Uncle Hops / The Bank Hotel, Newtown

Uncle Hops is the dedicated craft beer bar within The Bank Hotel on Newtown’s King Street.

Uncle Hops has twelve taps and one hand pump dedicated to craft beer, most of it from independent Australian breweries.

You’ll see local favourites such as The Grifter, Willie The Boatman, and Wayward, along with other New South Wales breweries like New England Brewing Co. and neighbours from the ACT, Capital Brewing.

Styles range from pale ales and IPAs through to oyster stouts and barley wines. It’s one of Newtown’s good beer venues with an eclectic mix that’ll keep beer enthusiasts interested.

As with many of Sydney’s craft beer bars, it offers tasting paddles. Here they consist of three small glasses in a snazzy wooden display.

American Inspired Aesthetic

Food is taken care of by The Bank Hotel’s kitchen so you can expect a range of share plates, pizzas, burgers, and the pub’s well-loved charcoal barbecue meats.

With a selection of different styles on tap, and a heap more options in the fridge (tinnies from the likes of Bucket Boys, Pirate Life, Mornington Peninsula feature prominently) there’s plenty of scope to indulge in some inventive beer and food matching. Even if you don’t want to put too much thought into it, the variety in the food and beverage menus will leave you in good stead.

The aesthetic of Uncle Hops is somewhere between New York industrial warehouse chic and prohibition era interior design. Metal tankards line the bar and hang from the ceiling. Brushed copper light fittings, dark wood furniture and leather upholstery give a feel for the kind of vibe Uncle Hops is creating. Turn down the lights on a Friday night and you have instant atmosphere.

The Bank Hotel

If that’s not your vibe, The Bank Hotel has an outdoor area which is the envy of many inner west pubs. There’s a mezzanine directly outside Uncle Hops and there’s the large courtyard space downstairs which you can expect to be packed on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Bank Hotel is closer to a classic local pub. There are a few independent taps but otherwise Carlton and VB hog the spotlight. More recently these have been joined by the AB InBev owned Goose Island who have made an aggressive push into the market.

If you’re hoping to catch some footy, the main Bank Hotel bar is the place for you. Luckily you can grab a beer at Uncle Hops and take it though. Aside from some different opening hours, there’s no separation between the two venues.

Part Of The Newtown Community

The Bank and Uncle Hops are one and the same but at the same time completely different. They serve up different drinks to a largely different clientele. It’s a smart move by the Solotel group owners to capture two different sets of the local Newtown market.

The fact it’s in Newtown is important. Like many venues in the suburb, it captures the vibe of the community, reflecting many of its values and welcoming its myriad characters.

Have you visited Uncle Hops at The Bank Hotel? Leave a comment below and share your experience.