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Urban Alley Brewery is set to open its $5 million second venue and brewery in the Westfield Knox Ozone precinct next week to grow production and nationwide expansion plans.
Dubbed Urban Alley Brewery Knox, the new brewery is a multi-level venue which also includes a dedicated gin distillery by Tasmanian producers Dasher + Fisher.
Urban Alley launched its first brewery in Melbourne’s Docklands in 2018 and the new brewery will allow Urban Alley’s annual capacity to grow to 1.3 million litres.
“The local community has long missed having a local brewery to call their own,” Urban Alley CEO and co-founder Dean Grant said in a media release.
“Urban Alley Brewery will become the new local institution to fill this gap.
“Not only are we putting Knox Ozone back on the map for great beer, gin and a premium pub feed, Urban Alley Brewery Knox will allow us to increase our production to continue to serve customers Australia-wide.”
Grant told Brews News that the company wanted to open a new brewery in an established precinct to cater for that local community, while focusing on production at its Docklands venue.
“Stephen Grove, the owner of Dasher + Fisher, is a very good friend of mine from car racing days and we felt this was a perfect fit to grow both our award winning brands,” he said.
“It is the first brewery in the area. [It’s a] large outdoor entertainment precinct, with the perfect demographics to enjoy our easy drinking brews and gin.
“[But] Docklands will remain our main brewing site and cater for the city brewery experience.”
Covering 1000sqm, the Knox venue is licensed for 750 people.
While the development journey fared smoothly, COVID restrictions presented various challenges, Grant explained.
“The council was brilliant, fantastic, and very supportive,” he said.
“[There were] lots of COVID restrictions with building materials and labour shortages.”
To celebrate the opening of the new venue, Urban Alley has brewed the Ozone Pacific Ale and as well as cocktail Plummy Brew, which was made in collaboration with Dasher + Fisher using its Ocean Gin.
Urban Alley Brewery Knox will open its doors next Thursday, 12th May and will be open seven days a week, from midday till late.
Brewery openings are presented by Spark Breweries and Distilleries, the finest in-venue and production brewing systems available, with local design and support.