Brewery plans are underway

This is what Stockade Brewco CEO Anton Szpitalak said in Goulburn on Monday. 

He was upbeat when he conducted a brief site inspection with Goulburn Mulwaree general manager Warwick Bennett, Mayor Bob Kirk and Federal member for Hume Angus Taylor. 

The DA for the $15 million project has been approved since July 2014, but it has been stalled since then.

The original plans that were approved include a place for the manufacture of craft beer and mainline soft drinks in the first phase, a 150 square metre cellar door, tasting and small restaurant space, a function area and provision for brewery tours.

“We are more than keen to see it progress,” Mr Szpitalak said. 

“We are about a year late, not from what we first planned but from what we practically should have done, but everything looks good in the rear-vision mirror doesn’t it?”

Mr Szpitalak said the brewery would proceed as soon as possible for them to be able to capitalise on a huge surge in growth in the craft beverage market. 

““Our job right now is to make more beer and meet the demand,”  he said.

“We are trying to get things up and running by the end of next year, it could be sooner, it could be later depending on how we go. We have some work to do to make sure the site is ready and we are working with council to resolve remaining issues that we have. 

“If all things go smoothly we are on the shorter end of that (mid 2018), if they don’t we are on the back end of that. We have to push forward as fast as we can.” 

The 19,500 square metre site sits on a 50,000, square metre block, which was the former RDM Coles site.

Stockade Brewco CEO Anton Szpitalak gave a glimpse of what would be inside the huge warehouse space.

“Imagine lots of tanks that hold beer, bottling lines, vending lines, canning lines and tours being conducted through the facility,” he said.

“There maybe also be a hospitality offering (cafe) at a later stage.” 

He said the Goulburn facility would allow their operations, now based at Smeaton Grange, to expand. 

In the original plans it was estimated the facility could employ up to 150 people. 

The 2014 development application forecast manufacture of 30 million litres of beer, cider and other ‘mainline’ drinks at full capacity.

Mr Szpitalak said the demand for boutique beverages was trending upward. 

“We are looking to provide varied, better and more healthy options across everything we do,” he said.

“Our beers are organic with all natural ingredients and it is the same with our soft drinks. 

“There is a way to do this that means you don’t need to load it all with preservatives and sugar. 

“People want better choices and as manufacturers we want to give them that opportunity.” 

Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Bob Kirk said he was happy to see things moving. 

“We are very enthused by the more recent news. It shows that plans are now about to move towards fruition and we will soon see the beer flowing,” Cr Kirk said. 

“It has been approved for three years and people were getting worried about whether anything was going to happen. 

“The reality is that there has been a lot of other things impacting on their business and here we are now at a stage where they can progress it.

“This is good news for the city. It will create work, add another dimension to Goulburn and use this site. Whatever happens it will lift the corner and project a further thriving image of the city.”