this place used to be the 'go-to' place. it was the bar that served over 15 beers on tap…read more(interchangeable each night) and rocked from 12pm till 12am (so many people). now they wont serve a beer after 9pm on a Saturday...(now more than half empty). its not the same place it used to be, which is really sad. but why? is. it because rich ppl bought it? why has the atmosphere died so bad? sux, as used to be a staple of high street.

Since coming to Melbourne, I've had some serious no-joking-matter trouble. Maybe I was looking in…read morethe wrong places, but it's been difficult for me to find a good shop that has a wide range for craft beer available in bottles to buy. Sure, there's plenty of bars with local/craft beers on tap, but I was after the good stuff to have at home. Thus, Carwyn Cellars has been a heaven sent solution. There is beer on shelves, there is beer in fridge coolers, there is even beer lined up ready for picking. If your poison is wine, don't be alarmed, there's a fully stocked room filled with wines to delight your tastes. Or if liquor is quicker for you, they have an array behind the counter. The staff is helpful and I appreciate the 15% off discount when you buy a mixed six-pack of beer. That always is a push to buy more beer, as if you need one right? The cellar store leads into the bar in the back. I only got in a glance, from what I could make of it, they've got a nice little setup here. With plenty of good craft beers on tap, and the option of indoor/outdoor seating. Carwyn is the perfect place to come and get your drink on and then without even leaving, purchase a few more to take home. I'm all for it.

Harvest Wine & Liquor Store is the quintessential boutique alcohol shop. It stocks almost every…read moreboutique beer you can imagine from Australia and around the world (Europe in particular), a range of top quality wines (including preservative free, organic and biodynamic) and a good range of top shelf spirits and liqueurs. It is certainly not a cheap place where you would go to pick up a case before heading off to a party or barbeque. But if you want serious quality or have a particular taste for quality booze then Harvest is the place for you. The man who owns and works at Harvest is very very knowledgeable and friendly. He is passionate about quality liquor and wants to pass on his knowledge to anyone who wants it. Harvest is also a great place to go to buy presents for friends and family who enjoy a good beverage from time to time. And they also stock a range of class European canned beers for those who are heading to festivals like Meredith and Golden Plains and don't want to drink either VB or Carlton Draught.

If, like me, cheap wine makes you sneeze and splutter so much that you turn from a cheap date into…read morea sick date with barely any warning, Harvest Wine & Liquor is the place to go. Stocking an incredible range of wines, beers, ciders, spirits and more, Harvest Wine & Liquor is hands down the best off license in the area and boasts probably the best range of organic wine that I've yet found in Melbourne. As well as retailing, Harvest Wine & Liquor arranges roughly two tastings a month either within the shop itself or at neighbouring High Street bars, and there are invariably excellent offers available on the night on bottles of cider and wine. Predictably, Harvest Wine & Liquor isn't cheap. This isn't the place to nab yourself cheap cleanskin or cooking wine. But if you're looking for an excellent selection of high quality booze, Harvest Wine & Liquor is the place to go. Bar none.

There's an abundance of these 'specialist' bottle shops springing up around the place and until…read morerecently I was less than convinced. But then a friend took me on a tour of the Mountain Goat brewery and we talked beer and, specifically, ales for a couple of hours. From that conversation (I'll spare you the details), I have not gone back to drinking lagers at all and I don't think I ever will. The Twisted Vine stocks many fine ales and has a shit hot wine selection. They have running deals, none of that changing prices on a whim kind of shit, and do awesome specials and tasting sessions. They also have an open fire in winter and the place just has this rad vibe about it like they're happy to serve you piss, no matter your budget. On a few occasions I've been in and asked what they'd recommend for wine under ten bucks. They don't bat an eye and their selections have been killer.

Decent range for what is quite a small space. They have some good specials too. You can park and…read moreshop from one lane or just drive through for service in the other. The staff were helpful too.

Northcote IGA also with it's own liquor section is well supplied and well stocked. Particularly so…read moreif you want a decent alternative to the big two supermarkets. It isn't the biggest space, but is far better than a lot of other small food stores and stocks most of what you need or want. They have a good but relative selection of fresh produce, and for some reason really excel in these area's: deli and cheese, chocolates, ice-creams, and sweet bottled drinks. They're also very good for everything else a small supermarket offers.

Some nights in our household there is a desperate, urgent need for wine. Whether it's a hard day at…read morework, a fight with a friend or, y'know, it's just a Tuesday, sometimes a glass of wine is all you need to ease the pain. Enter Brunswick East Wine Store. Sure, you could just pop down to the local IGA and grab a bottle of something that sounds fancy there, but why not go somewhere were ALL the wine is good - no guessing required. The lovely staff at Brunswick East Wine know exactly what they are talking about. Just give them a budget/occasion/colour and they'll point you where you need to go. But hey, why not buy a glass and enjoy a cheese and truffle toastie while you're in there? Not just a wine store, but a bar too! It's venues like these that make me feel smug to live in such a wonderful suburb. Cheers!

I'm a big fan of wine stores that let you enjoy a glass (or five) before you make a selection to…read moretake home. Come here for a glass of vino and a plate of cheese to wind down after work, and then speak with knowledgeable owner Tim about the options to take home. There's an excellent selection and I love that the bottles are sorted by weight, rather than varietal, and that there's a wide range of prices which means you can easily pop in for a bottle of what I like to call "Tuesday night vino" (read: cheap and cheerful) or something a little more fancy.