There's no denying that the last couple of years haven't been easy for any of us. Working from home is the norm, haircuts are a 'will they, won't they' situation and a night out on the town is nearly a distant memory. While some industries have remained largely unchanged, few have been hit harder than the hospitality sector. Restaurants have been relatively agile in their pivot to takeaway options, with meal kits and delivery having a quick turnaround and customers are absolutely here for it.
The pub and bar sector, however, has had things a little rougher, to put it lightly. They were some of the first to close their doors under strict orders from the government and their reopenings have had more stops and starts than a Sydney train during peak hour. One way you can support our struggling local boozers is by swinging by with a growler for freshly pulled tap beers. Here are some of our fave Sydney pubs ready to fill one up for the road. No hanging around once filled, though. Grab and go home folks.
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The gang at The White Cockatoo in Petersham are pulling one litre draught beers for just $10, provided you BYO vessel. If you haven't got your own jar, you can purchase one for $2 and keep handy for future refills. They’re also doing take away Margaritas, Espresso Martinis and Negronis in 120ml serves for just ten bucks too.
Full details can be found at the White Cockatoo Hotel's website here.
Established in early 2017, Brookvale-based Bucketty’s Brewing Co. has quickly grown into a beloved community hub with good times and good brews at the fore. The sprawling warehouse tasting bar may be closed for business as usual but the clever folks have created a drive-thru pint business for the duration of lockdown. Obviously, use your head when carrying bevvies in your car but this is kind of a game-changer when it comes to boozy take away options in Sydney.
Head to the Bucketty's website here to stay in the loop.
The team at Redfern’s Tudor Hotel has never faltered when it comes to serving up imbibements to locals, not even in the bad old days when it was robbed at gunpoint while nonplussed regulars carried on watching the Bledisloe and sipping their beers. If armed robbery can’t stop them, then neither will a pandemic. The crew are slinging both growlers and squealers of tap beers for just $25 and refills for only $15. The pub turned bottle-o has an epic drinks selection, with Young Henry’s, the Grifter and Philter on the taps, as well as a very impressive takeaway selection of tinnies from breweries all across Sydney.
Keep an eye on the Tudor's instagram for the most up-to-date details.
Built and established in 1912 as the Cleveland Inn, this heritage listed hotel underwent a major restoration in 1995. Since then it’s been a local Surry Hills favourite. The legacy lives on, even through lockdown, with the team bottling growlers and squealers to take away. You can get your hands on jugs of Resches to Pirate Life and everything in between, 12-10pm every day.
The good folks are updating their instagram regularly with full details.
Bar Copo in Bondi copped a slap in the face when Sydney entered hard lockdown one week after opening day, which is a crime when you consider this is one to keep an eye on. Drawing inspiration from Brazilian and Argentinian flavours, you’ll find emboldening snacks like chicken heart skewers, slow cooked ox tongue and chicharrons (deep fried pork belly skin) and with a booze list from Sydney-based drinks master Ches Cook, you know you’re in for a treat.
One of the coolest wine lists in town is further complimented by the option to take away growlers of tap beers, including a brew made especially for Copo by Yulli's – the Copo Chopp. Head to the Copo website to place your order or head on in if you're in the bubble.
Manly’s hole in the wall triple threat, Sketch, is a cafe/bar/curry house – an unlikely combination we didn’t know we needed. When the team aren’t taking care of all your tandoor cravings, they’re supplying a seriously impressive list of nearly 30 rotating craft tap beers for pick-up and delivery. Pales, porters, sours and even a few non-alcoholic brews from across the country, and the world, are ready and waiting.
Head to the Sketch website for the full list which is updated regularly.
The Forest Lodge Hotel is serving up fresh tap beers to take home in growlers, squealers, 500ml tinnies and 1L torpedos from their surprising and impressive craft beer selection, including Modus Operandi, Wayward, Gang of Four, Murray’s and Badlands. If you’re after a classic, you’ll also find the usual suspects of big name breweries like Coopers, Toohey’s and Reschs to keep the lager dream alive.
Head to the Forest Lodge Hotel's website here for full details.
The Cat and Fiddle Hotel in Balmain are selling take away growlers of every tap beer they pour, from James Squires to Hahn Super Dry. Growlers start at $30, with refills at $25. Squealers of tap beers will set you back $15 with $10 refills. The kitchen is also open for take away orders where you can score classics like fish and chips, wood fired pizzas and Sunday roasts. Check out their website here for orders.
Everyone's favourite late night dive, Frankie's Pizza by the Slice may be on it's way out to make way for new infrastructure but that doesn't mean they aren't taking very good care of their patrons until the doors finally close in a year's time. You can score growlers of their extensive tap list to take away and pizza and tinnies are available on Deliveroo.
Check out the full menu at the Frankie's website here.
The team behind Oxford Street's Bitter Phew have been dedicated to a diverse beer selection since day dot. The cult craft beer bar has 12 taps and lucky for us, the good times don't have to stop. On tap you'll find ales, lagers, porters, sours, anything your little heart desires. Updates will be available regularly on the Bitter Phew instagram so keep your eyes peeled.
Petersham's Huntsbury Hotel is a classic inner-west corner pub that has been keeping locals fed and watered since 1888. These days things might look a little different but the general ethos remains the same. The team are slinging take away growlers and squealers of tap beers as well as mixed four packs of their extensive craft range (we're talking suds from Batch, Akasha, Wayward and Grifter brewers to name a few).
Check out the Huntsbury Hotel's instagram for regular updates.
The old-school Newtown favourite, the Carlisle Castle are open for business. As well as growlers and squealers of tap beer, the team have whipped up bottled cocktails for just $12.
The lockdown lunacy is being updated regularly on the Carlisle insagram page here.
The Golden Barley has a dedicated and loyal following and one of Sydney's best beer gardens. While we can't quite settle in for an arvo session on the picnic tables out the back just yet, you can get a little bit of the Barley to take home. Tap beers in growlers or squealers are available as well as cases of Aussie beers and bottles of wine. You can find brews from Philter, Willie the Boatman, Stone and Wood and Young Henry's as well as the added bonus of tap seltzers.
Check out the full list on the Golden Barley website here.
Silver linings can be hard to see at first but one glaring beauty to come out of the stay-at-home orders is that the folks at the Taphouse in Darlinghurst have bought a canning machine! This means that the tap beers that have made them famous are now available to take away in 500ml cans or have delivered straight to you.
The team are updating their website regularly with drinks specials so follow the link here to see what's on now.
The good folks at the Glebe Hotel are inviting locals to bring a vessel in any shape or size to grab a tap beer to take away for as little as $10 a litre. That's a bargain in anyone's book.
Thu-Sun 3-6pm you can BYO jar and score tap brews from Panhead, the Grifter, Young Henry's and Stone and Wood among many more.
Full details on the Glebe Hotel's Instagram here.
One of Bondi's few aquatic mammal namesakes, the Stuffed Beaver, is once again setting itself apart. Squealers of Grifter pale ale and lager aren't the only drinks specials the team are flogging. Bottled jalapeno and Tommy's Margaritas, Old Fashioneds and Negronis are also available to pick up or on Deliveroo.
Check out the Stuffed Beaver instagram for details.
Redfern's Bart Jr has temporarily rebranded themselves as Bart Mart, excitingly offering a whole world of natty wines, tap beers and other goodies to pick up.
If you don't fancy leaving the house, food is available for delivery. They're slinging beef short ribs with jarred cocktails, vegetarian three-course feasts and of course oysters by the dozen. You can place your orders here.
The Salisbury Hotel in Stanmore is a favourite amongst locals for its awesome meal deals, minimalist industrial interiors and kid-friendly beer garden complete with a full-sized antique van for the littlies to climb on.
The team has kept the community top of mind with their takeaway beer jars, bottled cocktails and cafe menu all available to take home with you.
Check out the Salisbury's website here for full menu.
Alexandria's Rocks Brewing Co. are no strangers to the takeaway growlers, a staple of any good brewhouse. The good people at the Rocks are now offering beer delivery Mon-Fri, with the core range starting at $30. If you're in the bubble you can also head in and order a takeaway growler or refill your empties Mon-Sat.
Full details are available on the Rocks Brewing instagram as well as delivery link.
A takeaway growler from south Sydney favourite, the Bradbury, will set you back just $20 for local beers and up to $30 for craft and mixed drinks. Patrons are also invited to BYO 2L containers to have filled with a tap brew of their choice, so save that milk bottle from the recycling.
The full list of tap beers is available at the Bradbury's website here.
Summer Hill's favourite wine bar, the Temperance Society, may have closed the doors for dine-in but there are still plenty of options for pick up and delivery from the little bar that could. As well as tap beers ready for collection in venue, there are tins from the Fat Nerd, Young Henry's and Yulli's to help wash down some Korean fried chicken or pulled beef cheeks.
Hit the time up via their website to place your order.
4 Pines Brewing Company have slowly been taking over the northern beaches and so far no complaints. The Manly flagship is open for all your growler and tap beer needs while you can order almost the entire range from 4 Pines, Brookvale Union and the barrel aged beer range for delivery via the website here.
The Royal Albert in Surry Hills has always championed the cause for local brewers, distillers and winemakers, all while absolutely nailing their tap beer options. The unassuming corner pub has hardly seen a facelift since its establishment in 1927 though they do boast a very modern booze selection.
It would be a crime to let the kegs lay dormant so the team behind the Albert are bottling up the brews into growlers for you to enjoy at home. Not only are the beers ready to come home with you, but there are also bottled Piña Coladas, Manhattans and Espresso Martinis there to join the party.
Head in to pick up or follow this link to order your delivery.
Enmore newcomer, Hopsters co-op Brewery is Australia's first brewery established under the Co-Operative Principles, meaning it is a place of collaboration, sharing and education. Due to the sheer amount of creativity in this think tank, the beers are ever evolving and revolving. Straight from the taps you can get 500ml cans of plum sours, stouts, lagers, farmhouse ales, and amber's just to name a few.
You can see the full list of beers available at the Hopsters website here.
Erskineville's Kurrajong Hotel hasn't caught too many breaks since opening its doors last year. The lockdown orders struck almost immediately which is a real shame because this sprawling corner pub is an instant classic. A really cool booze list that focuses on minimal intervention wines and a beer list that changes so often instructions are just "ask us". As that may be, it's always quality stuff, with local craft brewers at the forefront and even a seltzer or two. Balter, Brick Lane and Moon Dog breweries feature often on the taps if that gives you an idea of what to expect. Growlers are available to pick up and food and tinnies are available for delivery through the Kurrajong website here.
Here are the Sydney bottle-os that let you browse their excellent wares from behind the safety of a screen, so you can keep the cellar stocked with just a couple of clicks or have the essentials at the front door for when the going gets rough.
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