TAP IN TO CRAFT TREND

There are plenty of ways to wet your whistle at this new bar and grill in Coomera, writes Amber Macpherson

CRAFT, lager, ale and stout — sometimes thinking about all the icy cold beer there is to taste in the world can be overwhelming, but goodness, do us Aussies give it a crack.

Luckily there’s a new bar and restaurant in Coomera Westfield that’s pouring and selling a huge variety of the liquid gold all in the name of ale appreciation.

“Our focus is craft beer, and lots of it,” Tapworks Bar and Grill co-owner Glen Vos says. “We’re a bar and grill with a beer for everyone.”

Tapworks Bar and Grill opened last month and the venue is of epic proportions. The fit-out was designed by Design Projects and is spread across two levels with seating for 220 people and 32 taps of beer. It also houses a “beer bunker”, an attached bottle shop selling 200 varieties of alcohol that can be purchased and sipped onsite.

Tapworks is the second of its kind, with the first bar and restaurant operating at Chermside Westfield.

Glen says, while the watering hole has a strong emphasis on craft brewers, it also pours mainstream brands and cocktails.

“If you alienate people by going too crafty, you lose the people who are tag-alongs,” Glenn says.

“You or I might not even like beer at all, so we have a cocktail, but for the craft connoisseur we have a great range.

“We have the mainstream craft brews, the Balter IPA, Stone and Wood, Green Beacon, their whole range is quite popular. But we also have Great

Northern on tap.

“There are 12 rotating taps so you won’t see the same craft beer within two weeks.

“At the moment sour beers are the most on trend.”

There’s plenty of food to line the stomach as well, with a wide variety of small share plates for

nibbling and substantial pub grub. The “small bites” range includes duck spring rolls, crispy skin pork belly, crunchy chicken bites and chicken wings, while the “big bites” includes nachos, parmigianas, sirloin steaks and salmon with salad. “The best way to describe it is a beer bar with comfort food,” Glen says.

And if you’ve always wanted to own a craft beer bar, or even just a part of one, Tapworks is part of a crowdfunding initiative called Birchal where a person can invest a small amount of money into the business to become a stakeholder. “You go to a barbecue and, even if you only have $1000 in it, you can say you own part of a craft beer bar,” Glenn says.

Tapworks Bar and Grill is open from 11am weekdays and from 8am on weekends at 109 Foxwell Rd, Coomera

THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS A BEER BAR WITH COMFORT FOOD