{"id":4089,"date":"2012-05-26T23:23:38","date_gmt":"2012-05-26T11:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/?p=4089"},"modified":"2012-05-26T23:23:38","modified_gmt":"2012-05-26T11:23:38","slug":"josie-bones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/2012\/05\/26\/josie-bones\/","title":{"rendered":"Josie Bones (and Bright \u2018Harvest 150\u2019)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Bright<\/a>
Bright Brewery \u2018Harvest 150\u2019 (with a predictably-frequently-used meat slicer, and co-founder Chris Badenoch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If I go missing one day, if you can’t find me for a while and have no idea where I’ve gone, check the cupboards and crawlspaces at Josie Bones in Melbourne. I’d only been there an hour before I was casing the place, looking for a place to stowaway and secretly live — emerging in the dead of night to drink lovely beer and feast on delicious leftovers.<\/p>\n

Like my now-beloved Local Taphouse, Josie Bones was one of those amazing-sounding places that opened shortly after I moved back to Wellington. But despite occasional trips back, I’d never managed a visit until the Saturday afternoon between GABS sessions three and four. Hashigo’s David Wood and I met up with my Melbourne-resident friend Toby, and we seized the chance.<\/p>\n

It was freakin’ awesome — as I may have telegraphed by suggesting I might disappear there some day. It’s a cute little place (smaller than I, for some reason, thought it’d be), charming and welcoming, well-presented but completely unpretentious. We took a seat at the bar, and quickly realised we were being served by the two founders — recognisable to those People Who Watch the Teevee Box as former Masterchef Australia contestants.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Josie<\/a>
Josie Bones beer list<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Crackling<\/a>
Crackling of the day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Quail,<\/a>
Quail, quail egg, and fries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Josie Bones is a massively uncommon thing; a place that properly ‘gets’ food and<\/em>\u00a0beer. The beer menu is a gloriously fat clipboard of helpfulness (backed-up by the knowledge and enthusiasm housed in the brains of the staff), and there’s a healthy range available from the taps and\/or the fridge. They’d done a wet-hop beer dinner just a few days prior, and several survivors were still pouring. I opted for Bright’s\u00a0\u2018Harvest 150\u2019, since I couldn’t stop yammering about their Fainter’s Dubbel at a mini-beer-fest in Fed Square a few weeks previous. It, too, was exactly<\/em>\u00a0what I wanted — fat, rich red malt and plenty of fresh-hop zing and zip around the palate; full-on, but self-assured, rather than desperately clamouring for attention. I (a currently-unemployed person who’s lately been earning meager bartender-money, as I said before<\/a>) splashed out on some stupidly-delicious food, and the combination of sensory delights nearly crippled me with joy. (And left me, not to belabour the point, idly planning how to move in<\/em>.)<\/p>\n

\n
\"Door<\/a>
Door handles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Interior\"<\/a>
Interior<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Tally<\/a>
Tally marks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The overwhelming sensation — of the people, the place and the beer — was of\u00a0welcome<\/em>. Which is remarkably rare, in the “hospitality” (quote-unquote) business, but gleefully and glaringly obvious when done right. It’s a (deservedly)\u00a0famously<\/em>\u00a0“meaty” place, with back-bar art and even door handles that seem<\/em>\u00a0to scream “Vegetarians: Fuck Off”. But that’s not it at all. I have it on very good authority from a non-omnivorous friend that, if you stand your ground and ask for things other-than-flesh, they have plenty and it’s just as mind-meltingly delicious. So the trotter-handles and the carcass-painting aren’t a prohibition; they’re just a friendly warning<\/em>. Ditto the broad beer spectrum. It’s there if you want it, and if you’re remotely curious or just vaguely open-minded, you’ll be helped towards finding something you’ll cherish without scorn or harangue. They’re proud of their ability to match beer to people and people-and-beers to food expertly derived from former animals; they present it forthrightly and with justifiable pride. But it’s not all<\/em>\u00a0they do — though if they do bring you into their fold, you’ll become a tally-mark on their wall. I’m told they started keeping track of people they made recant their former “I don’t drink beer” self-identification — and that the smaller tally represented de-converted vegetarians.<\/p>\n

Original Diary entry:<\/strong>\u00a0Josie Bones 12\/5\/12, inbetween sessions. Finally made it here, and I already want to secretly live in one of their cupboards. Smaller than I thought, nicely kitted out, friendly and welcoming. I’ve got a Bright Brewery\u00a0\u2018Harvest 150\u2019 (7%, $10, 330ml), which is stunning. Gorgeously red, smooth tan head, big fresh hop presence. Like what Garage Project were going for (and mostly got) with ‘Oldham’s Farm’. I splashed out, in hunger and excitement, and got Crackling of the Day (Pork, $4), Fries with Thyme + Prosciutto Salt + Chiptole Aioli ($9) and Crispy Beer-marinated Quail with Pickled Quail Egg ($9). Now, I’m rather satisfied, I must say.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Diary<\/a>
Diary II entry #214.1, Josie Bones<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Diary<\/a>
Diary II entry #214.2, Josie Bones<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"Josie<\/a>
Josie Bones' "May the pork be with you..." receipt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If I go missing one day, if you can’t find me for a while and have no idea where I’ve gone, check the cupboards and crawlspaces at Josie Bones in Melbourne. I’d only been there an hour before I was casing the place, looking for a place to stowaway and secretly live — emerging in … Continue reading Josie Bones (and Bright \u2018Harvest 150\u2019)<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[6,15,12,8,48],"class_list":["post-4089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diary","category-locations","tag-pages","tag-australia","tag-pale-ale","tag-photogenic","tag-2012-05"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4177,"url":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/2012\/06\/04\/gabs-glass-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":4089,"position":0},"title":"GABS Glasses #2 & #3: Bright ‘Resistance Red’ and Wig & Pen ‘This Beer’s Not Real Craft!’","author":"Phil","date":"June 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Well, there stands before you a blog-post-title-length record unlikely to be challenged for a while. I've no real idea why I ran two beers into one entry at the time, and I couldn't figure out a fair way to abbreviate any of it; these were both\u00a0lovely beers, and they deserve\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Actual Diary entries"","block_context":{"text":"Actual Diary entries","link":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/category\/diary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bright Brewery 'Resistance Red Ale'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bright-Brewery-Resistance-Red-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4513,"url":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/2012\/07\/06\/left-coast-the-wedge\/","url_meta":{"origin":4089,"position":1},"title":"Left Coast ‘The Wedge’","author":"Phil","date":"July 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"It appears I might have \"Black IPA\" on the brain. Or hoppy porter, at least \u2014 the question of whether the one is the other is an enjoyable piece of modern beer taxonomy for me to ponder as I have a nice glass of something-dark on a wintery evening. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Actual Diary entries"","block_context":{"text":"Actual Diary entries","link":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/category\/diary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Left Coast 'The Wedge'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-content\/uploads\/Left-Coast-The-Wedge-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1520,"url":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/2011\/02\/24\/coronado-autumn-harvest-ale\/","url_meta":{"origin":4089,"position":2},"title":"Coronado ‘Autumn Harvest Ale’","author":"Phil","date":"February 24, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I'd been out for a nice catch-up in the sunshine with some friends who'd just returned from the far side of the world -- and being me, I therefore needed some time in the shade. Hashigo's basement beer-haven was the pretty-obvious refuge for me between the waterfront and work. Since\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Actual Diary entries"","block_context":{"text":"Actual Diary entries","link":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/category\/diary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Coronado 'Autumn Harvest'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-content\/uploads\/Coronado-Autumn-Harvest-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2767,"url":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/2011\/05\/03\/sprig-fern-harvest-pilsner\/","url_meta":{"origin":4089,"position":3},"title":"Sprig & Fern ‘Harvest’ Pilsner","author":"Phil","date":"May 3, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"So yeah, there's that. If you haven't noticed it, or the reference escapes you, let's set it aside for a moment and deal with the important thing first -- you know, the beer. This marks a brilliant return-to-form for lagers in the Diary, since it's the first one in there\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Actual Diary entries"","block_context":{"text":"Actual Diary entries","link":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/category\/diary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sprig & Fern 'Harvest' Pilsner","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sprig-Fern-Harvest-Pilsner-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":289,"url":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/2007\/10\/27\/atlas-three-sisters\/","url_meta":{"origin":4089,"position":4},"title":"Atlas ‘Three Sisters’","author":"Phil","date":"October 27, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Verbatim: Three Sisters Scottish Ale. 500ml, $7ish, 4.2%, 27\/10\/07. Watching Top Gear and having a beer to normalise after going to a mad Christian thing. Bubbles vanish. Smells very dark \/ burnt coffee and choc. Decent dark ale, but. Afterthoughts, October 2010: The \"mad Christian thing\" was the big (and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Actual Diary entries"","block_context":{"text":"Actual Diary entries","link":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/category\/diary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Atlas 'Three Sisters'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-content\/uploads\/Diary-1039-Three-Sisters-Scottish-Ale-300x180.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":835,"url":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/2010\/09\/27\/golden-bear-bear-trappe-2010\/","url_meta":{"origin":4089,"position":5},"title":"Golden Bear ‘Bear Trappe’ 2010","author":"Phil","date":"September 27, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"I suspected I'd like this; it was recommended by a few people who are usually good for such things (including Kieran, the Beer Wizard in Residence at Regional). But I was pleasantly surprised to utterly freaking love it. Golden Bear is a tiny little brewery at the top of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Actual Diary entries"","block_context":{"text":"Actual Diary entries","link":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/category\/diary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Golden Bear 'Bear Trappe'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-content\/uploads\/Golden-Bear-Bear-Trappe-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4089"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4089\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4176,"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4089\/revisions\/4176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/philcook.net\/beerdiary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}