SAT approves SW microbrewery

CAVES Road will be home to a new $2.2 million microbrewery, restaurant and cellar door for Ferngrove Vineyard, after the State Administrative Tribunal overturned the Shire of Busselton’s rejection of the project.

The Shire of Busselton refused to approve a development application from Wiseowl Investment for a restaurant, cellar door and microbrewery to be managed by Ferngrove Vineyard in March this year.

The shire refused to approve the microbrewery over concerns surrounding the agricultural health of the adjoining winery, Cullen Wines, and the general landscape of the area, but approved the construction of the restaurant and cellar door.

Cullen Wines said it was concerned that cultured brewing yeast used in the microbrewery would migrate to the vineyard and contaminate the grapes.

Wiseowl Investments successfully argued that because the beer making process is “highly contained, sterile and hygienic”, it was extremely unlikely brewing yeast would escape to the vineyard.

CLE Brewsystems engineer Christopher Little, who has been contracted by Wiseowl to supply the brewing system, told the SAT he did not believe there was a threat to the adjoining winery through a normal brewing process.

“There is little opportunity for yeast to escape and migrate from the brewing process, therefore I consider there is limited opportunity for adverse impact as the brewing yeast is contained in the brewing system,” Mr Little told the tribunal.

“The brewing process is also entirely different to the wine process in that due to the vulnerability of the brewer’s yeast against the indigenous yeasts found in the atmosphere, a more sterile and hygienic process is needed.”

The tribunal ruled the microbrewery was consistent with the objectives of the Viticulture and Tourism zone and other elements of the planning framework, and gave the development conditional approval, which included adhering to a yeast containment management plan.

The 14.19-hectare site at Lot 100 Caves Road, Wilyabrup, is currently generally cleared and contains approximately 6ha of immature grapevines.