Tassie trip- what breweries and distilleries do you recommend ?

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Truman42

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Going to Tassie on the boat in early June for 10 days. Driving down to Hobart and after spending the weekend catching up with rellies in Hobart and Huonville intend to do some sightseeing and get a few brewery and distillery visits in. I've been a few times before but the wife's never been so here is what I planned so far.

After driving to Hobart from Devenport stopping along the way at anything interesting (I've only ever done the drive at night before) spend the rest of the day relaxing around Hobart check into hotel put for dinner.

Then at]flyer that hope to do an it9nerary sort of like this..
1. Salamanca markets, Mt Wellington, cascade brewery for lunch. General sight seeing around Hobart and Lark distillery for a meal and some whiskey tastings.

2. A day trip to Huonville, (See my brother and his wife) then to the Tahune air walk, then to Kettering to visit a cousin then on to Bruny island and either stay the night on Bruny island or at my brothers back in Huonville.

3. Richmond Gaol then to Port Arthur and stay the night down that way.

4. Another day back in Hobart visiting some breweries and distilleries- Sullivan's,

5.fishing trip on my brothers boat weather permitting.

6. Then we plan to head the east coast stopping at the sights along the way, wineglass bay. Coles bay, Bicheno, spend a night at white sands resort and go to Iron house brewery.

7. Next day head north to St. Helens then bay of fires. Then we're not sure of we should go cross the top to Bridport and Georgetown to spend a night somewhere before heading down to Launceston. Or just heading straight to Launceston.

8. A day or two around Launceston before heading home.

So anyway looking for some breweries and distilleries around any of these places that are worth taking a look at, serve good beer and good food etc.

Also any other ideas for things to see and do that you Taswegians can suggest that might be worth seeing or doing.
 
There's a new bar opening here in Launceston that's only doing Tas craft beer (whether that's a good idea or not.....well.......) in Elizabeth st that may be open by then, otherwise St John's is your best bet (some affiliation as I prop up the bar there most days).

The Penny Royal development will be in full swing by then, Iron House (drink at your own peril) have a bar there, and Joseph Chromy have a wine bar and restaurant (as well as being the coin behind the whole thing).

I've heard good things about Shambles brewery and bar in Hobart since they opened recently, and the couple of their beers I've tried have been solid.

Dunno how big your brothers boat is but you'll be on the tail end of the tuna run, if you go after them I hope you have better luck than my trip last week, 1 3kg stripey between 8 of us and I burlied the water 5 times.
 
I recommend digging up one of the 75 thousand 'going to Tassie' threads. Plenty of good suggestions contained within.
If you can, take the walk / hike down to the beach at Wineglass bay with a picnic lunch. You will need at least two thirds of a day in and out and a good set of legs. Far more rewarding than some moldy old brewery.
 
Thanks for the advice and suggestions so far gents. @ Dave70...Ive read many of the "Going to Tassie threads" but wanted to include my own itinerary so suggestions could be made as to what to perhaps give a miss or what is worth diverting too on the way etc etc.

@jlm..why do you say ....Iron House (drink at your own peril)? whats wrong with their beers?
 
Truman said:
@jlm..why do you say ....Iron House (drink at your own peril)? whats wrong with their beers?
Mainly because their beers are ******* terrible as a general rule from go to whoa. Bad ideas in conception regarding ingredients, which follows though to fermentation, and then packaging. Sadly in Tasmania you just have to place the word "Premium", then "Tasmanian", then the name of your product and you can rely on the tourist trade to eat it up assuming you have a nice outlook at your cellar door/farmgate and they'll eat or drink whatever that horrible shit it is you're producing.

Still a fantastic amount of quality product from beer to berries to oysters to wine to cheese to whisky to Premium Tasmanian Goat Shit which you can buy from my place at $30/Kg. But you don't have to like everything.

Probably not a real popular point of view down here, but, yeah........As far as breweries go, theres's a lot of new mobs coming up who will maybe brush out some of the dead wood. There's a few breweries down here that need a bit of a shake up from some real competition and don't keep up with what the craft drinking punter wants.

Moo Brew SMASH cans are the go though. Drink one wherever you can.
 
BUMP. Has anything worth checking out popped up in Hobart in the last 18 months, or that hasn't already been mentioned?
I'm staying a few nights there next month. Cheers
 
I would recommend The Winston in North Hobart (I think it's the one that jlm is referring to above).
It's a pub that has a good selection of craft beer on tap and the pub also brews its own beer which is also on tap.
The food is pretty good too if you're into the in-vogue American fare. Think burgers, ribs, wings etc.

http://www.thewinstonbar.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thewinstonbar

And no, I don't work for them. Just had a good night there with some mates 12 months ago so thought I'd recommend it.
 
I also second the recommendations for Shambles. It was fantastic too. Not a brewpub, but an actual microbrewery with good food as well.
 
Hobart brewing company. I've not been to t- bone but you could easily do a crawl along elizabeth st from winston to t-bone to shambles, detour to new sydney, then head to hbc at the waterfront. Or start at HBC in the afternoon and do the reverse but via cool wine before NS.

Preachers possibly mentioned above but factor in a visit there too.
Also look me up.
 
I'm a native so can offer some tips but it will mostly echo the above;

Hobart
Shambles (they've just released a RIS I'm very excited to try)
Captain Bligh's (just over the road from Shambles)
The Winston
Hobart Brewing Company
T-Bone
Last Rites
Jack Greene's (bar)
Bruny Island Beer and Cheese (if up for an adventure and some bloody good beers and perhaps some cheese)
Lark Distillery (not beer but delicious whiskey)

Launceston

Saint John Craft Beer (my local and second home)
Tandy's (poor mans Saint John but to their credit the only feature Tasmanian beers on tap)
Crown Cellars (if you need a well curated take aways)

Devonport (if coming via the boat)

Empress (sister bar to Saint John)

There's heaps of great independent Tassie beer producers, Iron House is not one of them (except for their limited release black IPA), so make sure you check out as many as you can!
 
Has anyone been to Two Metre Tall recently? I have tried contacting them a couple of times about a visit later in the year but they haven't responded to emails or picked up the phone yet.
 
Thanks for the thorough tips guys. Loved preachers when I was down there a few years ago, so much so that I booked our accommodation as close as I could (900m) this time :D
Looks like most of the action is along Elizabeth St, so I'll probably do a couple of crawls to make sure all bases are covered. Had a very long session at the New Sydney last time.
Manticle I'll send you a PM when I know what we're doing, always up for a chin wag over a pint
 
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