The Bluetongue Brewery Cafe

First off, I think I’d like to say that I like the beer produced by the Bluetongue Brewery. Overall I’d probably have to put it up there in my top five brands. Knowing that, I really want to like this place a lot more than I actually do.

The cafe is set next to a large outside grassed area that makes it a lovely place to enjoy a drink on a sunny afternoon. It’s when you move inside that I start to have problems with the place. My first issue is with the atmosphere, it just feels soulless. It’s decorated in a sort of modern style with the bar / counter down one side, a line of high stand up tables down the middle and a line of more normal sized sit down tables / sofas along the window.

Unlike the wineries in the Hunter, if you want to taste the beer on offer at Bluetongue you will need to pay for the privilege. From memory a tasting paddle will cost you $10. For this you get a shot glass of each of their six different beers as well as a midi (280ml) of your favourite once you take the paddle back.

This, it has to be said, I have a few issues with. The first problem is that in a region where your entire day is dedicated to free tastings, having to pay for a sample comes as something of a rude shock. Next is the price, $10 is way too much for what you get and finally, the setup. On a busy day I have had to wait up to 15 minutes in line just to get some drinks only to have to wait a further 20 minutes to return the paddle and claim my midi.

Ok, so putting the drinks situation aside. How is the food? Well, on the occasions that we’ve been there it’s been fairly consistent. Not great, but definitely edible and about what you’d expect for this kind of place.  The menu itself is fairly standard consisting of the usual fish and chips, pies, burgers, ploughman’s lunch and salads etc. Not outstanding, but not too pricy either so it’s all ok.

So, would I recommend a visit? Yes, with a couple of small provisions. First, the weather must be right. On a nice day it’s hard to beat sitting outside in the sun listening to the band. If you’re forced to sit inside, I’d probably give it a miss and secondly, it’s probably not the right place to visit if you’re in a rush. On the occasions we’ve visited the speed of service hasn’t been too much of an issue because we were not on a schedule and were just looking to relax. 

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