Although craft brewers across the country are struggling, Sydney Brewery is expanding, saying there’s been a massive demand increase for its beers and ciders. The company has acquired the Rocks Brewing Company’s production facilities and venue in Alexandria, and plans to open a new Lovedale brewhouse by Easter.
The Schwartz Family Company (SFC), owners of Sydney Brewery, have acquired the Rocks Brewing Company, which entered voluntary administration in October of last year.
The 20hL brewhouse and restaurant will be incorporated into Sydney Brewery’s operations, and rebranded as Sydney Brewery Alexandria in mid-March, following the trend of Sydney Brewery Surry Hills and the Sydney Brewery production facility at Lovedale in the Hunter Valley.
The company is also scheduled to open a new 30hL brewhouse in Lovedale by Easter, which will function in addition to the existing 18hL brewhouse, more than doubling production. It stated that by the time everything is operational, it will have increased capacity to over half a million litres of craft beers, ciders and spirits across its breweries.
Sydney Brewery has been operating since 2005, becoming a fixture in Sydney that has won awards for its products, has a strong retail presence, and supplies hotels across the country.
SFC director, Dr Jerry Schwartz, said that the acquisition of Rocks Brewing Company was a positive move for the industry, and it was perhaps inevitable that the craft brewing industry would consolidate after years of rapid growth.
“Last year was a very difficult year for the craft brewing industry, but Sydney Brewery bucked the trend, and we have been urgently seeking extra capacity to produce our craft beers,” said Schwartz.
“Our Sydney Brewery and restaurant in Surry Hills has been very popular and we believe that we can make Sydney Brewery Alexandria similarly popular with locals and visitors. We will be looking to sell the remainder of the Rocks Brewing stock and then start producing the Sydney Brewery range from the Alexandria site.
“We are ramping up production while many craft brewers are struggling to survive, and our takeover of the Rocks Brewery operation will provide an outstanding opportunity to both increase the amount of Sydney Brewery craft beers that we produce and also revive the Alexandria location as a prime brewpub, dining, entertainment and functions venue,” he said.
Sydney Brewery Alexandria is in the Sydney Corporate Park, with access from Sydney CBD and the Sydney Airport precinct. The company plans to revamp the menu and drinks selection while continuing operation, before an official relaunch in mid-March.
