Bracket Brewing

Father and son brewers Mark and Mike Meletopoulo don’t have a core range of beers at their Alexandria brewery, Bracket Brewing. Instead, they’re on a mission to serve a unique rotation that can’t easily be found at your local bottle shop.

Without serving what they call “hype beers” – loaded with left-field ingredients such as lactose or fruit – the Meletopoulos boys brew a range that riffs on the familiar. On the ever-changing tap list, you might find everything from a Munich Keller (blonde lager) to varying styles of IPA. Others beers are less familiar, with past highlights including an approachable passionfruit sour; a cherry-infused black forest porter and a dry-hopped wild ale.

The Meletopoulos have two rules when it comes to crafting their beer. They’re reluctant to brew the same beer twice, and they’ll never sell one they wouldn’t drink themselves. For them, if it’s no good – it goes down the drain.

Hemmed in by brick buildings and a Harvey Norman carpark, the taproom is a charming sanctuary. There are potted plants everywhere, sourced from Mark’s front garden, and the exposed timber beams throughout the long space are a pleasing design touch. Rows of shining tanks at the back are visible from the front bar and seating area.

Sit from afternoon to night, ordering Uber Eats from one of the many nearby eateries and sampling the range of beers, from the sessionable to the more challenging. You can bet there’s always something new to try.