Our friends at All Hands Brewing House on The Promenade at King Street Wharf, are excellent folk to visit for a beverage or bite on any night, but sometimes the craft brew and dining gets even bigger!
They say, "There’s always something going on at All Hands."
e.g. $20 Specials
Monday Grill ~ Chef’s cut of the day with fries
Tuesday Smokin’ ~ Choose from the smoker – Pork Belly, Creole Chicken, Beef Brisket or Smoked Eggplant
Wednesday Baguette of the Day ~ Chef’s 12″ Baguette of the Day with fries
Thursday Burger Day ~ Choose from Wagyu Beef, Grilled Haloumi or Southern Fried Chicken Burger with fries.
These all come with a 1/2 Pint of A.H.B.H. Brew or cider, a small house wine, sparkling or a soft drink. But as All Hands Brewing House (like the name suggests) makes craft beer on the premises, it would be an easy light bulb moment to stick with the beer.
But beyond the everyday goodness, and every week specials, All Hands Brewing House also hold special events! And we rocked in earlier this month to see what all the Boilermaker fuss is about. (Boilermaker, as we learnt is when you match beer and whisky!) Four courses, four craft beers, and four whiskies to match, plus a sweet surprise, all for the remarkable price of $70. Every punter at the table had a mighty fine time. Me, perhaps more than some, as I scored some extra whisky from a neighbouring diner.
Do you know what to do with your oysters? A distiller once showed me. Add one or two drops of peaty whisky to each au naturel and voila. Our amuse of oysters was matched with Glendronach Peated 46% and the All Hands Brewing chef gave us two vinaigrettes - Glendronach Peat and Sherry. But I metered a couple of whisky straight drops onto mine. Delish. Something happens when a peaty whisky hits and oyster. Something opens up in both. And being a smoky girl this was my personal favourite whisky of the night. It's a top right quadrant whisky, with oak spices and floral heather honey. Pardon the pun, but the Duet Smash Amber Ale was a smashing match. What a ménage à trois. Get your minds out of the gutter and back on the King Street Wharf promenade. The translation is 'a household of three'.
There is nothing better on Hump Day (and this event was on a Wednesday night) than a duck roll, and that's what plated up next from All Hands. More accurately, smoke duck stew in a roll with melted cheese crust with horseradish cream. Hump day? You betcha, so that was the beer match - All Hands Brewing House (otherwise and from here on in known as AHBH) Hump Day IPA. It's an Indie Silver Medal winner. Partnered with a gorgeous bright golden 21yo Beriach. Summer fruit and candy peel on the nose, soft vanilla and cinnamon on the palate, it was a gorgeous match with the duck and with the beer.
Then we hit the heavier stuff as we moved onto the main. Indie Bronze Medal winner AHBH Wee Heavy teamed up with Benriach 21yo Tawny Port (it's a whisky we tipping our hat to the barrel). The dish of the night was unctuous beef short rib braised in the ale itself. Oh and there were pineapple chunks and a savoury pumpkin pie. Yum. Yum. Yum.
A classic dessert combination of Pear Tarte Tartin, and every tart needs a bit on the side in this case a blue cheese cream, hit the craft beer match with Indie Gold Medal winner AHBH Sport Stout and softer smoky and sweeter whisky Glenglassaugh Torfa. 50% watch out. The night didn't finish there though... #chocolate :)
Everything that was offered could each stand alone, all of the All Hands Brewing House dishes, craft beers and the guest whiskies. You could have any or all by themselves and be happy. But combined, and at this awesomely amazing special event price, every body went home even happier, and a winner. Which reminds me, All Hands Brewing House has some sporty special events coming up: AFL and NRL grand finals, Rugby World Cup, and of course then there is the race that stops the nation Melbourne Cup.
