Boag's Brewery

Tasmania's other great brewery, founded in 1883, with a visitor centre and tours

Boag's Brewery has occupied its site on William Street, just north of the city centre, since 1883. James Boag set up here to take advantage of the Esk River water and the local barley, and the same location has been brewing ever since. The Boag's Centre for Beer Lovers offers guided tours of the working brewery, including the original heritage rooms and the modern production floor, ending with a tasting of the core range.

Tours run daily and must be booked in advance. They are popular — Boag's is one of the most visited attractions in northern Tasmania, and deservedly so: the tour is informative, the tasting generous, and the heritage building itself is worth seeing. The brewery shop sells limited Tasmanian-only releases not available on the mainland.

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A story
Boag's and Cascade are the two great Tasmanian brewing rivals — Boag's in Launceston, Cascade in Hobart — and the north-south rivalry is taken seriously by locals. James Boag founded the brewery in 1883, drawing on the Esk River for water. The Tasmanian water and local hops gave Boag's its characteristic character. The brewery changed hands many times and is now owned by Lion, but the Launceston site still produces all Boag's beer.

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