It can sometimes be a tough task getting a seat the The Woods on a busy Friday night or a weekend. Not only are you contending with a crowd of regulars that count the Mitchelton drinkery as their local, but throngs of craft-beer lovers also regularly make the pilgrimage to Blackwood Street to wet their whistle with the latest ales being piped through bar’s beer taps. That crowds are a common occurrence is a testament to the quality of The Woods’ offering and standing among the community, but owners Gillian Letham and Gerard Hartnett always saw potential to do more. If there was one thing the Mitchelton community had proved since The Woods opened in mid-2019, it was that locals were more amenable than ever to being nudged outside of their comfort zones, their tastes becoming more adventurous as Australia’s independent booze scene proliferated. After snagging the former laundromat space next door (long vacant since a fire damaged the site in 2019), the team initially envisioned transforming it into extra seating for The Woods itself, which would handily solve the issue of catering to peak-hour patronage. Instead the team opted to try something a bit more radical and add a new dimension to its offering in order to better cater to the expanding tastes of its clientele. Earlier this year the crew quietly launched two new add-on concepts under The Woods banner – a street-facing craft bottle-shop and provisions source, and an intimate, semi-secret cocktail and wine bar out the back called The Bothy.
Adding two new dimensions to the business would prove to be a far more challenging enterprise if The Woods didn’t already boast some sip-savvy staff on its team capable of overseeing both aspects. The bottle-shop and providore is operated by a knowledgable tandem comprised of Steve Powell and Timmy Hughes, a dynamic duo charged with curating the store’s selection of craft beer, wine, spirits and provisions. Here, the team (unshackled from the pressures of company-mandated buying directives) has created an adventurous and ever-changing offering assembled via a collaborative process between staff and customer. As The Woods is a neighbourhood local, the bottle-shop also prides itself on catering to the demands of its geographical radius. With this in mind, Steve and Timmy first liaise with suppliers and reps to fill the shelves with a handpicked selection of lines and labels, then shape and accent the range based on wants and interests of its clientele. The resulting array boasts a broad cross-section of libations to choose from, showcasing finger-on-the-pulse nowness to timeless classics. Guests will find everything from recognisable drops to limited-edition beers, new-wave vino and small-batch spirits (including some Australian equivalents of cointreau and Campari), with a fluid nature ensuring there’s something different to try every visit. A larder also holds a bounty of small goods, cheeses and pantry fillers – plenty of essentials to create a terrific weekend entertaining spread.
If you’ve never traipsed across the remote areas of Scotland, Northern England and Wales, you might be unfamiliar with the term ‘bothy’. The name refers to basic shelter commonly found in sparsely populated areas of the countryside (like, say, in dense woodland) – cosy respites that are left unlocked and are freely open for all to use when needed. Gillian and Gerard’s Mitchelton interpretation takes shape as a mood-lit cocktail and wine bar where locals are welcome to have a sip and a snack amongst intimate surrounds. The Bothy can be found tucked away behind a sliding door just beyond The Woods’ bar – step over the threshold and you’ll be greeted by a space boasting a material continuity akin to its sibling, with a raw and minimal aesthetic accented by eclectic ornamentation. This offshoot is the domain of Zack Garcia and Benton Breckenridge, two hot-shot bartenders skilled in the art of shaking, straining, muddling and mixing. The duo has fashioned a drinks list headlined by a seven-strong cocktail list, deftly blending simplicity, complexity and seasonality to create beverages that are approachable and memorable. Stand-out concoctions include the Italian Summer (a riff on the Enzoni featuring gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, lemon and grapes), Banoffee of Blackwood (a take on a classic pina colada using rum, coconut, coffee, banana, lime and milk), Devil’s Repentance (a bold sip made from aged tequila, herbs, mandarin, wild strawberry, lemon and agave) and the house spritz (elevated with mulberry tisane-infused thyme gin, sparkling rosé and lemon). The back bar boasts a focus on independent labels and small-batch distillations (as well as a tight list of approachable and funky, skins-y wines), with plenty of interesting bottles making for great talking points for discerning drinkers. In the kitchen, head chef Ben King has created a menu wrought from locally sourced, hyper-seasonal produce – think small share plates like slow-roasted whole eggplant caviar, house-baked cornbread with maple and bourbon butter, cured local salmon ceviche, almond biscuit and Swiss meringue s’mores and build-your-own charcuterie boards.
The Bothy and The Bottleshop Neighbourhood Provisions are both open to the public. You can find operating hours and contact details in the Stumble Guide.
