The new owners of Darlinghurst’s The Taphouse have reimagined and expanded the pub’s offer with a focus on local, independent spirits and natural wines.
Brothers James and Josh Thorpe took over the craft beer institution mid-2017, with plans to add their own twist to the mix.
Gone are the pub mainstays of basic international spirits and ‘gawky’ wines, replaced by the best and brightest of Australia’s bourgeoning local spirit and natural wine industry (and of course 60 taps of local, independent beers and ciders).
“What we are undertaking is an experiment in ownership; and I say experiment because it has never to my knowledge been done before in a pub,” proclaims James.
“I love the fact that if you order a gin and tonic, you get Poor Tom’s Sydney Dry from Marrickville. Vodka … Archie Rose in Rosebery. Our spiced rum comes from Melbourne and tastes like Christmas pudding, and our wine list showcases some of the best natural wines from epic Australian winemakers, like Vanguardist and Walsh & Sons.”
The buzzword of ‘Premiumisation’ continues to influence venues serving quality beverages, but independently, the brothers have embraced the fact that punters are looking for something more, and they are delivering by showcasing premium products – with the added twist and interest of being made locally.
Although still trading on its legend with beer, including running Sydney’s oldest beer appreciation society every month, James believes the shift in discussion to ‘ownership’ over ‘craft’ is resonating with the clientele.
“As a large venue we see a big part of our role as making disciples for better beer. We still cater heavily for the ‘pointy end’ of specialty beer, but I get the most joy out of putting a VB drinker onto an amazing locally-owned lager, or the stalwart Lashes enthusiast on to a locally-owned pale ale like Three Sheets or Balter XPA. The look on their face when they take the first sip is priceless.”
The Thorpes say the indie beer market in Australia has now matured to the point where they can offer boutique beers at the same – or even lower – prices as other venues offer mainstream labels. Happy Hour sees no less than eight different brews on offer for five dollars a glass.
“The same is true of our recent foray into locally-owned and distilled spirits,” adds James. “The amount of compliments we get on our rail spirits in unbelievable. People have a certain conception of the quality of product they will be poured when they order a house ‘gin’ or ‘vodka’, and we thrive on beating that each time.
“Being able to explain that our gin is made down the road and locally-owned is an added plus.”
Following the course of boutique beers, consumer interest in small batch spirits is growing steadily, aided by the successes of the Tasmanian distillers and their world class whiskeys.
Scotch has become the largest category in glass spirits in Australia, and remains dominated by the multi-levelled stylings of Johnnie Walker, offering every level of expectation.
“The beauty of the Scotch category and the whisk(e)y category in general is the sheer diversity and quality we’re seeing coming through,” poses Diageo Australia’s marketing innovation director, Adam Ballesty. “It all contributes to drinkers embracing Scotch and being eager to learn more, and that’s a great thing for us.
“We’re now seeing people come into the Scotch category at a more premium level, in fact, it’s our Johnnie Walker Black Label that’s driving much of our brand and category growth.”
For the full article on The Taphouse’s repositioning, read this month’s PubTIC Magazine, also featuring Chris Feros’ new pub Highfield.
