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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Victoria

Hop Nation’s newly acquired Mornington Peninsula site is busy with production. Hop Nation general manager Sam Hambour told Brews News that they are developing the site in keeping with their existing site, and upgrading the packaging line at the site. They are aiming to have a tasting room open in late 2021.

At Footscray, the venue is getting some much-needed maintenance, he said, and during COVID lockdowns the team has been transforming it into a mixed fermentation and specialty facility.

“We are excited about re-opening to pour beers again on 3rd November,” Hambour said.

Deeds Brewing’s taproom is on track after receiving its taproom permit back in June.

In the town of Torquay Sou’West Brewery is moving along and brewer Luke Scott has just joined the team from Prickly Moses. He has extensive experience in the brewing industry, having worked at CUB before moving to London and brewing at Meantime Brewery, before coming head brewer at Hunter Beer Co-Potters Brewery in NSW, now owned by Founders First.

Check out the Beer is a Conversation podcast with Scott.

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Shepparton’s Three Legged Cow Brewing is a four-person artisan brewery on a family farm in regional Victoria, a few kilometres from the centre of the town.

The team say their focus is to brew “locally made beer from regionally sourced ingredients, at the best quality we can produce”.

The brewery venue itself is not open to the public just yet, but plans are in the works to develop a public taproom.

WA

Shelter Brewing Co. is on track to open its doors very soon. Construction began in August 2019 at the Busselton seafront venue, which is licensed for 650 people, and is located adjacent to the Busselton Visitors Centre. Its roof is covered by a 100-kilowatt solar panel to produce 80 per cent of the brewery’s power requirements.

General manager Paul Maley said that much of the internal fit-out is near complete.

“The commercial kitchen is fitted, the flooring is done including jarrah floorboards in the lounge area, the first-floor function room is almost finished, the brew deck is done and the silver birch indoor trees have been planted – when they start budding, they’ll be a unique feature,” he said.

“The construction project has been colossal, and the end result is something that we hope everyone will be proud of, like we are.”

Shelter has also been on the hunt for a number of positions across the kitchen, brewery and bar.

Gage Roads Brew Co.’s flagship venue A Shed at Victoria Quay in Fremantle Harbour, the team are in the process of obtaining the required approvals and expect to commence construction in early 2021, with a view to opening by Christmas next year.

Bailey Brewing Co., founded by Steven and Daniel Bailey as well as dad Geoff, is set to open in late spring, and last month announced the appointment of a head chef to its Swan Valley restaurant.

It will open just as Perth’s summer is set to start.

A nanobrewery has been launched on a small family farm, the Dandanning Brewery, which local grain farmer Calvin Squires says will brew using local and native ingredients.

NSW

Botany’s Slow Lane Brewing is close to opening, though a slight delay means that it will be looking at opening in November opening rather than September, as was originally planned.

“The bar is almost complete, but waiting on our furniture delivery and a few compliance items that we need to tick off before we can open,” explained co-founder Alex Jarman.

Bucketty’s Brewery is nearing the end of its long journey to get its own brewery, after having to relocate from regional NSW to the Sydney northern suburb of Brookvale. The team have spent the last month bringing in a venue manager and head brewer.

Co-founder Nick McDonald said that the fit-out at their Brookvale site would start in November, aiming for a February completion date. Find out more about the process on the Bucketty blog.

Atomic Beer Project opened its doors at the end of September in Redfern, marking the end of a year-long development process for the site.

Modus Operandi’s Newcastle site is ready to go after their DA was approved and the team are hitting the ground in a matter of weeks. There is no opening date as of yet, but the team are confident that the project will move ahead now that approvals has been received.

Dad & Dave’s Brewing in Brookvale had its DA approved in August, and despite some hiccups, the other new Brookvale brewery is set to be open for guests by December.

The new brewhouse for the site (a secondary one to their original site) is being ordered, and if all goes to plan it will be installed by early January 2021.

Meanwhile the long-awaited Philter Brewing opened its doors in August.

QLD

Cauldron Brewing in Hervey Bay has suffered from expensive delays due to COVID and building works, but the drains are down and the concrete floor is in. Martin Potter said he was working through the brewery build although still struggling with trades works. They are looking at opening in sometime in November, despite the hold-ups though, and COVID restrictions will only allow Cauldron to open at under 50 per cent capacity,

Flat Lizard Brewing in Brisbane is on track, the team are currently still working on the development approval and an opening is several months away.

Straddie Brewing Company is developing its beer range with the latest Amity Pale Ale, with US and Australian hops and New Zealand malt.

The brewery, set to be located on the popular tourist destination off the coast of South East Queensland is currently contract brewing at Ballistic, with another few beers in the works that the team are hoping to release in time for Christmas.

Moffat Beach Brewing Co. has commissioned its latest brewery just outside Caloundra, five years after installing their first brewery at Moffat Beach.

Magnetic Island Brewery is set for the tourist island of the same name after an application was made earlier this year to Townsville City Council.

Meanwhile, after a long process of getting the venue sorted during lockdown, Sauce Brewing opened in Cairns at the end of September.

NT/SA/TAS/ACT

Pilot batches have begun at Wignall Brewery, and full-scale operations are set to start in November with beer available at the Potbelly Bar in Belconnen ACT in late November.

In Adelaide, The District at SkyCity will feature Australia’s first fully functional microbrewery within a casino, a Pirate Life project.

Venue manager Jarrad Anderson said that the official launch date of the venue will be Friday 20th November.

The 5hL brew kit Pirate Life is installing will be used to brew limited releases that will only be available at the casino, but Anderson said that there will only ever be nine kegs of the limited brews so customers will have to get in there quick. The brewing team are planning a new brew every two weeks, first brewing an IIPA.

“Due to the location of The District in the middle of the SkyCity heritage building, council approval was required to close part of North Terrace to set up a crane and deliver the brew kit,” Anderson explained.

“We then had to rely on Mother Nature to ensure forecasted weather didn’t have winds exceeding the crane lift capacity.

“We worked with Shape Australia on the journey from the preliminary design to the collaborative on site construction and completion. Luckily one of the things that COVID-19 didn’t delay was the brew kit… the universe knows how important beer is to us here at The District.

“Aussies have always had a strong affiliation with good beer and places to drink it… live music, great food and watching sport is also part of our culture. Being able to find it all under one roof is our point of difference.”