Homestead Brewery

Western Australia is not only regarded as the birthplace of the modern craft beer scene in Australia, it is home to some of the most spectacular microbreweries in the country. From Little Creatures on the waterfront in Fremantle to many of the breweries that call the Margaret River region home, there are plenty where the experience of being there is as much part of the joy as the beer itself.

Joining the state’s lineup of majestic breweries is Homestead. Opened in late 2014, just a short drive outside Perth, on the sprawling site it shares with Mandoon Estate winery (and some of the oldest vines in Swan Valley), it’s a property where everything has been thought of and no expense has been spared. As well as the impressive wine tasting room and even more impressive adjacent brewery, there’s polished function rooms, a fine dining restaurant, a tree-shaded beer garden with kids area, plus onsite deli, 32 rooms of on-site accommodation, mooring on the river and, well, you get the message; if you’re a fan of sculpture, there’s that too.

It’s the dream turned reality of Croatian property developer Allan Erceg who wanted to give something back to the Swan Valley region where his parents brought him as a child, with his gift taking the shape of this multi-million dollar tourist destination. And at its heart is the Homestead Brewery, named after the original Swan Valley homestead around which this new attraction has been built.

As with all other aspects of the project, serious money and planning has been invested into the brewery. What could be the shiniest set of stainless steel in the country is also the Southern Hemisphere’s only microbrewery from Germany’s Kaspar Schulz, the world’s oldest brewery manufacturer – in operation since 1677. It’s a 20 hectolitre brewpub setup that fills half a dozen 40 hectolitre tanks from which beer is poured through the venue’s 48 taps.

The man initially brought in to fill those tanks was one that many in the beer world will know. Ron Feruglio was the co-founder and head brewer at Victoria’s Temple Brewing before leaving after a change of ownership to seek new adventures. He used his gleaming new tools to concoct an array of fine beers and ciders, from a popular lager and fruity Belgian ale to a black IPA that will make those bemoaning the loss of the Midnight IPA at Temple when he left rather happy.

The beer that perhaps turned most beer geeks’ heads, however, is the Kaiser’s Choice. This Bavarian-inspired hefeweizen can make a strong claim to be the most traditional and best wheat beer in Australia; it’s brewed on a German system that allows for the triple decoction brew Bavarian brewers of the style favour and uses all German malts, hops and yeast.

Joining Kaiser's Choice in the core range are Thunderbird Pale Ale, Golden Eagle Session Ale, Helles Lager and Cider, with the limited release schedule focused on a concept the brewers call "Classic Made Contemporary": taking advantage of the brewery's ability to create classic malt-forward styles and looking to make them a way that's new and accessible. Taking advantage of the winery, look out for 750ml bottles containing wild / harvest / mixed culture beers using lees or ex-wine barrels.

All in all, it’s a project in which the goal from the off has been to strive for quality, whatever the cost, and one with just the one slight drawback for Aussie beer lovers: the beer disappears so quickly at the brewery that you’re incredibly unlikely to find it pouring anywhere else.

Name
Homestead Brewery
Address

10 Harris Road
Caversham
WA 6055

Phone
(08) 6279 0500
Open Hours

Mon to Thurs: 10am to 5pm
Friday: 10am to late
Saturday: 7.30am to late
Sunday: 7.30am to 5pm


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

Homestead Brewery Regulars

Homestead Brewery New Zealand Session Ale

Published April 19, 2019
The second new release from Homestead in a fortnight is their New Zealand Session Ale. Brewer Justin Bishop was looking to create a session ale packed with plenty of flavour to accompany their existing mid-strength Golden Eagle Australian Ale on tap. In doing so, Imperial's Citrus yeast was used with a combination of New Zealand hops known for their citrus characters to give the beer a hefty orange/lemon kick. The Motueka, Wakatu and Kohatu hops and aforementioned yeast go to work together to create… Read more
Style
Session Ale
ABV
4.0%

Homestead Brewery Thunderbird Pale Ale

If you grew up in the UK, hearing the name "Thunderbird" attached to an alcoholic beverages brings to mind a rather different drink to that you'll find at Homestead. Where many young Brits may have dabbled with the cheap, fortified wines of the name, anyone visiting the WA brewery will find something far more refined. Thunderbird here is the brewery's take on the popular American pale ale style. It comes laden with fruity, citrusy hops, a balancing malt sweetness and solid, drying bitterness,… Read more
Style
American Pale Ale
ABV
5.2%

Homestead Brewery Lager

If you're going to open a brewery in a popular tourist spot in Australia, you need to brew a lager. And if you're going to open one with the fanciest and most traditional of German brewers, you may as well make that lager as traditional a German style lager as you can. The finest lagers in the world come out of Munich and its surrounding region: delicate, balanced and subtle. Founding brewer Ron put his Kaspar Schulz to work to try to recreate just that, ending up with a beer that allows the soft… Read more
Style
Munich Helles
ABV
4.8%

Homestead Brewery No 1 Premier

It wasn't supposed to be this way! The No 1 was Ron's test brew, the beer that he created to test out his shiny new toy when the brewery was opening. As such, it was one with plenty going on to see how the brewery would go: some specialty malts, lots of spicy hops and a Belgian yeast. However, the beer proved so popular with visitors to the brewery from the off – second only to the lager – that No 1 is a permanent pour. Three three elements – toasty, biscuity, slightly sweet malts, spicy hops… Read more
Style
Belgian Pale Ale
ABV
4.8%

Homestead Brewery Bright Cider Life

If you're going to make a cider at an award-winning winery you'd best make sure it's good. So, with the Apple Cider being founding brewer Ron's first ever attempt at a cider, he sought assistance, bringing winemaker Ryan Sudano in during the process for feedback on how it was developing. And it seems to have worked, with Ron declaring himself proud with the results. Created with apples from a local orchard, it's a pale, delicate, gently fruity but dry and acidic cider that shares characteristics… Read more
Style
Apple Cider
ABV
5.2%

Homestead Brewery Kaiser's Choice

Of all the beers you'd expect the WA beer cognoscenti to be getting excited about when Homestead opened, few would have put their money on it being a hefeweizen. The wheat beer with origins in Bavaria is very much a love-it-or-hate-it style of beer and, while a fair few are brewed in Australia, not many local versions or much chop, often too heavy-handed with their candied bananas or lean to the point of insipid. Yet, when Homestead opened, it was the Kaiser's Choice that had people abuzz. Given… Read more
Style
Hefeweizen
ABV
5.0%
Awards

Gold at 2015 Australian International Beer Awards

Homestead Brewery Specials

Homestead Brewery Sunset Dream

Published December 18, 2020
As the expansive lawns at Homestead fill this summer, drinkers at the multi-disciplined Swan Valley location are very likely to be slaking the hot days with an increasing range of kettle sours, of which Sunset Dream is the debutant. That said, those expecting a breezy and tart experience a may be in for a surprise – the "Hoppy Sour" tag is apt. As they say, always read the label. Sitting in territory akin to a fruited session IPA, Sunset Dream lays on the bitterness early and, while it’s… Read more
Style
Hoppy Passionfruit Sour
ABV
4.6%
Stockists

Available from the brewery

And in limited keg release at WA venues

Homestead Brewery Hazy Scorsese & Mantango

Published December 30, 2019
The brewers at Homestead in the Swan Valley have embraced the haze with the summer release Hazy Scorsese, nailing the appearance in this cloudy orange IPA. Fresh tropical and citrus aromas lead the way, accompanied by a silky mouthfeel and a dry bitterness supported by a light, smooth malt profile and a slight edge at the finish from the 5.8 percent booze. Like Martin's movies, expect this to be a crowd pleaser on the Mandoon Estate lawns during the summer months. Joining Scorsese on tap is Mantango,… Read more
Style
Hazy IPA & Fruit Sour
ABV
5.8% & 4.9%

Homestead Collabs ft Dimattina & Rodney's Bait & Tackle

Published September 11, 2019
On the back of the Vanilla Porter that appeared earlier in winter 2019, Homestead Brewery have followed up with another dark beer, this time a Coffee Stout local roaster Dimattina, charged with selecting the blend. The result is a beer with fresh coffee aromas and a creamy sweetness, balanced with roasted characters from the dark malts that give just the right amount of dusty cocoa. It's easy-drinking, big on flavour and low on ABV, making for a welcome winter warmer. Playing in rather different… Read more
Style
Coffee Stout & NEIPA
ABV
4.0% & 5.8%

Homestead Brewery Vanilla Porter

Published June 6, 2019
Homestead Brewery have launched into winter 2019 with a Vanilla Porter that's hit the taps at their Swan Valley home just as the cooler weather sets in. It is a pleasant time of the year as the mercury drops, the fireplaces are lit, and the malts in the brewer's hands turn steadily darker. Here, head brewer Justin Bishop decided to take the traditional porter and jazz it up a little with the addition of vanilla. Smooth, velvety and creamy are words that come to mind as you sip your way through the… Read more
Style
Vanilla Porter
ABV
5.3%

Homestead Brewery IPL

Published April 12, 2019
India pale lager is a style of beer that's been making a bit of a surge to prominence in Western Australia, with some breweries adding one to their core range. Justin Bishop, head brewer at Homestead, feels it's a beer that will appeal to the Perth locals looking for something offering a bit more than a lager yet retaining some familiarity too. Fresh is the first word that springs to mind after taking the first sip of his creation. The aromas wake the senses with candied orange, mango, melon, passionfruit… Read more
Style
India Pale Lager
ABV
5.2%

Homestead Brewery Cuvée Special Oak Aged Dark Ale

Published January 1, 2015
If you've made Homestead brewer Ron Feruglio's acquaintance and got to know his beers over the years, you'll know what we mean when we describe this as the most Ron beer imaginable. Not only is he one of the best and tightest brewers in Australia, he's one that is happy to go to extraordinary lengths and into the finest detail when conceiving, constructing and brewing beers. If he's ever gone to greater lengths than with this beer, we'd be amazed. The Cuvée Special actually started out as three… Read more
Style
Oak Aged Dark Ale
ABV
6.5%

Homestead Brewery Black Swan

If there was any beer that made the beer geeks sit up more than any other in his time at Temple, it was his black IPA (closely followed by his Saison, we reckon). It was one of the very best takes on the style (if it is a style...) created Down Under, which meant one of the first questions we posed to Ron when he turned up at Homestead was: "Will there be a black IPA?" The answer was yes, with the Black Swan forming (the biggest and boldest) part of the core range at the brewery. Using… Read more
Style
Black IPA
ABV
7.0%