium export markets in Asia, growing online sales, and enhancing customer experiences through events, collaborations, and limited releases. Guided by her belief that “if we look after our people, the business will do well,” she has grown from a young migrant rebuilding her future in Australia to leading one of the nation’s most awarded independent breweries, showing how resilience and purpose shape her approach.
