Windsor Alehouse on Punt Road is something of an innovation itself. Formerly Pint on Punt, this familiar three-storey building transformed itself from an all-Irish pub to a classical beer bar, changing the way it does things in the process. “It was tough at the start,” says manager Ewan. “We actually got rid of what we were renowned for previously. It’s baby steps, everything’s baby steps. Everything takes a while. Build it, and they will come, slowly add a bit, add a bit.”
Some things remain, but most were updated to attract a new clientele. Patrons still get their drinks at the iconic horseshoe-shaped bar, but where Magners, Budweiser, Heineken, and Guinness used to be are 19 taps offering up local and international craft beers. With its high stools, bright lights, and modern rustic decor, it’s come a long way from its Irish pub roots. A whole new team is running the place too, with Ewan at the helm, himself new to Melbourne. He is not your average manager.
“Are you well, man? Here’s a pint.”
When asked what makes him a successful manager, he bursts into laughter, the sound rising over the din of the pub: “I don’t know if I am!” But falsely humble he is not, the twinkle in his eye suggests there’s a lot more to come for Windsor Alehouse. They’re still too small for any blanket policies or constraints that chain pubs can have, so changes in the staff’s schedules are easy to manage with Tanda. “I don’t think I’ve rejected any holiday request. There’s always a way to accommodate everybody. I think people appreciate that.”
Ewan has been running pubs for 13 years, and he’s come a long way from his Carlsberg-drinking days in Scotland. He didn’t know anything about Windsor Alehouse’s craft beers at first, he admits, but it has opened him up to new experiences. Today, whether he’s downing a Carlsberg in his hometown or serving up a Nine Tales Amber Ale on Punt Road, you’ll find him behind a bar with an easy smile, asking you the same thing: “Are you well man? Here’s a pint.”