Regional Dining and Nightlife – New and noteworthy hotspots
What’s better than a winery or brewery? A winery or brewery with its own bar, restaurant, gallery or B&B. At these hotspots in the Macedon Ranges, Great Ocean Road and Gippsland, drinking is just part of the offer and all have their own intriguing back-story to tell.
Holgate Brewhouse
79 High Street, Woodend, Ph: (03) 54272510
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the iconic Holgate Brewhouse in Woodend has built a reputation for its fine craft beers, which are not only available in many of the more distinctive bars and restaurants around Melbourne and is now being exported as faraway as Sweden.
Paul Holgate, originally from Darraweit Guim near Romsey, and wife Natasha Holgate started the business from their property in May 1999, and introduced their first beer later that year. Then in 2002, the Holgates purchased the run-down Keatings Hotel, and renovated it completely to house their brewery, also adding restaurant, bar and B&B style accommodation with 10 rooms.
The Holgate Brewhouse has now become a key tourism drawcard for the region, as well as a popular local watering hole, and their beer range has expanded to include 10 different ales and lagers.
To mark the tenth anniversary, Holgate Brewery is releasing a special anniversary beer, a brown ale brewed with macadamia nuts, and will continue the celebration with several special events throughout the year.
Flying Horse Bar and Brewery
Princes Highway, Warrnambool, Ph: (03) 55622254
Although in business for less than a year new Warrnambool craft brewer, Flying Horse Bar and Brewery, have already won a major award for their flagship beer, Dirty Angel, at one of the international beer industry’s biggest award ceremonies.
Dirty Angel dark beer, a deep mahogany colour ale with rich malt characters and hints of toffee, beat 38 breweries from around the world to win the Champion Porter award at the 2009 Australian International Beer Awards, which is considered to be the biggest showcase for premium beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific region.
The brewery's Whale Ale and Mahogany Porter - which like all the breweries other beers can only be purchased at the brewery - received silver awards in their respective fields
The Flying Horse Bar and Brewery opened in July 2008 by business partners Matthew Monk, Mathew Stewart and Graeme Roger the brewery opened on the site of the ‘Flying Horse Inn’, a caravan park and service station, and decided to keep the Flying Horse name as the locals had known the location this way for some 65 years.
Wild Dog Winery Restaurant
Warragul Korumburra Rd, Warragul, Ph: (03) 5623 2211
In what must go down as being a most unfortunate run of bad luck, the owners of the Wild Dog Winery Restaurant planned to open their new business to open February 7, 2009 – now known as the day of the Black Saturday bushfires.
With the near-by bushfires at Drouin and Nilma, the opening night which included a special performance of Shakespeare’s Mid-Summer Nights Dream was cancelled.
Although under ember attack, the Wild Dog premises were spared, and amazingly the restaurant opened the next day (Feb 8) and has been trading ever since. The rescheduled launch celebration will take place this month.
With seating for more than 100, its restaurant menu showcases Gippsland’s abundant local produce, a particular passion of head chef Ed McDowell. An extensive balcony area overlooking the vineyard is the perfect spot on a sunny afternoon for a Gippsland cheese platter with a glass of Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine.
The building also houses the new cellar door (open daily between 10am – 5pm) which features new wine dispensing technology and over 20 wines which are available to taste or to drink by the glass. There’s also a gallery space that showcases local art.
For further information:
Holgate Brewhouse: go to www.holgatebrewhouse.com or call (03) 54272510
Flying Start Bar and Brewhouse: go to www.theflyinghorse.com.au or call (03) 55622254
Wild Dog Winery Restaurant: go to www.wilddogwinery.com or call (03) 5623 2211