Chris Shanahan: Parlour room beer list — ok, but could do better

The chic new Parlour Wine Room in the Acton Pavilion offers plenty for wine and cocktail drinkers. But it’s somewhat more limited in its beer offerings.

The list of fifteen beers and one cider is certainly well selected, if limited, and even the fussiest beer palate need not go dry. But no matter how careful the selection, it’s one of convenience – by far the majority of brews, including the cider, come from just one company, Lion Nathan.

While that says a lot for the terrific style diversity Lion offers (James Squire, Kirin, Beck’s, Knappstein, Little Creatures, Pip Squeak and James Boag), it leaves big gaps both in style and diversity within styles.

It’s early days for Parlour room. But the beer list could become a lot more interesting with the addition of a few more classic world styles and perhaps a revolving range of boutique Aussie brews.

It’d be good, for example, to see on the list Bavarian and Belgian wheat beer, American pale ale, English pale ale, a Czech Pilzen and a stout or porter, to represent the dark side of the beer family. And the list of worthy Aussie boutique brewers that might be represented grows longer by the day.