In the real estate world, the golden rule of location, location, location is everything, so it’s probably no surprise that the northern Gold Coast’s hottest new brewery is owned by a bunch of folks with real estate backgrounds (among other things). The colossal 750 sqm brewhouse has been envisioned as a house within a house, featuring multiple different zones offering a slightly different experience, the cocktail-centric breakout space offers a slightly more intimate vibe than say, Graffiti Lane out the back, which is lined with umbrella-adorned tables, beanbags and a scattering of outdoor games to keep the wee ones amused. There are no food trucks to be found here, instead, the venue boasts a full kitchen and an extensive modern Australian menu featuring burgers, sandwiches and more substantial bites. For serious starvations, carve into an enormous 750-g Tomahawk that serves two to four famished folks, but be warned, it’s an absolute beast. As for the brews, Hound & Stag may have humble origins in the head brewer’s garage, but it’s certainly upped the ante since with a 200,000 L brewing capacity, the venue has debuted an opening lineup featuring a sessionable lager, lager, pale ale, raspberry Berliner Weisse, plain Berliner Weisse served with a traditional twist, Hefeweisse, oat cream IPA and a New England IPA (NEIPA). The remainder of the venue’s 28 taps will showcase other local breweries. As for spirits, Hound & Stag takes a local-only approach with Queensland-based distillers including Capricorn, White Oat, Wildflower, Volando and the brand-new Nectar Vodka lining the shelves. There will be live music regularly as well as ticketed events in the pipeline. Hound & Stag is family-friendly and even pooch friendly in the venue’s outdoor spaces.