Boilmaker's Dinner at All Hands Brewing House, Kings St Wharf, Sydney

Husband and I recently attended a special event at The All Hands Brewing House. It was called the Boilmaker Dinner on the 18th September 2019 which had a 4 course meal which was paired with beers and whiskey. Sounds good? Let me tell you more.

All Hands Brewing House (AHBH) is located on King St Wharf and is a microbrewery which boasts of delicious beer. I understand the Boilermaker Dinner was an annual dinner that AHBH hosts. We are treated to a cocktail before the dinner commences.

As I sit down, I can't help but appreciate how intimate and cosy this little room at the back of AHBH is. I am seated alongside a long table and end up chatting away to the people next to me on either side. It's a nice way to meet new people.  On my right are Dotti and Rebecca representing Sydney Scoop and on my left are some locals out on a double date. 

I listen intently to Thalita Alves who is a Whiskey advocate and is the host for tonight's dinner. She tells the group about her background and love of whiskey. We also hear from the owners of AHBH who talk about their love of beer and memorable experiences.

The meal commences! First up is the amuse bouche is two oysters with Glendronah, peat vinaigrette and sherry mignonette. The vinaigrette and also the migononette is separated by droppers but you can combine them to your own preference. I've recently found a new love for oysters and really enjoy the dressing. The pairing for the oysters are the AHBH Smash Amber Ale and a Glendronach Peated (46%). I must confess, the AHBH Smash Amber Ale is my favourite. It's smooth, slightly nutty in tones and has a mild bitterness. The Glendronach Peated has a charred wood tones and smells sweet. The taste has some real depth.

Entree is smoked duck mini cob rolls with a melted cheese crust. This is filled with a smoked duck stew, topped with horseradish cream.  This is a very homely meal with the saucey, creamy textures mixed in with the strands of duck that sit on top of a small bread cob. This entree is paired with a AHBH Hump day IPA (Indie Silver Medal Winner) which has a blend of three Australian Hops and an American hop. This is paired with a Benriach 21year old (46%) which is a sweet whiskey with vanilla and cinnamon tones.

For our mains, we have the Beef short rib braised in a wee heavy ale and pineapple chunks with a savoury pumpkin pie and a side of greens. The beef rib is cooked well and is very much melt in your mouth tender. The glaze on the beef short rib is absolutely delicious and as it's also our matching beer, they naturally compliment one another. The Wee Heavy Scottish Ale beer is very malty and has subtle smokey tones, perfect with any beef short rib. The paired whiskey is the Benriach 21YO Tawny Port. The whiskey has toasted oak spices and hints of orange peel. 

Now for Dessert which was the most controversial and debated with the group. Dessert is a Pear Tarte-Tartin with a blue cheese foam. The others sitting beside me talk about how over powering the cheesefoam is in contrast to the Pear Tarte-tartin. The sweetness of the tart is a bit lost with the strength of flavour from the blue cheese foam but I personally really like it! I end up sneaking dessert from another plate onto my own. I think it's my own preference for having more savoury tones from a blue cheese than the sweetness of a pear tart. The dessert is paired with an Irish Sport Stout which is a bit dry in flavour and has a thick head (This is an Indie Gold Medal Winner). The paired whiskey is the with Glenglassaugh Torfa (50%) which is sweet and smokey.

The table is also treated to some freshly tempered dark chocolate to finish up. This provided a mini show with a live demonstration of the chocolate being shaved.

Summary: Overall, I had really great time at the Boilmaker's Dinner at All Hands Brewing House. The pub grub was very tasty and I enjoyed the pairings with the beer and whiskey. It was a great atmosphere and I would highly recommend you checking it out.
It's definitely a fun and different experience compared to your average Wednesday night.

Price: $75 per person

Location: 22 the Promenade, Sydney, King St Wharf

Opening Hours: 
Sunday, Monday to Wednesday 11am to 11pm
Thursday to Saturday 11am to 12am

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the venue or their representatives. All photos, opinions and words are my own.