| You know all the ducks have lined up in your life when one of your favourite craft brewers opens a brewery just three blocks from your house. Even better if said brewer is kind enough to ask you along to help celebrate the opening with a few beers. And so it was that three of the boys from botf sauntered down to the new 4 Pines Brewing HQ last Saturday afternoon.
I am pretty sure myself and bladdamasta may have breached several of those unsaid brewery opening rules of etiquette by arriving with empty growlers in hand. |
 Jaron and the botf boys |
 Growlers – A brewery opening protocol breach |
Anyway, the weather was perfect for a brewery opening, bands were playing and the vibe was fantastic. First things first and we got a quick tour of all the new kit from Head Brewer, Andrew (@tweeds79).
I won’t tell you that I understood everything he explained, as he gesticulated excitedly at all the gleaming metal, but it was all pretty impressive and he is obviously very passionate about his profession and his product. He’s doing something right, I for one enjoy the output as if it’s the last beer I’ll ever have. |
| By mid afternoon the crowd had swelled with hipster types from Manly and the who’s who of craft brewing. Mrs and Mr Beer Diva suddenly appeared at the bar, lobbing in from their upper peninsula eyrie.
While there were none of the famous 4 Pines Keller Door Series on tap, the 4 Pines stable tryptch of the Pale Ale, Kolsch and Hefeweizen were and these were more than adequate to ensure the fledgeling brewery was given the best of christenings. |
 Andrew (@tweeds79) the Head Brewer shows us his pride and joy |
 Yep – the beer was free. |
Come mid afternoon and there was a taint of formality as Mike Baird, the NSW Treasurer and State Member for Manly, opened the brewery by chewing through the hessian ribbon.
Now Mike seems like a decent bloke on the occasions I have seen or heard from him. For a politician. But jeez I wish I wish he’d do something about public transport on the peninsula. Being a brewery opening though I thought I’d park the ear bashing until another time (and less free 4 Pines). |
| By 6pm the brewery was well and truly opened and Jaron was doing the rounds calling for last drinks.
It was then that I witnessed an Indiana Jones moment as the shutter of the brewery was brought down like a portcullis and the cry of ‘lock in’ was heard. But only for all those who could scuttle under the descending blade before it clanged on the cement. Alas, we were too slow. Also have too many kids. Otherwise we’d still be there now. |
 NSW Treasurer cuts the hessian. |
 Haven’t seen a lock in for a while |
4 Pines is one of the things we love about Manly. The 4 Pines venue at Manly has set the tone for other bars and restaurants, let alone other craft brewers. 4 Pines also embodies what is best about the more successful craft brewers in Australia. These make the beer and its brewing more accessible for your average Joe on the street, not just your aficianado. They are passionate and love sharing the process with you.
So good luck with the new brewery and many thanks for thinking of us. Looking forward to the Xmas Saison! |
back of the ferry
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[…] Pines Brewing are certainly making maximum use of their new brewing facilities at Brookvale. Since the start of the year, I reckon they’ve released 7 beers in their Keller Door series. […]