Black Hops II is here

Brewery Openings • Megan Sahli • 6 Mar 2019

Gold Coast-based Black Hops Brewery is on track to expand operations with its newly opened production brewery and taproom.

Over the weekend, the five-year-old craft brewery officially opened its second production brewery and taproom in the Gold Coast suburb of Biggera Waters. The facility is located about 30 minutes from Black Hops existing brewery and taproom.

Black Hops II is set to be the company’s full-scale production facility focusing on its higher volume, core-range beers. The new brewery will increase Black Hops’ current annual output of 600,000 litres to one million plus litres annually.

As well as upscaling production, the new brewery and taproom will cater to the Gold Coast’s northern residents and other visitors to the area, offering beer tastings, takeaways and brewery tours.

Black Hops co-owners Dan Norris, Eddie Oldfield and Michael McGovern said that they are excited by the opportunities their new brewery will bring.

Norris told Brews News that Black Hops’ expansion project has cost the company between $2 and $3 million with funds raised through private investors, bank finance and equity crowdfunding.

The new production brewery was manufactured by Nebraska-based Alpha Brewing Operations and is the company’s second foray into the Australian market. Norris said that at 60hL, the brewhouse is also the biggest brewery the manufacturer has ever built.

Joining the 60hL production brewhouse and its six 180hL fermenters – there is room for 20 – is an 800-litre pilot system that will service the new taproom.

The Biggera taproom will boast 14 taps, of which three will pour Black Hops staples including Black Hops Pale Ale, Hornet IPA and Eggnog Stout. Over the weekend, guests were able to try a 7.7% red ale and a 9.8% hazy IIIPA, both unique to the new taproom.

The new canning line will be commissioned on March 14. Black Hops’ other major equipment investment is its new eight-head automated canning line and case packer, which was tested just yesterday.

Brews News understands that Black Hops will launch in New South Wales early April, with launches in Melbourne and South Australia to follow soon afterwards.