Brewery History
Built on beer. Still making history.
From Punshon’s Brewery to Captain Bligh’s Brewery & Distillery, our Warwick Street site has been tied to beer for generations.
64 Warwick Street, Hobart
One of Tasmania’s old brewery buildings, still working.
Captain Bligh’s Brewery is situated at 64 Warwick Street, Hobart, in the building often referred to as the Tasmanian Brewery Building. Brewing has been happening on this site for many, many years.
The story begins in the nineteenth century at the rear corner of the current building, with a brewery originally known as Punshon’s Brewery.
1849
Punshon’s Brewery
Built by William Punshon, an eccentric brewer already known in nearby Patrick Street for selling Home Brew’s Ale.
1855
The Lion
Punshon left the brewery when he was removed to the New Norfolk Asylum, becomming known as “The Lion”, explaining to those who would visit him that he was the second coming of Christ.
1862
Expansion
Landlord William James built onto the existing brewery, creating the much larger Tasmanian Pale Ale Brewery that stretched all the way to Elizabeth Street.
1883
Buyout
After producing porter and ale with Tasmanian hops and malt, brewing wound up when Cascade bought out and closed the building during the consolidation of local breweries.
1902 & 1904
The Splash & The Crash
George Adams had created the most beautiful and modern brewery in Tasmania, but after his death without a will, the site was sold to Cascade and closed.
1920s
Frustration
Frustrated hoteliers formed the Co-Operative Breweries of Tasmania, chasing fairer beer in a hostile brewing landscape dominated by Cascade.
1931
Sabotage!
The Co-Op closed amid controversy after the brewery was sabotaged with large lumps of soap. No one was convicted but the rumours, at least, never quite went flat.
2011
Captain Bligh’s Begins
Captain Bligh’s started in the building initially as a small cidery owned and operated by the Osbourne brothers.
2014
Back To Brewery
Steve and Karen Brooks bought the business, installed a small brewery and returned the site to beer.
2018
Still Producing
A copper pot still was installed, Adam joined as distiller, and Captain Bligh’s began producing whisky, rum and other spirits.
The Punshon Years
Brewing commenced here in the nineteenth century. William Punshon made his fame from a previous venture in nearby Patrick Street, where he sold Home Brew’s Ale.
According to publicity at the time, the ale was “strongly recommended by the Faculty to Patients recovering from sickness.”
Captain Bligh’s Today
The name Captain Bligh remained as a homage to the influence Captain Bligh had on Australian history. For several years, Captain Bligh’s operated as a small but successful brewery with a focus on traditional ales.
Eventually, the urge to create spirits beckoned. Bligh’s infamous role in the NSW Rum Rebellion could not be ignored.
Since 2014, Captain Bligh’s has been producing beer, and since 2018 making whisky, rum and other flavourful concoctions from our Hobart brewery & distillery.
Still brewing. By tradition.
History without turning into a museum.
Captain Bligh’s beer making continues to follow the path of the site’s earliest brewers, proudly using Tasmanian grain and hops.
The brewery continues to produce historically significant beer styles while maintaining a portfolio that includes modern releases, barrel-aged beers, as well as whisky, rum and other small-batch spirits.