Sydney’s Craftiest Craft Beer Pubs & How They’re Celebrating Craft Beer Week 2016
Jayne Gorman
This October Sydney’s going crazy for craft beer as Sydney Craft Beer Week (SCBW) kicks off on Friday 21st. With over 100 events across the city, it’s the perfect chance to get acquainted with new and unique ales whilst chowing down on perfectly matched meals and watching micro-breweries battle it out to get their brew in front of the punters. SCBW also includes the inaugural Sydney Craft Beer Awards and axe-throwing competition Meat, Beer, Axe, which sounds insane to us but is apparently legal!
Whether you’re a craft beer know-it-all or just looking for a good excuse to have a bevvy or two, we reckon you’ll love this list of Sydney’s best craft beer pubs, plus our pick of the special deals and events they’re hosting to celebrate Craft Beer Week.
1.The Local Taphouse
The Local Taphouse by Anna Kucera, source
Where better to start your discovery of Sydney’s best craft beer than at the multi award-winning Local Taphouse? Spread out over 3 levels, including a fancy rooftop terrace, The Local Taphouse carries over 400 beers a year including the likes of Stone & Wood, Batch and James Squire limited editions.
During Sydney Craft Beer Week, this institution will be focusing on the dark side of brewing with an homage to dark ales and lagers with notes of chocolate, coffee, molasses, caramel and burnt butter. The best time to visit is on a Thursday when they offer $10 paddles of 5 x 90ml tasters of anything on tap with a few crackers to wash it down with.
The Local Taphouse is also famous for its British Sunday Roast! Which it will be pairing with the perfect pint during Craft Beer Week.
Address: 122 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst
Web: thelocal.com.au
2.The Lord Nelson Hotel
Lord Nelson Hotel, source
One of Sydney’s longest serving pubs, The Lord Nelson Hotel has been lubricating visitors to The Rocks since 1841. The sandstone building is filled with colonial charm but it’s the beer brewed on site that appeals to modern Sydney-siders due to its sugar and preservative free properties.
For SCBW The Lord’s celebrating the 5 natural ingredients of its ale with a 5 Ingredients Of Ale Dinner. Guests can gorge on 5 courses inspired by the 5 key ingredients of malted barley, rye, hops, yeast and water.
2015’s popular menu featured dishes such as Brew Grain sourdough, barley risotto and hop spiced lamb but they are keeping tight-lipped about what’s to be served in 2016.
Address: 19 Kent Street, The Rocks
Web: www.lordnelsonbrewery.com
3.Redoak Boutique Beer Café
Redoak Boutique Beer Café, source
Boasting the title of being Australia’s most awarded brewery, the Redoak Boutique Beer Café are experts at pairing beer and meat together. Established by a brother and sister duo in 2004, Redoak uses 100% solar energy in its brewery – so it’s just as well Sydney has more than enough sunshine to go around!
The restaurant has a cosy European feel so it’s perfect for nestling in for a big carby meal to go with your beer. It’s also a great place to come during the Xmas season as one of their popular brews is a bottle of Christmas Cheer, which is made to a fifth generation Irish recipe.
Beer paddles cost $12 for 4 tasters or you can book a 5-course beergustation™ beer class from $99.
Address: 201 Clarence Street
Web: www.redoak.com.au
4.The Union Hotel
Union Hotel Newtown by Alana Dimou, source
The Union Hotel is a buzzing family-run boozer that has up to 20 craft beers on tap at any one time. This October they’re going red and tapping 15 varieties of Red IPAs, Ambers, American Reds and everything else red-ish by names such as Bridge Road Brewers and Feral Brewing Company. (Check out the full list here.)
The Union is also a live music venue and kicks off on a Sunday when the loyal locals rock up for a Sunday session of good beats and pub grub.
Discover more great places to hang out in the hipster suburb of Newtown here.
Address: 576 King Street, Newtown
5.Dove & Olive
Dove & Olive, source
This boisterous Surry Hills boozer has become known on the craft beer scene due to its Craft Beer Fight Club where 2 micro-brewers duel for a chance to get their brew on tap for a month! They have over 20 dedicated craft and Aussie beer taps and regularly rotate the selection according to who wins the battles.
The food menu consists of Aussie pub grub meets American comfort food and with $9.90 daily specials its one of the best priced meals you can get in Surry Hills.
At Dove & Olive during SCBW there’s obviously going to be a fight – this time featuring Two Birds, Wayward Brewing and 4 Pines – as well as an evening with Sierra Nevada’s Steve Grossman and a week long USA takeover where American brewers such as Deschutes and Stone Brewing will feature on the taps. Find out more here.
Address: 156 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills
Jayne Gorman is a freelance travel writer and award-winning travel blogger who blogged her way around 40 countries before her 30th birthday. Now Sydney-based you’ll often find her sniffing out the latest street art and sweet treats around the city.