Back on the Goldie. Came up for the Socceroos. Lamentable. Did the trip on frequent fliers so not a lot of departure options, so I had an afternoon to kill. After an enjoyable lunch at the Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium at Broadbeach, I got the 700 bus to 4 Pines Coolangatta. Slick but underwhelming. An Uber across the border and 10 minutes later I am at one of the most rustic and first principles breweries I’ve been at for a long time.
Pickled Pig Brewery has been going for 12 years now. It is so old school. In an industrial part of South Tweed, there’s a car park out the front and factories surrounding the deceptively cavernous set-up. I love how in amongst it you are. The barman has to stop filling bottles and capping them before he comes and serves you. Labels and palettes of bottles are everywhere.
It looks like they diversify revenue by allowing people to brew their own beer. They’ve brewed 61 different beers according to Untappd and their list du jour is quite comprehensive. Some times the barman would pour from the taps at the bar, and other times he would duck into the cool room and come back out with a beverage. $7 a schooner regardless of ABV is a good deal.
For mine the standout was the Stoned Lime. I really haven’t had anything like it. A lemon lime and bitters – but it is a beer. Refreshing and outstanding. The IPA was pretty boozy and the Pils was very solid.
Definitely worth the trip if you have time to kill before a flight out of Coolangatta.
Pickled Pig Brewery: 2/18 Industry Drive, Tweed Heads South, NSW
back of the ferry 