On our trip to Port Douglas, we couldn’t skip Hemingway’s Brewery. As the craft beer lovers we are, mind you we used to live in Melbourne, we really missed our special brews! We didn’t expect too much before going in, but we were very pleasantly surprised!
Guilty as charged!
First of all, there is an obvious difference in the craft beer scene between Melbourne and QLD. In Melbourne, they try to make beer that almost doesn’t even taste like beer anymore, or they just cram it full of hops. It’s a very experimental environment which sometimes pays off and sometimes just doesn’t. Here in far north Queensland, they keep the authentic beer we know and give it a subtle additional flavour and character.
Their beautiful beer list! Got lucky for this shot as the bar maiden just turned around perfectly!
Our trip started off a little weird. The bus company we went with, called 15 minutes prior to departure with a rambling message we didn’t fully understand. It came down to the fact that we would be picked up half an hour later because they messed something up. We didn’t mind too much, mistakes happen. Then, instead of a 90-minute drive, it took over two and a half hours to reach Port Douglass, not even dropping us off at the right spot. A bit of a frustrating start to the day, but we weren’t going to let it ruin our mood!
From the terrace you have an amazing view over the Port Douglas marina.
Right in time for lunch, we arrived at Hemingway’s brewery. Of course, we started off with a tasting paddle and ordered some food. They serve 6 different beers on draft home brewed. These are, in my opinion, a couple of the most interesting beers:
– the 4 mile, a white lager, which is an interesting combination of a wheat flavour combined with a lager. It’s very crisp, refreshing and citrus like.
– the small ale, a mid strength pale ale, leans close to a well balanced IPA, with their galaxy hops giving you the tropical bitterness in the end.
– the hard yards, their dark lager, gives you the best of both worlds. The clean crisp flavour of a good lager combined with the roast of a dark beer. Yum!
One delicious looking tasting paddle! From left to right: White lager, small ale, dark lager, pale ale and the IPA.
For lunch, we had an amazing butchers board, sweet potato wedges and some rather plain chicken popcorn, although the sauce was nice!
While eating we soaked in the relaxing atmosphere. The terrace is right next to the water, making the place feel like a beach bar. It is casually decorated and designed in a way so there’s a spot for everyone. Benches, tables, high-bars, couches, lounges, … We really liked how it spoke to families with kids, friends catching up or even two older ladies coming for a coffee next to the water. They also have a cool outside grill in the middle of the dining area where they cook and smoke meat live, leaving the whole place smelling amazing!
Yummy this was truly an amazing lunch! Good beer and good food would go well together!
After a big lunch, we decided to go for a walk around the marina and parks in Port Douglas, only to find ourselves back at Hemingway’s two hours later!
The both of us are big Gin fanatics if you hadn’t picked that up in any of our other posts! When we saw the four pillars tasting paddle on the menu, we just couldn’t stop ourselves. Each gin came with specific garnish, lifting its flavour to a whole new level. We then settled in one of the couches for our afternoon session. Walking past the bar we noticed the brewery that has glass windows on each side so you can actually see the brewing. A tour would cost 25 dollars, including some samples. Great value for money, but we have seen enough breweries in Australia!
Four Pillars do know how to make incredible gin!
Laura was bitten by the gin virus and saw this intriguing ‘bloody Shiraz’ gin by four pillars on the menu. If you are wondering what it tastes like: exactly how it sounds. You first get the typical crisp refreshing gin flavour followed by a deep dark Shiraz.
Joachim, on the other hand, had his mind set on the Sierra Nevada Orange Sidecar a beer that he had wanted to try for a long time. The cool thing about Hemmingway is that they also stock up on other craft beers and even have them on draft, so everyone will find something they like. After that we also gave the 8 wire superconductor double IPA a try, It was the best thing Joachim had all day long, as he loves his IPA’s!
How more bloody can a gin be than this?!
To finish off our whole experience we had to have dessert! There was an interesting looking pistachio and olive oil cake served with a lemon curd ice cream. Something we would usually never go for, but you have to stay open to new things in life! To be honest, it was amazing! The savoury of the cake and the citrusy sweet ice cream just go so well together.
We were heading off to a BBQ so we wanted to take some beers with us. They offer 1-litre cans or 2-litre bottles. We stocked up on some cans because they’re more value for money!
You call that a can?! This is a can! First time seeing 1 litre cans!
If you’re ever in Port Douglas, this spot is a must! It’s even worth the travel from Cairns. They are also opening a new venue in the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal somewhere this year! So keep an eye on that if you’re a beer lover.
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