A relaxed bar with something special for cocktail lovers
While Brookvale has become popular for its growing brewery scene, there’s one bar that’s offering something different in the district for those who love a quality drink in a relaxed atmosphere. Noble Craft is quickly gaining a reputation for its small batch spirits which are distilled in house and designed with bartenders in mind – with balanced textures and smooth flavours.
For co-owner and distiller Amir Halpert, it’s a labour of love. He greets us warmly as we enter Rossco’s Bar, an open, welcoming space at the front of the warehouse. It’s a Saturday night and the bar is bustling with couples, groups and families as Amir makes us one of the house signature cocktails, Passage to India.
With a base of Noble Craft Vodka, complimented with pear liqueur, pineapple and pear puree, chilli, salt and cinnamon, the cocktail is smooth and sweet with a kick of spice – a delight for the senses. There’s a non-alcoholic version for my partner, and the extra treat is in hearing Amir’s story behind his creation, of a time when he travelled to India and was presented with fruit sprinkled in spice.
“When it comes to new creations, we aim for two things: a drink that is more than the sum of its parts, and one that is perfectly balanced in flavour and aroma,” Amir says. “The final ingredient is meaning, whether that’s a classic cocktail carrying decades of culture, or a new creation tied to a story or moment. It’s what connects drinking to community, rather than just consumption.”
Having spent more than 30 years working behind bars both in New York and Sydney, Amir’s previous cocktail bar, The Owl House in Darlinghurst, earned a Sydney Morning Herald hat for Best Bar and Food within it’s first year.
Rossco’s Bar was opened by Amir and co-owner Julian Noble just over a year ago, and is fast becoming a Brookvale favourite. “Our mission from day one has been to produce luxury, super-premium spirits, taking the time to get both the recipes and production right,” Amir says. “Our gin, for example, was nine months in development and selected after a blind tasting panel of 24 people who assessed it against leading Australian and international gins. And we’re a grain-to-bottle whisky distillery, which means we produce our whisky entirely from scratch.”
There’s a full kitchen at Roscco’s Bar, and we share the Picanha rump with chips and salsa, alongside a classic beef burger and chips. Also on the menu are cheese and charcuterie boards and plenty of broader offerings like a chicken shawarma, and fish and chips.
We round off our meal with another cocktail – the White Lady. It’s a combination of Noble Craft Gin, Cointreau, lemon and an oregano salt rim, and for my partner, a spiced pineapple mockito. “The art of the cocktail starts with the craft of distilling,” Amir says. “A good cocktail begins with quality ingredients, the spirits, fresh citrus, syrups, bitters and garnish.”
We finish our evening with a guided tour of the distillery, with Amir adding that tours are now available. The bar is dog-friendly, offering both indoor and outdoor seating options and live music on the weekends, and is perfect for those looking for a quality drink and a meal to match! Check it out this weekend.
NOBLE CRAFT DISTILLERS AND ROSSCO’S BAR
39 Sydenham Road, Brookvale
0451 491 149
noblecraft.com.au