Bodriggy Brewing Company

Overview

UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 — While this 400-person bar is closed, you can still pick up its easy-drinking draught and New England IPA from the onsite Froff Shop. Plus, on the weekend, there are takeaway tacos. Check out all the deets, over on the Instagram.

If local beer label Bodriggy wasn't already on your radar, it sure will be now. Owners Jon Costello, Anthony Daniels and Peter Walsh have officially opened their mammoth Abbotsford brewpub. The sprawling warehouse space and one-time mechanics workshop has been home to Bodriggy's brewing operations for a while, but now also boasts a bar, pub and kitchen — with room for an impressive 400 punters.

A striking fit-out has been headed up by builder, designer and co-owner Daniels, transforming the lofty building with a mix of reclaimed materials, natural finishes and considered industrial elements. Vintage-style timber panelling is offset by painted brickwork and exposed pipes, while big steel trusses curve overhead.

You'll spy lamps recovered from the Palais Theatre, as well as a couple of vintage MCG balustrades, here edging the stairs down to the underground bathrooms. The brewery tanks loom large and shiny at the back of the room, while the front section is home to a dining room, complete with warm timber and plush green booth seating.

But if you're impressed with the size of the pub itself, just wait until you get a look at the drinks offering. Bodriggy's beer is front and centre, of course, the light box menu above the bar sporting plenty of just-launched creations in celebration of the new digs. Mainstays include the likes of the Speccy Juice session IPA, the easy-drinking draught, or the newly-hatched New England IPA they've dubbed Cosmic Microwave. There's a handful of seasonal offerings, too – think, wine-beer hybrid Zooter Doozy. Or you can skip the decision making altogether, grab a tasting paddle and settle in for a sampling session.

That said, the Bodriggy taps aren't solely for things fizzy and hopped — they're also pouring wild and natural wines from the likes of Quealy, Little Reddie and Garage Project, and a lineup of cocktails heroing native ingredients and South American flavours. Expect concoctions like the El Coco, blending coconut-washed Buffalo Trace bourbon with bitters and agave and the vermouth- and cherry-infused Cascara Spritz.

More South American flavours feature throughout the food menu, which is crafted by Chef John Dominguez (Vue de Monde, Dinner by Heston) and working a huge offering of vegan and gluten-free options. You'll find Peruvian-style beef heart skewers, tacos loaded with achiote-marinated slow-cooked pork, and 'petacon' or fried plantains featuring a daily changing topping. Larger plates might include the likes of a beef short rib matched with bone marrow or a hefty 500-gram cauliflower steak starring chimichurri and crispy florets. Otherwise, go straight for the $55 feed me menu.

But wait, there's more: Bodriggy is also set to open a boutique bottle shop at the front of the site and a private dining room upstairs – stay tuned for details.

Images: Kate Shanasy