Captain Blighs

Captain Blighs is a working brewery and distillery at 64 Warwick Street in Hobart, occupying a building commonly known as the Tasmanian Brewery Building. The site has been associated with brewing since the nineteenth century, beginning with Punshon’s Brewery in 1849. That long history remains central to the venue, but the building is still used for production rather than preserved simply as a museum piece.

The brewery’s range includes traditional ales, core beers, one-off releases, seasonal beers, barrel-aged beers and barrel-aged reserves. The brewery says it uses Tasmanian grain and hops, while continuing to make historically significant beer styles alongside more contemporary releases. For visitors who prefer spirits, the distillery produces whisky, rum, gin, liqueurs and other small-batch releases. The website specifically highlights a peated single malt whisky, cool-climate single rum and five-year-old, sherry-cask-matured, cask-strength grappa.

Beer production returned to the site in 2014 after Steve and Karen Brooks bought the business and installed a small brewery. In 2018, a copper pot still was added, with Adam Brooks becoming the distiller. The business began as a small cidery operated by the Osbourne brothers in 2011, before developing into the brewery and distillery it is today. Its name pays homage to Captain Bligh’s place in Australian history, including his connection to the NSW Rum Rebellion.

Brewery and distillery tours and tastings are available to book, making Captain Blighs suited to adults who want to understand how the drinks are made as well as sample the range. It should appeal to visitors interested in Hobart’s industrial and brewing history, beer enthusiasts looking for seasonal or barrel-aged releases, and spirits drinkers exploring Tasmanian whisky, rum and other small-batch products. The combination of an active production site, a layered local story and a varied beer and spirits range gives the venue a clear point of difference in Hobart.