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Since opening in 2016, Wildflower Brewing & Blending rapidly became known as one of Australia’s most notable breweries due to its modern interpretation of traditional brewing methods, which involve capturing and nurturing wild yeast.
It also caught the attention of the makers of Australia’s best beer, Mountain Culture. Both being family businesses, a friendship was born over schooners and toddler hand-me-downs, which led to the home of Wildflower becoming Village – and caused Sydney beer lovers to collectively shed tears of joy.
The vibe
Pleasingly, the rustic barnhouse feel of Wildflower has been maintained at Village. Barrels of ageing ales stacked to the ceiling sit opposite the bar, where blooming vines frame the ever-rotating drinks selection scrawled on brown paper.
A small, tucked-away table by the bar is a great spot to sip while listening to their vinyl collection – The Gipsy Kings during my visit. You can also grab a barrel in the courtyard or book a long table and sit at the head to feel like the feasting Viking jarl of funky wild beer.
Perhaps the only noticeable change is the corrugated iron wall, which now features framed photos of two young brewing families – reimagining this beloved hub for those who like to drink differently.
The drinks
Where do we even begin? Brewed with wild yeast and spending at least six months barrel-ageing, Wildflower beers may well be unlike any other you’ve had before. The floral Table Beer is an ideal session starter with an ABV below three per cent. You may then want to move onto a tantalising special ale such as their Saint series, named for the respective children of the four owners, churning out funky, fruity concoctions like St Henry, macerated with local apricots for six months.
Wildflower doesn’t do big hop-driven IPAs, but Mountain Culture certainly does, and they have six of their core range on tap, including the gold-winning Status Quo Pale Ale.
In addition to these two very different brewing styles, the respective brewing teams collaborate on German lagers, poured from traditional imported side-pour taps, as well as a Kölsch tap, a nitro pump for silky Irish stouts, and a hand-pumped tap for UK-style ales.
For a cheery and easy afternoon, ask about Kölsch service and get the Cologne classic delivered fresh to your table every time you knock back a 300ml glass of this oaky and refreshing beer that predates lager.
The food
Pack your Lacteeze, because just next door to Village is micro-cheesery Gold Street Dairy, where cheesemaker Colin Wood works exclusively with Australian Jersey milk. Doubling up as the Village menu writer, Colin crafts dishes using seasonal ingredients alongside his generous wedges of semi-hard curd cheese – ideal for frying. Chow down on a fried cheese sandwich or continental plates of porcine terrine and salami on AP Bakery bread with mascarpone and honey.
Time Out tip
Village is also the name of the annual Mountain Culture/Wildflower team brew. Named for the year of release, Village 2024 is a three-year-aged gueuze – a sour Belgian ale that’s rare, sparkling and wine-like in complexity. Try that.
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