Coastal eatery is brewing up a fine reputation
The restaurant-quality meals at this North-West Coast establishment – match the friendly service and vibe of the space, which really does feel like somewhere you’d want to hang out
Food and Wine
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If you could turn friendliness into a drink and serve it on tap, that’s what would be on offer at Communion – a craft brewery housed in a former car dealership in the centre of Burnie.
Every interaction, from the phone call letting us know we’re 30 minutes late (whoops!) to the servers who answer our questions, take our orders and even give us a tour of the on-site brewery, is a pleasant one. I could see Communion becoming a regular part of our week … if only we didn’t live in Hobart.
Communion is first and foremost a brewery – the tanks are visible from the bar – and there are eight varieties of beer, plus a spicy ginger beer and a seasonal offering available on tap in three sizes. No matter what your taste in beer, or ale, pilsener, lager or stout, you’ll find something here to suit. And, fear not, you don’t need to travel to Burnie to appreciate Communion – it’s popping up on menus all over Hobart too.
My husband opts for the Normal Beer ($9.50/schooner) to start and appreciates its mild malt and low bitterness – nothing fancy, just good, normal beer. Hallelujah!
While the beer might be the hero, the food on offer here is no bit player – an impressive menu (illustrated with stylish linocut prints) offers more than your standard pub fare. We begin with a plate of pale ale focaccia ($8) that’s soft and slightly oily, just how I like it.
There’s a bowl of olive oil and balsamic for dipping and it’s a solid start after a day of touring the North-West Coast.
Corn ribs ($15) are always popular with my husband and these charred beauties don’t hang around for long. They come smothered with a pepita (pumpkin seed) sauce that’s good enough to eat with a spoon and it’s a hands-on entree that has us considering ordering another portion.
I’m not usually a KFC eater, but when KFC stands for Korean fried cauliflower ($16) … I’m all in! Cauliflower has come a long way since the days of being boiled and served with white sauce (thank goodness) and this bowl of lightly battered and fried florets comes dredged in a spicy sweet/sour sauce with a dipping bowl of cooling mayo on the side. We’re having it as an entree, but this makes great snack food if you’re catching up with friends for a beer and want something a bit more exciting (and nourishing) than a foil packet of chips.
Communion was created by Andrew and Lydia Turner (who were on tour in the US with Andrew’s band, when we visited), who have transformed the Art Deco building into a vibrant community hub that offers live music, trivia nights and a regular Thursday night pub run as well as great beers and food.
Head brewer Tim Bransby keeps the six 1000-litre fermenting tanks full and there’s always a small-batch brewer’s special bubbling away as well as their more standard offerings.
Communion’s motto is “not for us alone” and for every beer ordered, they donate 100 litres of clean water to communities in need via Charity: Water.
Mains arrive at our booth – which is nicely private while still having a great view of the fireplace, lounge area and buzzing bar – and both are generously portioned.
My whole roasted eggplant ($28) is a delicious take on the classic Ottoman dish imam biyaldi, named for being so good that the imam literally fainted when he tried it. This version includes rice in the spiced, tomatoey stuffing and it’s a very filling main. My husband opts for the eye fillet ($46) which comes with an earthy mushroom risotto and has been cooked perfectly to his liking – medium. Crisp-tender asparagus spears provide some greenery. There are also more standard pub offerings here, including a parmy, a schnitzel, fish and chips and burgers.
Make sure you save room for dessert – the coconut snow ($12) is a flurry of shaved frozen coconut infused with pandan. That sits atop a scoop of sorbet, dotted with dried raspberries – it’s a delightfully delicate confection. A little heartier, but equally mouth-watering is the sour cherry frangipane tart with a scoop of pistachio ice cream. These restaurant-quality desserts – along with the rest of the meal – match the vibe of the space, which really does feel like somewhere you’d want to hang out.
COMMUNION BREWING CO.
57 Wilmot St, Burnie
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs, 12-9pm, Fri-Sat, 12-10.30pm
@communionbrewingco
On the menu
Corn ribs, $15; Korean fried cauliflower, $16; roasted eggplant, $28; butter-basted eye fillet, $46; coconut snow, $12; sour cherry & frangipane tart, $12. *Communion’s menu changes regularly.
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