Ahead on Flavour with Copperhead Restaurant Brewery
A desire to do something completely different has transported two Brisbane businessmen to the heart of Noosa’s hinterland, as John Caruso discovers.
There are parallels between Cooroy’s Copperhead Restaurant Brewery’s story and what Victor Kiam did with the company that made electric razors in the 1970s. I’m showing my age now: Victor was the savvy entrepreneur who “liked the product so much, he bought the company”. Brothers John and Bill Bennett were so impressed by what they discovered at Copperhead Restaurant & Brewery in Cooroy, that they bought the business!
“With backgrounds in retail and construction in Brisbane, we were looking for something different here on the Coast. The food at Copperhead really impressed us and we loved the beer, so it was a simple decision,” John says.
Mark Potter, Jimmy Van Den Bremer and Simon Grasby are the key personnel; a loyal dedicated team, with plenty of hospitality experience.
“Mark’s our head chef, third generation, and this is his eighth year at Copperhead having previously worked at a few top-notch restaurants around Noosa,” John says. “His food blew us away the first time we tried it.
“We were expecting a pub-style menu, something very basic, but that’s not the case. There are fresh, local ingredients such as microgreens and herbs from a grower in Gympie, mushrooms from Yandina, and more.”
Pork belly, homemade linguine, confit duck are among the dishes that feature on the Copperhead menu along with traditional brewery-style meals.
“There’s a chicken parmigiana and a wagyu beef burger that’s probably the best you’ll ever try,” John declares.
Front of house is Jimmy Van Den Bremer’s domain, Copperhead Restaurant Brewery’s restaurant manager for the past three years.
“Jimmy’s been trained in the hospitality sector from a European background, working in restaurants all over the world before settling here with his family to enjoy the lifestyle,” John says. “He’s got a very traditional way of managing the team, emphasising service and creating the right atmosphere, and when you dine with us, you’ll meet a lot of locals on staff.”
The microbrewery is equally as important as the restaurant as far as the brothers are concerned.
“Foremost, it’s a restaurant and the quality of the food on our menu speaks to that. We do brew on site, there are fourteen beers on tap, all are produced in house and brewed for our restaurant,” John says. “We don’t brew for anyone else, and the intention is to stay that way, so the brewery is a unique experience with our business.
“Simon Grasby is responsible for producing our beers, small batches that are seasonal with five to six kegs at a time. He’s been in the beer game for about ten to fifteen years, is recognised for his skill and consistency and is sought-after for advice on craft beers.”
Copperhead Restaurant Brewery’s home is a striking building, occupying the corner of Kauri Street and Tewantin Road, Cooroy.
“The building itself was renovated by the previous owner and landlord who were in partnership; they built and extended the premises encompassing the small house that was on the block and turning that into our kitchen and keg room,” John explains. “There’s a cement floor, exposed timber and old brick. It’s very much like an upmarket country pub with the food offering sitting way above what you would generally expect.”
In the same way Victor Kiam was so enamoured with his electric razor, the passion and respect that the Bennett brothers have for Copperhead’s talented team and the standout menu strengthens each day, and they are keen for locals and visitors to sample what this unique operation in the Noosa hinterland is producing.
Head over to check it out!
