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. This month, despite ongoing caution and a slow return to normal including another lockdown for Queensland, breweries-in-planning are proving resilient as they forge ahead with projects across the country.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Kick Back Brewing is being planned for Aldinga in the Adelaide suburb at 11 Old Coach Road.

Founder and head brewer Brenton Schoemaker said that the brewery and taphouse located in the coastal town of Aldinga is near to completion.

The taproom will have the capacity to seat up to 300 people, and Schoemaker wil be brewing on a 10hL Brewtique kit.

“A core part of our brand is quality with a true belief that enjoying good beer is a combination of quality ingredients, on-point processes and friendly service.” Schoemaker said.

“The beer roster entails a mixture of reliable core styles bolstered by seasonal and experimental releases. Kick Back will have as much emphasis on hazies as it has on lagers: a welcome stranger to all palates.”

Aided by family and friends, as well as an Adelaide chef working on the cuisine side, and a marketing manager who has worked with tourism and hospitality around the world.

“Our DA came through last October and the site has now been renovated, and the equipment and taproom is in the final stage of installation. We are bursting with excitement to slam in our first full-scale brews in the next week or so,” Schoemaker said earlier this month.

Kick Back is set to open by mid-year.

Little Rippa Brewing is launching at Mount Gambier, with plans for a taphouse and brewery set to be completed by the end of 2021.

Adelaide hospitality space Plant 3 Bowden is set to include a microbrewery, Bowden Brewing.

Woolstore Brewery in Mount Gambier is well on its way having taken possession of its tanks earlier this year.

TASMANIA

Spotty Dog Brewers is preparing to go out to tender for the construction and fit-out of its new brewery. The team will be looking to hire a head brewer in the coming months, ahead of a summer 2021 opening.

Communion Brewing is on track, with the first cuts in its slabs made earlier this month. Its brewkit was due to leave China this month, and the founder Andrew Turner (pictured) is looking to be brewing by the end of April, and looking at mid-year for an opening.

The founder of Tasmania’s latest two beer brands is Scott Seymour. Originally from Victoria, he told Brews News that he sought out craft beer since he was young whilst working at the Herald Sun, having published its first feature on Victoria’s craft brewing industry before opening a small live music venue in Bendigo, founding the Bendigo Home Brew Competition and helping found Bendigo Beer.

But it is a little further south in Penguin, Tasmania, that Seymour’s latest project is to be located.

“After moving to Tasmania last year we came across a disused bakery, right on the beach, we thought “wouldn’t that be perfect for a little brew bar!”

“Originally my wife and I were funding Penguin Beer Co. by ourselves with the view to contract brewing until we could make enough money to buy our own stainless,” he said.

But after being approached by a small group of investors, the idea of Penguin Beer Co. has expanded into Island State Brewing, which will open down the road in Devonport in October. Penguin Beer Co. will become the taproom, and Island State will be brewing its beers as well as beers under its own label.

It is looking at a 15hL system, but has already been contract brewing its first beers at the Morrison Brewery in Launceston, including core range offerings the King Penguin Pale Ale, and the Royal Penguin Choc-Brown Ale.

“Penguin Beer Co, will be a bit different as far as craft beer tap-houses go. You will be able to walk right up from the beach, sit on our deck overlooking Bass Straight or head inside and enjoy some great casual dining and original live music,” Turner said.

“Penguin Beer Co will open in beautiful Penguin, Tasmania in April and all things going to plan we will have Island State Brewing opening just down the road in Devonport in October.”

VICTORIA

Co-Conspirators revealed the designs for their new brewpub which was due to open last year before it was hampered by COVID-19.

The brewpub is expected to open before the end of 2021, although there are no official dates as of yet. CoConspirators’ brewkit has already arrived, but in storage and will be installed and commissioned by July.

Deeds Brewing’s taproom is progressing in full construction mode and it is approaching the halfway mark of the build, with an expected finishing date of end of May.

Bendigo Brewing Co. is proceeding as planned, with hopes to open in Spring 2021.

Bendigo’s brewkit is ordered, built and waiting to be shipped to Australia, according to co-founder Trev Birks. Its new head brewer has moved to Bendigo to get things ready for its arrival, and the organisation is aiding Bendigo TAFE with its Cert III microbrewing course collaboration.

Meanwhile, Good Land Brewing Co. is set to open in Traralgon by mid-2021.

According to the brewery’s Facebook page, the team have just taken possession of their brewing tanks. Brews News has been in contact to find out more.

NEW SOUTH WALES

Woopi Brewing Co. in Northern NSW is progressing quickly, with the build of the site expected to finish in April. Its brewing equipment is on order with brewtique and the team are busy brewing and planning the first round of releases. The opening is planned for July, dependent on when the brewkit will arrive and be installed and commissioned.

King Tide Brewing kicked-off the construction of its Coffs Harbour brewpub earlier this month.

With most of the wall busting, concrete cutting and drainage digging complete, activity will now turn to prepping the space for the arrival of the brewhouse, and converting the old mechanics garage into a vibrant inner city brewpub. The team are targeting a mid-year opening.

Mountain Culture’s new Emu Plains production brewery is on track, which will allow its Katoomba brewery to be used as originally intended, as a brewpub rather than a production facility.

Ventura Brewing, which brews hard kombucha, has launched in Murwillumbah in Northern NSW, having a completed a pilot batch last month.

Common People Brewing in Bangalow is coming soon.

QUEENSLAND

A development application has been lodged for a Hotel and Medium Impact Industry, located at 393 Montague Road, Tondara Lane and Rogers Street, West End.

The application for the brewery, operating under West End Craft Brewery Pty Ltd was submitted to Brisbane City Council in October 2020.

Plans were also submitted for a Fortitude Valley site at 41 Ann Street for material change for use as a food and drink outlet, hotel and microbrewery by Empire Holdings for the existing Cloudland venue for a new rooftop bar and microbrewery.

However, so far it has been met with frequent requests for more information from the council regarding air quality, its limitations on 150,000 litres a year.

Morts Brewing Co. in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast has had its DA approved and is set to open this month.

Crafted Grounds, the new Albion brewery at 29-31 Collingwood Street, looks set to go ahead after it received approval under the condition that it produced under 200,000 litres of beer a year, amongst other limitations.

According to reports in local media, it is looking to open its doors in May 2021.

Straddie Brewing Co. has been busy launching beers from its contract brewing partner Ballistic as it works on getting its own brewery installed.

It released its Mid Track Session Ale earlier this month, at 2.8% abv, and secured a bronze medal at the recent RQFWS Awards in the Session Beer/Reduced Alcohol Beer category. Work is still ongoing with the brewery, according to Straddie’s Andrew Sydes.

“It’s still a case of watch this space for now, but work continues in earnest behind the scenes to make our island brewing dream a reality,” he said.

“As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out and gradually economic circumstances return to greater stability, we’re seeing doors that have remained stubbornly shut begin to crack open a little, so we remain hopeful and optimistic.

“In the meantime, we’ve secured sufficient capacity with our brewing partners at Ballistic to make our beers available to mainland venues and bottle shops.”

In addition, JLL, on behalf of Springfield City Group, launched the Springfield Sports and Entertainment precinct earlier this year, to supplement the AFLW Stadium nearby.

The precinct will include a brewery, and JLL is looking for partners, including a brewery, to join the development.

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Are you launching a new brewery and want to be featured on the Bintani Brewery Radar, or have we missed your new local brewery-in-planning off the list? If so, email clare@brewsnews.com.au.