The Wig and Pen

by Megan Boyd
(Canberra, ACT, Australia)

The Wig and Pen pub, Canberra, ACT, Australia

As a relative newbie in Australia's capital city, Canberra, I've faced the usual challenges that come with a substantial interstate move – colder climate, smaller city, public servants everywhere!

But the biggest challenge of moving cities is finding a new favourite pub. After spending almost seven months here, I've come to realise that the very first pub I visited in Canberra is still my favourite.

The Wig and Pen – what a great name for a watering hole!

I ended up in The Wig and Pen on my second day in town. I had asked the concierge at my hotel about the best places in town to stop and have a beer and the Wig and Pen was the first place suggested.

After getting lost several times along the way, my thirst for a cold beer was growing, so you can imagine my relief when I stumbled upon the pub. It's tucked just off the main drag in Canberra City, but easily walkable from anywhere in town.

When you first enter, you immediately feel like you've left the Land of Oz and been plonked down in a sleepy English town pub. It's small, dark and cosy, which is perfect when you want to sit and have a quiet beer with mates.

One of the special things about the Wig and Pen is that they brew their own beer onsite. In fact, if you make your way to a table in the back corners of the pub, you can see the brewing equipment through the side doors – very cool.

When I went to order my pint, I was confronted with a wonderful array of imported beers on tap. I knew I couldn’t pronounce the mostly German names (I'm remedying this by taking a German language course – all the better to understand my beer). I must have looked puzzled because a very friendly barman offered for me to sample some of the beers! Wow – free beer tasting! This was unheard of for me, and how could I refuse.

After tasting the first beer, I thought it was perhaps a touch too sweet for my liking. At this point the bartender smiled knowingly and said "Ok, I think you’ll prefer this one" and handed me a glass of a rich amber coloured beer. Perfection in a glass!

I sat happily with my pint and observed the general goings on in this quaint little bar and was instantly in love with the place. If you're ever in Canberra and in need of decent refreshment, then you should definitely stop by The Wig and Pen. It is well worth a visit!