Tucked away on the coast between Moruya and Batemans Bay, Broulee is a small town: less than 2,000 residents and not even a dozen shops. Four hours south of Sydney and just over two east of Canberra, the coastline is green and rugged – not ideal for people wanting a casual paddle but a holy sight for birdwatchers and surfers.
Prior to colonisation by the British and property investors, it was an important spot for the Yuin people, who lived off the abundance of the sea and braved cold winters in possum fur clothes. These days, while the homes are nestled closely together, it can still feel a little sparse outside of tourist season as the Airbnbs that line the beachfront road sit empty: empty beds; empty rooms; empty bins.
Like too many towns on the Far South Coast of New South Wales, Broulee still bears the scars of Black Summer. Blackened trees greet you as you enter the cosy seaside town, standing tall to spite the natural disasters. But unlike other fire-hardened towns in the region, Broulee bears a scar that’s more of a silver lining and is also fully licensed: the Broulee Brewhouse.
“It was bad in Broulee," Lily Brain, one of four brewery owners, told Crafty Pint. "Houses got burnt, the school nearly went, and we had no way of knowing people were OK.
“It was very traumatic not being sure what’s going on. There was this real need for a meeting place – that was one of the driving factors because we had nowhere to meet and talk through a plan.”
Thus, with the help of a thirsty army of professional and hobbyist builders, Broulee Brewhouse opened in December 2021.
At the end of a small row of shops, on a street that sleeps for nine months of the year, the entry into Broulee Brewhouse is located beneath a tin-roofed entrance where a bike and unicycle were parked during my visit, indicating clearly this was a venue for everyone.
Passing through a courtyard filled with picnic tables and large umbrellas, entering the brewery is like popping round to the megashed your mate has been obsessed with ever since the divorce (albeit with a cordoned-off section for the brewing gear). Surrounding the long communal tables are flourishes of local seaside life: locally-inspired art; scenic photographs of Broulee; great big Malibu surfboards.
There’s also a massive footy tipping chart to really drive home that you’re in a locals-fuelled establishment but don’t worry, everyone I met ranged from friendly to slightly-rowdy and the locals are happy to share a table with you if it’s too cold to sit outside. Indeed, on a warm and busy day, you may prefer it outside in the front or side courtyard, the latter of which features outside booths and is exceedingly family friendly. The atmosphere is lively and upbeat, even on a Thursday night when there’s no footy.
Site recce complete, it’s time to approach the least pretentious bar in NSW and make your choice. Broulee Brewhouse is home to 17 taps, the majority of which pour beers made within a metre of where you’re standing, the others offering cider and a hard lemonade. Try four on a tasting paddle or, if you’ve dropped in between 4pm and 7pm, make the most of Hoppy Hour and grab a full jar.
Lovers of traditional styles will enjoy their straight-as-a-ruler Pilsner, the bold and roasty Stout, or the smooth Irish Red with its velvety nitro head that feels as if you could peel it off and wear it as a beanie. When I visited there was also a delicious Blonde that was a hoppy, fresh and modern take on the classic style.
In my opinion, however, it’s the modern styles are the real drawcard to this already enticing brewery, from the contemporary, juicy and incredibly fragrant Pale Ale and a sweet and sessionable XPA to the welcomely hoppy IPA with a mild, pleasant bitterness and a fresh and balanced NEIPA. That said, my personal pick was the refreshing and relaxing Hazy Pale: smooth, cool and a friend to all the food in the kitchen. Speaking of which…
As you’re a little strapped for dinner options in this comforting corner of the South Coast, the Broulee Brewhouse kitchen is always busy. However, the kitchen team manages to pump out black Angus burgers, chicken bao buns, and salt and pepper squid so good I’m still getting over it.
Stopping at Broulee without dropping into Broulee Brewhouse is like asking Colonel Sanders to make you a salad sandwich. Whether it’s joining a table for Wednesday trivia, entering Jag the Joker on Friday or enjoying the live music on weekends, it’s undeniable the Broulee Brewhouse team not only built their community meeting point, they built the place where tourists can meet their community.
One word of warning, however. When making the trip to Broulee, you might find it mispronounced by the voice in your maps app voice. So, if you intend to find your way here via GPS, be aware it’s BROW-lee, or you might be in for an awkward start…
Benedict Kennedy-Cox
