Beers
14 Mar 2024
Brewery Radar • Brewery Radar: June 2022
The Bintani Brewery Radar keeps the brewing industry up to date with the progress of planned breweries and brewpubs in Australia, where they are in their development process, the installation of brewhouses and proposed opening dates. Over the past few months, extreme weather has halted builds for many breweries in Queensland and New South Wales but the brewery founders are perseveringwith their projects. Additional reporting by Clare Burnett.
Find out where new breweries are opening in your state:
If you haven’t seen your brewery on recent editions of the Brewery Radar, get in touch with us –vivien@brewnews.com.au.
On Point Brewery in the Victorian town of Alexandra is making good headway, taking delivery of its 10hL brewhouse. The installation is nearly complete with just gas lines and some electrical work remaining.
A slight hitch with the planning permit meant the team, led by founder Chris Turner, submitted an amendment, with hopes that the approvals will be returned shortly.
But On Point is on track to opening, with a beer garden built, and a taproom set to be completed in a few months.
Bendigo Brewing however is making slower progress, with no news as of yet about its development and build.
Bridge Road Brewers has just launched a $2.5 million equity crowdfund with which it hopes to help build its 350-seat brewpub in East Brunswick.
Thirsty Messiah Brewery in Broadmeadow has ordered its 10hL Brewtique brewery and is hoping to have it installed and commissioned by the end of the year.
It currently has a small 1.5hL pilot brewery and received its construction certificate underway, so fit out of the venue is currently underway.
Wildflower Brewing & Blending is moving forward with plans to build its own brewery after nomad brewing across Sydney for the past six years.
The Brompton Street site will have a very unusual setup, as is to be expected from Wildflower.
It will not have a hot liquor tank, a cold liquor tank, and almost no automation.The brewery is cobbled together from secondhand parts or new pieces made here in Australia, according to a social media post.
“Despite my best efforts to design it without, there is yet a singular pump, and this remains the only electrical modernity on the brewery,” explained Topher Boehm in the post.
“To counter all these ‘inefficiencies’, and because the system is the complete opposite of an off the shelf, overseas manufactured setup, our brew kettle is large… very large in fact… capable of boiling around 4,000 litres of wort at a time, we’ll probably run it around 30hl though. We intend to brew with it once a week, instead of multiple times per day. The size of the brew length somewhat makes up for the slow pace of this method we’ve adopted.”
Wildflower has been brewing on site this month.
In Tweed Heads, Hoppers Brewing Co. is in the final stages of its development application approval with the Tweed Heads Council.
Owner Tyler Wood said there had been delays with council due to the recent flooding disaster that impacted the region at the beginning of the year.
“Our site remained high and dry and was never in doubt whereas a few others in the region weren’t so lucky,” he said.
The brewery is hoping to have its development application approved by the end of June.
“Despite the few unfortunate small delays from mother nature we remain on target to deliver a unique and innovative craft brewery to the region in the near future,” Wood said.
“We can’t wait and neither can all the craft beer drinkers in the region, judging from all the support we have received to date.”
In Bathurst, Reckless Brewing Co. is preparing for a Spring opening. We spoke to co-founder Grace Fowler on the Beer is a Conversation podcast to find out more about her career and her new venture.
According to the Central Coast Council, Beerfarm’s new site in Halloran has been under assessment since April 2021.
The development application includes a proposed brewery and associated facilities, including restaurant and car parking at 92 Mountain Road, Halloran.
Beerfarm has been requested to provide additional information relating to how the site would be serviced by a sewer as there is currently no sewer connection to the site, and a council spokesperson said this was obviously a key consideration for a brewery.
Yard Kings Brewing Co. in Morisset had its soft opening at the end of May and is now open for business.
Four Fires Brewery in Toowoomba was held back by flooding which prevented essential plumbing works, but founder Anthony Brand hopes to be back on track by June.
Mock up of Hip Hop Brewers
In Brisbane, construction has been delayed for Hip Hop Brewers due to recent wet weather. At the moment, the business is aiming for its brewery to open in October, in time for Oktoberfest.
“We have a 10hL Tiantai Brewhouse in storage ready for commissioning as soon as we can get construction close to finished,” co-founder Shaun Reeves said.
“We should have a nicely landscaped surround for a covered outdoor area of 240m² with 700m² inside for production and consumption.”
Archer Brewing has faced challenges in setting up its new brewery, but has made great steps forward and has not officially announced a new head brewer, Chris Fletcher who has moved up from 2 Brothers Brewery in Melbourne. The team, led by Stuart Martin, is awaiting its DA, but the brewkit is ready to go and awaiting shipping from China.
Straddie Brewing Co. is celebrating getting its new roof this week while continuing to contract brew at Ballistic Beer Co.
Nano-brewery Maggie Island Brewery has set up and installed its brewkit with help from 2Js Brew & Q Fab.
Blackflag Brewing is opening its first brewery on the Sunshine Coast
“We’re building from the ground up,” explained managing director Steve Barber. “It’s a custom site designed for a proficient production facility.
“We’re unfortunately dealing with delays due to the wettest year on record but looking at the light at the end of the tunnel and anticipating handover installing the brewhouse, bar and offices in the coming weeks.
“The brew kit has been stored in a shed next door for some time. 25hL system, 50hL fermenters, CODI canning line with all the extras.
“[But the] delays haven’t gone to waste. We have used the time to prepare us for the install. We’re hoping to get in and get it finalised as quick as possible.”
Wards Brewing in Gladstone is progressing fast towards its Spring opening, with a commercial-grade kitchen fitted last month.
The brewery has arrived and they have attracted a head brewer, Paul Bergamini, currently at Good George Brewing in Hamilton, NZ who will be coming over in July. Bergamini recently won IPA of the year in New Zealand. Wards has also employed an assistant brewer.
The build at Sobah Beverages’ Gold Coast home is underway, and in the meantime it announced the promotion of Luke Cooper to head brewer after he completed his TAFE brewing course.
Burleigh Barrels opened officially back in April.
Spinifex Brewing submitted its development application submission for its Cable Beach Broome Ale house in May, which will include a 6hL Flying Foam brewing kit for experimental and limited releases.
Last month marked a significant step forward for Spinifex with the official signing ceremony of WA’s first Food Innovation Precinct, due for practical completion 30th June 2022. Fit-out on Spinifex’s main production brewery at the site will be complete by November, according to CEO Adam Spinifex.
Outside the Box Brewing secured a venue back in February but no word yet on further details.
Geordie Bay Brewing Co. is still in the planning stages for its brewery and is continuing to focus on contract brewing, according to director Jeremy O’Neill.
“We are currently in the planning stages for our brewery and continuing to focus on building our market presence and core range of beers whilst contract brewing with some local partners.”
Dandanning Brewery announced that its producer’s licence has been approved and will now apply for a licence to manufacture excisable products.
In Northam, Eclipse Brewing is set to open a main production brewery in the next year, along with its pilot setup and cellar door south of the Margaret River very soon.
Eclipse was originally established in 1897 according to director and brewer Chad McGregor, before it was re-established in 2021 by seven friends with widely varying expertise. The team is aiming to use locally-grown and malted barley with West Australian hops.
It also recently received a Silver medal at the Royal Melbourne Australian international Beer Awards for its Brown Ale and core range beers – Summer Ale, XPA, IPL and Brown Ale – are in high demand, according to McGregor.
Spotty Dog Brewers is making great progress and received delivery of its brewery from Brewtique which the team are currently setting up and commissioning. The former nomad brewers received its on track to finish construction in mid July.
Fox Friday Brewery’s new home and brewhouse from Bespoke Brewing Solutions has been installed and commissioned, and the brewery reopened its revamped site last month.
In Launceston, Du Cane Brewing is set to open in mid September with a plan to hold a soft launch during the Junction Arts Festival.
In SA’s Flinders Ranges, The Prairie Hotel in Parachilna has introduced a brewery to the outback bar.
Expansions
This edition of Brewery Radar also features expanding breweries, as existing breweries grow and add tanks, grow its venue floor space and capacity.
Across the ditch, Two Thumb Brewing Co. brewery based in Christchurch, South Island.
The brewery recently purchased a 25,000 litre brewery from Lion Nathan upgrading from a 3,000 litre small batch, hand brew operation.
“We are also having to look at new avenues to sell our beer as we are no longer a microbrewery with microbrewery goals. We have also added another venue to our business name,” according to Two Thumbs sales and marketing manager Beaulieu Matthews.
Black Hops Brewing has spent the past six months planning and installing a new can line from CFT Group.
In Western Australia, Froth Craft Brewery is opening its second taproom in Bunbury. The brewery is currently getting installed with a potential opening date set in July.
Expanding? Let us know – cheers@brewsnews.com.au.
