Cheers to that! An enormous 1200sqm, $7 million-dollar brewery in the heart of Chadstone’s The Social Quarter precinct is set to open next month, serving more than a dozen unique craft brews.
Dean Grant, Founder and CEO of Urban Alley Brewery is counting sleeps until October 9, thrilled at the prospect of a new sophisticated yet casual hospo space at which to dine on elevated pub grub and sip on award-winning ales.
The flagship location is three times larger than its original iteration which was established just a matter of metres away two years ago—where, whispers have it, Indian cuisine may fill the space.
There are two huge bars, a centrepiece stairway to an upper-level private dining room and a function space called Centrā. Bringing roof-top vibes is an all-weather, outdoor terrace—to be named Chadstone Heights—with uninterrupted views of Melbourne’s skyline. There are mega screens, a sports bar, fireplaces and a kids play area that, as Grant says, isn’t built from plastic.
And Grant himself knows a thing or two about pubs. An early gig at KFC gave him a taste for hospitality which led the former motor mechanic to open up a pizza place in Wangaratta and that’s when he learnt a tough life lesson.
“I was pretty young and naïve. I remember working seven days a week. I actually had a nervous breakdown. Spent three days in bed but got back out and kept going and learned that you have to have a day off, once a week,” he says.
In the 90s he was responsible for giving the city three Bridie O’Reilly’s Irish Pubs and three Elephant & Wheelbarrows—one of each still exist today.
This week, another award was added to the trophy cabinet, as Urban Brewery’s Slap Shot Pale Ale won gold at the World Beer Awards in London.
“It’s incredible. Three thousand entrants. We didn’t think we’d win anything, so we didn’t go. It would have been good to be there,” Grant says.
“We’ve just done a new nitro stout. I love Guinness, and I think this is better than Guinness.”
Their 19 craft beers will all be available on tap in the 620pax space, including the non-alcoholic Urban Myth, along with a freshly launched hard lemonade.
Urban Alley Brewery also partners with award winning (hauling prizes over recent years in Tokyo, San Francisco and London) Tasmanian distillery Dasher + Fisher Gin Distillery, to create exclusive cocktails.
“Back in the 80s and 90s it was all about drinking beer. Now it’s all about food … and drinking,” Grant says, and they've definitely put this front of mind when designing the menu.
Offerings include hand-crumbed schnitzel, spiced calamari, pizzas (including a hyper-popular pepperoni pizza), Korean-inspired popcorn chicken, house made dips and flat bread—and Gippsland-sourced steaks.
Urban Alley Brewery opens at Chadstone’s The Social Quarter on 9 October .
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