After water, beer is the second-most famous drink of all time. Annually, almost 190 billion litres of this icy brew are consumed globally – making beer the most widely consumed alcoholic drink on the planet.
On Sunday, April 7 it’s time to toast all things ale with National Beer Day…no matter how you pour it, make sure to celebrate the day in 1933 that prohibition was reversed in the United States.
Here are seven of our favourite spots to celebrate Hoppy Hour with a schooner or two:
Quality Craft Beer & Mod Oz Eats
Quality craft beer, Mod Oz eats and city life go hand and hand at Mr Edward’s Alehouse & Kitchen on Edward Street in the heart of Brisbane. Spacious interior and alfresco areas are ideal for all-year-round gatherings, functions, after-work drinks, or simply catching up with friends; in rustic surrounds of polished wood floors and tables, black leather chairs and potted greenery.
Drop in tomorrow and celebrate National Beer Day with a pint of Coopers Original Pale Ale and a cheeseburger, or a striploin steak with thick-cut fries, salad and a schooner of your choice of tap beer.
Distinct House Brews
Food for the everyday gourmet and distinct house brews have travellers and locals returning time and again to the Wandering Trout taphouse on Pioneer Drive in Mole Creek. Real flavour, real food and real people are the mainstays of this regional craft hotel and simple, lodge-style accommodation completes a real foodie’s experience.
Enjoy simple, wholesome fare featuring great produce and soul-warming flavours from around the world; pair 8-hour braised pork belly, apple moss, confit fennel, garlic and shallots with a hop-driven pale ale from Secret Tarn.
Quality Pub Fare with Flair
Experience great old-fashioned hospitality and quality pub fare with flair at the Meredith Hotel on Staughton Street in Meredith. Chat with locals in the public bar while sipping local beer and wine, then pull up a seat in front of the roaring open fire in chilly months with a glass of red and peruse a menu sure to impress all palates.
Perhaps toe tap to live music while delving into Chef’s calamari and garlic aioli, washed down by a pint of Meredith Railway Lager; followed by a steak sanga, with rocket, caramelised onion, Swiss melt, bacon, Dijonnaise and chips.
Carlton’s First Vego Pub
Discover Carlton’s first vego pub at the Green Man’s Arms Hotel on Lygon Street. Delight your senses in a great atmosphere with outstanding service and a menu that is healthy, sustainable and local producing dishes that are full of bold, unexpected flavours, enjoyed in surrounds of polished subway tiles, a cosy fireplace for cooler months and trailing greenery.
Dishes celebrate all things vegetarian and complement the Australian seasons, expect snacks like King oyster mushroom calamari with Szechuan chilli salt, tofu Kewpie mayo and a herb salad as the perfect partner to your pint of Stone & Wood Pacific Ale.
Century-old Milk Factory
Nestled within the charming heart of Maffra, TUCKA @ Maffco on Maffco Lane finds its home in a century-old milk factory that has been painstakingly restored. Part of the Maffco Brewery, this venue is a relic of yesteryear showcasing the rich heritage of the region which is woven into the very walls along with the culinary delights that grace the tables and exceptional brews that flow from the taps.
Begin with salmon ceviche, avocado, tomato, chive and lemon myrtle scone crumb, before perfectly-cooked Porterhouse steak, purple potato crisps, green beans and red wine jus, paired with a pot of Maffco Lager.
Chermside’s First Craft Beer Bar
Whether you are celebrating, catching up or just hanging out, it’s better with a drink in hand at Sasquatch Bar on Gympie Road in Brisbane. Chermside’s first craft beer bar and restaurant, Sasquatch is the place to see and be seen on the city’s Northside, with a moody vibe of polished concrete, communal tables, wall murals and hanging greenery setting the scene for inspired dining and drinking.
With more than 90 independently-owned craft beer choices, along with signature cocktails, wine and spirits, find the perfect pairing to go with tapas plates like karaage chicken and zesty lemon kewpie or pork belly bites and ranch dressing.
Beer & Burger Fix
Brisbane foodies looking for a beer and burger fix head down Doherty Street in Brendale to discover vibrant brewhouse and grill, Tannins Brew. Head into an industrial-style vibe of polished concrete, recycled timber tables, black painted brick walls and statement lights dripping with greenery to sample a unique selection of seasonal and experimental brews, locally-made spirits and wine.
There is also specialty coffee, burgers, loaded fries and steaks grilled over charcoal on offer to tempt all tastes; kick start your feast by sharing nachos or maple sesame chicken wings; then devour a Brewhouse burger with beef patty, smoked bacon, cheese and caramelised onion.
