Brewery's, Bar's All things beer in Melbourne

[Mike Neilson]

Off to Melbourne on Wednesday, any thoughts of the must do's of beer in Melbourne!!

[Brendon]

I second Lambs Go bar, Mrs parma's, Transport and Cookie - also if you are around on a Friday then you must go to Mountain Goat Brewery (the only day they are open to the public I think)
http://www.goatbeer.com.au/where-to-goat/the-goat-bar/
http://www.goatbeer.com.au/contact/how-to-get-here/

Brendon

[kier]

There is a great brewpub in Woodend (approx 1.5 hours drive from the city). When I went there 3 years ago it had 4 real ales served through beer engines.

I'll try and find out the name from my in-laws but you can't miss it on the main street of the town. It's not a big place and it's situated in an old two storey brick building that was obviously an old brewery.

[kier]

http://www.holgatebrewhouse.com/

[Kempicus]

Just caught up with this thread....damn sounds like a good trip Mike! :0)

[Mike Neilson]

Cheers Guys again for the heads up!! I attended The Local, What a fantastic bar 30 beers on Tap!!! its a must when in melbourne I feel, very laid back and easy to lose a lot of time while the wife was shopping. Wasnt able to get to the Holgate and Mountain Goat brewerys but I did manage to drink alot of there ales. Acland Wine Cellars, most defintly the place to get your beer in Melbourne!! they stock alot of lagers but more so alot of beers that we just dont know if we can get here in NZ. I was more astonished with the amount of Baltic porters they had in stock? weird? and another note when in melbourne go to Cloudwine, they can be found on www.slowbeer.com.au

[JoKing]

So are you back now Mike?

[Mike Neilson]

Yip and at work with 1 hour sleep!!! God bless Wellington Airports Curfew!!!

[JoKing]

It's good to have you back in the land of sheep shaggers mate. I bet you'll be testing a bottle of you IIPA when you get home tonight?

[Mike Neilson]

Ive been f**king licking my chops all week thinking about it, I tried 3 IIPAs over there and found them to use alot of crystal!! I didnt think that was to style but who cares they all tasted good apart from a bottle of Hopgates that was rooted!!! but the other bottle was all good!! I finally got to try SN Pale Ale and Samual Smiths IPA (ellusive) which were both pretty good. But the biggist shock I got was with Little Creatures Bright Ale!! that stuff just tasted so Good!!! Aus must have a think for N Sauvin Pilsners they seem to use it in about 4 out of the 5 Craft Pilsners I tried and even In an Imp Pilsner which was very nice also!! Damn I which I was back at the local and not here!!

[Stu McKinlay]

Some of the bars I checked out last week:

The Red Oak (Clarence st, Sydney) - much better than I expected. Very European (and not in the 'out of a box' way that the Belgian beer cafes are). Prices not too bad. IPA was excellent and I've tried the Baltic Porter and can report that it is worth $25 per 330ml bottle!

Both Local Taphouse bars (St Kilda and Darlinghurst) were unique and had a pretty phenomenal tap list. Think of Malthouse and Hashigo Zake merging. best bars of the trip, without doubt.

The Royston (opposite Mountain Goat in Richmond) seemed pretty good, though was very quiet when we were in. Worth a couple of cheeky afternoon pints if you are heading to Mountain Goat on a Wednesday or Friday evening.

Friday night at Mountain Goat is fantastic. Their Surefoot Stout was my pick of the trip and the IIPA through "Randy" (filled with Citra hops) was well worth a taste.

Little Creature's Beer Hall (Fitzroy) was great, and it was fantastic to see such a large range of beers other than there own (incl Epic and Tuatara Pale Ales). I was disappointed with the Pale Ale though... I tried it in a few places and it really seemed a pale imitation of what I was drinking in the 500ml bottles last year (in colour and flavour). Free wifi.

Young and Jackson's (opposite Flinder Station) had 11 NZ beers on tap and was a top notch old school bar - large boozer down stairs, quiet drinking bar upstairs and then an excellent little open air rooftop bar.

Cookie (Swanston St) - a few interesting beers on tap, a HUGE selection of bottled beer, and a pretty tasty asian-style menu. Free wi-fi.

Beer Deluxe (Fed Square) had an impressive looking selection, and a nice but after having 8 beers their for breakfast on Saturday morning I didn't have time to stop for a brunch beer! the entire Fed Square has free wi-fi!

Still so many bars I've not taken a look at. Next year....

[jamis]

8 beers for breakfast?! if I did that I would be 'gone by lunchtime'...well done