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, despite the major upheaval caused across the industry by the COVID-19 pandemic, breweries-in-planning are cracking on and taking delays in their stride.

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WA

Currently under construction, the Swan Valley’s Bailey Brewing Co. has announced the venue’s offerings, including a tavern and kitchen, private function spaces and a coffee roastery, and the hiring of its head brewer, Damien Bussemaker.

Bailey Brewing proposes production of up to 200,000L of beer and cider annually with the brewery’s centrepiece being six 1,200L floor-to-ceiling serving tanks.

“We built Bailey Brewing Co with family in mind,” said co-founder Steve Bailey. “This is somewhere everyone can come together and feel completely at ease, even the kids.”

Shelter Brewing Co. in Busselton is on track for a spring 2020 opening, with its bar finished and external areas nearing completion.

Perth-based Running with Thieves is looking at a Summer 2020 launch following restaurant and bar delays.

It has installed a 100hL brewkit and packaging line with an additional distillery with 45hL of capacity and three stills.

Head brewer Paul Gasmier has been perfecting its core range and Running with Thieves’ first release will be its XPA.

“The increase in capacity and a brewery with specialised equipment will allow us to produce basically anything in relation to beer (which we like) including monthly seasonals (which we couldn’t do before), and a full range of spirits. which is a whole lot of fun,” the team said in an update to subscribers.

South Australia

The Adelaide Casino has announced the opening of a new Pirate Life microbrewery as part of its Level 1 redevelopment.

A media release circulated by Adelaide Casino outlines plans for the microbrewery, which is set to have a 500-litre brewery kit and a total of 24 taps. As well as the brewery, The District at SkyCity will house a Sports Bar, Poker Zone, Bistro and live entertainment.

Woolstore Brewery in Mount Gambier is working on planning issues and brewing equipment is being manufactured so the team are well on their way to being open as planned by Christmas.

Family-owned Ogre Brewing Co. currently contracting but based in McLaren Vale poured and sold its first beers last Friday night at a pop up event. The team are looking at a venue, with plans in the works for a bricks and mortar site.

Victoria

Deeds Brewing’s long-awaited taproom is finally set to get underway after four years of meetings, permits and rejections.

Deeds attributes its eventual success to the support of local residents, with its online petition garnering 1,740 signatories.If all goes to plan, the taproom will be open in the summer.

After its recent trademark acceptance, Sou’West Brewery is taking the next step towards a home in Torquay, Victoria.

The ‘Surf Coast Social’, which includes the micro-brewery, along with a cinema, office space and a ‘wellbeing facility’, is set to replace the current Boardriders office, pending approval from the Surf Coast Shire.

It will have a proposed annual brewing capacity of 300,000 litres, according to the Geelong Adviser.

The team at John Street Brewing Company is slowing down the project as COVID hit mid-planning, but they are hopeful that by November their plans will be back on track.

Hop Nation’s new site in Footscray is delayed due to COVID. The plans go to a VCAT hearing in March after neighbours raised parking issues, but they also recently announced the acquisition of Tribe Breweries’ Mornington Peninsula Brewery site.

Frankston Brewhouse co-founder Michaela Boucher told Brews News that the team was still planning on an opening this year, but inevitably COVID-19 had slowed things down.

New South Wales

Long-suffering Bucketty’s Brewery, which has already been forced to uproot itself to the Brookvale area of Sydney from regional NSW, faced a difficult time last month.

It nearly lost out on its new site, which has a DA already attached, and is having to undertake a contamination report after the council discovered a mineral turpentine tank application for the property.

White Bay Beer’s taproom is in the works for the Balmain Peninsula, having already launched the brewery back in March. The team are currently undertaking the planning process having submitted applications to the Inner West Council.

According to Gage Road Brewing’s latest announcement to the ASX, the Atomic Beer Project in Sydney looks set to open in September .

The brewpub marks the company’s first foray into the east coast venue scene. The brewery has been commissioned and the taproom is ready for trading, but COVID has delayed the opening somewhat.

Last month Gage also applied to the City of Sydney to include signage, so the opening appears to be close at hand. Gage is also looking at other sites on the east coast so keep your eyes peeled for more Good Drinks brands.

Katoomba Brewing in the Blue Mountains is set to open in late 2020.

Alex and Yvonne Jarman are cracking on with Slow Lane Brewing in Botany, NSW. They are on track to open their tasting room in September, and their bar is currently being built while they are finalising the rest of their fitout.

In the meantime they are brewing and releasing new beers including the Thirsty Miner Grisette and Botany Weisse sour.

“We’re also now stocked in some speciality independent bottle shops around the country,” Alex told Brews News.

“It’s been very rewarding to see more people interested in trying our beers.”

Slow Lane beers are available in select bottle shops in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

Dad & Dave’s Brewing in the up-and-coming brewing haven of Brookvale is on track, working through contamination reports and soil sampling after an underground fuel tank was discovered on the property.

While they wait, co-founder Dave Dumay and the team are working on new beers, including the latest release, a black IPA, as well as a Blueberry Sour, Hazy Pale and a new XPA in the works.

Queensland

Stalwart Brewing Co. opened its doors in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast in July, although plans are still in the works for the brewery section of the site.

Two breweries in Wynnum look set to go ahead, with Hudson Brewing still in the works with the other from Lightbrim Pty currently being assessed by the council.

Lightbrim’s venture on Fox Street is still receiving submissions of support to the council, whilst Hudson Brewing received its planning approvals for its site on Gibbs Street last year.

Founder David Ferguson told Brews News that things are going well at Easy Times Brewing Co. at The Gabba. The team is waiting on a water upgrade before the build can start and install the brew kit.

Ferguson is also looking for a chef who can make Yorkshire puddings, a fried breakfast and pork pies in a nod to his Northern English roots.

Straddie Brewing Company launched its contract-produced Myora Springs Gose over the weekend, and is brewing at Ballistic while the team waits for the brewery to be finished.

Work on the Dunwich taproom was stalled during COVID-19 after the island closed for visitors for two months.

The team is working hard to remove current construction obstacles with COVID-19 proving to be a setback and preventing them from starting work on their brewery. However its first two beers – Point lookout Lager and Myora Spings Gose are available on tap at the Straddie Pub and a number of other venues on the island in the meantime.

Revel Brewing Co.’s second site in Bulimba is on track according to the team.

As is Cauldron Brewing in Hervey Bay, with light at the end of the tunnel according to founder Martin Potter. The brewery gear has arrived on site, but travel restrictions have prevented engineers coming to install and other hold ups, so plans for opening are slightly delayed.

Quarry Road Beer Company have invested in a kit and are making progress, although no news yet on sites.

Brisbane is set for another microbrewery after plans were submitted and approved by Brisbane Council for a microbrewery, coffee roaster and restaurant at 31 Collingwood Street, Albion.

The brewery, named in project plans as Craft’d Grounds, sent a development application in early 2020 to redevelop the site which was the Australian Dance Performance Institute.

The proposed microbrewery will produce between 180,000 and 200,000 litres per year, according to the planning application. It was approved in April.

Moffat Beach Brewing Co.’s second site is underway as the brewkit gets installed and the interior work nears completion.

Sauce Brewing Co.’s FNQ site in Cairns is back on track and targeting a late September opening.

Sauce founder Mike Clarke said he’d moved up to Cairns prior to Sydney lockdown to oversee the final few months of the project.

“With COVID still playing havoc it will be a bit quiet for the first 6+ months but we are committed to the venture and committed to the town,” he said.

“We want to be prepared for when things turn around.”

The venue will feature 18 taps of Sauce regulars and limited releases as well as guest taps, a full service kitchen and bar with wine, cocktails and Australian independent spirits.

Bobs Beer in Surfers Paradise is well on its way, with plans to open in September. Brewer Ryan Fullerton told Brews News that Bobs’ beers are on the Crafted Festival lineup for September 12th as it starts to launch into its local market.

The brewhouse floor is being sealed and the brewhouse will be installed this week – followed by a “mad dash” to get fermenters filled while the rest of the venue is being fitted out, he said.

Highline Brewing is still in its early stages and the team are experimenting with their beers including the Pitted pale Ale and Drop In IPA, as well as Fresh Wax Hazy IPA. Highline’s Gold Coast taproom and brewery will be another six months away.

“So we have a lot going on currently. We like to be experimenting with 1-2 recipes a week. So by the time we are able to get the brewery and tap house open, we will have some absolutely top notch beers,” said co-founder Mat.

Up in Gladstone, new brewery-in-planningWard’s Brewing Companysubmitted its medium impact industry and hotel application to the local council back in February. The application to refurbish an old cordial factory on Auckland Street, which was approved last month.

“The property benefits a town centre location, was originally designed for drinks production and can trace its drinks history back to 1922. The name Ward’s Brewing Company stems from the original occupier of the property and old local brand, Ward’s Cordials,” according to founder Michael Comley.

“Demonstrated by the success of Gladstone’s inaugural Craft Beer and Cider Festival back in February there is genuine demand for a microbrewery in the region and local support for this project has been strong.”

Tasmania

Communion Brewing is back on track after COVID forced plans on hold. Founder Andrew Turner said they are plowing ahead now with applications through the council.

Turner said that equipment finance and state government loans had helped his plans and cafe business through the tough times. He is looking at a Brewtique system for the brewery, although is still deciding on size.

ACT

Wignall Brewery in ACT is now operational. The team is creating pilot brews for the nano-distillery over the next four weeks and then turning to beer brewing in the four weeks after that. We are looking at launching our range of beers on the 1st of September, 2020.

Northern Territory

Nightcliff Brewing Co. is being planned for the northern suburbs of Darwin., and the brewery will operate at existing cafe and pizzeria Lucky Bat on Pavonia Place.Depending on licensing, it could be brewing by this month according to NT News.