Summer Is in Full Swing at Melbourne Airport's Reopened Beer Garden
Here in New York City, inches of snow have indicated that winter is upon us. Over in Australia, though, Melbourne Airport (MEL) is breaking out the lawn chairs to ring in summer's arrival.
The airport has reopened its collaboration with Stomping Ground Beer Company to bring travelers a beer garden located between terminals 3 and 4 (Terminal 3½). And for those who maybe aren't interested in getting drunk at 10am when the garden first starts pouring, the restaurant also serves local coffee and food from some of Melbourne's best food trucks.
The beer garden is open on weekdays starting at 7:30am and serves Stomping Ground Beer Company products from 10am on, including "12 of [Stomping Grounds'] beers on tap, along with Victorian wines, ciders and locally-produced soft drinks." Proud Mary coffee is also available in case you're in need of a caffeine kick.
Locals have said that there's no better way to represent Melbourne than this spacious, now-grassy portion of Terminal 3½. In fact, Andrew Gardiner, the chief of retail at Melbourne Airport, relayed that beyond the spot-on incorporation of draft beer and food trucks, the entire ambience is reminiscent of Melbourne culture. ". . . Throw into the mix bright art and major sporting events and you get all of the best elements of our city in the one place, which makes T3½ so appealing," Gardiner said.
All the cool art that Gardiner was referencing came from local illustrator and muralist Justine McAllister who helped to design the destination. She commented that she wanted to make the environment simultaneously friendly, yet edgy.
The beer garden also includes a few convenient aspects for the ease of flyers, like its proximity to domestic terminals and flight information screens.
Travelers enjoyed the beer garden when it was open back in January. The picture tweeted below shows just how Melbourne Airport was able to make an airport feel like a chill outdoor experience. "Cute beer garden between T3 and T4 at Melbourne Airport," the tweet reads. "The name speaks for itself."
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