When the South Coast Tap House opened its doors in Merimbula’s Galleria Arcade in November 2025, the vision was simple. We wanted to create something more than just another bar serving beer.
We wanted somewhere people could explore new flavours, discover different beer styles, learn something new and enjoy the experience along the way. A place where beer wasn’t just something you drank, but something you experienced.
Twelve months later, as we celebrate our first birthday, it’s been quite a journey.
More than 40 different beers on tap, international beer styles, tasting experiences, festivals, live music and plenty of new friendships. What a first year it’s been!
More Than 40 Beers and a World of Flavours
Over our first year, we’ve poured more than 40 different beers from our taps, showcasing the incredible diversity of craft beer being produced across the South Coast and beyond.
From refreshing lagers and hop-forward pale ales to rich dark beers, traditional European styles and adventurous limited releases, there’s always been something new to discover.
Another highlight has been introducing customers to the incredible range of international beer styles being produced right here in Australia. Breweries such as Slow Lane Brewing have helped us take customers on a journey through traditional European brewing styles, from Belgian ales to complex, rich and beautifully balanced beers inspired by centuries of brewing tradition.
We’ve also featured plenty of limited-release beers, giving customers the opportunity to experience something special before it disappears. With 12 taps and an ever-changing selection, there’s always been a reason to come back and see what’s pouring.
And for us, that’s what makes beer exciting. There’s always another style to discover, another flavour to experience and another story to tell.
Beerducation: Learning Has Never Tasted So Good
Education has always been at the heart of South Coast Tap House, and over the past year we’ve hosted a range of Beerducation events designed to make learning about beer fun, approachable and, most importantly, delicious.
Our personalised tasting experiences have introduced customers to everything from the fundamentals of beer appreciation to some of the world’s most interesting and unusual styles. We’ve explored how beer gets its flavours, the differences between brewing traditions, and why the aroma, appearance and taste of a beer can tell you so much about how it was made.
And we’ve challenged a few assumptions along the way, particularly with our popular I Don’t Like Beer experiences, where people discover that perhaps they just haven’t found the right beer yet. But it hasn’t all been classroom-style learning. We’ve also celebrated beer through a calendar of special events and themed experiences.
Oktoberfest brought a taste of Germany to Merimbula, with traditional German beer styles, pretzels and plenty of Bavarian spirit. St Patrick’s Day gave us an opportunity to explore Irish brewing traditions, while Belgian Beer Month introduced customers to some of the most fascinating and complex styles in the beer world.
During the Fungi Festival, we explored the wonderful world of wild fermentation, discovering how yeast, bacteria and time can create extraordinary flavours.
And in March, we celebrated the arrival of fresh hop beers, featuring locally grown hops from Ryefield Hops. It was a chance to connect the beer in the glass with the ingredients and people behind it, showcasing another part of the South Coast’s growing brewing story.
Each event has been about more than simply tasting beer. It’s been about discovering the history, ingredients, techniques and people that make every beer unique.
But it is Not Just Beer!
Despite our name, South Coast Tap House has never been exclusively about beer. Over the past year, we’ve expanded our range of drinks and experiences to include local wines, spirits, cocktails and other options for those looking for something different.
One of our exciting additions has been Gin Journeys featuring Nine Circles Distillery, taking customers on another flavour adventure through the world of gin. We’ve also introduced a range of cocktails, giving customers even more ways to explore different flavours and enjoy a visit to the Tap House.
The philosophy remains the same, regardless of what’s in your glass. We want to help people discover something new and enjoy the journey.
Live Music, Laughter and Good Times
Of course, a great bar is about more than what’s being served. Throughout the year, we’ve hosted plenty of live music, bringing local entertainment into the unique laneway atmosphere of Galleria Arcade.
We introduced Chris’ Corner to talk about grief and Mental Health and we’ve even had a comedy night, proving that a good laugh can be just as important as a good beer.
These events have helped create the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere we always imagined for the Tap House. Somewhere you can catch up with friends, enjoy some entertainment, meet new people or simply unwind after a long day, and that brings us to perhaps the most rewarding part of our first year.
More Than a Bar. A Third Place.
There’s a concept known as the Third Place. Your first place is home. Your second place is work. Your third place is somewhere you choose to spend time, connect with people and feel a sense of belonging.
For some of our regular customers, South Coast Tap House has become exactly that. It’s somewhere they can drop in for a chat, catch up with familiar faces, meet someone new or simply enjoy a little time away from the demands of everyday life.
We’ve watched strangers become friends, conversations turn into friendships and customers become part of the Tap House community. It’s something that can’t be created simply by putting beer on tap or opening the doors of a bar. It develops through the people who come through those doors and the connections they make.
And while we’re incredibly proud of the beers we’ve poured and the experiences we’ve created, it’s this sense of community that has become one of the most rewarding parts of our first year.
The Next Chapter: Our Founders Club
As we celebrate our first birthday, we’re also looking ahead to what comes next. One of our biggest initiatives will be the launch of our Founders Club, a special membership program designed for people who want to become even more involved in the Tap House experience.
Limited to just 60 inaugural memberships, including only 10 exclusive Founder memberships, the program will offer personalised beer experiences, member benefits, opportunities to explore new releases and a few special privileges along the way.
It will also introduce our Beer Explorer Leaderboard, encouraging members to discover and experience different beer styles throughout the year. Like everything we do, the Founders Club isn’t about how much beer you drink. It’s about how much you discover. It’s another way of bringing our community together and making the Tap House experience even more rewarding.
60 Memberships. Only 10 Founders. One Year of Beer Discovery.
Celebrating Our First Birthday
To mark our first year, we’re holding a special birthday celebration on Sunday 1 November 2026, kicking off at 2pm.
We’ve teamed up with Resin Brewing to create a specially brewed New Zealand Golden Ale for the occasion, with the beer’s name being chosen from customer suggestions and revealed before the official birthday keg tapping.
We’ll also be officially unveiling our Founders Club and welcoming the team from Grand Matriarch Vodka for a special product launch, including guided tastings and mixers. It’s our opportunity to celebrate everything that’s happened over the past year and thank the people who’ve helped make it possible.
Here’s to the Next 12 Months!
When we opened South Coast Tap House, we hoped to create somewhere different. Somewhere beer could become the starting point for a conversation, a discovery, a friendship or a memorable experience.
A year later, we’ve poured some incredible beers, shared plenty of stories, hosted some fantastic events and met some wonderful people.
But the journey is only just beginning.
To everyone who has visited, supported us, brought a friend, tried something new or simply stopped in for a chat, thank you for being part of our first year.
We can’t wait to see what the next 12 months bring.
South Coast Tap House — Come for the beer. Leave with an experience.
