Pirate Life Perth Takes Shape

August 19, 2020, by Guy Southern

Pirate Life Perth Takes Shape

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.

 

Andy Freeman and Jackson Purser, key players in the forthcoming Pirate Life Perth joint venture.

 

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.

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