Lion today officially opened the new brewhouse at its West End Brewery, complete with a beautifully restored copper kettle dating back to the early 1930s and visible to passers-by from Port Road.

South Australian Premier, the Honourable Jay Weatherill, joined West End Brewery Director Idris Jama to unveil the $70 million dollar investment into one of South Australia’s most iconic landmarks.

The new upgrade will allow the Brewery to produce approximately 120 million litres of beer every year and makes West End one of the most flexible and versatile breweries in the Lion group.

In addition to brewing South Australia’s favourite beer, West End Draught, the Brewery also brews a wider range of Lion’s beers such as Hahn and Toohey’s, as well as some great Irish beers, including Guinness and Kilkenny.

As the hub of Lion’s growing cider portfolio, the investment has also allowed West End Brewery to enhance its cider capability through the installation of a world-class cidery on site, where James Squire Orchard Crush, 5 Seeds and Kirin ciders are made for national distribution.

West End Brewery Director, Idris Jama, said he was proud to officially unveil the new and improved Brewery to the South Australian community.

“West End Brewery has been part of the South Australian community since 1859 and this upgrade will ensure we can keep making the highest quality beer and ciders for many more years to come.

“The upgrade has taken around two years to complete and we are particularly proud of the beautifully restored copper kettle we have given pride of place in the window for passers-by to see. The kettle has been with the Brewery since 1938 and although it’s not in use anymore, it is there to remind us of the years of brewing that came before us, the tradition of our craft, and most importantly, our long standing relationship with the local community.

“We are really proud of our strong ties to the local community – through our support of local sporting teams, our long-standing traditions that have been a part of the community for half a century, such as the Christmas Riverbank Display, which started back in 1959, and the West End Chimney unveiling, which started in 1954, and of course the West End Community Fund, which has raised over $2m for local community groups and charities over 15 years from donations to our free water fountain.”

South Australian Premier, the Honourable Jay Weatherill MP said: “South Australia’s reputation for great local produce doesn’t stop at food and wine – we have some of the best beers in the country, made right here in our state.

“We welcome Lion’s continued investment in the state through the upgrade to the West End Brewery and the Brewery’s continued support of our local community.”

West End Brewery is open to visitors for tours from Monday 23rd November. The tours run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11.00am and 1.00pm each day. Bookings can be made online at westenddraught.com.au/news-offers/brewerytours.

To find out more about West End Brewery and its brands, please visit http://www.westenddraught.com.au/.