Following the news that Perth brewery Otherside Brewing Co. would join forces with Nowhereman Brewing Co., new business arrangements are setting the merged business up to scale its presence in Western Australia.
In a strategic move which saw hospitality group Triple-1-Three acquire the Nowhereman Brewpub and associated assets in a share swap deal, Braden Loader, General Manager of Otherside Brewing, says the merger has allowed the two businesses to maximise the potential of their unique product portfolios while blending their ambitious teams.
“Otherside and Nowhereman have always played in the same arena, sharing similar values and visions as companies. After a number of discussions, merging the businesses presented the most opportunity for both breweries to continue expanding and capitalise on the current market conditions,” he said.
According to Loader, the immediate focus for the newly merged business is to bring the Nowhereman Brewpub in West Leederville into the network of Otherside venues, creating even more opportunities among the breweries’ shared customer base and expanding its presence in Perth.
“Rebranding the space as an Otherside venue gives us the chance to integrate programming and showcase artists through our Tapped by Otherside creative support program, launch a CBD-based platform for Otherside Tycoons – our 2000+ person network of Otherside members, and introduce a number of successful initiatives from across the group.
“With that said, the fanbase and unique elements of the venue are something we have always admired, and they’re not going anywhere,” he stated.
In speaking to Beer & Brewer about his ambitions for the rebranding of the Nowhereman Brewpub, Loader said: “If I had to spill some of the beans, you can certainly expect live music – as is the bedrock of any Otherside venue or experience, featured artwork by West Australian artists, a fully reimagined menu and a lively kids area.
“For me, one of the most exciting pieces is launching a Locals program – call it a West Leederville version of our Local Legends in Myaree. Our number one goal for the venue is for it to feel like a West Leedy local, as it’s always been, and making sure that area residents and office workers feel like this is their home away from home,” he added.
As the venue tweaks its offering, patrons can expect to find the Otherside beers they know and love, along with a rotating list of experimental and creative series releases.
In addition to its rebranding of the Nowhereman Brewpub, Otherside will also re-release Nowhereman’s award-winning Rhapsody XPA within its core portfolio. While the beer will be repackaged with Otherside branding in a pink can, the recipe remains unchanged.
“Rhapsody XPA is such an iconic beer – highly awarded and loved by drinkers – and it’s something we always knew would fit perfectly into Otherside’s core range offering.
“It’s been a number of years since Otherside regularly produced a pale ale, believe it or not, and with tropical versions of the style seeing a lot of growth, it was a no-brainer to bring it into the fold,” added Loader.
As Otherside sets its sights on a scaled presence in Western Australia, the brewery also entered a new partnership earlier this month with West Australian distributor Grape & Grain.
Effective from 1 June, Grape & Grain now manages the sales and distribution of Otherside products within Western Australia, offering increased exposure in the state’s retail liquor groups.
Loader says that the new distribution deal provides an opportunity for Otherside to expand its reach within the western state, setting the brewery up for a big year.
“The right distribution partnership can do wonders for retail liquor group engagement, regional coverage and connections in the on-premise, and with Grape & Grain being one of the most respected distributors in the country – certainly in WA – we’re excited for the potential,” he said.
“Working with Grape & Grain also frees up a lot of internal capacity to focus on priority initiatives across the group, be it the transition of the Nowhereman Brewpub, experiences at the Otherside Brew Lounge in T2 of Perth Airport, or the expansion of our Tapped by Otherside program.”