Rocky Ridge Duncraig will open on Friday, creating a delicious start to the long weekend for beer drinkers in Perth's north.
Noting the ongoing public excitement for opening, co-founder Hamish Coates describes two years of glacial application progress as “a thorn in our side”, though notes that the City of Joondalup has been “very supportive”.
“It’s been with Liquor Licensing for 14 or 15 months to get the license approved. That wasn’t due to a heap of objections, or anything like that. It’s just a bureaucratic nightmare to get anything reviewed or through."
Paperwork aside, the locals are ready.
“All of our neighbours have been coming across the road to check on progress, wanting to know when we’ll be open,” Hamish laughs.
Perth’s northern corridor has often been noted as one with huge beer potential and has grown substantially in a few short years. This opening joins Froth North Beach, Spinifex North Beach, Whitfords Brewing Co. and the soon-to-be-opened Phat Brew Club Hillarys, all of which are within a 15-minute drive of each other.
“We always had our eyes peeled for the right opportunity and this one came through a friend of a friend," Hamish says. "I was initially sceptical but I spent a bit of time up here and that opinion changed very rapidly."
Referring to the now bustling Busselton tap house that was once his great-grandfather’s home, he adds:
“These are our people – it’s got great community vibes; it feels like Busselton. It’s an old cottage, essentially, that’s being turned into a venue, and that reminds us so much of home. It just feels right and that’s pretty rare."
Flowing through different levels and spaces, the Duncraig’s 250-person capacity, pet-friendly venue never feels expansive. At each point there’s a cosy aspect, be it inside the doppelganger cottage of Rocky Ridge Busselton, or under the established Maple tree’s arbour.
The majority of seating will be outside, maximising Perth’s warm days and afternoon sea breeze from the nearby Northern beaches.
“250 is a sweet spot for us. It allows us to be a little bit more nimble but also a lot more personable. Keeping our hospitality approach first and foremost. Our venues are about people and our community, not about turning tables”
Duncraig’s concise menu focuses on shared plates and local produce with snacking classics like chorizo and corn ribs rubbing shoulders with triple meat croquettes and a wild mushroom parfait.
“We won’t be sticking with things too long, much like our beers, but there will be things that become stalwarts,” says Hamish says.
Walk-ins are always welcome, a point emphasised with a no-bookings policy for the first few weeks to allow the opportunity all to enjoy. Anyone who does wander in will be greeted by 40 taps of choice, 36 of which will be beer, including a permanent Grodziskie font, plus beer adjacent hop water. As with their Melbourne outpost, Slow Pour Sundays will likely quickly find favouritism among local lager lovers.
The taps will be supported by West Australian wines and spirits, with takeaway beers also available.
Leading the hospo team is Joel Baker, who many WA beer drinkers will know well for his time at the Dutch Trading Co; he's joined by assistant venue manager Deb Lilly whose stints include The Queens and Fox Friday Burswood.
While a two-year planning process created two new taprooms on either side of the country might leave many exhausted, 2025 doesn't look slow for Rocky Ridge or for Hamish. Already they have more than 150 beers planned for the year along with a year "filled with events".
Isn't there a saying about rolling rocks gathering no moss?
Rocky Ridge Duncraig opens at 11am on Friday, February 28 and is located at Shop 14/50 Marri Rd, Duncraig. You'll find it and hundreds of other good beer venues on the free Crafty Pint app.
Find out more about Rocky Ridge's impressive story, focus on sustainability and homes on both the west and east cost of Australia in this episode of the Crafty Pint Podcast.
About the author: Guy drinks and writes about beer, goes for a run most mornings and makes his own chilli hot sauce. Find out more on Goodtimes Craft Beer via Facebook and Instagram.
For me, beer writing is about sharing experience with others, most of which is as much about what happens around the glass as what’s in it. It’s why I started a blog in 2014 after years of drinking beer and through quite literally bumping into founder James Smith at Good Beer Week began writing for The Crafty Pint. Many amazing friendships have developed from the love of water, malt, hops, yeast, adjuncts and hype!
The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer
Early 90s experience with Dogbolter and bottles of Delirium Tremens at the Sail and Anchor proved that there was more to beer than the cheap stuff I was drinking. A few years later, Chimay Blue once again teased before Little Creatures Pale Ale and Feral Hop Hog set the course for beer with flavour and nuance.
Favourite beer styles
Balance and drinking context are key but a short list includes Brett saisons, super fresh West Coast IPAs, well constructed BA sours, BA imperial stouts and fresh India pale lagers.
You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?
Depending on the beer and circumstance, bitterness and acidity are the hurdles to overcome.
- Right now, Eagle Bay’s IPL is a great modern expression of technique and approachability. The hop presence arrives in soft mango and lime with enough bitterness but it’s the tight carbonation and refreshingly super dry finish that seals the deal.
- Boston Brewing’s Afterglose: Raspberry gose brings a near-perfect fruit / salt / acidity balance to a vibrantly coloured beer. It’s a real talking point which can lead to conversation about the history of beer styles, acidity on the palate or just: "Do you want another one?"
- Any fresh Czech-style pilsner. This has to be fresh in order to pick up the grassy noble hop characters and zippy bitterness on the slightly more biscuity malt body. While familiar to many, a really fresh expression is great starting point for a massive world of beer.
Tell us about a standout beer moment
A favourite beer memory involves spending an afternoon sitting under the dripping eaves of a café in the 5th Arrondissement watching Parisians run in and out of a bakery with fresh baguettes while I drank large goblets of Duvel as the winter rain soaked the tiny cobblestoned square. So much about beer is context!
