The team behind CBD boozer Hotel Sweeney’s have never let their customers go thirsty and they're not about to start now, even during lockdown. On Friday, Aug 13, they’re inviting you to come and drink the pub dry. From 12-6pm you'll be able to grab a takeaway growler of some of your favourite brews, with domestic suds starting from $12 and crafts from $18.
Despite its primo location in the heart of the CBD, spitting distance from both Town Hall and the QBV, Hotel Sweeney’s remains a bit of a hidden gem. Sure, it’s a bit of an acquired taste – a couple of questionable facelifts over the years have resulted in a hodgepodge of a ground floor sports bar, a saloon-cum-Thai restaurant on level two, then a cocktail lounge, and finally, four single-file flights up, one of the city’s most underrated rooftop bars. But beneath the refurbs and skyward extensions, the bones of this corner pub have stood firm for over one hundred years and the stained glass windows of can-can dancers flashing their ruffled unmentionables, grooved dark wooden floors and narrow stairways hint at this rich history.
One feature of Hotel Sweeney’s that is firmly planted in 2021, however, is the beer list. A carefully curated selection of acclaimed international craft beers range from light and fruity quaffers, to hoppy and bitter heavy-hitters and everything in between. You can score some suds from the likes of Bridge Road Brewers, Brooklyn Brewery, Yeasty Boys and Dainton Brewery. Already have a vessel that needs a refill? No problem – growler and squealer refills will be available in the main bar.
