Village Days Brewing Co

Marrickville and Brookvale are the uncontested craft beer capitals of Sydney. But where do you go for locally brewed beer if you don’t live near either? Home brewer Dan Smith saw untapped potential in Gladesville, and opened Village Days to give the community a legit, family-friendly brewpub experience.

Head brewer Patrick Menschik – a master brewer back in his native Germany – is on the tools here. He’s populating 12 beers taps with hop-forward styles including the Glades Pale (a recipe perfected by Smith over five years) and classic German ones like a hefeweizen and a marzen. If tradition is your thing, it doesn’t get better than the crisp, clean and malty 2111 Lager poured straight from the tank. A tight list of wines and spritzes is also on hand.

The taproom itself is a handsome spot to sink a few, and was designed by Manly architecture firm North by North, who’s past projects include Bucketty’s Brewing Co in Brookvale. High and low top tables abound, and on weekends there’s a food truck (usually local crew The Beef Burger) slinging beer-friendly food out the front.