There are some great benefits to brewing your own beer. Successful pub brewers spoke to Australian Hotelier about the advantages of having your own beer to sell.
“It’s a pinch yourself moment to be able to say, ‘Hey, we brewed this!’”
That’s what Ella Ogden, fourth generation publican and marketing manager of The Windsor Hotel said the effect of brewing your own beer is like. The Windsor Hotel in South Perth has been brewing their own beer under the Ogdens Brewery name for just under a year, and are just one example of an Aussie pub exploring the possibilities of in-house brewing.
Customers are increasingly looking for local options. The ethos of community togetherness is driving a desire to support local business and creating opportunity for smaller producers to compete with the larger national and international brands.
Engineering and technology advancements mean that the market is more accessible than ever. Julian Sanders, managing director of Spark Breweries and Distilleries said: “Brewing high quality consistent beer is easy if you have good equipment and good local support to set-up and brew.”
Brewing your own beer not only lets you tap into a consumer desire for a local craft option, but it also gives your venue a unique point of difference. These days it’s more common for customers to look for destinations and experiences above anything else. The Winston Bar in Hobart is finding that their beer under the same name is helping the pub cater to this trend.
“Having our own beers is a big drawcard for the pub. People like the connection between the brewery and the bar,” said Kris Miles, Winston’s co-owner.
It’s not only the local population that are attracted. Tourists are also drawn by the idea of visiting a pub and trying the house beer, as it’s an authentic symbol of what the local area has to offer. The Great Ocean Road Brewhouse is experiencing this with their beer, Prickly Moses.
“Prickly Moses gives us a unique selling point in the region, as we brew locally and have our 14 craft beers on tap in the Brewhouse. Customers are always keen to try products from the region whilst travelling through,” said Dean Mangion, the Brewhouse’s manager.
For proof of the potential that brewing your own beer can offer long-term, just look to historic Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in Sydney. With multiple international awards under their belt, managing director Blair Hayden said they’re excited to see how far brewpubs have come.
“As Sydney’s oldest continuously licensed hotel and Australia’s oldest craft brewery, in 1986 it was brewing our own that was reason for our difference,” said Hayden.
“To see how much the craft brewery industry has grown since our start and the availability of such a wide range of styles is extremely gratifying.”
This is a preview of an article in Australian Hotelier’s November issue. Keep an eye out for this issue, available shortly!