April – October 2018
We first came across the Brewtorium when it was still in the throes of creation on a visit to the Blue Genie Art Bazaar next door. We were the over-excited folks peering through the window trying to catch a glimpse of ATX’s newest beery venture, and consequently were through the door as swiftly as possible after its opening this March.
Our first impressions weren’t overwhelming – the space felt dark, cold and a little corporate and the young beers didn’t grab us, but after a six-month hiatus I felt it was essential to revisit the Brewtorium before writing this piece, and that turned out to be a very sensible decision indeed. In the intervening months, the Brewtorium has blossomed from awkward wallflower to sophisticated socialite, and we were happy to have our first impressions completely overturned. A new warmth and glow seemed to permeate the Brewtorium, the lighting was softer and the private event space nicely curtained off, and smiling staff couldn’t have been more helpful. We arrived on a busy, buzzy games night and were somewhat regretful we hadn’t brought our Risk board along, which of course we will do next time! Even the size of the space, which had felt a little overwhelming and cavernous on our first visit, seemed to have grown into itself, and it was great to see it so lively on a Tuesday night.
Our beautifully presented flight came with simple but classy tasting cards and we were immediately impressed by the quality of the offerings. The Brewtorium has clearly expanded their repertoire beyond their initial focus on Belgian styles, and this is working out very well indeed. The Space Lazer Brut DIPA warrants a return visit all by itself. I’m such a fan of Brut IPAs but there’s no denying they’re easy to get wrong, and while this didn’t quite capture the full bready effervescence of champagne, the dry, subtle fruit flavours swirling around the fresh, complex hops made it an absolute joy. I really enjoyed the Poolside Peach Gose somewhat in spite of myself, not being the biggest fan of peach beers, but this was zestily tart with lashings of salt and spice and had an enjoyably margarita-like feel to it. The Brewtorium’s take on the English Mild, the Knight’s Tippler, was another pleasant surprise – delicious nutty plum flavours and a silky-smooth texture that really did give me a taste of home.
The Brewtorium has its own kitchen, and while the pizzas are on the pricey side they did look rather splendid, and shareables are more affordable. Aside from games night, they host the occasional parties and community events and are open every day except Monday, hours are day-dependent. Sit out on the cute fairy-lit deck or the nicely ergonomic wooden swivel chairs and check out these great beers!
Craft Beer Amethyst 