# Good Craftbeer in Melbourne!



## Rowy (11/3/13)

I will be in Melbourne tomorrow night staying at the Great Southern Hotel in Spencer Street. Can any of you southerners recommend a decent venue for good beer and tucker close to where I am staying.


----------



## taztiger (11/3/13)

Here's an old link.

Mrs Parmas sounds good.
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/62996-places-to-go-melbourne/?hl=%2Bmrs+%2Bparmas#entry884719


----------



## DU99 (11/3/13)

think about time this link got pinned


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

Thanks for that Mrs Parmas does sound good!


----------



## manticle (11/3/13)

Loads of great places in Melb for beer but Mrs parmas does the combo of simple food and wide range of aussie craft beer very well.

Have you checked out the menu (beer and food) of the place you are staying? From memory, I think they used to be good unless I am confusing it with another place on spencer.

^

just looked at the Great Southern website and it's completely different from what I was thinking of. Ignore.


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

Looking forward to it!


----------



## Pennywise (11/3/13)

Cookies has some good beer as well, and food to match. I've not ben there for a few months but I doubt things have changed


----------



## bum (11/3/13)

IMO, Mrs P has been dropping the ball on the tap front for at least a year. Fairly ordinary and safe selection these days. Only the two rotating taps are worth a look in most of the time. Food is still okay, if a little overpriced.

Not much in the way of food (thought they do have a kitchen) but I prefer Deja Vu for a drink these days.


----------



## Florian (11/3/13)

Rowy, I might have just had a bad day, but when I went to Mrs. Parma's last year I wasn't overly impressed, a little disappointed in fact.

Maybe because everyone seems to rave about it I sort of expected an older established place with heaps of atmosphere and big meals. What I found was an ordinary half modern place that in my opinion lacked totally in atmosphere. Purple walls, golden hand rails, shiny tiles and a raised seating area. Disgusting toilets at time of visit.

This is very, very subjective, but I just didn't like it, at all! Ate my meal (which again, I didn't think was that great, if not a little bland, one of those standard Parmas with something else on) and left. Maybe it was the time of the day (around lunch time), I don't know.

YMMVVVM (your mileage may vary very very much)


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

Respect your opinion Florian and yours Bum. May look at a few it seems I'm spoiled for choice. I'll search cookies.


----------



## bum (11/3/13)

If Mrs Parma's is "half modern" then I don't ever want to go to Brisbane. The place has more laminate surfaces than the average fish & chip shop.

Interior design aside, agree completely with the atmosphere. There's only narrow windows of time when the place isn't full of arseholes. I've made comments of this type in the past and been savaged for them so I'll leave it at that.


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

Being somewhat of an arsehole myself I may just fit in then................


----------



## Spiesy (11/3/13)

bum said:


> IMO, Mrs P has been dropping the ball on the tap front for at least a year. Fairly ordinary and safe selection these days. Only the two rotating taps are worth a look in most of the time. Food is still okay, if a little overpriced.


I agree. Not the finest beers on tap, most of the time.

It should also be pointed out that Mrs. Parma's specialises in Victorian craft beer, not Australian, as somebody mentioned previously.


----------



## Spiesy (11/3/13)

In my humble opinion, I'd hit up the iconic Young & Jackson's, on the corner of Swanston and Flinders St's. My "go-to" place in the CBD. Good range of mostly good beers - maybe 15 or so on tap... the food is okay in the restaurant as well.

Beer DeLuxe is also with a visit. They have a focus on world craft beer, and they do a pretty badarse cheeseburger for $12 (sadly beers aren't so cheap though).

Cookie, has a good range of bottled beer - but I seem to recall their tap offering not being quite so special.

Have heard good things about Deja Vu.


----------



## JDW81 (11/3/13)

I always drop into Young & Jackson's if I walk past. I've always been impressed with Beiro too, but haven't been there in a while. Can also vouch for Beer Deluxe, but they are pretty exxy though.

Edit: Beaten by Spiesy....


----------



## Florian (11/3/13)

bum said:


> If Mrs Parma's is "half modern" then I don't ever want to go to Brisbane. The place has more laminate surfaces than the average fish & chip shop.


I guess when I say half modern I meant neither modern nor 'old and established', a terrible attempt at trying to be both. Whatever they were trying to achieve with that look didn't appeal to me at all.

Heaps of great places around, beer related or not. Just go for a stroll around the area, sure you'll find heaps of places of interest. Had a good time at cookies both times I've been there but I think that's one of those places that could be a bit hit and miss depending on the time and crowd. Worth checking out, if you don't like it, head somewhere else.


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

Manythanks for the suggestion Spiesy. I would like some beer off the tap!


----------



## Florian (11/3/13)

JDW81 said:


> I've always been impressed with Biero too, but haven't been there in a while.


That's Deja Vu now.


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

12 Beers (tasters) for $30.00 on Tuesdays sounds damn fine and the menu looks great! Deja vu it may be


----------



## bum (11/3/13)

I suppose I should say that I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't consider Mrs Parma's. Listen to Florian and lower the expectations, maybe. It can be good, they do okay food (though nothing terrific, as Florian suggests), beers can be good and the customers are not often aggressively hipstery (as you can find in other venues, what with Melbourne being Melbourne).


Rowy said:


> and the menu looks great!


Ah, sent you on a wrong'un there, I guess. My apologies. Menu was heavily tappas based and dear as shit when I last looked (soon after they took the venue over).


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

Thanks for the help bum. I'll try a few but the tasters at Deja vu sounds good for starters.


----------



## Spiesy (11/3/13)

Rowy said:


> Manythanks for the suggestion Spiesy. I would like some beer off the tap!


Mad not to.


----------



## Florian (11/3/13)

Anyone in Melbourne heading to Deja Vu tomorrow to play "spot the Rowy"?

It's an easy game to win at... :lol:


----------



## Rowy (11/3/13)

Now now Florian you know I blend in to a crowd easily


----------



## manticle (11/3/13)

Food at de ja vu was super average last time I was there. Good beer, crap food.

Mrs parmas has parmas and beer. If your expectations are higher than that then try somewhere else.

I have not eaten the food here but this is one of my favourite places for a quiet beer during the week: 
http://www.pennyblue.com.au/index.html
http://www.pennyblue.com.au/PB%20food%20menu%20january2013.pdf

Not much tap beer (couple of hand pumps only) but lots of other bottled offerings, both AU and Import.

Beer deluxe would be my next choice unless you want to get out of the cbd.


----------



## JDW81 (11/3/13)

Florian said:


> That's Deja Vu now.


You learn something new every day. 

That being said it would be 18 months since I was there last so not surprise it has changed its name.


----------



## bum (11/3/13)

Different owners. Biero are (supposedly) opening at another venue. Was supposed to happen back in September or something, I think. I hope it happens soonish. Deja Vu is good but in a prick of a spot sometimes.


----------



## JDW81 (11/3/13)

bum said:


> Different owners. Biero are (supposedly) opening at another venue. Was supposed to happen back in September or something, I think. I hope it happens soonish. Deja Vu is good but in a prick of a spot sometimes.


When you live in Werribee everywhere is a prick of a spot.


----------



## Edak (11/3/13)

JDW81 said:


> When you live in Werribee everywhere is a prick of a spot.


I live in a dry area (Burwood) and that's why I started brewing it myself and have just put together a keezer...

Enjoy yourself in Melbourne, many good places to drink...


----------



## bullsneck (11/3/13)

Grab a sixer of your favourite craft beer (or mix it up with a few) and head to a Dumpling House in China Town. Can't go wrong.


----------



## Lecterfan (11/3/13)

JDW81 said:


> When you live in Werribee everywhere is a prick of a spot.


Everywhere BUT Werribee or....?


----------



## bum (11/3/13)

Ahaha. I thought something similar but then remembered that he's replying to a bloke from Frankston.


----------



## stakka82 (11/3/13)

How come noone's mentioned the local taphouse in st Kilda? In my opinion the best place in town for some serious beer tasting. Foods a little above average.


----------



## Cocko (11/3/13)

stakka82 said:


> How come noone's mentioned the local taphouse in st Kilda? In my opinion the best place in town for some serious beer tasting. Foods a little above average.


One of the greatest but not so much CBD based...... I would say.

Rowy is pretty hom, so will find tram travel hard and getting out there and back will be a challenge, unless you have cab fare to throw around.


----------



## DU99 (12/3/13)

werribee has the park hotel


----------



## New_guy (13/3/13)

Don't forget The Alehouse Project in Brunswick 
Cracking 13 taps of craft beer plus plenty of bottle beer


----------



## manticle (13/3/13)

Werribee's just a hop skip and a jump from the CBD too, if you ignore the really, really long train ride in between hopping on the train at Southern cross/Spencer street and jumping off the platform at Werribee.


Plenty of places in Brunswick and carlton (bar fred, Great Northern, atticus finch, alehouse project, etc) but again not stumbling distance from a hotel in Spencer St which i reckon is what the OP is chasing.


----------



## Cocko (13/3/13)

Now the OP's night has been, would love to know how he went?

Rowy? Reviews and thoughts on any?


----------



## manticle (13/3/13)

He got lost in Werribee


----------



## Cocko (13/3/13)

Oh dear.... He is probably walking like a cowboy.

Thoughts are with you Row.


----------



## Rowy (13/3/13)

Well gents it went like this. Stayed at some dive in Spencer Street for which there will be some serious conversation had with my admin girl tomorrow but other than that WOW!.....Had ironing to do on arrival so ducked next door to the bottlo and grabbed a SN Pale Ale, Kellerweis and Tumbler to while away the ironing issue. Feeling suitably primed / refreshed I then struck out in search of the elusive craft beer bars of your fair city. Called into the Waterside Hotel for a cooling Fat yak mid walk as it was friggin HOT and then continued my sodjourn. Went to the Saint something or other across from the closed Bottoms Up and had a goats head Steam Ale. Not bad at all so another pint of said steam ale was required to ensure my earlier tasting notes were correct. They were. I then had something APAish that was...................well just an apa so I decided that this was not what I was in Melbourne for so I decided that Bum was the man with the answer and I was always told to follow my heart so why not my bum. I went in search of Deja Vu. I found it, handed over a lazy 30 for the dozen tasters and I was away. Some seriously good beers with a couple of good blokes behind the jump. I won't give any individual descriptions other than that of the champion beer of the night, a sour as luck would have it, the Grand Cru Rodenbach Wild Ale. What a beer! It sourness hit at first like a St Kilda Transvestite who'd been ripped off by Cocko. Then it mellowed and the flavours were everywhere! A veritable party in ones mouth and you know all about those cocko don't you. Once the tasters were finished it was off to Lygonm Street for a spot of nourishment. I alighted from the Taxi after being astonished at how cheap the fair was and was feeling rather chipper. It was then that a small nuggety male assailant obviously Italian n rushed at me. I stood my ground and prepared for the fight. I turned to see if the cabby would hold my watch but unfortunately he had departed obviously worried about the highly vocal and clearly violent little man......................It then dawned on me that my would be attacker was in fact more interested in lightening my wallett in exchange for a repaste' that he assured me couldn't be matched even in Italy! I decided to take him on his word as I now become aware of several similarly vocal Italian gents eyeing me off like a box of KFC at a weight watchers meeting. I dined on the veal Marsala which, whilst not having been to Italy, lived up to my now little mates claims. It was f$#cking fantastic. Washed it down with a couple of James Boags (best of a very bad bunch) and then legged it to a bar just up the road and consumed some craft beers of some description from there. Now by this time I was feeling a little tired and didn't commit the names to memory but rest assurred they were not too bad but not outstanding. So stumps were called at that venue and I still felt in need of some devilment. So off to the big house it was. Spent $450.00 and a lazy what seemed like 17 seconds there and I decided to check my trusty time piece.........................oops 3ish......................so I then took a leisurely walk along the Yarra, which is a creek by the way not a river, flipped some beggar a two dollar coin out of the goodness of my heart (never offend the local gods) and the prick then wanted to shake my hand. Typhoid was the first thing that struck my mind so I declined his offer he told me to F#4ck myself and I thought about retrieving the aforementioned two dollars. I decided that it was a lesson learnt suggested he go take a tub, various expletives inserted and strolled off to my dingy lodgings. Awoke had breakfast did what I had to do workwise and returned to the sunshine state. My conclusions are thus. Fantastic place! Don't any of you pricks ever complain to me about the price of your Taxis and I will be making a return visit possibly with SWMBO in tow!


----------



## Yob (14/3/13)

Rowy said:


> It sourness hit at first like a St Kilda Transvestite who'd been ripped off by Cocko!


of which there are plenty :lol:

Glad you had a good old time of it Rowy.. 

Re the Yarra.. it must be a river, you cant float corpses down a creek h34r:


----------



## Rowy (14/3/13)

Point taken Yob. One of the funniest things I saw was walking over a bridge yesterday arvo and seeing this boat full of tourists that all had to duck as they went under it. I'm about 5 feet 17 inches so I would have a problem. 

What I will say is after visiting Sydney many many times and having worked and lived there for about 3mths once there is no comparison between the two places. The Victorian capital is the place for me :icon_chickcheers:


----------



## Florian (21/6/14)

quickly reviving Rowy's top efforts about a year later.

am heading to melbourne right now for a few days of work and pleasure, staying at the upper end of queen street near flagstaff gardens.

are there any half decent bottlos around there just so I can get a few night caps in?


----------



## MAX POWER (21/6/14)

Florian said:


> quickly reviving Rowy's top efforts about a year later.
> 
> am heading to melbourne right now for a few days of work and pleasure, staying at the upper end of queen street near flagstaff gardens.
> 
> are there any half decent bottlos around there just so I can get a few night caps in?


There's one at the market that has quite a good range. Haven't been there for a while tho.

Other than that, I'm not aware of anything that great.


----------



## Spiesy (21/6/14)

Grab a tram to Bridge Rd, Richmond - where you have both Slow Beer and Purvis Cellars.


----------



## Florian (21/6/14)

MAX POWER said:


> There's one at the market that has quite a good range. Haven't been there for a while tho.
> Other than that, I'm not aware of anything that great.


with markets I assume you mean queen victoria markets? was heading there anyway for some tasty stuff.

cheers Spiesy, might check those out if I haven't got any luck otherwise.


----------



## MAX POWER (21/6/14)

Florian said:


> with markets I assume you mean queen victoria markets? was heading there anyway for some tasty stuff.
> 
> cheers Spiesy, might check those out if I haven't got any luck otherwise.


Yeah Queen Vic. In the deli part near the Therry st entrance.

Like I said, I haven't been there for a while. Things often change at the market.


----------



## Mardoo (21/6/14)

And Flagstaff Gardens is also an excellent place to meet transvestites.


----------



## Florian (21/6/14)

Mardoo said:


> And Flagstaff Gardens is also an excellent place to meet transvestites.


that's why i booked my hotel close by seeing cocko is not available at the moment.

cheers Max am at the markets noww, will have a look out.


----------



## DU99 (21/6/14)

Try the sword's store @ the market.


you could get on the free tram and wander down to fed square or mrs parma's


----------



## manticle (21/6/14)

Short tram ride from vic market to parkhill cellars on errol street. Flagstaff station is right near de ja vu as well. Good bar.


----------



## pedleyr (21/6/14)

There's a bar on Little Bourke between Queen and Elizabeth called Du Nord. I've only been there once because I recently started working nearby, but there was a decent beer selection. Had some interesting Nordic beers, a dark lager I really enjoyed but can't remember the name of.


----------



## Florian (21/6/14)

thanks everyone. had a decent haul at the markets, albeit only food, but got some fresh green tiger prawwns, a lovely piece of sashimi tuna, some stuffed olives, two t-bones, avocadoes and other bits and bobs. great being only a minute away from the markets and glad i booked a studio apartment so I can quickly wisk something simple up in the kitchen at worldcupo'clock.

still havent found a bottlo that goes beyond 4pines and LC unfortunately, but haven't really tried hard either. am sure i will regret it tonight.

sitting at cookie for now with a red eye rye, i know it's a bit of a showpony place but i do like the atmosphere in there.


----------



## Mardoo (21/6/14)

I like the bit back behind the bar at Cookie.


----------



## Spiesy (21/6/14)

Florian said:


> sitting at cookie for now with a red eye rye, i know it's a bit of a showpony place but i do like the atmosphere in there.


Cookie is pretty awesome.


----------



## manticle (21/6/14)

Worst comes to worst, there is a dan's a block or so aeay from cookie. Google dan murphys qv vic.


----------



## Mardoo (21/6/14)

Florian hop on the 75 or 48 tram and take it to Bridge Road and Burnley Street (Stop 21) FFS and go to Slow Beer. You'll get everything you want. Their website isn't updated real frequently, but it's a great little shop, and among the Melbourne craft beer bottle shop forerunners. They keep 4 beers on tap. Go the To Ol Liquid Courage. 

http://www.slowbeer.com.au/


----------



## Florian (21/6/14)

Didn't see those comments until now, Dan's around the corner would have been the perfect compromise.

Settled for a sixer of LCPA from the IGA across from where I stay and it's not too bad actually. Will head out again soonish to find some dinner and maybe a few drinks somewhere.

Got a bit of 'work' stuff to do tomorrow, so not sure if I'll make it to slow beer or not.


----------



## manticle (21/6/14)

When do you head back mate? If it's not till tuesday, could go a pint on monday if you're up for it.


----------



## Florian (21/6/14)

It's a date!

Heading back Tuesday night, should be free Monday anytime after 6ish, no worries if it's later in the night.

Also happy to travel outside of my CBD bubble closer to where you are, just to get a different perspective. My shout.


----------



## manticle (22/6/14)

Pm me for my number. Penny blue in cbd or great northern in north carlton are my two suggestions.


----------



## buckerooni (5/12/14)

a new place 'beer mash' - http://www.beermashstore.com/. Looks more of a shop then a venue but it's a pretty impressive wall of taps!


----------



## DU99 (5/12/14)

"nice find" some christmas presents there


----------

