Shelter Brewing Co introduces new ‘Whale Ale’ cans for Margaret River Region Open Studios

A Busselton brewery has produced 10,000 special edition beer cans in celebration of a major South West arts festival making its return this month.

With Margaret River Open Studios right around the corner, Shelter Brewing Co is introducing a special edition can to coincide with the their new mural commissioned specially for this year’s event.

The local brewery has produced 10,000 special cans of its fittingly dubbed ‘Whale Ale’ in homage to its new life-sized mural designed and painted by local artist Ian Daniell.

The Margaret River-based artist recently painted ‘Humpback’ at Shelter, a 200sqm mural of a breaching humpback whale, the biggest indoor mural in the South West. Daniell will be Shelter’s artist-in-residence during this year’s Open Studios, held from September 10 to 25, when the annual whale migration is in full swing.

He told the Times he was “thrilled” to collaborate with Shelter and pay homage to the humpback whale.

“Shelter is a perfect location to have painted the iconic humpback whale and signal to people that they’re out there in the bay,” he said.

“Despite their gigantic size, humpback whales are famously acrobatic — look out for their spectacular full-body breaches.”

The cans, which contain Shelter’s much-loved pale ale, feature Daniell’s work on its face and will be available from Shelter, at Margaret River Region Open Studios events and select bottle shops.

During the festival, Daniell will also run a series of events for adults and children, and Sundays at Shelter will include talks with whale researchers and marine biologists, as well as creative workshops.

Shelter is a sponsor of Margaret River Region Open Studios, the largest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

A free-of-charge event, 168 artists will open their usually private studios, welcoming in art lovers to chat about art, see their work, and see them at work.

Shelter will be hosting a free opening party on Friday, September 9, to celebrate both Daniell’s artist-in-residence and the start of the festival.