CRAFT BEER
BREWS TO WATCH Craft beer tastes may be evolving, but IPA is still king when it comes to the preferences of Odd Culture patrons, according to Jordan Blackman, Odd Culture group beverage manager. “Hazy in particular, although there’s definitely
Crafting a brand new offer
Wild fermentation will be a key feature of Odd Culture Group’s latest venture based on King Street in Sydney’s Newtown.
a callout for a return to the bold and bitter West Coast,” he says. “There is a much better understanding of hopforward beers now with a focus on fresh and local. Australian breweries have really stepped it up in the IPA field and now easily stand up to the previously untouchable Americans.” Sours continue to gain popularity, Blackman says, with demand extending
A NEW hybrid space in Newtown, Sydney, is
local producers including Condimental, Ziggy’s
the biggest project yet for Odd Culture Group
and Angie’s Food.
and has been in the works since late 2020. Odd Culture Newtown is a unique concept
Head chef Jesse Warkentin (ex-Continental Deli) and sous chef Caleb Venner (ex-Continental
born out of a management trip to Europe pre-
Deli) will both work alongside Odd Culture Group’s
Covid, according to Odd Culture Group GM
executive chef James MacDonald (ex-Hubert
James Thorpe.
head chef). The food menu is an amalgamation
beyond the regular beer drinker, particularly with the more approachable, fruited sours. “Not to mention our warm climate lends itself to anything and everything farmhouse, gose and the
“Not really a bar, not really a fine dining
of MacDonald’s and Warkentin’s backgrounds
like - ultimate refreshment
restaurant, not really a craft beer venue, not
working to an overarching fermentation theme.
for all.”
really a cocktail bar, not really a natural wine bar… we don’t really know how to categorise it, but there is really nothing like it anywhere else in the world, he says.” It’s also the first new development on King
An online delivery service will also be on offer, with delivery in 30 minutes for the local area. According to Jordan Blackman, Odd Culture group beverage manager, Odd Culture Newtown is the group’s flagship venue and is on a mission
Street allowed to trade all night until 2am, with
to explore fermentation – particularly wild
its doors opening again from 7am.
fermentation.
The drink offering has a strong focus on wild
“More than just a mass accumulation of
fermentation and will include a rotating taplist of
anything sour, we have spent the past year
12 in the bar, leaning heavily on sours, farmhouse
curating an offering of like-minded producers
and lambic, as well as a wide range of organic and
who best represent our philosophy,” he says.
biodynamic wine, natural cider and sake. Located just a few doors up, the Odd Culture
“We look for an expression of terroir,
Blackman also points to low-alcohol and nonalcoholic beers as a growing trend. “It’s great to see zeroalcohol beers being treated with the same respect as their boozy counterparts, now a viable option on a night out because they actually taste good. “Many craft breweries now have a mid-strength in
something that speaks of time, place and the
their core range. It’s great to
Newtown bottle shop will be an extension of
people that created it. I think this extends well
see such a positive trend in
the main bar, offering a range of fermented
beyond beer with more conscious consumers
the industry and I think our
beverages, as well as condiments including
who are interested in more than just a product,
bodies will thank us for it.”
pickles, vinegars, shrubs and hot sauces from
but a story.”
December/January 2021-22 | 15
