Beers
14 Mar 2024
Brewery Radar • November 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 dominated the activity over the last month. We have updates from 17 breweries or brands with:
- 4 brewery openings;
- 1 development application approved;
- 1 brewery and taproom that is no longer going ahead; and
- another 11 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
QLD
White Lies Brewing opened its second venue, White Lies II, in the Brisbane suburb of Seventeen Mile Rocks on October 27. According to The Weekend Edition, owner Lee McAlister-Smiley opened his Sumner taproom in 2016 but decided to open a second venue when he maxed out the original brewery’s production capacity. The Sumner taproom “is now primarily a distillery for White Lies’ small-batch-spirit-making offshoot, Ginesis.” Meanwhile, the new 260-person taproom has 30 taps and 24 beers. It may introduce live entertainment, with McAlister-Smiley explaining that they “are trying to strike that balance between a family-welcome place and something that’s a little more mature.” The team shared via Facebook that since the taproom’s kitchen is not yet operating, they currently have a food truck on-site while McAlister-Smiley secures a kitchen operator.
In a late October blog post, Sunshine Coast Craft Beer Tours shared that Coolum Beer Co was set to open in November. Situated in the Coolum industrial area, the brewpub “is planned to have… a small brewery and canning line with a focus on taproom sales.”
Ten Toes Brewery, which already has a venue in Alexandra Headland, opened a new production site, taproom and restaurant in North Buderim on November 2. The venue has 12 taps and is currently hiring.
In an early November media release, Perentie Brewing Co. shared that it will open its “bespoke, local brewery” at Distillery Road Market on December 16. The venue “houses a bespoke 6 million-dollar, purpose-built brewery specialising in authentic lager beers” that has one million litres of brewing capacity. It also has a beer garden, a kitchen with a seasonal menu and seating for more than 200 people.
Moreton Bay Council approved Buddy Brewing’s material change of use development application on October 23. In its approval notice, the council specified that the microbrewery and distillery must “limit distilling to less than 2500L per annum.”
The owners of Stony Creek in the Laidley Valley shared via email that Stony Creek is “currently a brewery in planning” and they “hope to have a commercial license by the end of this year.”
NSW
According to Real Commercial, Dubbo-based brewpub Devil’s Hollow Brewery is for sale. Devil’s Hollow opened in 2019 and has a single bar, large beer garden, full commercial kitchen and bistro area in addition to its beer brewery.
The same Real Commercial article also revealed that an investor recently purchased Styx Brewery, which was listed for sale in April. The brewery is located in an open plan warehouse in the Newcastle suburb of Carrington and the property “had an existing DA approval for food manufacturing and an associated dwelling.”
Sanctus Brewing Co. shared an update on its expansion via Instagram. It said it had “made some big changes during [its] recent upgrade” and would open the brewery for a behind the scenes tour on November 25.
Pickled Monkey Brewing’s brewery build is currently in progress in Sydney and the walls are up, according to several early November Facebook posts from the business.
VIC
Valhalla Brewing had its opening weekend from the 26th to the 28th of October. Located in the Federal Mills precinct in North Geelong, the brewhall has 16 taps and serves pizza courtesy of a local caterer.
The new owners of Lake Bolac Hotel, a country pub in Victoria’s Western District region, shared in a recent chef job advertisement their plans to transition the pub into a microbrewery.
On November 18, Fox Friday shared that its team had brewed “the first Richmond Taproom beer.” Fox Friday Melbourne is currently hiring for multiple full-time and casual roles in the lead-up to its opening, though it has not announced an opening date.
WA
The owners of Wedgetail Brewing held a soft opening event at their new taproom in Falcon in early November. They shared via Facebook on November 15 that they had “one final permit approval to go,” announcing that the taproom would open on November 22.
SA
Lone Gum Farmhouse and BeerNoEvil are scheduled to open a joint 20-tap venue called “Unit Three” in Adelaide this month, according to a recent article. They will share the area with Night Works, a distillery.
Kick Back Brewing casually opened its new Port Noarlunga venue, Drifters Pizza Bar, to walk-ins in late October.
The owner of Adelaide’s 101 Brewery, Dale, shared via Facebook that he has “decided not to go ahead with [his] venue.” The taphouse was “approved by [the] council for building and planning,” but he cannot pursue the venture due to personal circumstances. He encouraged anyone who “is interested in taking up the lease and continuing to do the venture” to contact him.
