Long hours in the office is a sure-fire way to work up a thirst, but sometimes the idea of heading out is little more appealing than stepping into a ring of fire. If you’d rather schlep straight home and make a mate out of some hard liquor, the crew behind Brisbane’s newest bottleshop has the perfect cure. Think growlers sloshing with craft beer, minimal intervention wines by the full or half bottle, pre-mixed bottles of cocktails and gourmet meals to take away. Brisbane restaurateur Nick Pinn – the man who brought you inner-city destination Malt Dining and South Bank’s Aquitaine Brasserie – has now turned his focus to the homebodies, catering for those who still want to feast upon the finest, but in the comfort of their own homes.

With a focus on supporting sustainable, small producers, Malt Traders sommelier Lucy George has selected an impressive range of thirst quenchers from biodynamic and organic vineyards like Marlborough’s Seresin Estate through to makers of preservative-free drops like McLaren Vale’s Battle of Bosworth. The beer fridge reads like a who’s who of craft beer – expect to see Kooinda, 4 Pines, Red Hill Brewery, White Rabbit and Willie Smiths organic apple cider, among others. Mix and match your own six pack, or grab refillable growlers full of draught beer, which currently proffer Stone & Wood Pacific Ale and Green Beacon Brewing Windjammer IPA. High-end spirits also line the shelves, as well as pre-batched bottles of Negroni, Old-Fashioned and Sazerac cocktails.

Those in need of heartier sustenance can pull up a seat at the communal table in-store or grab a meal to take home. Dishes like lamb and peperonata fettuccini and braised veal and potato fondant have been expertly prepared by Malt chefs, while a range of handy extras like Malt’s famous steak sauce, house-smoked cashews, maraschino cherries and cheeses are also available.

Tastings will be held every second Thursday, with First Drop Wines swinging by today from 4:00 pm. Keep watch on the Malt Traders Facebook page for event information and growler updates.

Malt Traders
10 Market Street, Brisbane City
Ph: 07 3236 4855
Open: Monday and Tuesday 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Friday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm and Saturday 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm