Sou'West Brewery

Joining the Surf Coast’s ever-growing list of craft beer destinations is Sou’ West Brewery. And what a whopping addition it is. While nearby Blackman’s and Bells Beach breweries deal in heavier, hop-forward styles, head brewer Luke Scott (ex-Prickly Moses) is shooting for accessible ales and traditional lagers – a welcome contrast to the local milieu.

But if he ever felt like going bananas, he could do it in a heartbeat. The digs, inside the old Quiksilver headquarters, are massive, with hectolitres’ worth of tank space to chase any brewing whim. For now though, expect a well-balanced pale ale, a galaxy-hopped golden ale, a keller-style pilsner, plus mid and full-strength lagers on tap. Seasonal brews (such as a hefeweizen, for instance), will come and go throughout the year.

For those inclined, beer alternatives include Sou’ West’s own semi-sweet apple cider, and a formidable wine offering stacked with local and international pours. Or spritz up your life with Aperol and the elderflower liqueur-starring Hugo.

If the beers and ample booth seating weren’t reason enough to park for a session here, reach for the food menu. It runs the gamut with crowd-pleasing share stuff (wings served with house-made hop sauce and avocado ranch), pub-inspired mains (a parma or a pepper-crusted porterhouse, perhaps?), burgers, salad bowls, and hand-stretched pizzas – but it doesn’t stop there. A decadent selection of cold seafood invokes the nearby coast, and the platter for two with Sydney rock oysters, Hiramasa kingfish sashimi, prawns and smoked mussels will set you back just $65.