Untold History: New State Library of WA exhibition Liquid Gold: A taste of WA brewing history

We drink it when it’s hot. We drink it when it’s not. Whether it’s to celebrate, commiserate, or simply enjoy the flavour, beer often goes hand in hand with it. And many of the most well-known brands, their names, their labels and even their advertising campaigns are entrenched in the collective memories of many of us. Like the Swan Lager ads based around “they said you’d never make it,” before of course “you finally came through” — like WA footballer and Brownlow medallist Brad Hardie, golfer Greg Norman, and the gallant Australia II yacht crew. For all of those who made it, the ad went, “this Swan’s made for you.” Then there’s that Victoria Bitter ad. Who could forget: “You’re coaching the crew (scenes of muscled-up lifesavers), or printing the news (ink-covered newspaper press hand). “Or straining till you thought you would burst (miner workers). You’ve sure got a thirst, a hard-earned thirst needs a big cold beer. “And the best cold beer is Vic; Victoria Bitter.” Turned out you could also get it treating sprains, fixing trains, taking a bow or feeding a cow. But as always: “Matter of fact, I’ve got it now.” The adverts hark back to a time when there were only a few alternatives of the amber fluid. Swan and Emu were everywhere in WA. And while the memory may be dimmed by time (or beer), for a while it seemed like ordering a round simply meant heading to the bar to ask for “a jug” — no brand name needed. No credit card either. This was cash time. Of course, times have (thankfully) changed and now bottle shops and pub taps almost heave with the variety of beers on offer. The industry has come a long way and is the focus of a new exhibition at the State Library of WA entitled Liquid Gold: A taste of WA brewing history. The exhibition, which is launched on February 17, traces WA’s relationship with beer and brewing from pre-colonial fermentation and early home brews, through to the glory days of the Swan Brewery and on to the rise of independent brewing. The exhibition starts the story long before the beginning of the Swan River Colony in 1829. Exhibition material says that many stories and reports describe the practice of making fermented drinks in Indigenous communities. One example in Noongar culture involved soaking honey syrup from banksia. “In 1929 anthropologist Daisy Bates published an account of this near Kareenup and Booryulup (near the old mill in South Perth),” the exhibition says. This echoed earlier writing by Robert Austin, a surveyor near Bunbury in the 1840s, about the drink, known as mangaitch. Austin had written that large quantities of the flower-bearing cones were taken to the side of a swamp. Holes were dug in the shape of a trough, about a yard long and 18 inches deep. “The vat was next filled with these cones and water, in which they were left to soak,” Austin wrote. “The cones were subsequently removed and replaced by others until such time as the liquid was strongly impregnated with the honey when it was allowed to ferment for several days.” After arriving at the Swan River, the colonists wasted no time in concocting homemade alcohol, mainly strong spirits like rum, but home-brewed beer was also made. Amid fears that drunkenness was contributing to “great and serious evils”, there was a move to control the production and consumption of alcohol, the exhibition says. In September 1829 sale of “spiritous liquors” without a licence was banned and licences were soon issued to nine inns and ale houses. Among them were Bulls Canning Brewery and The Leyson Arms in Bullcreek; the Devenish Inn and the Rose and Crown (Guildford); The Bush Inn (Freshwater Bay); The Brewers Arms (Burswood) and the Waterman Arms (Bicton). An entry in the Historical Encyclopedia of WA by Suzanne Welborn says the first commercial brewery — the Albion — opened in 1837. Joseph Christensen, in the encyclopedia, says by then Perth already had a licensed house for every 75 people. The Albion was founded by an aspiring industrialist from Scotland, James Stokes, the exhibition says. But variable water quality and hot weather presented major challenges and colonial beer had a poor reputation. “Given the derogatory nickname ‘shi-poo’ by locals, drinkers showed a preference for imported beer from England,” the exhibition says. Stokes struggled to make his venture viable and it closed before he tried again and launched the Stanley Brewery in 1848. Fremantle-born David Harwood bought the Stanley Brewery in 1877 at the age of 22 and the Lion Brewery in 1879. The exhibition says engineer and architect Frederick Sherwood arrived at the Swan River in 1843 and built and founded the Swan Brewery in 1857 at his property on the Perth Esplanade (at what is now Sherwood Court). Sherwood drew on his construction skills and introduced practical ways to handle warm temperatures such as using seaweed as insulation. In 1879 the Swan Brewery was moved to a former steam mill known as “the White House”, on the river below Mount Eliza, Kings Park, known to Noongar people as Kata Moore. Mingli Wanjurri McGlade says in the exhibition that the culturally significant place, known as Goonininup, included a women’s birthing place, a men’s site, and was also used by the Waugyl, or Rainbow Serpent, a major creation spirit central to Noongar beliefs. As a result, many years later the old brewery became a symbol of the Aboriginal rights struggle. The discovery of gold in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in the early 1890s also brought about a beer boom in the parched towns. “Thousands of thirsty prospectors travelled to WA with the hope of striking a rich vein of luck,” the exhibition says. “Closely on their heels were brewers keen to make the most of WA’s good fortunes, which bucked the trend of the depressed Eastern States. “The number of breweries in WA during the gold rush grew to a peak of 38 in 1900, brewing almost four million gallons a year for 180,000 people.” Up until the early 1920s beer drinkers had only enjoyed English ales, stouts and porters, (a dark beer), the exhibition says. “Swan Bitter and Emu New Bitter were the first bottom-fermented beers, introducing the lagers we now take for granted to WA. “These beers were more stable and able to be transported north as the State infrastructure grew. Bottom fermentation would become the standard as Swan stopped brewing bottled ale in 1948 due to high demand for lager. “Fuelled by post-war optimism, regional development and an expanded portfolio of hotels, the Swan Brewery (alongside WA Newspapers) became the largest employer in the State during the 1960s. “Encouraged by a daily beer allowance enjoyed by workers whenever there was a spare moment, the brewery floor had a raucous atmosphere which reflected the company’s heady success amid a prosperous time for the State,” the exhibition says. Swan grew to dominate beer production in WA through the labels of three breweries — Swan, Emu and Kalgoorlie’s Hannan’s Lager. “The black swan emblem together with Swan lager tagline ‘the golden beer of the West’ came to reflect and represent WA’s cultural identity.” “With the local market sewn up, Swan set its sights on the world, exporting their beers to 43 countries by 1963. “The brewery was proud to promote itself as ‘Australia’s International Beer” and sold the sunny WA lifestyle to Western Australians and foreign markets alike,” the exhibition says. In 1978 Swan shifted to a new and pioneering fully automated brewery in Canning Vale. The cutting-edge technology helped Swan to forge ahead of its time through low alcohol and low carb beers, Swan Gold and Swan Special Light 0.5%. The changes also brought about the eventual demise of one of Perth’s much-loved cultural icons — the lights on the Old Swan Brewery. The displays, which were visible to motorists on the Kwinana Freeway, had a nautical theme that changed over time to include a depiction of a sailing ship and a freight liner. WA tycoon Alan Bond launched a successful $164 million bid for Swan in 1981 and it became a subsidiary of Bond Corporation Holdings Ltd in time to take advantage of Bond’s successful 1983 America’s Cup challenge, the exhibition says. “Bond and Swan subsequently purchased major brewer Castlemaine Tooheys in 1985, giving them control of 46 per cent of Australian beer production. “By 1990, Bond Corporation faced mounting debts and Bond was toppled as chairman. “New Zealand brewers Lion Nathan took advantage of this situation and purchased 50 per cent of Bond Brewing – including Swan.” Swan and Emu continued brewing at Canning Vale until 2012 when Lion, by then a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Kirin, closed the brewery and moved production to South Australia, the exhibition says. In 1985, the State government bought the Old Swan Brewery. Noongar people called for the removal of the buildings and the establishment of a cultural park that reflected the site’s significance, the exhibition says. “In 1989, protesters established a camp at the site, arguing redevelopment went against cultural heritage act rules prohibiting development on culturally significant land,” the exhibition says. “The conflict ended in the courts with the Government successfully arguing the act did not apply to Government-owned land. “In 1992, Multiplex was offered a peppercorn lease to develop the site into a restaurant and luxury apartment complex.” But the face of brewing in WA was set for major change. Matilda Bay Brewing became Australia’s first craft brewery, and other names to emerge include Little Creatures, Feral Brewing, Otherside and Gage Roads. To launch Liquid Gold on February 17, the State Library and Otherside Brewing have partnered for a limited edition heritage beer. Full launch details: slwa.wa.gov.au