Last drinks for Boag's as final Tasmanian beers roll off production line

The last Tasmanian-brewed Boag's beers were bottled in Launceston this morning, marking an end to 145 years of local production.

In the past century and a half, Boag's has cemented itself as a state icon and often run ads about being brewed with clean Tasmanian water.

The final longnecks exited the assembly line this afternoon, ahead of the brewery shutting its doors for the final time on November 6, taking with it 42 local jobs.

While the bottle production finished today, the final brewing day was in September.

Brewer Adrian Hinds, who has been a Boag's employee for 22 years, said it was an emotional day.

"To be honest, I'm holding it together; it's quite emotional," he said.

"Today was the last drop of Boag's put into containers; tanks are empty, everything's on a carton or pallet ready to go out to the public.

"Everyone was on the packaging line watching the bottles go through the labeller; it just shows what it means to the staff here.

Mr Hinds said for the last mashing, "everyone came up, got a sample of grain, put it in the mash tuns, so everyone had that final little touch on the last brew of draught that we did".

"After everyone left the brew house and I was in there by myself, I just sat there for a while and just listened to all the sounds, the pumps going and then sugar going in and then smelling the hops going in. 

"To be here for the last fill, it's sad. I didn't think it would ever happen; it's a shame it's happening, but you can't control it."

Tasmania to start importing Boag's from mainland

Boag's has existed in Launceston longer than electricity.

Originally called the Esk Brewery, Scottish migrant James Boag and his son James Boag II began the operation in 1881.

In 2008, Lion Australia, owned by Japanese beer giant Kirin, snapped up the brand for $325 million.

But in June, Lion announced an end to local brewing operations in Launceston, citing inflation and long-term declines in beer sales.

Most of Boag's brewing had already been moved interstate the previous year, leaving the Launceston operations running at one-fifth of its capacity.

The Boag's brand will continue to live on, being brewed in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Tasmania will now become an importer of its beverage icon.

Will the taste be different?

Boag's tour guide Phil Crowden has been taking visitors from around the world into the Boag's Brewery's inner sanctum for 17 years.

He said the skills of the local brewers were "unparalleled", but he had faith the mainland-brewed Boag's would still hit the spot for rusted-on fans.

"The technology's got so good at the moment," he said.

"I mean, breweries are making beers for other breweries around the world, and you can actually emulate the water from any particular place in the world." 

Tasmanian water has long been lauded as the essential ingredient in Boag's, something the brand has heavily promoted in its advertising.

Mr Crowden said the exact mineral count of Tasmanian water would be replicated at the other breweries to get as close to the taste as possible.

A spokesperson for Lion said the company were considering whether the equipment from the Launceston site may be deployed to its other sites.

Decommissioning of the brewing equipment will begin after the November closure date and is estimated to take an additional 12 months.

Bestseller on tap at local pubs

Boag's is easily the bestseller at Launceston mainstay The Gunners Arms.

Publican Adrian Singline said Lion had indicated there would be no additional cost for the pub to stock Boag's when production moved thousands of kilometres interstate.

Mr Singline said the brewery's closure was a loss for the community and the tourism sector.

"You get tourists in, and the first two places you send them to are the Gorge and the brewery," he said.

He said his customers would be quick to tell him if they noticed a change in taste from the new batches.

What's next for the iconic site?

In July, Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced the Tasmanian government was interested in purchasing the historic Boag's site.

Well-known Launceston property developer Errol Stewart has helped drive that idea.

His vision for the site includes a mix of commercial properties, a boutique hotel, large public open spaces, offices and car parking.

"There is a three-hectare opportunity which does not come along very often in any CBD of any city very often," Mr Rockliff said.

"This is an opportunity for huge economic potential in terms of private investment, jobs, hospitality and more."

Business Minister Felix Ellis said the Tasmanian government "continued to engage constructively" with Lion over the future of the site.

The Boag's Brewhouse, a taphouse and museum, will continue to operate beyond November, with a documentary cataloguing the final days of the brewery and its workers set to be released in the future.