Latest reviews from Swan Valley Region
| 74 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Set in a nice old building in the rural area of the Swan Valley, Feral Brewing was comfortably crowded on our mid-week lunch visit. There is adequate seating, both inside, on the verandah, or in the beer garden. On the day of my visit there were 16 taps which included their core range (brewed and canned at nearby Bassendean) and the “Brewpub” range which is brewed on-site. The core range is commonly available while the "Brewpub" series are specials. All were available in various sizes including taster (100ml for $3.50) and regular (320ml mostly at $9). There are also two set tasters/flights available, the “Year-Round Tray” (core) and the “Brewpub Tray”, both at $20 for 6 tasters. Beer prices are expensive compared to other WA brewpubs. They offer an array of “up-market” pub-food meals varying from bar snacks ($6 - 18), mains ($20 - 38) and sides ($9 - 14). The dishes we had were fresh, tasty and in generous-sized serves. Some of the staff were welcoming and knowledgeable about their fare, both beers and food. The venue is about 30km from Perth CBD and not serviced by public transport.“ |
| 66 /100 10 HARRIS RD, CAVERSHAM “A massive complex that is thankfully well signed. Part designed by a company I worked from a few years back so I’ve been excited to visit ever since the doors opened. Ample parking but a long walk is almost guaranteed. On the edge of Sandalford winery means this bad boy has shoes to fill and shoes it has definitely filled drowning that monsterous neighbour. From weddings, to fine dining, to tasting rooms for thee vintners best it is the brewery I must focus on. Hot inside; misters outside and a tall ceiling don’t cool it down much with a few hundred guests for lunch. A dozen ceiling fans might get things moving. Tasted the row of six beers and for a first didn’t rate them. A fan of their Black IPA from prior the beers are pleasant, and to style but found the limited release a little too hard to grasp. Pricing is typically Perth billionaire. Food was proper and pub like given the dollars spent on the venue. Though it was freaking delicious for burgers and pizza, I did expect a modern twist on classics. Hate to mention it was an hour wait on food (a chef myself, I don’t blame the kitchen). I actually like this place, hell, my mum even loved it. Given how busy it was for a late Saturday afternoon, I reckon a few kinks need to straightened and this could be the valley’s best venue!“ |
| 70 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “A rustic looking joint. Something of a cross between CA and Queensland. Plantation style house. Way out of the way for Perth.
Service . very solid. Knew the beers and willing to talk Also liked that the staff had favorites and willing to say what they were. Expensive beers but takeaway was reasonable.
I guess what dawned on me was all the beers are available in Sydney so there was pretty much no exploration of the beers possible. Had 3 barrel aged beers but all I have access to. So left me sort of disappointed as no newness to try to tick.
If you like the rustic looking feel you will love it. Looked more like a bad cross of a farm bear republic. Chickens running around the parking lot was interesting.
“ |
| 70 /100 10 HARRIS RD, CAVERSHAM “Brilliant venue. Lots money was put into this. Clean, good views, good tables and seating. Impressive bar. Yet, still have the wine feel to it. Kind of obvious when what is out front is vines and owned by winery.
Service was pretty abysmal as server did not know the beers and was generally pretty unknowledgeable, unless it was wine, then pretty decent.
OK. Came for the sour and black IPA. Had two seasonal beers on and the server did not know the 3rd was out. Bummer Typical range, wheat, mid, lager. Tasting tray was all the base beers so went for singles.
Food was good and a diverse menu. though the better menu would be the proper restaurant menu.
Hey it’s a winery so expect high prices. Food was well priced and gave good value. Beers were high priced but gave generous pours. Good crowd for a Monday.
Great venue, potential to be great. Maybe only beaten by Moo Brew Venue in Hobart.“ |
| 52 /100 55 BENARA ROAD, CAVERSHAM “Was fine for me (couple years back). Loved Debilitator :-))“ |
| 50 /100 10250 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “More creative than their neighbors, yet nothing special.“ |
| 50 /100 9720 WEST SWAN ROAD, CAVERSHAM “Another German style brewery. Setting is nice but brews are nothing special.“ |
| 48 /100 8731 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Good classical approach, brews & cuisine are fine.“ |
| 84 /100 10 HARRIS RD, CAVERSHAM “I’ll start by saying that I guess being in the industry helps when going to a place as we met up with the brewer and he gave us a full tour and beers straight off their tanks which was very cool. Pretty hard to knock service when that happens. As you pull into the 500 odd metre drive way, you can’t help but be wowed by this enormous structure in the distance. Absolute bucket loads of money spent here. There is a cool decking in front of the main bar area with plenty of seating and a nice fire place off to the side. Considering the size of the company and money spent on this thing, there really isn’t much of a stale feel. I like the enormous granite top covering the bar. Five beers pouring when we visited barely a fortnight after it opened as well as two ciders. We were told by Ron that there would be up 10 beers pouring once he had time to settle into the brewing and finish off some upcoming beers (Saison & Berliner Weisse). At this time there was a Lager, Pale, Belg Pale, Hefe and BIPA. Plenty of wine to choose from which is understandable considering it’s owned by Mandoon. A walkway through the middle of the structure leadds to a fine dining restaurant on the left and a vast picnic area on the right which has a delicatesan where you can purchase any picnic stuff, set up a spot and have pizza and beers delivered to you. Pretty bloody awesome!! Will definitely be taking staff here one time. On top of this there is a 400 person function room at the back which sits right in front of the river... and you can literally pull up your boat and have a beer if you come down the Swan River. Absolutely mental. This place is enormous. Money has definitely been plugged into this big time but they haven’t forgot about anything. The brewery is immaculate, probably the cleanest brewery I have seen to date. And there is a cellar underneath the front bar area where the head brewer, Ron keeps beer ingredients and barrels.... Yep barrels. For a sour beer project these guys are doing. Can’t wait to see some sour beers being brewed right in our back yard. First Feral and now these guys. Should be great“ |
| 90 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Love this joint. just wish there was a bus that went near it!. Great selection of beer, all of which is exceptional. Food has been great whenever I have been there too. Good area for the kids, but a modern playground would be a welcome addition.“ |
| 92 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Great brewpub. Very northern Cali/Sonoma vibe. We loved the outdoor area. I was most impressed by their wide selection and the quality of the non-core range beers they had on tap. This is what a brewpub is all about!!! Other breweries, please take note. No beer geek is gonna travel well out their way to drink the same old range they can pick up at their local bottle-o. It defeats the purpose.
They had no less than 8 additional beers that they don’t bottle that you can get virtually only get there (or at a tap takeover). Barrel aged beers, different Belgian styles, other IPAs. All brilliant.
My only gripe is that they didn’t have a single sour on tap.
The food was pricy, but super tasty and big portions.
We will be back.“ |
| 84 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Really enjoyed my time at Feral. Great place with great atmosphere inside or out. Beer selection is fantastic. Always seem to have a bunch of specials or seasonals on tap. Only about 2 or 3 beers on their menu weren’t tapped but I was told which pubs had those on tap if I wanted to head down to one of them (namely Sail & Anchor). Was happy they could make up a tasting tray of my choice as well. World class beers just need to improve on the selection as they run out of their seasonals a little too often....
The last few times I have been here, there has been no problems when it comes to their beer selection. Either all or almost all of their beers pouring on tap. Great to go down and have the choice of everything they do at the one time! Service can be a little hit and miss but this probably because they are getting pumped consistently“ |
| 90 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Absolutely terrific beers! Stinkin’ expensive....but worth it.“ |
| 36 /100 55 BENARA ROAD, CAVERSHAM “I come here about once every 2 years to see if its improved. Unfortuantely I am always disappointed. Went there yesterday and bought a tasting paddle. All the beers tasted the same and possibly infected. Left most of it on the table and left. Nice spot, shame the beer isnt better. Also noticed the beer was being served in dirty glasses.“ |
| 74 /100 8731 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Similar to Duckstein down the road, in that the beer and food is good, but a little overpriced. Do like the fact you can get a litre for $18 though (with $20 deposit for the glass).“ |
| 36 /100 9720 WEST SWAN ROAD, CAVERSHAM “Reviewing my rating after a couple of recent visits. Beer has gone up from $10.50 to $12.50 per 400ml. $17.75 per pint if you scale it. And the beer quality has fallen off. Beer garden has become one big tented area which kills the ambience. Gone downhill.“ |
| 90 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “The best brewery in the Perth area by a long way. Great beers, gourmet food, and swift service. Just a little bit out of the way.“ |
| 56 /100 10250 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “In short, great beer, nice brewery behind the bar.....but ordinary food, poor service and poor seating ambience. Also subject to some awful liquor licensing restrictions.“ |
| 90 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “awesome is one word to describe this place! great selection of beers and all at the highest quality. food is pretty good and a great place to relax and drink some of the best beer in the world“ |
| 74 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Was a little disappointed when they first opened, but now, brilliant!
Beer range is excellent. Food is classy, although not cheap. Location is nice. All over a good place to try some above average brews.
“ |
| 62 /100 23 CALE STREET, MIDLAND “Finally got out to Midland, still in its renaissance so to speak and looking a lot better than years gone by, to visit the Principal. If location is a key this definitely has it, grand central, but if coming by anything other than on foot then parking is the only issue. Very clean cut, strangely set out but in that charming way, and headed by two traditional looking bars. The kitchen is literally ’right there’ if you are sitting inside, reminds me of my cheffing days hearing docket after docket boisterously belched out by the chef on passe. The meals looked great coming out the kitchen, and the meals we ordered were spot on, flavoursome and wonderfully presented. Then the beer; seems a glitch in the system for them so at present they have only two beers and they’re contract brewed through Last Drop Brewery, for the mean time. Hopefully a system will be set up soon for them either in house or in the plush surrounds of Mandoon winery. Quiet, yet rowdy, friendly, lively, seems a great place to unwind so will be good to keep track of this one.“ |
| 62 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Their Hop Hog IPA is definitely worth the trip alone. A nice place set in the beautiful Swan Valley and with several top notch beers“ |
| 52 /100 9720 WEST SWAN ROAD, CAVERSHAM “its alright nothing special...“ |
| 86 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “AWESOME!!! Fantastic food either paired or made with Feral’s own beers. That’s just freakin cool. Their beers are awesome as well. This place does everything right“ |
| 94 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “I was drawn to this place after tasting there draught/bottled Hop Hog IPA and i was not disappointed. The food and service at this little gem is only trumped by there fresh range of regular and seasonal beers. The beers is served in appropriate glasses to suit the style for maximum aroma, flavour and enjoyment. My only hope is that this place bottles more of their beer (at the moment its only the HopHog, Golden ace and White) and they open more restaurants/brewpubs around Perth + beyond. It would also be nice if they had growlers so you could take some of the stuff they dont bottle (I’d be there every weekend if that was the case).“ |
| 70 /100 10250 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Nice palace. Had a few rounds here after playing super gold next door. Decent enough beer, nice atmosphere and good service. Very popular place !“ |
| 52 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “My rating of this place is admittedly a little skewed as we came on the big party-day during the spring festival in Swan Valley. The place was packed (like, hundreds of people) with kids partying hard (all in costumes curiously enough). Needless to say, this wasn’t the time for fancy beer sampling so we went for a pint of IPA and a smoked porter. Beers were good. Very good actually. And if I’d been ten years younger I’d loved the place.“ |
| 58 /100 10250 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Visited here on our return trip to Perth. The place had just opened when we left in 2006. Cool giant horizontal pine tree for the kids to climb on just outside the front door. Inside is very open, almost an arena feel to it. Long rough-cut wood tables line the wall opposite the bar, the rest are tables scattered all about. Table service only (you cannot just order from the bar). Beers were okay, didn’t try the food. Wait staff seemed very harried and a little disorganized. I had three different servers, but all were very nice. Only the bartender had any real beer knowledge.“ |
| 70 /100 9720 WEST SWAN ROAD, CAVERSHAM “This rating is for the Margaret River location, on Saracen Estates Winery property. The property is quite stunning. It has been open for about 5 months or so, and it still feels very new. The design is modern, with a very open feel. The wine tasting area occupies one end of the huge space, the middle area is the sunny indoor eatery, and the opposite end is an open beer gardens style area that is outddoors. There is a second set of taps out here, as well as a grand wooden bridge that leads across the resevoir used by the vinyard, and at the far end of the beer gardens is a nice children’s playground. I had the sampler tray, and all the beers were above average. My wife and I shared a sausage platter that was very delicious. Overall, the place, food, and beer were excellent. Definitely worth a visit. My only criticism is that the selection is limited to their own brews, but really who cares? You’re coming here to sample what Duckstein has to offer.“ |
| 68 /100 8731 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Visited this liitle brewery/restaurant on our recent return visit to Perth and the Swan Valley. Probably the most pleasing brewery to sit down in and have a meal in the valley, with Duckstein in close contention. This has a modern, open feel and is very bright. There is an elevated seating area in front of the bar that overlooks the entire floorspace and is very comfortable. Staff are all extremely friendly and helpful, and the bartender very knowledgable. You can see their famous giant glass kettle in the brewery behind the bar (the largest glass kettle in the southern hemisphere, apparently). Didn’t have time to eat, but the meals going out looked amazing and the portions generous. I would definitely return here for the food, and to enjoy the tasty brews again.“ |
| 72 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “A very busy place when ever i go there these days, the beer selection is better than your average aussie brew pub with most of their range just jumping out the glass with hops and the food is great!!“ |
| 80 /100 55 BENARA ROAD, CAVERSHAM “I was too lazy to enter this as a new place rating when I lived there, but ALLOVATE has done all the hard work now, so I can just post my rating. I made several trips to IronBark, and each time I came away with an armload of good beer and an earful of good conversation. When I was there, seating was limited to a couple of small tables and a bar, but it was pretty cozy. The owners are as friendly people as you could ask for, and they clearly love their shop. Definitely worth the stop, and by the sounds of things, growing all the time.“ |
| 74 /100 8731 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Nice night out I had planned on doing for quite some time. It’s a German eatery but don’t expect the Deutsch welcome or beer-hall set-out. Not to say it wasn’t a pleasant brewpub. On the contrary, the waitresses were wonderful, alert and extremely friendly. The food was bountiful, a single plate was suffice to feed a small village in South east Asia. It was damn tasty, I’ve literally travelled half the globe after Schweinn Haxe and this variant was succulent, tasty and would have bent a steel rod in its weight. The dogs loved the leftovers as I struggled to finish half.. More importantly, the beer was spot on to match the restaurant atmosphere. Tasty ales and lagers, nothing to breach the 4+, but exceptionally well made, crowd pleaser’s. A nice place for a meal and a top up!!!“ |
| 68 /100 10250 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Third visit here and actually stayed for lunch this time, the menu is fairly simple but the food was good. The beer list was the same, simple, but give it a try anyway, now they need to get serious and make "just great beer".“ |
| 80 /100 10250 WEST SWAN ROAD HENLEY BROOK “Lazily wasted away a very, very pleasant Sunday here. Found it, a mere 5 weeks after opening, to be jam-packed with a very lively and friendly, open minded crowd that gave a sociable, relaxing ambiance to the place. The modern, spacious, almost industrial looking brewhouse is crowned by the bar which delivers beer straight from the conditioning tanks. The food was lovely; enjoyed a well selected tappas plate before a generous main dish and I can’t fault the service. Have to love the artwork adorning the walls. Don’t quite know the notion behind selecting caricatures of political leaders, but the one of Condaleeza Rice is hilarious. Met the brewer, Dan Turley, who freed himself for a moment to sit with us. A rampant home-brewer and formally a part of the now defunct Bullant brewing company, he seems keen on ramping up the brews available possibly leaning towards English Strong’s and Belgian Ales. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and the wife even more so. See how this fledgling brewery goes, so far so good!!!“ |
| 74 /100 9720 WEST SWAN ROAD, CAVERSHAM “I don’t make it here often enough, or atleast as much as I would like to. Lovely set up from the arch entrance reading ’Wilkommen im Biergarten’, to the oompah-loompah band playing in between sets from local artists. The staff are friendly and the crowd are lively in the surroundings of this authentic German brewpub complete with copper kettles in the centre of the restaurant. Food is fantastic, beer is tasty and brewed to the purity law, and they do a mean Oktoberfest celebration. What more could you want.“ |
| 82 /100 55 BENARA ROAD, CAVERSHAM “A regular favourite of mine for their tasty dark ales and lagers, and conveniently located within walking distance of my house. After a shaky start with everything riding on its success, Graeme and his wife Chris have slowly built this into a champion micro-brewery with an often crowded, but well set-out beer garden that makes for a lovely place to waste away a Sunday. With a menu and a wine-list now, a very friendly chef and some tasty tucker, there is something for everybody. The best in the valley, innovative and lively.“ |
| 62 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Casual, kid-friendly with a swing set and sandpit, nice menu selection with excellent slightly-upscale pub fare (try the burger-- outstanding), with delicious beer as the calling card.“ |
| 54 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Over two years ago I would pass on an offer of visiting my local to trek out to ’Feral’. Back then it had a light patronage mainly based around locals. Three trips out there earlier this year did nothing but leave us thirsty as we couldn’t even get a park. Lost a little of it’s charm due to the trendies that now haunt it. Still make one of the best Ploughman’s lunch this side of the British isles, though, and atleast you can wash it down with a decent beer, or two.“ |
| 30 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Not a lot more to say other than very dissapointing.“ |
| 84 /100 152 HADDRILL ROAD, BASKERVILLE “Beer oasis in the heart of wine country is an apt desciption. Also undomesticated yet sophisticated works well. Casual but well serviced. Beer and food and atmosphere all work well.“ |
