CRAFT breweries are cropping up quicker than ever in regional NSW and the trend looks set to continue as drinkers are increasingly seeking beers with flavour and variety to slake their thirst.
Small craft breweries offer a counterpoint to the traditional major breweries, which dominate the local market.
Typically independently owned, they produce quality-driven products on a small scale and sell through an onsite bar, bottle shops and surrounding venues.
Like small regional wineries, craft breweries not only market their produce but contribute to local tourism and hospitality.
Currently, Victoria is leading the pack with a raft of smaller breweries, capitalising on their relative proximity to Melbourne and the steady stream of food tourists on the trail of quality regional produce.
However, NSW is making ground on its southern counterpart.
Stone and Wood has been brewing in Byron Bay since 2008, HopDog BeerWorks is up and running in Nowra, and Woollongong has the Illawarra Brewery.
Looking inland, Rebel Ant Brewing Co. recently opened its doors in Tamworth, Potters Hotel Brewery Resort has set up shop in the heart of wine country in the Hunter Valley, and Thirsty Crow Brewing Co., Wagga Wagga’s first craft brewery, opened its doors in 2011.
According to Thirsty Crow’s head brewer, Craig Wealands, the craft brewing trend “is only just happening”.
“In five years time in NSW, craft beer will really be booming,” he said.
“I not only expect it to grow, but the overall quality will improve also.”
Mr Wealands said the brewery produced to its capacity – 50,000 litres a year – “with 97 per cent of that being sold draught at our venue”.
“If we had more tanks we would be able to sell any extra volume quite easily.
“This year we will begin contract bottling in Sydney to allow us to brew large volumes, giving us an opportunity to be part of the national market.
“The eventual plan is to open a production brewery back in Wagga within the next five years.”
Although Mr Wealands, “didn’t open Thirsty Crow in Wagga just because I was from there,” the business that a craft brewery brings “was clearly missing in the Wagga business landscape,” he said.
Thirsty Crow employs 18 staff, including seven full time workers and provides faculties to host events and recently hosted the launch of Taste Riverina food festival.
Thirsty Crow supports other local businesses as much as it can, he said.
“We would be the biggest account for regional wine.
“We use many local products in our kitchen from Wollundry Grove Olives to Crowley’s Hot Sauce.”
Hunter Beer head brewer Keith Grice, works in the only craft brewery in the heart of wine country at Nulkaba in the Hunter Valley.
He undertook a beer-change seven years ago when he began working at Hunter Beer, switching from lecturing in chemistry at the University of Newcastle.
Even though he is outnumbered at a ratio of 100 cellar doors to one brewery, there is a productive niche to be exploited, Mr Grice said.
“There are only so many wine tours you can do before you are wined out,” he said.
“Also, there are a lot of couples that come to wine country.
“Often one person is less interested in wine, so they can come here to get a beer fix.”
Business is moving from strength to strength, Mr Grice said, welcoming the addition of another craft brewery a short distance away as an opportunity to “grow beer tourism in the region”.
Hunter Beer’s brewery makes beer in 600 litre batches, which require about 120 kilograms of barley at a time.
Mr Grice uses GrainCorp’s Barrett Burston malt, which he describes as a world class product, in some of his lagers.
Barrett Burston is renowned for its pale malts, which produce clean, crisp tasting lagers from two-row (malt) barley.
He said there was “enormous scope” for craft breweries to promote the local providence of its ingredients, such as malt from eastern Australia or hops from Tasmania.
