Work on brewery near end

Work continues on the redevelopment of the Speight's Brewery in Dunedin. Photo by Craig Baxter.
Work continues on the redevelopment of the Speight's Brewery in Dunedin. Photo by Craig Baxter.

The redeveloped Speight's Brewery in Dunedin is expected to be officially opened in late February, as the last work is completed.

Lion external relations manager Jude Walter said all the major construction work in the $30 million project was completed. Speight's Gold Medal Ale had been brewed in the new brew house since November.

Seismic strengthening work was still being completed on some of the buildings, which was why scaffolding was still up on parts of the brewery.

''We expect this work to be completed in early February, at which time the new fence and gate will be built and the canopy going across the yard [in front of the arched cellar building] will be erected.''

A rumour that Lion's purchase of the former Furniture Court building in Rattray St was so it could establish a bottling plant on the site was incorrect, she said.

''I can confirm that Lion has absolutely no plans for 180 Rattray St.

''We purchased the site about nine months ago as we needed continual access via this land as part of the redevelopment at Speight's.''

Neither of the two buildings on the site was occupied.

The bottling hall was removed from Speight's in 1988, because of a lack of space and capacity at the site.

Since the Canterbury earthquakes forced the closure of Canterbury Brewery in 2011, all pack beer (bottles and cans) was produced and bottled at Lion's The Pride brewery in Auckland.

Since then, Speight's Brewery had, and would continue to, produce kegs only of Speight's Gold Medal Ale, Speight's Summit, Speight's Craft, Mac's Gold and Canterbury Draught, to supply South Island pubs, clubs and bars.

It also produced the Maltexo malt extract range used in home brew kits.

debbie.porteous@odt.co.nz

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