Brix Distillers

Brix is a bar and distillery introducing patrons to a different side of the spirit through its very own brand, made on site in Surry Hills.

The venture is the passion project of three long-time friends and business partners, Damien Barrow, James Christopher and Siddharth Soin, who also helm The Public in Cammeray. After over five years of distilling rum as a hobby, the founders wanted to encourage a greater appreciation for the pirate’s prized liquor.

“Rum has such a rich history, but in Australia, we don’t even scratch the surface,” Brix co-owner Damien explains.

Located on Bourke Street, Brix has a sleek industrial interior, which is a nod to its urban setting as well as to the whole rum distilling process.

“Downstairs in the distillery and bar it’s all raw material, like exposed concrete, which is meant to mimic the raw ingredients [of rum]—the yeast, the molasses and the water,” Damien explains.

The 70-seat bar naturally comes with a rum-centric cocktail list featuring both classics and originals, plus rum tasting flights. All of the cocktails contain either Brix White or Brix Gold rum, which is aged on the premises in ex-wine barrels from NSW wine regions, like the Hunter Valley and Southern Highlands.

However, Damien insists patrons can create any drink they want out of the more than 100 rums and other spirits stocked at the bar. Not into the hard stuff? They also do beer and wine.

When it comes to the food, Brix offers South and Central American-inspired plates to share.

The dishes, designed by former Porteno chef, Ivan Sanchez, range from refined bites to street food. You can enjoy jerk pork belly and rum-glazed lamb ribs or tuna tiradito (a Peruvian raw fish dish) and arepas (corn flatbreads stuffed with your choice of filling).

Overall, the goal of Brix is two-pronged: to educate people on the beauty of rum – particularly through their on-site distillery—and to create a fun, comfortable space for everyone.

Image credit: Supplied.