It’s the craft brewery with Instagram-ready good looks, lounge vibes and the best American barbecue in town.

For its first bricks-and-mortar digs, Hack Brewing Co. last year took over
the 1860s Port Melbourne corner pub that’s had more name changes than hot dinners – Fountain Inn, Sloaney Pony and Mardo’s, to name a few.

The Hack’s not only home to the Victorian brewer’s quaffable Easy Ale and Normal Beer and a rotating line-up from fellow independent local brewers, it’s also a cocktail bar with an extensive list of hits, plus Pimm’s, prosecco and espresso martinis on tap.

In the kitchen, pitmaster Kevin Dick of food van Limp Brisket turns out his fine brand of American barbecue using local grass-fed, free-range meats cooked over red gum.

The Classic is one beaut bun. Its thick slices of tender, 12-hour-smoked brisket with a cracking salt-and-pepper crust are layered with pickles and a tangy barbecue sauce for cut-through. Team it with a serve of crisp-shelled mac ’n’ cheese croquettes and a beer, and your afternoon is made in the shade.

The offerings from the pit come with fennel slaw (juicy), pickles (good) and cornbread (bit dry). We loved the hog – 200 grams of pig smoked whole for 10 hours, yet still so succulent.

The dining room is bright and fresh. Colourful murals, designer greenery, dangling light bulbs and walls picked out in peach make for a handsome and homely hangout.

The Hack is licensed for a whopping 370 people. A rooftop bar is planned, plus Life Hack workshops such as home-brew and handyman classes. Live gigs and an open-mic night are going well.

It’s great to see two businesses not only complementing each other’s strengths, but breathing new life into an old pub and saving it from apartment-block ubiquity. This lounge room rules.