It’s not every day you encounter a corporate-brewery-owned beer that has a cult following and an appreciation society that’s more than 10,000 members strong. Resch’s, a 116-year-old brewer that’s now owned by Carlton & United Breweries, has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, and if you ask any member of the Resch’s Appreciation Society, it’s about time.

“If you’re like me, you’ve had enough of additives and marketing waffle and pray for a day when we can all return to drinking a good, honest beer at a reasonable price,” the description on the Resch’s Appreciation Society Facebook page reads. “Well Resch’s is that beer. It’s our state beer, it’s a beer for working families, it’s the best tasting beer in Australia.”

The Society’s Facebook page, which at the time of writing has 13,500 members, is full of tips on where to find Resch’s on tap, posts extolling the simple virtues of a pint of Resch’s, and lately, photos of punters at The Resch House (aka “Resch’s HQ”), a new pub on George Street owned by the Resch family.

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“My wife’s family are the Resch family,” says Hugh Clarke, director of Aust Leisure Group, which owns Resch House and Paddington’s Imperial Hotel. “The family has owned the [Imperial] Hotel for around 100 years. We want to promote Resch’s beer. It’s a true NSW beer, a beer your grandfather and father drank. It’s stood the test of time.”

The renovated space, formerly the Sir John Young Hotel, is bright, with a welcoming mahogany bar that has 15 taps pouring Resch’s Draught, familiar brews such as VB and Carlton Draught, and a handful of taps reserved for local beers. Resch’s memorabilia and vintage advertising artworks decorate the space, and ornate chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The bar stools and high tables are in pale timber.

The only things on the food menu are pies: meat pies, mushroom pies, vegan pies, small, sweet pies to have with coffee. “We’re working with farmers to produce paddock-to-plate gourmet pies,” says Clarke.

When Edmund Resch started brewing beer in Australia, deliveries were made by drayhorse teams hauling wagonloads of kegs. Resch was a meticulous archivist, taking photographs and preserving records of NSW during his lifetime. The family has safeguarded his archives, along with original brewing books with recipes carefully written on brown paper. “It’s a real treasure. At the Imperial, we’re brewing beers … close to the spirit of those recipes,” says Clarke.

Clarke believes the Resch’s renaissance is a long time coming, and thousands agree. “The beer is now owned by a large corporate, but there’s still a passionate fan base. It’s a true NSW beer. Once the Appreciation Society got started, there was a bit of a call to arms to put Resch’s on tap in more places, and to recognise the heritage.”

The Resch House
557–559 George Street, Sydney

Hours:
Daily midday–1am

thereschhouse.com
@thereschhouse