4 Pines Brewery – Best Australian Craft Beer
4 Pines was founded in 2008 at Manly Beach by a father and son. It one of the largest independently owned craft breweries in Australia. The Australian craft brew scene is a little behind the USA as they are more known for their wine. However, 4 Pines is the only Australian beer that I thought was really good!
The original brewery in Manly is now more of a brewpub. This two-story waterfront property overlooking Manly Wharf is where 4 Pines still houses all of their original brewing equipment that they call the Keller Door. Keller Door is where they create experimental and creative small batch brews. Food is also served here and it was surprisingly amazing… try the burger or fish and chips! You can take the tour of this facility at 12.30pm daily Monday thru Friday. It a great place to hang out, especially to watch the sunset over the wharf from their second story outdoor perch.
In 2010, 4 Pines expanded its brewing operation to another Sydney suburb called Brookvale where they currently do most of their large-scale brewing and bottling. I didn’t get to visit that facility, but it also looks like a great spot. 4 Pines is a must-see in Manly whether you are interested breweries or not. Great atmosphere with live music, cool people, good food and a heck of a view.
Hefeweizen – Solid beer and my personal favorite. Cloudy looking beer that has hints of banana flavor and a dry creamy finish. Really well done but probably couldn’t have more than a couple because they are a bit sweet.
American Pale Ale – Smooth going down and would be good for summer day drinking. Not a ton of hop flavor like traditional American pale ales, but very drinkable.
ESB – Fizzes on tip of your tongue and pretty foamy all the way down. Different than bitters I’ve had in the past. Tastes like an older style bitter ale you would have in a dark English tavern somewhere or on a pirate ship, but really good if you like this kind of beer.
Amber – Darker than your typical amber. Good complex flavors, but leaves a weird bitter aftertaste. Not my favorite.
Summer – Light beer and a bit watery. Very easy to drink, but not a ton of flavor.
Guava Gose – This is one of their small batch beers that was out from the ‘Keller Door’. Thought it was pretty good for a sour, just very bitter. Inventive and worth trying.
**The brews from the Keller Door seem to be the most interesting and some of their best quality beers. The core beers are very drinkable and in my opinion, better than any other beers I had in Australia!
Want to read the city review? Manly Beach, Australia: Sydney’s Best Kept Secret
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