Jacka Brothers Brewery

Jacka Brothers Brewery is a craft brewery and taphouse in Melrose at the southern base of Mount Remarkable, and it doubles as accommodation with a lodge on site. The draw is the combination: beers from the brewery's own range, wood fired pizza, outdoor seating and a short walk from the town's main street, which makes it an anchor for a Flinders weekend rather than a bare lunch stop. The taphouse trades Wednesday to Sunday, with earlier close on Sundays.

Dogs at Jacka Brothers

Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome at the brewery and taphouse, so a tasting afternoon with the dog under the table is the standard setup. On the accommodation side, the direct booking engine carries a pet friendly option on select rooms: the Remarkable Mountain Lodge's Spriggina room is flagged pet friendly, with a pet fee in the order of 33 dollars per room per night.

One booking policy is spelled out plainly: staff are not a pet minding service, so plan your day around the dog rather than assuming the taphouse will watch it. Booking the flagged room ahead is the safe route, since pet friendly stock here is select rather than universal.

The brewery's position does half the work for a dog owner. Melrose is a trail town, and the shaded tables under the old gums are where walkers and riders land with their dogs after a morning on the hill, so a sociable dog will find company. On hot days, the thick walls of the 1893 flour mill throw deep shade across the courtyard before the sun is near setting, which is the corner to pick for a heavy coated dog.

Worth knowing

Melrose is a mountain bike and walking town, with the Mount Remarkable summit track starting near the town and the brewery sitting naturally at the end of either. The town's bed stock is small enough that weekends book out, especially when a race or trail event is on, so lock the room early. Note the national park next door has its own rules and dogs are restricted there, so the brewery and the town walks are the dog's share of a Melrose trip.

Other stays in town include the Mt Remarkable Hotel Motel, Wozza's BnB and the Melrose Caravan and Tourist Park. More dog friendly stays in SA are listed for the wider Southern Flinders run.