Westside Ale Works South Melbourne Draught

Style
Aussie Ale
ABV
4.5%

If you've made your way down the South Melbourne side street that leads to Westside Ale Works and perused the chalkboards showcasing the 30 beers on tap, you'll be aware they favour things on the larger side. Initially inspired by the beers that founder Casey Wagner grew up enjoying on America's West Coast, and these days embellished by joint venture Ida Pruul with its focus on barrel-aged and wild ales, whether it's beers under those two banners or the guests they bring in, you can tell this is very much a passion project from genuine craft beer lovers.

At the same time, while the charms of red rye IPAs, barrel-aged barleywines, mixed ferments and big West Coasters are very real, sometimes people just want a beer as beer used to be understood in Australia, and indeed as still makes up the vast majority of beer consumed here. Enter South Melbourne Draught, a core range beer that looks to meet such wants as well as the challenges of 2023's economic conditions. There's some Kolsch-esque fruity esters, sweet, almost honeyed malts, low bitterness, a touch of straw like hops, and that's pretty much that: the brewery's entry into the world of "quaffers" housed in cans showcasing the 'burb in which it's brewed.

Equally simple is their first seltzer. Westside Spirits Gin & Soda Seltzer is effectively a low ABV (4.1%) showcase for their housemade gin (they don't buy in base spirit but distil their from scratch themselves). It's mixed with soda and lightest splash of lime juice, allowing the full-bodied, aromatic gin to take centre stage.

James Smith

Published June 16, 2023

Name
Westside Ale Works
Address

36 Alfred Street
South Melbourne
VIC 3205

Phone
(03) 9694 2124
Open Hours

Thurs to Sat: midday to 11pm
Sunday: midday to 9pm

Smeaton brewery for sale B2
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More from Westside Ale Works

Westside Ale Works X Ida Pruul Non-Alcoholic Wild Golden Ale

Pint of Origin Frequent Frother
Global Pale Ale
5.0%
Pint of Origin PoO-totype Global Pale
Global Pale Ale
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Ida Pruul Wild Mango Sour & Westside Pineapple Bob & Lambic Ale
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Westside Ale Works & Ida Pruul's Dark Quartet '22
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6.5% & 9.0% & 5.1% & 10.0%
Westside Ale Works Wet Hop American Summer & Ryes N'Shine
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Westside Ale Works Weekend Juice & Major Revision & Ryes N' Shine
NEIPA & Hazelnut Brown Ale & Oatmeal Rye Stout
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Westside Ale Works Belgian Brunette & Dan's Self Doubt Stout & Apricot Rye Sour
Belgian Dark, Russian Imperial Stout & Apricot Sour
8.1% & 9.3% & 5.0%
Westside Ale Works Anniversary IPA
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Westside Ale Works Imperial Saison Aged In Rye Whiskey Barrels
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Westside Ale Works Thai Spiced Pale Ale & Evergreen King DDH Double IPA
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Westside Ale Works Astro Dog & Best Coast IPA
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Westside Ale Works Ava's Amber Ale
Amber Ale
5.6%
Westside Ale Works The Cali Commoner
California Common
5.4%
Westside Ale Works Alfred Street Session Ale
Session Ale
4.5%
Westside Ale Works Art Dog Mosaic Pale
Mosaic Pale Ale
5.4%