The Goulburn Brewery, built in 1836, has new life breathed into it. Photo: Tenele Conway.
If you’re going to get in the car to seek out a meal, the destination needs to be worthy of the journey, and the newly renovated Goulburn Brewery is just that.
It’s a journey I decided to take myself on a recent Wednesday evening (who says destination dining has to be reserved for the weekend?), and in the late-afternoon sun, it’s an inspiring sight to see this piece of history come back to life.
Originally built as a flour mill in 1836, the Goulburn Brewery, with its castellated tower and cute English-style cottage garden, is steeped in tangible history, both milling and brewing, and its new makeover is, quite frankly, stunning.
The restraint employed in this renovation is evident even before you step into the main dining room. A single pendant light illuminates a discreet sign stating that you are entering Maltings Bar. Once through the doors, you are embraced by the low timber beams and decorative warmth of the space.
From the leaning external walls tied back to substantial steels to the adorable vestibule that greets you at the bathrooms, it all somehow feels fresh and new while also seeming as though it’s always been there.
A restrained hand has brought to life the stunning renovation. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The two-year wait while renovations took place was clearly not a deterrent for the locals, and Maltings Bar is bustling, even midweek. And with the courtyard beer garden having just officially opened, there is even more of a drawcard coming into the warmer months.
Taking our table for two, we don’t hesitate to order a flight of beers; it is a brewery after all, and head brewer of the in-house label Wayback, Neal Cameron, literally wrote the book on beer, having authored the TAFE NSW Certificate III in Microbrewing course.
At first blush, I was a little concerned that we had played it too safe with our selection of four beers from the seven available on tap. All remarkably similar in their golden hue, they were extremely easy drinking, but with subsequent sips across the selection, I started to appreciate and really enjoy exploring their nuances with their subtle aromas and lingering flavours on the palate.
The Sparkling Ale was a first for me, having never tried a sparkling beer, and the high carbonation sets the drinking experience apart from a standard beer. The Hazy Pale was light, with a hint of citrus in the front end and herbal and aromatic on the back end. The Extra Hazy takes the fruitiness a little further, and the Local Lager was a real surprise, with a slightly funky aroma that conjured thoughts of blue cheese; it would be the perfect session beer with a grazing board.
The fish of the day was surprisingly wonderful. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The first pass of the menu gave me similar hesitation as the beers, with the array of dishes feeling very much like all the usual pub suspects, from chicken schnitzel to burgers and steak sandwiches. But much like the brewery in general, the devil’s in the details, and head chef Marian Christine Abeleda has really nailed the details.
The fish of the day on this particular visit was barramundi with a lemon caper sauce, creamy mash and broccolini. Barramundi is a fish I find to be hit or miss in a pub – too fishy or too dry. It rarely hits the right note, but this dish defied that trend and left a memorable impression that had me making declarations of love to the gilled vertebrate. The side of mash was delightfully buttery without being heavy, and the broccolini was toothsome.
The steak sandwich was another case of understated perfection. The restraint on what can often be an over-stuffed pub classic had pared back the ingredients to allow the sweet caramelised onion to sit in harmony with the peppery rocket, and the side of chips could not be left to one side no matter how strong-willed the diner.
The menu might be the usual pub suspects, but the execution and flavours are exceptional. Photo: Martin Conway.
As Australia’s first inland city, Goulburn has certainly been on the map for a long time, but this destination-worthy dining experience should be reason enough to plug it into your navigator and make the journey.
The Goulburn Brewery is at 23 Bungonia Road, Goulburn, and is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 10 pm, Fridays from noon to midnight, and Saturdays from 11 am to midnight.
