Chris Shanahan: Fosters to close Matilda Bay Fremantle brewery

All hell’s likely to break loose in the west with Foster’s decision to shut down Matilda Bay’s Fremantle brewery.

As I write this column Foster’s has just broken the news to the Australian stock exchange and to Fremantle staff affected by the decision.

Matilda Bay’s Melbourne-based Chief Brewer, Brad Rogers, tells me that Matilda Bay’s bigger brands, including Redback Wheat Beer and Bohemian Pilsner, will now be brewed at the Foster’s-owned Cascade Brewery, Tasmania.

Brad says that Matilda Bay’s Beez Neez has been brewed by Cascade for just over three years.

It seems the decision is an economic one of bringing production closer to the big east coast markets. But the west will miss its modern beer icon.

Will the beer style change? Probably not. But if they do it’ll be for reasons other than a change of location.

Brad says that Matilda Bay’s small brewery at Dandenong will continue to operate.