Freshwater Brewing Company’s Brookvale Taproom has undergone a complete renovation and reopened as Freshie Clubhouse.
Located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, the 250-seat venue is the brainchild of Folly’s Bar & Bistro at Cammeray owners and long-time friends Lachy Sturrock and Sam Smith, who bought into the award-winning craft beer business earlier this year.
The venue blends the warmth and aesthetics of surf clubs and RSLs of years gone by with modern hospitality. Red frog-topped cocktails, potato scallops, retro furnishings and the nostalgia of Australia’s beachside towns awaits visitors.
Sturrock—who lives in the local community—said Freshie Clubhouse is a celebration of the Northern Beaches and locals’ quintessentially laid-back way-of-life.
“This is a true locals pub. It’s a place for everybody, whether you’re visiting with your kids, your mates or your dog, and it’s always going to be a good time,” he said.
Beyond the white facade of the original industrial-style exterior, photos of local surfing legends and old newspaper clippings line the new Tassie Oak panelled walls, while retro carpet, booth seating and classic Aussie design features like glass bricks and louvers throwback to a simpler time.
There are multiple spaces to discover, including casual dining and bar areas with a pool table and live sports on the TVs, as well as a special spot for families featuring a kids area that’s equipped with chalkboard walls, astro turf and a basketball hoop.
The Freshie Clubhouse menu also has an air of nostalgia about it, paired with contemporary flair.
In a nod to the classic Northern Beaches fish and chips shop, crispy, bite-sized potato scallops are served with chicken salt and whipped sour cream, as well as hot chips topped with salt made from native ingredients and an iceberg wedge with ranch dressing, bacon and parmesan.
When it comes to the mains, the team has reimagined the classic Aussie parmigiana to create the Parmi alla vodka. Made with herb-crumbed chicken breast, smoked ham, alla vodka sauce, mozzarella and served with hot chips and seasonal leaves, Sturrock says it was inspired by Folly’s much-loved pasta.
“That dish has been huge for us,” he said. “We wanted to bring something from our first venue over to Freshie, and what better way to do that than to marry it with one of the country’s most iconic pub dishes.”
The menu also features crumbed lamb cutlets just like mum used to make, a burger with the lot—including pineapple, bacon and beetroot relish—as well a fish burger made with crumbed barramundi, house-made tartare and iceberg lettuce.
With the Freshwater Brewing Company brewery still located onsite, there are more than 15 beers available on tap, but in a significant expansion from its previous offering, there is also now a curated wine and cocktail list.
Headlining the latter is the signature Goodie Bag, a fruity play on a whiskey sour that comes garnished with a red frog like the ones that used to be purchased from the convenience store for five cents.
About half of the cocktails are made using Freshwater Brewing Company beers or hops, in a nod to the history of the venue, while the wine list features a mix of Australian, Italian, French and South American producers.
Freshie Clubhouse is serving up a happy hour from opening, with $6.50 schooners, $8.50 pints and $14 cocktails available from 4pm to 6pm every Wednesday to Friday, as well as a $35 Sunday roast with all the trimming from this weekend.