Otherside Brewing are set to welcome travellers into a new home this year, with the Myaree-based operation set to opening a taproom – or Brewlounge – in Terminal 2 of Perth Airport. The venue is a partnership with Delaware North, a catering business that works closely with a number of Australian airports.
“[Delware North’s] ambition in airports is to focus on supporting local. We’re a brewery born in WA, we represent local, use local produce, and we brew all our beers locally in WA, so the opportunity to partner with them reinforces those values to travellers and patrons in the airport," Braden Loader, head of brand and amplification at Triple-1-Three (the hospitality business that includes Freo.Social and Mojos as well as Otherside) told The Crafty Pint.
In a media release, Delaware North's managing director Gary Brown said they were excited to be part of the development, one that builds upon a 30-year partnership with Perth Airport.
“The Otherside Brewlounge promises to be a dynamic and highly engaging venue which will give travellers at Perth Airport a genuine taste of Western Australia’s incredible food and beer," the statement said.
Otherside aren't the first local brewery to take up residence in a major airport. Stomping Ground opened a brewpub at Melbourne Airport in February 2020, also in partnership with Delaware North, Capital Brewing have a taproom within Canberra Airport, and Newstead Brewing operate a bar at Brisbane Airport.
Earlier this month, Otherside's fellow Perth brewing company Blasta confirmed plans for a large production brewery close to Perth Airport, which will include a "departure lounge" with views towards the airport, showers, secure luggage storage lockers for travellers, quiet "pods" for meetings, screened live departure information, and ridesharing to the airport.
The Otherside Brewlounge was designed by the team responsible for their brewery and live music venue Freo.Social, with Braden saying the airport offers them another chance to promote local artists through their Tapped by Otherside funding program.
“There’s a massive bulkhead at the front and the floor artwork,” he says. “Both see us recruiting local WA artists to help represent their work through Tapped by Otherside.
“This is probably the biggest format we’ve had the opportunity to bring in artists to showcase them.”
Terminal 2 is one of Perth's domestic terminals and is frequently used by fly-in-fly-out workers. As a result, Braden says the move gives them the chance to connect with workers from within the state, who might not know the Otherside name or their beers as well as tourists.
“If you’re a FIFO worker and you are doing [two weeks on and two off], you can come and see us every two weeks,” Braden says. “So it’s kind of a second local and we can bring them into the fold with our Tycoons program so they can get benefits at the bar, or their name on a brick.”
Today's announcement also promised state-of-the-art audio/visual elements to showcase live sports, with Perth Airport’s Acting Chief Commercial Officer Rebecca Cook adding: “Our FIFO passengers spend a great deal of time at the airport and we are pleased to offer them a distinctive and fun way to spend their time before their flight, which includes the ability to watch live sports and music.
“The Otherside Brewlounge concept proposes a unique take on a pre-flight venue offering, with a dynamic personality and quality craft beers that will provide regional travellers in T2 a fantastic F&B experience."
The Otherside Brewlounge is planned to open in the second half of 2023 and will replace the Four Alls lounge.