Brewery Radar July 2023

Brewery Radar serves the brewing industry by keeping it up to date with the progress of planned breweries, expansions, and tap rooms in Australia. We aim to track where they are in their development process from concept to opening.

Queensland has dominated the activity over the last month. We have updates from 18 breweries or brands with:

2 brewery openings;
2 new venues;
1 closure; and
another 13 in various stages of planning and development.

Keep us updated on your brewery in planning or brewery upgrade plans so we can include you in Brewery Radar at radar@brewsnews.com.au

All QLD VIC NSW WA

QLD

In a Facebook update, the owners of Charleys Creek Brewing in Chincilla described their ongoing journey to receiving government approvals as “two steps forward and one step back.” Although their development application went public in 2021, they are “still awaiting some local government approvals,” but “are determined to open this year.” The brewhouse has already arrived, while the WA-made distillery is expected to be delivered in September.

Red Dog Brewery celebrated the official opening of its second Mackay-based venue, Red Dog Riverfront, on July 1st. Located in a council-owned building at Bluewater Quay, the venue includes a restaurant, bar and microbrewery.

10 Toes Brewery’s build is “well underway,” with the owners sharing in late June that the groundwork was being laid. The Sunshine Coast brewery also introduced its brewer, Josh Batten, who was awarded the Best New Queensland Craft Brewer title at the Royal Queensland Beer Awards earlier this year.

After announcing last month that they had started brewing, the owners of Hodfellow’s Brewing Co have shared that they are facing more delays surrounding the opening of their taproom. They have set up a fundraising campaign to help offset the cost of the additional council approvals and the taproom fit-out. The team at Hodfellow’s did, however, promise that they will have a product ready for tasting soon.

Sobah Beverages will open its non-alcoholic brewery and cafe in Burleigh Heads in August. The Gold Coast venue, which includes a 50-hectolitre brewery and enough indoor and outdoor seating for about 60 people, is cafe-styled and will serve breakfast and lunch. After years of contract brewing, the owners, Clinton and Lozen Schultz, are looking forward to the consistency in availability and quality that having their own brewery will bring.

The construction of Tamborine Mountain’s Boxer Brewing Co is in progress. The tanks and major equipment are awaiting connection and the upstairs office space is almost complete. The owners will next turn their attention to finishing the taproom.

In June, the team at Buddy Brewing submitted their plans for a brewery in Burpengary to the local council through their town planners. They also purchased Bribie Island Brewing Company’s brewing gear.

VIC

Valhalla Brewing is on track to open in September. Its brewing equipment arrived at the Valhalla Brew Hall in Geelong last week. The owners said in a blog post that “the brewing system itself can produce 1500L batches.” They also have “a few 3000L fermentation and bright beer tanks to keep the process flowing.”

Smiley Brewing is “set to open soon” in Pakenham, Victoria, with the owners saying via a Facebook update that the opening is weeks away. Its taproom, which has been in the works for more than two years, is licensed to seat up to 90 patrons. Since the venue does not include a kitchen, the brewery is currently seeking food trucks.

Fox Friday’s Richmond venue is “looking more like a brewery every day,” with its brewing equipment having arrived in late June.

Dollar Bill Brewing, current reigning Champion Australian Beer winners at the AIBA’s, announced on social media that its new brewhouse is “finally fired up.”

The owners of Fury & Son, father and son Reno and Andrew Georgiou, announced in early July that they are ceasing operations after 8 years in business. They have brewed their last beer and put their equipment up for auction; however, they may start brewing again if the Australian brewing industry improves, so they aren’t selling the rights to Fury & Son’s IP or branding.

NSW

Grainfed Brewing opened in Newcastle in late June. Founder and head brewer Lachlan McBean, an experienced beer judge, started Grainfed Brewing as a nomadic brewery 11 years ago and has been planning the brewery build for almost three years.

Sanctus Brewing’s expansion, which will triple the brewery’s production and create 27 new full-time jobs, is nearing completion. It includes the installation of a 15-hectolitre steam system that will reduce the brewery’s footprint, as well as Australia’s first Cask Flex 2 canning line. The NSW government helped to fund the expansion of the regional brewery, which is located in the Clarence Valley.

The co-founders of Broken Bay Brewing Co, Brenton Fischer and Andrew Forster, expect to launch operations in the Sydney suburb of Brookvale this Summer. They will be using Australia’s first SIMATEC brewhouse. Stage two of the site’s development will include the launch of a rooftop garden and bar.

Newcastle Distilling Co announced on social media in early July that its Warners Bay tasting bar and bottle shop was open. It comes after the equipment, stock and intellectual property of the company was listed for sale in March this year.

WA

All Malt Brewing opened in mid-July in Mandurah, Western Australia. The brewery’s new venue includes a new, expanded taproom with a bigger bar and more space, as well as a function room and beer garden.

Spinifex Brewing Co is about halfway through the construction of its Cable Beach brewery and is expecting to open in late November, 2023. According to a mid-July update, the brewery has “secured a $1.98 million grant from the WA State Government’s Investment Attraction Fund” that will be put towards the build and fit-out of the Cable Beach microbrewery and alehouse.

Spinifex is also rebranding and expanding the North Beach Deli, which is to be renamed Spinifex North Beach. The Spinifex CEO, Adam Barnard, said they “will be commencing renovations in August to… [the] kitchen followed by the installation of a full cocktail station and a greatly expanded wine and cocktail offering.”