What Micro Breweries In Vic Worth Visiting?

[Truman42]

My missus and I like going on weekend drives, which quite often see us ending up at a micro brewery to sample their beers.

So far we've been to
Mornington Peninsula brewery (one of my favourites)
Redhill Brewery
Hickinbotham winery (also a favourite, great ambience)
Coldstream brewery
White Rabbit

Id like some suggestions on the other many micro breweries in Victoria that are worth visiting, such as Mountain Goat, 2 brothers, Grand ridge etc.

What micro breweries stand out as worth visiting and also offer something more than just beer to sample such as a great restaurant with great food etc.

 

[eclessia]

Holgate is an easy 1 hour drive - Woodend.

Or take the train - they are 100m from the station right in town.

Awesome beers - try the ESB off the hand pump - unreal.

They have a good restaurant, a nice little courtyard and accom. and offer package deals.

 

[IainMcLean]

Going further north:

Bridge Road Brewers @ Beechworth. Was there this weekend - great beers on tap and open every day. The brewhouse is in the middle of the tables opposite the bar. Been a few times and it's always good. Maria makes excellent pizza but the kitchen is closed on Tuesdays.

Travelling south there's Bright a few K's away form Beechworth. Good for a sunny day sitting out with a beer in their garden.

 

[jbowers]

Mornington is the best of these options beer-wise, in my opinion. Perfectly serviceable pizza options too.

 

[IainMcLean]

True South @ Blackrock.

Really interesting chips - stacked like Jenga on your plate.

Beer's good too.

 

[Wonderwoman]

+1 for holgate and bridge road brewers

if you want to go out west, there's the following breweries. I have to add a disclaimer that I've never visited any of them, but I would reccommend their beers based on what I've tasted.

- Red Duck in Camperdown (IIRC) - not sure if they actually have a cellar door
- otway estate (also a winery and restaurant)
- brewery in warnambool that does 'dirty angel'... can't think of their name off the top of my head

 

[Truman42]

Holgate is an easy 1 hour drive - Woodend.

Or take the train - they are 100m from the station right in town.

Awesome beers - try the ESB off the hand pump - unreal.

They have a good restaurant, a nice little courtyard and accom. and offer package deals.

That sounds great, I can arrange a brewery visit thinly disguised as a romantic weekend away that the missus would love.

 

[Truman42]

Mornington is the best of these options beer-wise, in my opinion. Perfectly serviceable pizza options too.

Have to agree with you there, MPB is easily one of the best breweries Ive been too for the beer, the pizzas and the relaxed atmosphere. Its like your having a beer at your mates shed.

 

[JDW81]

My missus and I like going on weekend drives, which quite often see us ending up at a micro brewery to sample their beers.

So far we've been to
Mornington Peninsula brewery (one of my favourites)
Redhill Brewery
Hickinbotham winery (also a favourite, great ambience)
Coldstream brewery
White Rabbit

Id like some suggestions on the other many micro breweries in Victoria that are worth visiting, such as Mountain Goat, 2 brothers, Grand ridge etc.

What micro breweries stand out as worth visiting and also offer something more than just beer to sample such as a great restaurant with great food etc.

I've always enjoyed my expeditions to mountain goat and they've got a nice selection of stuff you can't get in the bottleo (black IPA comes to mind). They knock up a reasonable pizza too.

One downside is they're only open wednesday and friday (from memory). Still well worth the trip though (IMHO)

JD

 

[Logman]

a brewery visit thinly disguised as a romantic weekend

I can't say I've seen a disguise any thinner :lol:

 

[JDW81]

My missus and I like going on weekend drives, which quite often see us ending up at a micro brewery to sample their beers.

So far we've been to
Mornington Peninsula brewery (one of my favourites)
Redhill Brewery
Hickinbotham winery (also a favourite, great ambience)
Coldstream brewery
White Rabbit

Id like some suggestions on the other many micro breweries in Victoria that are worth visiting, such as Mountain Goat, 2 brothers, Grand ridge etc.

What micro breweries stand out as worth visiting and also offer something more than just beer to sample such as a great restaurant with great food etc.

I've always enjoyed my expeditions to mountain goat and they've got a nice selection of stuff you can't get in the bottleo (black IPA comes to mind). They knock up a reasonable pizza too.

One downside is they're only open wednesday and friday (from memory). Still well worth the trip though (IMHO)

JD

 

[edschache]

You clearly need to move to Brisbane then you'd have far less decisions to try and make

Wish I could just scoot up the road to Holgate - they really do make some fantastic beers IMHO

 

[Mercs Own]

A drive up to the King Valley is always a very pleasant experience, stop in to Milawa cheese for some great cheese, pop around the corner to Milawa mustard and pick up a couple of jars of their finest - and talk to the new owner a guy from Lancashire who wants to build his own brewery on site ! Then drive over to Bright for a few ales a feed and a nice spot to stay over night!

Of course driving up through the Yarra Valley is beautiful where you have a few breweries to stop in at - one not mentioned so far is Hargreaves Hill's pub.

So many good choices now!!!

 

[komodo]

MP Brewery is one of my all time favorites - helps that its not too far away from us either Truman.
Mountain Goat, 2 brothers, Grand ridge All get +1's from me.
If you're not precious about your car the grand ridge road is a nice drive but mostly dirt roads the other side of mirboo north.
I dont like white rabbit nor bright breweries. But thats me personally.

Edit: Funny you say that about the guy at Milawa I was only talking to him about that last time I was up there. If your heading that way take him a couple of brews to try - he's a hell of a nice guy.
Could do coldstream, jamieson and bridge road in a day or very easily over two taking in some beautiful scenery at the same time.

Truman I know you were looking for spots to camp too up that way between Mansfield and Whitfield theres a town called tolmie - head into the state park there and you'll come across string bark creek camp ground. Easily accessable by 2wd good facilities (fire pits, drop loos and nice grassy camp sites) and generally not too busy (unless its a long weekend in which case forget it unless you get in early) Theres also gentle annie in whitfield if your after a more caravan park type place or follow buffalo river up towards dandongadale and theres some good camping on the upper side of the river the lake for a real basic camp site. Not far into Wang from their either and its a pretty easy day trip to buffalo brewery and if your that way inclined head across up to the murray to rutherglen for their fortifieds. Bright and Myrtleford are skipping distance.
I did the drive upto stringybark on the weekend but I came through Mt Samaria via bridge creek and across and doubled back at tatong to get there. Stopping for dinner (great pizza) at alex and dealing with friday arvo traffic I was there in 7 hours easily (was towing a trailer so I was in low range for about an hour and a half coming throuh Mt Samaria State Park) took less than 4 hours (even with all the peckers on the black spur doing 30kph) on the way home as I went a way more direct way. Eastlink makes it heaps easier than going up through cockatoo. I reckon king valley is a great place to base yourself for a weekend. Great wine, great food, beautiful scenery and a heap of history out that way. The road across from mansfield to whitfield is one of the best driving roads in the state IMO. They've got the bright rod run up that way the weekend after cup weekend.

 

[Truman42]

I can't say I've seen a disguise any thinner :lol:

LOl..Yeh lucky for me she likes sampling different brews as well..

 

[Truman42]

MP Brewery is one of my all time favorites - helps that its not too far away from us either Truman.
Mountain Goat, 2 brothers, Grand ridge All get +1's from me.
If you're not precious about your car the grand ridge road is a nice drive but mostly dirt roads the other side of mirboo north.
I dont like white rabbit nor bright breweries. But thats me personally.

I have a Ford Ranger dual cab (company car) so dirt roads arent a problem. Will have to check out Grand Ridge as I love the beer. I agree with you about White Rabbit it really did nothing for me.

Have you been to Hickinbotham and Redhill Komodo? Hickinbotham do some great beers and have a great sample paddle.

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[eclessia]

That sounds great, I can arrange a brewery visit thinly disguised as a romantic weekend away that the missus would love.

As a back - if she some how manages to see through your ruse - Kyenton is right next door, 10km or so, and has lots of female friendly attractions - Daylesford is also a short drive.

 

[DU99]

I think everyone's covered the subject ..Merc's tour i really like
also there's
http://www.bellarineestate.com.au/brewery/
http://www.thunderroadbrewing.com/

 

[cam89brewer]

+1 for holgate and bridge road brewers

if you want to go out west, there's the following breweries. I have to add a disclaimer that I've never visited any of them, but I would reccommend their beers based on what I've tasted.

- Red Duck in Camperdown (IIRC) - not sure if they actually have a cellar door
- otway estate (also a winery and restaurant)
- brewery in warnambool that does 'dirty angel'... can't think of their name off the top of my head

Bridge road have excellent beer but I am very against their pricing and wonder how any brewer can justify selling their products at such a high price, my work sells a few of their products and for just 1 6pk of their bling IPA $25.99 and its not much cheaper at the brewery. Just my opinion but who the f$#@ do they think they are!?!?!

 

[Truman42]

A drive up to the King Valley is always a very pleasant experience, stop in to Milawa cheese for some great cheese, pop around the corner to Milawa mustard and pick up a couple of jars of their finest - and talk to the new owner a guy from Lancashire who wants to build his own brewery on site ! Then drive over to Bright for a few ales a feed and a nice spot to stay over night!

Of course driving up through the Yarra Valley is beautiful where you have a few breweries to stop in at - one not mentioned so far is Hargreaves Hill's pub.

So many good choices now!!!

Thanks for the info Mercs, the wife and I are going to the King Valley wine festival with the Bro in law and his wife on the weekend of the 19th November. I actually wanted to cancel to go to Hobart for the brew festival but wasn't able to as accomodation is already booked.
Im not really into wines but from the sounds of things it will still be a worthwhile weekend away with some brewery visits thrown in. Will definitely check out Milawa cheese, love tasting cheeses.