Easy Times Brewing Co.
While the AFL Grand Final will undoubtedly be a momentous occasion for Brisbane’s sport fanatics, the day will also be a big deal for our local craft-beer community. Easy Times Brewing Co. is under construction in Woolloongabba, with the anticipated arrival flagging Saturday October 24 as the tentative opening date, which coincides with the AFL premiership showdown. The brainchild of mental-health professionals and avid home brewers David Ferguson and Anita Boettger, Easy Times Brewing Co. is the result of a two-and-a-half year process of globe-spanning research, location scouting, hoop jumping and patience building. Earlier this year the team secured its dream location a stone’s throw from Gate One at The Gabba, taking over two spaces – a former motorcycle repair business on Stanley Street and a two-storey shopfront facing Logan Road – knocking out the walls separating the two buildings and connecting them into one. Guests will be able to enter from either side – with the Stanley Street entrance offering access to Easy Times’ brewing area, where an impressive gas-powered brewing system will be working on the brewpub’s range. Through the opposite entrance punters will enter the main bar, which will boast 20 taps plus two old-school English hand pumps (David, a UK expat, is eager to imbue the space with a welcoming vibe reminiscent of English pubs). Upstairs sits the main dining space and a smaller bar, which houses a further six taps. In addition to these key spaces, there will also be a mezzanine balcony drinking space above the brewery and a couple of outdoor nooks. When it comes to the Easy Times Brewing Co.’s beers, David and Anita are keen to keep things accessible and thirst quenching with a mix of modern and traditional styles, recruiting hot-shot brewer Curran McCarthy (formerly of Black Hops Brewing) to spearhead the concocting effort. Come launch, sippers can expect the likes of pale ales, session ales, double IPAs and a golden Munich-style lager – the latter is a tribute to Anita’s German heritage and an homage to her ancestor, famed Bavarian brewer and “Father of the Pilsner” Josef Groll. Easy Times has partnered with the low-and-slow masters at Proof BBQ & Booze for the brewpub’s food offering, so diners will have another spot to sink their teeth into Proof’s lauded menu, including sweet smoked pecan wings, pulled pork ‘sammichs’, beef brisket and saucy racks of ribs. David and Anita are keen to make Easy Times Brewing Co. a place where guests can forget their woes, kick back and relax – sounds like just the thing we need after the year we’ve had!

Colwill Place
Some of the Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales’ most loved lifestyle brands are heading north, setting up shop in a new boutique retail precinct for Brisbane. The character-filled Colwill Place on Albion Road in Windsor has been completely restored to house the new retail destination, retaining the building’s 1920s period charm and lofty high ceilings, set against chic modern finishes and pops of greenery. Colwill Place has secured a number of southern favourites for its first tenant announcement, including Gold Coast’s The Borrowed Nursery, which quietly opened its doors this week (look out for full details on Thursday!). Retailers will continue to open over the coming weeks – The Borrowed Nursery team will also open florist, gift and homeware trove Foliar Store, Casuarina’s Nikkou Store will open its second boutique, and Helensvale coffee spot Bear Boy Espresso will also open a second outlet. Other confirmed tenants include Independent Music and Werda Speech Pathology, with the full list to be announced soon. Keep an eye on The Weekend Edition for updates!

Plant Vibes Cafe
Foodies with a penchant for plant-based eats should take note – a brand-new cafe specialising in diet-friendly eats is set to open in Bowen Hills next month. Plant Vibes Cafe is the brainchild of Eugenie Hows, who is channelling her love of eating and living well into the concept, which is taking shape in a freshly renovated space on Brookes Street. Designed to be a safe place for folks eager to try something different or add a few more plants into their day, Plant Vibes will serve up the likes of house-made crumpets, breakfast gnocchi, a range of sharing boards and dishes that highlight the best tastes of summer – think plenty of lime, mango, peaches and passionfruit. In addition to this, a grab-and-go offering will include takeaway items such as breakfast wraps, raw treats, plant-based pastries and fresh muffins. Taking inspiration from Scandinavian aesthetics and culture (particularly the Danish way of embracing togetherness), Plant Vibes will boast a minimal interior design, with a bright white and timber aesthetic incorporating rattan and cane furniture, greenery and a few pops of colour. At night the cafe will transform into a yoga studio run by Eugenie’s sister Madison, who is a qualified yoga teacher and a nutritionist, adding an extra dimension to the venue’s focus on wellbeing. Plant Vibes Cafe is expected to open on Saturday October 10 – we’ll have an up-close look once it officially opens.

King of the Wings & Things
Last week we revealed the first details on King of the Wings & Things, the brand-new flagship restaurant for popular food-truck concept King of the Wings. If you missed the announcement, here are the Cliffs Notes – King of the Wings & Things will open in Stafford Central in November, occupying an 80-seater space that will boast interior dining and al fresco space in the adjacent laneway. In addition to the food truck’s famed range of crispy golden chicken wings (which come in five flavours), King of the Wings & Things will also serve old-school burgers, racks of pork ribs and a secret menu (the details of which are being kept under wraps). Beer will also be a big focus of the eatery’s offering – brews from Stone & Wood and Green Beacon will be joined by popular mainstream varieties.

You Came Again launches breakfast
Dedicated plant-based cocktail and tapas bar You Came Again is taking on mornings, launching a brunch menu at its West End locale this weekend on Saturday September 26. The bar and eatery has given its outdoor courtyard a sprucing, with fresh pavers setting the scene for leisurely feasting. The menu features You Came Again staples that have been given a brunch twist, including (but not limited to) bagels lathered in the bar’s popular mushroom and walnut paste, a ‘meetball’ sub with marinara sauce and a collection of morning-appropriate cocktails. Veneziano Coffee will also be on deck for those that can’t start the day without a caffeine jolt.

If you’ve heard something that’s worth mentioning in The Weekend Edition’s Pavement Whispers, email [email protected].