melbourne
Crafty Crawls: North Melbourne
North Melbourne has never been short of boozers, but it didn't offer as much for the craft beer drinker as many of the city's other inner 'burbs. That's all changed now – there's even a small brewery – as Will Ziebell discovered.
The Local Taphouse To Open At Melbourne Airport
The team behind trailblazing craft beer venue The Local Taphouse are set to open a bar at Melbourne Airport. It's their second joint venture there, following the launch of a Stomping Ground venue in early 2020.
Back To The Bar, Melbourne
Today, after making it through a world record number of days in lockdown, Melbourne is open again. James Smith and Will Ziebell spoke to brewery and venue owners and returning customers to assess the vibe.
Brewmanity Find A Home In South Melbourne
After a four year search, Brewmanity have finally unveiled plans for their brewery and taproom, which is scheduled to open in South Melbourne in early 2022. We caught up with co-founder David Neitz to find out more.
Back On The Craft Beers Pt II
Many of Melbourne's historic pubs have been closed this year longer than they were during even the world wars. Among them is the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy. As they prepare to reopen after 180 days closed, we ask how it's been.
Back On The Craft Beers Pt I
As Melbourne's venues prepare to reopen, we return to the pub with which we kicked off our Postcards from the Edge series on March 23. We joined Cherry Tree staff and a local to see how they've survived two lockdowns.
Victorians To Take To The Streets
Victorians could be heading to the streets (and rooftops and parks) as part of the state government's plan to bring the hospitality industry back to life in a COVIDSafe manner. But questions remain over what the future holds.
Postcards from the Edge No.46: Lockdown Life
Streets are emptier, bottleshops and cellar doors are quieter, masks – and a greater sense of fear – are everywhere. Midway through the scheduled six weeks of Lockdown Mk II, we chat to two reps about life in Melbourne's beer world.
Australia's First Airport Brewery Takes Off
The Stomping Ground brewpub at Melbourne Airport – Australia's first airport brewery – is up and running, with the first beer to go through the brewery their version of the Resilience Beer for bushfire relief.
Who Brews Alchemy Beers?
Alchemy Brewing opened at the end of 2019, adding another option to Brunswick East's already impressive list of craft beer destinations. We caught up with the pair behind the brewery for our Who Brews...? series.
Get more Crafty!
Sign up to our newsletters and get the latest craft beer news delivered free to your inbox. Choose from our Friday Roundup of the week, the quick-read, social feed-like Crafty Cuppa – or both!
Crafty Crawls: South & Port Melbourne
The contrast in beer offerings north and south of the Yarra is no longer as stark as it was. To prove it, join us as we set sail on a Crafty Crawl through the best beer spots in South and Port Melbourne.
Crafty's Advent Calendar: Dave Bonighton
Would the beer scene in Melbourne look like it does today without Mountain Goat? Highly unlikely. In day three of our end-of-decade Advent Calendar series we feature one half of the duo that helped build a beer city.
Hop Nation Movin' On Up
Hop Nation are to embark on a major expansion project in 2020. They've secured a new site close to, but far larger than their existing home in Footscray and plan to build a 25 hec brewery and 100-plus capacity venue.
Crafty Crawls: Chapel Street & Beyond
It's been a few years since we first ran a guide to the best spots to find good beer along and around Melbourne's Chapel Street and much has changed. So, here's a new one to help you navigate the busy strip.
Who Brews Frexi Beers?
They hail from France and Mexico, met in London and embarked on a trip through Europe and South East Asia sampling beers before landing in Melbourne. Now they've launched their first beers as Frexi Brewing, we got in touch.
Bodriggy Fire Up Their Brewery Home
It's taken longer than they planned, but the Bodriggy team are finally able to open their brewery to the public. And we're pretty sure visitors will judge it worth the wait as it's one of the most striking of its kind in the country.
Who Brews BoJaK Beers?
The name is inspired by their two sons rather than the world's most depressed horse and they pour up to a dozen beers at their Dandenong brewpub. As they move into cans, we find out more about BoJaK Brewing.
Melbourne Airport Lands A Brewery
Melbourne Airport is to get its own brewery, with Stomping Ground set to open their third venue there this coming summer. It's part of a revamp of the airport's offering designed to showcase Melbourne's food and drink scene.
One Hell Of A Brew
He's their most-capped player, longest-serving captain and leading goalscorer – and has his own brewing company. Now, David Neitz has combined his two passions with the launch of Demon Brew with Melbourne FC.
Crafty Crawls: Melbourne CBD – North
In part two of our guide to the best places to grab a good beer in Melbourne's CBD, we take in the northern half above Bourke Street, where you'll find boilermakers, container bars, Viking horns and history dripping from the walls.
Want to know more?
Crafty Crawls: Melbourne CBD – South
The beer offering in Melbourne's CBD has come a long way since we ran our first Crafty Crawl guide. So it's time to rework it into a two-parter. Here, we kick off in the city's southern half.
The (Pint of) Origin Story
When Good Beer Week 2019 kicks off, it will feature Pint of Origin for the eighth time. Before we forget too much about our little slice of the festival, we thought we'd reminisce with participants old and new.
Crafty Crawls: Footscray
In the relatively short period since we ran our first Crafty Crawl guide on Footscray and surrounds, things have developed apace. Here, Luke Robertson takes us on a tour of his home turf to bring things up to date.
Drink Smarter
Two years on from their launch, the University of Melbourne's courses focusing on beer and brewing have been completed by hundreds, with some students already securing work. University alumnus Will Ziebell returned to the scene.
The Abbotsford Renaissance
In recent times, you were more likely to see FOR LEASE signs going up on Abbotsford's historic pubs. But that's all changing, as new owners have injected life into a trio of pubs, helping turn it into one of Melbourne's best 'burbs for good beer.
Victorian Heritage
Bad Shepherd have plundered a bit of local brewing history in creating their new Victoria Pale Ale. It features the historic Melbourne Ale Yeast, brought back to life recently but dating back to the late 19th century.
Crafty Crawls: Fitzroy
Time for one of our most jam-packed, venues-to-distance-covered Crafty Crawls to date. Join us for a meander through the oldest suburb of Fitzroy as we take in classic pubs, cocktail joints and boozy dive bars.
Chasing Pint Dreams At The Pinny
A bartender at one of Melbourne's iconic pubs, the Fitzroy Pinnacle, has used his workplace as the location for a new web series. Pint Dreams is a six-part show by Ryan Jones and Laura McIntosh and debuts at the pub on August 11.
Who Brews Three Greens Beers?
From his first homebrew to launching Three Greens with two fellow travellers was a mere 20 years for Nick Copland. As the trio's beers pop up in venues across Melbourne, we find out more for our Who Brews...? series.
Crafty Crawls: The 86 Tram Pt II
As promised, here's part two of our reworked 86 tram Crafty Crawl. This one starts in Clifton Hill and heads north to Thornbury with many and varied places to check out along the way.
From Canvas to Can
If you head to the Good Beer Week Festival Hub as it launches this weekend, you might stumble across a State Of Origin battle between two artists. You can vote for your favourite piece, which Moo Brew will then put on cans before the festival is over.
Crafty Crawls: The 86 Tram Pt I
We kicked off our Crafty Crawls series of guides to Australia's best beer venues, grouped by their proximity and easily navigable by foot, bike or public transport, with the 86 tram. Two years on, there's so much more to find, it's now a two-parter.
Crafty Crawls: The 19 Tram
Two years on from launching our Crafty Crawl series with a tour along Melbourne's iconic 86 tram route, we're hopping about PT again. This time, it's the turn of the city's 19 tram, from Coburg to the CBD and taking in the vibes of Brunswick's Sydney Road.
Brew & A: Ben Simmons
When the family that owned the Clifton Hill Hotel decided to move it from being an Irish pub with TAB to inner-city brewpub, we doubt they envisaged it would lead to the development of a sour beer program. We caught up with the brewer that started taking it in that direction.
We're Going On A Beer March
Fundraising brewing company Brewmanity is set to embark on its most ambitious venture yet in support of FightMND. Beer March aims to raise tens of thousands of dollars throughout March. We caught up with David Neitz and Neale Daniher to find out more.
Melbourne Airport Gets Crafty For Summer
Melbourne has a deserved reputation as Australia's craft beer capital. But anyone arriving here for the first time at Tullamarine Airport would be hard pressed to know. That's set to change for summer, however, with a ten-tap Stomping Ground pop-up bar.
Kicking Goals
The connections between the country's smaller brewers and professional sports continue to grow. Stomping Ground is now pouring beers at Melbourne City home games, Six String has released a Central Coast Mariners beer and the trend looks likely to grow.
Music To Our Ears
Forum Melbourne has long been regarded by many as the city's best music venue. If you're a fan of local craft beer, it's got a whole lot better. During a major refurb, the owners installed their own tap system and now pour all Victorian beers.
Mountain Goat At 20 – Part I
Mountain Goat wasn't the first craft brewery to launch in Australia but for many beer drinkers, especially those from Melbourne, it has a special place in their heart. As it turns 20, we head back across the two decades in the company of owners and staff, past and present.
Russian Moo-lette
In one of the more innovative promotional gambits we've seen, Moo Brew founder David Walsh has commissioned a roulette style vending machine filled with the brewery's cans – and one option drinkers may wish to give the bullet.
The Pinny Restored
Almost two years after a fire destroyed much of the building, one of Melbourne's iconic pubs is back to full strength. Will Ziebell caught up with Fitzroy Pinnacle owner Leigh Wilkes as his staff prepare to serve the first meals since November 2015.
How The West Was Won
The west of Melbourne is undergoing a period of massive growth, and craft beer is expanding right alongside it. The Crafty Pint visited new venues Mr West and Bar Josephine, as well as Two Birds, to find out what the west will do next.
Stomping Ground Strikes For Melbourne City
Melbourne brewery Stomping Ground has struck up a partnership with Melbourne City FC. They brewed a beer for the club's FFA Cup launch in what's the latest win for craft brewers striving to gain a toehold in an area traditionally dominated by the big brewers.
Something's Brewing On Southbank
There aren't many things that haven't been attempted along Melbourne's busy Southbank Promenade. But this week brought something new as Brewmanity headed to Hopscotch to christen Frank the Tank with an oyster stout brew.
Cocktails On Tap
Good Beer Week 2017 has seen a small army of American breweries travel to Melbourne. And it's not just owners, brewers and barrel program managers who've come. Cocktail guru Jacob Grier has visited as part of the retinue from Portland.
Foreign Import
It's not unusual for you startup breweries to seek advice from experts. They don't often fly them in from the other side of the world, however. Will Ziebell meets the former Pilsner Urquell brewer assisting the team at Brunswick's Foreigner.
The Biggest Week In Beer Is Coming
Good Beer Week has grown into a happening of global stature, encapsulating 270 events, the Australian International Beer Awards and the ever-growing beast that is GABS. The 2017 version promises to be the biggest yet.
Two Birds II
Today sees Two Birds Brewing founders Jayne Lewis and Danielle Allen celebrating the completion of their journey from contract brewers to fully self-sufficient brewery owners. They're marking it with a new beer and new look too.
West of Centre
Just southwest of Melbourne's CBD is a small brewery producing hop forward, West Coast USA influenced beers. Will Ziebell spoke to the American expat who opened Westside Ale Works with the aim of fostering even more love for the mighty hop.
Drink Smart
Greater education for people in all areas of the beer world is much needed in Australia. And now it's on offer at an unlikely location as one of the world's leading universities adds a subject dedicated to beer to its prospectus.
