Mick is an octogenarian living in Boulder. Each day he wanders down the road and provides the Beaten Track Brewery with fruits he grows himself, including lemons, apples, oranges and mulberries. In return, he gets a Ruben toasted sandwich and an XPA beer or golden ale. This sounds like a great deal for both the brewery and Mick.
It is local stories such as this that add to the atmosphere of a great venue. The Beaten Track Brewery is the only establishment dedicated to craft beer in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The nearest one is 340 kilometres (211 miles) away, the Lucky Bay Brewery in Esperance.
All products are made on the premises. There are six beers on tap, and 2 non-beer alternatives. Cans of beer are also available, and there are gluten free ciders and soda.
A passionfruit, orange and apple cider at 3.5% alcohol sounds refreshing and delicious, as does their alcoholic watermelon soda, also at 3.5% alcohol.
Try their Space Coyote Red IPA at 6.4% with its malt character, and a little bit of a stewed fruit flavour.
You can take some beer home with you in cans, and they do sell and fill growlers.
Allira and her partner had been helping out at the Beaten Track for a few years and loved it so much they bought into the business in 2017 when the previous owner decided to sell. She loves the area, living in Kalgoorlie since she was two years old and is raising her Kalgoorlie born children here. Chatting with Allira on the day I dropped in, she was happy to share information on the business and was very enthusiastic about their opportunities in the New Year and their new additional premises in Kalgoorlie.
In their current premises at Dwyer St, Boulder, they have 4 x 500 litre fermenters and often run out of beer. As they have outgrown this venue, in 2020 they are opening a shop in the old Laslet building on Hannan St, Kalgoorlie. This new premise will be more immersive, and more accessible to the public. In their indoor area they will have 4 x 500 litre fermenters and 4 x 1000 litre fermenters. As they are currently running out of product to supply, the new extra litre capacity will hopefully ensure that the beers keep consistently flowing.
Brewing a beer can take 10 days to 4 weeks of fermentation, depending on the style of beer. 1 tank is permanently dedicated to making their Summer Ale, but this has not been enough for the thirsty folks of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and passing tourists.
Beaten Track brewery have been producers of craft beer for over 13 years, as wholesalers to local pubs and tastings. Friday and Saturday nights were once pizza nights, but they have now diversified and sell burgers, popcorn chicken, fried chicken, onion rings, chips and brisket nachos. Vegetarian burgers are made from scratch, with a vegan patty option.
Ryan is one of the Kalgoorlie locals and was there having lunch with his wife while the kids were at school. He said that he had eaten the nachos, and they were “awesome, meaty, delicious and a good size serve.”
Open at 11am, it is a great place for lunch, and closes at 9pm. It is a good idea to ring if you want dinner there as it often books out. The phone was ringing almost constantly when I was there with people making bookings. Allira said they keep a few seats spare for drop ins though. These two local chaps said they love the relaxed atmosphere, the staff, the beer, and the fact that it is locally made is a bonus.
Allira said that they aim to produce great beer and provide delicious food. “We do simple really well”, she said. “We keep things fresh and up to date. We are competitive and in line with the rest of Western Australia for craft beer.”
The beers are served at 2-3 degrees Celsius, and the glasses are kept in the fridge. I tasted their Sandstone Summer ale (4.7%) and it was deliciously cold, with a refreshing taste and easy to drink. It had a hops sweetness and aroma with a malt character.
If you wish to sample the various beers, you can ask for sample sizes. In the new premises they will have tasting paddles available with 6 tastings on offer.
Their branded hoodies, shirts, caps, beanies and stubby holders are a great souvenir to promote the business and many people give them as gifts to friends and relatives.
Happy Travels!
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