The Bintani 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. This month, breweries are dealing with major challenges in the world of freight and are waiting on brewkits to be delivered, as several major existing breweries move their plans for second venues on. Additional reporting by Vivien Topalovic.

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Queensland

Archer Brewing Co. has announced that it has submitted plans for a new site in Wilston, at 278 Newmarket Road at a former Lifeline store.

“It’s been a long journey for us to find our place,” explained founder Stuart Martin.

“We were open to every idea, so we visited and considered a lot of different locations, around 50 locations I would think. Some you don’t give a second thought, others you visit over again, but you have to go in with an eye open.”

Archer has been on the hunt for new premises since 2019, when its original venue at The International Hotel in Spring Hill was sold.

“In an ideal world we didn’t want four walls as a warehouse. We wanted somewhere with a bit of character that we could really make our home. I want people to come to Brisbane and say ‘holy shit have you gone to the Archer place yet?’

“This location is a beautiful combination of everything. It has an approximate 400sqm footprint, with a bit of it being mezzanine level, we’ll rip a lot out but will have some for additional seating.”

Martin also thinks the Wilston suburb for which Archer has chosen is a winner.

“It’s in an amazing suburb around Newmarket/Wilston, [that’s] not really serviced by that many artisan producers, so there’s a bit of a gap in the market. We’ve highlighted that North West quadrant of Brisbane as the place we wanted to be, plus we’re sponsors of the Brisbane Bandits and they are literally a stone’s throw away.”

Since losing their venue, Archer has engaged in nomad brewing at breweries across South East Queensland, including 4 Hearts, Ballistic Beer, Slipstream and Sea Legs.

“It gets very tiring, there’s no consistency to your product, there’s different tanks, a different brewer and everyone has a slightly different style. That’s something key and important to me is having that consistency. That’s how you drive brand loyalty, making sure it stays the same, same as it was last time.”

Archer applied for its development application approvals earlier this month, and it is applying for an artisan licence for the site.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to do the development approval process quite quickly, and don’t need a hotel licence, which will make it a material change of use.”

Archer is bringing in a 10hL Brewtique kit with three double fermenters and two singles, as well as a brite tank, and is currently in discussions for a brewer. If all goes to plan, Archer will be open by November.

“But we’re very excited about it and the potential for the future,” said Martin.

Work started at the end of June on the construction of Parched – West End Craft Brewery. Brewing equipment is due to arrive in the first week of August so founder Carl Hillion hopes to be open by early October.

Craft’d Grounds, a new Brisbane venue co-founded by James Rennell, has launched its brewery offering Brewtide. The 500sqm venue looks set to be open by September. head brewer and veteran of the craft, Gavin Croft, who is taking over the brewing operations, said it would also be looking to attract other beer brands.

A major new development in the Brisbane suburb of Lutwyche, Lamington Markets, will feature a craft brewery, with details yet to be decided, but it is being founded by Rennell, also co-founder of the above brewery, Craft’d Grounds.

Mouse Proof Brewery is a new nanobrewery set to open in Toowoomba this August. The six founders areProfessor John McLean Bennett, Certified Professional Soil
Scientist, Professor of Soil Science and Agrimetrics a the University of Southern Queensland, who is also the head brewer, alongside assistant brewers Dr Stirling Roberton, Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Pedometrics) and agricultural engineer David West. PhD candidate Ned Skehan and civil engineer Job King, are also part of the founding team, as is Mal Campbell, owner of Urban Earthworks.

Wards Brewing Co. in Gladstone is full steam ahead as building work continues.

Founder Michael Comley is in the final throes of securing the brewhouse from Brewtique, with branding and a new brewer in the works too.

The Sunshine Coast’s Blackflag Brewing has submitted an application to open a new brewery at Coolum Beach, which will mark its transition from a nomadic brewer to having a brewery of its own.

New South Wales

Spangled Drongo Brewing, a brewery planned for near Murwillumbah is looking for investors, with major plans in the works. The proposed venue will be located on a 1960s roller skating rink, featuring skate ramps (below) and a vegan-inspired menu.

At Woopi Brewing Co. the team is waiting on the brewery’s new Brewtique kit to come. But it is in its final stages with the brewery set to open this September, said co-founder Sarah Poole.

A new brewing company dedicated to the alcohol-free beer market is set to open in New South Wales. Founded by David Jackson, The Beneficial Beer Co. aims to offer a new take on alcohol-free beer.

“Although most big breweries have launched low and no alcohol beers over the past few years, and the demand is there, craft beers have been underrepresented so far, especially in Australia.

“Upon realising that Australia lacked a tasty non-alcoholic beer alternative, I decided to take on the challenge to build Australia’s first non-alcoholic brewery” said Jackson.

Head brewer at Beneficial is Bruce Peachey, who has over 40 years of experience within the industry. He also developed and successfully launched seven Bluetongue beer brands including an alcoholic ginger beer and a low carb beer which were innovations in the craft beer sector at the time.

The company’s seed round investment of $300,000 will go towards brewing equipment, which will be used to test and produce a new range of non-alcoholic beer.

Malt Man Brewing is set to open this September on the far south coast of New South Wales in Bodalla.

With construction on complete and the brewkit arriving soon, the new brewery is set to be a multifaceted space for the community, according to owner Eric Blue.

“An existing café is attached to the new brewery with a nice beer garden and cool little cedar clad building,” he said.

King Tide Brewing is on track for a Spring opening at its location in the Coffs Harbour CBD.

The 250-seat venue will feature a full restaurant, and the brewery is currently looking for a venue manager to lead the hospitality side of the business.

New Northern NSW brewery Common People Brewing is well one its way and is currently looking for a new head brewer.

Common People’s DA has been approved and work has commenced on building the new site. The team is looking at a November opening for the Bangalow brewery.

Meanwhile, Thirsty Messiah Brewery is on track after a difficult time with planners and consultants.

Founder Thomas Delgatto is applying for the Artisan Food and Beverage Licence in NSW, and is hoping to have it approved soon, however plans have been pushed back for opening.

Victoria

Co-Conspirators Brewing Company is on the final stretch of the taproom build at its new Brunswick location, which was originally planned for completion in 2020. In the meantime and to help complete the build, Co-Conspirators has been undertaking a equity crowdfund which last week raised just over $600,000.

Bridge Road Brewers is opening its second venue, having signed up to the East Brunswick Village development in Melbourne. The site will have a 10hL brewery and seat 350.

Meanwhile, back in regional Victoria, Bendigo Beer is on track but still finalising building construction contracts.

Melbourne nomad brewery Brewmanity was given the green light by the local council earlier this month which will enable it to launch its first venue and brewery.

Hawke’s Brewing is set to open a brewery and hospitality arm before the end of the year.

Tasmania

Dave Macgill’s Deep South Brewing Co. finally got its liquor licence through after a delay, and opened at the beginning of July.

Communion Brewing is well underway with tank installations nearly complete and plans to start canning in a few weeks. Building work continues and founder Andrew Turner said the team were aiming for an opening before Summer 2021.

South Australia

Bowden Brewing opened earlier this month at Plant 3 Bowden, Fourth Street, Bowden, SA, 5008.

Woolstore Brewery in Mount Gambier is now open after a soft launch earlier this month, with brewer Kylie Ind at the helm.

Western Australia

Boundary Island Brewing is in the final stages of development, and is set to open in Mandurah WA, by the end of the year.

There have been a few delays for Northbound Brewing in the Swan Valley, but with a relatively long development phase, the brewery is hoping to be open in 2022.

Spinifex Brewing Co. announced earlier this year that it began construction on its $1 million 24hL four vessel brewhouse at the innovation precinct in Nambeelup.

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Have we missed any? Give us a message at clare@brewsnews.com.au if you are opening a brewery or know someone who is.