Craft Beer Experts Bucket Boys Are Opening a Bottle Shop in the Revamped Oxford Tavern

When well-loved Petersham stalwart Oxford Tavern reopened earlier this year, it brought an influx of quality local brews, natural wines and Aussie spirits to the neighbourhood along with it. Now the watering hole has teamed up with the best in the craft beer business — Marrickville's Bucket Boys — to open a co-op bottle shop onsite.

Taken over by brothers James and Josh Thorpe, the duo behind Darlinghurst's The Taphouse and its sour ale and natural wine bar Odd Culture, the Tav now pours beers from independent breweries made within a five-kilometre radius of the pub. At the moment you can get your mitts on brews from The Grifter, Yulli's, Nomad and Wayward. If you don't want a beer, opt for an Aussie gin with tonic, a spritz or a cocktail jug made with soda from PS40 or a glass of Australian natty wine.

Given the drinks list, the venue is a natural fit for a co-run bottle-o with fellow beer slingers (and lovers) Bucket Boys, offering up sought-after brews, wines and liquors for you to take home.

Located in a custom-built area between the front bar and Oxford Tavern's lush beer garden, the bottle shop will feature a simple counter and display situation, decor-wise. It's the shops carefully-curated selection of neighbourhood brews, natural wines and Aussie spirits that'll be the impressive part.

Like the Tav itself, the store will have a brewery focus on those within five kilometres — Batch, Young Henrys, Yulli's, Akasha, Wayward, Grifter and Wildflower will all cop a spot in the fridge, mainly available in four- and six-packs of tinnies as well as a select range of singles.

In the spirit of mateship (and Australia's questionable drinking culture), the co-op shop will launch on Anzac Day — aka Thursday, April 25 — and run for at least a few months, with hopes for it to become a permanent fixture.

The pub will also be celebrating the public holiday with a New Zealand versus Australia brewery tap showcase, smokey meats from the barbecue pit in the beer garden and two-up from noon, obviously.

The Oxford Tavern x Bucket Boys co-op bottle shop will launch on Thursday, April 25 at 1 New Canterbury Road, Petersham and is slated to run for a few months. Keep an eye on the Bucket Boys Instagram feed for updates.

Top image: Katje Ford.