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Lobethal Bierhaus
Brewery
Draught & Bottled
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Beer Labels
Crownseals
| Lobethal Bierhaus is one of South Australia’s longest-running modern independent breweries. It was established in 2007 by Alistair “Al” Turnbull, who returned to his hometown of Lobethal after a long career in banking, including time overseas. Turnbull had been watching the growth of craft brewing in the United States and saw an opportunity to build a small brewery in the Adelaide Hills. The brewery opened in the former Onkaparinga Woollen Mill precinct on Main Street, Lobethal. The mill itself operated from 1870 until 1993, and its later reuse as a brewery, restaurant and arts precinct helped preserve one of the town’s important industrial sites. Lobethal was a fitting location for the brewery. The town was settled by German migrants in the nineteenth century, and the “Bierhaus” name reflected this German heritage. The area also had earlier brewing links, with local brewing history dating back to the mid-1800s. From its beginning, Lobethal Bierhaus operated as a microbrewery, cellar door and restaurant, producing beer on site and serving it alongside food based around local Adelaide Hills produce. By 2017 the business was producing 12 beer varieties, supplying more than 100 locations in South Australia, and employing around 22 people. The brewery became known for its wide range of beer styles rather than focusing on only one core product. Its taps have included core beers, limited releases and hand-pumped ales, with styles ranging from pilsners and pale ales through to darker and experimental beers. Crafty Pint described it as one of South Australia’s early independent brewery pioneers. One of Lobethal Bierhaus’s most distinctive developments came in 2016, when Turnbull created an in-house micro-malting setup. This allowed the brewery to malt grain on site and led to unusual beers including a lentil-based beer and a gluten-free beer made with sorghum malted in-house. Unlike some craft breweries that pushed toward large-scale national growth, Lobethal Bierhaus deliberately remained relatively small and regionally focused. Turnbull described the business as trying to find a “sweet spot”, balancing wholesale sales with direct sales through the venue rather than chasing rapid expansion. Today, Lobethal Bierhaus remains an important part of the Adelaide Hills brewing story. It helped establish the region as a craft beer destination alongside its wineries, while also linking modern brewing with Lobethal’s German heritage and industrial past.  |
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