Backlane Brewery
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- Joined
- 1/12/04
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Was a bit early going to meet Slight last night for the free fridge pickup, so I dropped into Y & J for a quick ale.
Upstairs, Chloe's Bar had been rented out for the night by some corporate hoons for a Christmas do, so I retreated to the Swanston St. side bar.
First problem- I know they do their own brand beers but the only marked taps were (from memory) VB, Redback, Cascade Pale & Light Ice. The big porcelain fonts at either end of the bar were unmarked, and there was no specials board to tell me what they had on.
Second problem- the charmer behind the bar (hi Michelle!) couldn't see me.
About to die of thirst when some sort of manager type bustled in, barked out some orders (which woke Michelle from her afternoon nap) and asked me what I wanted.
The mysterious fonts contained Naked Ale or Carlton Draught (what a waste of a beautiful tap) apparently. Ordered a small Naked Ale, bearing in mind I would soon be lugging heavy things.
Third problem- the glass arrived with a dead fly stuck on it, just near the top. Now, as someone who has spent time working in bars, if I were the barman I would have just flicked this off before I put the beer on the bar. This is clearly not the case with staff or management at Y & J- he placed the glass proudly on the bar WITH THE GODDAMN DEAD FLY FACING ME.
Fair dos, he did replace it without too much fuss. But really, when you charge $4.80 for 250ml of your own house beer you really should pay a bit more attention.
The beer was OK- cold, seemed a lot more fruity/banana-y than I remembered.
I drank up & left. Didn't fancy another one.
You know, this pub has a of of history for me. My dad drank there. I drank there regularly once. Jeez, me & my dad drank there a couple of times (when they were brewing to an old McCracken's recipe- his fave). Sad to see what it has become. Sniff.
So anyway, Slight, that's why I was late...
Upstairs, Chloe's Bar had been rented out for the night by some corporate hoons for a Christmas do, so I retreated to the Swanston St. side bar.
First problem- I know they do their own brand beers but the only marked taps were (from memory) VB, Redback, Cascade Pale & Light Ice. The big porcelain fonts at either end of the bar were unmarked, and there was no specials board to tell me what they had on.
Second problem- the charmer behind the bar (hi Michelle!) couldn't see me.
About to die of thirst when some sort of manager type bustled in, barked out some orders (which woke Michelle from her afternoon nap) and asked me what I wanted.
The mysterious fonts contained Naked Ale or Carlton Draught (what a waste of a beautiful tap) apparently. Ordered a small Naked Ale, bearing in mind I would soon be lugging heavy things.
Third problem- the glass arrived with a dead fly stuck on it, just near the top. Now, as someone who has spent time working in bars, if I were the barman I would have just flicked this off before I put the beer on the bar. This is clearly not the case with staff or management at Y & J- he placed the glass proudly on the bar WITH THE GODDAMN DEAD FLY FACING ME.
Fair dos, he did replace it without too much fuss. But really, when you charge $4.80 for 250ml of your own house beer you really should pay a bit more attention.
The beer was OK- cold, seemed a lot more fruity/banana-y than I remembered.
I drank up & left. Didn't fancy another one.
You know, this pub has a of of history for me. My dad drank there. I drank there regularly once. Jeez, me & my dad drank there a couple of times (when they were brewing to an old McCracken's recipe- his fave). Sad to see what it has become. Sniff.
So anyway, Slight, that's why I was late...
