When the renowned Museum of Old and New Art’s (Mona) brewery Moo Brew needed a bar to call its own, Manky Sally’s was born. Settled in Hobart’s Salamanca Place – hence the name – the innovative taphouse / nano-brewery seeks to materialise Moo Brew’s unpretentious brand by incorporating all of the unconventional twists that have made the main brewery so unique for all these years.

Once the brewery decided they needed their own space in the city, the brief was always going to be a little different to the ‘standard polished concrete and IKEA stools’ microbrewery. 

The result is certainly a narrow space, but one that oozes personality and charm. Housing a bar, kitchen and ample spaces for thirsty punters to enjoy bar-exclusive brews, the minuscule experimental brewery definitely packs a punch.

All elements of Moo Brew’s brand have been unorthodox from its inception. When the infamous Tasmanian gambler and art collector David Walsh found a bottle he liked in Europe, he naturally decided he’d start up a brewery to fill it – as you do. 

The brewery was originally at Walsh’s vineyard, Moorilla Estate, which (with a bit of beer-inspired shortening) gave his new brewery its name.

Bond villain lair meets DIY dive bar

Departing from ‘the norm’, Moo Brew aimed for an atmosphere reminiscent of a Bond villain’s hideout merged with the eclectic charm of a DIY dive bar. This vision comes to life through a blend of utilitarian steel, expansive mirrors, warm wood panelling and patterned carpet reclaimed from a heritage cottage on Maria Island. This same carpet design even appears on the bar-top beer mats and walls, adding a touch of nostalgia and local Tassie history. 

Modernist reclaimed leather armchairs complete with footstools adorn the space – cosily clustered amongst coffee tables that Moo Brew says evoke the ‘finer memories of nan’s living room’. At the rear of the brewery, a striking and ‘definitely-not-VIP’ area features a ten-seat pink onyx dining table with tiger-striped detailing, all surrounded by plush orange velour chairs. Thousands of light-filled bottles hang above, illuminating the area, and extending across the ceiling and down the walls.

The bottles pay homage to the taphouse’s origins, a nod subtly echoed throughout the entire venue, while amber crown-glass accents on the back bar and circular portholes invite visitors to connect and look within the beating heart of the operation.

The space’s careful interior design decisions work to enhance the brewery’s welcoming and unpretentious feel. Gauzy curtains divide up the entry hall to create a sense of openness, while the liberal use of plain plastic bold-face letterbox letters picked directly from Bunnings ensures the venue remains playful. Used for both information and decoration, the letters spell out the latest experimental brews and menu items.

You can tell how core they are to the brewery’s personality – so much so that the bathroom wall is entirely covered with them, featuring random strings of letters and numbers, beer varieties, arcane verbiage, brewers’ names and the occasional piece of incidental poetry.

Moo Brew’s home has been designed to evolve over time, with mirror-backed cabinets and nooks ready to gradually fill with memorabilia, kitsch bric-a-brac and polaroids of some of Moo Brew’s ‘particularly good nights’. The evolving decor ensures that each visit offers something new, which aligns with the brand’s focus on experimentation and ‘changing things up’.

And of course, to complete the project, there’s the mysterious taxidermied squirrel – an element Moo Brew says is best left to the imagination.

Nano-brewery goes big time

Now one of Tassie’s biggest brewers, Moo Brew makes seven beers year round – some modestly titled ‘Icons’ with the easy-drinking BREW range too. In addition, they often share some ‘frisky experimental releases’ but for these, you’ve got to keep your eye out.

Manky Sally’s is Moo Brew’s creativity and innovation wrapped up in a single venue. Blending unique architectural elements with a playful and developing interior, the brewery delivers a venue that stands out in Hobart’s vibrant culture scene. 

Whether you’re a local or a visitor, a stop at Manky Sally’s promises to be an experience as unforgettable as their brews. 

Manky Sally’s is open Thursday to Monday for beers, other drinks, delicious street food and brewery tours.