THE founders of Gage Roads Brewing Co expect to produce their first batch of beer by September this year following the recent completion of a $2.5 million capital raising.
Gage Roads Brewing Co director Peter Nolin said the funds success coincided with the signing of a distribution agreement with WA liquor merchants Lionel Samson and Sons.
“They have sales and distribution rights and are working for equity in the business,” Mr Nolin told WA Business News.
“We are working with them to set up a network nationally.”
A site for the microbrewery has not been decided upon.
“We’re looking at some places south of the river and on the coast because our marketing and image is quite coastal,” Mr Nolin said.
“We are looking at sites from Fremantle to Rockingham.”
He said the brewer had greater flexibility in choosing a potential base for its operations because it would not offer pub services.
“We are a wholesale operation, we don’t need the pub or the restaurant. We didn’t want to be publicans, we are brewers.”
The directors are also in the process of securing equipment that will allow them to expand operations once demand has been stimulated, Mr Nolin said.
“We saw that there was a national demand for this type of product but to do that we need to have economies of scale,” he said.
“To crack the market we need to be a regional size. We want to bottle beer and distribute it nationally.
“There is no point creating demand if you can’t supply it, so we will start small at about 500,000 litres, but be able to grow.
“We hope to be in production by spring and we will bring a beer to market by Christmas.”
ASIC records show Gage Roads Brewing Co’s three founders – Peter Nolin, Bill Hoedemaker, and John Hoedemaker – and PKF Chartered Accountants partner Ian Olsen are shareholders.
Mr Nolin said the company was currently interviewing branding specialists to help create the brewery’s image.
Messrs Nolin and Hoedemaker were the former brewing team at Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group’s Sail and Anchor pub.
