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Burnley Brewing's a slice of hop heaven

Tim Grey

The team from Burnley Brewing. From left: Neil Mills (owner), Michael Stanzel (head brewer), Phil Gijsbers (owner).
The team from Burnley Brewing. From left: Neil Mills (owner), Michael Stanzel (head brewer), Phil Gijsbers (owner).Supplied

What's the lowdown?

Like most things in life, beer is best served fresh. Bridge Road's Burnley Brewing, which opened on November 24, offers the shortest beer-delivery method save from suckling directly from the keg. With fermenters in the front window, Burnley's 10 taps are connected straight to the tanks, so no oxygen, light or heat is going to get between you and your hops. Formerly the home of Romulus & Remus, Burnley is sticking to the Italian theme, mostly because pizza and beer belong together.

Who's behind it?

Bridge Road's Burnley Brewing's beer is made on site.
Bridge Road's Burnley Brewing's beer is made on site.Supplied
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Burnley Brewing is the latest project by duo Neil Mills and Phil Gijsbers, who opened their first cafe as uni students. They have a long list of venues to their names: Saint James Cafe, Hard Pressed Coffee, Pedro Espresso, Small Print Pizza Bar and Seven Point Espresso in NYC. Renton Carlyle-Taylor of the Milton Wine Bar and the Alps is also on board, stacking the wine list with on-trend producers, among them Adelaide's Unico Zelo, Murrumbateman's Ravensworth and Dormilona from the Margaret River.

Why should you care?

There's no such thing as too many micro-brewers, but not all are so focused on food. Mills and Gijsbers have kept on the kitchen team from Romulus & Remus, and some of their dishes to boot – chorizo and pea gnocchi, for instance, and the pizzas – many of them vegan. "We're going to move it a little further toward beery as well: more finger foods and snacks as we move later into the evening," Gijsbers says.

Bridge Road's Burnley Brewing.
Bridge Road's Burnley Brewing.Supplied

If you only eat/drink one thing

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Opt for a plate of sticky, fall-apart-tender lamb ribs and the floral-forward late-hopped West Coast-style IPA. "You can't really go past slow-cooked meats and an IPA," says Gijsbers. "That's a spectacular dish, and it's one of my favourite beer and food matchings."

Open Daily noon-late. 648 Bridge Road, Burnley, 03 9429 3042, burnleybrewing.com.au

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