A little shy of a year ago, Pirate Life announced a new Perth brewery and venue and, while much has happened globally and locally in the intervening period, today construction commences on the joint venture with WA hospitality group Sneakers & Jeans. The brewery venue is expected to open during the coming summer.
Pirate Life Perth is set to feature three bars, two kitchens, a restaurant, two private dining rooms and a merch store, with the multi-level, 1,000-capacity venue housed in the former Sony building in the city’s West End becoming one of the largest in the CBD.
Progress on the project reflects confidence in the WA economy, especially the beer and hospitality industries, after a period in which there have been notable venue closures.
“Pirate Life Perth will be the biggest singular hospitality development the Perth CBD has seen in a long time," Sneakers & Jeans CEO Andy Freeman says. "It will be unlike anything this city has ever seen.”
He describes the forthcoming venue as "a beacon", adding: "Perth will need something new and exciting to revel in post-COVID, and we think this project will deliver that.”
Once open, it will become Pirate Life's third brewery. The brewing company that's now part of Asahi's extensive portfolio of local craft brands under the CUB banner is opening a brewpub within Adelaide Casino as part of the $330 million SkyCity Adelaide development.
On the brewing front, the partnership in Perth has already spawned two beers, an Apple & Guava Sour and a Kakadu Plum & Lemon Myrtle Pale Ale. The venue's head brewer is Jackson Purser, who has been working with the Pirate Life team in Adelaide after making his name in WA's beer scene at Indian Ocean Brewing and Bright Tank.
“Jack, Red and MC launched Pirate Life in Adelaide, but Pirate Life always resonated massively with the WA beer scene," he told The Crafty Pint.
“We’re already prolific with new beers and experimental processes. The 10 hectolitre [brewery] is a nice size where we can curate a venue, play around with new styles, and always have super fresh beer on tap.
“There will Perth only beers, in collaboration with Sneakers & Jeans, and Perth brewed batches of our hoppy numbers, plus new releases of all shapes and sizes. Over time, we'll likely see the beers in Perth become a breeding ground for upscaling in Adelaide too.
“As far as barrels and funky yeasts are concerned, it's definitely something on my radar, but one step at a time. I'm just looking forward to getting some IIPA wort in tank!”
Pirate Life have a new single hop IPA out now too; you can read our take on Zappa here.
About the author: Guy drinks and writes about beer, goes for a run most mornings and makes his own chilli hot sauce. Find out more on Goodtimes Craft Beer via Facebook and Instagram.
For me, beer writing is about sharing experience with others, most of which is as much about what happens around the glass as what’s in it. It’s why I started a blog in 2014 after years of drinking beer and through quite literally bumping into founder James Smith at Good Beer Week began writing for The Crafty Pint. Many amazing friendships have developed from the love of water, malt, hops, yeast, adjuncts and hype!
The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer
Early 90s experience with Dogbolter and bottles of Delirium Tremens at the Sail and Anchor proved that there was more to beer than the cheap stuff I was drinking. A few years later, Chimay Blue once again teased before Little Creatures Pale Ale and Feral Hop Hog set the course for beer with flavour and nuance.
Favourite beer styles
Balance and drinking context are key but a short list includes Brett saisons, super fresh West Coast IPAs, well constructed BA sours, BA imperial stouts and fresh India pale lagers.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
Depending on the beer and circumstance, bitterness and acidity are the hurdles to overcome.
- Right now, Eagle Bay’s IPL is a great modern expression of technique and approachability. The hop presence arrives in soft mango and lime with enough bitterness but it’s the tight carbonation and refreshingly super dry finish that seals the deal.
- Boston Brewing’s Afterglose: Raspberry gose brings a near-perfect fruit / salt / acidity balance to a vibrantly coloured beer. It’s a real talking point which can lead to conversation about the history of beer styles, acidity on the palate or just: "Do you want another one?"
- Any fresh Czech-style pilsner. This has to be fresh in order to pick up the grassy noble hop characters and zippy bitterness on the slightly more biscuity malt body. While familiar to many, a really fresh expression is great starting point for a massive world of beer.
Tell us about a standout beer moment
A favourite beer memory involves spending an afternoon sitting under the dripping eaves of a café in the 5th Arrondissement watching Parisians run in and out of a bakery with fresh baguettes while I drank large goblets of Duvel as the winter rain soaked the tiny cobblestoned square. So much about beer is context!
