Latest news with #LittleCreatures
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Beloved WA beer festival returns to coastal city
The highly anticipated Fremantle BeerFest is officially back, with the craft beer festival announcing its return at the end of this year. Brewers from all over Western Australia will be on display with more than 12,000 visitors expected to attend at Esplanade Park on November 14-16. Aussie EDM legends The Presets will headline the music offering, while the weekend will feature heaps of beers and ciders, along with a variety of entertainment and activities ranging from axe throwing to giant beer pong. Running since 2011, the festival has become a calendar event for avid craft fans, with Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge saying the city was excited for their return. 'As beer lovers will know, Fremantle's widely regarded as the home of Australian craft beer and we're proud to help showcase the industry's latest and greatest in the stunning surrounds of Esplanade Park,' she said. 'The craft brewing industry supports local jobs and innovation and introduces visitors to our vibrant food and drink scene.' Freo Beerfest returns to Esplanade Park in November. Credit: Supplied In true Freo spirit, the event will celebrate 25 years of local icon Little Creatures, which has shaped the State's beer culture across the past quarter century. Festival founder and co-director James Harding said that it was an achievement that deserved to be celebrated. 'Freo BeerFest is the perfect setting to celebrate the game changers,' he said. 'We've stood side-by-side with producers like Little Creatures since 2011, helping showcase the most unique and timeless experiences the industry has to offer. 'We're proud to be WA's original major beer and drinks festival and we've lasted because we evolve, surprise, and serve up the best every year.' Freo Beerfest celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2022. Credit: Supplied Field sales director WA for Little Creatures Danny Connolly said BeerFest has become a key part of the WA drinks scene. 'The event has helped shape our community for over a decade, and we're proud to celebrate our 25th year with a festival that continues to lead the way,' he said.
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
What is the best new Aussie beer of the 21st century?
Foster's Lager was a staple in Australian pubs and homes for much of the 20th century, emblematic of our beer-loving culture. At the same time, no one fit the mould of what it meant to be Aussie more than Paul Hogan - who was often seen Foster's in hand, promoting his latest film. Fast forward to 2025, and Foster's has become a rarity on Australian shelves, its presence now replaced by a burgeoning craft beer movement and shifting beer-drinker preferences. Our 25@25 series will finally put to bed the debates you've been having at the pub and around dinner tables for years – and some that are just too much fun not to include. Foster's remains a recognisable brand globally but its domestic presence seems near invisible - just like 'chucking a shrimp on the barbie'. Emerging in its place? Enter the likes of summer and pale ales, hazy XPAs, and even double-fruited smoothie sours ... yes, a real thing. Successful craft beer brands such as Stone & Wood and Balter, the latter co-founded by Aussie surfing royalty and shark attack survivor Mick Fanning, have increased their total share of the market to more than 20 per cent. That's more than Foster's at its peak. But which new entrant is the best? Little Creatures Pale Ale Launched in 2000 by Howard Cearns, Nic Trimboli, and Phil Sexton in Fremantle, Little Creatures Pale Ale is seen by many as a pioneer in Australia's craft beer movement. It's American-style pale ale, brewed with Cascade and Chinook hops, has been lauded as the product that introduced many Australians to hop-forward beer. The brewery's name was inspired by the 'little creatures' of yeast that turn sugars into alcohol during the fermentation process. Dave Padden of Akasha Brewing previously told The Daily Telegraph, 'Little Creatures... was my introduction to craft many moons ago and it's still considered one of the classics'. Established in 2012 in Newtown in Sydney's hip Inner West, Young Henrys fast became a local favourite. Their flagship Newtowner Pale Ale is a tribute to the suburb's 150th anniversary. The brewery was honoured as Vintage Cellars Brewery of the Year in 2019, with Newtowner consistently ranking in the top 5 of the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Awards from 2017 to 2019. It has remained independently owned. Earlier this year, facing potential relocation due to redevelopment plans at their brew site, co-founder Oscar McMahon told 'Young Henrys was born and bred in Newtown and we will do everything we can to always have a Newtown presence.' 4 Pines Pale Ale Founded in 2008 in Manly, NSW, 4 Pines Brewing Co. quickly garnered attention with its American-style Pale Ale, known for its balance and drinkability. In 2017, the brewery was fully acquired by the world's biggest beer company, Anheuser-Busch InBev. Asahi absorbed 4 Pines in 2019 when it bought CUB. Mountain Goat Beer, established in 1997 in Melbourne, played a pivotal role in Australia's craft beer scene. Their GOAT Very Enjoyable Beer, a 4.2 per cent ABV lager, was introduced and is described as a straightforward, sessionable option. Asahi purchased Mountain Goat Beer in September 2015. The Mountain Goat Beer founders have since departed. Launched in 2015 in Adelaide, Pirate Life Brewing quickly made waves with its high hop profile beers. In 2017, Pirate Life was quickly snapped up by AB InBev via CUB and is now under the Asahi umbrella. The brewery describes South Coast Pale Ale as 'light-bodied, cruisy and brewed with the session in mind', capturing the essence of relaxed coastal living. Feral Hop Hog Founded in 2002 in Western Australia, Feral Brewing Co won over beer lovers with its Hop Hog, an American-style IPA. The beer was lauded by James Smith, the founder of online craft beer publiction The Crafty Pint in The Guardian as 'near to the perfect beer as you will find'. In 2017, Feral was acquired by Coca-Cola Amatil, but in 2024, it returned to independent ownership under Nail Brewing and Beerfarm. John Stallwood of Nail Brewing is quoted by The Shout as saying, 'Feral is an iconic beer brand and Hop Hog has started many Australians on their journey to love craft beer'. Balter XPA Established in 2016 on the Gold Coast by surfing legends including Fanning and Joel Parkinson, Balter Brewing Company quickly topped craft beer charts with its XPA, known for its tropical hop character. In 2019, Balter was acquired by Carlton & United Breweries. The Sydney Morning Herald reported the sale of Balter to CUB was worth between an eye-watering $150 million and $200 million. It too now forms part of the Asahi stable. Stone & Wood Pacific Ale Founded in 2008 in Byron Bay, Stone & Wood Brewing Co. introduced Pacific Ale, a beer that is an icon of the Australian craft beer movement. Originally named Draught Ale, it was rebranded to Pacific Ale, featuring Galaxy hops for a tropical aroma. Kirin now indirectly owns Stone & Wood through its ownership of Lion, which in 2021 acquired Fermentum, the previous, smaller-scale parent company of Stone & Wood and other brands like Two Birds, Fixation, and Forest for the Trees. Co-founder Jamie Cook recalled the beer's rapid success to the Crafty Pint, stating that in the summer of 2011, just three years from opening doors, 'we didn't have remotely enough beer' to keep up with its roaring popularity. Not just a beer drinker? Take the rest of our 25@25 polls Read related topics: 25@25 Join the conversation
West Australian
30-05-2025
- Climate
- West Australian
WA Day: Fremantle festival organisers planning for wet weather as rain & storms set to hit Perth
The WA Day festival in Fremantle at Bathers Beach and the Fishing Boat Harbour is set to go ahead despite a weather forecast of rain and a chance of storms on Monday. The Port City event comes after last year's celebration in Burswood was re-scheduled to take place in November to avoid weather disruptions which have dampened festivities in previous years. In a bid to ensure this year's bash goes ahead, event organisers have planned ahead in anticipation for the wet weather. It is understood that performances including the vintage fashion parade on Bathers Beach boardwalk will be relocated indoors at Bathers Beach House and Kidogo Arthouse. Attractions for all ages at the WA Shipwrecks Museum and Little Creatures will also be moved indoors. Organisers said a free shuttle service would run every 15 minutes from 10.30am between Fremantle Train Station and the Fishing Boat Harbour and ponchos would be available on the day. The festivities in Fremantle will run from 11am to 6pm on Monday, June 2. Other cities hosting WA Day celebrations on Monday include Albany, Geraldton, Carnarvon and Kalgoorlie Boulder.
Perth Now
08-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Epic $10 million transformation coming to beloved WA brewery
Iconic WA brewer Little Creatures will celebrate its 25th birthday with a $10 million transformation of its Fremantle home. Due to welcome beer lovers in November, the new Little Creatures Fremantle will be located in the former Harbourside nightclub site at 42 Mews Road, next door to the current Great Hall and Brewhouse. Nestled between the existing venue at 40 Mews Road, which opened in 2000, and the derelict Joe's Fish Shack, the revamped space will span two levels and offer uninterrupted panoramic views of Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour. Your local paper, whenever you want it. The new-look Little Creatures will have capacity for more than 1000 patrons and feature The Den, a new family-friendly zone with an outdoor play area to keep the kids busy while parents enjoy drinks and watch sport. The Brewhouse will serve as the new tasting room, offering tours, merchandise and a beer school. Lion field sales director for WA, Danny Connolly at Little Creatures in Fremantle. Credit: Supplied Little Creatures' kitchen will also get a renovation to offer a refreshed menu and streamlined service, according to the brewer's parent company, Lion. Lion's WA field sales director Danny Connolly said the company was excited to bring something new to the people of Fremantle as well as the many tourists that visit the venue. 'Little Creatures has been a part of the fabric of Fremantle for the past 25 years and this significant investment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the brand,' he said. Mr Connolly added that the refurbished brewery would inject 'new energy' into the Fremantle dining and entertainment precinct. Fremantle mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge welcomed the new venue on the Fremantle waterfront. 'We're thrilled Little Creatures can remain at their original site,' she said. 'The new space for Little Creatures will provide locals and tourists with an inviting place to enjoy some of the best views, beers and hospitality in WA.' The Great Hall will stay open until the end of October, before the launch of the new venue. Indigenous-owned builder Dundee Rock will oversee design and construction. Both 40 and 42 Mews are owned by the Department of Transport, which leases the land to Lion. The Great Hall building at 40 Mews Road originally housed the Kookaburra yachts competing in the 1987 America's Cup and then a crocodile farm before opening as an independent brewery in late 2000. Little Creatures was established by the original brewers of the Matilda Bay Brewing Company, marketing specialist Howard Cearns, restaurateur Nic Trimboli and master brewer Phil Sexton. Little Creatures has been a brewing institution since opening in Fremantle in November, 2025. Credit: Supplied The partners named the venture after Talking Heads' 1985 album Little Creatures, which also refers to the live yeast cells that turn sugars into alcohol. Little Creatures launched its first beer, a pale ale modelled on hop-driven American pale ales, in 2000. Lion bought Little Creatures' parent company Little World Beverages in 2012 for a reported $380 million before opening a bigger production brewery in Geelong the following year. A Little Creatures branded venue, operated by Three Pound Group, is due to open at Elizabeth Quay later this year. In September 2021, Lion announced plans for a purpose-built $30 million venue on the site previously occupied by Joe's Fish Shack. Those plans were scrapped in December 2022 when Lion, which is part of Japanese giant Kirin, purchased the ground lease for its existing hospitality venue and adjacent production facility.
