Cover Gweilo Brewlab at Grain (Photo: Courtesy of Grain)
Gweilo Brewlab at Grain (Photo: Courtesy of Grain)
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Created with the Woolly Pig Group, the expansive space remains Hong Kong's only on-site working brewery
Hong Kong's many craft beer lovers will be familiar with the cavernous waterfront venue in Kennedy Town that once housed a microbrewery and pub by Australian beer producer Little Creatures. Having shut down in January after four-and-a-half years of operation, the space has been passed onto fellow craft beer brewers Gweilo Beer, a local brand founded by three British expatriates in 2015, who have transformed it into Grain, a new gastropub and experimental brewing facility that opened this month.
Named after the venue's original use as a flour store, Grain is Gweilo's first physical retail location and created in partnership with Woolly Pig, the restaurant group behind the likes of Hue, Big Sur and Bathers. Breaking away from the warm, wooden aesthetic of the old Little Creatures space, the space has been revamped in sharper colours illuminated by purple fluorescent lights, and features a more obvious division between the drinking and dining areas. There is also a workshop and beer tasting space that fits 20, offering a more intimate way to engage with the brewing process.
See also: Casa Cucina & Bar Opens In Sai Ying Pun, Serving Modern Cicchetti And Handmade Pasta
Above Grain boasts a total of 24 taps (Photo: Courtesy of Grain)
Above The beer board (Photo: Courtesy of Grain)
Grain boasts a total of 24 taps (Photo: Courtesy of Grain)
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There's a lot to digest with the new concept, which not only seats 150 covers for food and drinks but is also home to the Gweilo Brewlab, a research and development brewing facility where guests can sample experimental brews not available anywhere else yet. The main bar features 24 taps that feature Gweilo's lineup of lagers, sours and IPAs, alongside serves from former occupants Little Creatures and other local breweries like Heroes and Carbon Brews. A selection of draft cocktails is also available, such as Gweilo gin & tonic, pineapple mojito and the Pampelle Spritz.
The bar snacks are designed to pair with the beers, and range from Wagyu flank beef tartare with fermented red pepper paste, to house-made pork and beer malt sausages, salmon pastrami served with charred cucumber, and the "GFC", essentially a Japanese chicken thigh marinated in buttermilk and Gweilo IPA, then deep-fried and served with spicy mayo.
Related: Where Chefs Are Excited to Eat In Hong Kong: May 2021
Above Food spread at Grain (Photo: Courtesy of Grain)
Food spread at Grain (Photo: Courtesy of Grain)
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Chef Matthew Ziemski, formerly of London's Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and The Princess of Shoreditch, helms the kitchen to deliver beer-oriented dishes such as slow-cooked ox cheek with stout beer pie; Tagliatelle pasta cooked with clams, nduja, smoked cherry tomato and lager; steak of choice served with pickled mushrooms, "beer-delaise” sauce and fries; and Roman-style Pinsa pizza, an oval-shaped creation utilising a 48-hour cold-fermented focaccia base for a crispy, flavourful result.
Rounding out the offerings is the weekend brunch, of which the char siu burger with chilli pickled pineapple and fried egg is a highlight; and the Sunday roast, featuring one special roast each week and served from 12-8pm every Sunday.
Grain, G/F, Shop 1, New Fortune House, 3-5 New Praya, Kennedy Town; +852 3500 5870, grain.com.hk
Gavin Yeung is a Hong Kong-based writer and was the editor at Tatler Dining. He has written across the realms of F&B, design, fashion and travel, with a focus on in-depth profiles and experiential features. Previously, he held editorial positions at Hypebeast, Soho House and Vogue Hong Kong. He’s also a keen photographer and aspiring home bartender, and is constantly thinking of original, Cantonese-inflected (and occasionally questionable) cocktails to shake up. Follow him on Instagram at @gaviny.
