Change brewing on the Sydney beer scene

 

Big changes are brewing in Sydney's inner west with the White Bay Brewhouse and taproom to be re-branded as Sydney Brewery Rozelle from October 1, Winsor Dobbin reports.

Hotelier Dr Jerry Schwartz, owner of Sydney Brewery, has announced that he will purchase the brewing assets and long-term lease the White Bay Brewing site in Rozelle, with the added capacity enabling the company to launch new product lines and expand its Sydney bar presence.

White Bay Brewery will consolidate its brewing operations at its large-scale brewery in Reservoir, Melbourne.

The White Bay brewery operates in a 150-year-old former steel mill on the edge of Sydney Harbour, near the new Sydney Fish Market building.

The taproom and Kitchen offer fresh beer, food, and a buzzy, working brewery ambience.

Sydney Brewery’s new venue follows its takeover earlier this year of the Rocks Brewery and Brewhouse in Alexandria, which has been rebranded as Sydney Brewery Alexandria.

Sydney Brewery also operates a Brewhouse in Surry Hills and a large-scale brewing facility in the Hunter Valley.

The Rozelle brewery will add 25% extra capacity for Sydney Brewery, and the additional capacity will enable Sydney Brewery to launch its first low-carb and non-alcoholic beers.

Schwartz said that the acquisition of the White Bay brewing assets and public tap room fitted perfectly with Sydney Brewery’s DNA and expansion strategy.

“Taking over the lease of the Rozelle brewery was a no brainer for us,” he said.

“The Sydney Brewery history is based around reflecting Sydney’s distinctive collection of ‘villages’ and we have been looking for suitable venues to expand Sydney Brewery’s bar presence across the city while also gaining access to greater production capacity.

“The inner west is a very discerning beer market, and we look forward to showcasing Sydney Brewery’s award-winning range of beers and ciders to the inner west community.

“The extra capacity provided by the Rozelle site will allow us to achieve our goal of expanding our range of beers and ciders, including the launch of low-carb and non-alcoholic beers. For the zero-alcohol beer, we have invested in a reverse osmosis machine, which will extract the alcohol from the brewed product.

“In a further diversification of our product, we will launch our canned water range, Can Do, offering plain, sparkling, and flavoured waters in 330ml cans.

“The rebranding to Sydney Brewery Rozelle is a win-win solution for the venue, the Rozelle community, and the Sydney craft beer sector, which has been going through challenging times in recent years.

“We will also tap into a new era for the region with the arrival of the new Sydney Fish Market, which is set to shine an even more intense light on the region as it becomes a prime foodie and tourist destination.”