Two WA breweries are launching this month, as Shelter Brewing Co. nears the final stages of its development and Bailey Brewing Co. throws open its doors to the public.

Both have been featured on the Bintani Brewery Radar as they completed their planning and building process, and are now coming to the end of the first phase of developing a brewery, with much to offer in the way of advice for new or prospective brewery owners.

Bailey Brewing Co.

Bailey Brewing Co. opened its doors yesterday (Wednesday 4th November) after a major development process in a wine region of WA.

Director Steve Bailey, along with brother Daniel and dad Geoff, announced the development of the brewery, which has capacity for 250 people, in February after homebrewing for a number of years.

The team are hoping to attract customers from Perth and further afield with their relaxed family-friendly offering. But while WA has been relatively protected from the effects of COVID-19 which has hugely impacted other states, the team has not had a free ride.

“We were really lucky that COVID hit before we opened our doors, rather than just as we opened,” Steve said.

“Thankfully our hard-working tradies and suppliers were able to continue their work and get the job done without delaying our timeline too drastically.

“In the midst of it, I’ll admit we did go through stages of questioning how long COVID would stick around for, but we knew deep down that we’d be OK and come out the other side. We were so lucky that COVID just delayed our brewery delivery by a few weeks.”

He said that his main piece of advice for those looking to set up a brewery is “plenty of money!”. But on a more serious note, being adaptable to change was key, he explained.

“Be prepared for budgets to change constantly, plans to deviate, and most importantly expect the unexpected,” Bailey said.

“Make sure to get a solid team of staff behind you that you can rely on, and look after them.

“It’s all the late nights, long hours and behind the scenes stuff that people don’t see that gets you to the point of opening.

“Finally, I’d say buckle in and prepare to wait a long time for approvals. It’s a long process but be patient and enjoy the ride.”

The effort has all been worth it, Bailey said, and the brewery will be opening with a pale ale, an IPA, a summer ale, a mid-strength and a cider.

The team are brewing on a 12hL installed by Flying Foam and manufactured in China. But he said they wanted to hold off on a lager, which is currently in the works, to get it “just right”.

“We couldn’t be more excited to finally open our doors…after what feels like a lifetime of dreaming, planning, and building, we can finally get into it and let the people of Perth experience something awesome – a place where they can bring their families to enjoy some great food and make some special memories.

“That’s what it’s all about for us.”

Shelter Brewing Co.

Shelter Brewing Co. is set to open this month in Busselton, WA, a culmination of several years’ work.

Plans for a brewery in Busselton were first revealed in 2014, and now after a few iterations of the project, Shelter Brewing Co. is now set to open in mid-November.

Shelter is a joint venture between the Credaro brothers Jason, Matt, Chris and Mike and Packard-Hair brothers Zeb and Asher, all fourth-generation locals.

Justin Credaro taking on the role of head brewer alongside general manager Paul Maley, who said that the team were looking forward to throwing open the doors.

“Excitement is the biggest feeling, with a bit of nervousness, when you’re opening something of this scale,” Maley told Brews News.

“WA is in a unique position at the minute, and places like Busselton and the South West are seeing record numbers of visitors from Perth.

“We’ve got to be careful and take precautions and opening something of this scale we have to do the right thing, and it’s hard to see what the future holds in the long term for tourism.”

Building a brewery during COVID-19, even in WA, has served up some challenges.

“We’re in a good spot but we don’t underestimate the challenges that will come up,” Maley explained.

“Recruitment is hard for a venue our size and COVID has made that tougher.

“Lead times on certain items like furniture, anything coming from interstate or overseas in shipping has been a difficult thing. It used to take six weeks and now it’s 10-14 weeks.

“But there are certainly some challenges, 2020 has made people more resilient and adaptable.”

The 25hL brewkit is being commissioned this week, but the fermenters and brite tanks are in, as well as the canning line.

“Jason is testing a few things prior to the brewery opening and we’re really happy with what we think the lineup will be, wait to finalise everything once the brew system is in place,” Maley said.

They are predicting a late November start for on-site brewing.

“Finding the best location you can get your hands on is very, very important when it comes to hospitality.

“We’re next to Busselton jetty which attracts a million visitors a year. Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve when you start building bars and kitchens is really important too.

“You know what you want to cook and serve to make sure it comes out the best way it can. We’re super excited, we can’t wait.”

Shelter Brewing Co. is opening on 12th November.