Expansion plans brewing

PLANS have been revealed to launch Geelong’s newest craft brewery in the heart of Grovedale.

The team behind Torquay’s popular Blackman’s Brewery has lodged a planning application with the City of Greater Geelong to transform a Lewalan Street warehouse into a brewery with connected tasting room and bar.

Plans show the brewery would be expected to open to the public from 5pm on Thursdays and Fridays, with a noon opening time on weekends, in an effort to avoid crossover with industrial traffic in the area.

“On Thursday and Friday, the 5pm opening is at the end of a normal industrial work day which would generally end at 4-5pm,” a planning document noted.

“As such there is expected to be very limited crossover in patron numbers, with early patrons most likely to be from the surrounding premises having a quick after work drink, whilst the peak period is more likely to occur well after normal business hours when the public are more readily available to visit.”

The bar is proposed to have a 100-patron cap, and includes a space for food trucks to park inside the venue.

The move to expand Blackman’s Brewery into Grovedale comes as the popular beer producer closed its Geelong CBD venue this week, after four years in operation.

“We are so extremely proud to have opened Geelong’s first craft beer venue and equally as stoked at how much everyone immediately embraced it,” the team said on social media as it announced the closure.

“We have met so many beer-loving, indie-supporting legends along the way and we want to say a huge thanks for your support.”

Blackman’s currently operates venues in Torquay and Ocean Grove.

For more information, visit blackmansbrewery.com.au