Brightstar Brewing’s founders, Megan and Gareth Parker, opened the doors to their Adelaide venue at an exciting time in Australia’s beer journey, an era in which breweries and beer venues were appearing in suburbs and regional towns across the country. Quality was on the rise, experimentation was everywhere, hoppy pales and IPAs were all the rage, and for many brewers and drinkers alike it was all about the new.
However, Brightstar Brewing chose to buck the trend. In a refreshing change, hoppy pales and IPAs aren’t on the menu at this Thebarton taproom. Instead, they chose to follow the path of yesteryear, becoming one of a small – yet growing – number of local brewing companies dedicated to recreating classic and full bodied European styles, where finesse and patience is key.
“Some people think because we make lager, then we don’t make craft beer,” Gareth says. “I disagree. We make craft lager. Just because we are not making marshmallow stouts, doesn’t mean it’s not craft beer.” “We are just more focused on paying homage to traditional styles, and providing an area of focus”.--
It’s one thing to embark on a mission to create a brewery in Australia specialising in classic European beer styles, another to do it well. But, since opening in March 2022, both their beers and venue have become incredibly popular for lager drinkers and beer geeks alike – finding favour with competition judges too. Spend time at their Thebby home and it’s easy to understand the loyalty – what’s not to like in a combination of high quality products and an inviting space staffed by a team of personable servers?
Housed in a warehouse dating back to the 1920s, Brightstar Brewing’s taproom boasts high sawtooth ceilings and original jarrah floorboards. Once home to Faulding Pharmaceuticals, known for their work producing and packaging penicillin, now the building’s tenants are creating a new story, layering beer and good times atop the scratches and dents of yore.
The rustic elements of the original warehouse are now woven with sleek, modern touches. Designed to look like a German beer hall, the large bar area occupies the centre; on the back wall is a large colourful mural painted by Canadian artist Cécile Gariépy, who is well known for her contributions for the New York Times; on another wall is a large window into the brewery, showing the brewing process in real time.
It’s the finer details that elevate Brightstar Brewing’s beers to the next level, ensuring drinkers return time after time. There’s the Czech Lukr side-pour taps, which ensure each Czech beer can be dispensed correctly to style. Also there is steins, Munich pint glasses, and tulips, to name just a few.
Then there’s the 4 serving tanks which pour fresh beer – conditioned for lengthy periods – straight from the brewery to the bar. And then there’s the staff training: Brightstar’s beer servers are encouraged to be certified with the Cicerone program, and given the opportunity to brew their own beer, focusing on a style that resonated with them while training.
To further educate and excite consumers, each beer is placed into one of six flavour-based categories: crisp and clean; sour and tart; fruit and spice; hoppy and bitter; malty and sweet; dark and roasty.
Within that spectrum are mainstays, such as the two Tank Fresh lagers – a Munich Helles and Czech Pilsener, plus repeated gold medal-winning Berliner Weiss and Schwarzbier. Other beers that seasonally come and go include the rarely-seen Leichtbier, ESB, Irish Red, Oatmeal Stout, Czech Tmavé and PoloTmavé, Doppelbock, Saison, Hefeweizen and many more to come.
Leading brewing operations is a man with experience honed across Australia and overseas. Steve Brockman started out on the packaging line at Little Creatures in Fremantle before moving to The Monk and then onto America with his partner, where they traversed the country in a van, working at breweries along the way. Their time in the States saw them help build a brewery from scratch in Las Vegas and included a spell at yeast specialists White Labs.
Of course, when there’s great beer to be enjoyed, it helps if there’s food to match. Here, you’ll find the likes of their Reuben Sandwich, Fish Burger and Large Chicken Schnitzel, focaccia variants and an Italian baguette. Beer is integrated into the battered hake and the slow-cooked, pulled pork burger is bathed in Brightstar’s dark lager, while there are grazing boards and options for the kids too.
The last of these is essential as, for all the focus on the refinement of classic European styles, Brightstar is a family-friendly venue with their own Gin as well as wine selections. There’s plenty of space for the little ones, including a very large open lawn area, while there’s also a deck for al fresco drinking and space for up to 150 people inside.
They host events aplenty too, from their annual Oktoberfest celebration and Mother’s and Father’s Day events to markets, weekly quiz nights, brewery tours, and style-specific celebrations like lager and Czech masterclasses and Kolsch nights.
It means there’s less need to spend thousands of dollars heading to the other side of the planet to experience a little European beer culture. The elegant lagers and traditional ales, the finer touches elevating the venue, the knowledgeable staff, the matching food, and the space in which to enjoy it all makes Brightstar Brewing the complete package when it comes to bringing a taste of Europe to South Australia.
Matt King
