Black Brewing Co

Born out of a passionate backyard brewing project in suburban Perth, Black Brewing Co has its roots firmly planted in the ethos of “making good booze and having fun” and continues to do business with this in mind at its Caves Road home in Margaret River.

The brewery shares a name with one of world’s largest freshwater crayfish, the critically endangered Black Hairy Marron, found only in Margaret River and the creature that adorns Black's labels, albeit straddled by a Dionysus-like character. (We're pretty sure god-transportation isn't the cause for the low numbers, however.)

Opened in late 2015, Black’s Margaret River location houses a brewery and distillery on the northern third of Caves Road under the Caves Road Collective banner. Indeed, the vines, manicured gardens and Zen reflection pool on approach to the brewery might have you believing you’ve arrived to sample chardonnay rather than any number of beers. Yet, despite its cavernous, modern digs, the brewery steers clear of the R&M Williams, "chinos and checked shirt" set, even if there is a subtle influence from the neighbours.

Black’s executive chef offers a pared-back menu including shared dishes and pizzas with a focus on using great quality local ingredients from the ocean, pasture, garden and pantry. The tight menu covers the ocean, garden and pasture with bespoke bar snacks and a kids' menu that should enable a long afternoon of share plate grazing, watching the sun lengthen the eucalypt shadows on the estate’s lake.

Scan the fonts and you'll see sessionability is the focus. Session Ale and Lager keep things straight ahead, while the Pale Ale and IPA bring a modernity that will sate craftier tastes. Then, as the days darken, the lactose-infused Bao Bao Milk Stout brings a similar level of drinking pleasure that’s best enjoyed beside the brewery’s double-sided fireplace.

The original German-built brewery has been extensively expanded to allow for increased volume and special releases that have included a 8.5 percent ABV Bad Boy Bao Bao Imperial Milk Stout and seasonal release sours in an approach that keeps things interesting for drinkers and brewers alike.

Collaborations also include the memorable Kuld Creamery ice cream beers where the brewery and ice creamery have collaborated multiple times for the likes of Neopolitan Stout, Orange Sherbert Berliner Weisse and the most recent Banana Split Dunkel Weiss.

Additionally, Black a wide range of gins and liqueurs, under the Dune Distilling label, which uses water from an onsite natural spring and has a range of other spirits taking shape in barrel.

As for those pushed for time during a busy South West weekender, they can take the full complement of Black's commitment to “making good booze and having fun” home with them via the venue’s cellar door.

Guy Southern

Name
Black Brewing Co
Address

3517 Caves Road
Wilyabrup
WA 6280

Phone
(08) 9755 6500
Open Hours

Seven days: 11am to 5pm

Tours

Call the brewery

Booking Essential


This is a directory listing. To find out more, head here

Black Brewing Co Regulars

Black Brewing Session Ale

Sitting somewhere between a summer ale and an Australian pale ale, Session Ale (an evolution of the beer originally called Fresh Ale) has the right to claim the title of Black Brewing's chief esky filler. Pouring with straw-tinged, crystalline clarity, it's a beer that couldn't be more aptly named. Refreshment is the name of the game here but with an unfussy agenda there’s still room for subtle detail. Calypso and BRU1 hops imbue light lemon and grassy notes leading to a subdued bitterness that… Read more
Style
Summer Ale
ABV
3.5%

Black Brewing Bao Bao Milk Stout

Of Black’s debut range, one beer has become a fan favourite above all others yet it’s also a beer that’s experience some evolution. Originally released with a higher ABV, Bao Bao has settled in to a more sessionable space although the baby still likes to flex its muscles occasionally in bolder, barrel aged editions as well as an imperial version, Bad Boy Bao Bao. While the label is bold, the beer itself is calm, welcoming and deftly effective. The lineup of specialty malts is joined by East… Read more
Style
Milk Stout
ABV
4.4%

Black Brewing Lager

Black’s Lager is everything it claims to be on the label – "crisp, clean, dry" – however, there is subtle nuance and technique for the observant to unearth. Aromas of sweet malt, muted citrus and faint floral characters lead to similar flavours. The double decoction mash technique and Spalt hops are decidedly German, but the 15 percent rice in the grain bill is a nod to not only the crisp Japanese lager style but also the previous owner of the original Black Brewing kit. In a further… Read more
Style
Lager
ABV
4.8%
Awards

Indies 2018 – Gold

Black Brewing Hazy Pale

Hazy pale ales have become incredibly popular for brewers and drinkers alike and Black Brewing's core range Hazy Pale is an excellent example of why they've endured. It's fundamentally light 'n' breezy with gentle tropical characters dominating: ripe pineapple and mango feature with a touch of passionfruit and zesty citrus, all carried by a light body that emanates a hazy, golden hue below a fluffy white head. Though light in style, it's built around firm, hop-derived flavours and bolstered by a… Read more
Style
Hazy Pale
ABV
5.0%

Black Brewing Strata IPA

At the start of 2022, Black Brewing were on a hop quick with a few new releases, with this IPA proving not just popular with the brewery but with beer drinkers too. It meant Strata IPA scored itself a spot in the brewery's core range. So what impressed the palates of WA's South West? Landing at 6 percent ABV and boasting 55 IBUs of bitterness courtesy of one of the hype hops du jour, Strata. Characteristic berry and melon feature amid pine and passionfruit, while the bitterness is neither astringent… Read more
Style
IPA
ABV
6.0%

Black Brewing Co Specials

Black Brewing Citrus Bomb

Published May 8, 2023
Black Brewing’s Citrus Bomb is one for the sourheads, with one foot in the ginger beer camp and the other firmly in kettle sour territory. With sweet, pulpy blood orange and fresh ginger added to a mouth-puckering base, this stands out with bright acidity and big fruit flavours. Ginger is prominent upfront, contrasting nicely with acid and sweet blood orange notes. A touch of spice from ginger hangs on the palate while blood orange and citrus character persist on a light and clean body, leaving… Read more

Black Brewing American Pale Ale

Published March 1, 2023
Black Brewing have kept things simple for autumn 2023 seasonal, stepping back in time to deliver a straight up American pale ale. It's destined for outdoor drinking, accompanying the cooling weather and the adventures that come with it: hiking, camping and surfing to get your thirst going. A lineup of all-American hops feature, layered upon a malty, copper-hued body. Firmly bittered with plenty of resinous pine, citrus and some malt-derived caramel tones, it sees Black turning towards the classics… Read more
Style
American Pale Ale
ABV
5.5%

Black Brewing & Kuld Creamery Hazelnut Affogato Ice Cream Stout

Published September 15, 2022
Black Brewing’s longstanding collaborative relationship with Kuld Creamery has produced another luscious dessert-inspired beer: this time a Hazelnut Affogato pastry stout, which debuted at Froth Town 2022 – in ice cream float form if the drinker desired. For this release, cold brew coffee, amaretto and sweet vanilla are layered on top of a stout base beer. Despite its restrained 4 percent ABV, malt complexity is still present with plenty of toasty malt, bitter chocolate and a hint of caramel.… Read more
Style
Pastry Stout
ABV
4.0%

Black Brewing Blood Orange Honey Saison

Published June 29, 2022
Black Brewing's winter 2022 addition to their Special Release banner is a classically-styled beer with a modern, sweet and sour infusion that first debuted at GABS. It's a bone dry saison with the added zing of blood orange and some extra fermentables in the form of fresh, southwest honey. Pouring a striking golden pour, this fruited saison is bursting with classic yeast phenolics and orange zest on the nose. Aromatics like fennel, pepper and lemon complete the mouth-watering bouquet. On tasting,… Read more
Style
Fruited Honey Saison
ABV
7.7%

Black Brewing Strawberry Sour

Published January 7, 2022
Like clockwork, summer arrives and Black Brewing reach for the button marked "Fruit Sour". OK, so it's a statement that could be made for many a brewer around Australia, particularly those in Black's home state of WA, where kettle sours – and, increasingly, slushie sours – have arguably been more popular than in any other part of Australia. For 2021/22, the Black brewers decided strawberries were the way to go – 180kg of them added to the beer – with the aim of recreating a gelato… Read more
Style
Strawberry Sour
ABV
5.0%

Black Brewing Red IPA & Black Smokes

Published October 29, 2021
Red IPAs aren't released too often – even though we know many beer fanciers who'd love to see more of them on the market – but they're a popular choice for brewers looking to bridge the gap between sessionable summer drinks and heavier winter offerings (or vice-versa). It's where Black Brewing have headed for their spring 2021 release, with Red IPA actually a red rye IPA, and one that leans more into its maltier than hoppier side. With plenty of toffee and some spicy rye awaiting you in this… Read more
Style
Red Rye IPA & Smoky Black IPA
ABV
5.9% & 6.5%

Black Brewing Coconut Porter & Bad Boy Bao Bao

Published July 13, 2021
Two is almost always better then one, which could be why Black Brewing have released two dark, unique, seasonally-appropriate beers for punters to enjoy. The brewers at their Caves Road home have dropped a coconut porter and a new take on their Bao Bao Stout – a sweetened marshmallow infused reiteration – right at the midpoint of winter. Coconut Porter is a decadent treat perfect for slow sipping. Pouring inky black with a strikingly dense, mocha head, and displaying rich cocoa and coconut on… Read more
Style
Coconut Porter & Sweet Stout
ABV
6.5% & 7.4%

Black Brewing Pineapple Coconut Gose

Published November 3, 2020
“If you like piña coladas … And beers by the lake” goes Black Brewing’s riff on the Rupert Holmes yacht rock classic. In the Margaret River brewery’s case, the lake is the substantial water on which the brewery and venue reside, while the tropical cocktail provides inspiration for the gose. While the adjuncts foreshadow the punchline, there’s a light touch of both here which keeps the beer sessionable for its 5 percent ABV. Pineapple acidity renders this drier than expected, and toasted… Read more
Style
Piña Colada Gose
ABV
5.0%
Stockists

Available from the brewery – with discount online for Crafty Cabal members

And Black's WA stockists

Black Brewing Citrus Wheat & Bananana Split

Published September 6, 2020
Black Brewing hit the ground running on day one of spring 2020, dropping not one but two fresh beers from their Caves Road brewhouse, ready to embrace warmer weather sipping. The two beers – a Bavarian citrus wheat and a banana split dunkelweizen – have some commonalities, both German in inspiration and with fruity dispositions. The similarities end there, however, with each offering up uniquely different drinking experiences. The Citrus Wheat is light in character and loaded with the zest of… Read more
Style
Citrus Wheat Ale & Dunkelweizen
ABV
Both 5.0%
Bitterness
Both 12 IBU

Black Brewing Blackberry Gose

Published March 5, 2020
For many, 2019 felt like the year of the fruited sour, particularly through the hotter, drier summer months as crafty drinkers nationwide were treated to an array of heavily fruited and carefully curated sour beers. The fruited sour, however, seems to be less of a trend or craze and more something that's becoming a staple for many breweries who are finding a new and intrigued clientele drawn to colourful, mouth-puckering beers that offer refreshment and a point of difference. Black Brewing Co certainly… Read more
Style
Blackberry Gose
ABV
5.0%
Bitterness
10 IBU
Stockists

Find it on tap and in fridges around WA

Black Brewing Summer Sour

Published December 2, 2019
Margaret River’s Black Brewing have debuted a seasonally-adjusted sour range with this raspberry and rhubarb crusher which aims for maximum fun and refreshment. As such, the fruit and vegetable additions – yep, that would be rhubarb, which was hand squeezed for the keg stock – radiate a hot ruby colour while the sour side of things provides a gentle acidity rather than jowl sucking. This, and the drying light spritz, balances the fruity raspberry characters that evoke Zooper Doopers as it… Read more
Style
Raspberry & Rhubarb Sour
ABV
5.2%
Stockists

Summer Sour is available in limited release from the brewery and Black stockists throughout WA.

Black Brewing & Kuld Neapolitan Ice Cream Stout

Published August 22, 2019
For their latest dessert-inspired collaboration, Black Brewing and WA ice cream artisans Kuld have focused their attentions on the tri-coloured Neapolitan treat; apparently three ideas in one beer are better than one in the two previous. Chocolate, strawberry and vanilla flavours present in the lactose infused sweet stout, as you'd hope, which arrives as a gleeful, cross-stripe gambit rather than distinct layers through its length – after all, what child really took the time to explore the nuance… Read more
Style
Sweet Stout
ABV
5.5%

Black Brewing & Old Faithful Faithfully Yours

Published March 31, 2019
What better way to show beer how much you love it than showering it in rose petals? That's what happened when Tim "Gunslinger" Hoskins from Black Brewing and Amos "The Beer Walrus" from Old Faithful in Perth's CBD got together to create their latest collaboration, Faithfully Yours. The idea was to create a unique rose water sour you could share with your significant other. Tim even features on the decal in a reference to the movie American Beauty (Amos has appeared on decals… Read more
Style
Rose Water Sour
ABV
4.3%

Black Brewing Pale Ale

It's fair to say Black has designed its Pale Ale in the spirit of the classic American pale ale. There’s plenty going on in beer these days, but there’s a reason why this style helped launch an entire industry and Black’s debut celebrates all of it. A pure expression of Simcoe’s citrus is underpinned by a prickly pine needle bitterness that lingers through the dry finish. Rye malt provides subtle spice and, at 47 IBU, this Pale Ale certainly packs more punch than many contenders, albeit… Read more
Style
American Pale Ale
ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
47 IBU

Black Brewing IPA

Signalling its intent from the go, Black’s papaya coloured IPA can art evokes warmer weather and tropical fruit punch before even a single drop has hit the glass. El Dorado hops, supported by Citra and Chinook, ably deliver on this promise with papaya, mango, passionfruit and a pithy orange undercurrent featuring in a relatively lean beer. Not quite a West Coast IPA and not a classic Pacific Northwest IPA, in true Black fashion this IPA charts its own path to create a beer that’s lighter in… Read more
Style
IPA
ABV
6.4%
Bitterness
53 IBU

BlacK Brewing Saison #1

Not many breweries have a saison as a core range beer. Yet, while Black's decision to include one might seem a quiet revolt against norms, it's one that makes a lot of sense for Australian beer drinkers. Although conditioned over many generations to quaff pale lagers, many would argue the saison style better suits our cuisine, weather and lifestyle. It’s a concept the Black team is very connected to, with Saison #1 being a base for future explorations and expressions of all things saison. For now,… Read more
Style
Saison
ABV
4.8%

Black Brewing Bad Boy Bao Bao

Black Brewing staple Bao Bao returns more petulant than ever as Bad Boy Bao Bao, an imperial milk stout. As with the original, lactose creates a full mouthfeel that plays well with the milk chocolate characters; however, this Bad Boy deviates with additions of vanilla and cinnamon. The latter evokes an almost cola vibe as proceedings turn considerably dry mid-palate as cocoa becomes more evident and cinnamon more pronounced as it warms. The result is a very effective imperial pastry milk stout… Read more
Style
Imperial Milk Stout
ABV
8.4%