A new brewery and live music venue has opened in North Hobart, with its owner hoping to turn the former T-Bone Brewing site into a hub for independent beer, music and art.
Van Zanten Brewhouse has been operating its taproom for about a month, with Dutch-born owner Teunis Van Zanten gradually transforming the venue back into an independent brewery.
Van Zanten, who has worked in hospitality across Australia, was looking for a venue when he came across the North Hobart site after T-Bone Brewing moved its operations to Huntingfield.
“It just sort of felt like it had a bit of a charm,” he told Pulse.
The venue is currently serving beers from independent breweries across Australia while Van Zanten works towards brewing his own beer on site.
He has already produced two beers, a stout and lager, at a partner brewery on the mainland, with plans to eventually produce them at the North Hobart site.
Van Zanten said brewing at the venue could begin within the next couple of months, although the timing would depend on finding a brewer and getting the existing equipment up and running.
“It’s a slow burn,” he said.
In the meantime, live music has become a major part of the venue, with the brewhouse giving young bands the chance to perform and promoters a chance to organise music events.
“We’ve been giving young bands a go in here,” Van Zanten said.
“I’ve had some bands in here that don’t even have socials and stuff and they’ve pulled a bigger crowd than bands that have socials and a big following.”
The venue is also planning to showcase local artists, with Van Zanten saying music, art and independent products would be central to the business.
“I studied art myself and psychology and then end up in hospitality,” he said.
He said the long-term goal was to bring more Tasmanian breweries onto the rotating taps while continuing to showcase independent producers from across Australia.
The venue also has a function space upstairs, with plans for catering and further renovations in the works.
Van Zanten Brewhouse is at 308 Elizabeth St, North Hobart.
