I love Hobart. I had access to a car and was able to get out of the city for the first time and explore the Tasman Peninsula. Absolutely fabulous scenery and history. Very keen to get back there.
I also had two free nights to explore the pubs and breweries of Hobart. I ventured into the ‘burbs before and experienced the delights of Spotty Dog and The Albert Brewery, but this time I just legged it around Hobart CBD streets. Manky Sally’s is the home of Moo Brew in Hobart. (Manky being a diminutive of Salamanca, I’m guessing). Moo Brew is owned by David Walsh, the owner of MONA – Hobart’s famous or infamous (depending on your view) museum. There’s brewing equipment in the pub and the food is pretty good as well.
I was excited to discover a brewery across the road from my hotel, but unfortunately the Devil’s Brewery at the Duke would appear to have hit a snag. Brewing equipment was due to be moved into a nicely renovated old pub – but apparently that will cause havoc with the electrics. So I was only about to get my hands on a couple of cans of the Devil’s beer. There are taps flowing – just not of the Devil’s Brewery. Hopefully they sort it out because the UK IPA was a ripsnorter.
Mountain Culture have moved into the old Fox Friday site at 105 Murray Street. It is a big space and so was grateful for a big TV to watch some of the Ashes. I do wish pubs offer middies, particularly for the big IPAs. Either that or I leave the IPAs last. The Parmesan chicken wings were magnificent.
At Back of the Ferry, we overuse the word Fortuitous™. On this particular Friday, the word was never more apt. Captain Bligh’s Brewery beers are available in bottle shops and pubs around Hobart and I first tried them at the Salamanca Markets. But their brewery is only open for tastings on the third Friday of every month. Guess on what Friday I was in Hobart? Fortuitous™ indeed. The joint was rocking. I got a tour of the brewery. Hugely historic building as the detailed history on their website explains, the 64 Warwick Street site has been involved in brewing since 1849. A fabulous drinking experience.
Bevs is a much newer establishment, and in many cases as Fortuitous™ a discovery as Captain Bligh’s. I’d had a beer at a great dive bar called Grinners (worthy of a look), and was walking towards Captain Blig’s when I spotted (hard to miss) a magnificent mural on the other side of the street. “Could that be another bar?” I mused. Better than that, another craft brewery. Bevs used to be Simple Cider. They still do a cider, but now they brew at least three beers. I had the Pale and the First Batch Lager. Keep an eye on their Insta page as they do some crazy specials. When they launched the beer in October – pints were a $1. Super friendly staff and loved sitting on the street sipping a beer on a crisp but sunny Hobart afternoon.
A cool change was coming and clouds were forming on Mount Wellington. Time for a feed – and I’d been tipped Deep South Brewing Co as a good place. Clearly BotF’s missing correspondent had visited before as many of the beers had been checked in. Deep South will produce a seasonal and I loved their Unchartere IPA. Went well with some outstanding fried buttermilk chicken. Popular venue.
I hadn’t been to the waterfront on this trip – nor had I ever been to Hobart Brewing Co before. In a big red shed at 16 Evans St, Hobart Brewing Co is a big space inside and out. The wind had really started to whip and go straight through me, so I was grateful for a big fire that was being regularly stoked by the staff. The beers are vey good, with a stout hitting the spot as the weather became wintery. Kudos to the lady curating the playlist. I was constantly consulting Shazam to find what great songs were being played.
Looking forward to returning to Hobart for leisure again. What a town.
back of the ferry 