RECAP: A-Z – 2023 Brisbane bars

This was my THIRD alphabetical list of Brisbane bars, I’ve now written 80 reviews (this year I added a couple more, as Fick Brewery was HOTLY requested, and I re-visited Viscosity bar after their expansion).

At the beginning of 2024: opportunity came up to return to my hometown Melbourne – so I took it! The call of a BIGGER city, more bars! I wanted adventure, and boy did I get it..

Not only did I have to wrap up my Brisbane LIST, I had to wrap up my Brisbane LIFE.

Months were spent selling furniture on Marketplace, signing real estate forms and saying goodbye to much loved friends & family.

I bid farewell to my favourite bars, thanked Hellbound (who have been there from the beginning), Soapbox Beer, Netherworld, Bollywood bar!

Thank you all so much for your support.

I hit the road on the last day of April, to drive South, for a 1,800km trip. Did I DRINK my way down the East coast of Australia? YOU BETCHA!

From Brisbane to Burleigh, across the NSW border, Coffs Harbour, through to Newcastle>

Newcastle HIGHLIGHT: Wings & Tins, a funky dive bar on Darby Street – with a “Keep Newy Weird” West Coast IPA (and the chicken wings were delicious too!)

NEXT, to catch up with mates in Canberra (my first visit to the ACT) and WOW there are some BIG roundabouts there. GIANT. Anyhoo, the beer –

At Brew Nation – there was a wonderful assortment of beers on tap. LOVED IT. One midi of the Stoic Brewing NEIPA, please and thx!

THEN a 10 minute walk over to BentSpoke – which is TWO floors of vats & taps. OMG Canberrans are TRULY blessed to have these gems in town.

(There may have been a big sleep-in after Canberra, but I pushed on..)

Arriving in Wodonga> I had officially made it to VICTORIA! yayayay

The Goods Shed came HIGHLY recommended by my Victorian family, and now I pass that recommendation on to you.

There were craft beers I’d never heard of, in fantastic bulbous glasses (snifters)

Cheers to an OCHO “Hush Hush” IPA and the grooviest RAINBOW chalk board I’ve ever seen. LOVED IT!

YES, even I was surprised when I made it to Melbourne in one piece.

I’d started fleshing out an A-Z Melbourne bars LIST and planning for my first GABS in Melbourne..

What I hadn’t planned on was my relationship not working out.

After moving interstate and moving in together… it ended. Not long after GABS, Matt & I parted ways..

Navigating a break-up while also blogging in a new city has been DOUBLE the challenge. BUT: writing about it has helped, friends and family have helped, and surprisingly Chat GPT has helped!

I lost 8 kilos (and I don’t care to find them) Pretty soon you’ll notice my pudgy cheeks disappear (and CHEEK BONES appear!) in my video reels, as I catch up on all my editing.

>AND in some shots you will STILL be able to see right up my nostrils<

So STAY TUNED Chicksters, PLENTY more to come –

It is only the beginning of this Melbourne BARS adventure, and I am ready to hit the ground WALKING. lol