New South Wales

The new Morpeth Brewery and Beer Co., based at the Commercial Hotel in the historic Hunter River town of Morpeth, first put its beers on sale on ANZAC Day this year, but delayed their official launch for several months until processes and recipes had been perfected. The launch party was held on 11 October. The brewer, Dave Allen, produces 200-litre batches using a Braumeister brewing system. The beers are only on draught at present, but will soon be available in bottles too. Their names, including Big Hitter Special Bitter and Close Call Pale Ale, reflect aspects of the history of the Morpeth (and Maitland) area.

The Black Duck Brewery has almost completed its move from its original rural home at Heron’s Creek into the town of Port Macquarie. Owner Al Owen opened his new cellar door in Port Macquarie for tastings and packaged beer sales for the first time on 18 October, and will soon begin using the larger brewery now installed at the new site.

In Sydney, the Macquarie Hotel, home of the Schwartz Brewery, was put on the market in September. The place has also been relaunched as the Sydney Brewhouse, as of 27 September, diminishing the former close connection between the on-site brewery and its beers, and the hotel’s owner Jerry Schwartz. There is also a new range of draught beers, including Potts Point Porter, Woolloomooloo Wheat, and Paddo Pale. Bottled versions of some of these are produced off-site, at the Brewpack contract brewing facility at Smeaton Grange, and are sold under the Schwartz Brewery brand.

Schwartz Brewery has been re-launched as Sydney Brewhouse

Brewing began late in October at the new 4 Pines Brewery at Brookvale, which is housed in an industrial building in Winbourne Road, and equipped with a 50hL DME brewhouse. Chris Willcock, formerly of the Bluetongue Brewery at Warnervale, is newly appointed to the position of brewer. The new brewery will gradually replace Brewpack as the source of 4 Pines bottled products. The little 5hL brewery at the company’s bar and restaurant at Manly will continue to operate.

Victoria

A new hotel opened in June in the Melbourne suburb of Kew. It is part of the Best Western Premier chain, and is named simply Hotel 115 after its address, 115 Cotham Road, Kew. The new hotel incorporates a small brewery, a component of its 115 Grill and Brewhouse, and brewing began there in July. The first beer, an amber ale, went on sale on 21 August, under the ‘One One Five’ label. It was followed by a pale ale, a pilsner, and a Bavarian-style weissbier in time for the recent Oktoberfest celebrations. Owner-brewer Brice Hateley operates an 800-litre 2-vessel system.