Overview
These days, Melburnians are pretty much spoilt for choice when it comes to sipping beers straight from the source, as craft breweries pop up all over town. But you'll be hard-pressed to find beer much fresher than the stuff at the soon-to-open Burnley Brewing, which will be poured right from the brewery's Brite tanks within days of when it's crafted.
Slated to open its doors this December in the space currently home to Romulus and Remus, this might just be the brewpub of your dreams (if you regularly dream about drinking from a tank of beer). Not only are owners Renton Carlyle-Taylor (Milton Wines, The Alps), Phil Gijsbers (Pedro Espresso, Small Print Pizza Bar) and Neil Mills (Small Print Pizza Bar, Pedro Espresso) promising what's likely Richmond's freshest beer, the bartenders serving it are all Cicerone certified, having completed industry-recognised specialist beer training. There'll be ten taps pouring a range of seasonal house beers, running from fruit-driven sours, to hoppy US-style ales, to gutsy, barrel-aged Russian imperial stouts.
Meanwhile, the minds behind wine lists at Toorak Cellars and Milton Wine Bar have curated a selection of artisanal Aussie wines with a focus on natural drops, to sit alongside the food lineup. Some old favourites from the Romulus and Remus menu will be making a comeback (think, pulled pork and beef lasagne, and hand-rolled pasta dishes), rounding out a selection of American-inspired drinking snacks and late-night, vegan-friendly fare.
Burnley Brewing will open at 648 Bridge Road, Burnley from December. For updates, check burnleybrewing.com.au.