Southwark, beloved not bitter!

I read with some sadness that the South Australian Brewing Company in Adelaide, will close this June (2021). As part of the broader Lion (Kirin) network, it's no longer viable for the brewer to produce beers such as West End and Southwark at this famous site. I get it. We get it. Time moves on. Brands move on. Taste preferences most definitely move on.

However, on behalf of the many who have worked at this establishment at 107 Port Rd, Thebarton, (I did between 1994-98) I think it's worth sharing some of the special moments that emanated from this iconic brewery, in a manner that celebrates, rather than commiserates.

I'd like to start by toasting the mighty Southwark Bitter. Back in 1994, my first commission as a newly minted "Brand Manager", under Wayne Jackson's watch, was to relaunch this famous beer quietly know as "Green Death". With the help of Robert Kay (Saatchi & Saatchi) and David Lancashire (Lancashire Design), I set about reimagining a brew that had somehow gone flat.

Trawling through the brewery archives for many months, with the help of then historian Mandy Koch, revealed a treasure trove of historical Southwark artifacts. The stein had always been the centrepiece of the brand & so it was given even more prominence in the new label design.

From there, it was a case of mining some of the glory days and moments from the brands history. Extensive research confirmed that the brand held a special place in the hearts of drinkers who had been born and bred in South Australia. Fathers had inducted sons (and daughters) with a shared long neck of Southwark Bitter. Old timers claimed Southwark Stout was the finest of it's kind ever made. Three "Best Australian Beer Awards" confirmed as much! The trade brochure below embodies the sentiment expressed by drinkers at the time.

The brand was relaunched with a string of high profile local deliveries in a newly restored 1924 Chevy truck. Leigh Richter (pictured at top), a long term legend of the brewery, took his role seriously and made sure the brew arrived chilled and ready for immediate consumption.

Soon after, special promotions were launched to encourage punters to take a fresh look at the brand. This Christmas pack became an enormous success for the Southwark Premium variant.

Up at Broken Hill, where their annual race meeting stops only part of a nation, looked to Southwark Bitter to refresh it's 1995 race meeting. One of Australia's most famous painters - Pro Hart, kindly donated a painting to be featured on this special commemorative can.

Come 1998, it was time for me to hand over the reins of this fine brand. In the ensuing years I watched with much joy as it found its way onto Taps (bulk beer) and also extended into Ale variants. One man - Tony Jones, head brewer during my time, deserves a special mention for his willingness to support the brand. Cheers to you Tony!

Over the next few months I'll share more on the back stories of such memorable occasions as the - Inaugural West End Showdown, Eagle Blue Riverbank Hole-in-One, Adelaide Crows 1997 Premiership & the incredible "Fly with the Crows" consumer promotion. I look forward to the likes of others such as Dale Horrobin, Grant Warland, Simon Robinson, Nigel Smart, Mark Wallace, George Toulantas, Rob Chard, Mark Haysman, Stephen Murray etc doing the same!