Dubbo is set to boast its own custom-built microbrewery within months as part of a new $3 million venture.
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Devil’s Elbow Brewery team members are embarking on their cafe and function venue project on a site in Blueridge Business Park.
They anticipate it will create 30 to 40 jobs and are “excited as Dubbo residents” to be “bringing another tourist attraction” to the city.
Construction of the approved development, which they describe as an “all-day venue” offering coffee, food and craft beers, will start next week and involve local tradespeople.
The works are scheduled for a March finish, before the fit-out begins, including the arrival of a 1200-litre brewhouse from China.
It is slated to be open for business at the site later in the autumn.
The project is a long-held dream of a group of friends, born-and-bred in Dubbo.
Its executive team is Brendon O’Sullivan, Paul and Melissa Knaggs, David Rich, Adam and Lara Russo and Ceridwyn Usback.
On Friday the enthusiasm of Mr O’Sullivan and Mr Russo was evident as they told of the “novel approach to what a microbrewery normally is”, with the inclusion of the cafe, roastery and kitchen.
Devil’s Elbow Brewery will initially be relying on “our local market, and tourists and travellers” and is looking to capitalise on the growing market for craft beer.
Mr O’Sullivan, whose friendship with Paul and Melissa Knaggs and David Rich started in their kindergarten days, said the venture’s origins seemed like “the same old story of four friends who came together and had a great idea”.
The past three to four years had involved planning and research - including visits to breweries from Queensland to Victoria.
“We’re pretty excited because we’re all Dubbo born and bred,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“...So we’re excited as Dubbo residents, we’re bringing another tourist attraction.
“We’d like this to be seen as a destination venue so our tourists and travellers who come here could also be coming to the brewery.
“But also we’re employing between 30 and 40 people too, so we’re creating a whole bunch of jobs.
We’re very proud of our city and we’re going to be very proud of bringing this business to Dubbo.
- Devil's Elbow Brewery co-founder Brendon O'Sullivan
“We’re very proud of our city and we’re going to be very proud of bringing this business to Dubbo.”
Mr O’Sullivan described a microbrewery as a “brewery with a small kit” producing less than a certain number of litres per year.
Devil’s Elbow Brewery plans to produce 80,000 litres in its first year and to stock 10 beers, ranging from lagers to stouts to “cater for all tastes”.
The business has found a head brewer in Newcastle who will come to train up another brewer, to be a full-time brewer on site, Mr O’Sullivan said.
“We will have two head brewers, and then apprentice brewers,” he said.
“So I don’t know how big that team will get, initially we’re not expecting to be brewing that much.
“I’d love to be able to double the brewing capacity, and we definitely can do it, within the second year, as we build up our brand and name nationally.”
Bulk earthworks at the Commercial Avenue site were undertaken in December.
In the coming weeks the footings will go down, the steel and tilt panels will go up and the concrete will be poured.