Australians LOVE their beer. And I can understand why. It's all delicious and all local (at least for what we chose to imbibe). Just like the United States, breweries are open to the drinking public and many offer tasty food to boot.
Our favorite Aussie brewery was Four Pines Brewing Co. in Manly, a short ferry ride from the Sidney Opera House. Four Pines had awesome brew selections and a wonderful clientele that made us weary travelers feel right at home. Great vibe and great corn ribs. Yes. Corn ribs. My fave was their Aussie Wheat Ale with a 19 IBU and 4.7% ABV. Sarah chose their Kölsch, Draught, and loved it as well.
At the Australian Open, we enjoyed a light Captain Sensible from Balter. At 3.5% ABV, it's a nice "all-day" drinker that was super enjoyable and paired well with our lunch pizza.
We left Melbourne and headed west to see the 12 Apostles and we stayed overnight in Port Campbell where we able to
jump into Sow & Piglets Brew Pub just before they closed for the evening. Without much time to study the beer menu, we both opted for their Kölsch. We downed it pretty quickly as they were ready to shut the bar down and headed to find food.
We found sustenance and more at Port Campbell Hotel's restaurant and bar. Between the mullets and jorts, it was like stepping back in time to rural eastern North Carolina in the late 80s. Wow. I mean. Wow.
On the drive back to Melbourne, we stopped at Sou’West Brewery* in Torquay for a beer
and a snack. It was a great brewery that had a fantastic and thoughtful staff. The food was delicious and the beer was wonderful. The brewery does not sell swag, but the general manager graciously hooked me up with a staff t-shirt. How cool is that?
*NOTE: Sou’West shut its doors in May after falling into bankruptcy due to the poor economy in Victoria. Super sad news.
Comments