Brewery Radar: August 2022

TheBintani Brewery Radar keeps the brewing industry up to date with the progress of planned breweries and brewpubs in Australia, where they are in their development process, the installation of brewhouses and proposed opening dates. With Winter almost over, many breweries have opened or are looking to open in time for the busy Summer period. Additional reporting by Clare Burnett.

Find out where new breweries are opening in your state:

Western Australia
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
New South Wales
Tasmania

If you haven’t seen your brewery on recent editions of theBrewery Radar, get in touch with us – radar@brewsnews.com.au.

FOUND. Goods, which is set to be located in East Perth, saw its Development Application approved in June.

It is set to turn part of the heritage-listed 1920’s Perth Girls School in East Perth into its homebase. FOUND is planning a new standalone building to house brewing operations off Wellington Street, as well as a bar and dining room in the old PGS building.

The brewery is being co-founded by Will Irving, formerly of Feral Brewing.

Following a major crowdfunding raise last year, Spinifex Brewing Co. is close to completion at its Nambeelup brewery, which is set to be handed over in a few weeks for fitout. Meanwhile its second venue, Cable Beach Broome, has been recommended for approval and is set to go before the council for a DA decision at the end of August.

Eclipse Brewing Co. is preparing its development application for the approvals process for its site in the Margaret River region.

In Geraldton, Batavia Brewing Co is set to open its microbrewery at 60 Fitzgerald Street.by the end of August.

Co-founder Dennis Healy told the Geraldton Guardian that the business is dealing with issues related to the brewkit, which may not be resolved by the opening date.

“We will certainly be ready to open in August, there’s no doubt about that, but whether we’ve got our own beer at the time is going to be the issue. Of course, a microbrewery without its own beer isn’t really a microbrewery is it,” he said.

“It may be that we can only open up with some limited supply of our own stock like ginger beer and cider.

“Everything else will be working so people will be able to come in, have a meal and other people’s beer, not ours. It’s a little disappointing from that point of view, but we’ll get there in the end.”

Dandanning Brewery is slowly progressing with its brewery, according to its Instagram page and is looking to have kegs placed in the Mukinbudin Hotel.

Smiley Brewing Co. in Pakenham, Victoria is progressing well, despite planning department issues. Final planning permit approvals were received in June, and the team, led by director Trent Butcher, has ordered its equipment – a 10hL, two-vessel system from Bespoke Brewing Solutions.

Delivery of the brewkit is expected before Christmas, and despite some minor delays with finalising building fit-out design, internal fit-out can commence including a drainage and wet area flooring to ensure everything is prepared for the November arrival of the brewkit.

At this stage, Smiley Brewing looks to be open before March next year.

Phillip Island is set for a new microbrewery and distillery with help from a $1.2 million investment from the Victorian Government.

The 120-seat bar and restaurant of the Rhyll Brewery and Distillery, has been partially funded by the government’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund.

The project will create around 55 jobs during construction and up to 20 full time jobs after works are complete in 2023.

“Phillip Island is one of Victoria’s favourite tourist destinations and that’s why we’re supporting projects that encourage more visitors to the region,” said Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula.

“Visitors to the Rhyll Brewery and Distillery will be able to relax and have a drink while soaking up the waterfront views – another reason to stay even longer on Phillip Island.”

On Point Brewery in the town of Alexandra near Lake Eildon is due to open next month.

The team, consisting of co-founders James Smith and Chris Turner will brew on a 10hL setup, which is being commissioned this week.

With a producers licence and planning permit already in place, On Point is due for a September opening. It will happen in two phases, firstly with its 50 capacity beer garden, followed by a full taproom with a kitchen, which will bring capacity to 200 people.

“Being in regional Victoria, it’s been extremely hard to find more niche trades, for example it’s been near impossible to find a type-b plumber to commission the burners and flues in our brewhouse,” explained Turner.

“Also we didn’t anticipate how hard it would be to get permanent taps, with the monopoly on taps from the macro breweries it’s been very hard to get a base of wholesale customers.

“Luckily our local pubs have been great but we would have liked to get more taps on at this stage of our business.

The scaffolding is up at Brewmanity’s new site with the rooftop beer garden in the works.

After laying the floor, structural steel will be put in place ready for the arrival of the brewhouse in November.

Brewmanity’s site is due for full completion by March 2023.

3 Griffins Brewing has relocated its production facility and liquor licence to the Mornington Peninsula and is awaiting council approval before recommencing production.

“We have recently taken possession of a 4 vessel, 470 litre Nano system from Cheeky Peak in Wodonga,” founder Marty Ryan said.

The team is also considering options for in-house canning equipment and looking for a suitable location for a small taproom.

Bridge Road Brewers has been making headway on its second venue in East Brunswick which was announced last year.

The Beechworth brewery undertook a major crowdfund earlier this year to contribute to the brewery.

At Bendigo Brewing, the team is full steam ahead with some slight delays.

Brewery-in-planning Future Magic Brewing Co. launched an equity crowdfund to make its plans a reality.

The funds will go towards the building of a new brewpub in East Brisbane, on Manilla Street.

Future Magic has already secured a licence from the ATO, and launched a development application with the council. Co-founders Sean Still and Rhys Pike are hoping to be open before Christmas.

A brewery has been proposed as part of the Parkwood Surf Village development proposals on the Gold Coast.

In Warwick, Psycho Suzies opened its doors last week.

Archer Brewing in Brisbane’s Northern suburbs is progressing with a 10hL brewkit from Brewtique ordered and on its way.

Owner Stuart Martin said that it has been a long journey but seeing it come together was worth it.

“The biggest win to date that we have had is how amazing the space looks now we have removed half of the first floor and fixed up the mezzanine level.

“Now that it’s been opened up, you can start to see the uniqueness of the building more and everything we imagined back when we first fell in love with the building. Every seat is going to have a completely different vantage point of this amazing space.”

Flat Lizard Brewing in Stafford had its soft opening last week.

On the Sunshine Coast, Black Flag Brewing is on track for an opening at the end os September. Brewing equipment has landed on site ready for installation.

According to its social media, Straddie Brewing Co. has had a roof installed and work is fully underway across three floors including a brewery, taproom and rooftop bar.

Up in Gladstone, Ward’s Brewing Co. installed its tanks earlier this month, their new brewer has settled in on the 10hL brewkit, with plans to have it commissioned over the next couple of weeks.

Subject to council sign off, Ward’s expects to be open by summer 2022.

A new brewery venture specialising in lagers is set to open next year in Eagleby, Queensland.

The $6 million project, dubbed Perentie Brewing Co, is led by Zarraffa’s Coffee and Tonken Property Group co-founder Kenton Campbell with Burleigh Brewing assisting in the planning and execution of the project.

Despite weather challenges delaying progress, Hip Hop Brewers in Brendale is set to commission its Tiantai 10hL three vessel brew kit in late August. With an initial brewing of 120,000 litres per year, the brewery is hoping to open by November.

Magnetic Island, just off the coast of Townsville, is now home to a brewery, after Maggie Island Brewing opened its doors last month to tourists and locals alike.

On the Gold Coast, Silver Fox Brew Co. is set to open its brewpub in the upper Coomera/Pimpama area by the end of the year.

Co-founded by Glenn & Sonya Griffin, the initial beer offerings will be a Silver Fox Hemp Ale, and a Silver Fox Hemp Lager, according to the company’s website.

The Suburban Brew is a new production facility and taphouse in the Northeastern Adelaide suburbs.It received final approvals this month and is on track for opening, with brewery equipment brought and the building coming together nicely.

No opening date is set for Union Bridge Brewery and Distillery yet, but the business is currently looking for Front of House staff members.

Curly Lewis is set to be Bondi’s first brewery, has been founded by locals Adam Richards, Oliver dos Remedios, Gareth Morton, Loren Morton, and experienced brewer and industry consultant Scotty Morgan.

“We felt there was a gap in the market for beer-lovers in the eastern suburbs. You have to go to the inner west or northern beaches for a brewery experience. So we wanted to change that and create a local brand and brewery in a location that has a lot of significance to us as founders.” Oli dos Remedios said in a media release.

The brewery and bar, which will seat 120 people, will produce two core beers, the Curly Lewis Clean Cut Lager, and Bondi Hazy Ale.

Head brewer Scotty Morgan is brewing on a 10hL Brewtique kit from Chinese manufacturer NDL. The brewery has a steam heated mash tun and kettle, to enable step mashing of lagers.

Curly Lewis has also invested in a Premier Stainless keg machine and an American Canning unit for specialty batches.

The venue has been designed by interior architects ACME (the team behind celebrated venues like Fred’s, Margaret and Archie Rose Distillery & Bar and is set to open on Friday (19th August).

Bathurst’s Reckless Brewing Co. is nearing completion with its brewkit due to arrive in two weeks, after a number of COVID and energy delays in China.

In the meantime, Reckless is undertaking some soft launches ahead of their Grand Opening next month.

Beerfarm is ramping up its event schedule in NSW and ACT but still no word yet on when its Halloran site is set to open.

Freshwater Brewing in Brookvale is set to commission its 10hL three vessel brewkit over the coming weeks, with a potential opening date set for mid September.

In Tweed Heads, Hoppers Brewing Co. had its development application “approved in principle” by local council.

“There are a few conditions to come which must be reviewed, discussed and agreed to but all going well we should have the DA fully approved next month,” co-founder Tyler Woods said.

Method Brewing in Islington opened its doors in late June.

Founded by Matt Blowfield, Gavin McKenzie and Sean Costigan, the brewery features a 10hL three vessel brew kit from Brewtique.

“We’re very happy to be calling Islington home and looking forward to being a part of a small brewery explosion that seems to be starting in and around Newcastle,” director Sean Costigan said.

A new microbrewery in Dunsborough, set to be led by Miles Hull of Dark Horse Hospitality Group, is launching later this year.

The brewery, from the former Little Creatures GM, is being developed by Place Development Australia, which also oversaw the construction of Pirate Life Brewery in Perth, according to media reports.

Plans for Spangled Drongo Brewing Co. were hit hard by flooding in Northern NSW earlier this year and it re-focused efforts to helping the community.

“We raised approx $100,000 of money through gofundme & direct donations and we purchased white goods and essential items that were delivered to community members,” co-founder Thomas Cornish said.

“While we haven’t opened our doors, we have done our best to help our community in a time of need and we are very proud of the work we have done.

“We didn’t do it alone – there were tens of thousands of volunteers who came through the Volunteers and Donations centre to assist with time or materials items. We are incredibly grateful for all that they did.”

There are renovations happening at its future site with the aim to launch by February 2023. In the meantime, it opened a pop-up bar in the M|Arts precinct in Murwillumbah to help fill the void.

Having ordered its brewkit, the team are hopeful that the brewhouse will be installed and brewing beers by October.

Quantum Brewing, which will be in the Moruya Artisan Factory, has started work on fitting the brewery according to the business’s Facebook page.

Thirsty Messiah Brewery in Newcastle is slowly progressing with its brewery according to its Facebook page. The team also attended Method Brewing’s industry opening in late June.

In Launceston, Du Cane Brewing is on track to open during the Junction Arts Festival in September, and is currently looking to hire Front of House staff members.