Just when you thought coronavirus couldn’t possibly suck any more, Adelaide’s beloved West End Brewery has today announced they’re shutting up shop for good. So if you’ll excuse me, I think we should all pour a cold one out for West End.
The iconic brewery first opened back in 1859, and has been filling the pint glasses of South Australians and their interstate mates ever since. I mean it when I say, I shed an actual tear over this one.
The brewery’s owner Lion announced that they will shut its doors in June 2021, leaving nearly 100 staff members out of work.
Falling beer sales amid the coronavirus pandemic has been blamed for the closure, with many choosing wine and spirits over the good stuff (beer).
“West End has been operating well below its full production capacity for some time now and unfortunately this is no longer viable,” the company said in a statement.
“We have come to this proposal as the best way to ensure we have a sustainable brewing network for the future.”
Thankfully, the beloved beer will still be produced, but it just doesn’t feel the same when it’s not being brewed and bottled in Adelaide’s own West End.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall commented on the closure, calling it a “sad day” for the state.
“Approximately 95 production workers down at this iconic West End brewery will lose their jobs around the middle of next year,” he said. “It is a very sad day for these workers, it’s a sad day for South Australia — this is an iconic South Australian brand.”
Sure, South Australians may not have a bustling live entertainment scene, or the big drawcards of Sydney and Melbourne, but fuck, they really know a thing or two about brewing beer and this is a really sad day for everyone involved.
Obviously, drinking isn’t for everyone, so I’m not going to encourage you to drink a beer. But if you *are* in the market for a pint, I implore you to consider supporting beer that is brewed in Australia.
We don’t have many breweries left, but we should all do what we can to keep the Aussie-made beer flowing.
For a final time, I leave you with one parting message…
West End = Best End, baby.
