This week I thought I’d take things easy and go to the pub. Although not just any pub, this outing was to a veritable cathedral to beer, brewing and the tropics, Cairns’ own Hemingway’s brewpub. Visiting Hemingway’s on the wharf side is always impressive, the sheer scale of the enterprise is never quite apparent until you are inside the venue. The industrial quashed architecture lends itself well to the huge and shiny stainless tanks that make the cold and local amber nectar consumed on site and distributed further afield in natty little aluminium tubes. If this is the cathedral to beer then the choir is the sound of busy, from the cheerful to the raucous, all accompanied by the chink of glasses and the vibrant tones of enthusiastic good cheer enjoying food and beer overlooking the Trinity Inlet to the mangroves and mountains beyond.
The array of beers is almost bewildering from Pitchfork Betty’s (a strong pale ale) to The Prospector (a crisp pilsner) thought the more citrus overtones of CaneCutter (a lively little mid strength, great for the designated driver to wash down their din dins) and there is in fact something for everyone. Tasing boards are available, and are a great way for those not usually consuming ale to find something that sits well with their palate. The menu is pizza and pub favourites and never fails to disappoint. The menu supports ‘session sharing’ with a variety of light eats. Mid twenty dollars will put you in the driving seat behind a reasonable meal. Picking up a hero burger as I did, for 26 bucks, was a more than adequate dinner size accompaniment for a couple of dinner time beers. There are pizzas too, traditional style bases adorned with some traditional and some imaginative ingredients. Look out for the pork and fennel sausage variety coming in again at a reasonable sit down rate of $26 and very much enough for two people and two beers. There is nothing like the atmosphere of a big pub, it’s like going to a footy match or crowding at the finish line, a shared inspiration. Hemingway’s offers that in spades, to put it simply, it was nice to be surrounded by so many other people who were also having a good time. Definitely recommended, for family, friends and even foes.
