Local @whipsy.eats has undertaken the arduous task of savouring all the Burgers and Beers in Sydney. His love for these two can be seen all over his Instagram. Having tasted hundreds already, he is ready to share the most mouthwatering burgers and the best brews in the vibrant capital.
What’s the key to growing a great food account, and give us a tip for taking a good shot of your favourite burger or beer.
For me, it’s more of a way to document what I eat and drink to look back on later. I most definitely don’t take it too seriously. As for taking a great shot, background and lighting are key. Also, don’t be afraid to look ridiculous in public while taking photos of your food in front of people.
What does it take for you to consider a Burger as a good Burger? Likewise for Beer, what’s a top brew in your eyes?
For me a good Burger needs cheese, good meat, and a bit of spice. Bacon is an added extra but I honestly can take it or leave it, to me it’s not an essential ingredient. As much as I do love special burgers that try new things the classics will always be where my loyalty lies.
As for Beer I have similar feelings – simple, classic Beer is always the best. Sure, I love a nice hazy IPA but nothing beats a good old lager draught from the tap at the end of a scorching hot Australian summer day.
You must have had thousands of burgers already, which make it to your top 5?
#1 Fatties Burger – Bare Grill
This is the epitome of what a Burger should be — BIG, cheesy, Bacon and tonnes of flavour. It’s magical as is but adding Jalapenos and their housemade chili sauce takes it to the next level.
#2 The Motherbutter – Chicken & Sons
Epic, juicy Fried Chicken, spice and huge amounts of crunch from the tortillas, oh and Chicken & Sons bacon is amazing.
#3 Bloody Mary Burger – Bloodhound Espresso
The standout on this burger are the Sriracha Bacon and the Bloody Mary Ketchup. Sensational!
#4 Flame Chicanada – BL Burgers
All the ingredients on this are spicy, from the habanero poutine to the chili milk bun, but I shouldn’t really list this one because it’s a shame BL no longer makes this Burger. Bring it back!
#5 Arnold Slawzenegger – Southern Fried by Burgers Anonymous
Spice and Chicken combo with Slaw, I always add Crack Bacon and Jalapeños.
List the top 5 beers, with a little insight into why each one is great.
#1 Akasha : Korben Double IPA
Big BOLD Double IPA from IMO Sydney’s best Craft Brewery. This is a seasonal release that gets done a few times a year and it is always marked on my calendar.
#2 One Drop Brewing : Stratascope
One Drop is fast becoming a huge force on the Aussie craft beer scene and this Stratascope NEIPA really caught me off guard. So many IPAs and NEIPAs from different breweries do have a lot of similarities but this one was really something different. Hoping they brew it again or make it a core range item.
#3 Belching Beaver : Swerve City POG IPA
As a huge fan of the band Deftones, the fact they have collaborated with San Diego’s Belching Beaver for a range of craft beers is reason enough for me to love it but the fact is this one is a very good Tropical POG (Passionfruit, Orange, Guava) IPA which makes it a huge winner. I do love a hazy, tropical beer.
#4 Brauerei Heller : Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock Smoked
Generally I am not a huge fan of dark beers but this German beer is an exception, it is matured for months in underground Schlenkerla rock cellars underneath Bamberg, the results are smokey beer with almost BBQ meat/bacon flavours. It’s not for the faint of heart but it is tremendous.
You can take the boy out of Campbelltown, but you can’t take Campbelltown out of the boy.
Are there any magical combinations of the above that people need to know about?
It might be weird but when I’m eating I don’t really like drinking beers, I treat them as 2 totally separate entities, I’m not a fan of multi-tasking.
What is something you’ve eaten that just blew you away because you did not expect it to be that good? It might have been an out of the way place or an unexpected flavour combo.
The Bloody Mary Burger at Bloodhound Espresso Cafe in Darlinghurst is most definitely the one that comes to mind. Everything about it is amazing. I was not expecting that from a small backstreet cafe that only does one burger.
What are the best sides you have had?
A tie between Bare Grill’s Epic Fries and Jalapeño poppers from the now defunct Guilty, which was run by the legendary Jimmy Hurlston of Easeys Burgers in Melbourne.
From time to time you post some of your home cooking, has there been any product or produce that has been a game-changer here that people need to know about?
I recently discovered that putting smokey scotch (any Ardbeg) in the water pan for a long low n’ slow meat cook adds absolutely magical flavours to the final product. It’s a game changer for sure.
Want to embark on your own food journey? Let us know in the comments! In the meantime, here is a list of all of @whipsy.eat’s recommendations.
