Bitter Phew

So the wife and I went for a meal in Surrey Hills, and afterwards we made a bee-line to Oxford street (city end) to try out Bitter Phew...

Pubs with white boards seems to be the in thing at craft pubs just now...

I use a white board at work all the time, but it seems craft pub owners are also corporate types and love a white board: every new craft pub these days seems to use the white board as a menu...

I struggled to decide whether to have a Saison or River Ale from Deschutes (http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brew/deschutes-river-ale), and in the end, I have never heard of a river ale so went for that. After a bit of research on the web I find that it is an American beer - man the US  are into their craft beers in a big way, and I have to say Oregon's beer list is making want to go there on holiday! 

Deschutes have done a great job with this one - it is like a Golden Ale (light to medium bodied) but a bit darker in colour, and a bit more stronger in taste with a lemony aftertaste. On my second beer of this stuff I made a call that it is a good beer - it was one of these beers that really makes you intrigued by it and that made me want to have another to really work it out. 

Back to Bitter Phew, when you make the long climb up the stairs, you really want a beer and luckily the bar is right there! Just after the Jamaica flag, its so obvious why they have a Jamaica flag in the bar entrance I won't explain.

Any pub that welcomes you at the door with a keg of Wayward is clearly a good place!

Cheers!

When we went it was almost empty, which was a real shame - the place has a really cool "unfinished" "studenty look" to it that is quirky and makes it work. Its the sort of small pub that would belong in Glebe, opposed to the trendy Surrey Hills. The reason you come here, is not for the view of Oxford Street, or the comfy sofa drinking lattes (it doesn't have sofas, and I am not sure it has a coffee machine either) - it is for the beer, and the ever revolving list of beers, most of which you have never heard of before. "What does Bitter Phew have on tap today?" is honestly a question that goes through my mind on occasion (luckily they are very active on twitter so it won't take long to find out).

"Phew", is what they will say when they finish the roof!

that not finished, little effort, probably took a lot of effort to develop... I kinda like it, in an odd way...

Hmmm... does this fake fire make it "a winter pub"... Im not sold... it is though the best pub on oxford street

So, in short, if you are looking for a trendy craft beer place to head to, go to the Quarrymans in Pyrmont, or Redoak in the CBD; if you are looking for something quirky, fun and with a great white board of beers on tap, head here. And I will be at the bar beside you.

Neil