As owner Doug Brooke explained, the company wishes to create a new brewery, cafe, bar and function space to give punters a unique brewery experience.

A planning application currently with the City of Greater Bendigo seeks to build the new facility at Matchett Drive, East Bendigo –  a stone’s throw from Brookes Beer’s current premises at Mayfair Park Industrial Estate. 

Related: Thumbs up for Brookes Beer

In 2014, the company had a taproom of sorts at Mayfair Park Industrial Estate, but Mr Brooke said he quickly realised the venture could not coexist with beer production given the space they had available.

“We want people to be aware they're in a brewery,” he said of the new facility.

“We'll have glass windows so you can see through to the brewery and a mezzanine floor.”

While the new $450,000 facility, which could be open by Spring 2018 pending planning approval, will not necessarily increase production, it plans to cater for the existing industrial estate and housing development expected in the suburb in coming years.

Last month, Bendigo council approved Bendigo’s first medium-density housing project – Lansell Crest – voting in favour of a planning scheme amendment that had previously been approved by an independent planning panel. 

The amendment removes an existing dwelling cap of 65 at the East Bendigo site – with the developer seeking to create 104 units.

“It (the new facility) will make production easier but it’s more about developing a cafe/brewery,” Mr Brooke said. 

“We look at other brewers around and people are very interested in breweries, they are becoming community hangouts.”

The company, which will celebrate its fifth birthday in February, was excited about having their own place, Mr Brooke said, suggesting that brewery tours will be a future consideration at the site.

“To be able to host people inside the brewery will be great,” he said.