Holgate Brewhouse is celebrating ’25 Years of Beers’ in 2024 with a year of special releases, collaborations and nationwide events.
“When you say it out loud, 25 years is a long time to be in business,” Paul Holgate said, “in any industry really, but particularly an industry like craft beer where both the producers and consumers are intensely passionate about the products.”
“We are very proud to be one of the earliest small independent brewery start-ups in Australia, we put together our first business plan in 1997 and started brewing and selling in 1999 well before the term ‘craft beer’ was used.”
The Holgate business is based at a historic hotel and tourist destination in Woodend and has grown to employ about 40 people, and now has a site capacity of six million litres.
Holgate brands are distributed nationally through independent stores and pubs, and exported to several countries throughout Asia – with the business also producing for other third party brands under contract.
“I can’t believe how much our business and the craft brewing industry has grown since 1999!” Natasha Holgate said.
“Our 25th anniversary is a great opportunity to celebrate and thank all our customers and staff who have supported us over the years.”
As part of the anniversary celebrations, Holgate Head Brewer Chris Brady and team will be producing ‘25 Beers for 25 Years’ in both keg and cans.
As part of this, Holgate will be collaborating with a series of brewers who worked at Holgate during their careers.
“For the first almost eight years after starting up, all of the brewing was done by me, and then from 2007 on, the business took on trainee brewers and gradually built a multi-member production team as sales and capacity expanded,” Paul said.
Over the past 25 years, numerous brewers currently employed in the industry have worked at Holgate – either getting their initial start as a trainee or coming to Holgate as an experienced brewer. Some have gone on to start their own business.
Current head brewer, Chris Brady, who has been at Holgate for 10 years, will have a chance to reunite with many former colleagues to share their artistry, creativity and love of good beer.
The first beers released in 2024, as part of the ‘25 Beers for 25 Years’, are: NZ Hazy IPA in 375mL cans and Kolsch – Original Mt Macedon Ale in kegs.
Holgate will also be hosting Tap Takeovers across Australia and holding some major events throughout the year.
They will also be partnering with The Crafty Pint on a People’s Choice Award, allowing Crafty Pint readers to help choose one of their limited can releases from Holgate’s epic, 25 year back catalogue.
