BOAGS BREWHOUSE NEW BAR LEFT: THE CAN WALL BELOW LEFT: BEER GARDEN BEING RENOVATED BELOW: BEER GARDEN COMPLETED
“There is lots of history behind it,” Donnelly says. “Lots of local families have been involved over the years, whether they worked at the brewery, drove malt trucks, or remember collecting bottles and handing them in at the old bottle yard for a refund. We’ve had people come in and tell us stories of going to the old Tamar Hotel when they were younger. Everyone knows Boags or has drunk Boags at some point in their life. “One of the big things we’re seeing already is people realising they can just come in and have a beer, that you don’t have to be on a tour. It’s a lot bigger, there’s more space and we can fit a lot more people. We’re just hoping to keep building momentum and get a few more locals in, both on tours and functions, things like that.” While the refurbishment and increased capacity provides the ambiance for patrons enjoying a beverage, at the core of the Brewhouse it is the tours that remain king. They are a feature of most breweries – think the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam and Guiness Storehouse in Dublin – providing an outlet on how visitors engage.
the difference between the international counterparts and her hometown.
“Heineken and Guinness are absolutely brilliant, but they’re sort of a bit more of a museum style of interaction, whereas on our tours, you’re walking through the actual factory floor, you’re seeing packaging running. Most days, you get to go up into the brewhouse, an operating brewhouse, so it’s a little different, a little bit more involved, I’d say.” For Launceston, the Brewhouse upgrade symbolises stability and renewal. For Boags, it signals long- term belief in the region that built its reputation. For Claire Donnelly, it marks a deeply personal journey from uncertainty to optimism. “Boags is such a huge Launceston icon. Growing up, smelling the beer across the town... is a huge nostalgic thing for me.” - Claire Donnelly
Donnelly, who has recently visited both, highlights
“I’m very excited for things to come,” she says.
21 Tasmanian Hospitality Review February/March Edition
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