Fact: beyond the borders of Sydney, NSW is home to some seriously good craft breweries and you should absolutely make a plan to hit the road and visit them soon.
But because road trips can be few and far between in our busy lives—we’ve just discovered a brand new delivery service that’s been designed to bring those tasty regional brews directly to you, as well as some choice BBQ meats from some of our state’s finest small-scale local butchers.
Say hey to Chops and Hops. Dreamt up by JP Kelly and Carl Stephenson, the aim of this new beer and BBQ drop-off is to support regional communities in the wake of both the Black Summer bushfires and COVID-19 lockdowns. Much like Stay in the Bush and Empty Esky, Chops and Hops’ MO is to showcase small players peppered across NSW who are all well worth checking out.
“We are a couple of guys that love to try a new beer, we always try the local produce when travelling and we love a weekend BBQ with friends and family,” explains Kelly. “During the COVID lock-down, we saw a compelling proposition to enjoy these experiences from the comfort of your own backyard.”
As for how Chops and Hops works, subscribers will receive a craft beer and meat package once a month, each month showcasing a different town or region. Packs are curated by the brewers and butchers. For example, from Coffs Harbour, King Tide Brewery will ship you a selection of their Beached As XPA, Three Phaze Hazy Pale Ale, and Cows With Guns India Brown Ale. Then, The Dorrigo Butcher will add things like beef burger mince, local lamb rosemary, and garlic sausages, beef ribs, and scotch sandwich steaks.
Packs are delivered on a Friday—so basically, that weekend BBQ is 100% sorted. Chops and Hops BBQ and Beer packs are also available as one-off purchases, making a great gift for your craft beer-loving mates.
Keen to try? This month's delivery heroes the Great Lakes with brews from Forster's Coastal Brewing Co and meats from Smiths Lake Butchery. Orders close this Sunday 14 February, for deliveries on Friday 19 February.
Check out Chops and Hops and make an order here.
And when you're ready to make the craft brew road trip, here are some of our favourite breweries in NSW.
Image credit: Bellingen Brewing Co