Pirate Life to open SA’s biggest craft brewery on Barlow St at Port Adelaide

CREATING 80 jobs, a new $15 million bar and brewery is coming to the heart of Port Adelaide, with a restaurant that can host up to 300 customers.

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PIRATE Life Brewing will build a new $15 million bar and brewery in the heart of the Port.

An old wool store on Barlow St will be transformed into one of South Australia’s largest craft breweries, creating 80 new jobs and a restaurant that can host up to 300 customers.

Work on the new gastro-brewery will begin as early as next month and it is hoped it will be open for business by the end of the year.

Pirate Life’s current brewery in Hindmarsh, opened by Jared “Red” Proudfoot, Michael “MC” Cameron and Jack Cameron in 2014, will become a training centre.

An artist impressions of Pirate Life Brewing’s planned new $10 million brewery on Barlow St in Port Adelaide. Picture: Supplied

Pirate Life was bought by the world’s largest brewer, AB InBev , in December.

Mr Proudfoot said the new brewery would be a “catalyst for change” in Port Adelaide.

“It’s such a lovely area and it makes sense for it to be enjoyed by a lot of people so hopefully we can be a big part of that,” he said.

“It’s very similar to Fremantle (in Western Australia).”

Mr Proudfoot said the brew pub, which would cater for up to 300 people, would keep the grungy vibe inherent in the historic wool stores.

“We’ve built the business up around the beer so now we can put some time into the hospitality side,” he said.

“We’ll have good beer food, so good Mexican ... wood-fired pizzas, steaks, smoked briskets, turkey breast – probably quite Australian-American foods.

“The one thing Australians are really good at is finding something someone else does and make it really good.”

Port Adelaide MP Susan Close and Premier Jay Weatherill with Pirate Life Brewing chief executive John Phinney and director of brewing Jared Proudfoot. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Mr Proudfoot said work on the venue would start next month and that the first beer could be poured as early as late this year.

“The first priority for us is beer in cans going out the door, the second one is the hospitality venue and I imagine that opening within six months of the production facility.”

The State Government is contributing $2 million to the project.

Premier Jay Weatherill said after a few false starts the Port had entered a new golden era . “This development adds to the growing number of workers, visitors and residents coming to the Port,” Mr Weatherill said.