The rain poured down in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon, the 24th August. But that’s nothing new. What was new, though, was that some 250 guests had crowded into the many rooms of The Loaded Dog Pub Brewery as the baroque music of Vivaldi, played by a 10 piece string orchestra, set the mood for the opening of Victoria’s first pub-brewery.
The Old Aberdeen Hotel, which stands at 324 St. George’s Road in North Fitzroy, has been modernised in splendid decor, the long polished redwood bar jutting in and out around the lounge and public bar areas to provide an intimate and delightful atmosphere.
Through plate glass windows the shining stainless steel tanks of the brewery are clearly visible both to patrons from within the pub and to passers-by from the street.
As a constant reminder of the hotel’s quaint new title, a two metre high comical caricature of a dog stands leaning against the bar, legs crossed in relaxed posture and holding a giant size mug of ale.
Although other mini-breweries have been operating in Perth and Ballarat for two years or more and many further applications have been lodged in most Australian States, the Loaded Dog is unique in its intention to produce only traditional ales, by the top fermentation process. No lager beers at all!
The brewery trades under the name of The Traditional Brewing Company Pty. Ltd., and has a weekly capacity of 4,000 litres – two brews of 2,000 litres. In readiness for the official opening, a brew of Ruby Bitter was available for sampling by the guests. Looking and tasting like a stout, slightly sharp, this beer has a subtle deep ruby colour when held to the light.
The affable and highly enthusiastic brewer, Tony Barker, received his training at the Ballarat College of Advanced Education and gained two years of experience as brewer at the Matilda Bay and Sail and Anchor Breweries in Perth and Fremantle. He says that five traditional ales will be brewed at the Loaded Dog: the Ruby Bitter with 5.2% alc/vol., Milk Stout, Mild, Thunder Ale with 10% and Macka’s Cobungra Bitter.
The 50 litre aluminium alloy casks presently used will be replaced with Australian Sheoak casks of the same capacity. Bottling is not proposed at present.
Geoff Chamberlain, Andrew Bugg and brother Wal are co-owners, young people with many years of hotel experience. Geoff was involved with the first pub-brewery in Western Australia, as manager of the Sail and Anchor, before returning to Melbourne to establish The Loaded Dog.
Throughout the afternoon television crews from Channels 7 and 10 were busy recording and interviewing so as to report the historic event on Melbourne’s evening news segments. Andrew Bugg welcomed guests at 4.00 pm, emphasising the purpose of the brewery: to provide a choice of traditional ales, a choice which has been lacking throughout Australian hotels until recently.
Andrew remarked that 10 different beers were available on tap including three of their own ales. Complementing this was arguably Australia’s largest range of imported beers and ales, displayed in numerous well-stocked cabinets.
John Hindle of television fame then added congratulatory remarks. It had never occurred to him, he said, that a pub could have its own beer and that the venture was imaginative and exciting. The public could not only try and taste something different, but could watch the actual production. He then invited Miss Lynette Young, 95 years of age, cousin and oldest living relative of Henry Lawson, to cut the ribbon and officially open the Loaded Dog Pub Brewery. “The Loaded Dog”, she said, “was one of cousin Henry’s most famous stories and the opening signified a link with the past”.
The pub’s young staff are courteous, friendly, efficient and neatly dressed in red shirts which proudly display the Loaded Dog emblem. Add to this the hard-working and enthusiastic management and a range of products to tempt and satisfy every taste, then this venture must surely reap the success that it deserves.
Local drinkers have been raised on lager beers. In fact, there has been virtually no other choice and taste preferences in Melbourne are firmly entrenched. Yet in recent times there has been an influx of different beers from the other States and drinkers are beginning to experiment. The choice is widening further now with Australian made traditional ales! The extent to which these will be appreciated and accepted as part of our normal drinking life … well, only time will tell.
Originally published: Beer Matters, November 1986
