Region & History

Adelaide was founded in 1836 as the capital of the colony of South Australia, a settlement of free emigrants to which no convicts were ever shipped. Beer was part of the city's everyday life from the very beginning, and several breweries sprang up during the 19th century.

Who founded Coopers Brewery? Thomas Cooper, born in 1826 in Yorkshire, emigrated to Australia in 1852 with his pregnant wife. On 13 May 1862, he brewed his first recorded batch. Unlike many Adelaide beers of that era, no sugar went into it, and fermentation finished in the bottle. After a year, he sold his dairy business and brewed full-time from then on.

When Thomas Cooper died in 1897, his four eldest surviving sons took over the business. The brewery had moved to larger premises in Leabrook in 1881, and in 2001 it relocated again to Regency Park in the north of the city, where it still stands today.

Who owns Coopers today? The Cooper family, and the brewery is considered the largest Australian-owned brewery. In 1993, Lion Nathan acquired South Australian Brewing, which held a 25 percent stake in Coopers. A hostile takeover bid in 2005 failed, after which shareholders stripped Lion Nathan of any future purchase rights.

Tim Cooper, a doctor and former cardiologist, joined the family business in 1990 and became managing director and brewmaster. In January 2025, he stepped down as managing director. His successor, Michael Shearer, has worked at the company since 2004 and is not a family member, making him the first outsider to lead the brewery.

There is no protected designation of origin for beer from South Australia. Among the protected beers listed in the EU register, none are Australian, and "Sparkling Ale" is a style name that any brewery is free to use.