Aether Brewing is set to open a new taproom on the site of its production brewery in Northgate, Queensland.
The venue opens on the new Indie Beer Day and offers the brewery the chance to “engage with the local people”.
“We wanted to do a taproom from the very start,” Aether’s co-founder Dave Ward, who has parted ways with co-founder Jimmy Young, told Beer & Brewer. “There’s not much out this way and it’s also important for us to be able to engage with the local people.
“It’s important for us to be able to meet with them, talk with them and have a beer with them and let them know who we are and what we’re doing.”
Aether opened the production brewery in December 2018, after brewing at a brewpub in Milton and gypsy brewing on the Sunshine Coast. Since it opened, all Aether beers have been produced there.
“It’s been great,” says Ward. “It’s nice having a little lab and our own space. I don’t have to drive 12 hours a week. It’s been wonderful having a home and a facility that we continue to grow with. Having our own packaging line has been great.
“It’s all cans – I’m too clumsy to have bottles!”
Since it opened, Aether has been trying to get the taproom approved by the council. It wasn’t until July/August 2019 that approval was granted.
“It was a nine-month to get this across the line,” says Ward. “We’ve managed to get 3pm to 7pm on Fridays and then midday to 7pm Saturday and Sunday. We’ll try again with them along the track.”
The taproom itself takes up 100 sq m of the space, offering a view of “the entire facility from your chair with a beer”. It has space for 80 people seated, as well as additional standing space.
Ward and Young have parted ways, with Ward keeping the Aether brand and Young keeping the original Milton brewpub venue. The brewpub in Milton will be renamed Milton Common.
“He’ll brew beers out of there and run the bar and everything, and I’ll keep the facility and the Aether Brewing brand,” says Ward.