In the first part of our guide to the craftiest breweries and venues to be found in the nation's capital, we focused on those found in Canberra's north and west. Here, Benedict Kennedy-Cox picks up the tour in Braddon before heading south through Fyshwick to end up munching on wings in Greenway.
From nationally-loved breweries to bottleshops and bars, Canberra certainly contains multitudes when it comes to craft offerings.
Yet, it’s not what you taste that makes Canberra's craft beer culture so appealing, that it’s the c-word on everyone’s lips: community. The organised suburbs, which were planned so residents would be just a short walk from their bare necessities, has bred an innovation where a small block of shops usually seems to include at least one small, modern bar.
Among the contemporary food and drink options are the people who get to savour these treats. Entering the door to the venue next door to a newsagent, chemist or suspicious all-night cake shop, they're likely to be greeted by the sound of the owner saying their name before enquiring how things are with their work, kids and pets as they settle into a seat ready to enjoy a beer.
The term "watering hole" seems to be less about hydration and more about the unity of the people who live walking distance from you. When the urban planners mapped out this city, I wonder if they knew it could lead to Canberra having such a cosy feeling of community, which is one of the cornerstones of any decent beer culture.
It made it a pleasure to swing through Canberra in the depths of winter to explore the beer scene – even if the timing of the visit really tested my car’s internal thermometer.
So let's get into the second part of our guide to the best of the city's beer scene, kicking off this Crafty Sprawl in Braddon at a brewery that likely needs no introduction to readers. But introduce it we shall...
BentSpoke Brewing
What is there to say about BentSpoke Brewing that hasn't been said already?
The independent brewers have topped the biggest beer poll in the land on more than one occasion, enjoyed repeated awards success home and abroad, and their beers are enjoyed by people throughout the country. But for all that national success, there's no better way to experience BentSpoke than at the place where Richard Watkins and Tracy Margrain launched the brewery's story: their Braddon brewpub.
It's here where you can enjoy the Canberra brewery in all its bent glory with close to 20 taps filled with just about every beer style under the sun, plus real ales that pour through a traditional English hand pump, and other beers that run through a custom-built hopinator: sample stouts that have flowed through coffee beans or Belgian ales infused with a kitchen cupboard's worth of spices. Of course, there's never going to be a shortage of American-style pales and IPAs either, including the Cluster series made with ever-increasing levels of booze.
The food menu is as creative too, often featuring BentSpoke beers as one of the ingredients.
Spin your spokes to BentSpoke at 48/38 Mort Street, Braddon.
Brew Nation
One day Canberra will no longer stand. Lake Burley Griffin will run dry, flag poles will stand unadorned, and the only grubs in Parliament House will be the type that eventually mature, grow wings, and fly away. Brew Nation, however, will remain, continuing to trade as usual. The bare concrete walls hint at an apocalypse already braved; locals sitting outside during winter prove they can survive whatever comes their way too – as long as there’s good beer to be had, of course.
Situated in the metropolitan centre of Canberra, Brew Nation is the city’s go-to place for Australian wine and craft beer, the latter of which will be our focus today. Brew Nation features 12 taps pouring nothing but Australian beer ranging from stone cold classics such as Coopers Sparkling to lesser-known offerings like Wheatermelon from Ironbark Hill and seasonally-appropriate pours; when I called in they were pouring a barrel-aged stout from Hawkers.
The tasting paddle of four offers some of the best beer value in the city, while the takeaway section is nostalgic in the way it can make you feel like a kid with pocket money dropped back into the lolly aisle.
Enjoy the beers of the nation at 1/102 Alinga Street, Canberra.
The Durham Castle Arms
Spoiler alert: if you like pubs, you’re going to like The Durham Castle Arms. What with the floral fabric booths, miniscule beer mugs, and antlers on the wall, it's the sort of place in which you could meet your nan and Gaston for a drink. And you should do because this pub is also home to Ale Mary Brewing, whose beers take up most of the 15 taps.
As befits the setting, European styles are present among the local brewer's beers, with plenty more filling the taps from other craft brewers, whether they're locals or have made the trip from either end of the Hume. The colourful decals lining the beams on the ceiling showcase the great variety of beer that sees the inside of the Durham.
The classic English pub vibe continues with the quality pub grub, making it a great spot in which to wind down your day, whether that’s catching the breeze at the tables out the front, settling in on the upholstered bench seating running the length of the pub, or standing and staring down the taxidermied fox and pheasant watching you from a display case at the back of the room.
Settle in by heading to Kingston Shops, 52-54 Jardine Street, Kingston.
Tumut River Brewing Co Kingston
In a city full of embassies, there is now one in which you can go to drink a beer. Since March 2024, the suburb of Kingston has been home to a taphouse that functions as a gastronomical jaunt to the Riverina. Snuggled among apartments, cafés and food trucks is Tumut River Brewing Co Kingston.
Designed to bring the experience of the brewery's original home in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains a couple of hours' drive away to the capital*, the venue features eight taps, all pouring Tumut's beers, from Better Southern, a flavourful mid-strength lager and Anti Parallelogram Pale Ale to their ever-popular ginger beer, Ginja Ninja.
The house-made pizzas feature as much Tumut produce as possible, including fish, cheese and cured meats.
Escape to the country by visiting LG02/9 The Causeway, Kingston.
*Since publishing this article, Tumut River Brewing Co have announced the closure of their brewery in Tumut but say the Kingston store will remain open.
Zierholz Premium Brewery
My experience of Zierholz feels like a fine example of how local beer should be: my beer was poured by the brewer, Christoph Zierholz; his beers are inspired by his German heritage, including kolsch, witbier and hefeweizen; and they come to the people as we crossed paths at his taproom on wheels. He had set up on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin, sharing a selection of beers from four roving taps.
The deceptively-named Amber Ale was a sensational example of the old altbier style, a perfect chaser to his kolsch, while the winter seasonal Porter was a fun cold weather brew with notes of peanut, rocky road and even a little patriotic Vegemite.
Christoph also brews Wild Polly gluten-free beer, which you can enjoy at the bar or table as you soak up the surrounds of whichever part of Canberra that's hosting Zierholz for the day.
Brewed at 7/19-25 Kembla Street, Fyshwick, which is closed to the public, and poured at various locations around the city. Check Zierholz's social media accounts for upcoming pop-ups.
Capital Brewing
There are few brewery taprooms that seem to have captured craft beer's "build it and they will come" mentality better than Capital Brewing. Canberra's second big-hitter in terms of GABS success and distribution beyond the ACT set up home in an industrial area in Fyshwick that's been transformed into a crafty oasis that constantly fills with Canberra locals and beer tourists seeking out not just Capital's beers but one of the liveliest brewery venues under the sun.
Indeed, a sunny day is at this vast taproom is hard to beat: Capital's production site surrounded by sprawling lawns that combine the best of drinking in a park with excellent beer and some of the finest burgers you'll find anywhere courtesy of Brodburger. Walk in and you'll instantly catch sight of the brewhouse in a venue that frequently plays host to bands, community nights and fundraisers.
Enjoy any of the above while you work through Capital's core range or their pilot brews and limited releases and very soon you might find yourself seeing if you can book a later flight.
Soak it all in at Building 3/1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick.
Meating Room
If the holy trinity of meat, sport and beer sounds satisfies a primal urge in you, it might be a good idea to get down to the Meating Room before you end up clubbing your fellow cave dwellers in frustration. Like so many Canberra venues, the Meating Room pulls two shifts: café during the day; bar in the evening. The space is fun and colourful with red and yellow milk crates over the bar and windows featuring meat trays just waiting to be won.
There are eight taps which usually feature a BentSpoke beer as well as plenty from further afield. The kitchen serves a big old Katz-inspired Reuben with a decidedly cheesy twist, cuts of house-smoked meats on their revered smoker nights, and burgers and schnitzels which are frequently rated amongst Canberra’s best.
The space is borderline cavernous but still manages to pack out every weekend, so book a table if you’re planning an evening visit.
Meet at the Meating Room at 45 Liardet Street, Weston.
PWB – Pizza Wings Beer
Wedged in the corner of a shopping centre in historically craft-averse Greenway, on the outer edges of Canberra, PWB do just what they say on the tin. And judging by the locals who choose to celebrate milestones, birthdays and Fridays there, they're doing it well.
Warm and modern, PWB features four rotating taps and a growing collection of previous pours on the wall. Usually, there is a lager for the "Where’s the normal beer?" guests, while you might also find the likes of Jervis Bay Brewing, Reckless, Seeker, Six String, Batch, Eden or Mountain Culture on offer, to name but a few.
That said, local beer isn’t the focus here: local people are.
The menu (in other words, the P and W in the venue's name) features wings that are so crispy outside and juicy in the middle that I'd argue they could be categorised as apples. The pizzas have names inspired by lower-millennial nostalgia, such as the Tommy Pickles, a cheese pizza with pickles and ranch that represents a big bite of WTF for which it's worth leaving your playpen.
Tuck into the holy trinity at Shop 5/38 Reed Street N, Greenway.
Other Venues
If you're after something delicious to enjoy at home, two of the capital's best bottleshops are found within the area covered by this Crafty Sprawl.
- Plonk: Plonk has long brought one of the biggest selections of craft beer, wine and spirits to Canberra and their store in Fyswick is a treasure trove for beer lovers. Walk the aisles and you'll soon leave with your arms, bags and quite possibly your car filled with the latest and greatest beers amassed from far and wide. Shop 17, Fyshwick Markets, Nyrang and Mildura Streets, Fyshwick.
- Blackhearts & Sparrows Braddon: This bottleshop is the northernmost outpost of all of those operated by the Melbourne-based, family-run bottleshop chain which has spent around two decades building a reputation for their approach to top-notch booze. You'll find a lovingly-curated selection of craft beer, plus great wines and spirits, on its shelves and in its fridges. Shop 15/27 Lonsdale Street, Braddon.
You'll find other Crafty Crawls from around the country here and all of the above venues and hundreds more, plus beers, events and special deals in the free Crafty Pint app. If we've missed anything, or you know of new operations on the horizon that should be included above, let us know.
Thanks, once again, to Mat at CanBEERra for his assistance in drawing up the itinerary for these articles.
Benedict "Benny" Kennedy-Cox is a comedy/travel writer and craft beer enthusiast from a lovely little harbour village called Sydney. His dreams include opening his own taproom, hosting his own travel beer show, and to one day be able to pay someone to write these for him instead of doing it himself in third person.
The beer(s) or moment (s) that turned you onto good beer:
One two punch of receiving a Beer Book for Christmas when I was just about to be 18 and getting a mixed set of international beers from my aunt for my 19th birthday.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
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Serpents Kiss by Grifter – This will help me figure out if they like sweet. A pilsner with a bit of watermelon, lovely, perfect one to start off an arvo at the pub, refreshing and tasty.
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Pale Ale by Mountain Culture – Lots of big juicy and floral flavours. If they don't like this we might be out of luck!
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Roast Pear Sour and Salted Caramel IPA Beer Blender by Urbanaut – Some people don't like these but, in my opinion, even non-beer drinkers can have the time of their life with a beer blender, and I reckon this one is the best.
The last beer you enjoyed:
RocknRoada Imperial Pastry Stout (14.6%) by Bacchus.
Three things that represent you:
- Being a smartarse and answering questions incorrectly
