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'Out-chooked': A review of (possibly) Perth's best backyard bar

It was all in the name of work that I went to visit what we now believe is Perth's best backyard beer garden.

My one-stop backyard pub crawl was to the suburb of Gwelup, in a quiet, tree-lined, well-kept loop where the kids play cricket in the street and the sound of domestic bliss is masking a much wilder side. 

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Motorised picnic table hits the water

This motorised picnic table with cans of Emu Export and water skiing may be the most Australian thing ever.

And "Pacey's Bar" is where it all happens.   

I was greeted by the charming owner, Jason "Pacey" Wright and his friendly wife Shan, who welcomed me to their home and showed me around their backyard bar. No sooner had I whispered the words "just a water thanks" that a very cold beer was placed in front of me.  

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And this wasn't just your standard tiki timber bar with a wonky bar stool. There wasn't a plastic outdoor chair to be seen, no tacky mirror splash back and I couldn't find an Indonesian carving of "Jason's Bar" anywhere.   

Set in tranquil gardens, this bar features a keg tapped with a cold home brew, which is dry and light for summer (and extremely drinkable, I can confirm) a darker ale for winter, a selection of spirits, a fully wired sound system, a DJ mixing station, a wall of super cool posters and, of course, a massive TV permanently set on the sport channel.   

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And the girls haven't been forgotten either, with a ladies lounge offering a view over the pool where Shan has hosted just a few long lunches.

Is this the best backyard bar in Perth? Is yours better? Send us photos. 

Jason has spent limited funds creating his bar, which makes me love it even more. Anyone can splash some cash but this bar has been created out of love for beer and mateship. Jason's friend "Donkey" the chippy provided much-needed skills.

"It's good to have mates with a knack of building," Jason said, "especially when payment is simply a place to sleep, and of course beer". 

I discovered that this wasn't just a story about a bar but about the people who visit it. 

The little street Pacey's sits on has been built on friendship and frothies and, on the afternoon that I visited Joey, from three doors down, and Tim "Lord of the Point" rocked up each bringing their own cold ones to add to the beer fridge.

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Is this Gwelup backyard bar the best of Perth?

"It's much better drinking Pacey's beer," said Tim, "but we feel like we should occasionally bring our own". 

I could have easily settled in for the night and I was becoming so comfortable I was thinking about casting aside my work shoes. 

That was my cue to leave. 

Although it didn't feel like it, I was officially working and a few more home brews could have seen me swinging from the pergola.

And let's be honest, no one wants to see a 40-plus mum-of-three doing that.

But I left feeling I had new best friends.

In a time where drink driving is rampant and a round of drinks costs more than your weekly food bill, a night in with your mates can be a much better option. 

So if you don't have a friend like Jason, get one!

What I learnt: 

The phrase "to out-chook yourself". Noun. A description of one person who has consumed too much Emu Export, commonly known as Bush Chook. The said person can be found asleep in a corner of your backyard bar.

*Jason Wright is the brother of Grant Wright, who took his own carton of Emu Export back to Melbourne as checked luggage.

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