BRISSY’S BREWERY
Brisbane Brewing Co. cements itself as the most ‘Brisbanest’ brewery around with their newly canned core range of beers and a handful of delightful things that simply sum up Brisbane.
Being Brisbane’s original brewpub, Brisbane Brewing Co. takes delight in capturing the essence of Queensland’s sunniest city with it’s hand crafted, summery brews and its two primely located venues in West End and Woolloongabba. Their brewpubs are beautiful, easy-going places to unwind and include an industrial chic set-up adorned with copper pipes and woven through vines and greenery.
Founded by Michelle and Grant Clark, the brewery’s hand-crafted beer is lovingly created with recipes that have been developed over years using traditional brewing processes and personal touches. Their tap beers have a loyal following and have been a favourite at their venues for over a decade, which is why Grant and Michelle recently made the decision to enter the packaged beer market for the first time.
Like many venues refreshing their business after the struggles of recent years, 2022 was the year of reinvention for Brisbane Brewing Co. Bright, summery and bold designs make up the brewery’s new identity in addition to a new canned core range of their three iconic beers.
Co-founder of Brisbane Brewing Co., Michelle Clark, said the rebranding heralds a new era for the brewery and was designed to reflect the relaxed sunny vibe of the city it’s named after.
“When we opened our first business, we called it Brewhouse. At that time the name was unique and meaningful, however, these days it’s the brewery equivalent of the surname Smith.
“After a lot of advice from some branding experts, we re-named it to Brisbane Brewing Co. Now our two venues share the same overarching brand name. The two venues may be dissimilar, but they share the one common ingredient which is our fabulous beer range,” she said.
The brewery’s newly canned core range of beers makes for a perfect summer collection easily enjoyed by the pool with mates and includes Brissy Lager, Walker IPA and BPA Brisbane Pale Ale. Each Can dons bright and funky art with its contents proudly representing a city that has 300 sunlit days per year.
Just last year the brewery’s Brissy Lager and Walker IPA won gold at the Australian International Beer Awards and the Australian Independent Beer Awards respectively. Michelle said they only have three cans on the shelf so far, but in time plan to roll out a few more to bring the total up to six.
“Our canned beer range has been a long time in the miming and we’re proud of the can line up this far” she said.
Brisbane brewing Co. is one of the longest running independent breweries in Queensland, operating in Brisbane’s CBD since 2005 – back when craft beer in Brisbane was considered ‘boutique’. Grant and Michelle wanted to draw from their experiences of visiting European brewpubs, where the beer was products onsite, and introduce it to the people of Brisbane. In doing so, they paved the way for breweries and craft beer in Queensland and have even championed many local breweries, big and small through events and collaborations. Michele said they purchased their first business, Auroras, on Albert Street in Brisbane’s CBD having just moved from the UK.
“During the four years that we had that business, we decided to move the brewery offsite to a nearby suburb. That triggered the formation of the new name, Brisbane Brewing Co. When we were brewing out of an industrial shed, it reminded us of how fond we were of the brewpub model, and so we set our sights on a new place for the brewery.
“in 2008 we sold our business in the city, and in 2010 we purchased a freehold pub in Woolloongabba called the Clarence Corner Hotel and decided to rename it Brewhouse Brisbane. It was in desperate need of a makeover, and we spent considerable time and money bringing it up to what it is today.
“It wasn’t until; 2014 that we found a suitable venue for our brewery. It was a lucky find – th site was a disused warehouse located right in West End’s busy Boundary Street, and we fell in love with it. A 12-month build on that site saw us create Brisbane Brewing Co. West End. It’s the native home of our actual brewery and a superb little venues where customers can meld into the very fabric of the brand.
“although what I am saying sounds like just a list of addresses and dates, it highlights just how long we’ve been working on our brand, refining the recipes for our beers, establishing the team and creating a successful; long-standing business.
It’s no doubt that having one of Australia’s most cherished cities in your name is both a blessing and a curse. Michelle says the name of their business is one of the strongest selling points but also acknowledges that adopting a big name the Brisbane comes with responsibilities.
“we are to honour the beautiful city in which we live through our stories, our branding, and our marketing. We have the responsibility to brew beers that the locals love and are proud of as we are and to keep the beers and the business on the front foot.
“we are very fortunate to be within walking distance of some significant nearby landmarks such as the Gabba Cricket Ground, Princess Theatre and Southbank – each of which generates solid footfall for our business.
“Some things on the horizon include our renovation plans for our Woolloongabba property. The top floor has always just been offices, but we are going to add a deck and a couple more function rooms which we’re excited about,
“we are heading into the future with understated confidence and flair. The Olympic Games will be great for Brisbane and we’re looking forward to being in the epicentre of the action for that.
“we’ve been working hard for well over 17 years now, and fortunately we’re feeling no signs of fatigue. We love what we do, and our to-do list just keeps growing” Michele said.
With refreshing brews and easy going venues surrounded in sunshine and good vibes, Brisbane Brewing Co., is truly easy to love, just like the city its names after.
