Breweries & Distilleries SPECIAL REPORT Breweries & Distilleries

FEATURE

MOVEMENT: Reece Wheadon and Pia Poynton say there has been a trend towards local . Photos: Gabriel Oliveira Craft brewers ride out COVID their own way

While COVID-19 affected on-premises sales at craft breweries, it reinforced the emerging ‘buy-local’ trend and fast-tracked efforts to grow sales.

WA Brewers Association pres- buying at the start, and then quality for the past year, and put Coincidentally and conven- ident Andrew Scade said all keg Easter wasn’t too bad for people the final touches to a move into iently, Nowhereman also had sales to hotels, pubs, and small and then it went back to quieter bottle shops in 2020. changed its distribution model bars stopped when hospitality levels after that, so it hasn’t been Without its own canning facil- from direct to third party, making venues closed on March 23. super strong,” he said. ity, Nowhereman instead had it easier for bottle shops to carry “Every brewery would be “People [producers] still aren’t pre-arranged bookings with its stock. selling kegs, and some of them getting the revenue they were mobile canner Wiley Canning “We had all these things that we wholly rely on kegs,” Mr Scade when they could sell kegs into Co for some of its products, Mr put in place, gearing up for a big told Business News. pubs, and bottles or cans into Wheadon said. six months,” Mr Wheadon said. “Others can rely on bottling or bottle shops.” “That worked really well “It probably still hasn’t been as Madeleine Stephens canning their beer, in which case West Leederville-based brew- because we had those forward big off-premises, but it’s been in [email protected] they were still able to sell into pub Nowhereman Brewing Co days booked, whereas other line with what we are trying to 4-PAGE FEATURE off-premises bottle shops.” owner and co-founder, Reece people were waiting,” he said. achieve.” Mr Scade said bottle shop Wheadon, said the pandemic “It blew out to about eight to OCAL craft brewers have trade had remained reasonably arrived just as the business was 10 weeks’ waiting time to get the spent the better part of strong, but breweries were not moving towards canning its mobile canning line in. L2020 getting their product able to make up for the lack of . “We were just lucky to have a into bottle shops, as restrictions on-premises sales. Nowhereman had finalised its few pre-existing dates we could in response to COVID-19 turned “The way I heard it was that cans’ artwork and branding last fall back on and just change our 84 WA CRAFT BREWERIES off the pipeline to pubs. there was a fair bit of panic October, having tested packaging product mix.” Source: Craft Beer Reviewer Being light-footed in that gypsy brewing model, we could weather it [COVID-19] a bit better - Mark Cornish

Before COVID-19, Blasta Brew- weather it a bit better,” Mr Cor- ing Company, which opened in nish said. 2018, produced 80 per cent of its He said South Brew- beer for kegs and 20 per cent to ing also made the decision to be packaged, according to venue stop production in early March, manager Joshua Morgan. before venues shut, after seeing “Through COVID, it was about what was happening overseas, 95 per cent in packaged; we were and put all of the kegged beer very lucky to have our own into cans. canning line,” Mr Morgan told “We increased our canning Business News. volumes and were able to supply “Basically we are able to can more bottle shops, and sent our as we need, instead of having to first pallet across the Nullarbor,” rely on a mobile canning line like Mr Cornish said. all the other small breweries are “There was lots of support having to do.” from the bottle shops, they obvi- Blasta sold its beers online ously saw what was happening, through a delivery app, and they knew everyone needed turned a section of its premises support, so a lot of them started into a corner shop. stocking their shelves with more The brewpub recently local [product].” expanded its production capac- Mr Cornish said the brewery’s FRIENDS: Eamonn Barnes (left) and Mark Cornish are two of five friends who started ity, lifting its ranking on the beers were sold in between 15 and South Fremantle Brewing. BNiQ breweries list from 10th to 20 bottle shops, mainly in South third in the past two years. Fremantle, and found its bottle “Just before Christmas we shop sales had increased during “The costs associated with where people have gone, ‘All that and restaurant in July at the got three new 7,000-litre tanks, COVID-19. canning are high and it would be American craft beer is great, but former Southlanes site in South which almost doubled our capac- Later this year, South Freman- impossible to absorb that,” Mr look what’s being made in our Fremantle. ity to brew,” Mr Morgan said. tle Brewing’s product will feature Wheadon told Business News. own backyard’, so all the fridges Managing director Scott Doug- ’s biggest in a mixed pack of local craft “Excise goes up every six are now local,” Ms Poynton said. las said the venue would be able brewery according to BNiQ, Gage beers to be sold in bottle shops months, and obviously we have More space was being given to to produce just less than 1 mil- Roads Brewing Company, posted under the auspices of the WA to pass that on to the consumer smaller players as well, she said. lion litres of beer and 300,000L to the ASX in late March with Brewers Association. as well, so we see it in a similar “I’ve been doing this a long of spirits a year, meaning it mixed results. vein so everyone is paying a sim- time and you used to walk into a would rank around fifth on the Gage Roads said while produc- Containers for Change ilar amount, it’s an even playing bottle shop and talk to someone BNiQ list, when the venue was tion was operating at 80 per cent Another change facing the field. about their craft beer fridge and operational. higher than average to meet a beer industry this year is the “For us, it doesn’t impact our it was two rows of Matilda Bay, Due to COVID-19, Mr Douglas surge in demand for packaged introduction of WA’s container competitiveness in the market; two rows of James Squire and said the brewer had changed product, it had also lost sales at deposit scheme, in October. it’s just a bit of corporate social then maybe it would be [Little] plans and could open with a Optus Stadium at the beginning The scheme requires pro- responsibility.” Creatures or Gage Roads,” Ms pop-up food offering in the of the AFL season and couldn’t ducers to pay for the cost of Poynton said. summer. sell beer on tap. recycling their packaged prod- Trends “I was in a bottle shop yester- “There are still a lot of risks for Further down the list, South ucts, which brewers can either Nowhereman Brewing Co busi- day [Scarborough Cellars] and us out there,” Mr Douglas told Fremantle Brewing is ranked pass on to their customers or pay ness development manager and they were like, ‘Yep, these are Business News. as the 25th largest brewery on themselves. freelance beer writer Pia Poyn- my WA doors’, so I think that’s a “They [the government] BNiQ. Mark Cornish, Eamonn Mr Cornish welcomed the ton said the industry had been more positive trend.” are easing restrictions at the Barnes and three friends estab- move and said the company talking about sour beers for a moment, but if that changes and lished it in 2016. would absorb the extra cost. few years and take-up seemed to Forging ahead they go back to where we were, Mr Cornish told Business News “Because of the small-batch be gaining traction. The surge in craft beer in WA that could be the end of us if we the business was happy being a style, we kind of sit high on the “Sours are an interesting trend isn’t slowing, with website Craft make that additional investment ‘gypsy’ brewer at the moment, shelves anyway, pricing wise, that will stay, particularly given Beer Reviewer recording 84 brew- in that front of house.” using other people’s equipment we will try and absorb it,” he our climate,” Ms Poynton told eries in WA in May 2020, up from Swan Valley’s Bailey Brewing to produce their cans and kegs, said. Business News. 77 in July 2019. Company and Shelter Brewing before looking at a fixed address. Nowhereman’s Mr Wheadon, She said one of the most excit- Running with Thieves Co in Busselton planned to open He said the brewery benefitted who was recently appointed to ing trends was the move towards was planning on opening a later this year and told Business from the model during the pan- the board of WA Return Recycle consuming local beer. 400-capacity brewery, distillery News they were going ahead. demic, as it did not have many Renew, which is implementing “People were so in love with Gage Roads Brewing Company overheads. the container deposit scheme, any craft beer coming from the .com.au “Being light-footed in that said his brewery was not in a [United] States, and then I feel There are 98 results from our index of 103,271 articles, gypsy brewing model, we could position to absorb the cost. like it’s kind of done this 360 10,342 companies and 39,526 people FEATURE BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES

.com.au WA’s LARGEST BREWERIES Ranked by WA production per annum (in carton equivalents) and then by total staff in WA

WA production Year Total per annum est. in staff (in carton

Rank Name Senior WA executive WA Head brewer in WA Wholesale Retail Brewpub/ Restaurant equivalents) Beer styles/brands

Gage Roads Mr John Hoedemaker Single Fin Summer Ale, Side Track All Day XPA, Little Dove New World Pale Ale, Sleeping Giant IPA, Hello 1 2005 Ross Brown 75 Yes No No 1,800,000 Sunshine Cider, Alby Crisp, Alby Draught, Atomic Beer Project Pale Ale, Atomic Beer Project IPA, Atomic Beer Brewing Company Managing Director Project XPA, Matso's Ginger Beer, Matso's Mango Beer, Matso's Hard Lemon and a range of limited editions Biggie Juice, Feral Hop Hog, Feral White, Feral Sly Fox, Feral Smoked Porter, Local, Karma Citra, Boris, Feral Brewing Mr Robert Brajkovich 2002 Will Irving Yes Yes Yes NFP Imperial Biggie, War Hog, Feral Draught, Walrus Tears, Barrique O’Karma, Knuckles, White Hog, Coconut 2 Company General Manager Stuff, Dark Matter, Mango Ganguly, BFH, I Am Froot, Loving Ewe, Prickle Rick, Dank Blanc, Barn Farm, Shoote McGavin’s Breakfast IPA, The Runt, Tusk, Hopfen Fahrt, Double Denim Brown Ale, Ace of Base… Blastaweizen, Chain Breaker IPA, Tangerine Dreams Hefeweizen, Myway Grapefruit IPA, Where Blasta Brewing Mr Steven Russell 3 2018 45 Yes Yes Yes 150,000 the Helles Burrswood, Grimster Rocks American Pale Ale, Unleash the Beast NEIPA, The Cat's Company Founder, Brewer Whiskers strawberry APA, Steady Head Pale Ale

Nail Brewing Mr John Stallwood 2000 John Stallwood 7 Yes No No NFP Nail VPA, Nail MVP, Nail New Pale, Nail Red, Nail , Clout Stout 4 Australia Owner, Head Brewer

Otherside Brewing Festive Session Ale, Anthem India Pale Ale, Social Helles Lager, Harvest Red Ale, Lo-Fi Citrus Mr Al Taylor 2016 Rhys Lopez NFP Yes Yes Yes NFP 5 Company Chief Executive Mid, Indi Extra Pale Ale, quarterly/seasonal creative releases, monthly experimental releases

Elmar's in the Ein Stein , Kick Back , Over Draft Ale, Schwarzbier, Bock Bier, Kölsch, Helles, Mr Elmar Dieren 2005 Tarik Sammler NFP No No Yes NFP 6 Valley Director Marzen

Boston Ginger Beer, Lager Australian Style, Hefeweizen Wheat Beer, Munich Dark Lager, Indian Mr Tyson Addy 2012 Tyson Addy No No Yes 50,000 7 Boston Brewery Head Brewer Pale Ale, Subliminal Porter

Mr Stewart Sampson 8 Black Brewing Co Founder, Managing 2015 Shannon Grigg NFP Yes Yes Yes NFP Fresh Ale, Rice Lager, Pale Ale, XPA, Saison, Bao Bao Session Stout Director Mr Brad Cox Copy Cat American IPA, Russell American Amber Ale, Grasscutter Summer Ale, Challenger 9 Mash Brewing Owner, Managing 2006 Brad Nolen Yes No Yes 39,000 English IPA, Pale Ale, Freo Dr Pale Lager, West Coast Wheat, Crush Apple Cider, Belgian Pale Ale, Director Bon Scotch, Rye The Hop Not, Rye Porter

Colonial Brewing Colonial Kolsch Draught, Colonial Pale Ale, Colonial Indian Pale Ale, Colonial Porter, Colonial Mr Chris Morris 2004 Ash Hazell 12 Yes Yes Yes 38,888 10 Company Owner South West Sour, Colonial Bertie Cider, Colonial Small Ale

Cheeky Monkey Blonde Summer Ale, Pale Ale, Session Red Ale, West Coast IPA, Belgian IPA, Dry Apple Cider, Mr Brent Burton 2012 Ross Terlick 30 Yes Yes Yes 31,250 11 Brewing Co Managing Director Sweet Pear Cider

Rocky Ridge Mr Hamish Coates 2015 Hamish Coates No Yes No 30,000 Ironstone Pale Ale, Granite IPA, Quartz Small Ale 12 Brewing Managing Director

Whitelakes Mr Sean Symons 2016 Sean Symons 2 Yes No Yes 25,000 Pilsener, Draught, Dark Lager, Pale Ale, Summer Ale, Amber, Standard, Wit 13 Brewing Head Brewer

Last Drop Hefeweizen, Last Drop Pilsner, Last Drop ESB, Last Drop Dunkelweizen, Last Drop Mr Jan Bruckner 1992 Jan Bruckner Yes Yes NFP 14 Last Drop Brewery Head Brewer Light, Last Drop Oktoberfest Bier, Last Drop Bock, Last Drop Wheat, Last Drop Thunderstorm

Mr Thomas Reynolds Raging Bull, Speakeasy IPA, Tom's Amber, Sou'west Wheat, Prohibition Pils, Prinsep Cider 15 Bootleg Brewery Owner 1994 Michael Brookes No No Yes 18,750 16 GET THE FULL LIST ONLINE businessnews.com.au/bniq/microbreweries 81 All information compiled using surveys, publicly available data and contact with industry sources. Other companies may be eligible for inclusion. If you believe your company is eligible, please email: [email protected] WND: Would Not Disclose, NFP: Not For Publication, N/A: Not Applicable or Not Available. BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES FEATURE Distillers crank up the creativity New products, The team at Old Young’s has taken advantage of the COVID-19 hiatus to develop new products, cheaper bottles including a gin of the month club, and has been working with and a push to other distilleries to create bottled cocktails. buy local are Whipper Snapper Distillery in East Perth has also been creative on the cards for while its venue has been closed, creating hand sanitiser and a craft distillers, special moonshine using unused kegs of beer, which otherwise despite the would have been sold in bars and restaurants. disruption The moonshine, called Brew Moon Rising, used 2,200 litres caused by of kegged beer from 21 WA craft breweries to make 250 bottles, COVID-19. Whipper Snapper Distillery co-founder and head distiller Madeleine Stephens Jimmy McKeown told Business [email protected] News. “The whole point of it really is OLD Young’s founder James to build that public awareness Young has only been in the dis- campaign around supporting tilling business for five years, but local producers and raising a says he feels like an old timer. bit of cash for them as well,” he Mr Young was certainly early said. to the game in Western Australia, Mr McKeown said the brewery with 16 distilleries having opened had lost 40 per cent of its business since 2016 when Old Young’s in on-premises sales in bars and launched in the Swan Valley, NEWEST DISTILLERIES IN WA restaurants in the two months according to BNiQ data. Kimberley Spirits Co 2020 it was closed. Retail sales, which New players to enter the made up 40 per cent of its busi- Fremantle Spirit Company 2019 market last year include ness, were also down. Fremantle Spirit Company, Gidg- Old Macdonald Distillery 2019 He said there was a trend egannup-based Old Macdonald Republic of Fremantle 2019 towards the bigger local players Distillery, and the Republic of Big Emperor 2018 producing cheaper whiskey. Fremantle. “It’s purely economies of scale, Mr Young told Business News Grumpy Fish Distillery 2018 so a lot of the bigger ones who the days of the single-founder McRobert Distillery 2018 can, who do have the capital, are business could soon be over, with Swan Valley Gin Company 2018 expanding to produce more whis- many operations employing a key,” Mr McKeown said. Running with Thieves 2018 head distiller from day one. “And the more they produce, “All of it proves that there is a Spirit of Little Things 2018 the lower the overheads so the place for it,” Mr Young said. TO SEE THE FULL LIST ONLINE businessnews.com.au/bniq/distilleries cheaper the whiskey; so that’s a “What’s your reason to buy a real way to kind of get it into the bottle of Bombay Sapphire when GOOD PRODUCT: James Young hopes the move to buy local survives after COVID-19 mainstream but also compete you can buy a Spirit of Little restrictions are fully eased. Photo: Gabriel Oliveira with the big imports.” Things, Sin Gin, us [or] Tattarang According to Mr McKeown, Springs,” he added in a nod to the Whipper Snapper whiskey was quality of the local product. about the third cheapest in Aus- “We will see what happens, $ FEDERAL GRANT TO tralia at the moment. but hopefully out of COVID we “We are still looking at poten- might have this situation where OLD YOUNG’S tially making another product that concept of buy local sticks 100,000 that is more affordable, but around.” as normal after an initial spike in In addition, Old Young’s The expansion will be fin- that probably won’t come online Mr Young said COVID-19 March, and on-premises sales in received a grant from the federal ished by the end of 2021, and will until we have bigger production restrictions had affected his bars and restaurants, which had government’s Manufacturing increase production capacity to equipment, which requires capi- business, given the 75 per cent been reduced to nothing. Modernisation Fund in April for between 30,000 and 40,000 bottles tal, which is always a struggle to drop in revenue from its tasting Thanks to JobKeeper, Mr Young an expansion of its production per month. get,” he said. room. said he had been able to retain facilities. “We are talking about new dis- Great Southern Distilling Com- He said the remaining 50 per all his staff, even after recently The distillery was awarded tilling equipment, expanding the pany has recently released Dugite cent of the business was split expanding his team with five new $100,000 from government in shed, a bottling line [and] some Whiskey, its first to sell below between retail, which was trading employees in the past 12 months. matched funding. distillery software,” Mr Young said. $100. Breweries & Distilleries SPECIAL REPORT

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