Emu Brewery
An Australian beer brand descended from one of Perth's earliest breweries and now produced under the Lion-owned Swan Brewery business.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Emu Brewery is an Australian brewing institution whose history reaches back to the first decade of the Swan River Colony. The business was established in Perth in 1837 by Scottish immigrant James Stokes as the Albion Brewery, a major standalone brewery serving the young colony. It occupied a strategically useful site beside the Swan River, bounded by what became Mounts Bay Road, Spring Street and Mount Street. The location offered access to a natural spring, a useful change in elevation for gravity-assisted brewing, and river transport for supplies and finished beer. The enterprise was renamed the Stanley Brewery in 1848 after Stokes replaced the original brewery with a new operation on the same general site. During the nineteenth century it experienced repeated changes of management and ownership. Brewers and operators associated with the business included Henry Saw, William Meloy, John Maxwell Ferguson, William Mumme, George and Hugh Hamersley, D. W. Harwood, John Jones and Robert Hall. The brewery operated in a difficult colonial market in which imported beverages, economic fluctuations and labour shortages affected demand. Stokes also briefly expanded into spirits distilling, but stopped after the government introduced taxation on locally produced spirits. The Stanley Brewery became a company in the early twentieth century. In 1905 it was reorganised as the Stanley Co-operative Brewery Ltd, with former politician Michael O'Connor serving as chairman. Its strongest beer trademark was Emu, an ale that became sufficiently prominent to create a naming and brand-identity problem: the operating company was renamed the Emu Co-operative Brewery Ltd on 6 March 1908. The business had suffered from inconsistent beer quality and produced substantially less than its principal local rival, Swan Brewery. The recruitment of brewer Ernest Terry in 1909 helped restore profitability and improved the brewery's competitive position. Emu beers subsequently won awards at the Royal Agricultural Show, challenging Swan's established reputation. Competition with Swan continued through product development. After Swan introduced a bitter beer in 1923, Emu responded with Emu Bitter, a bottom-fermented beer intended to compete in the same segment. The rivalry ended at the corporate level in 1927, when Swan Brewery acquired Emu's assets. Swan continued to operate the Emu and Swan businesses as separate operations for a period, with Arthur Jacoby appointed general manager of both breweries. Emu's most notable physical legacy was its Art Deco brewery in central Perth. Constructed between 1936 and 1938 to designs by Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown, the reinforced-concrete and steel building was organised around contrasting production spaces: one designed to admit daylight and another where light was excluded. Its central tower and exterior frieze, depicting stages of brewing and designed by John Oldham with sculpture by Edward F. Kohler, made it a distinctive industrial landmark. An image of the building appeared on Emu beer labels for more than five decades. Production of Emu and Swan beers moved from the Perth site to a new factory in Canning Vale in the late 1970s. The former brewery then stood derelict and became a focus of heritage campaigning, particularly after the Art Deco Society of Western Australia was established in 1987. Although the complex was listed on the Register of the National Estate, it was not added to the Western Australian Register of Heritage Places after a decision by heritage minister Jim McGinty. Demolition began in late 1991 and concluded with the building's implosion on 23 February 1992. The historic brewery has disappeared, but Emu survives as a beer brand. As of January 2025, Emu beer continues to be produced as part of the Swan Brewery business, whose owner is Lion Nathan. The brand's identity combines a long Western Australian brewing lineage with mass-market beer production after the consolidation of the state's brewer…
History
Emu Brewery originated in Perth in 1837, when James Stokes established the Albion Brewery beside the Swan River. The site was well suited to brewing because it had a natural spring, a slope that could support gravity-fed processes and access to river transport. It became the first major standalone brewery in the Swan River Colony. Stokes initially promoted pale ales, which he believed could gain local popularity, although he also briefly distilled spirits at the premises. Economic weakness reduced demand for the brewery's beer around 1840, while changes to taxation removed the advantage of producing spirits locally. In 1848 Stokes replaced the original operation with the Stanley Brewery. The business later passed through a succession of operators and brewing partnerships. Among those connected with its nineteenth-century operation were Henry Saw, William Meloy, John Maxwell Ferguson, German-born brewer William Mumme, George and Hugh Hamersley, D. W. Harwood, John Jones and Robert Hall. A substantial new brick brewery was built in 1887, with decorative brickwork and a tower containing a large water tank. The business was reorganised in 1905 as the Stanley Co-operative Brewery Ltd. Its leading beer brand was Emu, and the company changed its name to the Emu Co-operative Brewery Ltd on 6 March 1908 so that the brewery and its best-known trademark would be more clearly associated. At that point the brewery was producing inconsistently and at roughly one-quarter of Swan Brewery's output. Ernest Terry's appointment as brewer in 1909 marked a turnaround. The brewery returned to profitability and gained recognition at the Royal Agricultural Show, increasing pressure on Swan's position as the region's traditional award winner. Emu remained a direct competitor to Swan. When Swan launched a bitter beer in 1923, Emu introduced Emu Bitter, a bottom-fermented product designed to compete in the bitter category. In 1927 the rivalry became a corporate matter: Swan acquired Emu's assets on 3 February and appointed Arthur Jacoby as general manager of both businesses. The Emu operation was initially maintained separately from Swan's own activities. The brewery site was transformed during the 1930s. River reclamation removed its direct waterfront, while a new Art Deco building was erected from 1936 to 1938. Designed by Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown, the structure used reinforced concrete and steel and incorporated a central tower, contrasting daylight arrangements and a decorative frieze representing stages of brewing. The building became an enduring visual symbol of the Emu brand and appeared on labels for more than fifty years. Both Emu and Swan production moved to a new Canning Vale factory in the late 1970s. The old Perth complex was subsequently abandoned and deteriorated. Heritage advocates, including the Art Deco Society of Western Australia, campaigned for its preservation. Despite its inclusion on the Register of the National Estate, the building was not protected through inclusion on the Western Australian Register of Heritage Places. Demolition began in late 1991 and culminated in the implosion of the remaining structure on 23 February 1992. The brewery as a physical enterprise is defunct, but Emu continues as a beer brand. By January 2025 it was still being produced under the Swan Brewery business, owned by Lion Nathan. The brand therefore represents both a surviving commercial beer label and the historical legacy of one of Perth's earliest industrial breweries.
- 1992
Historic brewery demolished
[1]The former brewery was finally demolished through an implosion on 23 February.
- 1978
Production transferred to Canning Vale
[1]Late-1970s production of Emu and Swan beers moved from central Perth to a new Canning Vale factory.
- 1938
Art Deco brewery completed
[1]The replacement brewery building designed by Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown was completed after construction between 1936 and 1938.
- 1927
Acquired by Swan Brewery
[1]Swan Brewery acquired Emu's assets on 3 February and continued the Emu business as a separate operation for a period.
- 1923
Emu Bitter introduced
[1]Emu launched a bottom-fermented bitter beer in response to Swan's competing bitter product.
- 1909
Ernest Terry joins the brewery
[1]Terry's recruitment helped improve beer quality and returned the brewery to profitability and award-winning performance.
- 1908
Company adopts the Emu name
[1]The business changed its name to Emu Co-operative Brewery Ltd on 6 March, reflecting the prominence of its Emu beer trademark.
- 1905
Business reorganised as Stanley Co-operative Brewery
[1]The Stanley brewery was reorganised as a cooperative company, with Michael O'Connor as chairman.
- 1887
New brewery building constructed
[1]A substantial brick brewery with decorative architectural features and a large water-tank tower was built on the site.
- 1848
Stanley Brewery opens
[1]Stokes replaced the original brewery with a new operation on the site and named it Stanley Brewery.
Products and positioning
A heritage Australian beer brand rooted in Western Australia's early colonial brewing history and associated with the long-running rivalry between Perth's Emu and Swan breweries.
Ale
Emu Ale
The Emu trademark was originally used for an ale brewed by the Stanley Brewery. Its popularity eventually became the basis for renaming the company as the Emu Co-operative Brewery Ltd in 1908. The brand represents the brewery's core historical beer identity, although the available reference material does not specify a current recipe, alcohol strength or packaging format.
Bitter beer · 1923
Emu Bitter
Emu Bitter was introduced after Swan launched a competing bitter beer in 1923. It used bottom fermentation and was positioned as Emu's response in the competitive bitter-beer segment. The historical source identifies the product and its brewing method but does not provide a detailed formulation or current market specifications.
Brand decisions
1978
Transfer brewing to Canning ValeStrategyBackground
The historic central Perth site had become less suitable as the location for ongoing large-scale production.
Action taken
Production of Emu and Swan beers was moved to a new factory in Canning Vale in the late 1970s.
Aftermath
The original brewery became derelict and was later demolished, while Emu continued as a brand.
1927
Sell Emu's assets to Swan BreweryM&ABackground
Emu Brewery remained smaller than Swan and had historically produced substantially less beer.
Action taken
The directors approached Swan on 3 February, and Swan acquired the brewery's assets.
Aftermath
Swan operated Emu and Swan as separate businesses for a period, with Arthur Jacoby managing both.
1923
Launch Emu Bitter against SwanProduct launchBackground
Swan had introduced a bitter beer, creating a direct competitive challenge for Emu in an important beer style.
Action taken
Emu introduced Emu Bitter, described as a bottom-fermentation beer.
Aftermath
The product became part of the rivalry that preceded Swan's acquisition of Emu's assets in 1927.
- Swan Brewery — Swan's prior introduction of a bitter beer prompted Emu's competing product response.
1908
Rename the brewery around the Emu trademarkStrategyBackground
The brewery's Emu ale had become its most popular branded beer, while the existing Stanley company name could create confusion with a similarly named holding company.
Action taken
The company changed its name on 6 March 1908 to Emu Co-operative Brewery Ltd.
Aftermath
The renamed brewery subsequently improved its performance after recruiting brewer Ernest Terry in 1909.
Recent events
- 2025
Emu beer remains in production under Lion Nathan[1]
Other
Emu continues as a beer brand produced within the Swan Brewery business owned by Lion Nathan.
- 1992
Historic Emu Brewery building demolished[1]
Other
After years of dereliction and unsuccessful heritage protection efforts, the former Art Deco brewery was demolished, ending with an implosion on 23 February 1992.
- 1970
Emu production moves to Canning Vale[1]
Other
Production of Emu and Swan beers was transferred from the historic central Perth brewery to a new factory in Canning Vale in the late 1970s.
- 1927
Swan Brewery acquires Emu Brewery assets[1]
M&A
Swan Brewery acquired Emu Brewery's assets and continued operating the Emu brand alongside its own brewing business.
Sources1 sources
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