Pub With No Beer

[Chad]

Called into The Pub With No Beer at Taylors Arms (Outside of Macksville, NSW) on my way back to Brisbane over the easter weekend. It was a very rushed visit, with only time for 1 beer (plus I had to drive).
I grabbed myself a Nirvana Pale Ale, which was quite a good clean beer with a very light hop flavour, served up in a schooner :beerbang: . I could have quite easily had a few of these. Very well priced. I don't know the exact cost, but a schooner of beer (for me) and a schooner of coke (for SWMBO) set me back only $6.

I was on the other hand, very disappointed to find they didn't have any bottled Pale Ale beer in stock to take away with me :angry: . And the bottle stores at Macksville were shut so I couldn't get any there either.

 

[scotsdalebrewery]

Yeah I went there around new years - great concept, great beers, good feed, however I probably would have done without the pokies!

 

[Trent]

Gday
I just spent the last weekend up on the North Coast (yep, further north than me), and was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of the hospitality of the brewer at the Pub with No Beer, Shawn, otherwise known as Gough on the forum.
I didnt spend enough time inside the pub itself to notice the pokies (was too nice a day), but got to try all of their beers bar the Elephant Head Pilsener.
While I have to complain that their Witbier wasnt tart enough, or citrusy enough for my liking, I have to go out on a limb and say that I think they are one of, if not the most, progressive micro in Oz. The Pale ale, while being an APA, seems to have avoided the whole typical cascade or amrillo thing, and seems to have a blend that is quite nice. Their belgian pale ale is quite an easy drinker, and has plenty of yeast character, and to my knowledge is the only one of its style in Oz. the black beer seems to have some sort of complexity not usually seen in aussie black beers, and has plenty of flavour. The highlights of my visit there, and the ones than maybe kicked my bottom, were the Icon 2IPA, which has plenty of bitterness, and the right amount of malt backbone to support it. Then you throw in the crazy hop flavour and aroma, and you have a very well balanced, and flavourful double IPA. I have spent alot of time in the states drinking this style, and was quite impressed by their version.
The ring in, and possibly my favourite out there, was their 8.8% Grand Cru. Its a Belgian style ale, with all the yeast complexity and flavours you expect from a Belgian, but it also has heaps of hop flavour and aroma. Not one for the purists, I would guess, but it really opened my eyes.
If you have the cash, buy yaself a bottle of the Anniversary Ale, and cellar it for a year or 2. It comes in at something liek $30 a bottle (750mL), but it is well worth it, at 10.8%(?). Shawn and I tasted it side by side with a 2 year old Stone Old Guardian Barleywine, and the Anniversary Ale more than held its own.
I cannot recommend a visit to the Pub With No Beer highly enough, if you are ever going past. It is a fair hike off the highway, but worth it for the quality of beer. My biggest complaint was that the beer is served too cold, but we are, after all, Aussie's
Sorry if this sounds like an ad, I can honestly say I have no affilliation with the pub, I am just happy that after years lamenting about the lack of really good micro's in Oz, that some are starting to sprout up. If yer ever going through Macksville and have some time to spare, or need to Stop, Revive, Survive, then pay a visit to the pub with no beer. I am quite sure you wont be disappointed (though the pokies may disappoint!). And they are currently expanded their production and bottling lines, so they shouldnt run out of bottled beer to often now!
All the best
Trent
EDIT - Meant to mention that their Head Brewer is a Kiwi called Graeme, who really knows his stuff, and was quite happy to talk beer with me when he got a spare moment. I think that most (if not all) of the recipe's there are his doing.

 

[Josh]

Me and two mates went through last June and we had a good afternoon there until after two beers we had to scissors paper rock to work out who could keep drinking and who had to get our sorry arses to Byron Bay.

I have to add the food served up at the bistro was top notch.

And we were offered free accommodation if we wanted to drink there all night. Alas we wanted to be at Hervey Bay the following day so staying at Taylors Arm was a bit too far South for our needs.

 

[leeboy]

Heading up the coast next monday and was thinking about calling in and spending a night at the pub/brewery with the missus. The food looks great, whats the accomodation like. I looked on the website and it does'nt give too many clues.

I've tried both the blonde and the nirvana p.a and thought they were both quite good. The pa, was a little more british than I was expecting, again reiterating a previous post, there wasn't the big amarillo, cascade or willamette that one would expect form a american style pa. But both were good drops none the less.

I read the brewery tour starts at 2pm so will have to hot foot it up from newcastle to get there in time.

 

[n00ch]

I was up there about 2 months ago and stayed the night. I think I paid $45 for a room and it was good, better then I expected anyway. Not many people staying there that night so the share facilities didn't matter.

Really worth a dropping into if your up that way. Great pub full of friendly people , great food all topped off by some of the best Aussie beers I have had. Tried all beers except the Elephant Head Pilsener.

I think it was around 2 when I got up there which was at the tail end of the brewery tour and seemed to be just the right time to be put to work helping Shawn clean up <_< No it was good to help out and be shown around the brewery by Gough.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The accomodation is an old style weather board house that has been done up with shared bathrooms etc. Definately worth the money.Very comfy.
Breaky is pretty good to in the morning. You will need it. B)

 

[leeboy]

Thanks for the replies regarding accomodation guys. Think it will definately be on the cards. Can get to byron the next day. I knew that they brewed a pa, belgian blonde, 2ipa and anniversary ale. I'm getting the impression there are a few more to try at the brewery is this right?

Really looking forward to seeing how they do things up there. Went to visit potters brewery here in the newcastle area (nulkaba) a few month back and it was quite a good experience. Be interesting to see how different the setup is between a brewery that only does take aways and then one thats starting to get its beer nationwide.