Listed below are all the places in Brisbane & surrounding areas that Thirsty Critters finds worthy of your hard-earned cash. Places that go out of their way to champion the cause of good beer, and are always willing to lend a hand. If you think we’ve left something off the list, do get in touch.
All Thirsty Critters guests get a printed copy of the Brisbane Good Beer Guide to keep on hand for emergency situations!
MICROBREWERIES
MT Brewery
MT Brewery
165-185 Long Road, North Tamborine
Atop Mt Tamborine, MT Brewery sits alongside the Witches Chase Cheese Company and Liquid Amber restaurant. Around 7 craft beers on tap.
Burleigh Brewing Company
17A Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads
The home of the Duke range of beers, master brewer Brennan is all about quality and freshness. On the first Friday of every month, head along for the Brewhouse Bash with bands and German sausages!
Sunshine Coast Brewery
13 Endeavour Drive, Kunda Park
An award-winning brewery in Kunda Park, just behind Maroochydore. Open daily, with all beers on tap at their cosy bar.
Stone & Wood Brewery
4 Boronia Place, Byron Bay NSW
Stone & Wood produce two quality drops – the draught ale which can be found on tap at some very lucky venues, and the pale lager which is bottled and available in bottle shops. Check the website for stockists.
International Hotel
525 Boundary Street, Spring Hill
With the demise of Oxford 152 and The Brewhouse, the International Hotel is currently Brisbane City’s only microbrewery. They’ve got four on tap, including a wheat beer, pilsener, Irish ale and midstrength.
Eagle Heights Brewery (currently no web presence)
10 Macdonnell Rd, Eagle Heights
BARS, CLUBS & PUBS
Platform Bar
Platform Bar @ Grand Central Hotel
270 Ann Street, Brisbane Central Station
Brisbane’s epicentre of good beer. You’ll find fantastic Aussie beers on tap here you won’t find anywhere else. Great range of strange foreign brews in the fridge too. They also have regular Rubber Stamp nights (see Drinx, below) where you can come along to listen to brewers speak about their range and sample quality brews.
Brisbane German Club
416 Vulture Street, East Brisbane
An amazing range of German beers you won’t find anywhere else, including the bizarre rauchbier (smoked beer) and wonderful weissbeir (wheat beers) like Maissel’s Weisse. Awesome German food at great prices too.
Bowery Bar
676 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Voted one of Australia’s best bars, The Bowery is worth visiting just to enjoy one of their in-house craft beers, brewed down the road in East Brisbane – Bowery Ale. They also stock Duke Lager!
5th Element
Corner of Tribune & Little Stanley Street, South Bank
Impressive beer menu – including an eye-poppingly expensive Deus Cuvee Prestige for $80!
The Lark
1/267 Given Terrace, Paddington
Perhaps Brisbane’s most undiscovered gem – a welcoming, cosy boutique bar in Paddington with a fantastic menu, including authentic Spanish Jamon. Wash it down with a wicked Aussie craft beer from Feral, Leather Jacket or 3 Ravens.
Sky Room
Level 2, Corner Brunswick Street & Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley
One of the only places in Australia you’ll find the Meantime range of beers, brewed in Greenwich, London and imported by local mob Innspire. Try a Meantime Union, you’ll like it.
BOTTLE SHOPS
Nectar
Nectar
114 Boundary Street, West End
Nectar has to be seen to be believed! Over 250 (yes, 250!) beer brands lining an entire wall. Well worth a visit to peruse the range and take home a few bottles of something you’ve never tried before.
Drinx are the only bottle shop chain in Brisbane which fully get behind Aussie craft brewers. Their range is amazing – just look for their ‘Rubber Stamp’ section. They’ve got outlets in Boondall, Camp Hill, Cannon Hill, City, Margate, Morningside, Redcliffe, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Woody Point.
Cru Bar Cellars
22 James Street, Fortitude Valley
The beers on tap at the pretentious Cru Bar are nothing to write home about but they have some interesting beers in the cellars out the back you won’t find anywhere else, like genuine imported Kirin and strong Belgian ales like Mikeller.
OTHER
Ian & Matt, your Good Beer Lunch hosts
Join renowned beer experts Matt Kirkegaard (ex-Beer & Brewer editor and regular contributor to The Punch) and Ian Watson (Australia’s first beer sommellier) on a journey through great food and beer. Held regularly at the Platform Bar and other beer-friendly Drinx venues around town, each Good Beer Lunch matches four gastronomic treats with a fantastic beer. Ian’s commentary is nothing short of amazing, his depth of knowledge as a lifetime brewer is something to behold. A highly recommended experience.
Thirsty Critters Microbrewery Tours
Just in case you’ve surfed into this Good Beer Guide from Google, make sure you consider a tour by Thirsty Critters, who put together this guide. Thirsty Critters are South East Queensland’s only guided microbrewery tour, taking in the MT Brewery and Burleigh Brewing (listed above). The tour includes transport, morning tea, lunch and a guided tour by master brewer Brennan at Burleigh Brewing. Get in touch to make a booking.
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