Mountain Goat Beer

Mountain Goat Beer is an Australian craft brewery based in Richmond, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. The business was founded in 1997 by homebrewers Cam Hines and Dave Bonighton, whose interest in brewing developed through the independent-beer culture of Australia and North America. The pair chose the Mountain Goat name as a metaphor for the challenge of introducing more varied and assertively flavoured beer styles to an Australian market then dominated by mainstream lager. They also associated the animal with persistence and the ability to remain sure-footed in difficult terrain. The brewery’s origins reach back to the early 1990s, when Bonighton was brewing at home in Elsternwick. Hines, after leaving a music-industry role and travelling through North America, was impressed by the breadth of microbrewed beer available in Vancouver and elsewhere. In 1996, the founders tested several beers, including Leroy Brown Ale, Sheik-It-Out Stout and Golden Boy, at a Melbourne gallery. Unable to obtain sufficient bank finance, they relied on contributions from friends and family. Before owning a brewery, they used spare production capacity at Scottish Chiefs in Geelong and Grand Ridge in Mirboo North. Mountain Goat’s first commercial beer, Hightale Ale, was released in October 1997. The company moved into its first Richmond premises on Crown Street in 1999, relocating equipment from a former brewing operation at Hawthorn’s Geebung Polo Club. In late 2004 it moved to a substantially larger red-brick warehouse on North Street, Richmond. The site combines brewing, administration, sales and management functions and has also been promoted as a visitor destination. A 25-hectolitre brewing system installed in 2011 increased production capability. The brand became known for a broad portfolio that extended beyond its core English-style ale. Regular and seasonal releases have included Steam Ale, Pale Ale, Summer Ale, Fancy Pants, Goat lager, Surefoot Stout and stronger versions of Hightale. Mountain Goat also developed one-off beers and collaborations with breweries, coffee roasters, bars and restaurants. These releases covered styles such as black IPA, rye IPA, Belgian strong ale, porter, saison, wheat beer, bock and imperial stout. Hightale, Surefoot Stout and other beers received medals at the Australian International Beer Awards, helping establish the brewery’s reputation within the Australian independent-beer sector. The company began exporting to the United States in 2011, initially offering Hightail Ale and an American-market version of its IPA sold under the name Australian Pale Ale. Its beers have generally been positioned around experimentation, drinkability, local brewing and the founders’ own preferences rather than mass-market formula development. The brewery has also highlighted environmental measures at its Richmond site, including recycled fit-out materials, solar panels, treatment of process wastewater and reductions in steam and odour emissions. The beers described in the reference material are vegan-friendly and produced without preservatives, using centrifugation rather than animal-derived finings. Asahi purchased Mountain Goat in September 2015. The acquisition placed the brewery within the portfolio of a major international brewing group while retaining Mountain Goat as a distinct brand. The brewery remains associated with Richmond and with Australian craft beer, although detailed current ownership operations, leadership and product availability are not documented in the supplied material.

Mountain Goat Beer developed from the homebrewing activities of Dave Bonighton and the North American beer experiences of Cam Hines. Bonighton brewed in his backyard in Elsternwick during the early 1990s, while Hines encountered a wide range of microbrewed beers during travel in Canada after leaving the music industry. Their conversations led to an attempt to establish a brewery capable of making beer styles that were less common in Australia at the time. The founders initially struggled to secure conventional finance. After a bank loan proved insufficiently attainable, they used support from friends and family to proceed. In September 1996 they presented test beers at a Melbourne gallery, including Leroy Brown Ale, Sheik-It-Out Stout and Golden Boy. The tasting helped demonstrate that the concept had commercial potential. Because the company did not yet have its own plant, early batches were brewed under contract at Scottish Chiefs brew-pub in Geelong and later at Grand Ridge microbrewery in Mirboo North. Hightale Ale, an amber, English-style ale, became the first commercial Mountain Goat release in October 1997. The company obtained its first premises on Crown Street, Richmond, in 1999. Equipment was moved there from the defunct brewing operation at Hawthorn’s Geebung Polo Club. Continued growth led to a move in late 2004 to a larger North Street warehouse of approximately 1,200 square metres. The Richmond building became both a production site and the centre of the company’s administrative and commercial activities. Mountain Goat expanded its range through core beers, seasonal releases and frequent small-batch experiments. Hightale remained a central product, while the brewery introduced Steam Ale, Summer Ale, Pale Ale, Fancy Pants, Goat lager and a range of stouts and stronger ales. Its occasional releases explored black IPA, rye IPA, Belgian strong ale, porter, saison, wheat beer, bock and other styles. The brewery also collaborated with producers including Thornbridge Brewery, Mikkeller, Brooklyn Brewery and Melbourne coffee roaster Seven Seeds, as well as with hospitality venues and other Australian breweries. Awards at the Australian International Beer Awards provided external recognition. Hightale won the trophy for Best Draught Ale in 2000 and accumulated further medals. Surefoot Stout won recognition as Best Victorian Beer in 2004 and 2006, while other releases such as Rapunzel, Rye IPA and collaboration beers also received awards. The brewery’s Richmond premises were presented in Victorian beer-tourism material and television travel programming as an example of Melbourne’s microbrewery culture. In 2004, the move to the North Street site also enabled environmental measures to be incorporated into the brewery’s operation. These included recycled materials in the fit-out, solar panels and treatment of trade wastewater before discharge. The system screened larger and smaller solids and adjusted wastewater temperature and pH, reducing the biological and chemical load entering the sewer system. The brewery also reported efforts to reduce steam and odour emissions. A production upgrade in 2011 introduced a new 25-hectolitre brewing system. That year Mountain Goat began exporting to the United States, a strategically meaningful step given the founders’ earlier inspiration from American and Canadian craft brewing. The brand used Hightail Ale and a renamed Australian Pale Ale for that market. In September 2013 Summer Ale became a permanent offering, and in September 2015 Pale Ale moved from occasional tap availability into the core range. Asahi acquired Mountain Goat in September 2015. The transaction marked a change from an independently founded Melbourne brewery to a craft brand owned by a multinational brewing group. The supplied references do not establish subsequent changes to the founders’ roles, current management, ownership structure below Asahi, or the present full product range. Mountain Goat is nevertheless documented as an active brand associated with its Richmond brewery and with Australian craft beer.

1. 2015Acquisition by Asahi

   Asahi purchased Mountain Goat in September.

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2. 2011Brewing expansion and US exports

   Mountain Goat installed a 25-hectolitre brewing system and began exporting selected beers to the United States.

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3. 2004Move to North Street brewery

   The company moved to a substantially larger warehouse on North Street, Richmond.

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4. 1999First Richmond premises

   The brewery moved into its first Crown Street premises in Richmond.

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5. 1997First commercial release

   Mountain Goat released Hightale Ale, its first commercial beer, in October.

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An Australian craft-beer brand focused on locally brewed, stylistically diverse and experimental beers, with a strong association with Melbourne’s independent brewing culture.

• Hightail AleEnglish-style ale1997

  Mountain Goat’s first commercial beer, released in October 1997. It is an amber English-style ale sold in bottle-conditioned and draught formats. Hightail became the brewery’s best-known flagship and received repeated Australian International Beer Awards medals, including the 2000 trophy for Best Draught Ale. The reference material gives an alcohol content of 4.5 percent.

• Steam AleCalifornia Common-style ale2009

  A California Common-style beer first released in July 2009. Steam Ale is described as certified organic and has received medals at the Australian International Beer Awards. Its listed alcohol content is 4.5 percent.

• Pale AleAmerican-style pale ale2015

  An American-inspired pale ale that was initially available intermittently at the brewery bar. It entered Mountain Goat’s permanent core range in September 2015. The reference material lists an alcohol content of 5.2 percent.

• Summer AleSeasonal ale2013

  A fruity, refreshing ale that began as a seasonal brewery-exclusive release before becoming a permanent option in September 2013. It was Mountain Goat’s first beer released in a can and is listed at 4.7 percent alcohol by volume.

• Fancy PantsHoppy amber ale

  Described as an evolution of Hightale Ale, Fancy Pants uses a larger malt bill, substantial hopping and Galaxy dry hopping. The beer is listed at 5.2 percent alcohol and became one of the brewery’s packaged offerings, including cans.

• Surefoot StoutStout

  A seasonal autumn and winter stout and the brewery’s third commercial beer. Its recipe uses Australian pilsner malt, British crystal malts, black malt, flaked barley and East Kent Goldings hops. Surefoot won Best Victorian Beer at the Australian International Beer Awards in 2004 and 2006.

• GoatAustralian lager

  A straightforward Australian lager using Galaxy and Ella hops. The supplied reference lists an alcohol content of 4.2 percent.

• Double Hightail AleStrong ale2011

  A stronger interpretation of the Hightail recipe, first released in late September 2011. Its listed alcohol content varies by batch between 6.8 and 7.2 percent.

• Thorny Goat Black IPABlack IPA2011

  A collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Thornbridge Brewery, released in March 2011. It used multiple malts and Australian and New Zealand hops, including Tasmanian Galaxy and New Zealand Motueka, and was listed at 6.8 percent alcohol.

• Seedy Goat Coffee IPACoffee IPA2011

  An IPA brewed with coffee beans in collaboration with Melbourne roaster Seven Seeds. The first release used Nicaraguan coffee and Tasmanian and American hops, appearing in 2011 and returning in 2012.

• Rye IPARye IPA2012

  An India pale ale containing a significant proportion of rye malt. First released in February 2012, it won a gold medal at that year’s Australian International Beer Awards.

• Gypsy and the GoatBlack pepperberry IPA2012

  A cross-breed collaboration with Danish brewer Mikkeller. The beer was an IPA featuring black pepperberry and Galaxy, Citra and Cascade hops, released in April 2012.

• HopfweizenbockWeizenbock2013

  A strong German-style wheat beer made in collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery and dry-hopped with Australian Galaxy hops. The announced alcohol content was 6.5 percent.

• 2015Pale Ale enters the core rangeGeneration change

  Pale Ale had previously been available only occasionally on tap at the brewery bar.

  What changed. Mountain Goat made Pale Ale a permanent core-range product in September.

  Aftermath. The beer became a regular offering around the time of the Asahi acquisition.

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• 2015Sale to AsahiM&A

  Mountain Goat had grown from a founder-funded independent brewery into an established Australian craft-beer producer.

  What changed. Asahi purchased the brewery in September 2015.

  Aftermath. Mountain Goat joined Asahi’s brewing portfolio. The supplied material does not specify the transaction value or detailed post-acquisition management arrangements.

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• 2013Summer Ale becomes a permanent beerProduct launch

  Summer Ale had originally been offered as a seasonal brewery-exclusive product.

  What changed. Mountain Goat made Summer Ale a permanent option and packaged it in cans.

  Aftermath. The change broadened availability of the beer within the regular range; no sales data is supplied.

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• 2011Entry into the United States marketStrategy

  The founders had drawn inspiration from North American microbreweries, and the company saw the United States as a logical export market.

  What changed. Mountain Goat began exporting Hightail Ale and an IPA reworked and renamed Australian Pale Ale for the US market.

  Aftermath. The move expanded the brand beyond Australia, although the supplied sources do not provide export volumes or later market results.

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• 2015Mountain Goat Beer is acquired by Asahi

  Asahi purchased the Melbourne craft brewery in September 2015, bringing Mountain Goat into a major international brewing group.

  M&A
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• 2011Mountain Goat begins exporting to the United States

  The brewery entered the United States market with Hightail Ale and an American-market version of its IPA.

  Other
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• 2011Mountain Goat installs a larger brewing system

  The brewery upgraded its production equipment with a 25-hectolitre system supplied by Canadian manufacturer DME.

  Other
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1. Mountain Goat Beer