By Rob Zosars

*This trip to Hip Hops Brewers is before the recent takeover of Bacchus by Hip Hops.

Having moved to Ferny Hills, I am pleasantly surprised to discover that Moreton Bay City Council has several brewpubs and breweries to offer, especially considering several of them are clustered together. There is Which Craft Beer in Eatons Hill, which is only a seven-minute drive from Hip Hops, and Hip Hops itself is only a four- minute drive from Brendale Brewing Co.

I only visited one of these breweries on this day, Hip Hops Brewers. Like many craft breweries, this one is located in an industrial area on South Pine Road. It is part of a strip known as the Sheds at Brendale, an upmarket shopping mall. It has a coffee shop, charity shop, and a restaurant that advertises Scarborough Harbour Brewing Co. beers, which might be worth trying next time, especially if one doesn’t feel like travelling all the way to Scarborough.

At the end of the line, Hip Hops Brewers is easy to spot with its red coloured, graffiti-covered sheet metal entrance and music playing (though strangely, their choice this morning is Alan Parsons Project not hip-hop, as you would think, but I don’t mind).

Inside, the space is quite open with booths, tall tables and stools near some barrels at one end, pinball machines, shorter tables, more comfortable seating, and merchandise at the other end near the brewery portion of the venue. In the middle, there is an outdoor area with long tables and benches near marquees (with comfortable seating underneath and a space for pets) and booth seating along the wall.

Hip Hops has an impressive array of taps. Since White Brick Brewing in North Lakes closed down, Hip Hops has taken over some of their beers, brew them and calls them “heritage”; keeping their recipes and brand alive at a new venue. I sampled  several tasting paddles during my visit and am particularly impressed with the Dark wattleseed lager and the Redcliffe Red IPA.

While enjoying my beers, I had some peanuts to stave off hunger until my New York Reuben arrives with chips. It is the perfect combination—beer, salty peanuts, a sandwich renowned for its briny, salty deliciousness, and beautiful weather. After finishing my time there, I buy a few merchandised clothes, including a bucket hat. If you are ever in this part of town, I highly recommend Hip Hops Brewers, especially as a spot to catch up with friends or family, or even host a casual party. It definitely has the space, and on a beautiful day, you could stay for hours just relaxing and trying all their beers.