Cheers to beer plan

By Melissa Donchi
THE Yarra Valley’s wine making hub could soon be better known for its beer after a boutique micro-brewery recently purchased a site in Healesville for an undisclosed sum.
Australian Stock Exchange listed Little World Beverages (LWB), known for its Little Creatures and Rogers creations, will set up shop next door to the Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander Winery and Cellar Door.
The latest big name addition to join the East End will surely be good for business with its neighbours including the Beechworth Bakery and the Great Australian Ice Creamery.
Developer Ian Brahams, who sold the property, has been fending off rumours of a brewery for months and finally confirmed the valley’s worst kept secret last week.
“We have sold the property to a company, Little World Beverages, who are the chaps that brew Little Creatures,” Mr Brahams said.
“My understanding is that they will build a micro-brewery.”
Little Creatures was only established in Freemantle in 2000 but has already won a host of Australian International Beer Awards.
It was named Champion Bottled Ale in 2001, Champion International Brewery and Champion Australasian Brewery in 2002 and Champion Ale in 2007.
Like Giant Steps, the brewery is open to the public and contains a café-restaurant.
Little Creatures co-founder and director Howard Cearns said they were excited about the plans for Healesville. “We’ve secured the site and we have some plans for a small brewery there but its still early days yet,” Mr Cearns said.
“We’ve had our eye on that area for some time because of the purity of water, the artisan approach that is taken and the love of good produce.”
Giant Steps owner Phil Sexton is also a co-founder of Little Creatures and said the plans for Healesville were a great idea.
“We just can’t wait for it to happen,” Mr Sexton said. “It’s a much better alternative to fast food.”
Mr Sexton, who is now a consultant to Little Creatures, says he thought beer and wine side by side to be the perfect partnership.
“It will nicely complement both businesses,” he said.