Pumphouse, Darling Harbour

Over a number of years, Pumphouse has established itself as one of Sydney’s good beer venues.

For many, Darling Harbour might not be the first stop in search of good beer. However, the precinct now has a number of quality beer venues including All Hands Brewing House and Beer DeLuxe and is home to one of the originals of Sydney’s craft beer scene.

Pumphouse has a place in the hearts of many who have been drinking beer in Sydney for a while, particularly for many of those on the hospitality side. Many former employees of Pumphouse are now familiar faces around Sydney’s beer scene.

Beer Selection

The bar was one of the first to bring international craft breweries into Australia and now has a strong range of local and international names. They used to maintain a robust selection of house beers but, since the local scene has strengthened considerably, you’ll now find the likes of Young Henrys, Riverside, Batch and Stockade on the menu, among many others.

There’s a solid bottle and can selection too. You could spend days just working through them all.

Comfortable Space

It’s a big venue with comfortable spaces upstairs, downstairs and outside. The aesthetic retains the industrial warehouse character of the building with high ceilings and exposed brickwork, with a few plush additions to make things a bit more comfortable. It combines this raw aesthetic with comfort very well.

Pumphouse welcomes an eclectic clientele. From tradies clocking off to students on awkward dates, families out for a Saturday lunch to backpackers and sports fans on a night out, it reflects the diversity of characters that pass through this part of the city.

Obviously within this mix you get craft beer enthusiasts too. In previous years they came out in force during Sydney Beer Week and will continue to show up when exciting beers come on tap or when they’re passing through the area.

Perhaps it’s now been eclipsed by more adventurous bars and venues with more charming pub atmospheres but it shouldn’t be overlooked for its selection and certainly shouldn’t be forgotten for the part its played in developing Sydney’s beer scene.

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