Seven miles from the city, and a thousand miles from care, Manly Wharf – our iconic gateway welcoming over 9 million tourists a year to the world’s greatest peninsula – has been a frenetic hub of mergers, acquisitions, valedictions, constructions, reimaginations and Felonisation for the past 20 months, with Artemus Group acquiring the harbourside precinct and resolutely going hell for leather ever since to bring their Manly vision to life.
“Felons Manly has always been about connection between people, community and place,” said Adam Flaskas, co-founder and director of Artemus Group, in late November. “This summer, we’re excited to contribute to the cultural energy that already makes Manly such a special place, bringing together music, craft and community by the harbour.”
What exactly was Adam talking about? While most of the developments around the Wharf’s perimeter since April 2024 have been wide open for public viewing (and generous unsolicited servings of salty scrutiny from local expert pundits), no one beyond the Felons inner sanctum could possibly have known what’s been brewing deep inside.
All the while, the site previously held by Germany’s stoic competitor to the Australian supermarket duopoly was being transitioned Austrian mountainside style to give birth to Felons Barrel Room, Manly Wharf set to be alive not only with the sound of live music, also home to their new brewery: a custom-built, steam-powered, 18.5-hectolitre dry malt extract (DME) brewhouse. Cheers!
Topped off further with the mouth-watering menu, developed by Australian-Vietnamese chef Bao La and Ty Bellingham (Sailor’s Thai, Bathers’ Pavilion’s Betel Leaf), building on the success of Saigon Supper Inn, serving vibrant Vietnamese dishes that pair with Felons’ barrel-aged beers, natural wines, signature cocktails and a refined back bar.
“We’ve entered a new era,” says Dean Romeo, brand director of Felons Brewing Co. “The installation of the brewery and the opening of Felons Barrel Room mark a defining moment for Felons. Together, these spaces represent everything we stand for: creating dynamic places that celebrate the art of brewing, the joy of connection through a beer poured fresh from the tank, and the creative spirit that runs through the Manly community. With Felons Barrel Room, we’re pairing great beer with vibrant Vietnamese food and live music to create a place alive with energy and possibility. It’s our way of celebrating Manly, a destination that’s as much about people as it is about place.”
We’re talking: A 700-capacity cultural hub and entertainment venue, featuring a stage, massive screen, bars and seating for more than 300 diners, walls lined French oak barrels to age Felons’ beers made on site; A world-class audio and lighting system purpose-built for live performance, Felons Barrel Room to host an ongoing program of live music with a focus on local and emerging talent, as well as themed events, trivia and movie nights, comedy shows, jazz evenings and intimate “piano bar” gigs, the acoustically treated space to deliver an experience unmatched on the Northern Beaches.
The proof is always in the pudding, summer’s opening weekend the ultimate testing ground. Friday, 5 December, 6pm, nanoseconds after tools were put down by the army of builders and tradesmen, Adam swung the doors open to mark the full realisation of Felons’ harbourside home with a three-day celebration. Headliners included homegrown favourites Winston Surfshirt and legendary Australian band Mental As Anything, with free entry to all performances.
The Barrel Room was heaving. Tawny spies from all walks agreeing at the end of a mammoth weekend of harbourside live music, Felons have created something very special here.
Get to Manly Wharf to experience Felons Barrel Room for yourself, and follow @felonsbarrelroom for all updates on upcoming shows and events.