Craft brewer 4 Pines set to expand on Sydney’s northern beaches

BOUTIQUE northern beaches brewery 4 Pines is expanding with three new venues, more beer and a bakery.

Brewer Garrett Sherman, Sarah Turner and chef Robson De Paulo. Exciting times for the team.

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INDEPENDENT Manly brewery 4 Pines has come a long way since opening in 2008.

The microbrewery is expanding, bringing more beer, a bakery and up to 100 new jobs to its portfolio.

Three new venues in Manly, Newport and Belrose will be added to the Manly brewpub and its Brookvale brewery and truck bar.

The microbrewery has opted to keep its footprint on Sydney’s northern beaches, publican Ged Dore said.

“We looked at various opportunities,” Dore said.

“It felt right for us to stay local and concentrate on what we do best.”

An extensive range of craft beers is on tap at the boutique brewery. Picture: Braden Fastier

Manly Underground, the first of the new venues, is expected to open around Melbourne Cup time.

It will be an eatery, rather than a pub with food. It will occupy the site of recently closed Moroccan restaurant Out of Africa.

Manly Underground is almost directly below the brew pub, but it will have its own identity, Mr Dore said.

“Both venues will be staying separate,” he said.

“It will have a cabin feel, but it’s not going to be a pub.”

The restaurant will be open seven days from breakfast and executive chef Rob de Paulo will introduce a menu with a focus on seasonal produce.

Newport’s village feel works with 4 Pines’ second concept. The Newport Barrelhouse will open in early summer on the main road in the premises of former steakhouse Hops and Fire.

Out of Africa Space will be converted into 4 Pines’ new Manly venue, Manly Underground.

The first barrel-aged beer, an oaked Baltic porter, was launched in 2015, as part of the Keller door range. The new venue introduces a range of 30 barrels and limited releases.

Craft beer lovers can sample beers that have been aged from six to 24 months.

The final push will take 4 Pines into the suburbs. 4 Pines will open in Glen St Theatre with a bakery and a gastropub by Easter 2017, subject to DA approval.

The brewpub has been making stout bread since 2010. Beer and bread-making follow similar principles.

“It is something we have been looking at for a while,” he said.

“Belrose will have its own bakery, as well as being an inside and outside venue.”

Mr Dore said the expansion will also provide jobs.

“We currently employ over 100 people nationally,” he said.

“Expansion could add another 100 jobs.”

The truck bar at 4 Pines’ Brookvale brewery.

4 Pines was voted the fifth most popular craft brewery in Australia in Beer Cartel’s 2016 survey carried out by 6500 enthusiasts. The survey rated Feral Brewing as the most popular craft brewery, pale ale as the nation’s most popular beer and Victoria as the best state for craft beer.

Sydney’s northern beaches has a blossoming craft beer industry. The area is home to three microbreweries — 4 Pines and Mona Vale’s Modus Operandi and Nomad Brewing Co, based in Brookvale. Modus and Nomad opened in 2014.