5 minute read
resin resonates
THE BREWPUB THAT TRANSFORMED A RUNDOWN RAILWAY GUESTHOUSE INTO A NEW COMMUNITY HUB FOR BULLI AND BEYOND
Words Matilda Jesiolowski Images Wesley Lonergan @anchorandthesea
Brendan Dowd and Steve House met out in the surf at Stanwell Park before their first day of uni. Later that day they both arrived at their first lecture and coincidentally sat next to each other. The fateful encounter sparked a friendship and partnership that many years later, has led to the successful opening of Resin Brewing in Bulli – a microbrewery and pub that has already become an institution in the northern suburbs since its launch in March 2020. Guided by the hope of creating a gathering place not only for craft beer enthusiasts and foodies, but for the community as a whole, Resin has hit the mark. The modern, pristinely executed fit-out has given the heritage-listed building a worthy second life, with the 200-seat restaurant and inviting outdoor deck equally fit for sunny Sunday arvo beers with mates or midweek family celebrations. There’s a reason there’s been a steady flow of punters lined up at the brewery since it first invited the community in to pull up a bar stool – it’s an enjoyable place to be. The food, the beers, the atmosphere all thoughtfully curated by two mates with a great idea!
Before the dream of opening their own brewery had even hit the radar, Brendan and Steve both worked as environmental scientists. Steve had his own consultancy business, and asked Brendan to work with him. “Being consultants is a grind and we both, especially Steve, put big hours, days, months and years into make the business what it was. It got to a point after a while where we started dreaming of greener pastures, and a way to find the love and passion once again,” says Brendan.
After working alongside one another for 15 years, they starting brewing together about five years ago, but both had been avid home brewers for over 20 years. Enjoying their own product then led to visions of their own brewery, and with Brendan’s background in managing pubs in London, the goal was always to open as a brewpub. “I loved the ‘second loungeroom’ feel you get in the pubs there – they have a real sense of belonging. We felt we wanted to create a destination for the community, not just a product.”
From there, the idea of Resin Brewing really started taking shape. Brendan and Steve, both being northern suburbs locals, knew they wanted to find a location for their brewery that was close to home and had a real sense of identity for the area. Their previous years of experience in environmental planning helped them to navigate the initial challenges of finding the right spot with the required zoning for a brewery. In the end, Brendan says the process was just down to sheer good luck and timing. The destination they eventually found was perfect – an old, heritage-listed station guesthouse alongside Bulli Train Station that dates back to 1887.
“I drove past the old girl as we always did, daily, one day and said to my wife, ‘that would be a cool place for a brewpub’,” says Brendan.“That night I rang Steve and mentioned it, and he drove by with his wife. That afternoon he was literally making offers to the owners. We agreed not long after!”
Transforming the heritage building into the incredible venue it is now, recently saw the pair awarded with the well-deserved National Trust Award for Adaptive Reuse, which both Steve and Brendan say was a shock, but “really special”. But despite the impressive end-product, the build certainly didn’t come without its challenges – when the pair took it over in 2017, the site was almost falling apart.“Termites, squatters, flooding, asbestos, lack of electricity and power… the list goes on. All part of the game, but we got there,” laughs Brendan.
And got there they did – Resin has become a community hub, with a delicious food offering that is as much of a drawcard as the beers brewed on-site. This was important to the guys when creating their ideal space. “We wanted to make sure that Resin was a home for Bulli and beyond – somewhere comfortable and easy to meet. In doing that, we knew that we had to offer something for everyone, knowing that not everyone is into craft beers,” says Brendan.
The handiwork of head chef Yon Miller, of Sandy Goodwich and Eat at Sandy’s fame, the menu started with Steve and Brendan’s idea of using smoked meats as a base, but with a modern flare.“We presented that theme toYon and left the rest with him to do his thing, and we couldn't be happier,” says Brendan.“We now change the menu each season, so that the food changes like our ever-changing beer menu.”
Like the food menu, the level of care that goes into the brewing of the beers is evident. Made with all-natural ingredients and handcrafted in small batches on site, the Resin line-up changes regularly with some drops like the Sandon Lager, Refraction Hazy Pale Ale and Resinate IPA, making regular starring appearances. When asked to pick his favourite, Brendan likens it to choosing a favourite child (“You can’t ask that!”), but says one of his top drop recommendations is the Olfaction – their juicy New England IPA. “It hits all the spots but is still drinkable enough that you're not done after one pint.”
Despite opening in March last year, just days prior to the pandemic effectively shutting down the hospitality industry, the brewery has been so well received by the community, that’s it’s surprised the guys with its success. “We're surprised day after day, but also stoked that it’s everything we'd hoped and pushed so hard for,” says Brendan. “The way everyone still supported us through the hard Covid months was great. We had lineups out to the street from the bar just to fill up growlers on weekends!”
So, what’s next for the local craft brewery that has gone from strength to strength in a time that was the opposite for so many? “The future of Resin is whatever the community makes it,” says Brendan. “We’re both driven to make Resin the biggest and best it can be, but we also want to make sure we enjoy it for what it is right now. There's a real joy in being in your own pub watching people enjoy your beers – it's a feeling I remember having back when I was 18 (16 shhh!), when my grandfather first taught me the ways of the yeast.”
