Sam W.
Yelp
Craft Beer is the thing in Brisbane at the moment, we love it, we drink it a lot and we love the venues. Obviously the craze will die down, some venues will survive, some won't and it's the hospitality circle of life. But it's hard to imagine we'll ever go back to buckets of corona, in some form you'd take a good punt on craft beer being here to stay in the same way the Real Ale movement forever changed London drinking. You can see why this is a one way shift at GBCo, truly the most elegant of the new venues.
GBCo has much in common with similar nearby venues including the exposed brick walls, rough hewn bar, concrete floor, big display kegs etc. but it's not all quite so distressed. Instead of wooden palates or milk crates there's high tables along the side and low slung tables in the front with very comfortable and elegant wire frame seating. Their beers are not a collection of what everyone else is doing, they are brewed on premises and they run the gamut across IPA, to lager, stout and brown ale etc.
The beers themselves are absolutely delightful, never had a bad one and they sit neatly alongside a well curated wine list featuring some very pleasant Australian labels. You can also take away beers in larger bottles which is surprisingly affordable.
The other thing that is truly distinctive is the food. Craft beer venues have an unfortunate habit of restricting their food to the 'dude food' category of wings, sliders, chilli-fries etc. Sure, fine, nice enough, but very samey samey and if you think about it, a bit patronising. As if my enjoyment of beer means my food demographic is fried, salty fat. I'm cool with this food, i enjoy it on rare occasions but meh, we get it and i don't like kitsch menus, they annoy me. It's why i won't go to tiki bars, EVER. Besides, Carolina Kitchen does all that and better, so try something else or just order it in from them.
GBCo has a selection of simple sea-foods, crudo and salumi and cheeses. The seafood platter has bugs, prawns and oysters from their very own pots. The cured meats and dips are aces and all very nice. I actually want to single out the cheese platter as one of the best on the 4005/6 peninsula. Really stunning cheese presented well and surprisingly affordable.
I thought the beer soap was a bit of a silly gimmicky touch. Shows what this bozo knows, it's a really delicately scented soap with a super rich lather and actually really luxurious.
I love this place, i love everything about it, do yourself a favour.