Story by Cara Devine. Cara is our Melbourne-based drinks author. She is the supervisor of Bomba in Melbourne and the face and expertise behind the cocktailing youtube channel Behind the Bar. You may e-mail her at behindthebarchannel@gmail.com
Molly Rose
279/285 Wellington St, Collingwood
Mollyrosebrewing.com
There’s one thing particular about experiencing food and drinks in shut proximity to the place it’s grown or made. It’s why that bottle purchased overseas by no means fairly tastes the identical when drunk round your eating desk at residence, and explains the enduring success of vineyard lunches. Over the previous few years, beer has entered this dialog. The brewpub has grow to be a agency function within the weekends of each self-respecting urbanite, their broad attraction cementing their recognition.
Molly Rose Brewing has been a darling of beer connoisseurs since its preliminary small batch releases in 2017. Proprietor Nic Sandery immersed himself within the beer world, each in Australia at well-respected breweries akin to Little Creatures and Holgate and abroad, earlier than starting to brew his personal. Their beers have all the time had a culinary twist – restricted releases akin to the present ‘Autumn Underdog’ Persimmon Farmhouse Ale or the ‘Some Plum’ Plum Farmhouse Ale have fun seasonal produce and are available in giant codecs, excellent to take pleasure in alongside a meal as you’d a bottle of wine.
This concept of meals and beer pairings underpins the idea for his or her latest growth. Whereas they’ve had a ‘brewery door’ on Wellington St since 2019, when the chance got here as much as take over the 2 adjoining areas, Sandery noticed a possibility to totally realise his imaginative and prescient. “Eating in Melbourne has modified loads from paired wines to simply paired drinks and there’s a higher curiosity for actually distinctive beers,” he says. “We now have this chance to do that actually enjoyable venture with revolutionary pairings the place folks can benefit from the meals that’s been made in entrance of them with the beer that’s been made proper subsequent to them.”
This concept of meals and beer pairings underpins the idea for his or her latest growth. Whereas they’ve had a ‘brewery door’ on Wellington St since 2019, when the chance got here as much as take over the 2 adjoining areas, Sandery noticed a possibility to totally realise his imaginative and prescient.
To this finish, he has introduced Chef Ittichai Ngamtrairai (AKA Biggy) on board. With a background in nice eating, Biggy’s menu is elevated trendy Australian with a South East Asian twist – don’t fear, there’s nonetheless a bowl of fries on the menu, however snacks like mushroom crisps with almond cream and oregano, or rolls of cucumber with whipped tofu are thrilling and contemporary whereas the cured trout with mandarin kosho (a fermented condiment) is the proper pairing with the Helles Refreshing, a cocktail which lives as much as its title by combining mezcal, apricot brandy and the brewery’s personal mandarin radler.
The area has a ‘select your personal journey’ vibe. The courtyard beer backyard is as chilled as you’d count on, and hosts a month-to-month Sunday market – a must-visit for any scorching sauce fiend with loads of fiery bottles to select from! The eating room encompasses a beautiful showpiece bar and chic desk arrange which feels extra ‘restaurant-y’ than different venues of the same ilk. Beside the open kitchen is a chef’s desk, the place it’s deliberate that the Molly Rose pairing expertise will be loved in a whole and immersive means from Autumn.
Equally, the providing permits flexibility. Bigger choices on the menu and a thought of wine and huge format beer listing, together with pleasant desk service means you might have fun an event right here as simply as stopping in for a drink and a snack on a sunny afternoon. Molly Rose have actually nailed the no-and-low providing as effectively – their non-alcoholic Citra Citra IPA is without doubt one of the greatest within the enterprise, and the two.9% Radlers on faucet are excellent for while you’re unsure if you’d like a beer or a juice (dare I say it, maybe the proper hangover drink?).
“We had been all the time going to be hospitality-focused,” Sandery says. “Our aim is to all the time present nice service and an expertise that exceeds expectations. One of the simplest ways for us to introduce folks to Molly Rose is to have them sit in our venue for a couple of hours of consuming and consuming after which go away with a smile on their face.” When the standard of meals and booze is that this good, it appears an eminently achievable aim.
