The old Carlton and United Brewery

Just north of the CBD, the block surrounded by Swanston, Victoria, Bouverie and Queensberry streets in south Carlton was the site of one of Melbourne’s earliest breweries. Remnants of it can still be seen there today.

Brewing on the site began in a small way in 1858, when Rosenberg and Company founded a brewery at 24 Bouverie St and traded as the North Melbourne Brewery. This enterprise lasted for little over a year and in 1859 the brewery closed down. In 1864 a Mr John Bellman re-opened it, naming it the Carlton Brewery, and built new offices and stores along the Bouverie St frontage.

In 1866 the brewery was purchased by Edward Latham and G.M. Milne and very quickly expanded in size and output. In 1888 Latham withdrew his capital from the company, which forced it to amalgamate with the West End brewery in Williamstown and the Carlton and West End Breweries Limited was formed.

The depression of the early 1890s forced the company into liquidation, and in 1896 a new company was formed under the title of the Carlton Brewery Limited. It was able to capitalise on the failure of other Melbourne breweries and secure their trade.

The brewery continued to expand by acquiring more land on the site and building new structures including the first major building on Swanston St, the Malt House in 1904. One year later, the company bought out the Victoria Brewery, which was on Victoria Parade in East Melbourne.

In 1906, the amalgamation of the Carlton and Victoria Breweries, together with the McCracken, Castlemaine, Shamrock and Fosters Breweries resulted in the formation of a company with the now familiar name of Carlton and United Breweries (CUB).

CUB prospered and in 1924 began purchasing hotels throughout the state. Then in 1925 its major competitor, the Melbourne Co-Operative Brewing Company, was absorbed, and the latter’s brewery at Abbotsford was utilised for the production of bottled and cask beer. By 1949, a rationalisation of production processes at the three plants (Carlton, East Melbourne, Abbotsford) had brought about the end of bottling at the Carlton plant.

The bluestone buildings on Bouverie St were constructed in stages between 1864 and 1927. They underwent alterations to the windows and installation of large openings to allow for truck access on the northern buildings.

In the 1950s the whole factory was substantially and radically refurbished and the plant and processes renewed. Brewing on the site ceased in 1987, and in the 1990s all but the bluestone buildings on Bouverie St and the Malt House on Swanston St were demolished. •