Batch Brewing Co Petersham

Sydney’s inner west has undoubtedly solidified its place as Australia’s craft-beer capital. It’s now at the point where breweries are scaling up once-humble operations, and even opening multiple sites. In 2019, Marrickville’s Batch Brewing Co did just that, partnering with Public House Petersham to open a nanobrewery inside an old drive-thru bottleshop in the pub's carpark.

You’ll find out back opposite the courtyard, where it’s well-positioned to enhance the pub’s popular car-park parties. Patrons bounce between the two venues, with Public House offering standard drinks and full meals, and the Batch’s nanobrewery offering experimental brews in a tasting-room environment.

Batch co-founder Andrew Fineran says not only does it expose the beer to new people, the second location allows the Marrickville brewery to experiment and expand its repertoire. The additional brewing facilities mean they can scale up production of new brews that are well-received, and meet growing demand for old favourites.

Of Batch’s two venues, Petersham is where you’ll find bolder, boozier styles. Some of the more unusual brews in the past have included peach, plum, and pickle sours, as well as a Finnish-style sahti. To celebrate the birthday of Gizmo, Public House’s cat, a Black-Forest-cake-inspired beer was devised, using cherries and blackberries.

Batch and Public House have also been known to collaborate on the pub’s bistro menu, showcasing ingredients that would otherwise be discarded during the beer-brewing process – including malt, hops and even the beer itself. Spent grain has been used to crumb eggplant katsu, and lamb ribs have been glazed in a reduction of pineapple sour and two kinds of miso. Also, a bitter mayo made from hops, and a milk-stout beef-and-mushroom pie. Dishes are cooked in Public House’s kitchen and brought across the carpark.