Boags Strongarm Bitter ‘Back then the horse was the designated driver’ Poster

On 1 February 1882 Charles Button sold his Esk Brewery to the newly-formed partnership of James Boag and his son, James Boag Jnr. Boag Snr who had been the brewer and subsequent manager of the Cornwall Brewery for close to thirty years, and the son had recently left the Cataract Brewery also in Launceston.

When the Boags took over the Esk Brewery, it was said to be the most complete in Tasmania. The name Esk Brewery was retained, although Boag’s Brewery became a frequent reference, and in later years came to be known officially as the J. Boag & Son Esk River Brewery. The brewery had frontages onto William Street and The Esplanade, and was close to wharves, the railway station and the Esk River.

In their advertisements J. Boag & Son claimed that their celebrated ales and stout were ‘recommended by the leading medical facility as an excellent tonic’, a claim that was apparently not misplaced since Boag’s beer soon gained an excellent reputation. Boag, the father, retired in 1887, and before his death in 1891 he transferred his brewery interest to his son. Boag’s Brewery prospered and expanded, and the succeeding years saw many extensions, new equipment and acquisitions. The brewery itself and the block of buildings formed an ornamental feature of the city.

In 1889 the adjacent Cornwall Brewery was taken over, and the brewing operations were subsequently merged with the Esk. In the same year the company bought the Globe Brewery in Hobart, and its name was changed to the Hobart Brewery.

A new company, J. Boag & Son (1911) Ltd, was formed in 1911 to consolidate the company’s business interests, and during that year the Union Brewery was purchased from the Tasmanian Co-operative Brewery Co. Ltd.

More acquisitions followed: the Tamar Brewery was bought and closed in 1917; and in 1922 the company purchased and closed the Derwent Brewery, Hobart (formerly the Jolly Hatters Brewery).

James Boag III was born in 1881, and he joined the J. Boag & Son Brewery in 1919, the year of his father’s death.

On 1 March 1922 the brewing interests of Boag’s Brewery were taken over by the Cascade Brewery Co. Ltd. J. Boag & Son (1911) Ltd retained ownership of its brewery property and Laun­ceston hotels until 1957. The new company, now Tasmanian Breweries Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cascade Brewery Co. Ltd in Hobart, controlled both the Boag’s and Cascade breweries. Boag’s Brewery retained the Boag and Esk breweries’ package names on all products produced in Launceston.

Tasmanian Breweries Pty Ltd was taken over in 1984 by Industrial Equity Ltd of New Zealand.

Ownership changed again in 1988 to the New Zealand-based company, Wilson Neill Australia Ltd, and in 1990 the name was changed to the Cascade Group Ltd. In 1992 the Cascade Group was aquired by Cadenza International Ltd. A joint venture was formed in January 1993 between Carlton & United Breweries Ltd, Melbourne, and the Cascade Group Ltd. The Cascade Brewery was sold to CUB. J. Boag & Son retained the distribution rights for Cascade brands in Tasmania for twenty years, and was relisted on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 1994. Since listing, J. Boag & Son was appointed as agent by Scottish & Newcastle, the Boston Beer Co. and Carls­berg to represent their brands throughout Aus­tralia.

In 1998 the company’s flagship brand, James Boag’s Premium Lager, was awarded the title of Grand Cham­pion over 425 beers representing 100 breweries entered into the Australian International Beer Awards, the first time an Australian beer had won this prestigious title. 

In 2000, the San Miguel Corporation of the Philippines acquired all the shares of J. Boag & Son and continued to run the business without any major change. However, ownership changed again in November 2007 with the New Zealand based Lion Nathan group taking control. Another change of ownership took place on 21 October 2009 when the Japanese brewer Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd purchased the assets of Lion Nathan. This included Boag’s Brewery which continues to produce its famous brands of beers.

The history behind this beer is interesting as it was made to represent the breweries arm wrestling team. It was brewed as an Australian Bitter Ale, ABV 5.2%. Launched in 1997 and production ceased in 2008.