Asahi Beverages has announced it will be closing Green Beacon’s production brewery in the Brisbane suburb of Geebung while investing in the brewery’s original Teneriffe brewpub.

In a media release announcing the closure, Asahi said most Green Beacon production will be transferred to Asahi Beverages’ other sites including Pirate Life in Adelaide and 4 Pines at Brookvale in Sydney. Green Beacon’s Wayfarer kegs are already produced at 4 Pines.

Green Beacon General Manager, Richard Shrosbery, said Green Beacon had outgrown the site.

“Geebung has been our home for more than six years and has driven much of our recent success,” he said.

“However, we are experiencing significant growth and have now outgrown the site.

“Today’s announcement means Green Beacon can continue its growth trajectory by unlocking capacity constraints, which will help ensure we continue to get it to lovers of Green Beacon everywhere.

“We will still have a strong presence in Brisbane with the upgraded Green Beacon Brewpub in Teneriffe. And, under the watchful supervision of our chief brewer, all Green Beacon beers will retain their distinct and award-winning flavours.

“The team at Geebung have been tremendous and I am very proud of the contribution they’ve made to Green Beacon’s success.”

The statement noted the closure will result in the loss of three full-time positions and two casual positions with the remaining Geebung employees to transfer to the Treneriffe brewpub.

Asahi Beverages said it will provide career transition to employees who are impacted by redundancy.

“A process is also underway to identify if there are suitable alternative roles within Asahi Beverages,” the statement noted.

Green Beacon, the earliest entrant in Brisbane’s craft beer new wave when it opened in 2013, expanded quickly into the local market. The Geebung production venue opened in 2017.

The business was acquired by Asahi Beverages just weeks after Asahi purchased CUB from AB InBev in 2019. Green Beacon joined Mountain Goat in Asahi’s stable, as well as Pirate Life and 4 Pines in CUB’s.

Three months later CUB also bought Queensland’s Balter Brewing.

With the abundance of strong craft breweries in CUB’s acquisition portfolio, Green Beacon has struggled for a clear focus within the business. Co-founders Marc Chrismas and Adrian Slaughter quietly left the business over the last few years with the brand competing internally within CUB for attention against acquisitions that were still founder-led.

The move to close the production brewery and invest in the venue comes a week after Lion announced it was closing its Townsville-based Tiny Mountain brewery venue and discontinuing the brand.

Listen to co-founder Adrian Slaughter discuss Green Beacon’s sale to Asahi and his plans for the brand post-sale.