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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
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The Australia, Porthmadog
Porthmadog
LL49 9LR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Australia
After a 13 years hiatus, I finally got back to Porthmadog on a recent Thursday evening. The Australia is the brewery tap for Purple Moose and I've wanted to visit for some time.
In all honesty, I was left feeling a little disappointed. Ales were all from Purple Moose. The usual ones are Snowdonia Ale, Elderflower Ale & Dark Side of the Moose. Glaslyn & Madog's Ale were also on, whilst the real cider was Rosie's Triple D. Craft beers from Purple Moose were Black Rock, Mwsh & Antlered IPA.
The pub does seem quite commercialised. Food seems to be a big proposition here. In fact, I appeared to be in the minority as a drinker. There are two rooms to choose from. The one to the right is the main bar area, whilst one to the left down a step or two seemed to be all diners.
The Australia is undoubtedly a good addition to the Porthmadog drinking scene. Whether it's the best place these days, I'm not sure. I remember Spooner's Bar and the Station Inn being better. But that was some time ago.
On 17th October 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Australia
Since my previous visit this is now run just by Purple Moose and is externally billed as their brewery tap. Their has been no structural changes to the split level bar but it's been all moosed up both externally and internally. There is a "Legend" on one wall explaining the name Purple Moose which is an even bigger load of cobblers than the one about the dog Gelert at Beddgelert North of here. I came here three times in all and found it to be very busy around meal times and that was midweek in October.
There are now just six hand pumps with one unused, presumably the cider one which would suggest they only do it in summer. The rest had five Purple Moose beers, Glaslyn, Whistling Sands, Cwrw Ysghawen, Dark Side Of The Moose and Snowdonia. There are also three keg beers, Chocolate Moose, Mwch Lager and Antlered IPA. During my visits I tried the Glaslyn (£3.25), Dark Side (£3.25), Ysgawen (£3.40), Mwch Lager (£3.30), Chocolate Moose (£3.30) and Antlered IPA (£3.40). All were in good nick and it's worth noting the tiny difference in prices between cask and keg. The keg was cold but not freezing and not overly gassy.
I got to quite like this place but it's probably worth avoiding in peak holiday times. The score remains unchanged.
Visit September 2016
I've known this pub for some forty years and even when draught Bass was on offer (before the brewery ruined it) the place was a right dump. The last time I looked in during the late nineties it seemed a hostile place and I don't think I stayed for a drink. It's hardly surprising that despite past visits to the town by various PUG stalwarts it had remained overlooked.
Last year (after the failure of Y Gestiana) the "Gang Of Four" North Wales brewers took the place on to add it to the two in Conwy including the Albion which is arguably the best pub in North Wales. On my return I didn't recognise the place as it has all been completely modernised. It's now a split level wide room with an upper area as you enter and a lower area to the left with the bar servery covering both sides. I went to the lower area which annoyingly had a TV with Radio 2 playing.
Although there are eight hand pumps stretched along the bar only the four as you enter were in use with one beer each from the "Gang Of Four". These were Purple Moose Glaslyn, Nant Cwrw Coryn, Conwy Weissebier and Great Orme Atlantis IPA. I went for the Cwrw Coryn (£3.20) and Atlantis (£3.30) both of which were in excellent condition.
Porthmadog is almost certainly the best place for a beer on the Lleyn Peninsula and while this is no Albion it does add to the town's credentials. I combined it with a visit to the Spooner's bar and the Main Line Station pub making three places that are refreshingly varied. It's definitely worth a visit.
On 8th October 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Australia
This large split level, open plan pub caught my eye as we drove along the main road through Porthmadog one evening, thanks to the large banner outside proclaiming it as the home of Purple Moose beers. Popping back the following evening, we found the pub completely packed, with seating at a premium. You enter to the main bar area - a smart, bare boarded space with the servery directly opposite the entrance and seating space over to the right. Lots of chunky benches can be found around the room, including in a large front window bay, whilst low stools serve modest sized tables, all branded with the Purple Moose logo. The servery looks like a modern addition and has a dark wood counter and tongue and groove bar back but no real features of interest, whilst the walls have been covered either with fake brick wallpaper or else painted with chalkboard paint, allowing some creative soul to draw various brewery logos and promotional bits on the walls. Steps to the left of the bar lead down into a sizeable second seating area with similar seating arrangements and a small section of servery tucked into the rear right corner. A structural pillar has been embedded in a large barrel in the middle of the room and now acts as a drinking ledge, whilst on the end wall there is a chimney made from real bricks and with a stove blazing away inside. The pub's unusual name still remains a bit of an unsolved mystery, but the local theory tells a tale of sailors leaving Porthmadog for Australia with a ship full of slate, only to abscond when they reached the other side of the world. The ship was then sailed back by an Australian crew, who regularly frequented this venue upon arrival. It seems a spurious story but will have to make do with it so long as no other plausible explanation forthcoming.
The bar had a good row of handpulls offering a wide range of Purple Moose brews, with options on this visit being Black Rock, Glaslyn Ale, Dark Side of the Moose, Madog's Ale and Snowdonia Ale plus a real cider. I gave the Dark Side of the Moose a try and found it a little below par but still an enjoyable brew. A few more Purple Moose beers could be found on keg dispense and the service was very friendly but glacially slow, resulting in a big crowd at the bar.
This is definitely a must-do pub for anyone wanting to try some beer from one of Wales' top breweries but I was a little disappointed by the pub itself which was decidedly lacking in character and struggled to generate a convivial atmosphere even with a large weekend crowd. The place is still relatively new and perhaps is still trying to bed itself in but I think more could be done to make this somewhere you'd want to settle down for an evening. Having said all that, it is probably still the best option in town and I'd happily call in again.
On 3rd June 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
aleand hearty left this review about The Australia
Has re-opened as The Australia and is now being run as a joint venture by The Bragdy Nant, Conwy, Purple Moose and Great Orme breweries.
On 21st August 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 578 recommendations about 560 pubs]