We are now engaged in the Brewery business… So wrote Thomas Cooper to his brother John in England, after establishing his brewing business in the new colony of South Australia back in 1862. It was a bold announcement, having turned his back on a secure job as a stonemason. South Australia was only 26 years old and times were tough in the brewing industry. There was a number of large, highly competitive breweries already established but Thomas Cooper was a born entrepreneur with barrels of energy, purpose and vision. He discovered his talent as a brewer by accident when his wife asked him to brew up a batch of ale to be used as a tonic from an old family recipe. Word quickly spread and he soon found himself brewing the now world-famous Coopers Sparkling Ale and Extra Stout for a growing number of loyal customers.