Newtown Hotel’s draught beer contract with Carlton & United Breweries is set to be reviewed “on day one” by new owner Colonial Leisure Group.

Owned by The Keystone Group since 2012,Newtown Hotel has since retained a taplist that is 80-90 per cent contracted to CUB – now somewhat ofa rarityin Sydney’sInner West, which has fast become a hotbed for independent craft breweries.

But that is all about to change after CLG acquired the pub last week, general manager Lawrence Dowd told Australian Brews News.

“That’ll happen probably on day one – we will be putting more of a craft angle on it, as we do all our pubs,” he said.

“Being a brewer ourselves we’re very conscious of giving the punters more choice and variety – that’s what sets us apart.

“We work with all the breweries and we like having a diverse range of beers in all of our venues,” he said.

The 720-capacity, three-level Newtown Hotel is CLG’s first NSW pub, adding to its WA and Victoria-dominated portfolio of venues.

Dowd said it gives Colonial Brewing Co a physical base in Sydney as the subsidiary steps up its bid to become a national brand, having recently established a brewery on the former Matilda Bay site at Port Melbourne.

“We’re getting a fair bit of traction with the brand in NSW and up in Queensland,” said Dowd.

But he said there are no plans to go on a pub buying spree in Sydney.

“If the right hotel comes up and we can add value, we’ll look at it,” he said.